I have a kettle, kamado, and pellet grill (SmokeFire). I enjoy using all of them. For long over night cooks, I mostly use the pellet grill. I set it, forget it, grab some sleep, and finish it up in the morning. Might not get that offset smoky flavor, but I get great bark and smoke ring and I got 6-8 hours worry free sleep at the same time. In the winter I use the kamado almost exclusively as it gets cold in Chicago and the kamado is insulated so well it is not effected by minus degree weather. That said, on over night cooks, I monitor the temps because it's also windy here and sometimes that swirling wind plays havoc on temps. Some of the best smoky flavor I get is from the kettle and it makes a killer steak. Although, reverse searing on the SmokeFire is almost just as good as the kettle. I'm only about 5 years out from being a gasser and electric smoker guy and enjoying the journey into using wood and charcoal. I might get an offset one day. Until then, I'll keep trying to perfect cooking on what I got. Nice video Andrew.

Thanks for the video Andrew. I started with offset smokers. I am currently on my 3rd offset, so I've been doing it a while. I like everyone else, I have a lot of stuff going on in my life, and don't always have 6 hours to dedicate to a smoke session (that would be for a short smoke like ribs). A brisket or pork butt would be even longer. I would smoke something about 3-4 times a year with only the offset rig. I bought a pellet smoker about a year ago, and now I smoke something 2 to 4 times a month. I still use the offset when I have the time to dedicate to the cook, but otherwise I can put something on the pellet smoker and do household chores while the cook is happening. I love them both, but for different reasons. The ease and convenience of the pellet smoker allows me to BBQ way more often (the family and I all love that). The deep smoke flavor, better bark and larger size (for bigger BBQs) from the offset when time allows. Your videos convinced me to go with a Pit Boss, and I thank you for that. Keep up the good work.

I started out on a weber smokey mountain and kettle when I was 9 years old. My next grill came when I turned 15 and it was a weber Genesis. I only used that for quick cooks of hot dogs, burgers, and steak smoked to 120-140 to sear them. The next grill I got was big green egg when I turned 22. After that it was an old country brazos when I was 28. Next pit was an old country gravity feed. Now I still have my Big green Egg, a weber Master touch kettle, both of my old country smokers. I do not knock pellet smokers but I have used my friends and they are easy to use. Right now I am 36 years old. I am thinking of upgrading my kamado grill to a kamado joe big joe series 3.

I've been watching your videos for close to 2 years when somebody gave me a cheap electric smoker. I've now upgraded to a Pit Boss table top pellet smoker, which works better than I thought it would. I have my eye peeled for a sale, financing offer or any deal from Lowes on the vertical smoker to your right. In my eyes, that is my ultimate smoker. Set it and forget it is my speed. Keep the great videos coming.

The ammo box is a nice decorating touch ! Man, I’m glad Ric has a pellet cooker now…..lol ! In all cookers, there is the right tool for the job !

Great video, yet again. There is a new kid coming to town on the pellet smoker scene though. I got one via the kickstarter but early 2024 GE Profile will have a countertop indoor smoker available and boy howdy does it work. The only thing you smell is the scent of a hot clothes iron, no smoke at all, and it has a function to clear the chamber of smoke before you open the door.

Good video Andrew! Very informative and truthful. Cheers brother 🍻

I have tried real wood offset smoker and i agree fire management is key. Cooking a brisket can be an all day project managing an offset smoker. Pellet smokers can make very good BBQ without the hassle of fire management. So it is a trade off. I have not tried one but if you want one of the best pellet smokers around according to many folks on KZfaq it is Lone Star Grillz. You can get good good BBQ without spending several thousand dollars for a pellet smoker, but if you want a the extras available on premium pellet smokers go for it.

Thank you grill, Sergeant! I have always had a charcoal grill and I barely have enough patience to let the charcoal get right before I start cooking. So I knew that a pellet smoker was for me. I can get my ribs or whatever ready to go and do whatever I want and walk by and spritz them every now and then. I really want an offset smoker, but I don’t think I would enjoy being that tied down to it.

Love the info in here. Thank You, I am tossing up options on what to get, this has helped me heaps and the linked videos above will be a definite help as well. Now a new subscriber 😛 Cheers. from Brisbane Australia.

only complaint i have on a pellet smoker. is lack of smoke flavor. other then that they work great. its easy for people to use. there is no fire management.. only other bad thing is it plugs in. means its prone to fail at some time. where wood or charcoal will always work. awesome job great review.

Wow man. Respect. You are spot on man. I started on a pellet smoker. I never even ate food off an offset, so I didn’t know how it was supposed to taste. I moved up to a Masterbuilt gravity which was pretty good. Then I built an 120 gallon offset. I spent a lot of time learning how to manage a fire. It is definitely a hard process. It’s not for everyone. I will never hate on anyone one way or the other. Shoot I have thought about going back to a pellet because of the time it takes to cook on an offset. Maybe I can convert my offset into a pellet grill and use wood and pellets? lol. In my opinion an offset produces the best flavor and renders the fat the best.

You may have thought this channel was for those just starting out smoking and yes a pellet smoker is great for that. I would say Pellet Smokers aren't just for beginners as you somewhat suggest. Pellet Smokers are great for beginners as well as people whom's lifestyle doesn't work for an offset smoker. I'm still somewhat new to the pellet smoker game, it was an electric wood chip smoker before this. I simple don't have the time, nor do I want to spend the time and effort needed to babysit an offset smoker. Hats off to the people whom have the time and the skill to make great BBQ using an offset. So I'm not hating on those snobby/elitist Offset Smoker people. It just isn't something I have the time for at least at this point in my life.

I believe in the old adage “ You do you, I do me.” That being said, I have a kettle (Ranch), a charcoal grill/smoker, and a pellet grill. I’ve used all three at once which kept me busy but I had a great time. Enjoy the art of BBQ and/or grilling. A frosty adult beverage works real good while you’re at it.

I have a Weber kettle performer and a large green egg and love them both. On that note, I would love to have a pellet grill too! There is always an abundance of other tools you can use for perfect bbq!

Just got one and went crazy on my first night. So far I'm impressed. I will be moving my Weber Kettle to my brother's so we can enjoy good bbq there as well 😂

Best one I ever had was an old freezer ...metal lined. Hot plate on the bottom. Metal trays. Crazy awesome could do three turkeys at once and a brisket. Great smoke penetration.

Awesome video. Well done

Great video!

I just bought a small pellet smoker and gave away my Weber Smokey Mountain which I used for 12 years. I think after 12 years I was pretty good using it, but it was just a lot of work so I didn't use it often...starting the charcoal, wrapping the water bowl with aluminum, emptying the charcoal ashes, cleaning the water bowl, etc., etc. With the pellet smoker (easy-bake oven!) I will use it more and have almost as good bbq (if not as good). I'm not entering any bbq contests and the pellet smoker works just fine. I also have a table-top pellet smoker which we take camping. Many campgrounds do not allow charcoal fires.

I started on a Charcoal smoker and where it delivers, it was just too much work for me on long cooks. Especially in the winter months. Other people don't mind, which is cool. Pellet Smoker was for sure the way for me to go. Now it may be an easy bake oven, but who's saying that? People who use GPS instead of maps? Bluetooth instead of a wire? Cell phone instead of a land-line? We all evolve in some ways as technology does...

Thanks for all the great info and for not being an elitist!

I am fortunate to have the 5 smokers i have. I have a pitboss lockhart, masterbuilt electric woodchip, masterbuilt gas woodchip, an offset, and a weber kettle ( grill). I love all of them. The pellet smoker ids gigantic. But' for quick week night meals, and esay of use, it is the go to. It gets used more than anything else. If i'm off work the sky is the limit. I don't hate on anyone using any grill or smoker. Just cook outside.

I started my “smoker journey” last August with a Pit Boss Series 5 vertical smoker. Most of my research indicated almost all the points you mentioned here (some stuff just has to be learned by doing). After going through a rough patch last winter, ending with the replacement of the temperature sender, I was able to get back to learning about the actual cooking and smoking of meats. Wonderful. Why? Sarge says it right here: you don’t have to worry about fire management, you can concentrate on cooking technique. Great meat flavor (using just SPG with a small portion of Lawrey’s) without overpowering smoke favor is our goal. There’s another technique adjustment, I was able to start mixing and finding the correct SPG for our needs (Kinder’s SPG being our starting point.). “More smoke flavor”? The briskets I smoked Thanksgiving and the Saturday before both finished with about a 1/4” smoke ring…and how much do you need or want? My wife talked about this Thursday and said, “I don’t like eating at some BBQ restaurants because I feel like I’m eating charcoal” and I feel much the same way. I also use Competition Blend pellets, which gives a milder flavor without leaning too far into a particular wood flavor. See? There’s an adjustment I was able to quickly make because I didn’t have to spend a lot of time worrying about fire management. Beginners should definitely start with pellets and, for me, I’m sticking with it. Question: I saw the ProSeries vertical at my Lowes for the first time about a week ago and I fell in love. It fixes one of my worries, the control panel being right next to the fire pot. BUT does Pit Boss use a better quality (or location, or whatever) for the sender in the Pro? Even though I replaced the sender in mine it still has quirks. 250° setting is really 230°, 275° is really 260°. It doesn’t become accurate until 300°. I’ve learned to work with this difficulty and it’s fine now but is the Pro any better in this respect? Thanks!

This guy is a Pro!

I have had my pit boss grill smoker for about two years now and I am absolutely thrilled with it. I will say no I don’t think I get the same or quite the same flavor out of my stick burner my offset smoker. But I can do a lot of things with my pellet smoker That I couldn’t do with my old offset. My offset was a cheap one, so it required a lot more time watching and managing the fire. My pet boss I can get it started put the meat in go cut grass go work in the garden come back get a beer check on thepit boss and it’s running right along and continue what I’m doing until what I’m cooking is done.

I'm definitely not an elitist. I have a Pit Boss and I use it often. But I'm glad you added the disclaimer regarding smoke flavor because even my old Bradley smoker is better for the traditional smoke flavor than my pellet smoker. I have a theory that it's not so much that pellet smokers make less smoke, it's just a cleaner smoke that creates a different flavor profile than people who started with other types of smokers are used to. But I could be way off with that.

Im with u. F the pellet haters and rock on. If it tastes good and is cooked properly.......thats all that counts.

If anyone was slagging me of like that, I'd just say, "ok, where's your 3 Michelin Stars? How does using an offset make you any closer to earning a Michelin Star than me? Answer is, it DOESN'T!!"

On the KZfaq, if your not doing their way.....then it's the wrong way lol.

I have an offset I have a Masterbuilt electric vertical and I have a pellet smoker it depends on what I want to do and how much time I have and I love them all

I love this channel

A the end of the day, It all comes down to how the product turned out after it was smoked.

Thank you for answering the #1 question. Does it taste better than an off-set? I want to know if it taste better than a Weber kettle? I’ve tasted some restaurants bbq and I feel that the kettle taste just as good as there off-set. I want to justify the cost for a back yard. I’m only cooking for me and maybe a few others. I love what I’m doing. I want the best. Not so much to over spend.

I have seen people use pellet smokers at BBQ competition and be very successful. Heck, we add some pellets to the drum smokers at the end to add some smoke flavor The truth is that any smoker/bbq/grill can be mastered, but you have to learn that smokers attitude. Regardless of what it is. If you have time and enjoy fire management then a charcoal grill, stick burner or drum smoker are the way to go if you have a full time job and spend the weekend working around the house, then a pellet grill can be a great option. The Goal is to have fun and enjoy it.

Now that youre in Texas, its time for an offset cooker. I use my pellet for ease of use but my offset when i want more smoke flavor.

Here’s the ugly about Pit Boss vertical smokers: you become an employee of Pit Boss when you buy one. I had to replace the temperature sensor on my original PBV5 (copper front). Now I have a sensor on the way for my PBV6PSE. Considering the number of PB sensor replacement videos on KZfaq I have to wonder why they don’t just include an extra sensor in every box.

Another option is get a KBQ, almost as good as offset but its not a set and forget like a pellet you have to feed wood like an offset but easier to maintain temp

Hey Grill Sergeant, where can I find the pellet sifter that you recommended awhile back and what size sifter do you recommend?

Which one is your favorite between the upright and the grill in the elite series

been using a pelet smoker for almost 4 years. love it! and i have gotten lot of help from you and your channel sooooo THANKS!

I’d like to see your thoughts and opinions on pellets brands and choices. Watched several videos on pellet brands and the channels opinions and tried several brands myself and can’t tell a difference in flavor but have seen differences in cook times and ash production and stuff like that. Just like to hear or see your thoughts.

For the last 4 years I have been enjoying a Pit Boss pellet smoker and along with a smoke tube, enjoy some really fabulous BBQ. But it would be nice to be able to start the BBQ process in the evening and let it smoke all night long, then finish it off in the morning and let it rest for several hours. However, I just cannot bring myself to trust a flame on the deck at night. If the pellet smoker was in the yard, I would not hesitate to do an all-night smoke. If it were not for the cost, I would get an electric smoker for all-night cooks, but being 84 and on Social Security, such a purchase is out of the question. What I have found to be a reasonable alternative is to prepare the meat in the evening and let it dry brine in the refrigerator overnight. Then Sous Vide it for 24 to 36 hours, then give it an ice bath prior to refrigerating it. Then the following morning the meat is put in the pellet smoker and smoked at 180 degrees at P6 for 6 to 7 hours. The result is quite a good pork shoulder. Time consuming - yes. But an 84 year old retiree has plenty of time.

I would love a pellet smoker, except I already have a pricey Big Green Egg. Like you say it can be a royal pain to maintain temps. My wife says if I can justify it I can get both. Unfortunately (fortunately?) the BGE makes absolutely wonderful bbq, but is a lot of work for a beginner.

Sure you don’t have to worry about fire management. None of these pellet smokers offer fire safety management like backburn or when there is no flame and the system keeps dumping pellets. I feel like these can be easy to solve.

Good morning Andrew !

Simple for me...prefer offset when I have the time and patience. Pellet smoker great when I don't.

my experience with pellet grill i can’t get the smoke concentration in to meat as well as offset

Hey mate hope your doing well I'm looking at getting my first pallet smoker and have narrowed it down to two which would you recommend please PIT BOSS 850 PRO SERIES or Pit Boss Pro Series 4-Series vertical I'm in Australia and unfortunately the series 6 vertical isn't available here

pellet smokers are best for beginners. i remember my first time on an offset i threw a bunch of wood into firebox and the food came out tasting horrible till i figured out what i did wrong

Hello, I am one of "those" people who have an offset. ;) I do not (yet) have a pellet grill. To be clear, I completely agree with you. There are so many reasons to have a pellet grill, the biggest reason to me is the time you get back from not managing a fire. Backyard offsets are notoriously fickle unless you go to custom 250+ gallon propane take conversions where the sheer mass and volume masks the fire spikes. My question is this: What are your thoughts on the gravity fed charcoal grills over pellet grills? I looked through the differences and I am definitely leaning towards a gravity fed grill, but I wanted to hear your thoughts if you have the time.

I love my Pitt Boss Smoker. Lately I have become involved with making jerky and snack sticks and I am disappointed in how the smoker handles jerky. That's only because snack sticks need smoked at lower temps than my pitt boss will achieve. It only goes down to 180, which is too high for snack sticks because of "fatout."

"starting off on something like an offset smoker, there is a lot to juggle" -Grill Sergeant "I am a clown and like to juggle. Maybe I should buy an offset" -Me 😊

I only use one of those small patio grills for a smoker!!!! bring on the challenge!!! j/k I'm just feeding the algorithm.

There is another device that smokes like an offset but has electronic control. The reason is because it uses lump charcoal & wood chunks. Char Griller 980 gravity or Masterbuilt

I’ve got a question . I want to smoke ring bologna and summer sausages . What pit boss vertical pellet smoker would you use ? I’m thinking series 7 copperhead or a Brunswick . You’ve been around them . Thanks for your help .

I started on a CampChef. After it continually caught on fire and blew up (deep cleaned many times and often), I went to a Franklin Offset and never looked back. Pellet grills are only good for convenience. Don't care what this guy says. You'll never get the same smoke or taste that you will in an offset.

Where do I get one of those epic shirts? M*A*S*H is my favorite TV show!

I would rather use a pellet smoker and get some sleep and do other things than have to spend so much time messing around with the firebox. I did that for awhile where I am in South Carolina. And it's just too hot to hang around the firebox. Give me the bluetooth and wifi app on my phone any day.

Whats with all these smoker videos bringing out the elderly comments saying "I'm 86 and.." 😂

lol to the haters... why don't we let the meat talk.

Those sissy boys with their offset toys....offsets make it soooo easy to make BBQ. Why, they have a firebox AND a cook chamber, and not only are they out of the dirt, but everything is at a comfortable level. Heck, they even have thermometers in those things. Now, back in Pawpaw's day, real men cooked BBQ after digging a hole in the ground, and without all of the doodads these offset guys use to cheat with. They probably even have timers and store-bought seasonings.

PELLET SMOKERS DO NOT GIVE THE SAME SMOKE FLAVOR AS AN OFFSET. I said what I said. I have both. This pellet smoker is more od a wood fired convection oven. Thats all. It should be a crime to call pellet grills "smokers" 👍

420.......ith comment

Pellet smokers for dudes whom use tampons

You'd have to be a full blown Communist to buy a pellet smoker! MSGA.....Make Smoking Great Again!

I got a Traeger timberline, a big green egg, and a workhorse, 1975T. sometimes I don’t wanna build a fire and deal with all that shit sometimes I wanna be lazy

The easier the better, I love electric pellet smokers. Smoke and relax. 🫡