Anyone here own a Green Mountain pellet grill?

[mrmeatcutter]

My father in law has a GM and he loves it. I have cooked on it a few times and I am sold, I will own one one day. The temp control was amazing and accurate. It would maintain within 5 degrees during the entire cook time. The GM s are also built must stronger to last longer then the tregs.
Another up and coming pellet smoker out there is the Yoder smoker, you can google. They are very heavy duty.:grilling_smilie:

 

[teesquare]

Just a note about Yoder...They are not a new company - and have a well known, lengthy history in building BBQ pits. I don't remember the year they started selling pits - but seems like it was well before there was a Treager pellet grill.

The pellet grills are a recent product - but the owner of Yoder also owns a large retail BBQ store - and has sold Treager and Country Smoker for years...One can imagine that a lot was learned prior to the first Yoder pellet grill was sold  - thus it is not a new technology to Yoder.

I would not handicap Yoder for fear of the newness of their pellet pit to the market. In fact - you will find they bring much to the market previously unavailable - at any price.

 

[34698]

I bought a Traeger Lil Tex last year, after being assured that their previous paint peeling issues were resolved. Now I've received a recall notice that my production run may experience paint peeling. It would have been worth the extra two hour drive to get the GMG Daniel Boone.

 

[smokinbrent]

EVERYBODY whinin... lol I have a traeger 075 EXTREMELY happy w/ it (cook probably 6 days a week on it)... and AS USUAL someone comes out ... COPIES someone elses stuff. What's new?? LOL Granted many will improve on things as well.. JUST the way it is, someone gets something that WORKS and others copy it lol.

Brent

 

[cabin fever]

SMOKINbrent, are you happy with the smoke flavor from your 075? Smoke output and flavor seems to be the biggest grey area when it comes to pellet poopers so I'd really appreciate the extra input.

 

[smokinbrent]

Actually I am... on smoke setting up to 225 it smokes nicely..at HIGH temps it cooks like it's supposed to w/minimal smoke. Combine the cooking w/ the smoking at different times and it does a great job. The ones that complain about NO smoke have them cranked up....drop the temp back DOWN where they're SUPPOSED to smoke and it seems fine and gives a NICE thick smoke ring.. as for flavor, I've been trying different brands of pellets to see which works the best... still workin on that one.

Brent

 

[norcal q]

I have a Green Mountain Grill, Daniel Boone, a WSM and a Primo XL.  In terms of smoke flavor, you can rate the WSM first, then the Primo, then the GMG.  In terms of ease of use, the GMG is the easiest.

I started with a Traeger 075 and was getting wild temp swings.  I really didn't like that I had to mess with the P settings to try to get closer to the temps I needed and anyways, Traeger recommended against it.  I finally had enough and returned it.  That's when I got the GMG...what a difference!  Temp settings are precise and swings are held to 1 to 3 degrees max.  The control is amazing.  For the money, you cannot get a better pellet grill.  Customer support is equally amazing as you have probably already read.

After a while, I thought I wanted more smoke flavor, so I added a Smoke Daddy to the GMG.  That gave me all the smoke flavor that the WSM produces.  Problem is, I got hooked on working with coals and wood in the Smoke Daddy and wanted to try my hand at more basic smoking, hence the WSM and Primo. 

Now, if I want to be assured of a great cook or I want to do a long over nighter, I'll use the GMG.  I really have to screw up to mess up a meal in it.  If I want to play or experiment, I'll use the WSM or Primo.  If I could only have one smoke, I think it would have to be my GMG.

No affiliation to GMG...just a totally satisfied customer.

 

[smokinbrent]

NC I can understand the swings... a LOT varies on TEMP .. TIME of day..TIME of year.. WIND etc.. I put some REGULAR red bricks in my 075..4 at the end and two by the pot.. I have NO NOTICABLE diff in tem swing whether it's 98 deg outside or 5 deg my 075 is usally w/in 5 deg of what it's SUPPOSED to be(separate thermometer). Makes ALL the diff in the world. The bricks RETAIN and MAINTAIN the heat fantastically!!

Brent

 

[jake628]

I have been reading this thread and found it most interesting.  One thing I will agree on is using pellets is a great way to go.  I am a Traeger fan and bought one before I know anything about them.  I started with the Junior and found after having it for almost a year how dang versatile it was versus other just smokers.  After we cooked basically an entire meal for a friend get together we upgraded to the Lil Tex Elite and just love it.  The cooking area for the Lil Tex is the same as the Deluxe and Pink Pig.  Only the Texas and XL have a larger cooking area.  I chose the LTE over the Lil Tex for the digital control and powder coating finish.  Plus it also comes with wheels on all legs for ease of moving around if needed.  I bought my LTE from a company in Anaheim Hills, CA that also sells the Green Mountain and MAK Grills.  I looked at what they had on display and found the Traeger LTE had a larger cooking area of the equal Green Mountain.  After seeing both I am glad I chose the Traeger.

As for the high temp issues I personally don't find that to be a big issue.  Even if you can get the unit over 500 degrees the heat is still 'indirect" so you won't really get a true grill type cooking.  I have cooked steaks on the Traeger and loved the flavor but without those grill and sear marks they are not overly appetizing in appearance and you have to get use to that.  As for the American Made issue I can understand how some feel but I also now to be "real" what isn't made out of the country today?  I am sure the older USA made Traegers were built better back then but what wasn't in those days?  Heck just look at the auto industry today.  Need I say more?  But I have no complaints on my foreign made Traeger.  It gets used 2 to 3 times a week. We used it yesterday to bake dessert for dinner and today I will be doing beer can chicken.  I love my Traeger and am so glad we chose it over other brands.

 

[smokinbrent]

Actually I get what I consider decent grill marks on my 075... flip the steak NOT because I have to (cooks on the top too) but to mark the other side LOL Like I said out of  100 days I use my traeger 90... eat out 8 and use the stove MAYBE once.. if it breaks.. I'm gonna be SOOOOOOOO mind "screwed" wont know how  use my stove.. LOL

Brent

 

[dalton]

I purchased a traeger after using my own homebuilt smoker for some time and then it went up in flames.  my with wouldn't let me have another smoker unless it was "safe"  I looked around the the safest option was the pellet smokers.  I am in alaska so there was very little to choose from that was local.  I found treagers her at a several local stores but no other brand of pellet pooper with out spending oodles of money in shipping.  so i went with the treager. 

I have been smoking on it for almost a year and turned out some great food!!  I would say that the smoke flavor might not be as strong as my old home built smoker but I am happy with the trade off for ease of use and consistancy.  I did add some bricks and a heat plate to mine and the temp swings got alot better.  my only complaint is the amount of pellets it uses when I am smoking a few pork butts and its 10 degress below 0 (yes that is farenhiet)  but I guess I shouldn't complain!  I can see the value of the totally variable temp control available on the GMG but again there was no local supplier for me.  I am happy with my treager and use it alot!  I just made some caribou jerky sticks this week and of the 10 lbs I made their is less than 2 lbs left!  I guess that means they wrer good.  I have smoked pork sholders for a large group lunchen 7 or 8 times and gotten great compliments on it every time. 

For me the treager works great!

dalton

 

[bite me griller]

just got the danile boone, smoking a 5 lb pork but and 2 racks of spare ribs,for my first cook on it. i whould like to know what size smoke daddey you put on yours and are you happy with it. thanks BITE ME aka STURGEON MASTER

 

[BGKYSmoker]

I have had GMG, Traeger and now a MAK II Star #46 that blows them both away, I can operate my MAK 300ft away with my remote.

 

[brob62]

I have had my GMG for almost a year, and use it almost weekly. A very close friend has the Treager and they both cook extremely well. My GMG has more room, and I am able to smoke more at one time than he can. At 250 and below, the smoke is wonderful and depending on what you are cooking can almost overwhelm the meat.(if that is possible).

Last night, I smoked around 100 bacon wrapped Venison/sausage balls in 15 Degree weather at 245 degrees. According to the group at lunch today they turned out extremely well. (I cured then smoked the bacon as well).

To your question about smoke. I get more and better, and more consistant smoke on my GMG than I did with my old fashond barrel smoaker. I use the standars GMG blend of wood most of the time, and add various "flavors" when desired.

The smoker has performed better that I had expected.

NOTE: I added the heat blanket to the grill, and it cut my pellet usage by almost half. In the 90+ tempature days, you have to watch the temp on the grill because I have had the fire go out because it did not use enough wood to keep it going.

 

[slief]

I had been debating getting a larger smoker for the last month or so. I read and read and decided I wanted a good pellet smoker that would satisfy my need for "set it and forget it" for long smokes. Pretty much everything I read about the GMG smokers was positive and any issues that I read about were remedied with great customer service from GMG. Their customer service was a major selling point for me. I had been eyeballing a great deal on a new one locally and decided to bite the bullet this last Wednesday.. I have an MES30 that I will continue to use for smaller shorter smokes.

Within an hour of the grill be delivered, I had it setup and seasoning. I spent some time over the last couple days playing with my temp probes and baffles getting it dialed in and familiarizing myself with its characteristics. My first smoke will begin Saturday night and finish sometime Sunday. Its a 14 pound pork but so I am expecting a really long smoke. I will post up a thread with pictures and the results in the Pork section Sunday..

Here is a shot of it seasoning...

 

[norcal q]

By the way, remember that with the GMG, you can purchase the optional remote controller that will allow you to adjust set temps and monitor pit and meat temps.  Like I said, for the money, you can't get any better performance.

 

[34698]

I've owned a Traeger and now have a GMG... As far as ease of use, temp range and spot on temp control, it is far superior. 

 

[big smokey]

I have a Green Mountain and I have had it for a year. I have never had a problem with it and it works great. The flavor for the pellets is awesome. I am very pleased with and I am glad I purchased it.

 

[jjwesley]

I own a GMG Daniel Boone and love it.  My only regret is that I can't afford the meat to use it everyday.

 

[teesquare]

They are a very good value. My only beef is that they are not made here in the USA. The old arguement of "it would cost too much"...just doesn't hold enough water for me any more. I am willing to save a little longer - to buy any product that will perform as well or better if it is made in the USA.

Thus far only the Yoder  pellet smoker/grill is almost 100% made in the USA ( only exception on it is the fan which is German made)

and they offer 2 sizes. I think the smaller one ( model # 480 ) is $1099 and the larger ( model # 640) is $1299.

But they weigh easily twice what any other unit of this type that I am familiar with weighs. HEAVY, thick steel. Longest warranty available, etc.

Worth a look if you want something that will last you forever.

T