# Grilla Grill Silverbac Alpha Vs. Traeger Ironwood 650



## EricOhh (Mar 14, 2020)

I am looking to buy a new pellet smoker, and I am having trouble deciding between these two:

Grilla Grill Silverbac Alpha Vs. Traeger Ironwood 650

Not sure of:
Which one hold a more accurate temps.. 
Which one has denser metal... 
Which one imparts more smoke.... 

I do know that the Iron wood is more expensive, but it comes with WiFi, where as the Silverbac does not. 

I would appreciate any thoughts. 

Thanks fellow grilles!


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## Will Squared (Mar 14, 2020)

Consider a gravity fed smoker.
Less things to go wrong.
Can't beat the price of the Masterbuilt 560 at $500.


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## smokngun (Mar 15, 2020)

Sorry for not helping your poll, but personally I would take a serious look a Yoder smokers. Much heavier construction, made in the US. I say this but do not own one, it will be my next pellet smoker. I have had a Louisiana pellet grill, and now have a Pit Boss Copperhead 7 series both are "ok" I don't like the temp swings on the pit boss and the Louisiana is another story. I am not familiar with Grilla Grill and have never been a fan of Trager  (just my .02)


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## 6GRILLZNTN (Mar 15, 2020)

Don't forget Rec Tec!


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## SlowmotionQue (Mar 15, 2020)

Neither.


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## sweetride95 (Mar 15, 2020)

Rec Tec RT-590 for the win. ZERO comparison in this price range. 
I've personally owned Traeger, Savannah stoked a traeger, and have hands on wiggle tested everything big box store. 
I was bored with the constant RT pimping too. Now I have one, and damn is it awesome.


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## EricOhh (Mar 15, 2020)

smokngun said:


> Sorry for not helping your poll, but personally I would take a serious look a Yoder smokers. Much heavier construction, made in the US. I say this but do not own one, it will be my next pellet smoker. I have had a Louisiana pellet grill, and now have a Pit Boss Copperhead 7 series both are "ok" I don't like the temp swings on the pit boss and the Louisiana is another story. I am not familiar with Grilla Grill and have never been a fan of Trager  (just my .02)


I appreciate your. 02 cents good sir! I absolutely agree with you about Yoder, but that is a bit out of my price range haha.


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## EricOhh (Mar 15, 2020)

SlowmotionQue said:


> Neither.


?


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## gary s (Mar 15, 2020)

Sorry, I'm a stick burner

Gary


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## SlowmotionQue (Mar 15, 2020)

EricOhh said:


> ?


Neither, because I would choose a Rec Tec.  Below is my RT 590.  I wouldn't even consider a Grilla or a Traeger in place of it.
	

		
			
		

		
	













I try and do my best to thoroughly research the outdoor grilling products that I buy.  I researched the ones that you refer to.  I chose neither for my pellet cooking chores.. Hence my response to your question. "Neither."









When it came time to choose a pellet grill, I chose Rec Tec for dollar value and reputation.


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## dubob (Mar 16, 2020)

EricOhh said:


> I am looking to buy a new pellet smoker, and I am having trouble deciding between these two: Grilla Grill Silverbac Alpha Vs. Traeger Ironwood 650.


Eric, I voted in your poll. 

I bought my first ever pellet grill in Feb 2019 - a Camp Chef Woodwind SG.  It is doing what I wanted it to do.  But when I bought it, I didn't have any real knowledge about pellet grills.  I started by finding BBQ sites that included pellet grill forums (including this one).  I had no idea there are that many choices for pellet grills out there.

Based on the two units you asked about, I assumed you were dealing with a budget and I'll just address those two.  Based on 1-years experience on reading pellet grill reviews on 4 different BBQ websites, I think you would be better pleased with the Grilla Grill vs the Treager.  If my Camp Chef disappeared tomorrow, I would not hesitate to call Grilla Grill and order one of their products.  My needs are simple and I 'Q' maybe twice a month.  There's just two of us and we don't host large social gatherings ever.  While I believe the Grilla Grill is a better grill than my Camp Chef, it's not so much so that I want to sell mine to get the Grilla Grill.

Those are my thoughts.  Good luck.


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## SlowmotionQue (Mar 17, 2020)

Well Eric good luck with your poll.

However, just an observation.  It's been 3 days now, and of the two selections that you mentioned, there is but 1 vote in favor of one of them, and just 1 vote  between the two of  them.   The current score is 1-0.

And that 1 vote came from someone who doesn't own either of the selections in your poll.   Zero votes so far from people who actually own  one of the two smokers that you list in your opening post.  This is a big site.  I wonder why no votes  from owners of either of the models you list

Not very confidence inspiring from my  viewpoint.  And IMO,  a  warning, if not an outright sure sign,  that it just may be time to consider other options aside from the two you list.

At any rate, good luck with your purchase, whatever you decide on.


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## Smokin' in AZ (Mar 17, 2020)

Rec Tec all the way!

That RT590 with the competition cart looks awesome.

John


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## sweetride95 (Mar 17, 2020)

Rec Tec man. Legit as a pellet grill can get.


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## Winterrider (Mar 17, 2020)

For me, it was between Rec Tec 590 and Grilla Grill Alpha ( very nice IMO) but I choose the 590 based on reputation and warranty. I don't think you could go wrong with that unit either.
I think Disco has the bigger Ironwood , and has had good results.


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## jmtyndall (Mar 18, 2020)

I bought a Grilla OG when I bought my pellet grill. It has a unique design, great reviews and awesome customer support. Additionally, I liked that the body was a double-wall insulated construction, which I felt to be an important feature since I smoke year-round and it's often below 40 degrees here. The Grilla owners aren't a well represented group on this forum, but there's a very large Grilla group on Facebook and they're very helpful.

I was driven away from the RecTec grills by the aesthetics, rampant fanboyism, and the fact that they actively seek out and remove negative content about their product.  Maybe it's a great grill, probably 95% of the owners love them, but that whole thing just rubs me wrong.

You may not have gotten many responses here, but this forum is relatively small and inactive, and thoroughly in the "RecTec or die" camp, as you can obviously tell from the responses you got. I suggest you check out some other groups and forums and get some more thorough and thoughtful answers than "Buy XYZ" with no further explanation. If after you do that you still end up with a RecTec, good for you! I'm sure it will be a great decision and you'll love the grill, but at least you'll have a more substantive reason than "Billy said to buy a RecTec, so I did it."


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## dubob (Mar 18, 2020)

jmtyndall said:


> I bought a Grilla OG when I bought my pellet grill. It has a unique design, great reviews and awesome customer support. Additionally, I liked that the body was a double-wall insulated construction, which I felt to be an important feature since I smoke year-round and it's often below 40 degrees here. The Grilla owners aren't a well represented group on this forum, but there's a very large Grilla group on Facebook and they're very helpful.
> 
> I was driven away from the RecTec grills by the aesthetics, rampant fanboyism, and the fact that they actively seek out and remove negative content about their product.  Maybe it's a great grill, probably 95% of the owners love them, but that whole thing just rubs me wrong.
> 
> You may not have gotten many responses here, but this forum is relatively small and inactive, and thoroughly in the "RecTec or die" camp, as you can obviously tell from the responses you got. I suggest you check out some other groups and forums and get some more thorough and thoughtful answers than "Buy XYZ" with no further explanation. If after you do that you still end up with a RecTec, good for you! I'm sure it will be a great decision and you'll love the grill, but at least you'll have a more substantive reason than "Billy said to buy a RecTec, so I did it."


Amen Sir!  I 100% agree with ALL your comments.


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## Buttah Butts (Mar 18, 2020)

I’ve had a traeger and a GMG. I’ve never tried or seen a gorilla grille but have heard good things about them. I personally would never own a traeger again. The GMG Daniel Boone was a much better pellet smoker. I have a Rec Tec 700 now and I don’t think I would ever look at purchasing another brand. I wish I would have bought this grill first off instead of spending money and losing it on the previous 2. Good luck with your purchase.


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## SlowmotionQue (Mar 18, 2020)

I don't think he should buy a Rec Tec because Billy told him to either.  Especially with no further explanation.

But talk about things that rub some the wrong way, here is one thing that rubbed me the wrong way about Grilla.

I typically don't like what I consider to be gimmicks touted as "advantages".  I like to actually see as much practicality and demonstration of said advantages  as I can, while adhering to basic rules of logic, common sense, science even.

Heat rises.  It's a fact.  Yet they tout the thickness of the lower cooking chamber.

I grill and smoke year round, and live in a cold climate state.   Pennsylvania.

When my house was built, they insulated my attic.   They blew insulation material into the attic of my home.   Not onto  the floor of my basement.

Why???  Because heat rises.

If double walled lower cooking chamber construction is such the advantage, well then why isn't the *lid* of the Grilla double insulated too  instead of, or in addition to,  just the lower cooking chamber? Heat rises.

Why doesn't it come with felt gasket seals on the body and the lid  like my Kamado Joe or a Big Green Egg to prevent heat from escaping from around the lid?  Heat rises.

The bottom line is heat, and lots of it if it's cold enough outside, is going to escape from it and any other outdoor cooker in severely cold weather.  And it's going to do that through it's skin, it's lid,  and through any joints, lids, doors or vents.  Same as with any other cooker.  Same as in your house.

Thermal imaging is going to show heat escaping from any grill in cold weather.

If I want to "insulate" the bottom of my Rec Tec, well then I need do nothing more than let ash from several cooks build up inside of it and settle to the bottom.  That should "insulate" the bottom of it quite well.  I can get "insulation" at least an inch thick, just doing that.

But that makes as much sense to me as adding another sheet of metal to the bottom of it.

Rec Tecs are PID controlled.  To the original poster, you may hear from those who will tell you that a non PID controlled pellet grill, or one which offers you the advantage of going non PID,  will give you better smoke flavor due to wide temperature swings that is characteristic of a non PID controlled grill.

However  should anyone tell you that, well then very politely ask them to point you to the blind taste test results which support that theory, as the burden of proof is on anyone suggesting such.

I doubt that anyone anywhere can consistently, say for instance on a 10 out of 10 attempts basis, tell you which rack of ribs for example,  or which brisket, was cooked on a PID controlled pellet grill vs a non PID controlled pellet grill.

Show me someone with taste buds that accurate.  Because you see,  I have yet to see anyone make so much as a *claim* that they can achieve the above, let alone actually demonstrate that they can perform such a feat.    And if it can't be done, well then one logical reason  why it can't, would be because "there is no difference which can be consistently discerned".

Yet one of the pellet grills out there touted for so long, that wider swinging temperatures in a pellet grill offered better smoke flavor over tighter temperature control, the type of which is characteristic of PID controlled grills.............................and then later themselves came out with, you guessed it  a PID capable  controller of their own.  Well actually a "hybrid".   But one wonders.........it's a head scratcher.......if wide temperature swings somehow make food taste better in terms of smoke flavor, as was the position,  well then why not stick with that and tout that, instead of  putting something into your grills which was indicated in the past to somehow create a  compromise in smoke flavor?

I don't like what I perceive to be gimmicks.  They rub me the wrong way.

Pellet grills are a personal choice as you can probably see.  Fanboism abounds and along with it trolling.

I don't blame Rec Tec nor Yoder for that matter as they do the same in this regard, not one bit  for removing content which they believe to be troll bait and troll material attempting to trash their products   from their respective sites.

Next, and again this is directed to the original poster,  in your decision making efforts, I would suggest that you  look at warranty and who stands behind their products and is willing to actually "bet" that you are going to like their product.  So much so that you can return it for any reason within 30 days should you not be fully satisfied with it.

Rec Tec has a 6 year warranty on the Rec Tec RT700.  It costs $1199.00 same as the Traeger Ironwood 650 retails for, but the Traeger has a 3yr warranty.   Rec Tec has a   4 year warranty on the RT590.  But Rec Tec goes a step further.  They plainly state on their website as you look at their grills under "customer care": "If you are not fully satisfied with your REC TEC grill, just return it within 30 days and we will refund your purchase price.  We are confident that you will love your new REC TEC grill".

With a position like that, you really have less to lose.  It's also just a part of why Rec Tec owners are so vocal  about their satisfaction with Rec Tec's customer service.  You don't like the Rec Tec, you simply send it back for your money back within 30 days, no questions asked.

And then there is the WiFi advantage.     Again, I direct this to the original poster.  The convenience of being able to monitor your cook and your grill's temperature remotely is an advantage which is hard for me to overstate.  If I have a brisket on right now, I can adjust  the temp of my RT590 right from my bed via my smart phone, as well as tell the temp of that brisket remotely.  And the Rec Tec has 2 temp probes as opposed to 1.  So if I have a pork butt running along with that brisket, then I can monitor the temp of both pieces of meat, or monitor the temp of the same piece of meat at two different points.

If I have to run to Lowes or Home Depot while the cook is going, then I can monitor the temps again right from my phone while I'm inside the store, and make adjustments remotely if necessary.

If I'm in another part of the house,  or even out of the house, I can ignite the grill remotely and preheat it while I'm preparing the food all without going outside until I'm ready to put the food on.

If I've preheated the grill, well then all I need do is glance down at my phone, from anywhere in my house or even outside of my house,  to tell if it has preheated to the temperature that I want.    But you know all of this if you're looking at the Traeger.

There is the 30lb hopper vs the 20lb hopper, the Ceramic Igniter rod  rated for over 100,000 ignition cycles, vs ??? ignitor rod in the competing brands listed in your poll.

But no, I would agree with anyone in here who tells you that you shouldn't buy a Rec Tec because "Billy" said to buy one.

But if you do your homework, for the $100.00 difference in price vs one of the other brands mentioned in your poll, you may find that you are getting a better value in the Rec Tec.

Finally, someone in the thread mentioned that they don't use their grill that much.  Only about twice a month.

I'm different.  I grill or smoke as many as 6-7 days a week.  Using a variety of cookers.  This was the last cook I did on my Rec Tec this past Friday, 6 days ago.  My Kamado Joe has gotten the last 5 cooks over the last 5 days.  My Otto Wilde is up for sous vide steaks tomorrow.    I expect good results and won't settle for less.  Believe me, if my Rec Tec were not getting the job done, I'd tell you.


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## Sarahfly (Mar 19, 2020)

RT-700 +1
The build quality is excellent and everything works as expected. The PID controller is perfect. Using the app to monitor the cook is also great! And I recommend buying a grill cover for winter seasons.


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## EricOhh (Mar 19, 2020)

I appreciate everyone's input so far. To be honest I was leaning a bit more toward the Grilla Grill SILVERBAC, being that it was cheaper, double wall insulated, dual mode controller, 4yrs. Warrenty but from what I have read on this thread I am starting to realize the value rec tec has to offer so now I am leaning more towards ordering a RT-700.

P. S. HOPE EVERYONE IS SAFE FROM COVID-19.


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## jmtyndall (Mar 21, 2020)

Enjoy your new grill. It was a win/win decision. I don't know how anyone could buy one and end up wishing they got the other


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## SlowmotionQue (Mar 21, 2020)

EricOhh said:


> I appreciate everyone's input so far. To be honest I was leaning a bit more toward the Grilla Grill SILVERBAC, being that it was cheaper, double wall insulated, dual mode controller, 4yrs. Warrenty but from what I have read on this thread I am starting to realize the value rec tec has to offer so now I am leaning more towards ordering a RT-700.
> 
> P. S. HOPE EVERYONE IS SAFE FROM COVID-19.



Good luck whichever way you decide to go Eric.   And you stay safe as well.  This COVID -19 is no joke. 

At their price points, the Rec Tecs are hard to beat for what you get.   Their 6yr warranty on the RT 700 shows the confidence they have in their product. And their customer service after the sale is legendary.  The above reasons are mostly why you hear so much about them in here and elsewhere.   For the money, it’s hard to beat them.


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## Nicegy525 (Mar 25, 2020)

I ordered the Silverbac Alpha and have been using it for two weeks now.  I am coming from using a weber kettle since 2008 and with the slow n sear for the past 2 years.

pros:
PRICE!  ordered a cover and front shelf kit and still came in under the ironwood or rec tec
thicker guage steel
stainless steel cooking grate
alpha controller has PID or standard modes and can adjust increments of 5 degrees from 180-500
side door to dump pellets allowing for quick change of wood types. (i switch from oak, cherry, apple frequently)

cons:
no wifi or bluetooth connectivity (non issue for me as I have a dual probe wireless thermometer anyways.)
no double insulation on sides like the ironwood series.  (so far has not been an issue using in mid 40's weather)
assembly instructions were somewhat confusing but I was able to work through it.
smoke flavor seems a bit weak for me but this is my first pellet smoker and it might be normal.  I could get a very strong smoke flavor using charcoal and wood chips on the weber.

So far I am very happy with the Grilla.  Time will tell how reliable the components are.


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## jmtyndall (Mar 25, 2020)

Nicegy525 said:


> smoke flavor seems a bit weak for me but this is my first pellet smoker and it might be normal.  I could get a very strong smoke flavor using charcoal and wood chips on the weber.
> 
> So far I am very happy with the Grilla.  Time will tell how reliable the components are.


This is normal for people new to pellet grills. What pellets are you using? You have some options, first is to be sure you're buying quality 100% wood pellets. If you are, you can try stronger smoke flavors like 100% Hickory, a Mesquite blend etc. You can also try running the grill on low (around 180) for an hour or 2 then ramping up to 225 for the rest of the cook. Finally, theres smoke tubes which allow you to burn more pellets and get more smoke.

Pellet grills are very light in smoke flavor compared to charcoal or offset pits


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## Nicegy525 (Mar 26, 2020)

jmtyndall said:


> This is normal for people new to pellet grills. What pellets are you using? You have some options, first is to be sure you're buying quality 100% wood pellets. If you are, you can try stronger smoke flavors like 100% Hickory, a Mesquite blend etc. You can also try running the grill on low (around 180) for an hour or 2 then ramping up to 225 for the rest of the cook. Finally, theres smoke tubes which allow you to burn more pellets and get more smoke.
> 
> Pellet grills are very light in smoke flavor compared to charcoal or offset pits



I used cherry wood on tri tip and steelhead.  The steelhead was amazing,  tri tip came out a bit dry but that was my first cook on this.

I used apple wood on a pork shoulder and some chicken breast.  The chicken came out amazing but the pork left some to be desired

switched to oak for some steaks and came out very tasty.

My wife actually prefers a lighter smoke flavor.  Once I get low on some pellets (bought traeger brand) I might try some mesquite.  I love mesquite but it was always too strong for my wife.  Maybe the lighter flavor will help us meet in the middle.


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## jmtyndall (Mar 26, 2020)

Nicegy525 said:


> I used cherry wood on tri tip and steelhead.  The steelhead was amazing,  tri tip came out a bit dry but that was my first cook on this.
> 
> I used apple wood on a pork shoulder and some chicken breast.  The chicken came out amazing but the pork left some to be desired
> 
> ...



Well Traeger brand pellets in particular are very light on flavor. They blend 30% flavor wood with oak or alder as a filler. Both provide good BTUs but a fairly light smoke taste. Their mesquite and hickory pellets contain 0% mesquite or hickory, they are all filler wood with oils added for flavoring.

I prefer a 100% flavor wood pellet (I use Lumberjack, there are others) for more smoke flavor. There are blends or wood species with more or less flavor to your liking. Generally in order of how strong the smoke flavor is it will be: Mesquite, Hickory, Pecan, Oak, Maple, Apple, Cherry, and Alder.

Blends end up in the middle somewhere. The Maple, Hickory, Cherry blends are popular (competition blends) but I like the Oak, Hickory, Cherry blends for a bit more flavor


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## jkarch (Mar 28, 2020)

Will Squared said:


> Consider a gravity fed smoker.
> Less things to go wrong.
> Can't beat the price of the Masterbuilt 560 at $500.


master built is awesome.  comes with wifi remote.  I have a Traeger....and like the msterbuilt better for smoking


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## arthurrr (Jun 13, 2020)

jkarch said:


> master built is awesome.  comes with wifi remote.  I have a Traeger....and like the msterbuilt better for smoking


I'm a budgetarian myself too so I prefer Smoke Hollow/Masterbuilt for smoking! They offer some of the awesomest and most beginner-friendly electric smokers too. I've heard plenty of good reviews online.


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## bigfurmn (Jun 13, 2020)

Between the two you started talking about I'd say gorilla! That being said I own a Pit Boss. Personally if I could have afforded it I would have bought the Rec-Tec.


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## 3samantha (Jun 21, 2020)

Rec Tec is a nice choice! Compared to Traeger, the RT-700 is built like a tank. It's what I've sticked to for the past year, which is a record for me since I'm always on the lookout for something new and better - that's why I could never use something for a couple of years. I love trying new things. With that being said, I think the Rec Tec would be suitable for those with plenty of yard space, such as the first or second pic here (look how gorgeous the design is, btw). If I didn't have such a spacious outdoors, I would look for another model such as the Lil'Tex Elite from Traeger. But yeah so far my Rec Tec has proved to be so reliable especially during the quarantine. Lots of time to experiment with food!


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## jonmurd (Aug 18, 2020)

Can anyone tell me is it possible to use this smoker grilling fish & meat which will able to use both of the work?


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## sandyut (Aug 20, 2020)

yeah... Rec Tec for sure.  you wont regret it.


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## Rojack (Aug 29, 2020)

The heat source is in the bottom of the cooker and you have a 12 gauge lid, you don't need insulation in the lid.
How is RecTec in the winter in very cold weather without an insulation blanket or cover?

r


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## SlowmotionQue (Sep 13, 2020)

Rojack said:


> The heat source is in the bottom of the cooker and you have a 12 gauge lid, you don't need insulation in the lid.
> How is RecTec in the winter in very cold weather without an insulation blanket or cover?



No problems here.


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## ttkt57 (Nov 24, 2020)

SlowmotionQue said:


> Heat rises.  It's a fact.  Yet they tout the thickness of the lower cooking chamber.



Slowmo,

That grub looks tasty! And your kit and deck look great!

I'm not convinced, though, by your "heat rises" dismissal of the Silverbac's double wall construction below the grates. I'm not a specialist in thermodynamics, but I know enough to remember that convected heat (which goes up and out the smoke stack at the rate set by the fan drawing in cooler air from outside the grill) and radiant heat (which travels in all directions from its source and is either absorbed or reflected) behave differently enough to explain a legitimate engineering decision to double-wall a grill near its primary source of radiant heat.

Again, I'm no expert in thermodynamics, but as I see it all pellet grills lose about the same amount of convected heat (the "heat rises" kind) based on the speed of the fan and regardless of insulation, steel thickness, etc., but lose radiant heat to varying degrees depending on insulation, material reflectivity and thickness, etc.

Hence, while little can be done about the "heat rises" kind of heat in any unit that constantly adds cool air from outside and allows smoke to escape, quite a bit can be done about radiant heat.

Anyway, I respectfully don't think the Silverbac's engineering (or marketing) is as unsound as you suggest.

Of course it's just opinions unless someone with both a Stampede and a Silverbac load them both with the same amount of pellets, set them at the same temp in the same environment and see which one runs out of pellets first.

(No one will do it though because real science would put the squash on at least half of social media, and what would be the fun in that? Ha!)


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## jmtyndall (Nov 24, 2020)

ttkt57 said:


> I'm not convinced, though, by your "heat rises" dismissal of the Silverbac's double wall construction below the grates. I'm not a specialist in thermodynamics, but I know enough to remember that convected heat (which goes up and out the smoke stack at the rate set by the fan drawing in cooler air from outside the grill) and radiant heat (which travels in all directions from its source and is either absorbed or reflected) behave differently enough to explain a legitimate engineering decision to double-wall a grill near its primary source of radiant heat.
> 
> Again, I'm no expert in thermodynamics, but as I see it all pellet grills lose about the same amount of convected heat (the "heat rises" kind) based on the speed of the fan and regardless of insulation, steel thickness, etc., but lose radiant heat to varying degrees depending on insulation, material reflectivity and thickness, etc.
> 
> Hence, while little can be done about the "heat rises" kind of heat in any unit that constantly adds cool air from outside and allows smoke to escape, quite a bit can be done about radiant heat.


 
Bingo. The temperature delta between the wall of the grill and the outside air is going to drive heat transfer. The lower half of the Grilla runs cooler than any other pellet grill I've had the opportunity to use (save my Father in-laws Timberline, which is also insulated in that area), which means it is losing less heat through skin losses. They're all still losing heat to skin loss from the top, and the argument was "why insulate anything if you're not going to insulate the top, because HEAT RISES." It's partially true, but it neglects the fact that some-insulation still prevents more heat loss than none-insulation. An additional benefit for those of us with littles running around the yard, the bottom of the barrel stays cool enough to not cause a severe burn particularly when running at moderate temps. 

The fact is that both of these grills are great, and a better value for the money than the Traeger offerings. Some people will be turned off by bullhorns and the RecTec culture. Others will be turned off by the more swing = more smoke argument (the Alpha controller allows you to choose what you want). When it came time to spend my money I couldn't stand the bull aesthetic and the way people get attacked for negative experiences with RecTec drove me elsewhere. Grilla offered a number of features I liked and at a lower price point, so that's what I got.


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## MauleGuy (Nov 24, 2020)

SlowmotionQue said:


> I don't think he should buy a Rec Tec because Billy told him to either.  Especially with no further explanation.
> 
> But talk about things that rub some the wrong way, here is one thing that rubbed me the wrong way about Grilla.
> 
> ...


I like the details above.  I do have one question on the RT 590.  Have you noticed any substantial temperature difference across the cooking surface?  For example if you have to identical pork butts smoking will they both get done at the same time or very close to it?


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## SlowmotionQue (Dec 8, 2020)

MauleGuy said:


> I like the details above.  I do have one question on the RT 590.  Have you noticed any substantial temperature difference across the cooking surface?  For example if you have to identical pork butts smoking will they both get done at the same time or very close to it?




While I have never tried cooking two pork butts on my RT590, I can tell you that  every grill, ever outdoor cooker  that I have, with the exception of the Otto Wilde and the Camp Chef stove  to the right of the Kamado Joe,  has hot spots.

I am very likely not alone in this assessment.

I have measured the temps on my RT590 at three different points at the same time and discovered that it tends to run slightly hotter at the center directly above the fire pot than at the right and left.

My old stick burner had hot spots as well.  If you're concerned about them though, rotating your food from one side of the grill to the other may help.

I personally have not had to do this, as I get even cooking when doing say, a good side brisket on the RT590.  The briskets in the pics cooked evenly and very well on my RT590.

But IMO, you're going to be hard pressed to find an outdoor cooker that will ready say,  225° all the way across from one side to the other and for several hours.


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## MauleGuy (Dec 8, 2020)

Thanks.

I guess I will find out as I have an RT590 on the truck en route to me.

I did notice that the old Traeger Lil' Tex I had seemed to have much more consistent temps across the grill  than the LG900, but the LG900 with a PID kept the indicated temp more constant.  The Traeger had a centered fire pot and the LG900 has the fire pot on the left end of the barrel.   My guess is the combo of the firebox at one end and the larger cooking area created the difference. Interestingly the hottest place on the LG was on the end opposite from the fire box.  There was something like an average about 30F or more difference.  So a set temp of 225F could be 205 to 240F.  That is not up and down but constantly hotter at the right than the left.


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## SlowmotionQue (Dec 8, 2020)

I think you'll be very impressed with the RT590.


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## ttkt57 (Dec 9, 2020)

This is way off the original topic, but maybe it's worth inserting.

The LG900 has a better burn pot design than do most of the imports, but like the Yoder with the same design, there is no heat deflector between the flame and the grease pan which thus has to do double duty. This causes a radiant heat hot spot above the flame. The Outlaw pellet smokers use a pellet delivery/fire pot system very similar to that of the Yoders and LGs, but they do two things differently, resulting in more even heat across the cook surface. First, they add a heat deflector between the flame and the grease pan. Second, they vent the unit with a long slit at the back rather that using a smoke stack at the far end.

I've been looking around and I can't find any other pellet cooker that combines the Yoder/LG burn pot configuration with a separate heat deflector and a long slit rather than a stack on the end.

I'm going to drive over to the Outlaw shop Friday, meet the owner/designer, kick the tires a bit, and report back when I get the chance.


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## SlowmotionQue (Dec 9, 2020)

ttkt57 said:


> Slowmo,
> 
> That grub looks tasty! And your kit and deck look great!
> 
> ...



I would agree that were one to run both grills side by side in the same weather, at the same temps and over a period of time for the average cook, or in a test actually cooking similar items, that this would be the good way to tell the difference between which one held  heat best while consuming a given amount of fuel.

However, pellets are cheap.  We all know what a 20lb bag of our favorite pellets costs.  We know what 10lbs of these same pellets works out to price wise.  We know what 5lbs works out to.  What  2.5lbs works out to in cost and so on.

And so unless a significant difference in fuel consumption between the two  were observed in cold weather, or even warm weather, one would have to consider whether that difference,  and that's assuming that there was even  a difference,  would be worth the warranty differences, and other differences which may be important to them,  between the two.

Even taking this into account, there are of course variables.   People cook differently.   Some of us may be quicker to put food on our grills than others.

Some may watch the temps and put food on immediately after temp is reached.   Others may put food on a bit before the grill reaches the target temperature.   While still others might put food on several minutes after temperature is reached.

All of the above techniques could influence overall fuel consumption over a cook

Some like to remove briskets and pork butts at an internal temp of 200°, others may prefer a bit higher.  Some slightly lower.

But again, all of the methods could influence pellets used over a cook and may not give a fair comparison of fuel consumption between one owner with one grill, and another owner using another grill.

So unless we're measuring down to the last pellet, and taking a few other things into account, well how crazy would one want to get in comparing fuel consumption between the two?

It brings us right back to the question;  "Is that extra piece of metal in the bottom of the Grilla going to make a significant difference?"




jmtyndall said:


> Bingo. The temperature delta between the wall of the grill and the outside air is going to drive heat transfer. The lower half of the Grilla runs cooler than any other pellet grill I've had the opportunity to use (save my Father in-laws Timberline, which is also insulated in that area), which means it is losing less heat through skin losses. They're all still losing heat to skin loss from the top, and the argument was "why insulate anything if you're not going to insulate the top, because HEAT RISES." It's partially true, but it neglects the fact that some-insulation still prevents more heat loss than none-insulation. An additional benefit for those of us with littles running around the yard, the bottom of the barrel stays cool enough to not cause a severe burn particularly when running at moderate temps.
> 
> The fact is that both of these grills are great, and a better value for the money than the Traeger offerings. Some people will be turned off by bullhorns and the *RecTec culture*. Others will be turned off by the more swing = more smoke argument (the Alpha controller allows you to choose what you want). When it came time to spend my money I couldn't stand the bull aesthetic and *the way people get attacked for negative experiences with RecTec drove me elsewhere.* Grilla offered a number of features I liked and at a lower price point, so that's what I got.



Interesting points.  Particularly the ones in bold.

I don't think that one can go terribly wrong with either purchase.

Indeed, the horns may be a turnoff for some, and others won't mind them.

On the other side of the coin, if  people want to believe that widely swinging temperatures somehow account for better smoke flavor, well then that's their prerogative.

And that is whether or not anyone can explain the science behind why such a theory makes sense.

As far as a perception of   "people being attacked for negative experiences",  well, personally, I don't let that enter into my purchasing decision as I would likely  miss out on a lot of good products were I to do so.

What happens if people start getting attacked for mentioning negative experiences for a product that I already have and am satisfied with?

Do I take it back?

As to the comment on "the Rec Tec Culture".  I'm not entirely sure that I know what that is, or what is meant by that but ......If you notice from the last picture I posted, every product in the pic, has what could be considered a cult following or a "culture" if you will.

The Otto Wilde, the  22in WSM, (my 18in WSM is not shown)  the Weber Kettle, the Camp Chef griddle, the Camp Chef stove,  the Kamado Joe and yes the Rec Tec.

All of them have huge followings, all enjoy good, if not great,  reputations amongst owners,  and with good reason.

When it came time to spend my money on a pellet grill, I looked at how I would be using it,  it's construction, ease of use and convenience, hopper capacity, customer service and reliability......and yes, product reputation.


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## SlowmotionQue (Dec 9, 2020)

ttkt57 said:


> This is way off the original topic, but maybe it's worth inserting.
> 
> The LG900 has a better burn pot design than do most of the imports, but like the Yoder with the same design, there is no heat deflector between the flame and the grease pan which thus has to do double duty. This causes a radiant heat hot spot above the flame. The Outlaw pellet smokers use a pellet delivery/fire pot system very similar to that of the Yoders and LGs, but they do two things differently, resulting in more even heat across the cook surface. First, they add a heat deflector between the flame and the grease pan. Second, they vent the unit with a long slit at the back rather that using a smoke stack at the far end.
> 
> ...



I don't recall if this was discussed early on in the thread, but are we comparing pellet grills in similar price ranges?

Doesn't  the LG900 have around a $1900.00 price tag?

If so, then that's headed into MAK or Cookshack price range.


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## ttkt57 (Dec 10, 2020)

SlowmotionQue said:


> Doesn't  the LG900 have around a $1900.00 price tag?



The LG900 sells for $700 at Costco and is shipped from Amazon for $900. In that price range it appears to have the best system for smoke generation--better than Rec Tec, Grilla Grills, Traeger--but probably suffers from a hot spot over an inadequately shielded burn pot.

Oh, and I may have been unclear earlier about how it compares to the more expensive Outlaw. They share, or essentially share, the superior pellet burn system and vent system but are different in that the Outlaw has an additional layer of steel deflecting heat from the flames for more even radiant heat.

Edit: Does anybody know why an automatic link to Rec Tec gets inserted when I post to this forum but not one to Grilla Grills, Traeger, Outlaw, etc? Is this forum a front for Rec Tec?


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## SlowmotionQue (Dec 10, 2020)

ttkt57 said:


> The LG900 sells for $700 at Costco and is shipped from Amazon for $900. In that price range it appears to have the best system for smoke generation--better than Rec Tec, Grilla Grills, Traeger--but probably suffers from a hot spot over an inadequately shielded burn pot.
> 
> Oh, and I may have been unclear earlier about how it compares to the more expensive Outlaw. They share, or essentially share, the superior pellet burn system and vent system but are different in that the Outlaw has an additional layer of steel deflecting heat from the flames for more even radiant heat.
> 
> Edit: Does anybody know why an automatic link to Rec Tec gets inserted when I post to this forum but not one to Grilla Grills, Traeger, Outlaw, etc? Is this forum a front for Rec Tec?



Thanks. I thought I saw it at $1899.

Oh, and Amazon comes up as a link in your post above  as well.

WSM and Camp Chef  came up as links in one of my prior posts.

Also look at posts #29 and #32. Links to other grills mentioned in those posts. 

So no,  it’s not just Rec Tec, and no, this forum is not a front for them.


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## ttkt57 (Dec 10, 2020)

SlowmotionQue said:


> Oh, and Amazon comes up as a link in your post above as well.
> 
> WSM and Camp Chef came up as links in one of my prior posts.
> 
> ...


I see that now. Thanks.

I was beginning to wonder, though, given the almost cult-like non-objectivity I see from time to time in support of that brand over others.

That sort of thing, and the fact that the main dish served up in online debates is red herring, reminds why I usually don't spend any time on BBQ forums--and convinces me again to just not do it.


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## SlowmotionQue (Dec 10, 2020)

ttkt57 said:


> I see that now. Thanks.
> 
> I was beginning to wonder, though, given the almost cult-like non-objectivity I see from time to time in support of that brand over others.
> 
> That sort of thing, and the fact that the main dish served up in online debates is red herring, reminds why I usually don't spend any time on BBQ forums--and convinces me again to just not do it.



I don’t know why owners of one particular pellet grill tend to gravitate  to a particular forum. 

I tend strongly towards a belief that customer satisfaction has a lot to do with it. 

One of the other well known barbecue fora seems to have a lot of satisfied MAK owners

You’ll see something of the same with BGE owners, Lang owners and Shirley owners.  Stick burners and Kamados.   WSMs also have a very strong following. 

Obviously not all  pellet grill manufacturers  have reached the level of enthusiasm amongst their customer base that some of the others have.

That’s not to say they won’t get there; however.


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## Inscrutable (Dec 10, 2020)

Whether you do or do not sense fanboyism, exaggeration, bias (which we all have anyway), etc ... you CAN mine for factual information that can help, and realistically you get more of that from actual owners or former owners. And ALL owners are likely biased to what they own, or they wouldn’t own it in the first place. A lot better than the bogus or compensated/promotional reviews you get on sites like Amazon.


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## SarahS (Dec 13, 2020)

So many votes for Silverbac and just two for Traeger? (mine included)
I've come across this Traeger review and I would go for it... Or is it just a commercial trap?


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## JWFokker (Dec 13, 2020)

SarahS said:


> So many votes for Silverbac and just two for Traeger? (mine included)
> I've come across this Traeger review and I would go for it... Or is it just a commercial trap?


That site is just a click through referral revenue generator, not a real review site. They all follow the same format. Faked reviews that summarize Amazon reviews and a bunch of links to resellers.

That said, I'm one of the people who thinks that Traeger is a premium priced brand that is in reality just average. Lots of competition does the same or better for less money.


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## Rojack (Dec 13, 2020)

_Much is made of statements by Grilla about features of their grill but you have one of the Recteq guys who is an ex car salesman talking about stuff that don't matter. Running the burn pot over with a truck for example. You could probably do the same with a Grilla burn pot or some of the other companies. The fact that you can do that don't matter. He also says you need a PID controller. No, you don't. Is the fact that the temps will swing a big deal? No, it is not. The whole Recteq presentation by those two can be awkward to be polite about it yet Grilla is singled out about the insulation. Just an example of someone seeing what they want to and not seeing what they don't want to. _


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## SarahS (Dec 13, 2020)

JWFokker said:


> That site is just a click through referral revenue generator, not a real review site. They all follow the same format. Faked reviews that summarize Amazon reviews and a bunch of links to resellers.
> 
> That said, I'm one of the people who thinks that Traeger is a premium priced brand that is in reality just average. Lots of competition does the same or better for less money.



oh, that's good to know, cause I saw plenty of sites like this one.
Thanks!


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## SlowmotionQue (Dec 13, 2020)

Rojack said:


> _Much is made of statements by Grilla about features of their grill but you have one of the Recteq guys who is an ex car salesman talking about stuff that don't matter. Running the burn pot over with a truck for example. You could probably do the same with a Grilla burn pot or some of the other companies. The fact that you can do that don't matter. He also says you need a PID controller. No, you don't. Is the fact that the temps will swing a big deal? No, it is not. The whole Recteq presentation by those two can be awkward to be polite about it yet Grilla is singled out about the insulation. Just an example of someone seeing what they want to and not seeing what they don't want to. _



Again, a lot of this is going to come down to which features the company touts and which ones make sense to you and are important to you.

If you think that a strong, heavy gauge firepot is going to be important to you, well then it may be something which sways your purchasing decision.

Conversely, if you think that adding another thin layer of metal to the bottom of your pellet grill will conserve heat, but without  insulation on the sides, lid,  and in areas of the grill where food is being cooked,  then again, that may sway your purchasing decision.

As for no PID controller, again that would fall to personal preference.   Just me, but  I’d just as soon run my WSM with BBQ Guru control as run a pellet smoker with no PID control.   I can get just as “tight” temp control on it as what I’m seeing obtained from non PID controlled pellet grills. And  I’d get more smoke flavor on it than I can from pellets. 

The tighter temp control of the PID is a strong selling point for many.


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