# controller recomendations



## rlgiv (Jul 14, 2018)

I have owned my traeger heartland now for a few weeks. I really dont mind the 30 degree temp swings but the other day while smoking a pork loin i had a flame out.  I want to avoid this in the future and would like to get a controller that can reignite my fire pot if it goes out but i also want something that will be able to provide good smoke. I dont care if it my temps are super tight. price is a concern. cant see myself spending 150 dollars on a new controller.  biggest features needed are good smoke and dont flame out.


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## airmec (Jul 15, 2018)

Savannah Stoker made me love my Traeger again really like the ability to set a smoke, then cook to temp and hold cycle then walk away. One thing you will notice is a lower consumption of pellets over the stock controller and being able to hold lower temps really adds to the smoke flavor of your meat, auto relight and a cold smoke setting (fan only with a tube) are also built in. When time comes for a new igniter look at RecTec's ceramic igniter/ firepot it is a direct replacement and built for thousands of cycles.


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## philh (Jul 15, 2018)

I'll have to second the Savannah Stoker controller. I have it in a Pit Boss 820D and it made my pit act like one of the big boys. Just half the cost.. lol

It is a great controller.


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## illini40 (Jul 15, 2018)

I'm new to pellet grills and no experience with aftermarket components for a Traeger. Can someone give some insight on this Savannah Stoker? Pros over my stock Pro 34?


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## philh (Jul 15, 2018)

You might want to follow this link: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/pit-boss-820.264398/page-2#post-1805106

I talked about the Savannah Stoker & a few posts down I posted some pictures of the unit. I hope this can help you.


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## philh (Jul 15, 2018)

Here is some info from their website:


*Plug and Cook* easy installation on most Traeger Pellet Grills. You’ll be cooking in 10 minutes when using the existing temperature senor “RTD” and 30 minutes when replacing it.
*1° Temperature Setting Range* from 150°- 500°F. Note: Your Grill may not be able to reach 500° without modifications.
*5-10°F Typical Temperature Swings* when cooking above 250°F and 10-15°F when smoking below 225°F. Temp swings are not guarantee.
*Cold Smoke Program*. Run just the fan for cold smoking of food like fish or cheese using a Tube Type smoke generator. Add the 6" tube smoker to your order below.
*Auto-relight.* The controller will attempt to relight the fire if the grill temperature drops too low below the set temperature. For added safety if it does not relight; the cool down cycle automatically starts.
*3 Phase Cooking Program*: Smoke, Cook, Hold. Set the time and temperature for each phase in the cooking process.
*Food Probe:* For use with the cooking program or standalone to monitor the food temperature.
*GO GRILL!* Press a button and the auger runs 100% for high temperature grilling.
*Cool-down cycle.* Fan runs until the grill temperature drops below 120°.
*Temperature Calibration: *User can set recalibrate values for both the grill sensor and food probe.
*220 Volt Compatible.*
*Celsius and Fahrenheit* temperature display.


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## illini40 (Jul 16, 2018)

Thanks for the responses. I'm not seeing much info out there on Savannah Stokers.

It would help a Traeger maintain a steady temp, correct? 

Other benefits?

I'm new to the pellet smokers so curious what I'm missing or if there is that much benefit for the price.


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## airmec (Jul 17, 2018)

I feel mine made a big difference, I was close to rolling it to the curb and let someone else deal with it, Now I love the way it cooks and it did not cost me 2K for a new one. Follow the web site to facebook and you will find the site full of owners and their experiences.


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## bregent (Jul 17, 2018)

illini40 said:


> Thanks for the responses. I'm not seeing much info out there on Savannah Stokers.
> 
> It would help a Traeger maintain a steady temp, correct?
> 
> ...



The Savannah Stoker will definitely help if your Traeger is experiencing large temp swings. It also has a lot of bells and whistles and is generally well liked by everyone that uses it. However, if you're looking for a less expensive solution, the Ortech controller is a drop in replacement for Traeger and other grills. It's not PID but most folks report much better results with it than the stock controller. It's $68 today at AMZ.


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## rlgiv (Jul 25, 2018)

I thought that I would give traeger customer service a try before getting the savanna stoker. After two different sessions where they had me changing my start up procedure I was still having wild temperature swings and flame outs on my heartland. They sent me the pro digital controller to replace my stock controller. 
 After set up and an I initial testing I can see an improvement.  Set at 225 I saw much improved temp swings. After 3 cycles I saw a high temp of 236 and a low of 218. Cranked it up to high and broke my units previous record of 419 and hit 426 on a day that is 15 degrees cooler than my previous high was obtained on.  

Cooking beef short ribs this afternoon. Gonna be a great test for the new controller. Feeling optimistic about its performance.


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## philh (Jul 25, 2018)

It looks like you are heading in the right direction. Good luck with the new controller.


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