# Weber SmokeFire - anyone get it yet



## kstone113 (Feb 13, 2020)

I'm a Rec Tec guy but Weber is a great company!  I used a Genesis for over 10 years until I realized how great smoking is and ZERO regrets on my Rec Tec Bull but either way, still curious how people's experiences are with the grill.  It was 'supposedly' released 3 days ago.  I would assume that means people get them on that day but perhaps not.


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## Alphonse (Feb 13, 2020)

I have seen a couple of new owner reviews on another forum but it is still a bit too early to get good feedback. 

I am particularly looking forward to some independent testing and reviews that aren't tainted by the "pride of ownership" or other factors.    A particular area of interest for me is the grease build up with the flavorizer bar layout the grill has.  It looks much like a Weber gas grill from that perspective.


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## kstone113 (Feb 13, 2020)

Alphonse said:


> I have seen a couple of new owner reviews on another forum but it is still a bit too early to get good feedback.
> 
> I am particularly looking forward to some independent testing and reviews that aren't tainted by the "pride of ownership" or other factors.    A particular area of interest for me is the grease build up with the flavorizer bar layout the grill has.  It looks much like a Weber gas grill from that perspective.


That's one of my concerns(not that I'm buying one)....how will the grill/smoker handle after a long brisket or pulled pork cook with tons of grease....how would that work if then I want to cook steaks on high after that.  With a normal grease tray, you clean or re-foil....


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## chef jimmyj (Feb 13, 2020)

A disposable roasting pan under the grate will solve the low and slow Butt or Brisket Grease problem...JJ


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## bacon_crazy510 (Feb 13, 2020)

chef jimmyj said:


> A disposable roasting pan under the grate will solve the low and slow Butt or Brisket Grease problem...JJ



This is what I do in my Yoder YS640S ... I bought a large oil drip pan from Napa Auto Parts. I line it with foil, and use it as a rip pan. There is no mess in my smoker ....


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## theoldmonkey (Feb 13, 2020)

search on you-tube...filter by upload date...seems as they have issues, hopper pellet feeding, temp trobs...


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## Alphonse (Feb 14, 2020)

chef jimmyj said:


> A disposable roasting pan under the grate will solve the low and slow Butt or Brisket Grease problem...JJ





bacon_crazy510 said:


> This is what I do in my Yoder YS640S ... I bought a large oil drip pan from Napa Auto Parts. I line it with foil, and use it as a rip pan. There is no mess in my smoker ....


I have a decent pellet grill and yes, I use foil, disposable pans, and baking sheets.  However it still needs cleaning from time to time, particularly if I use it to sear a rib roast.    

When I saw the videos that originated from Weber's media release in November, I noticed the new grill seemed to use their well known concept of Weber flavorizer bars.  Naturally their promo event showcased searing steaks and the like, therefore my interest in how you clean it up.  Here's a screenshot from a video of their event showing a sear in action.   So I am looking forward to some credible reviews that talk to the issue of grease and cleaning.


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## kawakx125 (Feb 14, 2020)

flavorizer=marketing gimmick.


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## bregent (Feb 14, 2020)

kawakx125 said:


> flavorizer=marketing gimmick.



Not sure why you think it's a gimmick. I've had several gas grills, but the Weber flavorizor design has been the best at reducing flareups and easiest to keep clean.

For what they are, Webers gassers are probably overpriced. But they do cook well.


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## bregent (Feb 14, 2020)

kstone113 said:


> That's one of my concerns(not that I'm buying one)....how will the grill/smoker handle after a long brisket or pulled pork cook with tons of grease....how would that work if then I want to cook steaks on high after that. With a normal grease tray, you clean or re-foil....



I've been speaking with someone on another forum who has been cooking on his for about a week. He's thinking that it should be fine to go to high temp after a long low and slow, but only time will tell. He's planning on doing the first long cook  --a brisket-- this weekend. It looks like cleanup is easy, with grease and ash falling into the catch pan. You should not need to use a foil pan under the grates.

I asked him about smoke profile and he feels it has more smoke flavor than any of his other pellet grills (he's had several).  I think one possible reason is that the smoke can more easily surround the food, since it's not restricted by a drip pan that covers most of the area and only lets smoke up around the edges.

He said that the app sucks, but hopefully that will be resolved in future updates.

The other thing to consider is that the lowest temp on it is 200F.  I only uses lower temps on my Memphis to get more smoke flavor, but that might not be necessary for this grill. But if you want to smoke sausage or do jerky, 200F is probably too high.


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## rw willy (Feb 15, 2020)

Assembled my EX4yesterday. All parts were there and Undamaged. Lid has no twist compared to Treager lids. Very sturdy. Initial burn went well. Pairing to WiFi worked. Will be doing bone in pork loin and some skirt steak tonight. Will post.


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## rw willy (Feb 15, 2020)

Turned out great.


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## meskc (Feb 16, 2020)

I am seeing many reviews on reddit about this grill. Many are not very good.  Some have had fires and others having temp issues.


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## mickgriller (Feb 16, 2020)

I got mine Thursday and returned it today. There is a fatal flaw in the design of the hopper, there is not enough slope to it so the pellets do not feed into the auger correctly which causes huge temperature swings. Here is a picture from my fireboard that I had in the grill and one of what it did when it was set at 225 and quit feeding pellets from a full hopper.


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## forktender (Feb 17, 2020)

bacon_crazy510 said:


> This is what I do in my Yoder YS640S ... I bought a large oil drip pan from Napa Auto Parts. I line it with foil, and use it as a rip pan. There is no mess in my smoker ....


Man, be careful most of those oil drip pans are galvanized metal which is some horrible stuff.


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## kawakx125 (Feb 17, 2020)

bregent said:


> Not sure why you think it's a gimmick. I've had several gas grills, but the Weber flavorizor design has been the best at reducing flareups and easiest to keep clean.
> 
> For what they are, Webers gassers are probably overpriced. But they do cook well.


for flare ups they do work well, but flavoring the food?  the flavorizer name is a gimmick IMO


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## kstone113 (Feb 17, 2020)

I never thought to look on reddit...thanks!  

Yeah, appears some users are definitely having issues.  My fear of the grease dripping down definitely seems to be an issue with some as pellets have gone off to the side of the firebox and caught fire from grease....


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## RCAlan (Feb 17, 2020)

I wouldn’t buy one or even take one if it was given to me for free...  Weber is a great company and  there  past history proves that...  but there  issues with the SmokeFire Pellet Grill are self caused by there lack of true quality control and research & development for a pellet grill that costs $1300.00 plus dollars. I could see something like this happening with a low end, cheap, foreign made pellet grill company,  but not from a company with the name and history of Weber.  I just read a posting of a guy who just received a call from the shipping company this morning,  that his SmokeFire Pellet Grill has just arrived at the station for delivery.   He told them he couldn’t take it and to return it back to Weber...  and also told them the reason why...  The shipping company said that they understood.   There was a lot of first time and potential first time pellet grill buyers waiting for  Weber to release their pellet grill.  Now many may never buy or consider buying a pellet grill again.   Smh...  This will not only effect Weber, but could  also effect the pellet grill brand as a whole.    I hope Weber can address the many design issues correctly and make things right.  Time will tell.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


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## chef jimmyj (Feb 17, 2020)

This just confirms, unless you have the money to risk, it's a good idea to wait to purchase until any new technology or system is thoroughly tested and proven reliable...JJ


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## Alphonse (Feb 17, 2020)

Weber did a masterful job of their "release/media day" back in November when by invitation, a group of YouTuber's and forum masters attended the event  in advance of Weber's actual  market release.  The feedback from the invitees created enormous interest in the BBQ enthusiast community and likely had a nice impact on Weber's initial orders.    

It will be interesting to watch all this unfold and see some in depth reviews now that the grills are getting into the hands of the public.


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## SlickRockStones (Feb 17, 2020)

Just reread the Meathead forum touting the claim of being “the first” to grill on a SF just after the November rollout. They also claim that they actually had a SF grill and we’re testing it and “putting it through it’s paces” What’s up with that? Almost three months later and no word from them? I guess “no news” means “bad news” from MH or did they really have one to test?


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## Alphonse (Feb 17, 2020)

Yes that forum was there at the Media Release and as I remember, reported that they had done the first test.   But to be fair that test was done there at Weber's place. 

I believe that forum organization has now received a  grill and its membership is awaiting the review.


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## kstone113 (Feb 17, 2020)

What's the URL on that forum?

Yeah, RCAlan - it is sad that some are first time pellet people and they will get a bad impression right off the bad.  I've had the opposite experience with my Rec Tec.  It isn't perfect but works damn good and anytime I have issues, I know Rec Tec will support it 100%.  I've only had to call Customer Support a few times but they are awesome!


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## SlickRockStones (Feb 17, 2020)

SlickRockStones apologizes to MH and his forum. The “first to grill” article was modified 2/15/20 to include the review update.


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## Fueling Around (Feb 17, 2020)

kstone113 said:


> What's the URL on that forum?
> ...


https://amazingribs.com/ratings-reviews/pellet-grill/weber-smokefire-pellet-grill


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## xray (Feb 17, 2020)

I read some bad reviews on Reddit also. Maybe by the time I get my feet wet in the pellet grill world, most of their problems will be addressed


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## Glock9x19 (Feb 17, 2020)

Been waiting for this particular grill to come out to get my first pellet grill.  Pretty disappointed that people seem to be having issues.


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## sandyut (Feb 17, 2020)

Glock9x19 said:


> Been waiting for this particular grill to come out to get my first pellet grill.  Pretty disappointed that people seem to be having issues.


You may want to go with one that’s been used and on the market a while.  Like a Rec Tec.  They are real nice.  i would have big concerns with a first version of most things


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## sandyut (Feb 17, 2020)

M
 mickgriller
   wow...good documentation.  Sad about the SF.  But I think many were suspicious this would play out in this manner...

thank you for sharing.


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## bacon_crazy510 (Feb 17, 2020)

forktender said:


> Man, be careful most of those oil drip pans are galvanized metal which is some horrible stuff.



I know ... this one is stamped aluminum. No worries!


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## Alphonse (Feb 18, 2020)

Well, here is an independent review.   Justin bought the grill himself, even though he was offered one from Weber, and he was expeditious in getting this out.   Thanks Justin for an update. 

To say that I am surprised by Weber on this one would be an understatement!


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## sandyut (Feb 18, 2020)

WOW...


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## mustardsauce (Feb 18, 2020)

Here's another review I just saw today.

Watch Before Buying - SmokeFire Review

This guy had an even worse time with it.  Some of these issues are to be expected, but others are surprising considering this is Weber and that they've theoretically been cooking with and testing Pit Boss, Traeger and other pellet grills for years and years before releasing their own.


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## mike243 (Feb 18, 2020)

How many times are you going to post the same review on the same thread? lol


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## durango155 (Feb 18, 2020)

well I just had my Weber EX6 delivered yesterday and after reading all the negative reviews I'm tempted to just not even unbox and have it picked back up and returned.   This was to be my first venture in to the pellet grill game and I haven't seen one positive review coming out of this yet.   I guess I'm going to wait a little bit to see if there's any formal response from Weber but they can't really fix what's already out in the market.  Looks like my options are return and wait for them to fix issues or get my refund and go with the Rec Tec or Trager.  Pretty bummed out considering I have a $1200 freaking pellet grill sitting in my garage that I don't even want to touch!


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## sandyut (Feb 18, 2020)

Hook up a red tec and enjoy a rock solid pellet grill


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## kstone113 (Feb 18, 2020)

durango155 said:


> well I just had my Weber EX6 delivered yesterday and after reading all the negative reviews I'm tempted to just not even unbox and have it picked back up and returned.   This was to be my first venture in to the pellet grill game and I haven't seen one positive review coming out of this yet.   I guess I'm going to wait a little bit to see if there's any formal response from Weber but they can't really fix what's already out in the market.  Looks like my options are return and wait for them to fix issues or get my refund and go with the Rec Tec or Trager.  Pretty bummed out considering I have a $1200 freaking pellet grill sitting in my garage that I don't even want to touch!


Man....well, I believe there is a return window they have.  Maybe try it out for awhile.  But if you plan to do any low and slow, this design just doesn't appear like it will work as I feared that and tons of others did also.  

The pellets not feeding appears to be a big issue also.  I'm not sure why they didn't make that hopper bigger and so narrow.  One of the reason I love the look the Rec Tec Bull was because the hooper is in the back and it looks like a grill(at least to me).  

For the same price point, I'd recommend the Rec Tec Bull.  I love mine!


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## Glock9x19 (Feb 18, 2020)

I cannot believe this shit show that Weber has on their hands.  Prob order a Rec Tec or a Camp Chef soon.  Feels bad.  Wanted to get the Weber.


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## sandyut (Feb 19, 2020)

kstone113 said:


> For the same price point, I'd recommend the Rec Tec Bull. I love mine!


Same...   The issues seem kinda obvious and like they should have come up during testing prior to production.  Beyond the functional issues - the safety issues seem large.


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## JCAP (Feb 19, 2020)

sandyut said:


> Same...   The issues seem kinda obvious and like they should have come up during testing prior to production.  Beyond the functional issues - the safety issues seem large.



I have no skin in the pellet grill game, but this is what is most surprising to me too. So, Weber either never had these issues happen (like the fire BabyBackManiac posted about) or they did and rolled out anyway. It's a bummer if they knew about these issue and decided to go to market still. 

I also wonder if they made some kind of last minute changes that weren't thoroughly vetted....


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## mustardsauce (Feb 19, 2020)

mike243 said:


> How many times are you going to post the same review on the same thread? lol


me?  I haven't seen a single review repeated within this thread?


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## sawhorseray (Feb 19, 2020)

mustardsauce said:


> Here's another review I just saw today. Watch Before Buying - SmokeFire Review
> This guy had an even worse time with it.  Some of these issues are to be expected, but others are surprising considering this is Weber and that they've theoretically been cooking with and testing Pit Boss, Traeger and other pellet grills for years and years before releasing their own.



I'm not a pellet guy and doubt I ever will be. This is one scathing review! I think the guy did a great job on it and seems very honest. The fact that he returned it for a refund and advises against buy it for safety concerns speaks volumes, there's a lot of issues for Weber to have to address. RAY


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## Charliedog (Feb 19, 2020)

kstone113 said:


> I'm a Rec Tec guy but Weber is a great company!  I used a Genesis for over 10 years until I realized how great smoking is and ZERO regrets on my Rec Tec Bull but either way, still curious how people's experiences are with the grill.  It was 'supposedly' released 3 days ago.  I would assume that means people get them on that day but perhaps not.


The smokefire is getting beat up on you tube because of grease fires and the pellet deliver system.  Of course others report they love the smokefire, so do your research.


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## kstone113 (Feb 19, 2020)

Charliedog said:


> The smokefire is getting beat up on you tube because of grease fires and the pellet deliver system.  Of course others report they love the smokefire, so do your research.


Yeah....I'm not sure what you're saying.  I have and did do my research.  I think anyone (or at least most) who did a lot of research into pellet grills, arrived at Rec Tec.  I did quite a bit of research.  Traeger was actually the company that got me interested in pellet grills.  From there I researched a lot of companies and somehow found my way to Rec Tec.   Rec Tec does appear to try to keep negative comments off the net and try to resolve things in house which I admire.  So I searched long and hard for negative comments.  Most of them have to do with their older RT-680's and the paint peeling.  The RT-700 is stainless steel.  

As far as the Weber SmokeFire....I did not consider buying one, just more curiosity as like I said, always been a Weber fan.  I love their gas grills and their charcoal grills speak for themselves.  I've watched a lot of videos on YouTube now about the SmokeFire and I've seen several issues repeated by several YouTubers.  

My guess from seeing all I've seen is people who are typically using the grill for "Grilling - 400 or above", won't see many issues.  But those are smoking low and slow and also grilling, are seeing issues like grease fires and also running out of pellets b/c of feed issues.  Perhaps it is just Weber's pellets?  Regardless, that is not good.

How many other people are having issues that don't YouTube....you know?  Anyone familiar with pellet grills saw this grease fire thing happening.  I know that was my first initial question on how that would work in theory and even when I saw, I had my serious doubts.   That's one of the reasons I was curious because I wanted to see how this would work out.  Not that I want to see Weber fail b/c I feel more competition is better for all us consumers of Pellet grills and makes other companies step up their game.  

I'd imagine some issues could be fixed by fireware updates but pellets not feeding....I'm not sure about that and the grease fires....not sure about that either.  That's two huge issues.  One of the main reasons people why pellet grills is so you can go to bed and sleep during the night while a brisket or whatever smokes.  I always sleep great when doing that on my Rec Tec.  No pellet grill is perfect but man....Weber has a long way to go here and this just screams rushing to market too fast in my humble opinion.  

I don't know you and you don't know me but I'm always one to research a lot when buying anything that isn't normal spending budget on a monthly basis and that's what I did when I decided on Rec Tec.


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## mustardsauce (Feb 19, 2020)

kstone113 said:


> Yeah....I'm not sure what you're saying.  I have and did do my research.  I think anyone (or at least most) who did a lot of research into pellet grills, arrived at Rec Tec.  I did quite a bit of research.  Traeger was actually the company that got me interested in pellet grills.  From there I researched a lot of companies and somehow found my way to Rec Tec.   Rec Tec does appear to try to keep negative comments off the net and try to resolve things in house which I admire.  So I searched long and hard for negative comments.  Most of them have to do with their older RT-680's and the paint peeling.  The RT-700 is stainless steel.
> 
> As far as the Weber SmokeFire....I did not consider buying one, just more curiosity as like I said, always been a Weber fan.  I love their gas grills and their charcoal grills speak for themselves.  I've watched a lot of videos on YouTube now about the SmokeFire and I've seen several issues repeated by several YouTubers.
> 
> ...



I was wondering the same thing about how widespread this problem actually is.  I just looked at their website and the average rating across their first 25 reviews is 2.8 stars.  All 3 models at Lowe's have bad initial reviews as well.  Sometimes, a few very loud consumers make a problem seem much bigger than it really is, but in this case it looks like this is a real, widespread issue.


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## sandyut (Feb 19, 2020)

I looked over the forum for the SF...  lots of not so happy people and rather flimsy responses from Weber - IMO.  Apparently they are telling people to use a water pan to catch grease - with no size or placement instructions.  But doing so is just half a**ing what most pellet grills have - a GREASE PAN....duh...maybe thats why most have this design already...just sayin.


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## Glock9x19 (Feb 19, 2020)

I’ve been waiting for this product and have been so excited to get it all fall/winter.  Now I’m like 99% sure I am not going to get one.  Wanna takes a second and figure out what to actually get.  I like Camp Chef and would reluctantly get a Rec Tec (I think they’re great products, but I despise the design).  I don’t really want to spend $2k on a Yoder, but I guess that’s a possibility as well.


ETA: Weber (and I’ve been a loyal Weber customer for YEARS) needs to recall all of these grills.


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## mustardsauce (Feb 20, 2020)

My guess is that Weber won't recall, but they'll quickly tool up a pan and send it to people who already own it (hopefully for free), and they'll start including that pan in all future products until they can do a full on redesign for V2.0


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## kstone113 (Feb 20, 2020)

Glock9x19 said:


> I’ve been waiting for this product and have been so excited to get it all fall/winter.  Now I’m like 99% sure I am not going to get one.  Wanna takes a second and figure out what to actually get.  I like Camp Chef and would reluctantly get a Rec Tec (I think they’re great products, but I despise the design).  I don’t really want to spend $2k on a Yoder, but I guess that’s a possibility as well.
> 
> 
> ETA: Weber (and I’ve been a loyal Weber customer for YEARS) needs to recall all of these grills.


Always been a Weber fan myself and thus why I started this thread.  I've become a huge Rec Tec fan owning my Bull so I would suggest Rec Tec however I have a friend who has two woodwinds by CampChef and likes them a lot.  He wishes he had a Rec Tec but they definitely do the job.  Neither of his are PID though so the newer PID controller with CampeChef is probably even better.


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## mike guy (Feb 20, 2020)

I don't want to bag on weber too hard, but pellets being a bad fuel source for direct grilling is kind of known to anyone who has used them.  I am kinda shocked they didn't solve this problem before trying to ship it.   You can't really control the combustion rates of pellets with air, like you can with charcoal.  Instead you control it with fuel amount.  The fuel will always need full flame combustion, so the potential for flare ups and full on grease fires is completely obvious.


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## Alphonse (Feb 20, 2020)

Like everyone, I am very surprised that Weber finds themselves in this mess.  It's very likely the result of a rush to market pushed by Weber's corner office.   Coupled with their brilliant PR stunt with their media launch in November the pressure was on.   

Unfortunately Weber purposely borrowed the credibility of the folks they invited as guests to their media launch and that appears to have stung some of them with the poor product release.  Some are now vocal and others are seemingly laying low waiting for the dust to settle.   Those that are speaking up now are bolstering their personal brand by being honest and saying  that they were duped.  The quiet ones are not helping themselves at this point.  One in particular I follow claims he's doing a review and to be patient!  

Meanwhile I will not give my views on or promote other pellet grill brands at the expense of this bad situation and those who have been truly impacted.


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## sweetride95 (Feb 20, 2020)

Before long, Weber will wish they had gone gravity charcoal like the Masterbuilt.  
I still have hope they can straighten it out. 
I'm a year away from upsizing pellet grills. I would love to have Weber in discussion, but I'm still leaning Rec Tec. Unless I can talk the wife into a Yoder.


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## poof (Feb 20, 2020)

Glock9x19 said:


> I’ve been waiting for this product and have been so excited to get it all fall/winter.  Now I’m like 99% sure I am not going to get one.  Wanna takes a second and figure out what to actually get.  I like Camp Chef and would reluctantly get a Rec Tec...



I am in the exact same boat as you - I was waiting to see if the SmokeFire was going to actually work. Apparently it is a good thing I waited.

I am looking for a pellet grill to add to the cooking arsenal. This will be our winter cooking "grill" and weeknight grill, as our outdoor kitchen isn't as accessible in weather or for quick cooks.

When I first started looking I saw the Memphis Grills and thought they would be perfect for my needs. However, the price on them is really a bit steep for a add-on grill. So now I am looking at the RecTec RT340 edit: *Rec Tec 590 is a better size *(I really don't like the bull styling though) and the CampChef 24 Woodwind with WiFi.

I will be doing more research.


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## sandyut (Feb 20, 2020)

sweetride95
   Youwont regret a Rec Tec.  I labored over my choice for months.  comparison spreadsheets - it was a full OCD situation...

that said - the Bull has exceeded my pellet grill expectations 10X over.  I had a couple questions and rec tec customer service is beyond awesome!


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## kstone113 (Feb 20, 2020)

poof said:


> I am in the exact same boat as you - I was waiting to see if the SmokeFire was going to actually work. Apparently it is a good thing I waited.
> 
> I am looking for a pellet grill to add to the cooking arsenal. This will be our winter cooking "grill" and weeknight grill, as our outdoor kitchen isn't as accessible in weather or for quick cooks.
> 
> ...


If you are looking for a winter grilling pellet grill, I would highly recommend the Rec Tec Bullseye when it is re-released in a couple months.  I will be adding this grill along with my Bull.  The Bullseye can get to 650 in like 12 minutes in summer weather.  I believe it gets over 400 in around 15 minutes in the winter.  It is the shape of a Weber kettle but with pellets.  It can do low and slow but more of a grilling grill at higher temps.  And it is more of a direct heat as it just has a heat diffuser above the firepot with no drip pan.  Most put a water pan when doing low and slow.  I know I'll use it for fast grilling and searing as it can get up to 750 plus.  

If you can catch it its first month it is re-released, it will retail for $399 and I believe go up to $499 after that month as its normal retail price.  The owners who have the original(non PID) absolutely love theirs!  

The new design has PID, a few adjustments and is stainless steel instead of painted black.


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## poof (Feb 20, 2020)

Thanks for the info on the new Bullseye, that looks like an interesting grill and adds another option to my search.

I probably should state that winter here in Northern California on the coast doesn't quite mean a real winter as far as temps go...


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## sandyut (Feb 20, 2020)

Winter in CA...so cooler.  I was thinking like winter in UT - snow cold, more snow.  bahaha  Cali cooking should be great on a rec tec.

the Bullseye looks very interesting to me.  I like the idea of a temp setting and using pellets to smoke and grill = Bulls eye and Bull.  I like my Gasser, but the bulks eye might be a better pairing


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## Jabiru (Feb 20, 2020)

With anything just brought out on the Market, I wait at least a year for the others to find the issues and manufacturer fixes, you end up with a great product.

With Weber offshoring the builds, to me it is just another Brand name now. A brand name used to reflect quality, which you pay for.


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## mustardsauce (Feb 20, 2020)

Jabiru said:


> With anything just brought out on the Market, I wait at least a year for the others to find the issues and manufacturer fixes, you end up with a great product.
> 
> With Weber offshoring the builds, to me it is just another Brand name now. A brand name used to reflect quality, which you pay for.



You're right about that last part.  If you took "Weber" off this product and had the exact same item at the same price launch with these reviews, people wouldn't even be considering it.  That's not to say the brand doesn't matter at all, because behind that is customer service and support, but don't let that be the driving factor.  As it stands right now, it appears you can get a much better product, with a lot of options at lower costs.


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## Glock9x19 (Feb 21, 2020)

Jabiru said:


> [snip]
> 
> With Weber offshoring the builds, to me it is just another Brand name now. A brand name used to reflect quality, which you pay for.



Pretty sure the Smokefire is made in America (with "globally sourced" materials).


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## mike guy (Feb 21, 2020)

I’m not sure it’s the quality of the materials or assembly at hand here.  It’s a design flaw of cooking greasy food over a flame rich oxygen rich heat source.


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## RCAlan (Feb 21, 2020)

FYI...  Weber is recommending using a drip pan to catch the grease runoff during low and slow cooks on the SF..   Here’s the YouTube link to Weber’s response.


Is it a long term fix??  Who knows, but at least it’s a start.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


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## kstone113 (Feb 24, 2020)

RCAlan said:


> FYI...  Weber is recommending using a drip pan to catch the grease runoff during low and slow cooks on the SF..   Here’s the YouTube link to Weber’s response.
> 
> 
> Is it a long term fix??  Who knows, but at least it’s a start.
> ...



This is comical.  I do realize most likely a lot of the people who got it are new to Pellet grills so like opening the lid for an extending period is something you learn so that has value.  

But the whole point(as babybackmaniac said) of their design is to avoid having a drip plan.  This is basically admitting(in my humble opinion) that their engineers failed at least somewhat to be nice.  

I am so happy I wasn't in the market this spring b/c I would of fell for it b/c I love Weber.  

And RCAlan - I am sure you know but this isn't "responding" to you...you're just the messenger, I"m saying in general back to Weber.  If I would of gotten that grill, I would of returned it.


----------



## schlotz (Feb 24, 2020)

Weber has got themselves in a sticky situation.  They do need a good solution to shore up their reputation in regard to the shortcomings of their SmokeFire unit.  Unfortunately those type of permanent fixes (if even possible) take time.  Early purchasers are not happy and have made it publicly known which could in turn stifle sales going forward.  It's pretty evident that Weber's careful crafting of words used here points to their awareness of the issue. For most who are aware of the grease fire that Justin (babyback maniac) pointed out on the very first use of the unit, Weber's recommendation of now adding multiple aluminum pans for drip trays certainly reaffirms the obvious need for a dedicated grease management system which is totally missing from their design and BTW is something their competition does have. Maybe using the pans (a kludge IMO) will temporarily calm the first buyers but I doubt it will do much to convince potential buyers despite Weber's name on the product.  And don't forget, other problems with this unit have also been brought to light.


----------



## chef jimmyj (Feb 24, 2020)

Looks like the biggest Grease issue is they ran it to the center, where the fire is. If they slanted the grill floor to run Grease toward the sides, as others do, there would be little to no issue...JJ


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## RCAlan (Feb 25, 2020)

kstone113 said:


> This is comical.  I do realize most likely a lot of the people who got it are new to Pellet grills so like opening the lid for an extending period is something you learn so that has value.
> 
> But the whole point(as babybackmaniac said) of their design is to avoid having a drip plan.  This is basically admitting(in my humble opinion) that their engineers failed at least somewhat to be nice.
> 
> ...



I had posted this idea yesterday on another site...
Kstone113,I thought of a mod/design fix for the Weber SmokeFire...

For those that have the Weber SF Pellet Grill and if I had one and really wanted to keep it, the Modifications I would definitely do to solve/fix the grease fire issues are these.

1. I would use a heat diffuser plate similar to the style/design that is used in the Pit Boss Pellet grills... They’re actually the length of the cooking chamber and sits at the bottom of the cooking chamber and directly on the Fire Pot... To give you an idea, here’s a picture of what  a Pit Boss Heat Diffuser looks like...






2. I would then modify the diffuser plate to have it  slanted downwards on both sides to channel the grease flow away from the fire pot. I would then have 2 exit holes at the opposite ends of the grill and attach a grease bucket their to collect the grease runoff. I also would still use the OEM Weber SF heat diffuser and place it inside the modified diffuser plate and centered covering the fire pot. I know those that don’t have Pellet Grills may not have a clue of what I’m trying to describe, but those that have one should.

3. I know the Pit Boss Heat Diffuser Plate dimensions wouldn’t fit inside the Weber SF, but the idea/logic is to have a diffuser plate that is able to channel the grease flow runoff away from the fire pot... and I’m sure any local Machine Shop could do it if given the dimensions of a Weber SF grill. If done correctly, there would be no need to add a drip pan to collect the grease runoff and the Flavorizer bars can still perform their intended functions as well as high temp grilling and searing. Is it extra work to modify it?? Yes... Can it work? Yes. I’m just thinking outside the box and something the Engineers at Weber should have thought of in the first place. To bad I can’t patent this idea...  Weber Engineers should make/copy my idea and call it their Grease Runoff Plate for the SmokeFire v2 remix... If there is one...

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


----------



## sandyut (Feb 25, 2020)

schlotz said:


> Weber's recommendation of now adding multiple aluminum pans for drip trays certainly reaffirms the obvious need for a dedicated grease management system which is totally missing from their design and BTW is something their competition does have


this is laughably silly for Weber to miss.  Or shameful stupidity.  Why do they think all the others have a drip tray/grease management system...hmmm, grease, flames....hmmm  wait....hmm  yeah the SF wont catch fire because...wait...look it actually does catch fire.   OMG the grease drains TO THE FIRE source.

and the fix is an aluminum baking pan...for a $1000 investment you too can by a drip tray at your local grocery to "make it perform better"   *total fail.  *


----------



## noboundaries (Feb 25, 2020)

Harry Soo has an interesting review on YouTube using a fan's SF smoker grill. He did brisket, pork butt, and steak at appropriate chamber temps. The pellet feeder issue was apparent, as was an ash issue.  The video is worth a watch.


----------



## kstone113 (Feb 25, 2020)

noboundaries said:


> Harry Soo has an interesting review on YouTube using a fan's SF smoker grill. He did brisket, pork butt, and steak at appropriate chamber temps. The pellet feeder issue was apparent, as was an ash issue.  The video is worth a watch.


I watched his video and didn't see any issues.  But even though he cooked a lot, he didn't have any LONG low smoke where a lot of grease would go down.  I think that's why he was ok.  

It is a total fail their solution is just to add aluminum pans below.  

RCAlan - yeah, that would work.  And others have done that.  

I was thinking though instead of that, why didn't they just have the grease in the bottom pit just flow to the sides and have two pull out trays.  Or even 3  where the ash in the middle and grease flows to the sides and into a trap.  

Whatever the solution is, it is hard to imagine us normal bbq'ers noticing these flaws and the "paid" engineers didn't think of this or at least notice in testing.  I just don't see how they won't of seen these issues during testing.


----------



## Alphonse (Feb 25, 2020)

My view is that Harry's latest review was an attempt to protect his personal brand since he had effectively loaned it to Weber with their media event in November.  He and others were sucked in by Weber's excellent PR show where they'd been members of an elite group of invitees.  They obviously were duped into praising the grill before it was released and learned some hard lessons. 

This video he just released tarnished his brand further in my opinion.  He would be far better off just staying quiet and letting it go.   His attempt to justify spending 12 C notes on a grill that doesn't work properly is simply dishonest.   By the way, taking meat off the grill and finish cooking it in the oven is comical at best!


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## RCAlan (Feb 25, 2020)

kstone113 said:


> I watched his video and didn't see any issues.  But even though he cooked a lot, he didn't have any LONG low smoke where a lot of grease would go down.  I think that's why he was ok.
> 
> It is a total fail their solution is just to add aluminum pans below.
> 
> ...


You know creative minds think alike and You already know I don’t have a problem with pulling out a drill or a wrench...  but for a $1200.00 grill that was flawed as it left the factory...  I’ll pass.  Just wanted to help those that have one and were  willing to put in the effort to modify it.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


----------



## sweetride95 (Feb 26, 2020)

All this Weber press has let Traeger off the hook a little bit.


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## motsco (Feb 28, 2020)

weber has been crap for years now.
their gas grills suck - for less the half the price you can buy a low end gas grill that cooks the same and replace it 3 times for the price of a weber gas grill -  

weber kettle is still a very nice rig, but it’s cheaply made now days. still a good charcoal grill. 

as for the smoke fire - well it’s what you get.  smoke then fire.   weber is nice enough to let the public r&d it for them.  lol.  saves them money -  

yes i am a very upset weber consumer since 2007.  weber WAS great.   now?   lol


i remember everyone slamming rectec. but thier product was/is very good. and um weber read this:
customer service not from a 3rd word country- and caring about your product  enough to back  it 100%.  

and yes i’m the guy who dosnt treat my rectec like it’s some kind of high end super car but has to baby sit my weber’s.  when i should be hugging my rec tec and their customer support.


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## RCAlan (Feb 28, 2020)

Ouch...

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


----------



## forktender (Feb 29, 2020)

At least they picked the right name for these cookers.

What a shame, I just laid hands on the larger smoke fire and they seem to be very well built.
Most than you can say about most of Weber's new products which are made very cheap and flimsy. To bad another company decided to cut corners and charge for the name rather then the actual products.


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## mike243 (Feb 29, 2020)

Well I see a lot of folks who haven't bought 1 or cooked with 1 that have no first hand experience kicking them, you will always hear the bad of any product vs the good, there's a reason hearsay isn't  reliable proof in court lol. They will get the kinks worked out or will stop making them,


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## negolien (Feb 29, 2020)

I know alot of people who don't eat tide pods too but that doesn't mean they are wrong  t ol point it out. Just sayin.


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## mike243 (Feb 29, 2020)

Totally different concept , I don't like chevy and only own ford but I don't bash them cause everybody makes junk at some point, eating poison well some times the gene pool needs cleaning I reckon.


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## AZBBQ (Feb 29, 2020)

Count me as one of the pre-orders with high expectations. 

Here is my review I posted on weber.com which was followed up with some back and forth email exchanges over about two weeks. 

_Where to start with this smoker. There is no way the production unit is the same units that Weber claimed to have run truck loads of pellets though in testing - or they are lying. Not sure what since their customer service wont respond._
_
I want to really like this smoker but it is hard. No doubt the food turns out great and has a good smoke flavor. When cranking this up it grills unlike any other pellet cooker out on the market today. The concept is great, the execution not so much!

Here is my issues:

The grease drains flat out do not work. The bottom of the smoker gets so clogged with ash (which isn't supposed to be in the bottom of the smoker by the way) that none of the grease goes into the drain pan. Instead it starts on fire in the bottom of the cooker. This is the number one complaint as to how in the world this passed QA. You cant have a grease fire after one cook!

The right side of the grill is hotter than the left when grilling above 400 degrees.

The hopper is absolutely horrible, the pellets do not slide down and you get a low pellet warning with you still have 10+ pounds of pellets in the hopper. There is no way on earth this final design was tested.

The app is a joke. You cant adjust any temperatures, only the probes. Funny thing is when you set a timer on the probes and they go off nothing even happens, no alarm or anything. So what is the point of that?

Like I said I really want to like this cooker because of how the food turns out and the ability to grill on it. Sadly to say its not ready for prime time, I wish it was!
_
_Did I reach out to Weber for help trying to correct these issues and get their thoughts? Yes, now at 5 days and counting with zero response from them what-so-ever... What happened here Weber? I currently own 3 other Weber grills and this is not what I expect from you._

Well well well... Looks like Weber is starting to listen at least a little.  Just got this order confirmation for some type of free "hopper pellet slide".  I guess we will wait and see how it turns out.


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## RCAlan (Feb 29, 2020)

Keep everyone posted if you get an email from Weber about some type of retro fit kit to deal with the  grease runoff issues to help prevent grease fires...  Strange, You would’ve thought that would have been there first priority.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


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## AZBBQ (Feb 29, 2020)

RCAlan said:


> Keep everyone posted if you get an email from Weber about some type retro fit kit to deal with the  grease runoff issues to help prevent grease fires...  Strange, You would’ve thought that would have been there first priority.
> 
> Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi



They are still denying that the grease fires are an issue.  They never denied the pellet sliding issue to me.  Here is their statement from support on the grease fire, 100% BS.  You notice now they "recommend a drip pan" and if you followed their promotions they claimed to design a smoker that didn't need a drip pan, hence the draining on the bottom (that do not work).  This seems to be their answer of going around the true issue.


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## RCAlan (Feb 29, 2020)

AZBBQ said:


> They are still denying that the grease fires are an issue.  They never denied the pellet sliding issue to me.  Here is their statement from support on the grease fire, 100% BS.  You notice now they "recommend a drip pan" and if you followed their promotions they claimed to design a smoker that didn't need a drip pan, hence the draining on the bottom (that do not work).  This seems to be their answer of going around the true issue.
> 
> View attachment 434168



Wow...  That sounds like sorry  non caring executive speak from Weber to me...  Just saying.  Oh and when you see an out of control fire...  No Worries .  It’s just a grease fire flare up...  Smh.  We have a built in safety shutdown mode when E5 appears on the controller screen.   I guess the Misfire/SmokeFire  has a built in sprinkler system that is able to put out grease fires that no one knew about either...   I guess they’ll be also telling their customers  to have a fire extinguisher within arms reach and never ever leave their  Misfire/SmokeFire grills unattended next. Oh and now keep that  drip pan handy too.
What’s sad is I’m sure that Weber has a lot of very dedicated workers and loyal customers and I’m sure they care very much.   It’s like the Upper Ups within the company are doing everything to put a different spin on it..  Or whatever you read about the Misfire/SmokeFire online is Fake News.   Something is truly a miss.  How hard would it have been for Weber to design the Misfire/SmokeFire  to direct the grease flow away from the Fire Pot?   Not Very...   Fortunately, there’s a lot of better options to choose from.   Good luck.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


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## SlowmotionQue (Mar 1, 2020)

Wow.


AZBBQ said:


> They are still denying that the grease fires are an issue.  They never denied the pellet sliding issue to me.  Here is their statement from support on the grease fire, 100% BS.  You notice now they "recommend a drip pan" and if you followed their promotions they claimed to design a smoker that didn't need a drip pan, hence the draining on the bottom (that do not work).  This seems to be their answer of going around the true issue.
> 
> View attachment 434168




Wow.


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## forktender (Mar 1, 2020)

mike243 said:


> Well I see a lot of folks who haven't bought 1 or cooked with 1 that have no first hand experience kicking them, you will always hear the bad of any product vs the good, there's a reason hearsay isn't  reliable proof in court lol. They will get the kinks worked out or will stop making them,


The kinks should of been worked out of it by webers R&D team long before it ever him the market. The hopper deal should've been resolved  it the design phase of their R&D team.

This has some pretty basic stuff going on, why weber released this unit  before the basic problems is a complete failure of weders R&D department.

I love weber, but there is no excuse to the types of things that are going on with this cooker. Sad day for weber fans.


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## Glock9x19 (Mar 1, 2020)

Harry Soo has a follow up video up rn.  Can’t yet comment, as I haven’t finished the vid.





ETA: He cooked like 65 pounds of briskets, butts, and short ribs at the same time for like 12 hours and only experienced a "flare up" at the end that he thought was nbd.  He seems to be sticking with it.


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## chef jimmyj (Mar 2, 2020)

Sad state of affairs when by this point Weber is unwilling to just, admit there is a problem, a fix will be determined and owners will receive the modification free of charge...JJ


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## RCAlan (Mar 2, 2020)

I just finished watching the entire Harry Soo video just posted...  Thanks G9x19 for sharing the link.   I’m not going to judge Mr. Soo on his prospective of the Weber SF Pellet Grill.  I believe most posters truly want to see the Weber SF Pellet Grill succeed.  I know I do.    The issues, flaws and concerns posted by Weber SF owners are not being made up and I believe they have a right and reason to be concerned about the issues they’ve encountered.  Could it be that most of the issues being encountered  by owners are due to a lack of understanding of the proper operation of the Weber Smoke Fire?  Yes.  Should Weber do a better job of communicating these things to there customers?  Yes.  I believe, honesty and clarity are the best supportive selling points for any company and Weber needs to do a better job of that with the SmokeFire pellet grill.  The SmokeFire pellet grill has features of operation that are different from traditional pellet grills, so there will be some confusion with its proper operation from people that own pellet grills, let alone those that are new to pellet grilling as a whole.  It’s a learning process that’s normal with anything new...   but would have designing the grease channel runoff to exit away from the Fire Pot, instead of allowing the grease to pool up and exit right near it,  possibly eliminate most grease flare up fire concerns?  Yes...  Would designing a more sloped hopper help eliminate the pellet flow issues of tunneling  in the hopper that some owners are seeing?  Yes.  These are known concerns that owners and supporters of Weber are just pointing out...  and are not trying to bash them to win some kind of mysterious bashing points online.   Smh...  I know if I saw the grease at the bottom of my grill on fire, I would be concerned too and rightfully so....  I would never just say, Oh, Grease flare up fire, no -problem and just walk away. lol... smh...   Also, pointing these concerns out shouldn’t make the Owners out to be the bad guy...  Again, I hope nothing but the best from Weber and their SmokeFire pellet grill...  and I’m sure anyone spending up to  $1200.00 for one,  just wants to be happy with their investment as well.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


----------



## schlotz (Mar 2, 2020)

Unfortunate to read Weber's response to the owner's grease fire.  That decision may end up being a nightmare for them long term in regards to their reputation and bottom line.  I too was really hoping they would have taken the high road and positively addressed what appears to be an obvious design flaw that many of their competition seem to have avoided up front.  Sure is starting to smell like the engineers are in denial or at least those running the company are.


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## chef jimmyj (Mar 2, 2020)

The best move is not always the cheapest way out. Weber needs to get in front of this. Fix the problems and repair or replace existing owners grills, including a recall of grills in stores not yet sold. It will hurt this year's Bottom Line, but save the company from reputation damage.
Sig Sauer had a similar situation with two pistols in their line up. One, P320, was a Military Contract that cost big money to recall and repair. The problems with the  second, the P365, could have destroyed Sig's reputation. They fixed the problems. Both Handguns are now their biggest sellers...JJ


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## schlotz (Mar 2, 2020)

chef jimmyj said:


> The best move is not always the cheapest way out. Weber needs to get in front of this. Fix the problems and repair or replace existing owners grills, including a recall of grills in stores not yet sold. It will hurt this year's Bottom Line, but save the company from reputation damage.
> Sig Sauer had a similar situation with two pistols in their line up. One, P320, was a Military Contract that cost big money to recall and repair. The problems with the  second, the P365, could have destroyed Sig's reputation. They fixed the problems. Both Handguns are now their biggest sellers...JJ



Spot on Jimmy, Sig Sauer is a company that has it's head on straight when it comes to resolving issues with its products.  It's 20-20 vision after the fact to question how something got missed. The mark of a progressive company is one who goes back an analyzes the details that allowed an error to escape while at the same time positively addressing the escape with their customers.


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## mustardsauce (Mar 2, 2020)

schlotz said:


> Unfortunate to read Weber's response to the owner's grease fire.  That decision may end up being a nightmare for them long term in regards to their reputation and bottom line.  I too was really hoping they would have taken the high road and positively addressed what appears to be an obvious design flaw that many of their competition seem to have avoided up front.  Sure is starting to smell like the engineers are in denial or at least those running the company are.



I thought the same thing, that was a bad luck for them to basically tell a customer "you're wrong, what you're saying didn't really happen, this did instead".  

I may be giving folks too much credit, but I think even relatively novice grillers understand the difference between a flare up and a grease fire.  Flare ups happen when the food is directly above the fire, and while they can be large, they die off as soon as you move the food away and fat stops dripping directly into the fire.  With a grease fire, removing the food does nothing, and in the case of pellet or gas grills, even turning the grill off  will not stop them until the grease is all consumed.


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## Glock9x19 (Mar 2, 2020)

Recent probs with all Sigs is likely going to keep me from ever owning one again.


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## SlowmotionQue (Mar 2, 2020)

RCAlan said:


> I just finished watching the entire Harry Soo video just posted...  Thanks G9x19 for sharing the link.   I’m not going to judge Mr. Soo on his prospective of the Weber SF Pellet Grill.  I believe most posters truly want to see the Weber SF Pellet Grill succeed.  I know I do.    The issues, flaws and concerns posted by Weber SF owners are not being made up and I believe they have a right and reason to be concerned about the issues they’ve encountered.  Could it be that most of the issues being encountered  by owners are due to a lack of understanding of the proper operation of the Weber Smoke Fire?  Yes.  Should Weber do a better job of communicating these things to there customers?  Yes.  I believe, honesty and clarity are the best supportive selling points for any company and Weber needs to do a better job of that with the SmokeFire pellet grill.  The SmokeFire pellet grill has features of operation that are different from traditional pellet grills, so there will be some confusion with its proper operation from people that own pellet grills, let alone those that are new to pellet grilling as a whole.  It’s a learning process that’s normal with anything new...   but would have designing the grease channel runoff to exit away from the Fire Pot, instead of allowing the grease to pool up and exit right near it,  possibly eliminate most grease flare up fire concerns?  Yes...  Would designing a more sloped hopper help eliminate the pellet flow issues of tunneling  in the hopper that some owners are seeing?  Yes.  These are known concerns that owners and supporters of Weber are just pointing out...  and are not trying to bash them to win some kind of mysterious bashing points online.   Smh...  I know if I saw the grease at the bottom of my grill on fire, I would be concerned too and rightfully so....  I would never just say, Oh, Grease flare up fire, no -problem and just walk away. lol... smh...   Also, pointing these concerns out shouldn’t make the Owners out to be the bad guy...  Again, I hope nothing but the best from Weber and their SmokeFire pellet grill...  and I’m sure anyone spending up to  $1200.00 for one,  just wants to be happy with their investment as well.
> 
> Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi



I hear ya.

I don't own a Smoke Fire grill either, but like you and many others, I want to see it succeed.  If it gets a black eye, well then a company  as widely known as Weber is in the outdoor BBQ grill business,  suffering a setback,  and having issues such as described, could adversely affect the reputations of pellet grills and pellet smokers collaterally and as a whole group, or type/class of cooker.

In other words, if Weber takes a hit to it's reputation with these issues, well, them being arguably the big fish in the backyard BBQ pond, if they abandon ship and discontinue the product, or worse yet, ignore the issues, well then they could do damage which extends beyond their own reputations.

Regardless as to whether or not you believe the above, well then I'd just throw this out there too.

Weber's  failures here, arguably may or may not hurt us owners of other pellet grills,  or hurt  companies which make pellet grills.  But Weber's failures here, are not going to do the rest of pellet grill manufacturers any favors in terms of them broadening the message to some who may be  on the fence and reluctant to take the plunge and purchase one.  And it's not going to help current owners convince others of the advantages of pellet grills and smokers.


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## RCAlan (Mar 2, 2020)

SlowmotionQue said:


> I hear ya.
> 
> I don't own a Smoke Fire grill either, but like you and many others, I want to see it succeed.  If it gets a black eye, well then a company  as widely known as Weber is in the outdoor BBQ grill business,  suffering a setback,  and having issues such as described, could adversely affect the reputations of pellet grills and pellet smokers collaterally and as a whole group, or type/class of cooker.
> 
> ...


Very true...  and I believe if the version 1 issues are not all resolved, there won’t be a v2.  At the very least though, Weber has a retro fix for the SmokeFires hopper out now.  The big question is can they fix the grease channel runoff flow issue?  Im sure no one wants to see flames all over the bottom of their pellet grill, which could potentially happen.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


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## chef jimmyj (Mar 2, 2020)

I've not seen one up close but that Drawer with the grease pan looks like it covers the cook chamber width. Some steel plates angled from the bottom of the center Flavorizer to wide openings  in the sides of the floor would let Grease drain to Two Pans in the drawer...JJ


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## RCAlan (Mar 3, 2020)

chef jimmyj said:


> I've not seen one up close but that Drawer with the grease pan looks like it covers the cook chamber width. Some steel plates angled from the bottom of the center Flavorizer to wide openings  in the sides of the floor would let Grease drain to Two Pans in the drawer...JJ





I see what you’re thinking JJ....  and Weber would have to do some serious testing to insure that whatever retro fix kit they release to address the grease channel runoff issue actually works.  Whatever they come up with, has to work...  Or they can continue to stand their ground and say there are no grease runoff issues with the SmokeFire that could potentially cause a grease fire and explain why they believe there’s no problem.    What was the logic to have grease channel to flow towards and exit near the Fire Pot?  That’s a potential grease fire just waiting to happen...  There’s so much money involved now and I’m sure they are starting to take a budget hit now with all the returns they are receiving back.  Those return Freight costs can’t be good for Weber either...     I just hope that eventually, they’ll get it all figured out.  I hope so.

Pellet Pro Austin XL and a few more mods...  in SoCal and Always...  Semper Fi


----------



## negolien (Mar 3, 2020)

Glock9x19 said:


> Recent probs with all Sigs is likely going to keep me from ever owning one again.



Kimber and Springfield for life for me . 

As for the grill /shrug. Gotta do the research before buying an item. Some things you can live with it's up to the purchaser to do their due diligence.  Why I went with a charcoal burner with very few moving parts and no complaints of Controller issues.


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## AZBBQ (Mar 14, 2020)

Here is the "optional" pellet slide that Weber sent me free of charge after all my back and forth with them.  Initial impressions are good, it solve the slope issue.  I still don't understand how they got missed in the production units but good on Weber for finally kind of admitting at least one mistake so far.


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## negolien (Mar 14, 2020)

All I wish for is for each person to get decent product that they can enjoy. Best wishes....


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## bill1 (Nov 6, 2020)

So whatever happened with the Smokefire?  The Weber website reads like time stood still.  But both EX4 & 6 became out-of-stock,  "unavailable" , or no longer sold on Amazon, Lowes, Home Depot, or Walmart.  Now Amazon has "2nd Generation" back for the same $1000 and $1200 prices.  No reviews, modest available quantities, and no description of what's different.  All the pictures look the same. 

Surely 100's of these were returned.  Is Weber just trying to re-sell these with a new pellet insert and a couple free 99-cent aluminum pans for grease control?


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## sandyut (Nov 7, 2020)

I just checked the weber site and this can be added to your cart and says its available.  but nothing about what the second generation BS means...  It hard to see a recovery here unless someone didnt research the release faceplant.


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## forktender (Nov 7, 2020)

I was thinking the same thing 

 sandyut

Boy, some of the youtube fan boys sure had to eat crow after brag'in it up at the prerelease deal at the Weber testing site.


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## bill1 (Nov 14, 2020)

They're "back in stock" at Lowes and HomeDepotCanada but not at US Home Depots or Walmarts.  
Lowes shows two videos.  The newer one shows it with the replacement pellet hopper insert.  Grease still appears to drain to the center  drawer.  Same prices.


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## sandyut (Nov 15, 2020)

I still believe this to be unrecoverable. Maybe over along enough timeline enough newbs wont see the bad press from the release or not research it.  but start to finish it was a joke.  not sure if weber just bought some product already made by someone else and BS'ed the research and all but still cant get over the tremendous fail.


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## bill1 (Nov 15, 2020)

I'd LOVE!!!! to hear from a Weber insider as to what the product development was like on the SmokeFire.  Was it even done domestically? 

James C Stephen had a prodigious number of patents under his belt since this iconic one put the Weber-Stephen Company on the map.   It appears from Google Patents that his output dried up in 2008 so I assumed he was an old man or passed away.   Alas this article shows him younger and healthier than I...he merely sold majority interest in his company 10 years ago.  I suspect  Goldman Sachs banker Byron Trott, who put together the BDT Capital investment firm that bought Stephen out, is a lot better at reading balance sheets than performing engineering calculations.  So it's no surprise their latest product is higher in price than it is in performance.  But it has the Weber name and that's worth a lot.  For a little while longer.


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## kstone113 (Nov 16, 2020)

Besides the pellet hopper insert(which I'm guessing makes it less than 20 lbs. capacity), seems like they haven't done anything.

They do need a whole new redesign which I doubt they will do right away.  

To me, it is a simple as this.  This is a grill first and a smoker second.  I don't think asking users to put a drip pan is a big deal however when you market that it doesn't need it and then you say use it....basically people got...got!  

I do not own one of these Weber SF but I've seen them in the store.  They are not made of quality materials but does seem better build than a Traeger.  

I would suggest any of you to look at RecTeq.  The smoke fire (not the design) reminds me of the RecTeq Bullseye.  I say that because you can use the Bullseye as a smoker but highly recommended to use a drip pan.


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