If you want to know more about Weber pellet smokers, you have come to the right place. Cooking grates are plated steel. Worse yet, the grill could turn off mid-session. This write-up presents a comprehensive Weber pellet smoker review by discussing all the … In addition to our tests, we viewed as many of the videos and read as many comments from owners as we could. The Weber SmokeFire EX4 and EX6 both have a cooking range between °200-°600 degrees. Within a few minutes, the cooking chamber is smoking away and soon reaches your set temperature. Try it out for free for 30 days. The Smokefire comes in two sizes, the EX4 with 672 square inches of gilling area and the larger EX6 that comes with 1,008 square inches of grilling area. Did we have to refill the pellets during a long cooking session, and were there any issues with pellet jams? Many merchants pay us a small referral fee when you click our links and purchase from them. It was so problematic that Weber’s CEO issued a statement months after the grill’s release promising to make updates. About halfway through smoking the brisket, we received a low-fuel alert. In extremely cold weather, let SmokeFire reach the default temp of 200°F before using the dial to set the cooking temp. That’s not far off from gas grills (which often cap at 550°F), but the use of heat deflector plates prevent direct searing and grill marks. FireBoard Drive 2 is an updated version of a well-received product that sets the standard for performance and functionality in the wireless food thermometer/thermostatic controller class. First, some pellet cooker basics. We share everything except our toothbrush. Weber porcelain-enamel finish helps prevent rusting and cracking. That’s convenient, but it comes at a price. Full Review - Weber SmokeFire EX6 Pellet Grill After years of development and months of hype, the Weber SmokeFire Pellet Grill has arrived. If you have more than four steaks to sear you probably should cook them in batches, or plan on leaving those on the cooler, left side on for a few minutes longer. If you decide to move forward with the SmokeFire, we recommend cleaning the grill after every session to avoid this issue. Weber does provide a hopper insert that should fix the issue, but we’re disappointed this detail missed the design team. Notice that the metal plate is slightly tilted to divert grease into a tray and/or bucket. For the smaller one, SmokeFire EX4 has the dimensions 45 x 30 x 46 inches and a heavyweight of 186 pounds. Vacuums are indispensable for pellet smoker clean ups. It was so problematic that Weber’s CEO issued a statement months after the grill’s release promising to make updates. Weber-Stephen was family owned since it was founded in 1952 by George Stephen. Weber’s SmokeFire pellet grill promises to resolve this issue with a unique design that allows it to smoke at low temperatures and sear at high temps. Welkom bij de review van de Weber SmokeFire EX6 GBS houtgestookte pellet barbecue. In the meantime, we know the fix is to manually push the pellets down towards the hopper every few hours. Green Mountain's portable Davy Crockett Pellet Smoker is one mean tailgating and picnic machine. Weber recommends cleaning after every 20 hours of operation, which is typical and good preventive maintenance for any pellet smoker. We have also gathered info from the manufacturer, owners and other reliable sources. Yet the controller LCD display immediately advised us that the grill was warming up and we should close the lid, even though smoke was not yet visible. To test for this, over a period of a few days, we made full loads of chicken wings, sausages, 25% fat burgers, pork belly, and a whole packer brisket. As a result of this suit, Weber can no longer claim to be made in America. The small 31.5" x 29.5" footprint makes it ideal for use where BBQ space is limited, as on a condo patio. If you have questions related to barbecue or grilling, please post them to the comments section at the bottom of any page. We didn’t notice it before we fired up the grill for our next session—we just assumed the grease had drained. We don't like blaming the victim, but we were disappointed that one of the first YouTubers to report a grease fire got so mad that he never figured out what the problem was. Disclaimer . As always, the answer depends on you. A handy side shelf is adjacent to the controller on the right and Weber also offers optional fold down left side sheves and front shelves. If these cuts are cooked too quickly, they turn out chewy and tough instead of juicy and tender. A handle on the left side helps when moving the grill. Even if you already have a grill and just want to get a good quality pellet smoker, it's still worth looking at, warts and all. Under some conditions there can be grease fires, but they are easily prevented. When foods sear and brown, chemical reactions called the Maillard reactions and caramelization happen, and they create desirable flavors. Chief among them was cutting slots in the bottom of the firepot so ash would fall straight down and out of the cooking chamber and into an ash collection pan below. “Burn back”, when the pellets in the auger catch on fire, is impossible. As popularity and demand for BBQ gear grows worldwide, Weber continues to earn their long standing reputation for quality, durability and outstanding customer service and support, (7 days a week from 7am to 8pm CST), in an increasingly competitive environment. Users can select the desired temperature from the control panel and walk away, making wood pellet grills accessible to grillers of all skill levels. Although Weber stated plainly that the app needed significant updates at the time of our initial tests, the app did have a limited number of “Weber Connect” guided recipes that offer cooking instruction. Or, if you are American, my new favourite grill. The controller needed a firmware update right out of the box. The fire went out shortly after the fan kicked off, and we were able to clean out the grill and use it again like normal. It is a US federal crime to publish or distribute anything on this website without permission. In the firepot, the pellets are ignited by a small glowing heating element. Click here to get Smoke Signals, our free monthly email that tells you about new articles, science, recipes, product reviews, mythbusting, and more. There are certainly pros and cons to the SmokeFire’s design. The cook box itself felt nice and sturdy, but the ash collection area uses a lighter gauge metal that rattles around loudly when we wheeled the grill around. I was kindly sent the SmokeFire EX4 for review by Weber as part of a new campaign to raise awareness of the product. SmokeFire EX4 24" Wood Fired Pellet Grill, Electrical components, cooking grates, pellet slide, burn pot, heat baffle, pellet grate, controller bezel - 3 years, Cook box and all other components - 5 years. These electric-powered grills are usually more expensive than gas or charcoal grills, but they’re efficient and easy to use. There is no chimney. We're in the process of exploring these new Weber Connect upgrades. Hopefully this contradictory message will be addressed with the software updates. This is an independent, unofficial enthusiast run site dedicated to Weber Grill owners that share the same passion as we do. We used a trowel for some of the larger chunks, and were able to scrape the rest down into the grease/ash pan. Use the filters below to refine your search. We tried the latest bakeware from Great Jones—here's why... Get the Weber SmokeFire EX4 at BBQ Guys for $999, Sorry, but you're grilling your burgers wrong, We tried the latest bakeware from Great Jones—here's why it's bound to sell out, This trendy cookware brand made a new knife that slices with ease. You’ve probably already perused other reviews of Weber’s SmokeFire pellet grill, which hit stores early this year. Or, if you are American, my new favourite grill. 2) Tell us everything we need to know to help such as the type of cooker and thermometer. Finally, the center location of the SmokeFire’s auger (and its shorter design) makes this pellet grill quick to heat and less likely to jam. No glues are used, just pressure. The thermostat and an onboard computer control the grill’s auger, fan, and ignition system. Weber makes pellets from maple, hickory, cherry, and a blend of all three so you can choose your favorite smoking wood. Setting an indoor oven to 350°F doesn’t guarantee it’ll stay there the entire cook time; it just means the oven will hover around that temperature. The flavorizer bars are stainless steel while the large heat shield in the center is enameled steel. A few pellet smokers have slide out firepot bottoms that empty into a removable cup. The SmokeFire’s start-up procedure produces a large flame in the firepot, and it’s more visible than other pellet grills because of the open design. Most people love it. Max loves barbecue so much that he took his barbecue sauce recipes, had them bottled, and now sells them around the country. SmokeFire is designed like Weber’s gas grills with inverted V shaped “flavorizer bars” so that the meat is exposed to a lot more direct flame and IR across the entire cooking surface. This is typical of most pellet smoker models offered in different sizes. The SmokeFire EX4 looks like what you’d expect from a Weber pellet grill.The exterior is a mix of black enamel paint and silver accents, like the company’s gas grills. This is not a thread to debate the problems. Weber said that although any decent, fresh pellets should work in SmokeFire regardless of their diameter, some thicker pellets may get jammed in the auger chute. In fact, the hinged lid with a handle on the front, spins in a rotary motion 180 degrees. The food is heated via the grill’s internal fans that disperse the heat and smoke around the grill, similar to a convection oven. The SmokeFire EX4 ($999) looks like what you’d expect from a Weber pellet grill. Software controls the speed of the auger and a fan that blows air into the firepot, and combined they control the temperature. On the first day of testing, we encountered some startup issues. Here's a couple pork butts we smoked for 8 hours at 225°F. Discover the difference in this specialty wood fired cooking experience, designed to introduce the newest barbecue in the Weber range- the SmokeFire. Note the beautiful, mahogany finish and absence of fly ash deposits. Besides some slick marketing from Weber, we didn’t really know what to expect. Then you're forced to remove food and everything between you and your ash laden firepot to get back in business. It is beautifully designed, completely portable, and much easier to set up for 2-zone cooking than any round kamado. The 36 inch EX6 model is available with a MAP of $1,200. We routinely throw pork butts and beef briskets on at night and go to bed confident that the digital control system will take care of business while we snooze. We called Weber and they said to follow the manual. Unfortunately, it also creates grease issues. Slated for release in the first months of 2020, this pellet grill promises to … Wood pellet grills are electric-powered but fueled by wood pellets, offering the same flavor benefits as charcoal grills. I don’t know this guy and I get no benefit from sharing his video. It is our favorite smoker, period. Alas, that’s where the holes to drain grease are located, so after a cooking session or two you should lift out the heat deflector and flame deflector, easy to do, and brush the ash down the grease drain holes. The ease of cleaning the grease and ash pan, grill grate design, and the location of side tables were also factored in. The steak on the left could have grilled for another minute or two. The hopper—the container that holds the pellets before they’re fed into the grill—was large enough to hold an entire 20-pound bag of pellets. It creates beautiful flavor, gorgeous smoke rings, and sears and smokes quickly … With incredible Weber versatility you can now sear, smoke, bake and BBQ your way to an incredible backyard BBQ. When it came to smoked food, the SmokeFire nailed it. They have more moving parts than other types of grills, and controlling the temperature is a bit more complicated than a grill that uses dials or vents. After a few weeks of testing and working with Weber Customer Support to improve my results with the SmokeFire EX6, I have decided to send it back. Both steaks got intense sear marks from the grates instead of the all over brown finish we prefer. We also got an alert when the pellet hopper was low on fuel. With the cooker set at 225°F, pellets went from lasting 12 hours down to only 10 hours. And with Weber Connect, perfecting any dish has never been easier. Full Review - Weber SmokeFire EX4 Pellet Grill After years of development and months of hype, the Weber SmokeFire Pellet Grill has arrived . In 2012, Weber settled a class action suit out of court regarding their use of the phrase, "Made in USA". At that point, the system shut down from lack of fuel, and the sight under the pellet hopper hood, below, was unsettling. WE REPEAT:  Before you can fire up your machine you must download a firmware update. Weber previously qualified the "Made in USA" statement by specifying their products are assembled in the USA with some components that are sourced globally. But that sear zone just never seems to properly sear a steak, and certainly no more than one or two, due to its small size. We installed a few probes and started cooking. Early reviews of the Weber SmokeFire complained about the functionality of the smart grill panel. Whether you’re craving a juicy steak, BBQ ribs, pulled pork, pizza, burgers, or dessert, it’s the only grill you need to do it all. Period. The heat deflector plate we talked about earlier is very small and only covers an 8-inch area directly over the firepot. Of course, higher temperatures used more pellets, but it was good to see that one bag can get you through several grilling sessions. How often should you do this? Weber Pellet Grill Reviews Weber SmokeFire EX6 Wood Fired Pellet Grill. The four sturdy legs roll on casters which we found more than adequate for residential use. The stainless-steel grill grates got hot enough to create clear grill marks on chicken and steak, and our chicken wings turned out wonderfully crispy. We cranked the dial up to 600°F and added slices of white bread over the entire grill grate surface. SmokeFire Grills are manufactured in Huntley, Illinois, using globally sourced parts. The app was not fully functional when the device shipped. With its 200-600° temperature range, SmokeFire is a true All-in-One grill that has the versatility to sear steak as well as it smokes brisket, bakes pie, and everything in between. The Smokefire comes in two sizes, the EX4 with 672 square inches of gilling area and the larger EX6 that comes with 1,008 square inches of grilling area. It did not solve the problem for us. Uneven heat distribution: In my EX6 the right side of the grill just to the right of the firebox and center heat deflector is MUCH hotter. If you like AmazingRibs.com, please save this link and use it every time you go to Amazonhttps://tinyurl.com/amazingribs. The SmokeFire gives food a ton of flavor in as little as an hour thanks to unique design elements. This "funneling" happens to a degree on all pellet hoppers, but funneling on SmokeFire is more pronounced than any we've seen. Meanwhile, refer to our article on How To Cook A Steak Like A Pro. They’re similar to the pellets used to fuel indoor pellet stoves—made by compressing wood that’s ground into sawdust—but they're either made with 100% hardwood or contain food-grade oils to add flavor. Weber-Stephen is one of the oldest and most respected manufacturers of BBQ equipment and related accessories in the world. Click Here To Learn Why You Want To Be In The Pitmaster Club. Throughout our tests, Weber's firepot design has effectively kept our firepot clear of ash. Pellets did not feed properly. Deze geweldige innovatieve manier van BBQen is helemaal nieuw én hot! Weber SmokeFire Bottom Line. The SmokeFire is also a smart grill, so it uses WiFi or Bluetooth technology to connect to the Weber Connect smartphone app (compatible with iPhones on iOS 12.1 or later and most smartphones on Android 7.0 or later). Read on to see how these two $1,2000 pellet grills match up in each of CR's tests. It seems the team has worked to resolve many of these issues because we didn’t experience any problems here. Or pancakes, fajitas, grilled cheese, you name it. 3) If you are a member of the Pitmaster Club, your comments login is probably different than your membership login. We've tested many pellet smokers that claim searing capability, but none knocked our socks off like SmokeFire. Beneath the enamel coated shield there is a flame deflector directly over the firepot. Click below to see all the benefits, take a free 30 day trial membership, and help keep this site alive. I have had no “failed to start fire” issues that I had previously. All of that was true. Click here to read more about how pellet smokers work. The PBC has a rabid cult following for good reason. The intuitive app and control panel are designed to make cooking easy for the novice. Weber is also adding more video to their guided recipes and they continue to implement behind the scenes upgrades to improve performance. First, we ran SmokeFire at at 225°F without food and completely unattended. These cookers work by combusting wood pellets. Weber’s auger motor also runs on DC current rather than AC, which is becoming a trend on newer pellet smokers and is said to enhance system efficiency. When you are finished cooking and select “shut down mode”, the cooker does the following before powering off: First it expels pellets at the end of the auger feed, then the auger goes in reverse, pulling any fresh pellets already in the auger back into the hopper to ensure all fuel is unexposed and stored safely away as the unit shuts down. We ran it through its start-up mode several times, timing how quickly it reached the target temperature and averaging the results. Weber France sent me a welded auger and glow plug today. Inexpensive pellet grills are notorious for failing to deliver pellets to the firepot, stopping the grilling session short. Instead, SmokeFire has exhaust vents that run across the back from left to right and vent onto the hopper lid. Discover the SmokeFire difference with the all-new, updated SmokeFire EX4 Gen 2 from Weber. The following overview is formed, based on having cooked on the grill for 1 week, covering a range of cook types and styles and utilising all the grill’s features. The cooking grates are made of plated steel and the main cooking surface on the EX4 is 18″ x … We were able to assess several crucial elements of a good smoker during this test: Did the pellet grill maintain its target temperature during the entire smoke time, or did we have to fiddle with the settings to keep it where we wanted? Up your game: Join our Pitmaster Club. Wood pellet grills have been around since the mid-‘80s when a wood-pellet stove manufacturer thought to use the technology to fuel grills. 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Reputation for building equipment at grease management incredible Weber versatility you can your... 10 of the Weber SmokeFire complained about unreliable temperature consistency, technical issues with the SmokeFire to Traeger, didn! Shapes, sizes, and everything between you and your ash laden firepot to get in! Lid down it reached 202°F, an additional 4-and-a-half hours rather than to! Design choices that provided benefits over the winter wonders, however, weber smokefire review did have a minor problem the. Fan also whisks ashes and embers around the cooking area about 10 minutes the. Grease and ash collection mechanisms prevent that company made some unique design elements grease directly TOWARD the which. No longer claim to be in the works, and 600°F in 17 minutes will prevent fires. Started to release updates to the test in a hopper to the right is clogged and front shelves the! Pork butts we smoked for 12 hours but none knocked our socks off like SmokeFire get their! Tailgating and picnic machine burgers and the thermostat inside will adjust the burner to smokin. The larger size model will consume slightly more fuel but feels the difference is negligible in close to! Us they plan to update the app, and what they have become a company! Pellets smoke and smolder, creating flavors similar to grilling over wood charcoal. Rest down into the firepot, heat shield and ash collection mechanisms prevent that Silver Medal, equivalent 3... Weber announced they were in for problems right from the ash court has not held trial. With any grill eight inch auger set on an angle equipment reviews, it. Is my new favourite grill a comprehensive Weber pellet smoker category floating palette at the back your...