Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill w/New PID Gen 2 Digital Controller - Bronze review and price compare 2025
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Product overview
Brand | Camp Chef |
Model Name | SmokePro DLX 24 Pellet Grill (Bronze) |
Power Source | Pellet |
Color | Bronze |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 40.5 x 25 x 22 inches |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- Large capacity pellet hopper with exclusive ash cleanout system
- Electronic auto-start ignition for quick and easy start every time
- Dual LED temperature readout shows internal cooking temps and food temps
- Simple temperature selection system maintains heat
- Automatic auger dispenses pellets as needed for improved smoker efficiency
- Grilling Area Dimensions: 19.5" x 22",Smoking/Warming Rack Dimensions: 6" x 24",Total Rack Surface Area: 570 sq. in
Product Description
In 1990, founder Ty Measom found himself both frustrated and inspired with the size and quality of the outdoor cooking equipment available. He set out to create a product that was both portable and powerful. After countless hours of brainstorming, engineering, and tinkering, the Pro60 was born—and along with it—a company to pioneer the camp-cooking industry. The simple, yet durable design was applauded by outdoorsmen everywhere. Since then we’ve added griddles and grill box attachments, a variety of cast iron pieces, and more recently—pellet grills. Over the past 30 years, our product line has expanded, but our objective remains the same—provide a better way to cook outdoors.
We’ve raised the steaks in the outdoor cooking industry. So, we challenge you to ask yourself if your cooking equipment is tough enough for the task. Whether you’re barbecuing on the back patio or backpacking in Bolivia—delicious food is attainable despite your coordinates. So, get out there. Make memories with the people you love. Experience the beauty of nature. Feed your outside however you want with the durability, versatility, portability, and power of Camp Chef.
CAMP CHEF DLX Pellet Grills - The newly added Gen 2 controller is easy to use and introduces Smoke Control + PID technology.
PG24B
Camp Chef DLX 24" Pellet Grill, now that sounds like the grill for you.
Camp Chef DLX Pellet Grill
DLX 24" Pellet Grill - Bronze
Say goodbye to the world of guesswork and hours over a BBQ pit—the DLX Pellet Grill brings you an easy, reliable smoke, every time. The newly added Gen 2 controller is easy to use and introduces Smoke Control + PID technology. Tailor the amount of smoke your meal gets by adjusting your Smoke Number. You'll get flawless cook after flawless cook. Plus, Ash Cleanout makes clean up a breeze. Meaning less time fumbling with a suction hose and more time enjoying the beautiful day and delicious food.
- PID controller for consistent temperatures
- Includes 2 meat probes
- Adjustable smoke settings from 1-10 160º F - 500ºF temperature range, Easy to use menu dial, High-visibility, low-glare digital display
- Pellet Hopper Cleanout/Purge, Ash Cleanout System
- Cord Management System, Grease Management System
- Side attachment compatible (Sidekick or Sear Box)
| | | |
PID controller Easy to use menu dial, PID controller for consistent temperatures between 160º F - 500ºF, and adjustable smoke settings . | 2 Meat Probes With the Meat Probe accessory, you’ll have total control over the temperature of your food. With an easy digital display, you will know in seconds what’s going on under the grill lid. Hit the hot spot every time with the Meat Probe. | Ash-Kickin' Cleanout Each cook on your pellet grill results in the ashes from your burned pellets. With a simple pull of a knob the ashes drop from the burn cup into a removable cup on the underside of your pellet grill. Do this between each cook for an easy, clean way to flush the burner and dispose of the ashes. | Attachment Capability The Sidekick is designed to give you VersaGrillity as one of Camp Chef's single burner, 14-inch cooking systems, meaning you can add a griddle, grill, oven, stock pot, and more. The Sear Box is a master of one thing—searing. The included cast iron grill grates create beautiful sear marks and assist the Sear Box in reaching an astounding 900°F. |
| | | |
| | | |
Total Cooking Surface | 570 sq. in. | 570 sq. in. | 570 sq. in. |
PID Controller | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Adjustable smoke settings from 1-10 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Color | Black | Stainless | Bronze |
Pellet Hopper Cleanout/Purge | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ash Kickin' Clean Out | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Hopper Capacity | 18 lbs | 18 lbs | 18 lbs |
Attachment Compatible | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Side Shelf | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Stainless Steel Meat Probes | 2 | 2 | 2 |
product description
product details
important information
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Questions about Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill w/New PID Gen 2 Digital Controller - Bronze
Q:
The bag of pellets is 20 lbs and costs $20...how long does that last? What are the average # of lbs for common cuts of meat? Brisket, ribs...etc.
Answer: you can get great pellets for less $... I use a competition blend from wal-mart that's $20 for 40 pounds. This grill does everything. I've made a few pies and used it as an oven a time or two, but i usually do most everything on low smoke. I think that with the 40 pound bags, it's comparable to cost of propane. I think that the competition blend smokes better than any single variety of wood. I've tried a half dozen types of pellets and like the blended the best...
Answer: You can get a bag of pellets for $9.99 at Cash and Carry Stores, all over the country. How long the pellets last in your grill depends , on what and at what temp you are cooking /smoking it. High temp uses them faster ,and low and slow ,not as much. What are you trying to do . # 8 to 15 pounds is common size for beef, pork, ribs, briskit cuts. I hope that info helps . FISHGRILLER
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Pellets can be found at Gander Mountain for $15/ 20Lb bag. Find a coupon and pick up in store if you have one. Barring that I suggest the Perfect Mix pellets from cookinpellets. 40lb for about 34.00
Answer: Pro tip use a (12 pack of beer) box or similar
Answer: The least of your concerns with one of these smokers is going to be how much pellets you are using. Please trust me on this. My biggest concern is how much meat can I afford, I would keep this thing running 24/7. I smoked 2 racks of pork loin ribs for 5 hrs and it used maybe 2-3 inches of pellets out of the hopper. Temp was Hi smoke.
Answer: As other have said, it depends on the Cooking Temp and time needed... but it ALSO depends on the outside temp. Yesterday I cooked 10 pounds of Lamb directly from the fridge in 3 hours at 200 degrees. because of the warm weather (85 degrees) and direct sun on the top of the smoker, it took very little time to get up to temp. Then it used only a handful of pellets... probably less than 2 pounds.
Answer: Agree with 4 lbs for ribs and 6 or 8 for brisket(depending on thickness), depending on temps(and to a small extent, the quality of the pellets)
Answer: If I cook a slab of spareribs for six hours at 225°F I will probably burn about 4 pounds. If I grill chicken parts at about 325°F for about 1 hour, I will use about 1.5 pounds of pellets.
Answer: 1 pound pellets per hour at the high smoke setting. Ambient temperature 70 to 90°F. Cooking two pork butts. Pellets were Hickory from Gander Mountain.
Q:
How accurate is the thermometer on the smoker? Any one else had issues with it being off?
Answer: I find the thermometer temp to be very accurate with in 5 degrees when the smoke setting is at 1. When I set it to 10 or high smoke, temp swings can be as much as 25 degrees. Which is what you want because they way it allows the pellets to smolder in order to give your meat the smoke rings and great flavor in the outer bark. Btw the internal temp probe of the smoker is attached to the left side of the grilling area and I attach a thermo pro wireless temp probe to the inner middle edge of the grates to compre readings.
Answer: I have been comparing the thermometer to my readings on my Maverick ET 733; can't say which is more accurate, but there is often a 20 degree difference. Furthermore the Camp Chef regardless of which temp gauge I monitor (Maverick or Camp Chef built in) the temp fluctuations on my grill is absolutely horrendous: Setting it at 225 it ranges from 167 to 279 degrees. And I never open the grill. I purchased this grill thinking that it would provide a consistent temp - not even close. You can give that kind of inconsistency with any cheap grill, so paying 600 bucks has really annoyed me.
Answer: There are a couple of considerations. The meat probe is within a 4 degree range from another digital probe I own (Accurate enough). The cooking temperature probe runs fairly accurate. The thermostat keeps hunting within 10 degrees below set point to set point. I typically compensate by increasing the thermostat 25 degrees higher which has helped bring the expected cooking times ion par with what I have read. If you are seeing variations outside of these feel free to contact Camp Chef. They were fantastic to deal with when my meat probe failed.
Answer: I find it to be pretty accurate. Within about 10-15 degrees. That, of course, depends on where you are taking a read from. At the grates, the lid, or closer to the middle where the PG24's actual probe I located.
Answer: Pellet smokers are not as accurate in temp as electric and can sway a bit as pellets are fed into the burn area. That being said they do keep within a pretty tight range and do not swing that far out of range.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: I was reading through all of the comments on the accuracy of the temperatures. One pointed out a good fact about the pellets. I would suspect that that creates a fair amount of variance as they are added or burn down. However, do you ever track the oven in your stove. They frequently vary just as much as what you are describing here for the smoker.
Answer: I have suffered the same problem, with even worse temperature swings. There could be many factors, I covered them all in my review, but I know of people with Traeger smokers that are far less careful than I am with their pellets and the ambient temps when they cook and they have nowhere near the temperature swings that I have seen. I would not buy this smoker again because of the drastic temperature swings I have seen.
Answer: If your asking of the food thermometer I find it with a few degrees of my ThermoWorks Super-Fast Thermapen. Otherwise the BBQ thermometer is very sensitive and rises and falls to maintain an average BBQ temperature. Hope this helps.
Answer:
Answer:
Q:
does this one have a fan
Answer: Yes it does - it is fabulous !
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes
Answer: yes!
Answer: Yes
Q:
will this sear a steak
Answer: The grill gets up to 500 degrees F. To get a true high temp sear you should look at the Sear Box accessory (model# PGSEAR) that attaches to this Camp Chef Pellet grill. It is a propane powered accessory that will get up to 900 degrees F for that perfect high temp sear.
Answer: Do not get the sear box, instead get the sidekick, you can sear but also use several other accessories including a bbq sear box.. pizza oven and griddle.
Answer: Alone, no it won't. But the optional sear box is awesome....that's just what it is made for...I highly recommend getting it.
Q:
Do you guys that own one feel the temp. variance is as wacky as the Traeger...?
Answer: No. My traeger had huge swings of 40 degrees or more when it was in the ball park. I believe my camp chef holds within 15 degrees or so. That is you set the temp you want and don't open and close the lid. You don't decide to go from smoke to 350 then back to smoke. That will cause it to be off a little LOL.
Answer: Using my thermowrks smoke I have found that, especially at the high end of the necessary temp. swing the digital read out has no connection with what is actually happening at the grate level with the digital read out reading as much as 25 degrees higher then what it is at the food level. Averaging real measured tmep's over a period of time shows no more then a degree or two difference from set temp's.
Answer: Mine tends to be about 15 degrees hotter than the setting but does not fluctuate much at all unless you open the hood
Answer: I think camp chef controls are much better.
Q:
Does it function as a grill (searing a steak or burgers) w/o smoking?
Answer: I've cooked everything on it, except a steak. The grill gets up to 500 degrees but I like to sear my steaks at a higher temperature. The pit will always smoke when on and everthing comes out great. I haven't used my gas gril since I got this pit. I love it.
Answer: Yes, digrees on high. I grilled my pork steaks yesterday, it took 35 minutes and were very delicious ;)
Answer: Absolutely not. It's an oven. A great oven, but not for grilling. Tried the aluminum grill bars and not a substitute for a grill. It's for cooking "low and slow" and great for that.
Answer: You can grill stakes or burgers but with it wide open you do get some smoke.
Answer: The simple answer is yes! You can accurately adjust the temperature from apprimately 200 to over 500 degrees.The Camp Chef cooks by convection. Excellent for fish, foul and meats.
Answer: yes, it cooks up to 425 degrees
Answer: No. Temperature gets high enough but there is no direct heat -- it's all indirect heat.
Answer: NO.
Q:
how long do the chips last?
Answer: They aren't chips, they are compressed wood pellets. And an entire hopper full will last close to 40hrs. Depending on the size of the bag of pellets you use, you can get one to two hoppers per bag. That also depends on the mode you are cooking with - high smoke, low smoke, 275°, etc.....
Answer: It seems to depend on the maker of the pellets. I cooked a brisket at 250 degrees for 8hrs and used I wound guess 7 to 8 pounds.
Answer: I want to add that you should verify the hopper is full before you start. You don't want to run out of pellets halfway through a cook. Ask me how I know....
Q:
Is this just propane? Or Electric with a propane sear box?
Answer: The sear box is propane (and excellent) and the grill is wood pellets heated aided by a glow plug, which is powered by 110 volt outlet (also excellent).
Answer: Burns wood pellets, it’s electric to operate auger that delivers pellets.
Answer: Smoker is electric peller fed, sear box is propane
Answer: It is an electric smoker with a propane sear box.
Answer: It is an electric feed pellet stove on the left side and a propane grill on the right side.
Answer: Propane seat box
Q:
What is the lowest temperature that you can maintain?
Answer: I agree with R Wilson. I live in the Arizona heat and mine gets down to 140 - 150 at the lowest setting. We love it!!! The temperature probe, electronic controls, pellet feeder and clean out work great. We've smoked ribs, brisket, turkey and chicken. Everything comes out great! We use it more often than our $3000 propane built in.
Answer: Depends on the outside temp. I previously owned a 2007 Traeger Lil Tex and I find this machine far superior over that one. The electronics on this unit are far more precise and the clean out dump is so much more convenient. The low smoke setting works great for the long slow cook. Have done Babybacks for 10 hours and they were perfect. My guestimate on temp is 120 150f Also love the extra shelf and the recessed top on the hopper. I live on a ridge with plenty of wind and have had no wet pellets. Hope this helps.
Answer: low smoke setting is 160, high smoke setting is 225. I cold smoke in mine using an a-maze-n pellet maze & a lump of charcoal
Answer: 175f
Answer: 165 farenheit
Q:
Can this grill cook without adding much smoke to the meat? Would cooking at say 350 produce as much smoke as the low/high smoke settings?
Answer: The higher the temperature the less smoke you get. 300 degrees and higher you get very little smoke. Also, you could buy Oak or Adler pellets which have less flavor for your high temperature cooks.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: It doesn't add ANY smoke flavor to begin with.
Q:
is this comes with a cook book?
Answer: No. It came with some tips, but not a book. If you are considering this one, I would recommend shopping around. Very disappointed in the temp variation: it is ridiculous. The plus/minus is easily 75 degrees at 250 F. That may be okay for cooking a forgiving Boston Pork Butt, but that's risky for an expensive brisket.
Answer: Instruction manual has just a couple of simple ones.
Answer: Mine did not come with a cook book, but there are plenty of recipes online.
Answer: No, but lots of good ones out there. Instruction manual has a some simple ones.
Answer: no, just a few recipes in the manual.
Q:
does it come with a cover
Answer: No, only buy the camp chef brand, it will outlast the grill! Best cover made! You will love the grill
Answer: No
Answer: No.
Q:
Why does my grill get a lot of "dust" from the pellets. What can cause it to cook hotter then it is set.
Answer: The dust is caused by the convection fan blowing air into the fire pot and unfortunately is the nature of the best with a pellet grill. Now for the temp. You can adjust the chimney up and down to control temp a little better but there will always be some variance. Hope this helps with your pellet grill experience.
Answer: The "dust" is ash. This is normal and you will need to clean this out after about 12 hours if cooking. As for why it is "hotter" than you set it for, how much hotter? What are you setting it to, and what is it heating to? If the chimney is open too far you might be getting air in that causes the temp to spike? It's easy for the grill to regulate the temp up, but down is obviously harder.
Answer: I have seen different pellet brands that cause more dust. The camp chef and traeger branded pellets are more dense than others...I see the least dust with them.
Answer: I have found that the dust is caused by certain pellets. If I use Camp Chef pellets and keep them dry I don't have the dust problems.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: The two answers you have gotten I have to agree with, they are good answers....I vacuum my burn bowl before very use never had a problem with ash.
Q:
Does the Camp Chef PG24 come with a bag of wood pellets? I can't find anywhere that lists what is included.
Answer: No , start scouting out where you will find your supply of pellets! I do recommend the Camp Chef
Answer: No
Answer: No
Answer: No
Answer: No
Answer: No
Q:
What kind of cleaning utensils/ products can be used? I am looking for a grill/ smoker tool kit that would be good to use with this pellet smoker.
Answer: Regular grille clean tools are fine. I actually just take the grill and angled drip pan out and soak & clean in my deep utility sink. I also added an Teflon Oven spill mat to the drip pan so after a 18-20 hour BBQ clean up is a breeze. Hope this helps.
Q:
Would you please let me know how long it takes to start up and get to 250? How about 350? Thank you!
Answer: It has a lot to do with the outside temp. but about 20 min. to reach 250 and 10 to 15 more for 350. Hope this helps.
Answer: My best answer here would be approximately 15-20 minutes to 250 deg. and maybe 20 - 35 minutes to 350 deg. All depends on ambient temp and here in Florida it's usually very warm. Generally speaking it's certainly quick enough. Hope that helps.
Answer: About a half hour to 250 , then 15 more for 350. In the winter, it barely can reach 350.
Q:
What is the shell made of? What thickness?
Answer: It is powder coated steel. Pretty heavy duty.
Q:
Does it really take 3 to 5 months to get?
Answer: No
Q:
What is the electrical specs for this grill?
Answer: Standar outlet that you can have in your patio (120 volts, 15 amps)
Answer: Standard 120v plug. Other than starting rod the voltage should be very low
Answer: I would have to look, but I have mine plugged into a 120v outside socket. I believe they draw about three amps.
Answer: You plug it into a standard 120V outlet.
Q:
What is the inside height of this grill? We make a lot of beer can chicken and would like to know if this grill is high enough inside.
Answer: I'm not sure of the exact measurements.. But it is large enough for beer can chicken. My husband has made it several times with this grill/smoker! And for the record my husband LOVES this thing! Best gift I EVER got him!
Answer: The inside height is 9 inches.
Answer: 10.5 if you put the beer can holster right on the plate...9 if you put it on the grate
Answer: I am cooking on mine right now and I love it. It is 9 inches from gate to top. 9 1/2 total there is a lip at the lid line and 24 inches across. I'd say easily fit two birds. I took some pictures with a tape measure but you can post those on here.
Q:
Does this grill come with a cover, like on your own web site
Answer: It does not come with the cover. It is purchased separately for about $35
Answer: The grill cover is separate but well worth it in my opinion
Answer: No you have to buy the grill cover separately
Answer: No. I had to purchase one separately.
Answer: No it does not, We purchased one separately.
Answer: No I purchased it and it is very nice
Answer: No, it does not.
Answer: No it does not
Q:
Can it operate on 220 V in South Africa
Answer: No
Q:
Why so long to get it?
Q:
Is the body of this grill painted or powder coated?
Answer: All of the black components are powder coated, but keep in mind that powder coating is a type of paint. So the answer to your question is yes and yes.
Answer: Mine is painted very nice finish
Answer: Powder coated
Answer: Not sure but it is holding up well.
Q:
Do I have to use the meat probe sensor or can I keep it unplugged? I rather use my wireless temp monitor instead.
Answer: No, the meat probe is not required. It’s a convenience to keep from opening the grill to check for internal meat temp. Your own wireless should be fine.
Answer: No, you do not have to. The meat probe just gives you the ability to see the meat temp on the display of the controller when the button is pressed. It does not use the probe temp for any controls.
Answer: No you don’t have to use the meat probe sensor.
Answer: The smoker works fine without the meat probe. The temperature control for the smoker is separate from the meat temperature probe. That said, no reason why you couldn't use both the wireless and the included smoker meat probe for back up.
Answer: No need to use the built in probe, I use my wireless only
Answer: Totally up to you. Plus the same probe hole can be used for your thermometer.
Q:
is hopper rain proof ?
Answer: It seems reasonably rain proof as the top extends a bit beyond the opening and has a lip on it. I have had a moderate rain on mine and did not notice any moisture in the hopper.
Answer: Absolutely not…slightest rain and pellets are mush at the entrance to the auger. You have to cover it and even that is no guarantee.
Answer: Not for a driving rain, but remember, the pellets enemy is moisture. I purchased a cover for mine.
Answer: Yes, I do have a cover, but have had it rain on me before I got the cover on and had no problems.
Q:
How does extended warranty work?
Q:
Are the cooking grates stainless steel or something else? in the air between this and the silverbac by grilla grills
Answer: Steel, not stainless. And I don't know what silverback or gorilla grills are?
Answer: I want to say they are enamel. Since there isn't a fire it won't burn off. Nothing sticks to them. EVER!. The only thing I feel that is missing from this grill is a wifi controller.
Answer: The cooking grates are non-stick porcelain.
Q:
Can I make wood fired pizza in this?
Answer: Yes, you are able to cook a pizza in the PG24.
Answer: I have not, but I would think you could. It gets hot enough. The only thing to decide is whether or not to put the pizza directly on the grill or use a pan/tray.
Answer: Yup. Make sure you use a pizza stone.
Answer: I have done pizza and it came out very tasty
Answer: Yes and it is our favorite to cook on the smoker.. We have 2 stones because it is a hit for cook outs.
Answer: I would say yes. Turn on high let it get up to temperature.
Q:
Can I grill burger and hot dogs?
Answer: Once you try smoked hotdogs you won’t want to eat them any other way!
Answer: Hamburgers yes I have not tried any hotdogs yet
Q:
Red or blue led display?
Answer: Mine arrived today. It has blue LED with two meat probe inputs.
Answer: red
Q:
Have prob with getting to 250* f in smkyjo due to no insul. @ 20* f ambient.. any prob with this camp chef?
Answer: I live in N. Montana and used my Camp Chef all last winter without any added insulation. I was worried about the same thing but have been very pleased using in cold weather. Highly recommend it... Would totally buy it over and over. Just happy with the product.
Answer: I'm not sure. Haven't used it in cold weather as of yet! So far I have had great luck with the camp chef! But try getting ahold of the dealer directly. Good luck
Q:
what are the total grill dimensions
Answer: From what I can find it says its 47.5 inches tall, 50 inches wide, and 20.5 inches depth.
Q:
Can you really grill a steak and burgers on this thing in addition to smoking? How hot will it get and how long does it take to get there.
Q:
Has anyone had issues with the heating rod not getting hot enough to get the temperature up? Just purchased and can't get above 90 degrees after 30mn
Answer: I haven't had any heating problem. If the initial auger fill process was followed and it won't gain temperature I would call call or email Camp Chef customer service. I have had very good luck with them.
Answer: I've had mine for about 6 weeks. Yesterday I cranked it to 450 and it reached and held. Camp Chef has a live person help team on their web site through instant messaging. They can help you quickly.
Answer: So far I'm not having that issue Sounds like you need to call camp chef on that problem.
Answer: No Jeff ,it sounds like you might have something wrong with your grill. I have run mine in some pretty cold weather with no problems.
Answer: Did you open the ash clean out in the start up or did you push the start bypass button
Q:
Can you supplement this with additional wood chunks to generate extra smoke? Seems there's some criticism that it doesn't inject a heavy smoke flavor.
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: No you can't supplement with wood chunks. Get a smoke tube if you want more smoke, but in my opinion this smoker puts out more than enough smoke. I've had my PG24DLX for over a year. I like it so much I bought a 2nd one the PG24SE. Buy it, you won't be sorry
Answer: It is not set up to put chunks of wood in it. I have been using this grill for an entire summer, and have yet to cook something without smoke flavor. I can put a smoke ring in any kind of meat I cook, along with the smoke flavor.
Answer: I have seen some people put chunks of wood underneath the drip tray but idk how well or if it works. You can buy a smoke tube, there is a large variety, that will add extra smoke if you wish.
Answer: NO! This is a pellet grill so it only burns pellets which travel from the hopper to the igniter. It has a high smoke setting which gets pretty Smokey. If you want more, suggest you try different pellet varieties, or extend your smoking duration.
Answer: Yes as much as you can supplement any grill with additional smoke.
Answer: You can get a smoke tube and use the same pellets. I use the high smoke setting and for me that is good
Q:
Does extended warranty run concurrent with factory or does it start after factory?
Answer: I never buy extended warranties. Sorry.
Q:
do you have to have electricity to use these BBQs?
Answer: Yes. It works on Electricity. The pellets are moved to the BBQ via electricity.
Answer: Good day! Unfortunately you do have to use electricity to use these grills. However this has been the best grilling experience I have had using this grill. Worth the electrical tether!
Answer: Hi,
Answer: Yes. The system uses electricity to feed the pellets and also ignite them.
Answer: YES, BUT IF YOURE LOOKING FOR SMOKE FLAVORED MEATS, DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS PRODUCT. IT COOKS WELL, BUT DOES NOT PUT ANY SMOKE FLAVOR IN ANYTHING YOU COOK. IVE TRIED 13 DIFFERENT PELLETS, AND COOKED ON "HIGH SMOKE" SETTING FOR 16 HOURS AND ABSOLUTELY ZERO SMOKE FLAVOR. THE FOOD WILL COME OUT TASTING EXACTLY AS IF YOU USED YOUR INDOOR OVEN. DONT LET ANY OTHER REVIEWS FOOL YOU. THE PRODUCT "COOKS" VERY NICELY, BUT DOES NOT "SMOKE"! I PURCHASED AN OFFSET SMOKER FOR 1/3 THE PRICE AND IT WORKS SOOOO MUCH BETTER IN TERMS OF SMOKE FLAVOR.
Answer: Yes
Q:
What temperature does lo smoke and hi smoke smoke at? Are the higher temp settings just for cooking or do they produce smoke as well?
Answer: Low smoke is 175 high smoke is 225. Higher temps produce smoke also.
Q:
Does this have a top rack as well?
Answer: Yes. has small top rack
Answer: Yes
Q:
If I order this product, will it be the updated 2019 version?
Answer: Don’t know. What is the difference supposed to be?
Q:
What is the length
Answer: Sorry for not getting back sooner I was out of town.
Answer: Fully assembled width is 50" x 24" deep. The cooking area is 24" wide x 19" deep. This is a great smoker
Answer: 51"
Q:
Since stainless and this one are about same price in hind site which model would you choose?
Answer: There wasn't a stainless option when I bought mine or I would had bought it. Easier to clean and no rust. It may turn blue around the heat. No big deal though. Go for it
Answer: Watch YouTube video buy tonybuddy123 for stainless version with is woodwind grill buy Camp Chef
Answer: I'm not sure of the difference in price ( did not know that head a stainless version) but I will say that I am very happy with mine!! Love it, and it continues to perform as it is supposed to.
Answer: I don't think you can go wrong with either one....I have several grills---I did ribs on Chef Pro first time---best ribs that ever passed my lips.
Q:
Can the PG24 be used with an inverter, and if so, how many watts?
Answer: If you look at the manual, you'll see that the internal fuse is rated for 5A (i.e. 120V x 5A ~ 600W). It's probably no more than that. There's just a simple control board, wood pellet lighter (which is off most of the time), blower fan and auger motor.
Answer: I really don't know. Sorry.
Q:
Is the sear box available using natural das rather than propane?
Answer: I only use propane, however, natural gas can be used
Q:
are there instructions for attaching the sear box?
Answer: Yes. The way to attach it is very simple with four bolts that are attached through pre-drilled holes.
Answer: Yes, full instructions plus smoking instructions.
Answer: Yes. It’s quite obvious. But the entire smoker assembly is easier with 2 people.
Answer: Yes. Fully explained. Easy.
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes
Q:
Do these units have an electric blower to move the smoke around like a Traeger?
Answer: Yes. It has a convection style fan to help regulate the temperature inside the cooking chamber. It also has Camp Chef's patented ash clean-out system that no other pellet grill has. That way you don't have to use a shop vac to clean it out after every cook.
Answer: Yes. It will vary the speed to maintain cooking temperature
Answer: Yes my camp chef does have a fan and it seems to work very well
Q:
My friend has a green mountain daniel boon, his thermostat goes up in 5 degree incremints, this one goes up in 25 degree incremints, which is better?
Q:
where does all the grease go while cooking?
Answer: Runs down on a tray that slants for grease to flow into a small bucket that hangs on the outside o the smoker. Very good drainage system.
Answer: in the grease trap can
Answer: In a bucket(included) hanging on the right side of the grill
Answer: in the little bucket hanging off the side
Q:
Side burner - can i convert to natural gas?
Answer: Not sure, it doesn't have a pilot light or face so I'm not sure.
Product reviews of Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill w/New PID Gen 2 Digital Controller - Bronze
Amazon Customer : Everything about this grill is planned out nicely.
I like this grill a lot because it holds the temperature much closer to your set point than the Traeger I bought last year. The sah clean out is great instead of taking it all apart to clean ash out. The pellet clean out will be handy someday but I usually stick with the same pellets. The window to see pellets is great and the extra big lid on pellet hopper is a good tray. I purchased the Sear Box and it works very well. The only thing I miss is the tray in front. I have read about some guys attaching the side tray in the front a may look closer at that. I won’t bash Traeger here but after such a let down it is great using this smoker and look forward to smoking for many years. Thanks Camp Chef you did your home work you get an A.
John Hill : Cooks great brisket. Grilling take a little bit longer...
I replaced a combo gas/charcoal grill and an electric fridge smoker with this SmokePro bad boy and couldn't be happier. Things we use to grill over gas taste so much better when we grill with the SmokePro. Smoking brisket, chickens, fish, pork, etc is such a breeze and taste great.
Cleaning is also easy...if you prep.
There is a silver heat dissipator over the burn pot.
This thing can nasty after you grill a dozen times.
However, if you cover it in foil then it takes about 60 seconds to throw away the old foil and put new foil on.
After having this 3-4 months and using about 3 times per week, there will be quite a bit of ash build-up inside.
It has the consistency of fine grain sand.
It took about 5 minutes to take off the grill grates, change the foil on the dissipator, and vacuum out the ash with a shop vac.
A couple of thing to keep in mind...
This grill does takes about the same time as charcoal to get up to grilling temperature (425 - 450).
This grill does not get as hot as charcoal (max on this grill is about 500 whereas charcoal can get 650+).
If you have a grease flare up (hard to do but it did happen), it will bubble up the paint on the lid.
Only the lid was affected so if it really became a bother I could sand/repaint it pretty quickly.
If I could change something...
* Assembly was easy but there was one part where, to put on the legs, you have to set the smoker upside down on it's top. I wish there would have been a lid latch because the lid fell open on the concrete and got a little scuffed.
* The legs are sturdy but there is nothing inter-connecting them near the ground. There are holes drilled into the legs for, what looks like, a rack/shelf to be installed about 6 inches off the ground. If there was a shelf, it would also double as reinforcement for the legs.
Again, this SmokePro DLX has been awesome. The food is great, the unit is easy to use and clean up. Well worth it.
dcharley : Temp out of control.
Had this unit almost 2 years. The temperature control has been a nightmare. Been in contact with customer service numerous times. First call with my concern with the incredible temperature fluctuation they sent me a meat probe. WHAT? Next call they sent me temperature probe for the unit. Next call they sent me a new computer panel. Next call they sent me a whole new control system including the pellet housing. Supposed to be new and improved. Well after all this the unit fluctuates + or - 40 degrees. Thats an 80 degree swing. Incredible right? So I'm stuck right? After all this I see they sell an insulated cover to help control temperature. What the hell give it a try. WORTHLESS!! Is goes up 40 down 30. Up 25 down down 35 and so on. So if you want to give camp chef a try I hope you make out better than me
J. A. Beach : Great Intro to Pellet Smoking!
Edit 2017-02-06: I'm adding the fifth star to my review. My latest temp probe has not failed after a few cooks with it and that was the only reason I had it rated at four stars.
This is my first pellet smoker and I LOVE it! I've done a few cooks on this now including whole chicken, whole turkey, ribs, thick loin chops, pork butt, and steaks.
This was extremely easy to put together and being all electric I don't have to worry about running out of gas or charcoal. I cooked a pork shoulder overnight with no issues!
The only problems I've had is I've received two faulty temp probes but customer service is stellar and have been replacing them. So far the third one has been free of issues. Also, I live in the northern climate so temps are dropping. I cooked loin chops during a snow fall and 29 degrees outside and it struggled to get up to 250. I threw my Tillman welding blanket over the top and all was good again!
Airdale : Out Traegers the Traeger!
I got a deal Traeger/Costco "Century" pellet grill (aka Li'l Tex Elite) for our lake home. I did three cooks on it over one weekend and liked it so much that I decided I wanted one for our home. As in many cases, the first thing you buy just teaches you what you really wanted.
For home, I picked the Camp Chef DLX for three features: the pellet hopper drain chute (necessary when changing pellet flavors), the ash cleanout system (with Traeger you have to pull the grate, grease drain, and heat baffle, then vacuum!), and the humpback design (for more useful cooking area. The fact that it was about 1/3 cheaper was frosting on the cake.
I bought the smoker sight unseen based on being happy with my 24" CC gas smoker and a couple of very positive experiences with CC customer service. My leap of faith was that the CC product would not be more cheaply built than the Traeger and it is not. Materials, fit and finish are the equal of the Traeger plus there are a number of small, thoughtful, details. For example, the bolts, nuts and washers to attach the chimney were loosely assembled to the chimney for easy identification, not stuffed anonymously into a poly bag full of mixed hardware. Also, the right side shelf bolts screw into threaded inserts in the side of the cooking chamber. They are not the usual, marginal, sheet metal screws.
One thing people should understand: Pellet smokers are NOT grills. They are more like ovens with smoke. Heat is indirect and you will never burn grill marks into a hamburger patty with one of these. Plan to keep your Weber.
C. Popoli : Smoker is great, shipping is awful
The smoker is great, works flawlessly, temp controls are spot on, easy to assemble. Clean out is a snap. Cooks consistently and food is amazing. Being able to turn it on and let it go is life changing from charcoal and wood smokers. For the money, this has so many features compared to the big name. Also, the build quality is great! Highly recommend the smoker!
Shipping however...the worst! If you’re interested in this smoker, buy it from a local store. It arrived bent, with a large dent on the side and with the side shelf bent. Also the lid dint close all the way. Took some creative work with a rubber mallet and a hammer to fix. I was stuck, as we were planning to use it for thanksgiving, I couldn’t return it. UPS was late by a day, couldn’t track it in process, many calls to UPS and a trip to the sorting facility to pick up up myself (couldn’t in spite of being told I could) then to have it arrive damaged! Honestly, all my future purchases will be though brick and mortar stores from now on. I’m done with shipping through amazon and UPS. Happened too often things are broken or lost.
Sara Downer : Best Value
amazon price is $200 less than everyone else that was the main thing that drew me to this model specifically. did some burgers the first day and then just finished a brisket today. both turned out great in fact my first time ever smoking a brisket and it was amazing. even at the "regular" price of $699 this grill is a good buy based on the features it has that compare to more expensive models. the fact it is compatible with the sear burner is nice so you can add it later if you want and save a few hundred if you don't want it. Great grill for the money and it imparts a nice smoke flavor and all you need to do is flip a switch. Buy with confidence. Couple parts were damaged from shipping. Camp Chef customer service is amazing and got replacements in the mail immediately.
Amazon Customer : The customer service people seemed to be annoyed when you asked for help
I have used pellet grills for many years, and of course, Traeger was one of the first to come out. I have gone through 3 Traegers over the years, literally wore them out and really had no complaint other than sometimes not a lot of smoke, and sometimes no smoke. The customer service people seemed to be annoyed when you asked for help, P - Settings, etc. My last Treager, #4, was/is a lemon. It happens to all manufacturers, not complaining, just my luck. Major problems with the igniter and control board, but my hardware store is always accommodating; however, after the 4th time in I started researching.
I settled on this grill because of the reviews and the convenience of dumping the ashes and being able to easily change the pellets. I ordered it here from Amazon and it came in as advertised. This is not a toy. It is well made and HEAVY.
Most importantly, IT SMOKES. Right from the start it smoked like a chief and still does. The thermostat is really easy to use and it cleans like a dream. I have tried many different types of pellets. All of them work -- from Traeger and Wal Mart to Tractor Supply.
After many years I can honestly say that this is the best pellet grill that I have owned and the price is right. Top quality and most importantly it works.
BAS : Girl Assembles Grill in 75 Minutes!
Technically, I'm a 60 year old woman, but I liked the word play.
Wanted to describe for you how easy it was to put together. My total time was 75 minutes, which included the unpacking (about 20 minutes just for that). I carefully opened the box, and cut down the sides so that if required, could use the cardboard as resting materials for the grill. Worst case, if it doesn't work, I have to tape it all back up again. By the way - it is required - because you have to tip the grill onto its back to attach the legs. You don't find this out until you break into it all and read the directions.
Everything was carefully wrapped. Caution - the stainless steel heat diffuser and drip tray are fairly well oiled, so take care unwrapping (and clean them with several sprays of 409 - otherwise you likely will get burnt oil when you fire up) . Don't know for sure, because I have to go get some pellets.
The directions are pretty clear with pictures and WORDS! Provides details on exactly what size bolts to use, clearly shows where they are to be placed. Mind you, these aren't just bolts, but ones with lock washers too. Rest assured this isn't going anywhere. All you need for assembly is a phillips head screwdriver and crescent wrench to attach the smoke stack, and phillips for the handle and attaching the side table.. Comes with a nice allen wrench to put the legs on.
The hardest thing to assemble is the handle. For that, two people might be better, but I still managed just fine (maybe an extra 5 minutes) by myself.
Everything was very well made. Heavy duty materials, solidly finished, side table attaches with 5 bolts (normally you are lucky to see 3). Honestly, the quality on this grill is better than that of my gas grill, which cost more than $1000.
I did buy the cover - have to keep my new toy nicely protected. It fits like a champ.
Once I get my pellets and fire her up, will amend this review to let you know how well she works. Truly looking forward to it.
UPDATE: Cooked with the grill twice. Pretty easy to use, just follow the directions. There are also a couple of nice YouTube videos on this unit you can watch.
Can't wait to try out the various pellets to change smoking flavors. Working with a beef brisket today and using the temperature probe (per the directions that came with the grill). Did only a small brisket, since didn't want to have to want to wait 12 hours for the entire cook and rest procedure.
So far, so good. As it was starting, threw a piece of salmon on the grill with Montreal Steak Seasoning and some dried dill mix, little olive oil Let her go for about 45 min (since was cooking at 250 degrees), checked it with separate meat thermometer...taste test = YUM.
Then threw on a few chicken legs, let them go about 1.5 hrs (remember, cooking at low temp for the brisket). put a light glaze of BBQ sauce on them. Can't wait to try them. Did some brined chicken breasts last weekend - also good, but in boneless meats, watch the heat setting or they will dry out sooner than you expect.
Unlike standard grills, you don't have flames, so you aren't going to get the sear you may be used to. This is more of a smoker... As a side note, saw a couple of Traegers in the store, and let me tell you, my Camp Chef is made a lot better - sturdier assembly all around, heavy duty construction, so don't be enticed by the deals at Costco. It's worth the wait.
Of course, I also have a gas grill as well as a Primo (natural charcoal) grill.
Girl can't have too many Grills you know!
necessaryevil : Great smoker for the price
After researching all types of of pellet smokers, the Camp Chef brand stood out for its multiple high reviews. It arrived quickly and was very easy to put together with two (not terribly handy) people. One person would have difficulty screwing on the chimney and lid handle by themselves, so two people is best. Got some pellets and started smoking the next day! The pellet feed system is easy to use, and temperature came up quickly. Temps never really stabilize over time, but vary depending on burn rate - seemed to be +/-25 degrees for the most part. Smoke tends to seep around the grill lid just as much out the chimney, so keep in mind for outside placement. Some components started to rust considerably after just two weeks of being outside. We're in a high-humidity area, but I was still disappointed in the amount of rusting. I don't think it will affect function in the short-term, but will see over the next few years for its durability. Overall, I'd recommend it for the price and ease of use!
Dan : Get smokin!
I ordered one of these for my dad a few years ago as a Father’s Day gift. After seeing how great his was, I decided to order one for myself this Father’s Day. (I’m worth it, jk).
This thing has two temp probes, quick clean ash tray, a quick empty hopper function and holds temperature very well. It has a big grilling surface. I was able to fit three full racks of St Louis spare ribs on the grill.
I have also used it in grill mode for burgers, chicken and tri tip. Works great, cooks fast and infuses a Smokey flavor in the meats.
A friend has a Traeger which is a nice grill also. I don’t think it’s worth the extra $300 for a Traeger. Just my $.02.
BAS : Girl Assembles Grill in 75 Minutes!
Technically, I'm a 60 year old woman, but I liked the word play.
Wanted to describe for you how easy it was to put together. My total time was 75 minutes, which included the unpacking (about 20 minutes just for that). I carefully opened the box, and cut down the sides so that if required, could use the cardboard as resting materials for the grill. Worst case, if it doesn't work, I have to tape it all back up again. By the way - it is required - because you have to tip the grill onto its back to attach the legs. You don't find this out until you break into it all and read the directions.
Everything was carefully wrapped. Caution - the stainless steel heat diffuser and drip tray are fairly well oiled, so take care unwrapping (and clean them with several sprays of 409 - otherwise you likely will get burnt oil when you fire up) . Don't know for sure, because I have to go get some pellets.
The directions are pretty clear with pictures and WORDS! Provides details on exactly what size bolts to use, clearly shows where they are to be placed. Mind you, these aren't just bolts, but ones with lock washers too. Rest assured this isn't going anywhere. All you need for assembly is a phillips head screwdriver and crescent wrench to attach the smoke stack, and phillips for the handle and attaching the side table.. Comes with a nice allen wrench to put the legs on.
The hardest thing to assemble is the handle. For that, two people might be better, but I still managed just fine (maybe an extra 5 minutes) by myself.
Everything was very well made. Heavy duty materials, solidly finished, side table attaches with 5 bolts (normally you are lucky to see 3). Honestly, the quality on this grill is better than that of my gas grill, which cost more than $1000.
I did buy the cover - have to keep my new toy nicely protected. It fits like a champ.
Once I get my pellets and fire her up, will amend this review to let you know how well she works. Truly looking forward to it.
UPDATE: Cooked with the grill twice. Pretty easy to use, just follow the directions. There are also a couple of nice YouTube videos on this unit you can watch.
Can't wait to try out the various pellets to change smoking flavors. Working with a beef brisket today and using the temperature probe (per the directions that came with the grill). Did only a small brisket, since didn't want to have to want to wait 12 hours for the entire cook and rest procedure.
So far, so good. As it was starting, threw a piece of salmon on the grill with Montreal Steak Seasoning and some dried dill mix, little olive oil Let her go for about 45 min (since was cooking at 250 degrees), checked it with separate meat thermometer...taste test = YUM.
Then threw on a few chicken legs, let them go about 1.5 hrs (remember, cooking at low temp for the brisket). put a light glaze of BBQ sauce on them. Can't wait to try them. Did some brined chicken breasts last weekend - also good, but in boneless meats, watch the heat setting or they will dry out sooner than you expect.
Unlike standard grills, you don't have flames, so you aren't going to get the sear you may be used to. This is more of a smoker... As a side note, saw a couple of Traegers in the store, and let me tell you, my Camp Chef is made a lot better - sturdier assembly all around, heavy duty construction, so don't be enticed by the deals at Costco. It's worth the wait.
Of course, I also have a gas grill as well as a Primo (natural charcoal) grill.
Girl can't have too many Grills you know!
Maxx Webb : and one wire on the grate had a poor weld and was broken free
Have used this smoker almost weekly since purchase, sometimes multiple times a week. Running in ambient temps of 20 degrees for most of the time since purchased, and it remains very efficient with pellet usage and at maintaining temperature. I have absolutely no complaints. I only wish that I had not put off purchasing one for so long. The shipping packaging was in proper shape when it arrived, very stout, and no obvious damage. Upon assembly, I found that the pellet rake was broken off at the head, and one wire on the grate had a poor weld and was broken free. I contacted Amazon about the issue, and they were absolutely no help on the matter. I contacted the seller directly, provided the invoice and pictures of the broken pieces, and I had a tracking confirmation in my email 15 minutes later and an email saying that they were sending me replacement pieces at no cost. I would recommend this smoker to anyone looking for a high quality pellet smoker.
James S. : Absolutely the best
I absolutely love this pellet grill..I did a lot of research before settling on buying the camp chef dlx..it has features other pellet grills don't offer and most important to me is the ash clem out, and the hopper clean out it makes it so easy to change flavors of wood pellets..the vacuum thanks camp chef..because it's the only way to get them out on other grills..so far (only have had it for 3days) I've made 8 racks of ribs 3 are on as I type. ..2 whole chickens..and Jerky will be going on tonight..the temp remains constant despite the breezy weather we're having right now ..within a 10-12degree range..assembly was simple took maybe 30 mins..i did watch a video on how to assemble prior to it arriving so it gave me a edge..although instructions are straight forward. .nothing negative to report on this pellet grill if your thinking of buying...you won't be disappointed. .
Chuck Mardon : Damaged grill, either in shipping or earlier
When it arrived the box had been torn, but wasn't that bad, then I unboxed the grill and found it to be damaged on one side and the racks would not fit due to the damage, so I was very unhappy with the grill at that time, so I'm unable to use and make a using review.
Camp Chef PG24DLX Deluxe Pellet Grill and Smoker BBQ with Digital Controls and Stainless Temp Probe
Update:. Contacted Camp Chef and they were very helpful and said they will replace the unit, but I said I would fix it and they were willing to send other accessories for the inconveniences. The grill/Smoker has worked flawless and really enjoy smoking food, very happy with the purchase of this Camp Chef Smoker.
cyberclone : Best Purchase . . . but . . .
Best purchase in many years. Have smoked and seared ribeye steaks, smoked chicken wings, beef jerky, chuck roast, brisket, and pork tenderloin. All came out perfect with little effort other that the prep work. Since temperature management is the most important item in grilling and smoking any meat, the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24S takes all the guesswork out of the process. Still love my Weber Kettle charcoal grill, but find myself using it less and less.
The only downside is that a two weeks after I purchased this grill (might of got the last one), Camp Chef quit making the DLX PG24S and now offers the larger SG for a little more $. Had I known this was coming out, I definitely would have waited and purchased the SG.
T. Kinney : Love It
I was getting ready to host a bunch of people for Memorial Day for a BBQ. I have an ancient Barbecues Galore Grand Turbo gas grill and a Jumbo Joe charcoal grill. I wanted to do a brisket and neither of those contraptions were going to do it right. I started looking into pellet grills. I liked the Green Mountain grills models but couldn't find one and couldn't get one here in time. Then I stumbled on a review of the Camp Chef on the Amazing Ribs website and they gave it their highest rating. The icing on the cake was finding it on Amazon for a couple hundred off the list price with 2 day shipping to boot. Sold! Then they shipped it UPS. I have a long history of things from UPS showing up looking like they drop kicked it all the way across the country so I had high anxiety for two days. Miraculously, it showed up in perfect condition. Not so much as a rip in the box. Assembly was a snap. My brisket was nothing short of awesome, as good as any I've ever eaten. I'm starting my second year with this smoker. I've smoked fish, ribs, brisket, yard bird, you name it. It has never missed a beat. I have a Maverick remote thermometer that I know is accurate and the thermometer on this grill is very close. People complaining about smoke leaking out of the lid. Who cares? The smoke has already passed over your meat and would just go out of the chimney anyway. I plan to wear this grill out (no sign of that yet) and then upgrade to a MAK but I am perfectly happy with this grill at the moment.
Sara Downer : Best Value
amazon price is $200 less than everyone else that was the main thing that drew me to this model specifically. did some burgers the first day and then just finished a brisket today. both turned out great in fact my first time ever smoking a brisket and it was amazing. even at the "regular" price of $699 this grill is a good buy based on the features it has that compare to more expensive models. the fact it is compatible with the sear burner is nice so you can add it later if you want and save a few hundred if you don't want it. Great grill for the money and it imparts a nice smoke flavor and all you need to do is flip a switch. Buy with confidence. Couple parts were damaged from shipping. Camp Chef customer service is amazing and got replacements in the mail immediately.
Darrin Auxier : Ash Dump feature sets this apart from other pellet smokers/grills
The Good :
Ash dump is super easy, with a "lock" feature to prevent accidental dumping. With this feature, I'm not sure why people would buy anything else.
Pellet dump feature is very nice if you want to change wood flavors
Temperature control makes smoking easy
The hopper has a small window that lets you see when the pellet level is getting low.
There is a beer bottle opener on the grill! (seriously, why don't they advertise this?)
The "not as good"
The first couple of uses, the "ash dump" mechanism locks up - just tap on it from the bottom to help it open
The pellet dump doesn't get all of the pellets unless you sweep them (then of course there are still some in the auger so if you want a complete sweep you need to run the "feed" mechanism for about 10 minutes)
The Bad (why it only got 4-stars)
Mine arrived damaged - clearly a very heavy object fell on it, leaving the top right side bent. This also left a dent in a couple of other items (which I assume must have been packed right under the barrel) The hopper lid has a dent, and the handle shield was bent - but I was able to easily straighten the shield with pliers. It's still functional and I had a bunch of people coming over for ribs - so I didn't have time to mess with sending it back. I don't even notice the barrel being bent, but the hopper lid is pretty obvious.
OTHER NOTES
There is a honeycomb-like grate inside the hopper. When the pellets are completely level with this, you have about 7 pounds of pellets (plus a half-pound or so in the auger)
On the "High Smoke" setting, on a hot day with little wind, it consumed 5 pounds of pellets in 6 hours (so .83 pounds/hour at that setting). I was cooking ribs and spritzing every hour, so if left closed it would consume less.
At 350, it consumed about 2 pounds/hour
Check the camp-chef website for their recipes and try the candied-bacon chocolate chip cookies. They were great!
Eric A : Easy Assembly and heavy duty construction
I did months of detailed research on what pellet smoker to purchase for under $700. I feel that I made the right choice. This Camp Chef DLX smoker arrived ahead of time, packed perfectly and really easy to assemble. Under 45 mins! Really a heavy duty device. It must weigh 130lbs. I got the Bronze one , and it looks sharp. Followed all the start up directions, feeding the pellet tube, before starting, and 350 for 25-30 mins to burn off manufacturing chemicals etc. then I filled her up with high quality Mesquite pellets and smoked a whole chick and some brats. Ohhhhhh the Smokey flavor was great . This weekend the real test , Tri Tip and Babybacks, corn and zucchini. In two weeks a Brisket! I love this smoker!
Amazon Customer : Overpriced if you think you're getting a smoker and BBQ combo grill
Don't fool yourself into thinking this is both a smoker and a grill. It's a good smoker and we made great pastrami from it, but as a barbecue grill, it's unpredictable. It came in a zillion pieces and was a pain to put together especially as a couple of the pieces were not welded correctly, and if you don't set the temperature before turning it on it never warms up... and don't even get me started on if you change the temperature as sometimes it will adjust and other times it will just stop working and you!ll get the infamous "Flame" message. Also a reminder that this is electric so you don't get to be cordless - a long extension cord has become our best friend so that we can try to enjoy it outdoors in the summer. Will probably keep this for smoking but definitely are going to have to invest in a real grill as unfortunately this one is not a ton of fun for barbecuing meat.
J. A. Beach : Great Intro to Pellet Smoking!
Edit 2017-02-06: I'm adding the fifth star to my review. My latest temp probe has not failed after a few cooks with it and that was the only reason I had it rated at four stars.
This is my first pellet smoker and I LOVE it! I've done a few cooks on this now including whole chicken, whole turkey, ribs, thick loin chops, pork butt, and steaks.
This was extremely easy to put together and being all electric I don't have to worry about running out of gas or charcoal. I cooked a pork shoulder overnight with no issues!
The only problems I've had is I've received two faulty temp probes but customer service is stellar and have been replacing them. So far the third one has been free of issues. Also, I live in the northern climate so temps are dropping. I cooked loin chops during a snow fall and 29 degrees outside and it struggled to get up to 250. I threw my Tillman welding blanket over the top and all was good again!
verbilkent : The best smoker on the market!
This is the best smoker on the market! I can do a full 15 pound brisket no problem. 3 large racks of ribs and room for a fourth on the upper rack. I mention that because it was one of my concerns when doing research. Hands down the two features that set it apart from ANY smoker is the ash clean out underneath and the pellet bin clean out. AND this comes with a meat temperature probe that the "other" companies do not unless you pay for the upgrade! Extremely simple to use set it and forget it! For 10 years I used an offset wood charcoal smoker, every hour rain snow night tending to it, not anymore! 6 hour smoke on ribs, fall off the bone! 15 pound brisket 16 hours then 2 hours wrapped in blanket and put in empty cooler, perfection!
Sara Downer : Best Value
amazon price is $200 less than everyone else that was the main thing that drew me to this model specifically. did some burgers the first day and then just finished a brisket today. both turned out great in fact my first time ever smoking a brisket and it was amazing. even at the "regular" price of $699 this grill is a good buy based on the features it has that compare to more expensive models. the fact it is compatible with the sear burner is nice so you can add it later if you want and save a few hundred if you don't want it. Great grill for the money and it imparts a nice smoke flavor and all you need to do is flip a switch. Buy with confidence. Couple parts were damaged from shipping. Camp Chef customer service is amazing and got replacements in the mail immediately.
Josh Bort : First Impressions Not So Great, Second Impression is Really Good
Upon unboxing the grill I took note of the perceived quality of the parts, the sheet metal is a heavier gauge than other grills and that includes the legs, which I was worried would feel flimsy and cheap. Once I started inspecting and assembling the grill, the first impression was overruled. There are a number of tiny dents in the sheet metal, one in the body of the grill chamber, and another on the shelf, the shelf also had a bent tab I had to bend back in order to assemble. The dents aren't very big and are not a deal breaker, but they are indicative of a shop that doesn't stress quality, and this point will be illustrated better in the next paragraph.
Assembling the grill was a challenge, not because of complexity, but because of tolerances. Camp Chef needs to teach it's engineers and designers about GD&T, or tolerances in general, because several of the bolt holes did not line up with the nuts. The holes were slotted, great, except they either weren't slotted enough or the tolerance for nut placement was too loose, either way, whoever checked the engineering drawings does not know too much about tolerance stack-ups or Camp Chef does not emphasize quality inspections. I was able to fix the problem and assemble the grill, but it was definitely not what I was expecting from a $500 grill.
I will update once I actually cook with the grill.
Update 12/10/2018: I really like cooking with this grill. Cooking with the right temp is really as easy as rotating the knob to the proper temperature and that's it, the temperature probe is a really good addition as well. Still one problem that keeps this rating from being five stars; when I smoked a turkey for Thanksgiving I used a Turkey Canon (as recommended in the Camp Chef videos, highly recommended by the way). However, the turkey canon raises the turkey up so high it hits the door when the door is shut. But that is a small complaint and doesn't really upset me enough to not like this grill.
That guy : Happy smoking
This smoker looks well designed and has great features, however mine was damaged during shipment (and the box shows it) so I can't say how it works yet. I'll update with how well customer service is and the smoker is when I finish the process on each.
***Update ***
OK. First of like to rate customer service. Only one word is needed... Awesome. They sent out my needed parts quickly and with no hesitation. The one person I worked with (all via email) was very prompt and great to work with.
Now for the smoker itself. Very good! The controls are easy to use and very handy. Only wish I have for it is a way to connect the temp probe via Bluetooth or wifi. For $20 I sloved that with a wifi thermometer that handles high temps and does well.
Not brave enough yet with my limited smoker knowledge to try my favorite (brisket) but the ribs, steak, fish, and pork loin all have come out delicious. Not overwhelming smokey but bold enough to taste. Used a nice hardwood blend for it all.
All in all, highly recommended.
anthony t stachowski : Great smoker at a great price.
Great flavor, easy to use, and easy cleanup. We owned a vertical charcoal smoker years ago, and didn't want to go that route for our new smoker. We wanted the convenience of a gas smoker but did not want to sacrifice flavor. That led us to a couple of different options for pellet smokers. After watching videos and reading reviews we decided to buy this one. It has been completely worth what we paid for it. I enjoy the fact that you can easily change out the kind of wood you're using. There are high smoke and low smoke settings as well as temperature presets. We've made pizza in this which turned out amazing. We've also made pork shoulders, chickens, summer sausage, turkey breasts, and a few other things. We've smoked about 12 lb of summer sausage at once, but could probably fit more if we adjusted the size of the sausages.
The cleanup on this one is extremely easy and the convenience of being able to empty the ash cup without disassembly is a huge bonus.
Often times I've made purchases and there would be minor things that I wish were different. In this situation I cannot think of a single thing that I would change about this smoker. I will say that it does go through quite a few pellets when the weather is colder outside. This can be mitigated by purchasing a welding / fire blanket to drape over the top. I personally have not purchased one but will be in the very near future.
cyberclone : Best Purchase . . . but . . .
Best purchase in many years. Have smoked and seared ribeye steaks, smoked chicken wings, beef jerky, chuck roast, brisket, and pork tenderloin. All came out perfect with little effort other that the prep work. Since temperature management is the most important item in grilling and smoking any meat, the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24S takes all the guesswork out of the process. Still love my Weber Kettle charcoal grill, but find myself using it less and less.
The only downside is that a two weeks after I purchased this grill (might of got the last one), Camp Chef quit making the DLX PG24S and now offers the larger SG for a little more $. Had I known this was coming out, I definitely would have waited and purchased the SG.
Johnny : After a long search/review, this is the one to get
After a week of reviewing the different models and options, this one was my choice. I can tell you that I was not let down. This grill is amazing. From low and slow, to 350-500 degree "oven" cooking, you cannot go wrong with this grill. I have cooked rib roasts, a turkey, ribs and many others in this grill. It bakes bread wonderfully, and the "low and slow" at 220 HI SMOKE is, well, just superb! Read up, find the best out there. You will be back here, and will want to get this one.
N. Bettes : What are you waiting for... buy it.
Great product, this takes grilling/smokers to the next level. I have and still own a 1000lbs steel 3 chamber log fired smoker a propane grill and griddle combo and a propane smoker. I've been cooking outside for 45 years. This pellet grill revolutionizes all aspects of grilling and smoking! This thing is fool proof, perfect smoked meats one day and the best steaks I have ever cooked, I should have switched to camp chef pellet grill years ago.
x : Good results
This model seemed to offer a couple of features the equivalent-priced Traeger did not (hopper cleanout), and one feature that I don't think any Traeger has (the ash cleanout). Materials seem good quality (i.e., heavy gauge steel). Assembly process wasn't perfect but was OK in the end, you just have to put on the legs and a few handles. Had to lubricate the lid hinges, they made a terrible screech at first. So the smoker works, no problems there. Reported temp on the controller seems to vary some (even with the lid closed for hours) but I don't think it's anything to worry about. Grease pan/catcher works pretty well, I lined mine with foil for easy cleanup. Ash cleanout seemed very _very_ hard to get open after a first long run (brisket), don't know if something warped under heat or if it needs to be lubricated. In all this item does a nice job for a few hundred less than the name-brand, happy with the purchase. I got the name-brand cover for it and that seems very nice/high quality.
Joe Borgerding : Best grill I've ever owned!!
Fantastic grill and smoker. Easy assembly, sear box is spectacular, love the cleanout of the ash pot and pellets for quick switch out. It took a little bit to understand the chimney settings.....Camp Chef should look into automating the chimney too....
There is really nothing I would change on it as of right now. We made a 15LB prime rib for Christmas that turned out beyond my expectations. I have a Masterbuilt electric smoker I use regularly for fish and chicken and I believe it may hold moisture a bit better. That being said I know using a water pan of sorts in the CCWW will yield similar results.....stay tuned...
Thank you Camp Chef for a FANTASTIC PRODUCT!!
Amazon Customer : Good, but some down sides after 6 months of use.
I did a lot of research before settling on buying the camp chef dlx. I have had it 6 months .It has features other pellet grills don't offer like the ash clean out.
The bad:However you still have to vacuum ash out of it. the clean only gets big peaces. Also had the temp prob go but vert fast called and got a new one. But it when out too. Buy after mark and stand a lone and it works great and is rated to 500degF. Also i did not like the it does not come with front wheels. I did not think it was a big deal, but it is hard to move without the wheels.
The good. It cooks great
C. Popoli : Smoker is great, shipping is awful
The smoker is great, works flawlessly, temp controls are spot on, easy to assemble. Clean out is a snap. Cooks consistently and food is amazing. Being able to turn it on and let it go is life changing from charcoal and wood smokers. For the money, this has so many features compared to the big name. Also, the build quality is great! Highly recommend the smoker!
Shipping however...the worst! If you’re interested in this smoker, buy it from a local store. It arrived bent, with a large dent on the side and with the side shelf bent. Also the lid dint close all the way. Took some creative work with a rubber mallet and a hammer to fix. I was stuck, as we were planning to use it for thanksgiving, I couldn’t return it. UPS was late by a day, couldn’t track it in process, many calls to UPS and a trip to the sorting facility to pick up up myself (couldn’t in spite of being told I could) then to have it arrive damaged! Honestly, all my future purchases will be though brick and mortar stores from now on. I’m done with shipping through amazon and UPS. Happened too often things are broken or lost.
Duke Royce : Great grill.
This grill Is amazing. Really easy to put together. Holds temperature well it fluctuates maybe 10 degrees occasionally but I have been using it with cold weather below 30. With that said works good in cold weather. I have had some issues with cold windy days and the grill works harder to maintain. But that happens with any grill. Food never comes out over smoke taste. Pellet use is decent I've cooked over 60 hours and have used maybe 35 to 40 lbs of pellets. I think this grill is great for large pieces of meat like shoulders, loans, ribs, etc. Set it and forget it cooking. I recommend this and it's priced well.
Amazon Customer : The customer service people seemed to be annoyed when you asked for help
I have used pellet grills for many years, and of course, Traeger was one of the first to come out. I have gone through 3 Traegers over the years, literally wore them out and really had no complaint other than sometimes not a lot of smoke, and sometimes no smoke. The customer service people seemed to be annoyed when you asked for help, P - Settings, etc. My last Treager, #4, was/is a lemon. It happens to all manufacturers, not complaining, just my luck. Major problems with the igniter and control board, but my hardware store is always accommodating; however, after the 4th time in I started researching.
I settled on this grill because of the reviews and the convenience of dumping the ashes and being able to easily change the pellets. I ordered it here from Amazon and it came in as advertised. This is not a toy. It is well made and HEAVY.
Most importantly, IT SMOKES. Right from the start it smoked like a chief and still does. The thermostat is really easy to use and it cleans like a dream. I have tried many different types of pellets. All of them work -- from Traeger and Wal Mart to Tractor Supply.
After many years I can honestly say that this is the best pellet grill that I have owned and the price is right. Top quality and most importantly it works.
John Hill : Cooks great brisket. Grilling take a little bit longer...
I replaced a combo gas/charcoal grill and an electric fridge smoker with this SmokePro bad boy and couldn't be happier. Things we use to grill over gas taste so much better when we grill with the SmokePro. Smoking brisket, chickens, fish, pork, etc is such a breeze and taste great.
Cleaning is also easy...if you prep.
There is a silver heat dissipator over the burn pot.
This thing can nasty after you grill a dozen times.
However, if you cover it in foil then it takes about 60 seconds to throw away the old foil and put new foil on.
After having this 3-4 months and using about 3 times per week, there will be quite a bit of ash build-up inside.
It has the consistency of fine grain sand.
It took about 5 minutes to take off the grill grates, change the foil on the dissipator, and vacuum out the ash with a shop vac.
A couple of thing to keep in mind...
This grill does takes about the same time as charcoal to get up to grilling temperature (425 - 450).
This grill does not get as hot as charcoal (max on this grill is about 500 whereas charcoal can get 650+).
If you have a grease flare up (hard to do but it did happen), it will bubble up the paint on the lid.
Only the lid was affected so if it really became a bother I could sand/repaint it pretty quickly.
If I could change something...
* Assembly was easy but there was one part where, to put on the legs, you have to set the smoker upside down on it's top. I wish there would have been a lid latch because the lid fell open on the concrete and got a little scuffed.
* The legs are sturdy but there is nothing inter-connecting them near the ground. There are holes drilled into the legs for, what looks like, a rack/shelf to be installed about 6 inches off the ground. If there was a shelf, it would also double as reinforcement for the legs.
Again, this SmokePro DLX has been awesome. The food is great, the unit is easy to use and clean up. Well worth it.
Eric A : Easy Assembly and heavy duty construction
I did months of detailed research on what pellet smoker to purchase for under $700. I feel that I made the right choice. This Camp Chef DLX smoker arrived ahead of time, packed perfectly and really easy to assemble. Under 45 mins! Really a heavy duty device. It must weigh 130lbs. I got the Bronze one , and it looks sharp. Followed all the start up directions, feeding the pellet tube, before starting, and 350 for 25-30 mins to burn off manufacturing chemicals etc. then I filled her up with high quality Mesquite pellets and smoked a whole chick and some brats. Ohhhhhh the Smokey flavor was great . This weekend the real test , Tri Tip and Babybacks, corn and zucchini. In two weeks a Brisket! I love this smoker!
M. Sherman : Works good. Workmanship leaves a bit to be desired.
When I first put this thing together it was so loud I couldn't hear my wife talking right next to me. After reading other reviews I took the metal panel under the hopper off, straightened it as best I could, and lined the edges with electrical tape. This fixed the vibration and it's now about as loud as the other pellet smokers I've been around. That this occurred is a little strange in that there were no outward signs of damage and that panel wasn't part of the assembly process. I think the company would have sent me a new one but I chose not to bother with it. Communications with them didn't exactly inspire high customer satisfaction however. I do like it better now. It seems to cook well. It holds a temp and I really like the integrated meat thermometer. It is a bear to clean if you care to bother (I do), though I suspect they all are.
Genya Clemons : Love love love this pellet grill
Love love love this pellet grill. Our second one - only due to the fact that our first pellet grill was to small. We love how sturdy the camp chef is and the clean out for the ashes is a plus!!! We did buy the additional bottom shelf and wheels for front legs so that I can easily get it out with out waiting for hubby to get home. Very heavy and well built!
R. Lewsader : THIS FITS 2- 20# TURKEYS SIDE-BY-SIDE!!
This just came today. It was packed very well and had no signs of damage. It is very easy to set up and if I had one complaint it would be that the legs aren't very tight in the leg receivers and they move back and forth a bit. Other than that, it comes with a warming grill (a piece that I would have had to order separately on the Treager), a sensor and an instruction book. The hardest part of assembly was putting the stack on by myself. No other review or video on Youtube will tell you if it fits a turkey. I just happened to have a 20# frozen turkey and it fits great. I could actually put two of them in there side by side. I would venture to say that a 25 # turkey (thawed) would probably fit also. This is big enough for all MY needs!
Greg Taylor : My first experience with a Pellet Smoker, so take this FWIW...
As a Southerner, good 'cue is a must, so I've been smoking meats for nearly forty years. Started with the upright, bullet-type smokers (my Weber Smoky Mountain is 25 years, at least, old and still going strong.
My first experience with electrics came when the wife bought me a Bradley. Loved the temperature control, and the ability to "cool smoke" certain items (cheese, delicate vegetables, etc.). The meats weren't too bad either.
Then, I started looking around at various smokers, intrigued by the Camp Chef "Smoke Vault." That led me into looking at their Pellet Smokers. The reviews were very positive, unlike some of the other brands. Looked on Amazon, and the price was so reasonable that I easily covered with reward points from one of my cards.
Assembly was simple, but you'll need a second set of hands for a couple of steps.
I find the temperature and smoke control simple and intuitive. The temp control is in increments of 5, from 160 to 500, so that's another plus for this model v. other brands.
But the true test is the food, the 'cue. First time out it was a bit 'meh.' But, like all smokers, improves with age and use (Buildup in the cooking chamber). Since, I have done pork butt, pork shoulder, full-packer brisket, chuck (directly adjacent to the brisket on the hoof), beef ribs, baby backs, chicken, chicken wings, turkey breast (yeah, I gotta problem...I need help). Better each time out.
Only advice I would offer is that humidity is the enemy of pellets. Don't leave pellets is the hopper. Dump after each use, and add the 'Silica Gel' packets to your storage containers.
C. Popoli : Smoker is great, shipping is awful
The smoker is great, works flawlessly, temp controls are spot on, easy to assemble. Clean out is a snap. Cooks consistently and food is amazing. Being able to turn it on and let it go is life changing from charcoal and wood smokers. For the money, this has so many features compared to the big name. Also, the build quality is great! Highly recommend the smoker!
Shipping however...the worst! If you’re interested in this smoker, buy it from a local store. It arrived bent, with a large dent on the side and with the side shelf bent. Also the lid dint close all the way. Took some creative work with a rubber mallet and a hammer to fix. I was stuck, as we were planning to use it for thanksgiving, I couldn’t return it. UPS was late by a day, couldn’t track it in process, many calls to UPS and a trip to the sorting facility to pick up up myself (couldn’t in spite of being told I could) then to have it arrive damaged! Honestly, all my future purchases will be though brick and mortar stores from now on. I’m done with shipping through amazon and UPS. Happened too often things are broken or lost.
Iron Mike : Using this grill is easy. It is also very well constructed and fairly ...
Using this grill is easy. It is also very well constructed and fairly easy to assemble. Food has been amazing and dons't need all the attention that my Weber charcoal grill does. Complaint: When I did keep an eye on it at Hi Smoke {216 - 230 degrees) I saw a variance from 180 - 310 degrees. Did not open the top, not a windy day just in the 80s as far as the outdoor temp. I wrote to Camp Chef and they just replied that there would be a temp variation of about 25 degrees either way mine had much more. I found that the food off the Weber 1 had a more smoky flavor. All in all happy with it just wish it kept a better control of the temp, I got it so I wouldn't have to keep tabs on it all day.
RandyR09 : Lacks Quality Control but Service was Excellent
fit And finish we’re skimped on. first 10 hour smoke did well, spent last half hour of grilling in rain. Afterwards the top and was noticeably rusting... surface prep before painting at mnfr was a total failure... experienced problems with the Grill probes and controller, temps were swinging widely, delta of 50 deg F., after a few weeks of use. Update - Customer Service provided replacement thermocouples for oven and food probes as well as a new controller... received and installed, grill seems to be operating in the correct temp. range now. Service was excellent but i still have reservations about this grill, maybe i received the Monday production model...
Jesse : Dud right out of the freaking box!
Unbelievable! What a waste of time. After waitting over 2 weeks to get here, unpacking, and putting this lemon together, I loaded it with pellets, placed it in load, started it up and heating element does NOTHING. I bought a 500 dollar piece of metal that is good for nothing but loading pellets in a cup. I've tried all troubleshooting methods. What a waste. Back to looking for a grill that's not a dud or less than last 2 years.
AZ Senior : What could be great, unfortunately is only fairly good
I'm not at all new to BBQ outdoors and fairly experienced in smoking. I purchased this Camp Chef SmokePro DXL "second generation" pellet smoker because of the good reviews on Amazon and mostly because of the great features. My grill arrived in a box that was missing the straps and was very tattered and torn (picture attached). Thanks to the excellent packaging from Camp Chef, the entire grill was intact, with all parts accounted for, nice job Camp Chef. This is a heavy grill and I'm in my 80's so the early assembly, which was attaching the legs was impossible for me as I had no way to get the grill upright; fortunately our son in law came to the rescue, and the rest of the assembly was easy, including wheeling the smoker too the back patio. This is a very solid and well made piece of equipment, and so far it fires up well and seems to hold temperature, at least with in my expectation of a pellet cooker (can't expect temperature control like the oven in the house).
NOW THE BAD NEWS: I relied on the measurements listed by Amazon (and I assume were provided by Camp Chef); I had a prebuilt BBQ enclosure that was 46" wide and the width given on Amazon was 45" wide, so I purchased it. The problem is that the actual usable width is about 52" with the side shelf and room for the pellet dump pull-out. So, I had to remove the side shelf as being unusable for me. (Attached is a picture of the smoker sitting in my enclosure without the shelf). Fortunately I have a "stub wall" right there and it can serve as a shelf if need be, just not as good.
MY BIGGEST GRIPE: I purchased the Camp Chef SmokePro DXL (second generation), it has a digital readout and two probes. Sounds nice but this was designed by idiots, (and I'm serious, as any customer minded engineer that designed this readout must be an idiot). First the readout screen is much too small to be easily useful, but that not the worst part. The readout screen is located way low and has a very dim display. Attached is a picture of the display taken at KNEE LEVEL, looking down at it makes it impossible to read. If there's any sunlight around, it's almost impossible to read unless you are only two feet tall. I never had a "generation one" model, but it appeared to have an older style control, which looks like it would be readable even at the low height. In this case, it appears that technology is not an improvement.
MORE QUESTIONABLE THINGS: Camp Chef has not seen fit to provide any operational videos for this "generation two" model so not only is the readout hard to read, it's doubly difficult as you are on you own to figure things out, as the manual (though easy to read) is not all that helpful as it fails to be specific about how the digital display works.
Of course, I could have spent an extra $500 for the new Woodward model and than I'd have had bluetooth via my iPhone, but that seemed to be the only good extra feature, and even though I can afford the extra cost, it just didn't seem like a sensible extra expenditure. So, my conclusion is that this smoker is a reasonably good smoker, but it really misses the mark, at least if you think that the high water mark should be excellence. Camp Chef simply does not reach that excellence mark with the "second generation" smoker.
J. A. Beach : Great Intro to Pellet Smoking!
Edit 2017-02-06: I'm adding the fifth star to my review. My latest temp probe has not failed after a few cooks with it and that was the only reason I had it rated at four stars.
This is my first pellet smoker and I LOVE it! I've done a few cooks on this now including whole chicken, whole turkey, ribs, thick loin chops, pork butt, and steaks.
This was extremely easy to put together and being all electric I don't have to worry about running out of gas or charcoal. I cooked a pork shoulder overnight with no issues!
The only problems I've had is I've received two faulty temp probes but customer service is stellar and have been replacing them. So far the third one has been free of issues. Also, I live in the northern climate so temps are dropping. I cooked loin chops during a snow fall and 29 degrees outside and it struggled to get up to 250. I threw my Tillman welding blanket over the top and all was good again!
DA : I feel like I'm cheating
Man, where has this thing been my adult life?!? I've had this for several months now, and it replaced a Bradley Smoker, that I was just fed up with as it wouldnt cycle the wood pucks. I've done a brisket, ribs, pork shoulder/pulled pork, beef jerky, chicken wings, burgers, you name it. Everything has turned out fantastic, so much so, I feel like I'm cheating. I may get the add-on sear-box attachment and just ditch my gas grill this thing is so awesome. Worth every penny, I did lots of research when I started looking at pellet grills and let me tell you, the added little bonuses that this thing has compared to the other (even more expensive ones) are totally worth it. The hopper and fire-box clean-out are fantastic and make clean-up/storage a cinch. Cant wait till the weather warms up some so I can try cooking some other things.
Dink : Great for outdoor cooking.
This is the right choice for anyone that likes smokey flavors and cooking slow at home. It is my first experience with a pellet grill and I have read and studied them for a while. I was looking for a outdoor cooking solution that would give me the ability to cook like the pros without the super sized trailer. Finally deciding to go with the Camp Chef I haven't been disappointed. The temperature control is flawless so you can dial down the cooking process. I smoked chicken the other day and the red smoke ring was a 1/2" deep. It works like a convection oven so there are no cool or hot zones, it just keeps the heat even and consistent. I have noticed even if smoke isn't pouring out the wood flavors are present.
It is a unique cooking system and designed to cook slowly. It doesn't get hot enough to sear thin cuts of meat like steaks but it will have a very good smoke flavor. So it's not a solution for all your outdoor cooking needs, but if you like to slow cook it's great.
Pro's
The hardwood flavor.
Temperature control.
Large cooking surface will hold two turkeys.
Dump tray for easy clean out.
Temperature Probe.
Power failure restart.
Con's
Hard to get pellets out of the hopper for storage. (remove the grate or it is impossible)
Ashes are blown all over the bottom and must be vacuumed out about every fourth or fifth use.
Warming rack is in the way but you can take it out. Not sure I will ever use that.
Checking in at six months.
Upping it to five stars!
Still loving it after cooking about 100 meals. Thru rain, snow, and the occasional nice day it is still going. Today I'm about to grill brats. My weber grill sits around rarely needed so it's going to get sold. I discovered with quality pellets it can grill just fine to temps up to 450. The camp chef grill cover keeps the pellets dry in the hopper so I don't even take them out unless you want to change flavors. I did have to seal the hopper handle around the rivets to keep the rain out but other than that it is very tight. See the pic makes smoke like crazy.
Checking in at one year,
Still very happy with this purchase. I'm not interested in professional BBQ competitions but my brisket is better than many famous BBQ restaurants I have been to in Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. Thats not just my opinion many of my friends agree and and also have encouraged me to enter some local competitions.
This cooker is still the best value for the dollar for pellet grills I have been looking again for a larger rig, but haven't found one better. If you are looking for an entry level pellet grill this is the one you want. Don't be discouraged by the reviews that talk about leaking smoke or not sealing well because it does leak smoke everywhere. Look at the pic I attached to my review you can see it for yourself it does, but isn't it silly to buy a smoker that doesn't smoke. If you ever go to a BBQ competition you will see most of their smokers leak smoke also.
I hope this review helps and I can honestly say I am completely satisfied with my purchase and would do it again.
Two years and still going.
I have used this cooker at least once a week for two years. I recently had a couple of issues with it going out and was thinking it was having a serious issue. Quite frankly as much as I use it it should be worn out by now. Here is what I discovered. Carbon had built up on the tempeture probe and the grill wasn't getting accurate readings. Suspecting the temp probe I checked it with an external one and it was off 50 degrees or more. I am assuming that the readings were off enough that the grill controller just shut it off kind of a fail safe? 30 seconds with steel wool and we are back in business.
The old camp chef is heading to a new home. We have been thru thick and thin, rain, or snow, on two ocations high wind blew it off the patio. A few dents bad scratches but it still works like a top. My son is driving in form North Carolina to take it off my hands this weekend it has been replaced by a yoder ys-640. The yoder is bigger and heavier with more btu output if needed. But the camp chef still is easier to clean out and cooks a fine brisket.
Just another update: 07/2019, the grill is still going 5 years later. My son and his family still have it and love it. So I guess it has passed the weather and time test also.
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
-
50m Fishing Net, Professional Durable Fish Net, Fishing Accessories, Lightweight for Saltwater Great Workmanship Easy to Use Freshwater(3 Fingers) review and price compare
-
4 Fruit Leather Silicone Dehydrator Sheets with EDGES - NON-Toxic for Nesco Round Dehydrators Lip Mold Hold Batter Liquids Fruit Roll Up Fruit Leather Circle ReUsable Flexible Non Stick review and price compare
-
Goldlion Dehydrator Rack Stainless Steel Stand Accessories Compatible with Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer 6.5 and 8 Quart, Instant Pot Air Fryer 8 Qt review and price compare
-
Trademark Innovations 23.6" Fly Fishing Fish-Safe Wood with Rubber Net (Sapele Wood) review and price compare
-
GMG Trek WiFi Portable Grill & Smoker Tailgating Package Includes Cover-Collapsible Rack – BBQ Lights review and price compare
-
XIAOXIA Black Nylon Plastic sea Rod Bracket Head carp Fishing Accessories Rod Bracket Gun emplacement Bracket Fishing Supplies review and price compare
-
ODDSPRO Kids Fishing Net with Telescopic Pole Handle - Lightweight Aluminum&Carbon Fiber and Nylon Landing Net for Catch and Release or Butterfly Net review and price compare
-
CHICIRIS Folding Fishing Net, Fishing Accessory Fishing Net for Fishing Net Replacement for Fishing Accessory review and price compare
-
Bubba 6 Inch Ultra Flex Tapered Fillet Knife with Non-Slip Grip Handle, 8Cr13MoV Stainless Steel Blade, Lanyard Hole and Synthetic Sheath for Fishing review and price compare
-
Crab Trap, Lobster Trap, Fishing Net, Fishing Accessories, for Shallow Water Catch Crab, Fish, Lobsters review and price compare
-
FRSDMY Fishing Net with Bag Quick-Drying Glued, Foldable Crayfish Traps, Carp Fishing Accessories, Durable Outdoor Fishing Gear (Color : 40cm x 400cm) review and price compare
-
Rapala Digital Scale 50 lb review and price compare
-
Betts Old Salt Premium Cast Net for Bait Fish with Utility Box review and price compare
-
01 Crab Trap, Lobster Net, Fishing Accessories, Fishing Net, 2PCS Portable for Shallow Water Easy to Use Lightweight Catch Crab, Fish, Lobsters review and price compare
-
Keenso Fishing Net, 28109 - BL Rustproof Aluminum Alloy Fly Fishing Net Compact Fishing Cast for Fishing Accessories review and price compare
-
01 Fishing Net, Crab Trap, Lobster Net, Fishing Accessories, Portable 2PCS for Catch Crab, Fish, Lobsters Shallow Water review and price compare
-
Fancyes 2pcs Durable Fishing Rod Tie Fastening Strap Wrap Cover Fishing Accessories review and price compare
-
Yosoo Health Gear Portable Fishing Net, Folded Fishing Bait Traps with Zipper Design, Fish Shrimp Minnow Crayfish Crab Baits Tarp Fishing Net review and price compare
-
DONGTAISHANGCHENG Fishing Net Foldable Fishing Landing Net Triangle Aluminum Alloy Fishing Dip Net with Handle Portable Fishing Accessories 2pcs review and price compare
-
Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill w/New PID Gen 2 Digital Controller - Bronze review and price compare