Pellet Grill/ Smoker

[InfantryMP]

Hi Guys!

I have an arsenal of cookers. I own two homes, so I have them in separate locations.

I have:

Pitboss Pro 800 grill/ smoker
Pitboss stand up smoker
Pitboss 36" griddle
Pitboss Laredo 1000 grill/smoker

I say this because I have a lot of experience with the Pitboss brand and equipment. I do however believe I have an issue with my Laredo 1000. It seems to take forever to get hot. I timed it this afternoon with the following times and temps. I did completely clean the grill today as well before I tested this.

I set the grill to High (500*)

47 minutes to get to 380*
59 minutes to get to 425*
1 hour 8 minutes to get to 500*

Does this seem like a crazy amount of time to reach these temps? My brother has the Traeger Timberline XL so that is my only comparison with a different brand that I personally can test with. I feel like I should not have to go out almost an hour early from cooking time to get the pellet grill going.

I have read a lot about Pitboss and issues they have, but still, my Pro 800 does not take nearly as long to get to high or even 350 to slow grill something. I am located in the south now, so the ambient temp was 80* while I was testing, so I know it was not the outside temp.

Should I ditch the Pitboss and go with the Timberline XL or something else like the new Camp Chef, or is the Pitboss temp/ time thing reasonable?

[GReb]

I have a Green Mountain and it gets up to temp within minutes. 

[InfantryMP]

I looked at them, but for the price vs cooking area, it seems to be high cost for a low amount of cooking area.

 

When you say minutes, do you mean like 5 minutes? or like 15 minutes? 

[padlin]

My Rec Teq gets up to 225 in 10 to 15 min. Roughly 20 to 25 to hit 500 if it’s not too windy or cold.

 

how often do you empty the fire box?

 

[InfantryMP]

I clean the grill out every other cook. The "firebox" has a quick clean out, but it does not get everything. I vac it out every other cook depending on the time of the cook. 

 

Like I mentioned, I cleaned the grill out for the test times I posted, so I tried to rule out those variables as much as I could. 

[12poundbass]

I have a Pit Boss 700 and mine gets to temp in 15-20 minutes we’re talking 400-450. Have you tried using and independent temp probe to rule out the Pit Boss probe/gauge? Is the fan working? 
 

Something isn’t right.

[GReb]

2 hours ago, InfantryMP said:

I looked at them, but for the price vs cooking area, it seems to be high cost for a low amount of cooking area.

 

When you say minutes, do you mean like 5 minutes? or like 15 minutes? 

Probably 5 minutes to get it to where I cook at most 225. Cranking it up to 400-450 will take another 5 or so minutes. Never really timed it

 

Pellet smokers are more efficient with smaller cook areas. It holds plenty for what I need it for. Two-three butts or 4 chickens or 4 racks of spare or a large brisket. 

[padlin]

Just looked at my last higher heat chart on Dec 2nd at 375, took 14 minutes. Rec teq 340.

[InfantryMP]

17 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

I have a Pit Boss 700 and mine gets to temp in 15-20 minutes we’re talking 400-450. Have you tried using and independent temp probe to rule out the Pit Boss probe/gauge? Is the fan working? 
 

Something isn’t right.

Yea I had an independent probe inside getting the temp. It is fairly accurate to what the PID said it was. 

 

The fan is working, I can hear it and see it blowing the fire around once I have the sear plate open. 

 

I am coming to the conclusion that it is taking forever just based on the size and the efficiency. I suspect they use the same auger and fan for many models, and this is one of the bigger models they have as far as cooking space. 

[padlin]

There is a Pit Boss forum, might get some ideas there.

[GReb]

I’m not sure what pellets you use but the difference between the cheap one that contain a filler material and the 100% wood pellets is huge. I would imagine the 100% wood pellets heat faster and hold a more steady temp. 

[Crappiebasser]

I had a problem with my traeger not heating up right and staying on temperature. I found there was about a 1/2 burned through the fire pot. I replaced it and it heats up a whole lot faster now.

[InfantryMP]

On 12/9/2022 at 10:49 AM, padlin said:

There is a Pit Boss forum, might get some ideas there.

Yea it is filled with a ton of stuff. Most of what I see there is people just getting a pellet grill or smoker and cannot figure out how to use it. 

On 12/9/2022 at 1:45 PM, Crappiebasser said:

I had a problem with my traeger not heating up right and staying on temperature. I found there was about a 1/2 burned through the fire pot. I replaced it and it heats up a whole lot faster now.

The firebox had a hole in it?

[slonezp]

Is it clean? If the flue vents aren't clear it will take forever to heat up

[Darth-Baiter]

I dipped my toe into the world of smokers yesterday.  my neighbor bought one.  he is at the point where he is about to go totally blind..and he couldn't read the tiny font on the Treager.  he called me.  he was on the phone with tech support because is vision.  I was..."I got this"..

 

hmmm..prime auger..go.

ignite..foosh.  everything was so slow and played out.  worse because it all had countdown timers.  but it was very intuitive.  we had billowing smoke in about 10 minutes.  

 

I am hoping he can work the smoker from his phone app.  I wish it had audible functions to read out the display for him.  

 

I dont think I would ever buy one.  it didnt seem for me. I dont eat that much meat anyways..