Anyone own a Rec Tec

[Waterin'Hole Smoke n Brew]

Hey all, just was wondering if anyone owns a Rec Tec and if so what you think about it !! I posted a few days ago about the possibility of getting a Yoder but then I seen the Rec Tec and have to admit I was more than impressed. If any of you own a Rec Tec, I would sure appreciate any and all feedback .... Feeling on what way to go.... Again any help/feedback is very much appreciated..... Thanks !!

 

[Pappymn]

Have heard nothing but positive on the Rec Tec. Good luck!

 

[azloon]

Have owned REC TEC for less than 1 week and am super pleased with it and has worked flawlessly. However I'm new to pellet grillin so can't compare to anything else but feel it was a good value and seems to very well built. Nothing but raves about their customer service and they send owners and key managers cell phone numbers for contacting if needed. Good luck.

 

[Ozric]

From the azloon's photo(s) of his RecTec, I can make a couple of comments.

First, when I went to their website to find out more about the grill, I found a side cut-away showing the inner workings. Looks JUST like my Traeger 125, except that my pellet hopper and augur are in the front. My Traeger lasted 7 years, and if I felt like replacing the augur motor, it'd last longer.

Second, the Rec Tec looks to be better built than my Traeger in almost every way. I had peeling paint almost immediately. It won't. It has a stainless steel fire pot. Mine always looked like it was hammered out of a junker's fender, but it's still plugging along. Mine has wires clearly dangling below it. The RT doesn't.

One additional comment. Check your temp variations between the far left and far right sides. With the slope of the drip pan down to the right, I think you'll find that the grill surface temps are lower on the right. On mine, there WAS a 40°-50°F difference. I added 6 GrillGrates (which I also have for my Weber Performer and have ordered for my Yoder YS640). They did two things for me. One, they reduced the left-right delta to 10°-20°F, and two, they raised the effective temp at the grilling surface 30°-40°F. I went from a best of around 425°F to around 460°F. Made a BIG difference when grilling a steak. Rec Tec seems to have improved the high temp by 50° or so. Nice! Let me know what your experience is. Oh. Also check the temps in the 4 corners. Might find some cooler spots.

All in all, looks like a fine smoker to me.

 

[BamaSmoker]

I have owned a Rec Tec for several months and love it. It is well built and customer service is great, if you ever need it. I've cooked everything from pizza, fish, brisket, pork, vegetables, burgers, etc.. I had the fan issue but that was quickly resolved and have not had any trouble other than that. You set the temp and it holds steady. Have done several overnight cooks and if it reading 225 when I go to bed it's reading 225 when i check it in the morning. Any questions please ask

Bama

 

[markeads]

I too was looking at both the Yoder and the Rec Tec. After MUCH debate and research, I just ordered my Rec Tec today. Although I did like the design and materials in the Yoder more, I think ultimately it came down to the reviews of other users, the customer service I experienced on the phone and their availability, and also the value you get. For roughly the same setup and features, I would have spent an extra $300-400, received only 40lbs. of pellets vs. 240lbs, and had a shorter overall warranty. I cannot wait to start smoking!!!

 

[TentHunter]

I have seen rec Tec's in person and cooked on one. They are a fine cooker, BUT by time you pay for shipping on the Rec Tec, for a few hundred dollars more, you can be into a MAK 1 Star.

The 1 Star:
● Made of better metal overall (stainless on all critical parts & grates - aluminized steel versus regular painted steel on the body),
● Actually holds MORE food (the Rec Tec has LESS head room/NO second tier shelf),
● Has a far superior controller (which accepts up to three meat probes),
● Offers features and accessories you won't find on other grills. You just get a lot more for your money with the MAK.

AND the MAK is certified Made in the U.S.A.

Don't get me wrong; like I said, the Rec Tec is a fine cooker. I think they're the best of the imported grills. Having cooked on both, I can say with confidence, if budget is tight, go with the Rec Tec. If you can swing the extra few hundred $$$, the MAK is a better value.

Before you decide, Call Big Poppa Smokers and talk to Matt. He can give you the scoop.

 

[robertwhite]

I have seen rec Tec's in person and cooked on one. They are a fine cooker, BUT by time you pay for shipping on the Rec Tec, for a few hundred dollars more, you can be into a MAK 1 Star.

The 1 Star:
● Made of better metal overall (stainless on all critical parts & grates - aluminized steel versus regular painted steel on the body),
● Actually holds MORE food (the Rec Tec has LESS head room/NO second tier shelf),
● Has a far superior controller (which accepts up to three meat probes),
● Offers features and accessories you won't find on other grills. You just get a lot more for your money with the MAK.

AND the MAK is certified Made in the U.S.A.

Don't get me wrong; like I said, the Rec Tec is a fine cooker. I think they're the best of the imported grills. Having cooked on both, I can say with confidence, if budget is tight, go with the Rec Tec. If you can swing the extra few hundred $$$, the MAK is a better value.

Before you decide, Call Big Poppa Smokers and talk to Matt. He can give you the scoop.

Coming off a Traeger Texas, I am trying to decide between a Rec Tec and a YS640 and I looked at the MAK1 you spoke of.

I really hate to disagree with you on my very 1st post, but when comparing the Rec Tec to the MAK1, there are several things I see that you posted that are not quite accurate.

The MAK1 will have 58 sq in more room IF you purchase the optional upper shelf for $70. That makes the cost for the MAK1 $1599 + 69.99 = $1668.99 shipped, vs. the Rec Tec cost of $998 + $129 shipping = $1127. That is a pretty big difference at $542. So basically, the MAK1 is 1 1/2 times the cost of the Rec Tec.

The other issue I have is the warranty.

The MAK offers a 3 year warranty on the motor, probe and circuit board, it says nothing about paint, ignitor, etc, while the Rec Tec offers a 6 year warranty "bumper to bumper". Anything goes wrong, we replace it, period. I even confirmed that via phone conversation.

So while the MAK garners points for being USA made, and they may have a slightly better controller, there are a lot of reasons both for and against either vendor.

The Yoder is in the running also as I said, but the fact that their warranty is only 1 yr ignitor, 3 yrs controller, leaves me with a bad feeling and I just don't know if I can overlook that.

 

[Big Poppa]

slightly better controller is not accurate.

 

[robertwhite]

slightly better controller is not accurate.

Can you explain why the MAK controller is better? (and yes, I am honestly interested as it can help in my decision), and also what you think of the Yoder controller if you know? Yoder told me they do not use a PID because they claim to have their own computer programmer on staff who writes their programs and therfore is much better than the PID many companies are using. I don't know if I am buying that story.

 

[TentHunter]

Robert,

First, Welcome to the forum!


Sorry for the lengthy post, but, please allow me to respectfully make some clarifications.

In all fairness to both you and me, what you are probably not aware of is that Rec Tec, just this month (Sept. 2014), made some changes to their product line. One of those changes was in their pricing structure. They announced they were making changes about a week after I made my post above, so when I wrote that post, the Rec Tec base model WAS priced at $1199. It is NOW $998.


Also, the MAK 1 Star is priced at $1499 (not $1599) at Big Poppa Smokers. With current pricing, that makes a cost difference of $442 after adding the upper grate, rather than the "few hundred dollars more," I mentioned above.



Warranty:

The MAK offers a 3 year warranty on the motor, probe and circuit board, it says nothing about paint, ignitor, etc, while the Rec Tec offers a 6 year warranty "bumper to bumper". Anything goes wrong, we replace it, period. I even confirmed that via phone conversation.

Let's take a look at what BOTH companies have in their WRITTEN warranties, because that's what will hold up in court:

First, MAK absolutely DOES cover the metal parts AND the ignitor:

Mak Grills Owners Manual:
MAK GRILLS, LLC (“MAK GRILLS”) warrants this barbecue unit against defects in material and workmanship under normal residential use and maintenance for a period of three (3) years from the date of purchase for the following components: circuit board, auger motor, fan motor and heat rod. MAK GRILLS warrants all metal components for a period of three (3) years from date of purchase against defects in material and workmanship under normal residential use and maintenance.

Rec Tec's warranty is a 6-year LIMITED Warranty, which does indeed mention paint; It's NOT covered! Also, their warranty only protects fully FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS! After that there's a $99 claim charge.

Rec Tec Grills Six (6) Year Limited Warranty
This limited warranty covers Rec Tec Grills manufactured by “Rec Tec Industries, LLC.” Grills carry a 6 year limited warranty from the date of purchase by the original owner against defects in material and workmanship when subjected to normal residential use. Limited warranty does not apply to paint, grill cover, or damage caused from corrosion.

Conditions of Limited Warranty (Line 4):
4. Warranty claims made in years 4 through 6 are subject to a one-time charge of $99.00.

Material Cost
Part of the cost difference between the MAK & Rec Tec is in the metal used:

Rec Tec uses Carbon Steel for the body with a high temp powder coat (temp rating not specified).

MAK 1 Star body parts are made of Aluminized Steel and a 1200° powder coat finish. Unless it gets scraped deeply or gouged, it will virtually never rust.

Both grills use 304 grade Stainless steel on all critical components.


Chimney Design Issue - Extra Cost
One known, and talked about, design issue with the Rec Tec is the Chimney placement. Like many offsets, and some other pellet grills, the placement of the chimney allows heat and smoke to escape directly from the top portion of the cook chamber.

There is now a company offering a downdraft baffle that fits the Rec Tec. BUT... it's an extra cost of just under $100, and because it's considered a modification, it could possibly affect warranty! And there are reported air flow issues with this.


The MAK, however, includes a downdraft baffle that ensures proper airflow.


Hopper Size

MAK = 20 lb Hopper

Rec Tec = 40 lb Hopper

Which is better? It depends:

• If you don't change pellet flavors often, and don't live in a high humidity area, then the 40 lb Hopper would be an advantage.
• If, like me, you change pellet flavors often, then a larger hopper has no advantage. plus I like my pellet hopper on the side, where I can use it like a side shelf.

Can you explain why the MAK controller is better? (and yes, I am honestly interested as it can help in my decision), and also what you think of the Yoder controller if you know?

Here are a few features of MAK's PelletBoss controller:

• It accepts up to three (3) food temperature probes.
• Built-in timer, and Programing features - You can program automatic changes of cooking temperature based on parameters that you set (time or internal food temperature).
• Optional WiFi Capability - allows you to monitor & adjust settings using any internet capable device.
• Optional Remote Control available (RemoteBoss).

The Yoder Controller has had a lot of issues, especially in their first couple of years. They have supposedly pretty well ironed out the kinks. We have a few Yoder users here who can chime in on this more accurately.




Again, don't get me wrong. I'm NOT knocking Rec Tec. I have cooked on one and it's a great cooker. In my opinion they're hands-down the best imported grill, period! But... if you can afford the extra $$$, there is no doubt in my mind that MAK is even better in terms of overall quality and workmanship.

In the end it has to be your choice. You have to decide based on your budget, cooking needs and expectations.

Whatever you decide, be sure to stick around. It's a great place to hang your hat!

 

[robertwhite]

, so when I wrote that post, the Rec Tec base model WAS priced at $1199. It is NOW $998.

Interesting, and one would wonder why the price was lowered. Slow sales, less expensive parts, good will, who knows?

Warranty:

Rec Tec's warranty is a 6-year LIMITED Warranty, which does indeed mention paint; It's NOT covered! Also, their warranty only protects fully FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS! After that there's a $99 claim charge.

Not only very interesting, but very disappointing if correct. I specifically asked if powdercoat was covered and was told yes. I was also not told about the 3 yr, then you pay $99 deal.

Is the actual written warranty on their web site? I can't find it. The only thing I found was about the 6 year warranty and it does not say limited at all. When I asked, I was told full coverage, period. Is it possible that they changed it? I sure plan on calling to find out, because if I had found out after I purchased, I would not be a happy camper.

I really appreciate the insight about the other parts too. I like to be an informed buyer and I should have dug deeper into the Traeger grills before I bought that. I wasn't overly cautious because it came from Costco, so warranty is easy, just bring it back.

 

[TentHunter]

Is the actual written warranty on their web site? I can't find it.

I really appreciate the insight about the other parts too. I like to be an informed buyer and I should have dug deeper into the Traeger grills before I bought that. I wasn't overly cautious because it came from Costco, so warranty is easy, just bring it back.

No Problem! I like to be informed too. In fact we spent almost a year researching before we purchased!

The hyperlinks to both Owners manuals & warranties are in the quotes above, but here they are again, to make it easy:

Mak Grills Owners Manual:

Rec Tec Grills Owner's Manual - Six (6) Year Limited Warranty


Good luck in your research!

If you have further questions about the MAK's, don't be afraid to pick up the phone and call Big Poppa Smokers.

 

[robertwhite]

Very interesting and confirmed.

Thanks

PM sent.......

 

[So Cal Smoker]

Thanks Cliff, very informative. I think BP tagged you correctly " Professor ".

 

[Tatonka3A2]

Great post guys!! I can't comment on the Rec Tec or the MAK but we have had our Yoder (the YS640) for 3 years and the only issue we had was the ignitor rod. We had 3 go out on us in the first year. BUT that being said I was told they switched providers on our last one we replaced and we haven't replaced it in over 2 years now. So that problem I would say is fixed.

 

[MoHuka]

I have owned a REC TEC for 6 months and love it....