I am looking to purchase a pellet grill after pretty much being sold on the process after a view of the traeger at the texas state fair. But I did a bit of research on my phone and chose not to purchase due to reviews about poor quality due to manufacturing in china. I rarely cook for more than 8 folks and my budget is $1000-$1500, please help me get started!
Please help a newbie
- Thread starter hkusp45
- Start date
fishingbouchman
New member
love my one star. Just wish I would have gotten it from big poppa.
TentHunter
Moderator
Last year we narrowed our choices down to the Memphis Select & the MAK 1 Star. Ultimately we decided on the MAK 1 star because of the accessories you can add, as budget allows, that greatly increase what you can do with your grill.
If you start with a 1 Star, the MAK Griddle & at least one upper 1/2 rack, you will have a lot of flexibility in what you can cook and still be under your $1500 budget.
If you start with a 1 Star, the MAK Griddle & at least one upper 1/2 rack, you will have a lot of flexibility in what you can cook and still be under your $1500 budget.
muebe
New member
A few reasons why I choose the Memphis Select...
One was the footprint- my patio is filled with other grills and smokers. The Memphis Select is small and maneuverable and yet has a good amount of grill space.
All stainless steel design- pretty much everything on this grill is stainless except for the controller and wheels. I wanted something that is not going to peel paint or powder coating over time. This grill is going to last a long time. The machining on this grill is beautiful. You can tell the guys at Hearthland put a lot of pride in not only the design of this grill but it's build quality too
Simple to use control system- although the MAK pellet boss has a much more versatile control system it can be a bit overwhelming for some. The control system on the Memphis is easier to use than our home oven. My wife can step out in back and turn on the grill, cook her food, and turn back off without any assistance. In some cases simple can be better IMHO. And a optional meat probe can be used to control the grill temps and monitor food internal temperature. And the Memphis keeps really good temperature throughout the grill like the MAK. You will find it is more even than your home oven.
Higher temps for grilling- Memphis grills are the kings of grilling in the pellet grill arena(besides the FEC with the grill zone). I can grill with great sear marks on the standard grates without using any grill grates. This makes the Memphis the most versatile choice IMHO.
Very low pellet consumption- when I first bought the grill I noticed it only had a 12lb hopper. After using it I figured out why. This grill is one of the most efficient users of pellets on the market. At 230F set temp and 60F ambient I see a little more than half a pound an hour of use. And remember pellets can be very expensive so this can potentially save you money. Part of the reason it is so efficient is that is controls the fan speed to adjust the burn rate/create smoke and the hood is double wall. The controller is also very good at pellet delivery and anticipating the temp rise & drop.
I thought you might want to hear some of my reasons for buying a Memphis. Like Tent Hunter I was torn between the two(MAK 1 Star or Memphis) and those were the reasons I choose the Memphis after much research.
One was the footprint- my patio is filled with other grills and smokers. The Memphis Select is small and maneuverable and yet has a good amount of grill space.
All stainless steel design- pretty much everything on this grill is stainless except for the controller and wheels. I wanted something that is not going to peel paint or powder coating over time. This grill is going to last a long time. The machining on this grill is beautiful. You can tell the guys at Hearthland put a lot of pride in not only the design of this grill but it's build quality too
Simple to use control system- although the MAK pellet boss has a much more versatile control system it can be a bit overwhelming for some. The control system on the Memphis is easier to use than our home oven. My wife can step out in back and turn on the grill, cook her food, and turn back off without any assistance. In some cases simple can be better IMHO. And a optional meat probe can be used to control the grill temps and monitor food internal temperature. And the Memphis keeps really good temperature throughout the grill like the MAK. You will find it is more even than your home oven.
Higher temps for grilling- Memphis grills are the kings of grilling in the pellet grill arena(besides the FEC with the grill zone). I can grill with great sear marks on the standard grates without using any grill grates. This makes the Memphis the most versatile choice IMHO.
Very low pellet consumption- when I first bought the grill I noticed it only had a 12lb hopper. After using it I figured out why. This grill is one of the most efficient users of pellets on the market. At 230F set temp and 60F ambient I see a little more than half a pound an hour of use. And remember pellets can be very expensive so this can potentially save you money. Part of the reason it is so efficient is that is controls the fan speed to adjust the burn rate/create smoke and the hood is double wall. The controller is also very good at pellet delivery and anticipating the temp rise & drop.
I thought you might want to hear some of my reasons for buying a Memphis. Like Tent Hunter I was torn between the two(MAK 1 Star or Memphis) and those were the reasons I choose the Memphis after much research.
Last edited:
Kite
New member
A few reasons why I choose the Memphis Select...
One was the footprint- my patio is filled with other grills and smokers. The Memphis Select is small and maneuverable and yet has a good amount of grill space.
All stainless steel design- pretty much everything on this grill is stainless except for the controller and wheels. I wanted something that is not going to peel paint or powder coating over time. This grill is going to last a long time. The machining on this grill is beautiful. You can tell the guys at Hearthland put a lot of pride in not only the design of this grill but it's build quality too
Simple to use control system- although the MAK pellet boss has a much more versatile control system it can be a bit overwhelming for some. The control system on the Memphis is easier to use than our home oven. My wife can step out in back and turn on the grill, cook her food, and turn back off without any assistance. In some cases simple can be better IMHO. And a optional meat probe can be used to control the grill temps and monitor food internal temperature. And the Memphis keeps really good temperature throughout the grill like the MAK. You will find it is more even than your home oven.
Higher temps for grilling- Memphis grills are the kings of grilling in the pellet grill arena(besides the FEC with the grill zone). I can grill with great sear marks on the standard grates without using any grill grates. This makes the Memphis the most versatile choice IMHO.
Very low pellet consumption- when I first bought the grill I noticed it only had a 12lb hopper. After using it I figured out why. This grill is one of the most efficient users of pellets on the market. At 230F set temp and 60F ambient I see a little more than half a pound an hour of use. And remember pellets can be very expensive so this can potentially save you money. Part of the reason it is so efficient is that is controls the fan speed to adjust the burn rate/create smoke and the hood is double wall. The controller is also very good at pellet delivery and anticipating the temp rise & drop.
I thought you might want to hear some of my reasons for buying a Memphis. Like Tent Hunter I was torn between the two(MAK 1 Star or Memphis) and those were the reasons I choose the Memphis after much research.
I also chose the Memphis (Pro in my case) for these same reasons. It is very simple to use and very efficient with the pellets. I live in a cold climate so the double wall was very important to me for winter grilling. The Green Mountain would be an cheaper option, but once again, not made in America. Any of the grills listed will work for you, you just have to decide what is more important to *you*.
I love my yoder ys640. It's built like a tank. Holds temps very well. Between the main and upper shelves you can pack a lot of groceries on it. And it performs very well in the cold temps we see up north.
All four listed above are quality grills. Everyone has their favorites. You can't go wrong with anyone of them. Take the time to learn your grills nuances and it will happily reward you with some incredible BBQ.
All four listed above are quality grills. Everyone has their favorites. You can't go wrong with anyone of them. Take the time to learn your grills nuances and it will happily reward you with some incredible BBQ.