Is The Smokefire a Failure or Success and What Proves It?


 
Yes. About 2 months after I got my grill, I tried one bag of Weber Grillmaster blend but prefer B&B Championship blend because that is my flavor favorite. Lumber Jack makes their LJ, Weber, and Cabela's pellets in their Wisconsin plant. Those are smaller in diameter than what I use. I tried Bear Mountain and my EX4 auger groaned with them but it eats Pit Boss and B&B just fine. My EX6 eats anything with nary a complaint.
 
Yes. About 2 months after I got my grill, I tried one bag of Weber Grillmaster blend but prefer B&B Championship blend because that is my flavor favorite. Lumber Jack makes their LJ, Weber, and Cabela's pellets in their Wisconsin plant. Those are smaller in diameter than what I use. I tried Bear Mountain and my EX4 auger groaned with them but it eats Pit Boss and B&B just fine. My EX6 eats anything with nary a complaint.
Is the auger system on the ex4 smaller than the ex6?
 
Is the auger system on the ex4 smaller than the ex6?
No. All of the internal components of the Gen1/Gen2 EX4 and EX6 are interchangeable except the flavorizer bar brackets and the top cooking grate. It's just that some of these grills seem to have a problem with the larger diameter pellets. I don't know this for a fact but if the auger tube and the auger were both at the extreme edge of the specs then maybe that could cause a problem. I can't figure it out.
 
No. All of the internal components of the Gen1/Gen2 EX4 and EX6 are interchangeable except the flavorizer bar brackets and the top cooking grate. It's just that some of these grills seem to have a problem with the larger diameter pellets. I don't know this for a fact but if the auger tube and the auger were both at the extreme edge of the specs then maybe that could cause a problem. I can't figure it out.
Thank you once again!
 
Yeah, as I said before the 2022 reviews are much better than the 2020 reviews. I'm hoping that the Smokefire overcomes the miserable start that it had with owners. I'm now reading more comments about the taste of the food and how it's surprisingly good. With all of their software upgrades the PID controller seems to have retained it's strength of putting great taste on the food.
 
I've just been catching up by mainly scanning most of the last two pages, but I have to say that this discussion appears to be one of the more contentious that I've read here. Still sticking with my Genesis and 14.5 WSM. 😅
 
Yup. That's me! I'm a Global Product Manager for Weber Charcoal Products, so I don't have as much insight in the Pellet category. That said, I do own a Gen 1 SmokeFire EX4.
So to clarify, you own and still cook on original Gen 1 with NO upgrades?
I guess that’s a stupid question because software upgrades alone take you out of Gen 1.
 
We use Pit Boss Competition Blend pretty much exclusively in ours. They’re $15 for a 40 pound, not 20 pound bag at Wally World and they’re awesome 👍🔥
That's what I had used in my Camp Chef so I used them for the first 6 months in my EX6. I tried the B&B Championship blend, one dollar more for 40 lbs., and I like the flavor a tad more. I was never dissatisfied with the Pit Boss but I wanted to try a blend with Pecan.
 
Well, a tad contentious at one point but I think Darian Hofer and BFletcher did a great job of calming the waters.
Lew
I think in a round about way, most of us agree that the Smokefire, after multiple updates in hardware and software, is a very good pellet grill. But I truly believe the the Gen 1, as originally rolled out, was a dead horse being pulled down the hill by the wagon. I saw earlier post by Weber employee claiming to be happy with his Gen 1 but I doubt it is stock Gen 1 with no hardware or software updates. Is the current model, that in my opinion is a very good grill, worth the sticker price? I’m not completely sold. But I do have faith in Weber customer servic, that they will do their best to help with upcoming issues.
Cheers Lew. I appreciate your time and all the past info you have provided to help me and others.
 
John did say he had a Gen1 EX4. I have a Gen1 4 and 6. Like so many things with the Smokefire there’s confusion about what Gen1 means. I think it was November 2020 when the Gen2 was released amid a PR blitz that billed it as a big change. There were only two physical changes. The welded auger chute assembly and the pellet hopper insert. I installed them and 4 months later removed the insert because UHMW tape works just as well and I get the full 22 pound pellet capacity. Software is the same on all Smokefires if the owner uses the app. Updates are pushed out and installed without owner intervention. So, to me, Gen1 just means that the grill was manufactured prior to November 2020.
 

 

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