Recteq Launches A New Pellet Grill


 
Jon Tofte

Jon Tofte

TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I have been waiting for this. Recteq just launched this new pellet grill. Newer style with no "chimney" or grease bucket hanging off the side. They moved the hopper to the front to facilitate use as a built-in outdoor kitchen grill. Double shelf gives quite a bit of capacity. Claims it can reach 700 degrees, but I have some doubts. Probably the big thing is the built-in outdoor kitchen option. The price is creeping upward, but I think that is the way things will be. The SmokeFire is supposed to have a price increase, too. I don't think you will see a $999 EX6 again.

www.recteq.com

RT-1070 Pellet Grill with Cabinet

www.recteq.com www.recteq.com
 
DanHoo said:
I know where there is at least one EX6 for $899 including local delivery and setup. I think they have an EX4 for $699
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I wish the $699 EX4 was near me or that I could get in on it. I have a couple re-sale ones I am looking at for less, but a new one in the box that can be registered would be worth the extra.
 
I'm interested to see user reports on how the front mounted hopper works. I think the shelf top was clever, and, of course, mounting the hopper in the front for a built-in unit makes sense. I'm not in the market, but I do like the looks of it!
 
Smokin Brothers has used the front hopper idea for some time. It gives the same short auger benefit that the rear hopper does vs. a long auger for a hopper off to the side. Style-wise, I think the rear one looks better and is out of the way, but for this application it is a good idea. I like how Recteq incorporated the fold-down shelf as an extension.
 
Jon Tofte said:
Smokin Brothers has used the front hopper idea for some time. It gives the same short auger benefit that the rear hopper does vs. a long auger for a hopper off to the side. Style-wise, I think the rear one looks better and is out of the way, but for this application it is a good idea. I like how Recteq incorporated the fold-down shelf as an extension.
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I have the Smokin Brothers PP36 and actually like the hopper in the front. Granted the front shelf you get from the hopper lid is not that wide but is useful. I added the side shelves to give me more room yet. Even if you didn’t add the side shelves it gives you something to set things on without having to purchase a front shelf or make one.
 

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The one negative about this is every part but grates, drip pan and fire pot is 430 stainless. Would be nice if the barrel was 304 at least. That info is from Recteq’s FAQ on the grill.
 
Shane - glitchy said:
The one negative about this is every part but grates, drip pan and fire pot is 430 stainless. Would be nice if the barrel was 304 at least. That info is from Recteq’s FAQ on the grill.
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Yep, no question that Recteq is trying to stay in the middle market which precludes all 304 stainless construction. Something has to give to stay in that price range. That's why there is MAK and a few other high end rock solidly built pellet grills for a higher price.

Comparing Recteq to Traeger, I think you get a lot more for your money, and with its best grills, Traeger is starting to price towards MAK and Yoder territory. Recteq and Weber are actually competitively priced. I think you get a more innovative design with Weber (although this new Recteq grill closes that gap a little bit), but I think you get overall better construction materials with Recteq. I will take 430 stainless over painted/powder-coated steel any day.
 
Traeger was at Costco today. (Do they ever leave.)
They were less nervous.
Prices were much higher than the first time I ran through there.
 
Jon Tofte said:
Yep, no question that Recteq is trying to stay in the middle market which precludes all 304 stainless construction. Something has to give to stay in that price range. That's why there is MAK and a few other high end rock solidly built pellet grills for a higher price.

Comparing Recteq to Traeger, I think you get a lot more for your money, and with its best grills, Traeger is starting to price towards MAK and Yoder territory. Recteq and Weber are actually competitively priced. I think you get a more innovative design with Weber (although this new Recteq grill closes that gap a little bit), but I think you get overall better construction materials with Recteq. I will take 430 stainless over painted/powder-coated steel any day.
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I agree they’re trying to stay competitive and middle of the pack on pricing. I have no concerns with 430 for the cart, shelves, etc. I’m just wondering long term, what the 430 barrel will last like and if they’re doing themselves a major disservice not charging $200 more and making that piece 304. My understanding is that over time heat cycles are going to wear on it and it will eventually rust and corrode. Is that 3, 5, or 10 plus years down the road?
 
Shane the question would be are people willing to pay $200 more, maybe or maybe not. Maybe the price gets to where it puts people back to the lower end whether its Zgrills or Pit Boss or whatever. Some people would fork up the $200 everyone has a price point they are comfortable with.
 
Brian, is it better for their brand to set the price to make the product correctly or better to possibly have a bunch of rusty grills sitting everywhere in 5 years just to have kept a certain price point? If pricing keeps you from making the product as it should be made, maybe you shouldn't make the product. 430 SS for the barrel seems like a very questionable call. The reputation damage that could occur is huge if the heat cycles cause it not to remain corrosion free. I'm not a metal expert, maybe it's not a big deal, but my understanding is over time 430 subjected to high heat frequently eventually loses most of it's corrosion resistance.
 
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So now I got really curious about the 430 vs 304. A couple things I found to read made it seem like 430 might hold up OK. I guess it’s often used inside dishwashers and dryers. Maybe the poor looking stainless I’ve seen over the years is a lower grade than 430. So, I’m back to being glad that this wasn’t out last year or it would have at least tempted me to not buy the MAK. This new Recteq has a lot of nice features and not much competition for built in at that price point (none that I can think of). No, I don’t have a built in, just noting the feature.
 
I have a Rec Tec (before the name change) RT-700. The stainless on the barrel seems to be holding up fine. (A nice veneer of seasoning probably helps with that!) The side tray that has the electronics under it is definitely magnetic. It has a few pits in it that maybe wouldn't have happened if it had been 304 stainless. I have used Weber 430 grates and never had any problem with them. I think it is a compromise that has to be accepted in middle market grills, but I give Rec Tec credit for the 304 they do use. My grates clean up very nicely and are holding up perfectly. The drip tray is HEAVY, thick stainless. It stains, but I have no worry about it rusting out. Some others I have seen do not look nearly as robust. I understand that Recteq uses 304 in some less obvious places as well. Again, a Recteq is no MAK. It is just a strong entry in the mid-market. I wish Weber had paired their innovative design features on the SmokeFire with Recteq's level of construction. It would have been worth $200 more to have used stainless and/or thicker metal in some high-stress places. I am hopeful they have learned and will continue to improve the SmokeFire grill.
 
Jon Tofte said:
I have a Rec Tec (before the name change) RT-700. The stainless on the barrel seems to be holding up fine. (A nice veneer of seasoning probably helps with that!) The side tray that has the electronics under it is definitely magnetic. It has a few pits in it that maybe wouldn't have happened if it had been 304 stainless. I have used Weber 430 grates and never had any problem with them. I think it is a compromise that has to be accepted in middle market grills, but I give Rec Tec credit for the 304 they do use. My grates clean up very nicely and are holding up perfectly. The drip tray is HEAVY, thick stainless. It stains, but I have no worry about it rusting out. Some others I have seen do not look nearly as robust. I understand that Recteq uses 304 in some less obvious places as well. Again, a Recteq is no MAK. It is just a strong entry in the mid-market. I wish Weber had paired their innovative design features on the SmokeFire with Recteq's level of construction. It would have been worth $200 more to have used stainless and/or thicker metal in some high-stress places. I am hopeful they have learned and will continue to improve the SmokeFire grill.
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With the "Again, a Recteq is no MAK", I do feel like that's directed back at me?

Just because I own a MAK doesn't mean I'm trying to compare any of the pellet grills regularly discussed here (SmokeFire, CampChef, RecTec, etc.) to one. It would sort of like comparing a Weber Genesis to a DCS or FireMagic. I did say I might have considered the RecTeq if it was out a year ago. Not because it's comparable with a MAK on construction quality, because it's a nice offering with features I like such as a rear exhaust, enclosed grease collection, stainless grates, etc. I've had numerous pellet grills that cost under $800, many of them were pretty nice smokers.

Targeting a built-in is a new area for RecTeq. I just wondered and shared my questions of if it would have been a better choice to make the barrel/cook box from 304 instead of 430, even if it raised the cost a little. If someone builds an outdoor kitchen around it and it doesn't hold up well, it's probably going to draw more frustration and buyer criticism that a grill on a cart that shows wear early. Sometimes a couple extra bills are justifiable when you can see it in the specs. Maybe it would have cost them way more than that to use 304. Maybe it wouldn't even make much difference at all in durability. Only a couple companies that I've really noticed even seem to make built in pellet grills. Memphis and Coyote do and I think they both start around 3X the price of the new RecTeq. So there was still a lot of room for them to work in the built-in arena and be the best value option.
 
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