Weber Smokefire 3rd edition


 
JimK said:
I'm kind of surprised there isn't a single review on the new Smokefire yet. I looked on YouTube and couldn't find any either. One had a title that implied it was the Sear+, but it turns out is was just the Gen 2.
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Someone has to fork out the full retail price first. Might not be enough takers.
 
JimK said:
I'm kind of surprised there isn't a single review on the new Smokefire yet. I looked on YouTube and couldn't find any either. One had a title that implied it was the Sear+, but it turns out is was just the Gen 2.
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Amazing Ribs has a decent review with pictures of the folding top cooking grate, the left side shelf, and the crafted grate system. https://amazingribs.com/ratings-reviews/weber-smokefire-sear-plus/ The Sear + is not an upgraded gen2. It is an upgraded Stealth and the Stealth had several redesigned components and several upgrades. In my NOT expert opinion this version confirms the direction that Weber is going with the Smokefire. They have steadily made incremental improvements and, with the Stealth, they opened 2 versions of the Smokefire - the Gen2 and, now, the Sear +. I'm very happy with my Gen1 but if I were buying today I would probably get a Sear+.
 
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Darian Hofer said:
Someone has to fork out the full retail price first. Might not be enough takers.
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Also might be because there just isn't much to react to. It's a slightly upgraded Stealth with a sear grate (or at least that's to my read/eye). Feel like any reviews would come down to some version of "....Cool."

That or Weber might be licking their wounds from the time they put in for folks to review the Gen1 and the semi-fiasco that turned out to be. I haven't seen many sponsored/early reviews of the Lumin or their griddle either.
 
I am afraid Weber is having a hard time in the big box store floor space battle. I think Lew's observations are very on target, but I also think that short of a completely new pellet grill, I can't see Lowes, Home Depot or even Ace giving Weber another good shot at visibility for the SmokeFire in the bricks and mortar world. Maybe Weber can do like Recteq and go it alone with online ordering, but I have to believe being pushed out of the big box stores has to hurt. Lowes basically swept the SmokeFire out of their sights :cry: .

I say this all the time, but I believe it. A WEBER pellet kettle would be a really easy way for Weber to make a bold new move in the pellet grill arena.
 
At least Farm and Fleet, and Fleet Farm put plenty out on their floors. I know the hardware chains ACE and True Value do as well but they're becoming scarce as hen's teeth. I think in all of Rockford now there is only one ACE (or it could be a TV) IDK because when I need things it's too long a drive and a bother to get to. I have Menards 2 min away.
 
We have three Ace hardware's around here, but I haven't seen any Weber's in those stores recently, but it might be a little early in the season. We have one True Value and they do carry a smattering of Weber's.
 
My little Ace in Brazil, IN has never had a SmokeFire, and the franchise owners seem disinclined. They have a selection of Weber gas and charcoal grills, but they have more Traegers.

The larger Ace in Plainfield outside Indianapolis has a very large selection of Weber grills, but when I was there last not a single SmokeFire.
 
Still no reviews. Today, I went to a local patio/grill retailer that carries everything Weber (and Napoleon, Primo, BGE, etc). Gen 2 Smokefires, but no word on the current version.
 
JimK said:
Still no reviews. Today, I went to a local patio/grill retailer that carries everything Weber (and Napoleon, Primo, BGE, etc). Gen 2 Smokefires, but no word on the current version.
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At least 2 members of our Smokefire Facebook group have receivd their Sear +. No one has given a full review but one reported that the sear grate worked nicely and anither told me that the left side shelf is fixed. Hopefully we'll hear more.
 
Jon Tofte said:
I hope we learn more soon.
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I have a too much time to read and think. I'm recovering from 5 days in the hospital with Pneumonia and that was bracketed by two outpatient heart procedures to combat the Afib. I feel like I'm on the mend and IMHO the only thing to review on the Sear + is the cooking grates changes, the side shelf, and the hooks to hang things on. It's a Stealth with structural changes that don't change the way it cooks but give the owner even more flexibility All generations run the same software, cook the same, grease management is the same for all generations, and with the Stealth their hopper design addressed the pellet feed problem. Don't take this as me trivializing the changes. I put good money into a 14" deep top cooking grate and Weber people in our Facebook apparently take us seriously because many of the changes our members wanted are now in the Sear +. I'll see if I can get one of our members to post a review.
 
Lew Newby said:
I have a too much time to read and think. I'm recovering from 5 days in the hospital with Pneumonia and that was bracketed by two outpatient heart procedures to combat the Afib. I feel like I'm on the mend and IMHO the only thing to review on the Sear + is the cooking grates changes, the side shelf, and the hooks to hang things on. It's a Stealth with structural changes that don't change the way it cooks but give the owner even more flexibility All generations run the same software, cook the same, grease management is the same for all generations, and with the Stealth their hopper design addressed the pellet feed problem. Don't take this as me trivializing the changes. I put good money into a 14" deep top cooking grate and Weber people in our Facebook apparently take us seriously because many of the changes our members wanted are now in the Sear +. I'll see if I can get one of our members to post a review.
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Lew,
Wow...very sorry for what you have been going through and pray that full recovery is at hand.

I think your summary pretty much says what there is to say. I guess I am hoping Weber is also upgrading more of the internals that seem to have been a letdown for owners who use their SmokeFire regularly.

It's all been said before, but by choosing an aggressive, new design Weber took on risks while most other pellet grill makers have just followed the basic setup laid out by Traeger years ago. The return on that risk has been both amazing results when everything is working and problems with everything from user errors to components not up to the stress using a pellet smoker as a searing grill brings. In spite of a disturbing number of negative comments from some users, the great cooks we have seen here keep me in the camp of wishing I could afford to buy a new SmokeFire.
 
Jon Tofte said:
Lew,
Wow...very sorry for what you have been going through and pray that full recovery is at hand.

s working and problems with everything from user errors to components not up to the stress using a pellet smoker as a searing grill brings. In spite of a disturbing number of negative comments from some users, the great cooks we have seen here keep me in the camp of wishing I could afford to buy a new SmokeFire.
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LMichaels said:
Can't comment on the Smokefire, but sure hope you're doing better Lew!
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Last night I had my first full nights sleep in 5 weeks. I feel like I'm turning the corner but I have a ways to go. Now I'm just dealing with Pneumonia recovery and I look forward to getting off Oxygen. Our kids and grandkids are doing a good job of picking up my slack. Life is good, God is good.
 
Glad to hear you're feeling better Lew. Know that feeling, well I spent five days in the hospital a few weeks ago and had a full blood transfusion for a reaction to an antibiotic that didn't want to play nice with my Warfarin. My INR hit 8.4... not good! Normal is 2.2-2.4. Slowly getting back to normal kind of. Nice to hear your family is helping out.
 
Rich Dahl said:
Glad to hear you're feeling better Lew. Know that feeling, well I spent five days in the hospital a few weeks ago and had a full blood transfusion for a reaction to an antibiotic that didn't want to play nice with my Warfarin. My INR hit 8.4... not good! Normal is 2.2-2.4. Slowly getting back to normal kind of. Nice to hear your family is helping out.
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Hang in there Rich.
 
Lew Newby said:
I have a too much time to read and think. I'm recovering from 5 days in the hospital with Pneumonia and that was bracketed by two outpatient heart procedures to combat the Afib. I feel like I'm on the mend and IMHO the only thing to review on the Sear + is the cooking grates changes, the side shelf, and the hooks to hang things on. It's a Stealth with structural changes that don't change the way it cooks but give the owner even more flexibility All generations run the same software, cook the same, grease management is the same for all generations, and with the Stealth their hopper design addressed the pellet feed problem. Don't take this as me trivializing the changes. I put good money into a 14" deep top cooking grate and Weber people in our Facebook apparently take us seriously because many of the changes our members wanted are now in the Sear +. I'll see if I can get one of our members to post a review.
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Damn Lew…
Stop thinking about yourself and get your *** moving…we expect MANY more years of Smokefire reviews and tips from you!
All the best wishes to you and your famity.
 
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