Weber Smokefire - My Perspective

[Lew Newby]

LMichaels included this statement in one of his posts. "I have been seeing some SF being posted at fairly aggressive prices. And, I have to say I like the design for accessibility." I think it's worth exploring pros and cons of buying a used Smokefire. I picked up a used Gen 1 EX4 in January, BUT, I already had 19 months experience with my EX6. The biggest pro is that you save money. A con is that it probably has been registered with Weber so you have no warranty. That was my EX4. Pro - Easy to maintain. Con - parts break just like any pellet grill. Pro - Excellent pellet capacity. Con - Lousy hopper design BUT if you remove the finger guard and make the hopper interior slicker with a slick wax then you greatly diminish flameout probability. This statement includes the redesigned Stealth pellet hopper. Make it slicker. Con - cheap casters. I spent 35 bucks for replacement 5" diameter casters. Pro - PID controller. Con - the controller is not designed to maintain temp at plus or minus 5° from set temp. I've seen a lot of complaints about temp control and it was because of unrealistic expectations and lack of knowledge about a PID controller. 5 years ago I was one of the complainers on a pellet grill forum. That's a start on pros and cons.

What I think I've seen in the 2 years I've been in the Facebook group is that about 10% of owners have trouble free grills, 10% have constant trouble, and 80% are like me. My grill is largely dependable but there are time when it has glitches. I suspect that is due, in large part, to the software but I don't know for sure.
Now, should you buy a Smokefire. NO., unless you are willing to spend the time to learn the grill, be willing to make a few simple mods to overcome design flaws, and accept the fact that it's a mid range mass produced machine and things break. If you think you can buy one, throw it together, turn it on, and magically get fed then the Smokefire is not your kind of grill.

 

[John K BBQ]

Well said Lew. I'm not in the market for one of these but this is solid advice for anyone who is.

 

[LMichaels]

Yeah right now it's in the "I'm thinking stage", and then there is that new siren calling me Char Griller Akorn Auto Temp. Hmmmmm

 

[JimK]

If you think you can buy one, throw it together, turn it on, and magically get fed then the Smokefire is not your kind of grill.

I would say if you're thinking that, then the nearest restaurant probably has your kind of grill. No tool is perfect. But if you're getting 80% worry free dependability from a tool that's only been out for a short time, I'd say you're doing pretty well. My Genesis, WSM and Performer aren't perfect either, but I'm thrilled to have them over other options.

 

[Darian Hofer]

Nice post.
I have trouble, with the high cost of the Smokefire, calling it a mid-range grill. But I definitely agree with the mass produced machine. In general, the Smokefire is on the higher end of most backyard pellet smokers.

 

[Darian Hofer]

I would say if you're thinking that, then the nearest restaurant probably has your kind of grill. No tool is perfect. But if you're getting 80% worry free dependability from a tool that's only been out for a short time, I'd say you're doing pretty well. My Genesis, WSM and Performer aren't perfect either, but I'm thrilled to have them over other options.

How many times has your Genesis, WSM and Performer had a software or mechanical problem that stopped your cook?
I don’t think your comparison is valid. And a 20% failure rate is still a failure. Doesn’t matter if it’s only been out a couple years. Just tells us it was rushed to market. Even the box stores kicked it out and blew it off the shelves at over 50% off. This means there are definitely better options on the market for the money and reliability for most buyers.

 

[Bruno]

Love my SmokeFire, once I got the welded auger it’s been a pretty impressive machine. I know it certainly puts an amazing smoke ring on my food, yes I know it’s useless but it’s cool.
Going to do a couple butts soon, looking forward to it.

 

[Bradley Mack]

Great post. Every time I step foot in the local BBQ shop, I walk by the floor model EX4/6 and think “I want to…but…”

Is it feasible to think that Weber is hopefully in the lab with some form of update or re-design in the works, or are they just going to let the smokefire fizzle out and hope that consumers forget that it even happened? The pellet grill market is too big of a market to ignore, I feel.

Can we assume they’re going to do something… anything at this point?

 

[Bruno]

Great post. Every time I step foot in the local BBQ shop, I walk by the floor model EX4/6 and think “I want to…but…”

Is it feasible to think that Weber is hopefully in the lab with some form of update or re-design in the works, or are they just going to let the smokefire fizzle out and hope that consumers forget that it even happened? The pellet grill market is too big of a market to ignore, I feel.

Can we assume they’re going to do something… anything at this point?

They have some great ideas in store. They know what needs to be better. The SmokeFire is not going away.

 

[Bradley Mack]

They have some great ideas in store. They know what needs to be better. The SmokeFire is not going away.

I really hope so as well. I’m a loyalist. I can’t bring myself to buy a different brand of grill. I want a Weber on my deck.

 

[Bruno]

I really hope so as well. I’m a loyalist. I can’t bring myself to buy a different brand of grill. I want a Weber on my deck.

I’ve seen some promising ideas they have but we aren’t allowed to share them.

 

[Lew Newby]

Nice post.
I have trouble, with the high cost of the Smokefire, calling it a mid-range grill. But I definitely agree with the mass produced machine. In general, the Smokefire is on the higher end of most backyard pellet smokers.

Mak and Pits and Spits are high end, semi custom, and 100% made in the USA. They're also 2 to 3 times as much as mid range. Mid range includes Weber, Camp Chef, Recteq, Traeger and others with prices from about $600 to about $1500. Members Mark, ZGrill, and others are low end. I had trouble with the cost of the Smokefire when I bought my EX6. Mid range is more expensive than they were just 2 years ago but they're still not high end and the economy is what it is.

 

[Lew Newby]

Great post. Every time I step foot in the local BBQ shop, I walk by the floor model EX4/6 and think “I want to…but…”

Is it feasible to think that Weber is hopefully in the lab with some form of update or re-design in the works, or are they just going to let the smokefire fizzle out and hope that consumers forget that it even happened? The pellet grill market is too big of a market to ignore, I feel.

Can we assume they’re going to do something… anything at this point?

I don't have an in with Weber so I don't have any inside info. Remember, it's only been 4 months since they introduced the Stealth so I find it hard to believe that they will let the Smokefire fizzle out. The Stealth has a number of improvements: Insulated handle, interior light, redesigned pellet feed, redesigned glow plug harness, improved cooking grates, improved casters, and a redesigned pellet hopper. I consider the all black look to be a marketing gimmick as it contributes nothing to improved operation. The Stealth is a move in the right direction but the hopper redesign is a marginal improvement and reports I've read say that it hasn't eliminated pellet bridging in the EPX6. This is my gut feel - New and improved Smokefire by Christmas 2023. I have no idea what it will be. One important fact: every year and model Smokefire runs the same software and the software sure needs continued improvement..

 

[Bruno]

I don't have an in with Weber so I don't have any inside info. Remember, it's only been 4 months since they introduced the Stealth so I find it hard to believe that they will let the Smokefire fizzle out. The Stealth has a number of improvements: Insulated handle, interior light, redesigned pellet feed, redesigned glow plug harness, improved cooking grates, improved casters, and a redesigned pellet hopper. I consider the all black look to be a marketing gimmick as it contributes nothing to improved operation. The Stealth is a move in the right direction but the hopper redesign is a marginal improvement and reports I've read say that it hasn't eliminated pellet bridging in the EPX6. This is my gut feel - New and improved Smokefire by Christmas 2023. I have no idea what it will be. One important fact: every year and model Smokefire runs the same software and the software sure needs continued improvement..

Christmas 2023 sounds about right to me. They got the SF Gen 1 out early to take advantage of that.

 

[Bradley Mack]

I don't have an in with Weber so I don't have any inside info. Remember, it's only been 4 months since they introduced the Stealth so I find it hard to believe that they will let the Smokefire fizzle out. The Stealth has a number of improvements: Insulated handle, interior light, redesigned pellet feed, redesigned glow plug harness, improved cooking grates, improved casters, and a redesigned pellet hopper. I consider the all black look to be a marketing gimmick as it contributes nothing to improved operation. The Stealth is a move in the right direction but the hopper redesign is a marginal improvement and reports I've read say that it hasn't eliminated pellet bridging in the EPX6. This is my gut feel - New and improved Smokefire by Christmas 2023. I have no idea what it will be. One important fact: every year and model Smokefire runs the same software and the software sure needs continued improvement..

I agree with your sentiment 100% regarding the stealth. Like many, I was hopeful and intrigued with the chatter. When it was finally released, I was glad to see some minor improvements, but nothing worth writing home about. I’ve waited this long, and am content with my Genesis, E6 and 18.5… I’ll just keep waiting to see what happens in the next year or so.

 

[Darian Hofer]

Mak and Pits and Spits are high end, semi custom, and 100% made in the USA. They're also 2 to 3 times as much as mid range. Mid range includes Weber, Camp Chef, Recteq, Traeger and others with prices from about $600 to about $1500. Members Mark, ZGrill, and others are low end. I had trouble with the cost of the Smokefire when I bought my EX6. Mid range is more expensive than they were just 2 years ago but they're still not high end and the economy is what it is.

I get it. But I have always considered the Mak and Pits and Spits as the luxury category like Rolls Royce.
Companies like Pitt Boss and others make fantastic, full feature smokes at $500-$600-$700. $1400-$1500, for the Smokefire, to me, still seems like a high end range for the majority of us backyard cookers. But you’re right, prices have really jumped over the last couple years.

 

[Lew Newby]

I get it. But I have always considered the Mak and Pits and Spits as the luxury category like Rolls Royce.
Companies like Pitt Boss and others make fantastic, full feature smokes at $500-$600-$700. $1400-$1500, for the Smokefire, to me, still seems like a high end range for the majority of us backyard cookers. But you’re right, prices have really jumped over the last couple years.

I'm a big Camp Chef fan and Rich Dahl has a great grill that he got for about $500. I had one of those and they're great. Christmas last year my 32 year old grandson visited us and cooked on my Smokefire. He lives in a townhouse and normally cooks for 2. The Smokefire was bigger than he needs and way more than he could afford. When he got back to Colorado, he sent me a link to a small Pit Boss to use on his balcony and asked for my opinion. I think it cost him about $300 and I encouraged him to get it.. I just like the new design cooking chamber of the Smokefire and it replaced my Camp Chef. There are many good pellet grills. They all have pros and cons.

 

[LMichaels]

I get the point Lew. My thing is I would know the foibles and IF not WHEN I do attempt to acquire one it would be knowing full well what I could be in for. I would be approaching it much like I did the MM purchase. "Experimentally" (notice the word "mentally" is in there), and given our hobbies I would say with good reason
Now for sure an EX6 would be FAR too big for me to play with. Even if it worked 100% I have no need for something that big. Witness my Wolf which sits under a cover and is rarely used. Heck, with the ability to roast so nicely on the pellet grill (thanks to the fan), even rotisserie may become a rare thing now. Doing that chicken I did on it, gave me results so nice if you told me it was spun I would have believed it!
Anyway, my thoughts were if I could find one (an EX4) inexpensively enough, it might be worth my time to play with. Then again, IDK.
I didn't mean to start anything controversial. I was just thinking out loud to a bunch of fellow enablers.

 

[Rich Dahl]

Funny Lew brought up my Camp Chef, because yesterday I fired it up to do a rack of St Louis cut ribs, I found lurking in the freezer.
No drama, no hassles just set it and forget it. No WiFi. no updates just hook up the Thermoworks smoke, set a timer and go do other things.
It ain't fancy but it's as reliable as a brick, its done hundreds of faultless cooks. 2 1/2 hours at 250, one hour wrapped in foil with a little apple juice and brown sugar and 10 minuets out of the foil to set the sauce and dinner was served.
It's not that I wouldn't like to have a SmokeFire, but at my age and physical limitations I just don't need the hassles that could happen.

 

[Bob Bailey]

Funny Lew brought up my Camp Chef, because yesterday I fired it up to do a rack of St Louis cut ribs, I found lurking in the freezer.
No drama, no hassles just set it and forget it. No WiFi. no updates just hook up the Thermoworks smoke, set a timer and go do other things.
It ain't fancy but it's as reliable as a brick, its done hundreds of faultless cooks. 2 1/2 hours at 250, one hour wrapped in foil with a little apple juice and brown sugar and 10 minuets out of the foil to set the sauce and dinner was served.
It's not that I wouldn't like to have a SmokeFire, but at my age and physical limitations I just don't need the hassles that could happen.

That's how I feel about my older no frills Traeger. It does the job and always has. Bells and whistles don't impress me. Simplicity and dependability do.