Weber SmokeFire

[kbraker]

I haven't seen any posts on these . Do people here own them? I had a friend give me a first gen when he moved. It's ok, kinda designed not very well but it does have some good features and gets to and hold temp super well.


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[michaelmilitello]

I haven't seen any posts on these . Do people here own them? I had a friend give me a first gen when he moved. It's ok, kinda designed not very well but it does have some good features and gets to and hold temp super well.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club

I don't own one.   First generation had many, many issues made worse by atypically bad service during the pandemic.   I did look into them but decided against.  If you do greasy low and slows, use drip pans.   Also, make sure yours has the modified pellet hopper.   The original models hopper design was prone to pellet bridging. 


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[MoparProud]

I have one and absolutely LOVE it. Best overall cooker I've ever used.

The "issues" are almost entirely overblown, and yes I held off a good year to watch. Finally pulled the trigger figuring I would use it here and there; nope. It's my go-to during the week, while my kettles are primarily reserved for occasions or bigger cooks. And the Smokefire is usually involved in those in some fashion.

Here's what I like about it: convenient, large capacity, flavor is amazing while being short of charcoal, convenient, easy to use (my 9 year old uses it...she also had an 18" kettle so there's that), stylish, issue free and convenient. It's also fun to try all the different pellet blends that are out there.

As far as issues. I have had it flame out. It just won't fire, dumps a bunch of pellets and you're dead in the water. I've also caught it on fire (a REAL fire, not these so-called 'grease fires' that are nothing more than a typical flare up that every gas or charcoal grill does as well...) and it still keeps chugging along. That's it. All the internet fixes, like removing the finger guard in the hopper, and slick tape inside the hopper, and drip pans etc I refuse to use out of principle. Folks say to keep them clean clean clean and I went literally 8-9 months without cleaning it, using majority 5 times a week, to see, and then had an issue. It is rock solid and not bad in design or functionality.

What I don't like: I have a love/hate relationship with the hopper. Stylistically I absolutely love it being tucked in behind, but using can be an issue, primarily during a cook but also present when idle. You have to reach over the top or to the side. Which, ok, but losing pellets during dumping does kind of suck. I typically go through an entire winter before cleaning them and by then they are engorged in moisture and fallen apart. Still a significant loss. That's it.

Again, love the thing. So much that I'm looking at adding the EX4 for some smaller cooks. But then I've heard a possibility that Weber has a new pellet in the pipeline, which I'm intrigued by. I hope they don't ruin what makes Smokefire unique.


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[dwnthehatch]

I have one. Gen1 converted to gen2 via Weber warranty. I use it very little but have never been disappointed.