Relaxed grilling with a touch of smoke
Thomas Eriksson-Fröhlich testing the pellet grills from Moesta, Weber and Traeger / Photography Jenny Eriksson
FIRE&FOOD pellet grill and smoker comparison by Thomas Eriksson-Fröhlich: They are called pellet grills or pellet smokers and in recent years they have become a real alternative to charcoal and gas grills. After some turbulence, some manufacturers have been able to establish themselves in this market niche. I have confronted three devices from the manufacturers Traeger, Weber and Moesta with the harsh climatic conditions of my Swedish homeland. My experiences should be a helpful decision-making aid for anyone who is thinking about adding a pellet grill or smoker to their own grill equipment.
Pellet grills and smokers are now available in all sizes. The devices cover their energy requirements with special wood pellets suitable for grilling, which are pressed together from pure and untreated sawdust under high pressure and heat. In contrast to pellets for heating systems, they are not made from a wide variety of wood waste, as this can be harmful to health and therefore would not be suitable for grilling. During the pellet manufacturing process, so-called lignins are released, i.e. solid substances that are stored in the plant cell wall and are responsible for the lignification of a plant cell. It is a natural binding agent for the pellets, which also ensures the shiny surface. The pellets are made from different types of wood, such as beech, oak or fruit wood, so that different wood aromas can be used. Grilling with a pellet grill or smoker is very straightforward, as you can grill for several hours with one pellet filling and you don't have to worry about refilling even if you grill or smoke for longer periods. The ignition is done at the push of a button - but this requires a power connection. So once the plug is in the socket and the pellet container, which is usually next to the cooking chamber, is full, you can start. In this test, I was able to see just how straightforward grilling and barbecuing with a pellet grill really is.
The Moesta Sheriff
The Moesta Sheriff is a pellet smoker with an unusually wide temperature range from 75 °C to 310 °C, plus a 70 °C warm-up phase. The design and controls also set it apart from other pellet grills. Another advantage is the large pellet box with a capacity of 10 kilograms, which is particularly useful for long jobs. When working with the grill, you can clearly feel that the Sheriff was developed with practical experience and in collaboration with BBQers and grillers.
The structure
The assembly steps are very well described and all the necessary tools are included in good quality. If you follow the description and labeling of the components, the Moesta Sheriff can be assembled in around 1 ½ hours. The tubular frame design is very stable and also makes driving/moving the grill very easy. The cooking chamber is double-walled and lined with stainless steel sheets on the inside, which ensures very good insulation. The grill body and the frame parts are painted with a special rust-proof paint that matches the design very well with the matt gray and black. A stainless steel shelf under the grill is already integrated, and a bamboo shelf in front of the cooking chamber is also included at no extra charge.
Operational
The pellet smoker heats up quickly and reaches a low & slow temperature of 110 °C after just 10 minutes. Thanks to the good cooking chamber insulation in combination with the lid seal, the Sheriff uses pellets very economically. I operated it for a long job (pulled pork and beef brisket) at 125 °C with a 5 kilogram filling; after about 11 hours, there was still about 1 kilogram of pellets left. In my experience, this means a saving of 30 to 45 percent compared to other manufacturers in the same temperature range.
In a test with a fully filled pellet box (10 kg pellets), I was able to operate the grill at an outside temperature of 8 °C for 23 ½ hours with a constant grill temperature of 110 °C. In summer, longer operating times are certainly possible. So you don't have to worry about having to refill pellets for long jobs. And if the pellets do run out, the integrated warning system gives an acoustic signal. If you are not there, the grill automatically goes into safe shutdown mode, preventing it from running dry. If you want to change the pellets and use a different type of wood, the pellets can be easily removed through a flap on the pellet box.
The control
The control system is a proprietary development by Moesta. Temperatures from 75 °C to 310 °C can be set in 5 °C increments using the control knob (temperature wheel). If a temperature of over 60 °C is reached in the cooking chamber after switching on, the color of the control changes from blue to red. In addition to the smoke mode, the Sheriff offers a timer mode and a keep-warm mode, which automatically reduces the temperature after the preset core temperature or timer is reached and keeps the food warm at 70 °C. The extra smoke mode for more smoky flavor is controlled by a timer. This resets the temperature to 70 °C for the selected time and thus produces more smoke - after that it returns to the preselected temperature range.
The Sheriff effortlessly reaches high temperatures for baking or grilling steaks. What sets the grill apart from some other pellet grills or smokers is the achievable peak temperature of 310 °C. From a temperature of 240 °C, the manufacturer recommends using beechwood pellets. This has proven itself in the test, as they have a higher calorific value and produce less ash. Safe shutdown is also ensured in the event of any pellets burning back; the emergency program is automatically switched to safe shutdown mode by holding the temperature wheel for 10 seconds. This also happens in the event of a power failure with the help of the two batteries (supplied), which ensure a safe shutdown in this case.
Striking is the pellet chute behind the cooking chamber
Grill zone of the Weber SmokeFire EX 4
The Weber SmokeFire EX 4
The Weber SmokeFire EX4 is more of a grill than a smoker - or a smoker that favors grilling. This is clearly evident from the temperature range of 125 °C to 315 °C. No matter how you look at it, the SmokeFire is definitely a good alternative to a gas grill, and the pellet operation also gives the grilled food a pleasant smoky aroma.
The structure
Here too, the ToDo is very well described - as is usual with Weber - and was completed in just under an hour. The grill has an enamel coating and the shelves are made of stainless steel. It looks and is very stable and high quality and has a different design to all competitors. The pellet container is attached behind and not to the side of the cooking chamber. There are stainless steel grates on two levels, the bottom measuring 61 cm x 46 cm and the top measuring 61 cm x 25 cm. The lower grate is designed for the Werber Gourmet BBQ System (GBS), which means that you can use all components of the system, such as the cast iron grate, wok, Dutch oven, poultry holder, pizza stone, grill plate and much more. Starting this year, Weber has included the option of adding a fold-down front table made of stainless steel to its range. Another difference to its competitors is the glow plug that ignites the pellets. It is a wearing part and must be inserted by the customer before first use. This way you learn directly how to change it if it becomes necessary. But it is easy to handle and poses absolutely no problem. Weber states that up to 100 ignitions are possible, but practice has shown that the glow plug lasts much longer - 200 ignitions and more are possible.
Operational
Before lighting and burning in the SmokeFire for the first time, a software update must be carried out. To do this, connect the grill to your cell phone; the update takes around 25 minutes. Then connect to WiFi and use the Weber Connect app. The app makes operation easier; recipes can be used that explain step by step what to do. The app also sends messages as soon as an action has been completed or needs to be carried out, for example when the target temperatures are reached or the meat needs to be turned, and much more.
When first lit, the grill reached a temperature of 125 °C in 9 minutes; it took about 20 minutes to reach the maximum temperature of 315 °C at an outside temperature of 10 °C.
The conveyor screw that transports the pellets into the burner is also different from other pellet smokers. It is short and transports the pellets upwards, from where they fall onto a sheet and then slide down into the burner. This technology almost eliminates the possibility of the pellets burning back. The pellet container holds almost 10 kilograms of pellets; if these are running low, an acoustic signal warns as soon as there is only 1 kilogram of pellets left in the box.
The control
Grilling steaks, chicken wings, sausages and other typical grilled meat works excellently thanks to the high grill temperatures that can be achieved. With the Weber Gourmet BBQ System, for example, you can grill the perfect steak on the cast iron grill. The low & slow range also works very well. Whether pulled pork, brisket or spare ribs, I have achieved very good results with everything. Above all, I was impressed by the balanced
The smoke flavor, the color of the finished grilled food, and the smoke ring are impressive. The SmokeFire also has a function that produces extra smoke and, depending on your taste, gives the grilled food an even stronger smoky flavor. I tried this out with the spare ribs and got great results; the flavor, color, and smoke ring were perfect. As with other grills, you should use a drip tray for heavily dripping, fatty meat, as it could otherwise lead to a grease fire. The Weber pellet grill is equipped with Flavorizer Bars, as is known from the manufacturer's gas grills. This means that it does not have a grease collector or deflector plate to drain the fat and distribute the heat. The heat is distributed via the Flavorizer Bars, and the fat runs into a collecting container under the pellet pot or burner, from where it can be easily disposed of via a drawer, as can the ash.
The Traeger Pellet Grill Pro D2 575
The PRO series represents the entry-level category of Traeger grills, so the 575 is the small version of the basic model, but equipped with the Pro D2 / Wifi technology, which is also used in Traeger's elite model, the Timberline.
The structure
You can see that well-known manufacturers place value on good instructions, as Traeger also describes the assembly in a way that is easy to understand. Apart from the handles, legs and chimney, everything is pre-assembled; it took me 50 minutes to assemble. All tools are included and everything was easy to handle. The construction of the 575 is very stable and sturdy and the look is very nice and high quality. This pellet grill is equipped with 2 grates on 2 levels, the lower grate has a grill area of 56 cm x 48 cm, and the top has another 56 cm x 18 cm. There is a core temperature sensor and the usual Traeger set up with a deflector or drip tray, which distributes the temperature evenly and directs the dripping fat into the grease bucket. The pellets are easy to remove via a flap on the back.
Operational
The Traeger 575 has a temperature range of 74 °C to 232 °C. To season it, I filled the smoker with pellets. The pellet container holds 8 kilograms of pellets. I then heated the smoker to 230 °C. A temperature of 220 °C was reached after about 20 minutes at an outside temperature of 12 °C. After the seasoning phase, I tested various temperature ranges. What was particularly positive here was that the D2 control and the Turbotemp function heat up very quickly. This also has a very positive effect when the lid is open for a longer period of time, for example when you turn or glaze the food. As soon as the lid is closed again, the set temperature is quickly adjusted again. In general, the temperature in the Traeger 575 is regulated stably and independently of the outside temperature, as it is measured every second by the D2 technology. The advantage of this is that even if the weather changes, you don't have to worry about temperature fluctuations in the cooking chamber, which leads to better barbecue results.
The control
The Traeger Wifi app allows you to monitor and control the smoker from anywhere, so you can control the core temperature and increase or decrease the cooking chamber temperature. When you reach the target temperature, you can also use the app to activate the keep-warm function for the food so that it doesn't continue cooking but instead maintains the temperature. The app also offers step-by-step recipes with ingredient lists, instructions and videos, so you can control what's happening in the pellet grill from anywhere. Anywhere. I particularly like the fact that the app asks about allergies and intolerances when you create your account. This is a valuable support.
Picture above: Opened pellet chute
Picture below: Clear and easily accessible combustion chamber
Conclusion from Thomas:
Conclusion about the Sheriff:
The Sheriff covers all temperature ranges very well. The heat is well distributed by the deflector plate and there are no significant hotspots. The dripping fat is drained into a bucket. From low & slow to hot & fast, everything is possible here. This means you can have the perfect barbecue, grill steak or chicken, bake bread and much more with just one device. The grill area below is 65 cm x 45 cm and the top 65 cm x 25 cm, the upper grill area can be extended with an extra grate (65 cm x 25 cm). Without an extension, however, 8 to 10 pork necks can fit on the grates. If you can do without WiFi and an app, the Sheriff from Moesta is the perfect choice - with a very good price/performance ratio."
Price: from 1499.99 euros
www.moesta-bbq.com
Rating for the Weber SmokeFire:
All in all, the Weber SmokeFire EX 4 is a very good pellet grill. It's fun to work with, especially because it offers more options than other pellet grills or smokers, and you can still make the typical low & slow barbecue dishes. The app is constantly updated and it's easy to follow the recipes. It's clear that the future of BBQ smokers and grills will be digital."
Price: from 1460 euros
www.weber.com
Opinion on the Traeger Pro D 2 575:
The 575 is a pellet smoker in the Traeger tradition, but you can grill at temperatures above 150 °C. At 230 °C, I was able to get delicious roasted aromas on the grilled food during testing. The low & slow range works perfectly, and the Turbotemp and D2 technology are a great help, as the temperatures only fluctuate very slightly due to the control of the fan and the pellet feed. This means you can easily smoke brisket, pulled pork, etc. with a fine smoky note, perfect color, and real BBQ flavor. The entire operation of the 575 is easy to handle, it's fun to work with the app, and if you want to discover pellet grilling for yourself and don't want to do without the app and WiFi, the Traeger 575 model is the perfect choice."
Price: from 949 euros
www.traegergrills.com
