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Pellet grills are the thing nowadays. They cook consistently and are much less messy than charcoal cookers. All this popularity has caused manufacturers to flood the market with all kinds of models. It’s time we cull the herd.
We tested dozens of grills that claimed to be the champ. When the hickory smoke cleared, we were left with two. One is the best pellet grill on the market, and the other is the best for tailgating and tighter budgets. Which one is for you? Take a look at Rec Tec vs GMG Green Mountain pellet grills and make the decision.
REC TEC Grill RT-340 Trailblazer vs Green Mountain Grill Comparison
REC TEC Grill RT-340 Trailblazer Portable Wood Pellet Grill Review
Overview
The Trailblazer may be the best pellet grill smoker combo for you if you are in the market for a premium high-end all-in-one backyard cooker. You can do all kinds of cooking with its 200-500 degree temperature range.
It’s the king, there’s no doubt about it. Rec Tec spared no expense in the Trailblazer’s design and construction. That makes it expensive compared to all other pellet smoker grills, even though it’s actually one of Rec Tec’s cheapest.
What Customers Are Saying
Online reviews by people who use the Trailblazer are overwhelmingly positive. Grillers love that they can monitor and control the temperature via the smartphone app.
And those who cook big meals in it rave about how the dual cooking zones, each with its own temperature probe, let them cook two different cuts of meat to different temps at the same time. No one really likes moving it around, though. It feels like it’s going to tip.
Features
- This expensive pellet grill has some unique features that set it apart from Green Mountain Grills’ Davy Crockett grill smoker combo. This expensive pellet grill is made of 304 stainless steel.
- It’s among the toughest of all USA-made grills. That’s why they can offer that bumper-to-bumper two-year warranty. It can last for a lifetime.
- You’ll find two temperature probes, and you can monitor both of them from the app.
- It’s no problem if you need to slow-cook a roast on one side and a turkey on the other.
Benefits
- There’s also a lot of room for cooking. Out of the box, it has 340 square inches of the grate. That’s enough for three racks of ribs, eight steaks, or a couple of turkeys. You can add an optional extra cooking rack for an extra 200 inches or so of cooking space.
- Cleanup is easy, too. You just push a single button to enter cool-down and self-clean mode. All you’ll really have to do is brush the grates and interior. There’s no need for scraping.
- It holds its temperature better and cooks more evenly, whether smoking, slow cooking, grilling, searing, or baking.
Drawbacks
- The Trailblazer does have one flaw that will become apparent to you as soon as you put it together or try to move it. It’s top-heavy. You can roll it easily on its in-line wheels, but you’d better be careful.
- Then there’s the cost. It can be had for just over $600 when you find a good sale, but the base price hovers around $700.
The Bottom Line
Rec Tec’s Trailblazer is a high-tech and high-end smoker grill combo that can perform almost any type of cooking. It’s user-friendly and gives the backyard chef total control of the temperature. If you have the money to spend on it, it will last through many years with few problems.
View at REC-TECGreen Mountain Grills Davy Crockett WiFi Controlled Portable Wood Pellet Grill Review
Overview
This one is an awesome grill for tailgating. But it’s also good for anyone looking for the best pellet grill on a budget. It is compact, folds up easily, and can be had for about $310. That’s affordable enough to be a second grill just for camping or taking along wherever.
What Customers Are Saying
People really love this unit, both backyard chefs and campers. Everyone appreciates that assembly requires only Phillip’s head screwdriver and literally a few minutes.
And it’s not top-heavy like the Trailblazer. The main complaint we came across was the temperature controller issue. Aside from that, there are very few gripes to be found in online reviews.
Features
- Its legs fold up in just a few seconds, with no tools required.
- Once folded, it’ll fit into an average-sized trunk or hatch. The Trailblazer is a lot harder to fold, and it’s nowhere near as small.
- So the Trailblazer may be king of the backyard, but the Davy Crockett is the king of the campsite and stadium parking lot.
- This one is also WiFi-capable.
- You can control and adjust the temperature from 150 to 550 degrees via the free app or the digital keypad, just like with the Trailblazer. That’s a pretty unique feature, as far as portable grills go. Both of our favorites have it, but this is one of the very few decent portable models that can be controlled and monitored wirelessly.
Benefits
- All grills that use a fan to keep the pellets burning and circulate smoke require electricity. The Trailblazer plugs into a standard 110v outlet. So does the Davy Crockett, but here you also have the option of using a 12-volt DC receptacle. It only draws 60 watts, so you won’t really have to worry about running your vehicle’s battery dead.
- The Davy Crockett is also way cheaper.
Drawbacks
- Both of these sweet pellet grills are made of tough stainless steel and carry the same two-year warranty on parts and labor. This grill, even though it isn’t top-heavy like the Trailblazer, isn’t quite as solidly built. The steel is thinner, and the tolerances between parts joined by hardware aren’t as tight.
- Also, Green Mountain’s Davy Crockett offers less cooking space. That’s understandable, considering that it’s made to travel. It is an important consideration when you plan meals for larger groups, though.
- Another drawback, and a serious one, is the electronics that control the temperature. It usually works great, and you may not have a problem with it for years. But there have been some troubling reports of temp control failure. When this does happen, it can go either way. It may shoot up to the max temp of 550 and destroy your roast, or it may drop to the lowest temp of 150 degrees and stay there. This is a pretty rare problem, but it does happen. This is covered by the warranty, and Green Mountain has been very responsive to any warranty claims, but it can be an inconvenience if you do happen to get a faulty grill.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, this is an awesome pellet smoker grill combo that is affordable on almost any budget. It is the best choice for fugal chefs and outdoor folks. We really hope that Green Mountain fixes that electronics issue though.
View at AmazonThe Big Takeaway
We couldn’t pick just one. So we went with two. Maybe you’ve already made up your mind. And made a choice between Rec-Tec grills vs Green Mountain.
The Rec-Tec Trailblazer is the undisputed top-of-the-line champion of pellet grills. It is solidly constructed out of high-quality steel and will last a lifetime in your backyard. All those high-tech features are actually useful. The pro who wants the absolute best will be delighted with this marvel of grill engineering.
Green Mountain Grills Davy Crockett is also full of useful features. It has a meat probe and fan, just like the Trailblazer, but it’s meant for taking along with you wherever you want to cook. It’s great for tailgating, camping, and picnics.
