FEC 500/750 versus the SMK200

FWIW....Talked to a friend awhile ago that told me the tambor door on the traeger is really hard to clean because it rolls up on itself. He told me you can't get to the back side of it unless you climb inside the smoker and pull the door down.
Disclaimer..... I have no experience with this unit myself, so i'm mearly going on what someone else told me.

Good to know...thanks Brad!

If I were you I would contact some smk200 users and ask them how they use it and how much fuel it uses. The 500 uses 2# an hour at 250 degrees and the 750 is 3# an hour. When cooking large volumes on a large stationary unit reaching to the back of the shelves is a problem to load and unload. The rotisserie cooks extremely even compared to the smk200. Wind and wether hardly affects the FEC because it's so well insulated. That aluminum door on the Traeger looses heat fast! If your going to use it where you will be inspected by a health dept you'll probably need to be NSF approved like the FEC is. Just a few more things to think about. There are more and if you would like to talk to me just contact Cookshack.

Hi.

Just have to say I love our FEC. Our Inspectors were very impressed too. We have the 100 , but it sure is a great unit.

Fast Eddy has also been top notch when we have had questions.

Just a little testimonial.

Kate

I looked at the whole Traeger line before I found CS. As you mention the price for the SMK200 is about half of what you would pay for a FEC. (Traeger also used to have another price below their published wholesale price.)

The Traeger units are just steel boxes, with that roll up door so are bound to use more pellets, but you can buy a whole lot of pellets for $5-6 G's.

The guy I talked most too outside of Traeger ran a Q-trailer down the road a piece from the Traeger plant and was some sort of shirt tail relation.

He said that the rotisserie lack really was not a problem, but something you had to be aware of. He used some of our high quality stove pellets for his fuel source and said that you could not tell the difference in the product. Whether that was because of the pellets or the quality of the Traeger smoker box (or him), I do not know. I couldn't taste the difference either, but then the NW is not Q-Mecca. Anyway said he used less than a $4 bag of pellets per day.

Personally I think the biggest problem is with the Traeger pellet feed-firebox, but that goes for both the FEC and the SMK200. That is also about R&D not making Q.

In my dream restaurant, I would use both CS-FEC for my smokers, but I would serious consider using a Traeger SMK150 as a finishing grill, probably mostly to keep with the all wood marketing concept. That is sort of the way that Traeger runs their restaurant in Mt. Angel. SMK200's on the back porch, and SMK150's under hood in the main kitchen.

On the road I would stick with CS-FEC and use them as my holding ovens like Jack and Peggy.

If you would like to talk to the old guy directly, send me and email, I think I can still find his card.

Well Jerry I can tell you about the 200. Because I have an all Stainless one that Traeger built. I have five Traegers. I like them for for diff reasons.I burn about 4# an hour I think because of the doors and the construction of the smoker. I can cook alot of meat on it. But the fit and finish if very poor compaired to the FE750 or the 500. IF I was you spend the money and go with the 750. It will save you just in pellet costs. This will be my next big pit down the road. Right now I use a FE100 and the 200 for my catering and comps.

good luck,

Craig
www.FireHouse-bbq.com

Craig,

I don't disagree with anything you had to say. I was just trying to give some pros and cons of both systems. The Traeger plant is just a big welding shop and you get what you pay for. Very little technology except a steel box and drive mechanism/controller. The only Traeger I would ever buy is like I said a SMK 150 and use it exclusively as a finishing grill.

Jerry I understand. I have never seen the 150 in person so I can not comment. I would like to cook on one though.


Craig

I bought an FE2000 (750) 2 years ago, and like it for many reasons. Among them include:

It holds the heat; Recovers fast if the doors are open a long time; cooks evenly, always starts; has good capacity; easy to clean with a 14B scoop shovel and powerwasher; can hit high heat fast for chicken; and wows everybody that sees it.

Someone told me they liked the Traeger with the roll up door, but I can't remember who or why.

Good luck! Roger

Thank you all for your help, I really appreciate it. You have given me some serious points to consider, which makes it a lot easier for me.

Here's something to consider...

The Cookshack FEC-500 and 750 are both NSF approved - the Traegers are not.

The Health Dept,likes things that are NSF approved if you're cooking food for sale.

Frank
www.roaringforkbbq.com