Pro 780 No smoke

[JPSBBQ]

The best smoke is barely detectable. People are so used to dirty smoke they have become accustomed to it. Is there a smoke ring? I’ll answer, yes.

 

[DJDDay]

The best smoke is barely detectable. People are so used to dirty smoke they have become accustomed to it. Is there a smoke ring? I’ll answer, yes.

I think this is where I'm at as well, at the end of the day. I've cooked on stick burners for so long (charcoal, lump charcoal, solid wood/sticks, you name it) that I just got "used to" that thick smoke. But whenever I watch popular YouTubers who are smoke pro's, all I see billowing out of their stick burners is usually a thick white smoke. I've come to appreciate the more subtle "kiss of smoke" that the Traeger (and other pellet smokers) seem to deliver.

 

[RustyJake]

I was used to my Komado for smoke flavor when I first got my Traeger. After a while, I cooked two briskets at the same time. One on each cooker.
Were there different smoke intensity? Yes. In the end the preferred flavor for almost everyone that tried it, including myself, was the Traeger.
Smoke, as well as seasoning become personal preference and it is difficult to please everyone. I think, my personal opinion, is that sometimes our expectations get in the way.
Thread 'Cooking 2 briskets' https://www.traegerforum.com/threads/cooking-2-briskets.1665/
End results
Post in thread 'Cooking 2 briskets' https://www.traegerforum.com/threads/cooking-2-briskets.1665/post-12304

If you buy a Cadillac, you won't get the speed and track experience you'd get from a Corvette. They are both cars and will get you from point A to point B. But they do it in different ways offering different experiences. But they both get the job done
The Traeger does give off smoke. Here's my IW650 at 350°F, no smoke tube.

 

[Slimpicker]

 

[Mimi]

I purchased a new Pro 780 and I’m very disappointed. No smoke “EVER”!!! The only time any smoke has came out of this grill was during the seasoning. I’ve tried every setting from 160 to 250 and not one puff of smoke. I set out on the patio yesterday for 8 hours doing a smoked rib recipe on the Traeger app. Nothing! Even the app says use the super smoke or smoke setting. Ha! The 780 doesn’t have these settings. I feel like I threw a $1000 dollars in the trash. Funny thing is that the cheaper models around $700 have a smoke setting and the more expensive $1500 to $2000 Models have super smoke but if you spend $1000, nope, you’re out of luck.

Same here! I bought the 780 and never get smoke. Disappointing!

 

[Harleydude]

Same here. I got the Pro 780 about 8 days ago and have cooked 2 chickens, one port butt, and a beef roast. All less than 225 degrees for hours, not wrapped. Zero smoke and zero smoke flavor. Now I am hearing I need to bring it back and spend more money to buy one with a super smoker mode. That is comical. Don't fix your $$$1000 dollar product. Make the customer buy an EVEN more expensive model.

 

[CMTiger]

Same here. I got the Pro 780 about 8 days ago and have cooked 2 chickens, one port butt, and a beef roast. All less than 225 degrees for hours, not wrapped. Zero smoke and zero smoke flavor. Now I am hearing I need to bring it back and spend more money to buy one with a super smoker mode. That is comical. Don't fix your $$$1000 dollar product. Make the customer buy an EVEN more expensive model.

Just go buy a $10-$15 smoke tube.

 

[Harleydude]

Just go buy a $10-$15 smoke tube.

Well maybe your ok with that, but to me and from what I read, others as well, that defeats the point in buying a 1K smoker like the Treager Pro 780. Why hasn't Traeger come up with a super smoker mode for the Pro 780. I think we paid enough for it to work.

 

[Mimi]

It is there but thinner that you imagine. You only have to see a brisket with the red line around the outside to see that it works. If the taste is not sufficient then i suggest you get a smoke tube which you fill with pellets, light it and put it in the Traeger, then you will see smoke.

But didn’t we buy a “smoker” when we paid $1000 for this? It should blow/add the smoke. I shouldn’t have to buy something else to cause it to smoke. Makes no sense.

 

[Mimi]

Well maybe your ok with that, but to me and from what I read, others as well, that defeats the point in buying a 1K smoker like the Treager Pro 780. Why hasn't Traeger come up with a super smoker mode for the Pro 780. I think we paid enough for it to work.

I was told at my local Traeger store that the “super smoke” feature really doesn’t add any extra. I too am disappointed in the no smoke of mine:

 

[Mimi]

Thanks for the info

So for a few bucks MORE…really? I think paying $1k for a “smoker” it should smoke.

 

[CMTiger]

But didn’t we buy a “smoker” when we paid $1000 for this? It should blow/add the smoke. I shouldn’t have to buy something else to cause it to smoke. Makes no sense.

Maybe a bit more research prior to spending $1k would’ve been a good idea?

 

[Murphy's Law]

So for a few bucks MORE…really? I think paying $1k for a “smoker” it should smoke.

If you want smoke you'll need to buy a stick burner (off set) or something like a Big Green Egg where you can burn wood chunks on top of the charcoal. Traeger, like other pellet grills, is only going to do so much in the way of smoke. It's not the brand you're fighting but rather the method (pellets).

And to be completely honest, you already spent $1K so is another $12 on Amazon going to break you? You'll need to buy accessories for any grill and a smoke tube is just that - a (very) inexpensive accessory. I have a smoke tube and don't really use it because I'm not chasing smoke but that said, it's still probably the cheapest thing I've bought for my P780! Heck, if you buy Traeger foil liners you'll spend more on those!

 

[Harleydude]

If you want smoke you'll need to buy a stick burner (off set) or something like a Big Green Egg where you can burn wood chunks on top of the charcoal. Traeger, like other pellet grills, is only going to do so much in the way of smoke. It's not the brand you're fighting but rather the method (pellets).

And to be completely honest, you already spent $1K so is another $12 on Amazon going to break you? You'll need to buy accessories for any grill and a smoke tube is just that - a (very) inexpensive accessory. I have a smoke tube and don't really use it because I'm not chasing smoke but that said, it's still probably the cheapest thing I've bought for my P780! Heck, if you buy Traeger foil liners you'll spend more on those!

You kind of nail my issue on the head. This whole Traeger ordeal has but nothing but a hyped-up money spending fiasco. I am already in this for way more than the 1k. I've bought the shelf, grill tools, liners, probes ect. I am well 1500 into this. I could have bought 2 nice webers by now, knowing I didn't not indeed buy a smoker, which apparently I didn't buy according to all you. You all should also keep in mind, the material a Traeger is made of is like "tin" compared to the composition of a weber. So did I buy a smoker or not? Again, apparently not. The smoker feature is on Amazon for 12 bucks.

 

[CMTiger]

You kind of nail my issue on the head. This whole Traeger ordeal has but nothing but a hyped-up money spending fiasco. I am already in this for way more than the 1k. I've bought the shelf, grill tools, liners, probes ect. I am well 1500 into this. I could have bought 2 nice webers by now, knowing I didn't not indeed buy a smoker, which apparently I didn't buy according to all you. You all should also keep in mind, the material a Traeger is made of is like "tin" compared to the composition of a weber. So did I buy a smoker or not? Again, apparently not. The smoker feature is on Amazon for 12 bucks.

You bought what you bought. It's a very flexible tool for outdoor cooking. You can cook a variety of different things on it. You can truly set it and forget it. You can control it form anywhere in the world. What you didn't buy is a stick burner so you aren't going to get a stick burner taste/result.
It's as simple as that. Hate you aren't enjoying it. What do you want to sale it for?