Cuisinart Clermont Pellet Grill & Smoker

Then, the grill’s internal fans disperse the heat and smoke around the grill, surrounding your food and heating the inside of the grill similar to a convection oven. These grills are not only wonderful for grillers of all skill levels, but they produce food that tastes as good as anything cooked over wood or charcoal. cuisinart clermont pellet grill & smoker cover For a long time, the only downfall was that pellet grills could only provide indirect heat—so they were great for low-and-slow smoking but not searing. Many of today’s pellet grills have changed that stereotype, providing a built-in sear plate that transforms a pellet grill from a smoker to a multi-functional grill.

The grill did experience wild temperature swings, though (about 50°F at low temperatures and as much as 80°F when set to higher temperatures). Activating the SmokeBoost function helped the grill maintain low smoking temperatures, but it did require constant attention and monitoring. This SmokeBoost setting also filled the barrel with a robust amount of smoke, creating the best smoke ring in the group. Where this grill lost points was entirely design and aesthetic. There’s no way to drain the pellets if you want to change wood flavors, so you’d have to scoop them out by hand.

The ignitor was active and glowing red-hot, but the smoldering pellets were continuously covered with new pellets. We attempted to remove the excess pellets and help the ignition along with a handheld bellow but to no avail. After some time, the grill shut itself off and would not turn back on. Although there’s nothing fancy about the ZGrills pellet grill, it created delicious-tasting food.

cuisinart clermont pellet grill & smoker cover

I’ve tested over three dozen grills over the years for Reviewed, so I’ve learned a thing or two about what works (and what doesn’t). It really has some great features that should seem obvious. While not all of them are unique to the Cuisinart Clermont Pellet Grill and Smoker or Cuisinart pellet grills in general, it is great to see everything this grill has to offer. Cleaning takes more time and efforts, as the double glass windows get dirty faster from smoke and need to be cleaned after each use. It’s best to wipe them down immediately after use while the smoker is still hot. The sear trap also needs to be cleaned each time because when the accumulated grease cools down, it makes it hard to slide it out during subsequent usage.

To remove the pellets, simply use the quick dump and catch the pellets in a bucket. Remove wood pellets from hopper if grill will not be used for a long period of time. Wood pellets can become soggy due to moisture/humidity and can cause the auger to bind up or not push pellets to burn chamber.

Temp should go higher than 400 degrees for better searing of meat. Otherwise easy use just dump pellets in hopper and turn the temp to where you want. Built well, grill racks should last and temp stays within 5 degrees of setting. Pellet grills are powered by wood pellets that are similar to the ones used to fuel indoor pellet stoves. They’re made by compressing wood that’s ground into sawdust, and grill pellets are usually made with 100% hardwood or contain food-grade oils to add flavor. Next up, we wanted to know how the pellet grill worked with high-heat temperatures.

It doesn’t display an accurate grill temperature, instead displaying the same number as the grill’s set temperature most of the time. That meant we had to rely on our ambient probe to trust the actual temp. To use the grill, the pellets are loaded into a hopper to the side of the grill. An electric-powered auger transfers the pellets to the fire pot inside the grill. The ignited wood pellets produce flames until the box reaches the set temperature, and the auger slows to drop fewer pellets into the pot to maintain the heat. The grill’s heat deflector plate acts as a physical barrier to keep the food from being exposed to the flames, and it also keeps the grease from creating flare-ups.

Unplug from outlet when not in use and before cleaning. Allow to cool before putting on or taking off parts. Do not use this product for indoor heating, as toxic fumes will accumulate. Do not attempt to move this appliance while it is in use.

This pellet grill is also lacking the popular sear plate we found on most pellet grills, but we actually thought that was a benefit when it came to performance. It would be better with more vertical height since you have to remove cooking grates to smoke large items. However, where this grill falls down cuisinart clermont pellet grill & smoker cover is in the quality. At $600USD, this is an inexpensive pellet grill, but one that will frustrate you down the line. You should also empty the hopper before performing any cleaning tasks that require water, soap or another liquid cleaner. If your wood pellets get wet, they can expand and clog the auger.