From this point forward, I pretty much think any pellet grill/smoker over $500 should feature a PID control panel. Though as I’ve said above, I do like the general functionality of the control panel with its easy to read screen, control dial and high location on the grill. I do also like the built-in surrounding work surface, that could be very handy for food prep and the sear zone is a good feature to have. So the good things first, I do like the large screen on the Clermont providing clear temperature information etc. I also like the large temperature dial, very similar to the temperature control panel on the Cuisinart Woodcreek and Twin Oaks. Also, while as I discuss above that I don’t think a very large 40 lb pellet hopper is really necessary, placing the control on top of the hopper makes it easier to read/use.
I’ve gone into detail in my previous article on pellet usage/consumption, but I’ll briefly explain here why a 40lb hopper is overkill. So how much of that 1,400 square inches of the cooking area is actually the main cooking grate, hence can be used for grilling? I’ve checked the Cuisinart sales literature/manual and the size of the main cooking grate is not stated. As I’ve referenced above, the Pit Boss Lockhart is the main competition for the Cuisinart Clermont.
’ Well, the thing is, if you were using the pellet grill constantly every day, sure, the larger the hopper the better. This is a residential grade product that will likely be used at weekends etc. If the pellets start to absorb moisture from the air, you’ve potentially got problems. Hence, in most cases filling a 40lb hopper means if you want to keep the pellets in a good condition you are going to be emptying it pretty frequently. I’ve previously done a Pit Boss vs Cuisinart comparison article where I reference that Pit Boss also doesn’t state the main grate size on the Lockhart. From the look of the two grills, I actually think the main cooking grate on both products is probably very similar in size.
They do have some units which are basically identical to several Z Grills models. However, it was the introduction of the Woodcreek and Twin Oaks which were the two first unique Cuisinart pellet grill/smoker offerings. And for their price as you can check out in my article above, I actually think they are pretty impressive. Hence, with the Clermont coming in at just under $800, I’m not sure it offers that much more over the Woodcreek. Furthermore, at $800 the Clermont is also in direct competition with another Walmart exclusive, the Pit Boss Lockhart. “LOW PELLET” will illuminate on the controller and it will start beeping once the pellets are below the sensor.
This smaller unit cycles the air within about 500 square feet twice hourly and within 250 square feet four times hourly. The auger will not run 100% of the time, it cycles on and off depending on the temperature setting. When selecting a temperature setting, the auger will feed pellets for cuisinart griddler elite several minutes. This will momentarily raise the temperature, but the temperature will decrease and stabilize after minutes. If you are transporting your grill in a vehicle after cooking on it, make sure the fire is completely out and the grill is cold before placing it in any vehicle.
Register your Cuisinart products today to receive new product information, recipes and exclusive offers. No one should be leaving their pellet smoker unattended for 20 hours even with WiFi functionality, more on that below. First off, there are very few cuts of meat which would require a 20 hour+ cook time. Furthermore, even if they did, without attending the meat over that period of time there is a chance the pellet smoke could dry out the meat. So in general, most pellet cookers will use between 1-2 lbs per hour when smoking. With insulated pellet cookers such as the Kamado Joe Pellet Joe, pellet consumption while smoking could actually be under 1lb per hour.
However, some brands are hardwood blended pellets whereas others are 100% single wood species. As the Clermont has only just been released there aren’t any customer review videos I can add into the article. Right, I don’t think its a ‘bad’ product, I just don’t think its cuisinart pots and pans set worth just under $800. At that price, as an overall package, the Pit Boss Lockhart offers pretty much the same package and more for under $750. Once the Clermont is on sale for below the price of the Lockhart, that could make it more appealing as direct competition.
Back in 2007 when I first become aware of pellet grills and smokers the only brand I was really aware of was Traeger. Traeger is really where this whole concept of cooking with pellets started in the 1980s. It was a ‘slow burner’ but since the 2010s is really when pellet grills and smokers started to get mainstream awareness, discussed alongside gas and charcoal grills. There are now over 30 pellet grill/smoker brands that I’m aware of, and the link above goes to my A to Z list of brands article. Protect your Clermont Smoker from the elements with the Cuisinart Clermont Pellet Grill & Smoker Cover!
Finally, I discuss the new kid on the block, charcoal pellets and their special attributes compared to all other hardwood BBQ pellets. If you’re not sure what a PID control panel is, and importantly, why you want one, my article linked above explains more. Put simply, a PID control panel can regulate the temperature cuisinart pots and pans set inside the pellet grill/smoker much more precisely. This means two things, first, you get a better cook, but you also don’t waste pellets heating the grill to unnecessarily high temperatures. The missing PID functionality of the Cuisinart Clermont I do think is not great on a pellet grill/smoker for this price.
Where the Cuisinart Clermont is now competitive with the Pit Boss Lockhart unlike the Cuisinart Woodcreek is with offering direct-flame access. Hence, while the control panel on the Clermont maxes out at 500 degrees, higher grilling temperatures around 650 degrees should actually be possible above the Sear Zone. The direct-flame access on the Clermont works in a very similar fashion to Pit Boss grills with a leaver used to open/close groves on the grease tray. Cuisinart is still a relatively new player in the pellet grill/smoker game.