Weber, one of the most well-known names in BBQ, is breaking into the pellet grill market in a big way with the new Weber SmokeFire. Starting on Cyber Monday, December 2nd, 2019, you’ll be able to pre-order the SmokeFire for early 2020 release. The 24” and 36” models will be priced at $999 and $1,199 respectively.
Photo courtesy of Weber
Weber engineered the SmokeFire to perfect wood pellet grilling by expertly combining low-and-slow cooking and hot-and-fast searing into the same package. Each SmokeFire will be built with Weber’s signature porcelain-enamel construction to prevent rusting and cracking. You can go from 200°F to 600°F using Weber’s new engine that delivered precise temperatures. Take a look at some more innovative features:
- A Responsive-Incline-Drive Engine that heats hot and fast, for a high-performance 200° to 600° temperature range.
- A unique auger and hopper system featuring a short gravity-fed path to the heat source that speeds up pre-heat time and helps reduce pellet jams.
- Use of Weber’s iconic Flavorizer bars to distribute even heat across the cooktop, designed to prevent inconsistent results and providing consistent, delicious food every time.
- An easy-clean ash and grease drawer that simplifies grill maintenance in a whole new way by directing ash and grease down into a removable drawer, and away from the food, keeping food delicious and eliminating the need for a messy grease bucket.
Photo courtesy of Weber
SmokeFire will also debut a revolutionary new cooking technology from Weber called Weber Connect. Weber Connect was developed in partnership with the silicon-valley tech company, June, in order to guide users during the grilling process for perfect results every time. The system connects to your smartphone or tablet and syncs with the grill and includes features like:
- An easy to follow LCD display
- Step-by-step guidance from setup and prep to the grilling process
- Smart tips and customized food doneness alerts
- Alerts on “ETA” on when your food will be ready based on food temp readings and grill measurement systems
Photo courtesy of Weber
After one use of the June Oven, Jim Stephen, chairman of Weber-Stephen Products LLC, knew that the JuneOS had to be brought over to the BBQ world. Of the partnership, Matt Van Horn, June co-founder and CEO, had said:
“Our mission has always been to use the power of technology to make cooking accessible for everyone, and taking that smart technology from the kitchen to the grill was an ideal evolution for June, especially with a leader like Weber as a partner. Together, we’ve created something truly innovative in the Weber SmokeFire pellet grill, which will give anyone from a novice to an experienced griller the guidance to unlock their full grilling potential.”
Photo courtesy of Weber
Chris Scherzinger, CEO of Weber-Stephen Products LLC, had this to say about the SmokeFire:
“All of us in the Weber family are so proud to introduce the new SmokeFire grill – it takes all the quality, reliability and design engineering you’ve come to expect from Weber over the past 70 years and combines new smart grilling technologies with incredible new proprietary cooking features to deliver amazing flavor, Flavor Above All for grillers. With step-by-step cook programs at your fingertips, and integrated smartphone controls, the new SmokeFire grill makes it incredibly easy for grillers to discover new possibilities and get amazing results, whether you are new to smoking or have been searing delicious steaks for years. It’s so much fun to cook on!”
The Weber SmokeFire series will be introduced in early 2020 in over 25 countries worldwide with all SmokeFire grills manufactured in Weber’s Huntley, Illinois facility using globally sourced component parts. On December 2nd, 2019, you’ll be able to preorder your Weber SmokeFire at weber.com, amazon.com, and lowes.com and in early 2020, you’ll be able to find the SmokeFire at Weber dealers nationwide.
I wonder how this will compare to the Yoder 640s you have recently reviewed?
Due to the different price points, I would suspect that the Weber is made for a more mainstream market while the Yoder is made for BBQ enthusiasts. However, I too am interested in the performance of the SmokeFire. Weber makes great products, so I have no doubt it’ll perform decently, but I’m skeptical about their claim to be able to cook steaks at 600F throughout the entire width of the grill. If the claims are true, I’m sold.