Stampede RT-590 or Traeger Pro 575?

[LarryCTN]

Caps, I was comparing the same 2 smoker/grills in late 2021 myself. I had been using a BGE for 20+ years and was very comfortable with it, still use it today. I thought a pellet grill would offer me some variety opportunities. I chose the 590 and it was delivered to me 12/21/2021. I joined this forum in January 2022 and have learned of many headaches. I never used an app, but have no issue with those who depend on them. I had temp swings in February, but learned from posts on the forum that my grillgrates were positioned too close to the temp probe. I moved the grates to the right side of the 590 and have had no problems since. I bought those "3rd party sensors" years ago and use them today. I use the 590 probe inside the grill to monitor/check temps there and found where I could get a probe holder from a poster on this forum. There are great people here on the forum and I won't get in the argument with those who have had less than satisfactory experiences with the company. Use your common sense and I wish you enjoyment with whatever you decide. Semper Fi.

 

[Motodad1776]

I did the research and bought a 590. It has been the best grill I have ever owned. I have had, gas, weber charcoal, a Big Green Egg and even a Holland grill. None have helped me up my grilling game more than the 590. For me it has been idiot proof.
It is the most stable grill I have ever seen, I set it and it does not move. I have mentioned the stability several times here.
It has not let me down at all.

Ditto.....I also must be lucky as I have never had connection issues, app issues, temp issues or honestly so far not a single damn issue. IMHO the 590 is their most sorted out and best performing grill, but some here assume I'm a "FANBOY" because so far this 590 Stampede has exceeded my expectations. I work in healthcare technology field so am pretty self reliant for troubleshooting and repairs on equipment, so I am one to not call tech support or ask for help unless I am really stuck. I added high temp gasket around my lid but I didn't need to, but the lid does seal better now and closes so nicely. There are some here who have had or do have legit issues, but in my years of experience on forums and in the industry I work in, there are always an abundance of self inflicted issues, exaggerated, or some just have ridiculous expectations. I do think that RT has some tech support that are neither helpful or honestly not very tech savvy........that's the way I see it at least. Stay away from Traeger, there are many ex owners for many reasons.

 

[coast smoke]

I don't care what brand you buy you can alway's find someone who has a problem with it. My neighbor just bought a Yoder and he has found some flaws with it. I have bought many products that i have had some problems with but I learned how to adjust to them. Some of the people on here are going to be bitching about the next grill they get because they just like to bitch. Learn to adjust to things or make your own damd grill if you know so much about them.

 

[Wslayer]

Like my 590 but if was doing again, I would lean this way
https://www.weber.com/US/en/grills/...nd-gen)-wood-fired-pellet-grill/23510201.html

 

[Caps_Shield]

Thank you all for your help. I think I am fully sold on the Rec Teq. It was on sale yesterday and now is not. I am going to do a waiting game for it to go on again.

 

[Motodad1776]

Like my 590 but if was doing again, I would lean this way
https://www.weber.com/US/en/grills/wood-pellet-grills/smokefire/smokefire-ex6-(2nd-gen)-wood-fired-pellet-grill/23510201.html

I'm done with Weber except for perhaps their tried and true charcoal kettle grills, I know this grill has had some teething issues, perhaps it's sorted out now? I don't need or really want anything bigger than the 590, but I know many of you like more room for bigger smokes for bigger crowds. There are for sure some great options out there, I went with Rectec mostly because my longest friend on this planet had a 590 for the last 4 years and adores it......he now added a 1250.

 

[Beach Bum]

Thank you all for your help. I think I am fully sold on the Rec Teq. It was on sale yesterday and now is not. I am going to do a waiting game for it to go on again.

Good luck, I think you will enjoy it. Our 700 is almost two years old and has been lots of fun. Aside from an occasional missed notification (not a big deal for us), it has been perfect. Wife and I will be at the Academy in November and hope to learn lots of new things.

 

[Birddog1]

New guy here and new to pellet smoking and smokers in general. I got a 590 just after Christmas. I have only used it once for baby back ribs but it was great, the app worked perfectly and the ribs came out great. I bought it over the Traeger because of the cooking capacity, stainless steel and reviews I read. I had one issue when I got it, it had some surface rust on the top. I called RecTeq and they refunded $100 which was very generous. I have since added the competition cart and front folding shelf.

 

[Simarti28]

Hello! I'm considering getting into the world of pellet smokers.

BACKGROUND
I first started to like them by following Traeger. So a Pro 575 was what I wanted. After a lot of research I found somethings I didn't like about the Traeger smoker. For example, they can peel and chip and the temps can have wide swings in what it is really at verse what it says. I recently found the RecTeqs and I so far cannot find any issues like this. I am not sure if this is because Traeger has a larger market share, hence more possible complaints or if it is all true.

QUESTIONS
So here are my questions. I understand that you all my be biased because you have one vs another but I thought I would give this a try.
1) Why did you select the RT-590?
2) Do you see wide swings in temps?
3) Anything you wish RecTeq would change about the smoker?
4) Can use use Traeger pellets (since they are sold at local stores) in this smoker?

Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this and answer!

I was in the same boat a few years back. I decided to go with recteq after seeing the many reviews of rusted out traegers. The way I saw it back then was, the recteq app sucks but the grill is awesome, the Traeger app is great but the grill sucks.

Ask yourself this “do I want a crappy grill and a good app (Traeger) or a good grill and a crappy app (recteq)?” Keep in mind that apps and infrastructure can and will be updated throughout the years, where as the grill on you back patio…it is what it is.

This is how I made my decision and I don’t regret it. Though I was prepared for it going in, I don’t have issues with the app as others have mentioned.

 

[Jefflov]

I’ve had the 590 for two years and had zero issues with the app. It works simultaneously with my iPhone and iPad. The only problem I had was a temperature probe shit the bed, so I wrote rectec an complained and they sent me two new ones.

 

[Simarti28]

Like my 590 but if was doing again, I would lean this way
https://www.weber.com/US/en/grills/wood-pellet-grills/smokefire/smokefire-ex6-(2nd-gen)-wood-fired-pellet-grill/23510201.

I started leaning that way when looking at upgrading from my RT-340, glad I didn’t. A friend of mine bought this around the time I was looking at the RT-700, so I waited it out.

I helped him put the thing together. To capture it in a nutshell, the build quality is flimsy, from the thin walls and lid to the unstable legs and cheap a** casters. Another design flaw is their use of the flavorizer bars instead of a true drip tray. He’s had so may grease fires that he’s afraid to use it anymore.

Weber is a great company and I love my Weber gas grill and kettle, but they have some work to do on the pellet grill before I’d recommend it to anyone.

 

[danlecl]

I'm sorry, it must be that I am new to this world and just do not know yet. All the issues I can find are with the app not notifying with an alarm or not being able to control the temp from the app. I fail to see the issue when the grill itself, I assume, has the ability to read the temp, adjust the temp, and see the meat temp. Again, I could be wrong. Why wouldn't i just walk over to the grill and look at these things?

Just my 2 cents worth, no problems at all with the app on my 590. The only issue I have had grilling is the long winter in MN!

 

[FF Cory]

Hello! I'm considering getting into the world of pellet smokers.

BACKGROUND
I first started to like them by following Traeger. So a Pro 575 was what I wanted. After a lot of research I found somethings I didn't like about the Traeger smoker. For example, they can peel and chip and the temps can have wide swings in what it is really at verse what it says. I recently found the RecTeqs and I so far cannot find any issues like this. I am not sure if this is because Traeger has a larger market share, hence more possible complaints or if it is all true.

QUESTIONS
So here are my questions. I understand that you all my be biased because you have one vs another but I thought I would give this a try.
1) Why did you select the RT-590?
2) Do you see wide swings in temps?
3) Anything you wish RecTeq would change about the smoker?
4) Can use use Traeger pellets (since they are sold at local stores) in this smoker?

Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this and answer!

I was new to the smoking world last year. I had a vertical gas that my wife bought me for my birthday. It was a cheaper model because she didn’t know anything about smokers and wanted to get smoking to start off with. I enjoyed learning how to smoke and trying different things on my first smoker but I wanted to step up my game. I did several weeks of research and price comparing of all kinds of smokers. I landed on the 590 because of the good reviews and price. The quality is definitely there. My friend has the Traeger that’s comparable and is still have temp fluctuation issues after replacing the computer board. I am not knocking Traeger. I believe it’s all in wht you can afford and are willing to put up with.
2) I did have temp issues when trying to smoke at a lower temp during the dead of winter. I have heard of others buying welding blankets to contain the heat when cooking in colder temps. I live in Indiana and the temps swing wildly during the winter. That day it was -2 and a driving wind. My smoker was protected but the wind swirling was making the 590 work really hard.
3) For my first pellet smoker I believe it has everything I could want from a smoker. I will upgrade to the bigger sizes when this one has done its duty. (That will be a while considering the way it is built) I can load this smoker with 3 butts and a couple racks and that is about the capacity of the cooking area.
4) I have not used traeger pellets. I started with Recteq competition blend and I found them to have a little bit too much dust. I switched to Lumberjack brand pellets and they are much cleaner burning. That is my own opinion.

I hope this information helps. It’s worth your time to do your own research and find what is right for you. I am completely satisfied with my purchase. I do make a point to break it down and clean it about every third smoke. Have a good day and enjoy the ride.

 

[okie]

Hello! I'm considering getting into the world of pellet smokers.

BACKGROUND
I first started to like them by following Traeger. So a Pro 575 was what I wanted. After a lot of research I found somethings I didn't like about the Traeger smoker. For example, they can peel and chip and the temps can have wide swings in what it is really at verse what it says. I recently found the RecTeqs and I so far cannot find any issues like this. I am not sure if this is because Traeger has a larger market share, hence more possible complaints or if it is all true.

QUESTIONS
So here are my questions. I understand that you all my be biased because you have one vs another but I thought I would give this a try.
1) Why did you select the RT-590?
2) Do you see wide swings in temps?
3) Anything you wish RecTeq would change about the smoker?
4) Can use use Traeger pellets (since they are sold at local stores) in this smoker?

Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this and answer!

I owned both a Traeger Lil’Tex and a rectec 590. I no longer own either.
1. Traeger is overpriced for what you get.
2. Traeger service is not satisfying much of the time.
3. Construction on Traeger is decent.
4. Traeger performs well for low/slow and for long use. Some units have trouble reaching promised high temp. New models are probably better for high temps.
5. Traeger rust is common but if you don’t mind and are willing to do touch up the grill will last many years. Lots of the newer models may have added stainless steel in key areas ( I can’t comment for lack of experience).
6. Lots of complaint about wide temp swings on Traeger. I do not know if their addition of PID controls has solved that but it should have helped. I had that with my Lil’Tex and Service gave no satisfaction. They said it all averaged out.

1. rectec 590 has been the best bang for the buck it’s introduction.
2. PID control gives more stable temps with less swings.
3. All stainless except for the carriage. No rust. No touch up needed. Inside parts are 304 SS.
4. Ceramic igniter should last 100,000 starts they say.
5. Fire pot 304SS also.
6. Control is programmable and can be adjusted for more accurate temps. If needed.
7. Service is absolute best in the industry! You call and either get a real service person or a quick call back. Polite useful help, and fast replacement of covered parts. Shipped promptly.
8. I gave my 590 to local fire dept because I wanted to upgrade. Have had more trouble with my upgrade.

Bottom line. No comparison, buy the 590 rectec.

 

[Hollywood434]

App sucks and needs to be updated and improved. The 1250 is an awesome grill and easy to clean and built tough. I use a 3rd party 4 probe unit that I had before this grill and not a deal breaker for me.

 

[Debbydebbydebby]

Hello! I'm considering getting into the world of pellet smokers.

BACKGROUND
I first started to like them by following Traeger. So a Pro 575 was what I wanted. After a lot of research I found somethings I didn't like about the Traeger smoker. For example, they can peel and chip and the temps can have wide swings in what it is really at verse what it says. I recently found the RecTeqs and I so far cannot find any issues like this. I am not sure if this is because Traeger has a larger market share, hence more possible complaints or if it is all true.

QUESTIONS
So here are my questions. I understand that you all my be biased because you have one vs another but I thought I would give this a try.
1) Why did you select the RT-590?
2) Do you see wide swings in temps?
3) Anything you wish RecTeq would change about the smoker?
4) Can use use Traeger pellets (since they are sold at local stores) in this smoker?

Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this and answer!

I have two houses. One has a Traeger and the other the RT-590. Originally for the new house I bought a Traeger and when I tried to set it at a temperature of 450°, I was never able to achieve anything over 422°. I called Traeger customer support and was informed that they don’t guarantee any temperature, only a temperature range. What ended up happening was a return of the product because many of the things I cooked on the Traeger I have in my other home depended on temperatures being consistent. I bought the 590 and I’m very satisfied with many of its features, but there is a variability in temperature if you have to open the lid and turn your hamburgers or your steaks or whatever; but this is fairly normal. It appears to me comparing the two that I like the 590 better. Especially the stainless steel grates and the ease of cleaning. I like the griddle feature on the 590 very much. You can cook an entire meal at one time . The front folding shelf on the 590 which is sold as an accessory, is not my favorite feature because it sits lower than the level of the grill. That is not a big deal to me, however. I like the notifications with the Wi-Fi app for my recteq 590. The Traeger I have at my other house is older and has no such capabilities. I have no problems using Traeger pellets in my recteq or vice versa. I selected the 590 partly due to advertising and partly because I wanted something that appeared to be a bit higher quality than the Traeger as far as cleaning, etc. goes. One thing I have noticed about the plate or the drip pan or whatever it’s called in the 590, it is a little bit difficult to remove and placed back in correctly. All in all, however, I prefer the 590 and I’m looking forward to using it more.

 

[pungo]

One thing I have noticed about the plate or the drip pan or whatever it’s called in the 590, it is a little bit difficult to remove and placed back in correctly.

I find it only takes a few seconds to remove or install the drip tray. Not sure what you're doing wrong that makes it difficult, but the left edge has a bevel cut into it that when lined up properly with the top, makes removing/installing it a breeze. I use one hand to remove/install it.

 

[Maule Guy]

Hello! I'm considering getting into the world of pellet smokers.

BACKGROUND
I first started to like them by following Traeger. So a Pro 575 was what I wanted. After a lot of research I found somethings I didn't like about the Traeger smoker. For example, they can peel and chip and the temps can have wide swings in what it is really at verse what it says. I recently found the RecTeqs and I so far cannot find any issues like this. I am not sure if this is because Traeger has a larger market share, hence more possible complaints or if it is all true.

QUESTIONS
So here are my questions. I understand that you all my be biased because you have one vs another but I thought I would give this a try.
1) Why did you select the RT-590?
2) Do you see wide swings in temps?
3) Anything you wish RecTeq would change about the smoker?
4) Can use use Traeger pellets (since they are sold at local stores) in this smoker?

Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this and answer!

My $0.02 worth.

1) I went from a small Traeger to a Louisiana Grills L900 for increased size and supposed better heat controller. Sorely disappointed with the L900 and bought the R590 due to the rave reviews I saw.It was close to the same size as the L900 and would (barely) roll under my porch where I could store it out of the rain.

2) The temps seem to be stable except for the issue of the right side being hotter than the left. Had the same issue to a greater extent w/ the L900. I am guessing this has something todo with the vents being on the drum instead of a stack....I have no idea actually. The L900 had a firebox on the far left while the R590 firebox is in the center. In any case if you are cooking for long periods it probably would be wise to swap the meat Left to Right about mid cook to have them get done at the same time. Packer briskets cap to the right. My old Traeger was probably too small to have any real left to right differences.

3) If they could cure the above temp differential across the cooking surface that would be great. I look at the app and the grill as two different things. I never had bluetooth or wifi control before so, while nice, is not mission critical. Pellet grills just don't provide the smoke intensity of stick burners but that is a trade off for temp consistency and hands off cooking.

4) Unless Traeger pellets have changed they have a low percentage of "flavor wood". I was not happy with them. There are pellet threads on the forum. I personally have been using Cookin' Pellets for several years and am pleased. I may give another brand a shot this summer.

As an aside. Traeger was purchased some years ago by a software guy and company moved to Utah. Customer service really suffered. Recteq customer service actually answers the phone but too many standard answers.

R590 very well built and all in all the warts are small and be worked around.

 

[Motodad1776]

There will always be a hotter/cooler side to a stick burner or a pellet grill, they are both convection style cookers.

 

[Simarti28]

There will always be a hotter/cooler side to a stick burner or a pellet grill, they are both convection style cookers.

My rt-700 is the same way. Your comment got me thinking, if there were smoke stacks in both sides would it even the temp out? I think the BFG has stacks on each side. IIRC the side with the stack runs hotter for me. The drip tray is also closer to the pot on that side.