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Pellet Grills

I’ve come to realize after several troubles with my Traeger that sifting out all the dust and small pieces helps but it’s a MUST to vacuum out the pot and inside between each usage even if it’s the next day. I also try to time it that I use up every pellet in the hopper and auger trough before I switch over to cool down mode. I don’t fill up hopper to the top and for grilling I use a cup to add pellets into the auger trough as I cook. It’s been running much better since I’ve done these things.
 
I've recently started using a smoker tube in my vertical smoker and love it. One tube worth of grill pellets will last 5-6 hrs. More than enough time to get a good smoke flavor into whatever you're cooking. Plus it's more economical than the biscuit pucks some smokers use.
 
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Sunday I cooked on the Traeger and decided to clean it since I couldn't remember the last time I did it. Boy was I surprised how much dust had accumulated inside and all the gunk around the fire pot. She definitely needed it. Hadn't given much thought to the dust that went into the hopper when dumping pellets in til now.
 
Not sure if my process works or will work for anyone else, but I dump my bag of pellets into a tote. Shake it so the dust settles too the bottom. When I scoop them out it’s always from the top of the pile. I’ve drained the hopper once since I’ve owned it and really haven’t had any issues.
The remains from the cooking process is ash, vacuum and a leaf blower cleans off the loose stuff, bristle brush and a plastic scraper take care of the rest.
I clean it every couple months, and we use it at least once a week.