Which Is Better? Pellet Grill vs Drum Smoker

In today's BBQ showdown, we're pitting my Hunsaker Drum Smoker against my MAK 1 Star General Pellet Grill. Both are extremely easy to use but which one produces the best smoke flavor, tender meat and better testing food?
I'm smoking a couple of beef rib plates that I got from my local butcher. Watch this video to find out if one stood above the other.
You can watch the video where I pitted my Weber Summit Kamado against my Kamado Joe here: • Which Is Better? Weber...
The Weber Summit Kamado vs Hunsaker Drum Smoker video is here: • Which Is Better? Weber...
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[@judy3521]

that look on your face when she is describing the meat tho......LOL

[@donaldgors1289]

What a great explanation about the Pellet and the Drum Smoker ...both had nice temperature control which would be a benefit to doneness ...first time seeing a drum Hunsaker ... I like the fact that you can use a charcoal and wood versus having electric for the pellet ! What a Great Discussion You two almost ate the entire Beef Rib ....with your continued sampling ... Thanks

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thank you, I’m glad that the you found the video to be helpful.

[@shaw9881]

Great video. My Gateway Drum Smoker never disappoints.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thanks…. drums like Gateway are practically foolproof, more people should consider them.

[@lanceseljestad7107]

Nice! Been looking for a new smoker, went through 2 camp chefs in 2 years absolute shit. Got it replaced under warranty and after 1.5 years crapped the bed again, they are local here but cant support them after that.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

In that price range, you might check out Green Mountain. They aren’t flashy but they seem to be very reliable.

[@robbtwalters]

Fun video… thanks for doing the MAK vs Hunsaker. Both seem to be very capable smokers :) How long did it take you to get the Hunsaker up to temp and stabilized… and how many times did you have to adjust during the cooking process?

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Hi Robb…. It didn’t take very long at all, maybe 30 minutes. I only remember making 1 adjustment, which was changing the intake at the bottom of the Hunsaker from “start” to “run”. The temp didn’t change more than 5 degrees up or down during the cook so I was ok with letting it ride without making any other changes.

[@robbtwalters]

@@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQHave you ever done a low n slow (225° or lower) overnight? I do that quite often on the MAK… wondering if the Hunsakers can do unmanned overnights without fuss.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

@robbtwalters I’ve found that the charcoal basket in the Hunsaker will last around 6-7 hours at 250 so I’d be hesitant to trust it for anything over 8 hours without being able to keep an eye on it for a refill.

[@edgewater210]

Thank you so much for posting this video. I own and have used a stainless steel drum smoker for years and switched to it from a Blaz'n Pellet Grill. I loved the set it and forget convenience of the pellet grill but much prefer the BBQ from the drum. Thanks again.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I think drums are often overlooked because they don’t have digital screens and electronics like pellet grills.

[@tommyboy4128]

I own a Hunsaker and a Traeger along with some other smoking vessels. The Hunsaker in my opinion is superior to other drum smoker designs. Temp barely moves once you set it and the results are always a bullseye. Pellet smokers are what they are… a convenience. Smoke flavor is weak and bark formation cannot compete with drums or offsets. For those of you out there trying to decide to buy a drum or a pellet grill, it’s two totally different styles, but in the long run I feel the drum is the better bet.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

The choice can vary based on what you want most out of your cooker. If smoke flavor is the top priority, I’d recommend a drum smoker hands down. If you’re transitioning from or considering a gas grill, I’d recommend a pellet grill because I think people can instinctively understand how to use it. Even though drums like the Hunsaker are extremely easy to use, some people are still intimidated by charcoal.

[@tommyboy4128]

@@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ 100%!

[@dewayneandrews642]

Great comparisons between hunsaker & pellet grill...Well since you got a 22"WSM for xmas/anniversary present ; how bout a cookoff between the hunsaker & wsm drum smokers with either beef plate ribs ( dinosaur ) or pork ribs??

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thank you for the suggestion..... I'm adding it to the list of videos to make. Stay tuned!

[@richardlemaster3145]

Great video, love the side by side comparison.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thank you

[@Mr2004MCSS]

Hi Kenyatta, this is Wayne. Great comparison cook. I recently bought a used Weber Smokefire EX4 from a friend of mine and did my first cook with it the other day. I cooked some ribs and while they did have a good flavor, they were not quite done after six hours of cooking. I probably should have cooked them at a higher temp but it was getting late and we were hungry so I pulled them. I look forward to more cooks on it as I get more familiar with it and cooking with pellets in general. This is my first pellet grill so it will be a learning curve.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Hi Wayne, congrats on your latest acquisition. I’m still highly intrigued by the Smokefire…. I would also buy a used one if given the opportunity. It might be useful to track the ambient temperature inside the Smokefire to get a better idea of how it’s cooking. While the temp reading says one thing, the actual temp will fluctuate up & down throughout the cook. Hopefully the range isn’t too large but you need to track it in order to really know what’s going on. Nonetheless, keep cooking on it & you will figure out it’s tendencies.

[@Mr2004MCSS]

@@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ I was also intrigued by the Smokefire and watched its rollout a few years ago. It turned out to be a disaster and I still wasn't that interested in a pellet grill. I have eaten a lot of food off of this cooker since we play cards at my friend's house once a month and the food has always been pretty good. A few internal parts had rusted out and he decided to get a different brand of pellet cooker and he offered this one to me for $100. For that price I couldn't pass it up. I bought some internal replacement parts and new grates and still don't have that much money into it. This one is a first-generation grill but does have the upgraded auger and pellet chute so it's basically like a second-generation model. As far as internal temps go, several people have told me that the internal temp probe is not that accurate and that on the top shelf where I cooked these ribs at, that the temp can be 50 degrees less than where the probe is at. Next time I will put a remote thermometer inside to see what the actual temps are.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

You got a great deal! I also watched the Smokefire’s release closely and I was still intrigued even with all of the initial problems, 😝 Learning the hot spots, cool spots, etc is definitely the way to go. Enjoy brother!

[@Mr2004MCSS]

@@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ Thank you sir, I sure will.

[@petitjeanriverhomestead]

I'm from Sacramento but now live in Arkansas 49er fan since the mid 70's... Bobby

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Right on! Go Niners!

[@richardg4817]

Great video. Liked the comment that these are like brisket but with less work. Will have to try this. BTW, I finally purchased a Meater+ on sale a few months ago. It took a while, but I have gotten used to it. Not perfect, but nice to have to get me in the general ballpark while viewing the temp on my phone, then I go to my Thermapen later in the cook. Go Trojans. Fight On!

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Hey Richard, I use my Meater+ & Thermapen in the same way. Give beef ribs a try and Fight On!

[@houlester]

What your favorite smoker for cooking ribs? Thanks for your videos. Just stumbled across you.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

That's a tough call..... I like to smoke ribs low & slow. Usually takes at least 4 hours so I like to get a a good smoke on them from either my stick burner or one of my charcoal smokers. Nothing beats a stick burner for smoke flavor so that would be my Lone Star Grillz 20x42. For charcoal, I like to use my Weber Summit Kamado or Weber Smokey Mountain. If you know how to control temperatures, then you really can't go wrong with any stick burner or charcoal smoker. They will always produce a stronger smoke profile than a pellet or gas grills.

[@GTRJohnny66]

Great comparison! I wonder if the Mak was smokier, because the beef rack was thinner? And, I was thinking the Hunsaker was more tender based on the extra cook time - or it could also be a better seal on the drum. Either way, both racks looked tasty! :)

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Unlike Jeannine, I didn't think one was noticeably smokier than the other but I do think the thickness of each cut played a role. The MAK's was thinner so to your point, it might have picked up more smoke flavor to help match the Hunsaker. I 100% believe the Hunsaker version was more tender because it was thicker. The extra cook time may have helped too! I'll never know for certain since I can't replicate the cook exactly but it sure was fun experimenting. Both racks were great!

[@mikesue1779]

I’m new to your channel and I own the Mak 1 star and I’ve been considering getting a drum smoker so I really enjoyed the comparison between the two. Keep up the videos and maybe you can share some recipes and show of the Mak some more. Thx Mike

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thanks for watching & commenting Mike! I’ll try to get the MAK into more videos!

[@robertdowling4123]

I believe the reason you were having proper temp issues with the combustion thermometer was that it was not inserted far enough into the ribs. You need to insert it at least past the middle line that was visible to me. Read the instructions on their web site. I made the same mistake when I first used them. I have 4 Combustion thermometers and love them. Great comparison and go 49ers.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thanks….. I’ve had my Combustion thermometers for a few months (I’ve got 2) and I’ve used them numerous times now. I think it was inserted past the notches…. nonetheless it was my first and only time experiencing an issue so I am by no way discouraged. I like them so much that I also got the boosters. They are my favorite wireless thermometer. Thanks for watching & commenting and yes…. Go Niners!

[@Maccoy-fm9qu]

New Subscriber here! Loving all your videos! Two questions: 1. Can the Hunsaker hold stable low temps in the 150-200 F range for smoking jerky? 2. Any chance of you making a WSM vs Hunsaker video? Thanks and looking forward to more of your awesome content!

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thanks for subscribing! Drum smokers naturally cook at hotter temps. I think 150-200 can be achieved as long as you’re careful about not using too much fuel and keep your eye on it, especially at the beginning. Hopefully others who have successfully done it can chime in. Thanks for the suggestion for a WSM vs Hunsaker video. I’ve added it to my list and I will get on it once I get a few more cooks on the WSM under my belt.

[@Maccoy-fm9qu]

Thanks so much for the helpful reply! Definitely will look forward to seeing a WSM vs Hunsaker video, it'll be an interesting cook off for sure! 🍻 Cheers!

[@badmaggotreaction5459]

I’m new to smoking. What does he mean by clean smoke and dirty smoke?

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Dirty smoke is when the smoke appears heavy, gray, white-ish or even a little brown. Dirty smoke will leave a bad aftertaste on your meat. Clean smoke is almost invisible or its appearance takes on blueish hue. Clean smoke is what you want. Clean or blue smoke is achieved when the fire is burning clean with complete combustion. Clean smoke is like an extra ingredient for your meat giving it more flavor.

[@dougmeredith1640]

Just curious. After evaluating both smokers, and you were allowed to only keep one, which would it be?

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

That's a tough question to answer because it's really close. I give a slight advantage to the MAK pellet grill because of the convenience. On a weeknight when I want to put something on really quickly with no effort, a pellet grill would be the easiest solution. Pour the pellets into the hopper, set the temperature and you're done. It doesn't get much easier than that.

[@dougmeredith1640]

@@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ I tend to agree. This is the first time I've watched your videos. It's obvious that you know your stuff. I just got back home with a Pit Boss Series 5. I'll give it a go with a Boston Butt in the morning. Thanks for the video my friend!

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

@@dougmeredith1640 Thanks for watching & commenting! Don't be a stranger!

[@chadwilson6550]

I really enjoy your videos

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thanks Chad!

[@DaveCurtis-b3u]

Very nice comparison video

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thank you 😊

[@dondiesel1100]

Love the guy

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Thanks brother

[@paulh6517]

Great review, I have often thought of getting a drum to compliment my 26" kettle and Hunsaker would be my first choice. I have other hunsaker accessories for my kettle (air director sort of an SNS and the griddle plate) which are both of high quality so I think a lot of Hunsaker products.

[@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ]

Hunsaker’s are very well made and Mark Hunsaker stands behind his products. I can highly recommend them.