Jack of Too Many Trades

I’ve branched out from a basic $50 gas grill to some pretty usable gear, from a Char-Broil Performance Series gas grill that will cook 28 burgers at a time, to a Masterpiece Signature Edition upright propane smoker that’s seen a lot of use since the pandemic.

I’ve long had a desire to try pellet smoking, partly for the additional horizontal smoke surface compared to the 14×14 upright smoker, and partly because so many friends and colleagues swear by it. But it’s been hard to find a $200 grill to start with.

My policy on high ticket items is that I’ll start with about $200. It won’t be the full experience, but if I use it twice and never touch it again, I won’t be as upset “wasting” $200 compared to $1,000 on a high end device.

When the Asmoke AS350DC pellet smoker and grill came along for review, I jumped at the chance. It comes in a couple of colors with different price points and checkbox coupons. This one right now is $440 before $80 checkbox coupon (no code, just check the box on the product page), so $360 plus tax to your door.

Note that if you don’t need to run off a cannon DC power cord (i.e. from the included battery pack, or a generator or something else like that), you may want to look at the AS350, although currently the prices are pretty close. Also look at bundles that include a cover or a stand.

You may also want to look at the Trager Ranger or other models. I’d watch a few YouTube reviews and unboxings, noting that some of them are sponsored or commissioned (this post is not) and may not be able to compare and contrast with other brands in that context.

The observations

The grill comes in a well-packed box weighing around 50 pounds. It’s pretty easy to unbox, and requires very little assembly. I would say you can go from box on your front step to meat on the grill in half an hour or so.

The main assembly is pre-assembled, from the electronics to the auger to the hopper. You will be attaching the two foot assemblies on the bottom, then the handle on the front. Those are the only real assembly steps that require any tools or effort.

You’ll want to wash the parts that will be near food. There’s a flame broiler main plate and slide that go together, and they slant down toward the grease tray runner on the right side. That’s normal. There’s also the cooking grid and the upper cooking rack, and the grease tray which slides onto a pair of bolts on the right side.

The AC-DC adapter is probably the easiest way to get started. You can charge up the battery pack with the included wall wart adapter.

Follow the instructions in the enclosed manual for your first-time priming. Note that the manual linked on their website is for the AS300 and, while it’s very similar (and actually more complete than the one in the AS350DC), it is not identical and some items may be slightly different. Especially the power source.

There were two things that confused me about this grill.

First, there’s a piece that slots into a hole on the bottom of the smoke chamber, just to the front side of the smoke box in the middle. and it wasn’t mentioned in the instructions. You’re supposed to use it when you’re cooking.

Second, there’s a holder on the side that’s supposed to support either the DC battery pack or the AC/DC converter. It only fits the battery, and it isn’t obvious how to attach it, as it doesn’t actually attach with a screw or bolt. You’ll slip it under the side of the foot assembly on the left, and it will hold the battery. For the power adapter, you can just leave it on the side away from the heat.

I had an issue with the included ZXD-1210 12V10A power adapter. It gave the ErP error, meaning there wasn’t enough power getting to the device to start up. It would power up briefly, shut down, start up again, shut down again, and report ErP. I was able to cook my first batch of meats using a COOLM 12V10A adapter I had for some hard drives, and their customer service provided a replacement ZXD-1212 12V12A adapter when I wrote in for help with the problem.

I would also note that, like some other reviewers on YouTube, I found the temps to be inconsistent over time. Warming it up to 225F, I saw the internal sensor reach over 300F for a while before coming back down. It has one wired probe included, and a slot and display for a second. I haven’t acquired a second probe yet, but if you’re cooking different meats or wanting to verify the built-in sensor reporting, it’s worth looking into.

What’s the summary?

If you’re looking for a compact pellet smoker and grill, with the option to run off DC power (i.e. generator, battery pack, or other sources), this is a pretty good choice based on my limited experience. It holds four pounds of pellets (2-4 hours in my experience, depending on temperature), fits in a smaller space than most pellet grills, and is relatively easy to operate.

If you’re looking for precision temperatures, lots of space, wireless communication, or anything else like that, it may not be the choice for you.

But for a starter grill, a small-space grill, a travel and camping grill, or just something to try out, it’s worth serious consideration. A wireless temperature probe, like the Govee Bluetooth set I use or the Meater probes, might be a good accessory if you don’t plan to be too close to the grill.

Buy it at Amazon here.

Be sure to check the colors and bundles. The orange one I got is currently $360, and the red and blue ones on the same page are the same price with coupon. But there’s a bundle with griddle plate that’s $340, one with a cover for $299, and one with a folding grill table for $380. You can even get the grill with cover, table, and grill plate for $470. If I were buying it outright, I probably would have gone with this bundle.

Also note that no fuel is included with this grill, unless you get a bundle with pellets. A friend recommended Lowes 40 pound Pit Boss Competition Blend, which is $17, or about half the price of most 40 pound bags out there. You can also get them on Amazon in various flavors. Pair with a pellet dispenser (a charcoal dispenser will do too) for convenient waterproof storage.

And be aware that if you see pellets in a small bag at a relatively high price, they are not sold for fuel. They’re meant for flavor use. I used up a pack of Kona Sweet Praline pellets ($15 for two pounds) before realizing they’re supposed to be used half a cup at a time in a smoke box, rather than as main fuel.

Sources Detail

This item was received at no cost to me through the Amazon Vine Voices program. Neither Amazon nor any of the manufacturers/sellers asked for this post (they do expect us to review items from the program on the Amazon site itself). Nobody involved has reviewed, endorsed, or even been made aware of this post (as far as I know). And in compliance with Vine rules, this site only links to Amazon for purchase of the products discussed.

This post contains Amazon Affiliate Program links. If you buy the product through the links above, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

All prices listed are as of the time of writing (April 7, 2024) and are obviously subject to change.