Just bought my first pellet. Super happy so far but noticed a warning to empty the pellet hopper after every use. What do you do?
by quartofwhiskey
38 Comments
drxzoidberg
I leave them in. I’ll empty it if I want to clean some dust out of the but otherwise I use the same pellets for everything (at least currently) so I don’t bother. I do have a grill cover as well to help me feel good about the pellets not getting wet.
Vitruviustheengineer
I live in a rather dry climate and use mine frequently enough I do not. The concern is moisture getting to the pellets, causing them to expand, then jamming. Easier to empty than to clear a jam.
Gold_South_8445
No need to as long as they stay dry.
ugadawgs98
Not once in 10 years.
anonymouslyHere4fun
I never have
str8gas87
Not unless you want a different blend or they get wet
CouldBeBetterForever
Never have in the 2+ years I’ve had one. No issues. I keep mine covered when I’m not using it. No idea if that helps. It gets pretty humid here during the summer, but that hasn’t been an issue.
OldManTrumpet
I empty mine after every use. Mine is not under shelter like this one is. I do have a cover but it’s otherwise completely outside subject to rain and the elements. So I empty it.
Reasonable_War1278
Never empty mine. It sits under a covered patio, but I still bought a cover for it.
dannoparker
I think I’ve only emptied mine once in the three years I’ve had this smoker. I’m careful not to pour the dust from the bottom of the pellet bags.
roosterSause42
Never have in 4 years in the rainy PNW, just put the cover on after it’s cooled
tito2112
I do. My grill has a cover but is on an uncovered deck in an area that gets humid. Times I have left them in the hopper has been fine 9 times out of 10, but that one time I come out and the pellets have become gunk from moisture.
PlatoAU
I don’t, but I store my grill in the garage out of the elements
pancaketac0
Never. But I store mine in my garage
Muggi
I don’t. I’ve had pellet grills for about 13 years now, it’s only bit me once – on startup this spring, being full over winter. Pellets degraded in the auger and locked it up. A little elbow grease and vacuuming, problem solved.
ct-yankee
No. But I store Over the winter in the garage.
CardiologistPlus8488
Is it ok to put a pellet smoker under a porch roof like that? I just got my first one and the instructions say not to, but I really want to…
Salty-Ad-198
Nope. Never. And we live in south Texas where it’s constantly humid.
I will say that it’s good to know HOW to empty them though. We are on our second pellet grill. Our first one suffered some sort of damage in Hurricane Beryl. We were able to get it working again and used it for about a year. Then a few weeks ago something went totally wrong and it more or less caught fire. Had we not been paying attention it would have gone really really bad. But we were able to just dump out the pellets in the hopper because it was starting to back burn up into the hopper. So, at least learn how to dump them but there’s no reason to dump them every time.
j_bob_24
I never empty it. It sits outside year round with a cover in a very humid state. I’ve never had any issues.
Salty-Ad6645
Never have.
Underwater_Karma
In 25 years of pellet grilling, I’ve never emptied a hopper
Inigomntoya
Leave them in
I live in a very dry climate and haven’t ever had an issue
hulsey76
I didn’t until I had a shaft pin snap in my Camp Chef due to pellets swelling. After that, YES.
spotieotiedopalishus
Glockman19
I use mine almost every weekend so that would be a waste of time.
_53-
I live outside Chicago. Not covered. Never empty my hopper.
pm-me-your-catz
Yuppers. Easy insurance.
awesometakespractice
no. don’t overthink this – it’s just a grill.
GrumpyOldDad65
Oh hell no.
whyiswaterwetter
Only when changing the type of pellet. So very rarely in 6 years.
luecack
Part of the shut down procedure for my Oklahoma Joe.
Even has a bucket mount and the trap door makes it quick.
thegurio
Like everyone above I think it all depends on how often you use it and where you live. My climate is pretty wet during winter but I use it every weekend so my answer is no I don’t, but if I wasn’t using it for a while I would probably empty it, even though it’s a pain in the bum with where I’ve put it.
saryiahan
Nope
jtfortin14
Never. They weren’t designed to be emptied. Have never once had an issue.
Supahbeel
Yup, every time. Keep them in airtight containers to avoid moisture. Also makes it easy to change out the pellet type. Takes 30 seconds max.
Hellbent_bluebelt
No
Acrobatic_Band_6306
Never. I keep her covered but it is not under a roof.
38 Comments
I leave them in. I’ll empty it if I want to clean some dust out of the but otherwise I use the same pellets for everything (at least currently) so I don’t bother. I do have a grill cover as well to help me feel good about the pellets not getting wet.
I live in a rather dry climate and use mine frequently enough I do not. The concern is moisture getting to the pellets, causing them to expand, then jamming. Easier to empty than to clear a jam.
No need to as long as they stay dry.
Not once in 10 years.
I never have
Not unless you want a different blend or they get wet
Never have in the 2+ years I’ve had one. No issues. I keep mine covered when I’m not using it. No idea if that helps. It gets pretty humid here during the summer, but that hasn’t been an issue.
I empty mine after every use. Mine is not under shelter like this one is. I do have a cover but it’s otherwise completely outside subject to rain and the elements. So I empty it.
Never empty mine. It sits under a covered patio, but I still bought a cover for it.
I think I’ve only emptied mine once in the three years I’ve had this smoker. I’m careful not to pour the dust from the bottom of the pellet bags.
Never have in 4 years in the rainy PNW, just put the cover on after it’s cooled
I do. My grill has a cover but is on an uncovered deck in an area that gets humid. Times I have left them in the hopper has been fine 9 times out of 10, but that one time I come out and the pellets have become gunk from moisture.
I don’t, but I store my grill in the garage out of the elements
Never. But I store mine in my garage
I don’t. I’ve had pellet grills for about 13 years now, it’s only bit me once – on startup this spring, being full over winter. Pellets degraded in the auger and locked it up. A little elbow grease and vacuuming, problem solved.
No. But I store Over the winter in the garage.
Is it ok to put a pellet smoker under a porch roof like that? I just got my first one and the instructions say not to, but I really want to…
Nope. Never. And we live in south Texas where it’s constantly humid.
I will say that it’s good to know HOW to empty them though. We are on our second pellet grill. Our first one suffered some sort of damage in Hurricane Beryl. We were able to get it working again and used it for about a year. Then a few weeks ago something went totally wrong and it more or less caught fire. Had we not been paying attention it would have gone really really bad. But we were able to just dump out the pellets in the hopper because it was starting to back burn up into the hopper. So, at least learn how to dump them but there’s no reason to dump them every time.
I never empty it. It sits outside year round with a cover in a very humid state. I’ve never had any issues.
Never have.
In 25 years of pellet grilling, I’ve never emptied a hopper
Leave them in
I live in a very dry climate and haven’t ever had an issue
I didn’t until I had a shaft pin snap in my Camp Chef due to pellets swelling. After that, YES.
I use mine almost every weekend so that would be a waste of time.
I live outside Chicago. Not covered. Never empty my hopper.
Yuppers. Easy insurance.
no. don’t overthink this – it’s just a grill.
Oh hell no.
Only when changing the type of pellet. So very rarely in 6 years.
Part of the shut down procedure for my Oklahoma Joe.
Even has a bucket mount and the trap door makes it quick.
Like everyone above I think it all depends on how often you use it and where you live. My climate is pretty wet during winter but I use it every weekend so my answer is no I don’t, but if I wasn’t using it for a while I would probably empty it, even though it’s a pain in the bum with where I’ve put it.
Nope
Never. They weren’t designed to be emptied. Have never once had an issue.
Yup, every time. Keep them in airtight containers to avoid moisture. Also makes it easy to change out the pellet type. Takes 30 seconds max.
No
Never. I keep her covered but it is not under a roof.
Why would you?