by 
While I certainly have no problem going out in the snow to fire up the grill (one benefit of a propane grill), I know many think of grilling as a warm weather activity. Or, what if you really like the flavor that comes from hardwood charcoal? I like it too, it’s just tough to get going and then it runs forever. This project I came across, the ASMOKE pellet grill, seems to address a lot of that.
First off, let’s talk fuel. For your backyard grill, you generally have two choices – propane (relatively inexpensive, and it’s quick to fire up and get cooking) or charcoal (whether lump or hardwood, you’ve got a time investment here). Propane wins for ease of use, but charcoal wins in flavor. The ASMOKE looks to split the difference here, by relying on little pellets of applewood to deliver heat, smoke, and flavor, and firing up as soon as you turn the temperature dial on.
That temperature dial is a nicety for the ASMOKE as well, at least in grilling mode. Where I think it would be really interesting – and what caught my eye – is in it’s smoker mode. With the precise temperature control, and the wood pellets being auto-fed in, you can let the smoking process go on it’s own a bit for the 9-12 hours you’re setting in for.
Now, the ASMOKE is a smaller device. You’re not going to be smoking a whole turkey, for instance, but you could certainly grill up dinner for a family of 4-5, or smoke a slender cut of meat (say, a brisket, I think). So, while this won’t exactly cover you for a large gathering, for smaller stuff, I think it’ll do you just fine. The fact that it’s portable means you can tuck it away in the garage too (once it’s cooled), keeping it protected from the weather that would certainly reduce the lifetime of the grill.
The ASMOKE is available for pre-order on Indiegogo, with their funding goal completely smashed. Right now, you can get in for $150 for the grille itself (no pellets), or $200 for the grill plus 20 lbs of pellets. Delivery is anticipated for July (looks like right after the campaign closes), so that’ll still be plenty of time to grill and smoke. campaign page
