Hot Spots ?

[YallTech]

Hi All, I’ve had an Ironwood 650 for about a year and I find that the upper right hand corner is far hotter than any other part of the unit. Also, I truly don’t get a lot of smoke from it. even with a super smoke mode. I’ve been using specifically trager Branded hickory pellets.
Anyone else got the same issues?

 

[Slimpicker]

Heat rises in every Traeger around the grease pan and forms hot spot areas with every model, just don't put meat in those areas.

Quote from Traeger Patent:
The present invention relates to flavored wood pellets and a method of making flavored wood pellets. The wood pellets of this invention include wood particles, lubricant, and wood oil. Another aspect of the invention is a method that includes mixing wood particles with lubricant and wood oil, heating the mixture, and forming the mixture into pellets.

I would strongly suggest you try some better pellets

Unlike most pellets available, Camp Chef pellets are not a byproduct but rather 100% pure virgin hardwoods. No oils, chemicals or binders added. The kiln dried process creates low moisture content for a very dry, hot burning pellet. This means it burns less to maintain your desired temperature, giving you more pellets for your next barbecue and less ash to clean. These pure virgin hardwood pellets will give you consistent results bag after bag. For a better tasting, consistent burning pellet, use Camp Chef Premium Hardwood Pellets.

Or Bear Mountain:

Nature is our guide, and our mentor.

If you’re looking to add a rich, smoky flavor to your food without using anything artificial, our wood pellets will be your secret weapon. After combining lots of different choice hardwoods, we've crafted optimal flavors out of the right blends. We don’t use any fillers, binders, or bark, so our premium all-natural wood pellets deliver a perfect, clean smoke - every time. We’ve also refined the pellet-making process, creating the perfect pellet structure with only 5% moisture. This means that our pellets grant the perfect burn, infusing mouth-watering flavor with little ash to clean up.

 

[JamesB]

Hi All, I’ve had an Ironwood 650 for about a year and I find that the upper right hand corner is far hotter than any other part of the unit. Also, I truly don’t get a lot of smoke from it. even with a super smoke mode. I’ve been using specifically trager Branded hickory pellets.
Anyone else got the same issues?

They definitely have hot spots, but most smokers I have ever dealt with have had hot spots. I just try to figure out where they are and use that to my advantage.

Many of us here have gone away from Traeger pellets, and use Pit Boss or Bear Mountain. Not only are they half price of Traeger pellets, the seem to produce more smoke and less ash.

Another thing to remember, a pellet smoker burns more efficiently than a stick burner, so you are probably get less smoke to begin with, and the smoke you do get is going to be light blue in color and almost invisible, but it is definitely there.
My wife gripes that most things I cook on the Traeger are to smoky...