Recteq X-Fire Pro 825 review: A smart grill that pulls double duty

Occasionally, you really tin person it some ways. For nan astir part, pellet grills are awesome for smoking and mid-temperature cooking, but you’ll typically request different grills for high-heat searing and 1,000-degree temperatures(with a fewer exceptions). Sure, immoderate pellet grills let you to move nan power deflector for nonstop entree to nan occurrence cookware for searing, but that’s still not a cooking acquisition that will beryllium acquainted to state grill users.

With the X-Fire Pro 825 ($1,550), Recteq is putting its pellet grill expertise to activity successful a dual-mode design that’s meant to span nan spread betwixt state and wood fire. Of course, this is simply a smart grill acknowledgment to its Wi-Fi connectivity, and nan backbone of this beast is undoubtedly a pellet grill. Plus, nan institution offers wholly abstracted controls to debar disorder betwixt Smoke and Grill modes, each mixed successful a durable, all-stainless alloy design. It’s nan uncommon instrumentality that really is nan 2-in-1 nan institution claims.

Design

All Recteq grills are made of stainless steel, but dissimilar nan Deck Boss, Patio Legend and different models successful nan company’s lineup, nan X-Fire Pro doesn’t person a powder coated lid. This isn’t a problem per se, but it does require other attraction pinch cleaning and attraction to debar rust. Apart from nan formed robust grill grates, nan interior components are besides stainless steel, truthful astir of this grill is intelligibly built to last. When you harvester that pinch nan robust cart and premium casters that nan X-Fire Pro sits on, this grill is 1 of nan astir well-designed I’ve reviewed.

Like astir pellet grills, nan X-Fire Pro has a integer controller mounted connected nan side. In this case, it’s situated connected nan beforehand separator of a support connected nan near of nan grill. Single-knob navigation allows you to group cooking somesthesia and nutrient probe alerts, which tin besides beryllium done via nan Recteq app acknowledgment to nan grill’s Wi-Fi connectivity. The X-Fire Pro allows you to usage 2 wired nutrient probes simultaneously, but there’s nary action for wireless probes. Recteq does waste wireless probes though, but they link straight to nan company’s app, not to nan grill itself.

Rather than a accepted on/off switch, nan X-Fire Pro is turned connected pinch nan acold near knob connected nan front. To do so, you take betwixt nan grill’s 2 modes, Smoke aliases Grill. If you prime Smoke mode, nan controller connected nan near will ray up and you group your desired somesthesia betwixt 225 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Personally, I for illustration a somewhat little minimum temperature, astir 180 degrees, to alteration things for illustration acold smoking aliases moreover mimic nan Keep Warm characteristic that competitors for illustration Traeger offer. In Grill mode, you tin expect temperatures from 225-400 degrees connected low, 350-650 connected medium, 500-850 connected precocious and 800-1,200 connected max.

There are 2 occurrence pots wrong nan X-Fire Pro. The 1 connected nan near is utilized exclusively for Smoke mode while some tin beryllium utilized successful Grill mode. I typically group nan correct broadside to a higher grilling temperature, since there’s an Adaptive Sear Control for nonstop entree to nan occurrence (there’s a dedicated knob connected nan beforehand to power this). I would past time off nan near broadside connected low, which would springiness maine a hot/cold setup for illustration I would usually usage connected a state grill. Of course, you tin group some occurrence pots to nan aforesaid power level and usage nan full cooking aboveground astatine nan aforesaid temperature. You could besides time off 1 of nan occurrence pots wholly disconnected if you needed to do so.

Dual-mode cooking

Recteq promises that nan X-Fire Pro is simply a pellet grill that will connection nan champion aspects of state grilling pinch acquainted knob-based controls. I work together that nan ample knobs are akin to what you’ll find connected a state grill, though you can’t fine-tune nan power for illustration you tin pinch state burnersI didn’t find this problematic, though. Where Recteq surpasses propane aliases earthy state options is nan truth that nan X-Fire Pro wholly runs connected wood pellets, truthful your nutrient tastes overmuch better. Just support successful mind that it’s a different spirit than charcoal.

During my testing, I unexpectedly spent astir of my clip utilizing nan X-Fire Pro successful Grill mode. I cooked steaks, chicken, burgers, sausages and more, each of which tasted a batch amended than they would person connected a state grill. Even astatine precocious temperatures, you still get immoderate wood flavor, which helped elevate my sous vide New York Strips beyond a elemental high-heat sear. Of course, I besides had nan action to unfastened nan Adaptive Sear Control for direct-flame finishing, which was perfectly nan correct move for steaks and burgers.

One important caveat astir Grill mode is that nan integer controller for Smoke mode wholly turns off. You run this mode wholly pinch nan front-mounted knobs — conscionable for illustration you would a state grill. As such, you don’t person entree to nan nutrient probes aliases immoderate Wi-Fi features that Smoke mode employs. I tin understand why Recteq would want to support nan 2 modes separate, but I do wish location was a measurement to usage nan nutrient probes to way soul somesthesia of things for illustration steak and chicken, aliases immoderate items wherever nonstop doneness is essential.

When it comes to smoking, nan X-Fire Pro useful conscionable arsenic good arsenic immoderate different pellet grills I’ve reviewed from Traeger, Weber and others. It’s very overmuch a set-it-and-forget-it device, if you want it to be, which intends you tin put connected a pork enarthrosis aliases a brisket early successful nan greeting and it will beryllium fresh by dinner. But since nan X-Fire Pro has 2 occurrence pots and truthful 2 smaller pellet hoppers alternatively of 1 larger one, each hopper’s capacity is constricted to just10 pounds. While I had nary problem getting done an 8-hour fume convention pinch a afloat hopper (at 275 degrees), I wouldn’t consciousness comfortable pinch overnight cooks owed to nan reduced pellet supply. In Grill mode, though, a azygous afloat hopper connected nan correct was ever capable to get done a cook.

Recteq says nan integer controller tin support nan group somesthesia successful Smoke mode wrong 5 degrees. I recovered this to beryllium existent during each of my low-and-slow cooking, and nan chart successful nan app confirms it. The only dips it showed corresponded to nan times I opened nan lid. This capacity was accordant crossed aggregate uses of nan X-Fire Pro, though connected 1 peculiarly acold and very windy day, I did spot immoderate greater fluctuations (there’s a informing astir this successful nan personification manual). Under normal upwind conditions though, this grill is reliable astatine maintaining nan desired cooking somesthesia successful Smoke mode.

Other features connected nan X-Fire Pro

The main cooking aboveground of nan X-Fire Pro consists of 4 removable formed robust grates. These are reversible pinch 1 broadside for wide usage and nan different pinch wider bars for much evident sear marks. There’s besides a shallow apical grate supra nan superior cooking area, cleanable for resting foods erstwhile they’re done aliases warming buns successful Grill mode. In Smoke mode, you could besides put different rack aliases 2 of ribs up there, but it’s not large capable for larger cuts of meat.

Most pellet grills nonstop ash and grease to a drawback cookware of immoderate sort. Since nan X-Fire Pro has 2 occurrence pots, it has 2 ash removal trays connected either broadside pinch levers to thief pinch nan debris. Like each different pellet grill, you’ll request to cleanable retired immoderate ash from nan cooking enclosure each fewer uses, and nan champion measurement to do that is pinch a shop vacuum. Recteq cautions against allowing grease buildup pinch Smoke mode, but I ne'er recovered this to beryllium a problem. That’s apt owed to nan truth that I utilized Grill mode betwixt low-and-slow cooking sessions, truthful I astir apt burned disconnected immoderate excess residue. What’s more, I for illustration to usage aluminum pans for pork shoulders for easier cleanup, alternatively than placing them straight connected nan grates.

Like each different Wi-Fi-enabled pellet grill I’ve tested, nan X-Fire Pro useful pinch an app that allows you to power and show it from afar. You tin support tabs connected some grill and nutrient probe temperatures arsenic good arsenic move nan full point off. Recteq’s app besides has much precocious features for illustration somesthesia graphs, a 30-day cooking history and complete 60 step-by-step guided recipes. Plus, you tin prevention cooking sessions pinch notes for early reference and nan app’s complete look book houses complete 450 dishes. The institution prides itself connected nan value of its app, and I tin corroborate it’s nan astir reliable mobile package I’ve utilized during a smart grill review.

Now let’s talk a fewer things you won’t find connected nan X-Fire Pro. First, there’s nary action for a folding beforehand support since nan pellet hopper is front-mounted. The hopper lid gives you a flimsy ledge to remainder nan area of a cookware aliases tray, but it’s not capable to do immoderate benignant of wrapping aliases mounting thing down completely. There’s besides nary interior lighting, which was astir apt nan point I missed astir from different pellet grills. Sure, we tin statement nan inferior of really immoderate companies put these lights, but thing is amended than nothing, particularly erstwhile you’re loading a grill earlier dawn aliases finishing a navigator aft dark.

The competition

While location are different pellet grills pinch direct-searing capabilities, nary of those connection nan dual-mode functionality of nan X-Fire Pro. For example, respective Pit Boss models person levers for unfastened entree to nan occurrence container — or, arsenic nan institution calls, it nan Flame Broiler. Some companies connection open-lid modes, for illustration Weber does connected the Searwood, but not each of those designs let you to get nonstop entree to nan fire. These grills besides fto you group a precocious searing somesthesia connected nan regular controls alternatively than giving you wholly a abstracted operating method for illustration Recteq does. Again, nan entreaty pinch nan X-Fire Pro is thing acquainted to some pellet and state grillers pinch controls best-suited for each style of cooking. And yes, nan $1,550 value puts this firmly successful nan premium category, but erstwhile you see it’s 2 grills successful one, that magnitude doesn’t look excessive.

Wrap-up

Rarely does a instrumentality unrecorded up to its billing arsenic a double-duty workhorse. With the X-Fire Pro, Recteq has successfully mixed nan champion aspects of pellet grills pinch a dedicated high-heat mode and abstracted controls that will beryllium acquainted to state grillers. This exemplary offers robust build quality, reliable capacity and Wi-Fi connectivity for extended smoking sessions. The smaller pellet hoppers require somewhat much vigilance, and location are a fewer features I’d emotion to spot successful nan future, but Recteq has surely bolstered its estimation for well-built smart grills pinch this dual-mode machine. I’d overmuch alternatively support tabs connected my pellet proviso than conjecture if my propane vessel is empty.