Green Mountain Grill Davy Crockett Pellet Grill w/ Wi-Fi Review
Wood pellet grills are very popular. However, most of them need to be plugged into a standard AC electrical outlet. This means that they are rarely portable. Green Mountain addresses these concerns with their Davy Crocket portable wood pellet grill.
It is designed to fold up conveniently. When collapsed the legs serve as handles allowing you to carry it. Just bear in mind that it weighs 70-pounds, so you will likely need to recruit a friend.
The internal auger runs on DC current. The Green Mountain Davy Crockett comes with three ways to deliver electrical current to the auger and controller. There is an AC adaptor for situations where you might have a power post or 110V outlet nearby. It also comes with a 23-foot long 12-Volt plug that can connect to a vehicle’s inboard power port. If you prefer there are alligator clips included, for connecting to an independent 12-Volt battery.
There is a wood pellet hopper that can hold enough pellets for a long smoking session. It has an internal grease management system that deposits drippings into a reusable metal cup.
The Green Mountain Davy Crockett also comes with its own WiFi system, as well as the ability to connect with Green Mountain’s own servers. Once you download the app, (Available for IOS as well as Android) you can control the wood pellet smoker’s temperature from just about anywhere. It also comes with a water-resistant cover.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
Green Mountain did their best to infuse quality components into the design of the Davy Crockett. Of course, this is balanced with the need to keep the price reasonable, as well as attractive to people who are looking for a so-called “Entry Level” wood pellet grill.
One minor quality complaint is the noise of the internal auger. This is due to the fact that it’s designed to run on DC current, and DC electric motors can be louder than their AC counterparts.
Assembly time with the Davy Crockett might take you longer than you’d expect. The instructions are a little bit on the complicated side. Especially some of the early setup instructions. It might help to have a second pair of eyes and hands available while you put it together. With some patience, mechanical sympathy, and tools you already have around the house, you should be able to get it fully assembled in a little over two hours.
There are different ways to power the Davy Crockett. There is a standard AC adaptor for times when you do happen to have an electrical outlet close at hand. It also comes with a 23-foot long 12-Volt plug that will work in a vehicle’s power port. This isn’t really ideal, as it is possible to blow a vehicle’s fuse, which could leave you scrambling.
As simplistic as it may sound, the alligator clips might just be the best option. You will need a secondary 12-volt battery, to connect to. Housing it inside a waterproof battery case is also a good idea if you plan to take it with you to camp.
Grilling Performance
The Green Mountain Davy Crockett will do pretty much everything you expect from a small wood pellet grill. It doesn’t have a large interior, so you can let go of ideas like smoking a full-size brisket. However, there is still enough room inside to handle a pork shoulder, or a trimmed down small brisket.
If you wanted to make a rack of ribs, I would suggest cutting them down into three rib portions. A halved chicken would be better than a butterflied one. There is just enough vertical room to make a beer can chicken. You might be tempted to try to get two small birds in there, but I think you’ll find they are a little too crowded.
Grilling Areas
The primary grill grate provides 219 square inches of cooking space. This is a little on the small side, but you couldn’t expect more than this without sacrificing portability.
Special Features
The WiFi feature and ability to connect to the Green Mountain servers give you the ability to closely monitor and adjust the temperature. Depending on where you are it has better range than you might think. It also makes very accurate changes in a relatively short amount of time.
Ease to Clean
The Green Mountain Davy Crockett is pretty easy to clean. The grease management system collects rendered fat and runoff in a reusable metal drip cup that dangles under the main cooking chamber. The inside needs to be cleaned out, which can be a little finicky, when you clean the corners.
The ash pot is like most other wood pellet grills, and you can simply wait for it to fully burn out, then suck the ash out with a shop vac. You might be tempted to blow it with an air compressor, but this makes more ash mess than you really want to deal with.
There isn’t any kind of pellet hopper purge feature. This can be a little bit awkward. You shouldn’t leave unused wood pellets in the hopper for too long after a cooking session, as they can break down with humidity. So, you’re left to pick them out, or you have to carefully tip the grill sideways.
Warranty
Green Mountain backs the Davy Crockett with a Two-year complete warranty. Even beyond that time frame, if you have a problem Green Mountain has won awards for their customer service.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an entry-level, portable, wood pellet grill that is affordable, then you might want to give the Green Mountain Davy Crockett a good hard look. It’s a little on the small side, but it can do pretty much everything you want to it do, and you can take it with you.
