REC TEC Grills Stampede RT-590 Portable Wood Pellet Grill Review
Rec Tec Grills have been garnering a lot of attention recently. As a company, they put a great deal of focus into offering quality products, while paying attention to the end user’s needs.
The Rec Tec Stampede is their attempt to provide the market with a wood pellet grill that isn’t too small to be your daily grillers. Yet also isn’t too big to take with you. It is made largely from high quality 304 stainless steel. This package also comes with some extras, including complimentary wood pellets, non-stick grill mats, and a custom grill cover.
The primary cooking chamber is octagonal in shape, which is surprisingly visually appealing. It is also designed to improve smoke and heat distribution. The primary fire pot is heated with their Hot Flash ceramic ignition system.
The Rec Tec proprietary PID controller is designed to maintain a precise and consistent temperature by adjusting the auger speed and fan. The Stampede is also set up to be controlled via a Wi-Fi signal. It can be linked to your phone or another wireless device by an app. It also has their Bull Pen instant-read thermometer.
It also has a thoughtfully designed grease management system. Any runoff or rendered fat is distributed down to a reusable stainless steel drippings cup.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
When it comes to quality Rec Tec doesn’t mess around. They use 304 stainless steel throughout the Stampede, even in the places where you don’t readily see it. The ceramic ignition system improves the efficiency of the fire pot’s burn, while their PID control system adjusts for accuracy.
When it comes to assembly, wood pellet grills inherently take more time to put together than traditional gas and charcoal grills. That being said Rec Tec made it a point to create thoughtfully designed instructions and make it as easy as possible for the end user to assemble. This means it’s a little easier to assemble than most other wood pellet grills in this category.
Grilling Performance
The octagonal shape of the primary cooking chamber helps evenly distribute the airflow for more consistent heating and smoke. Rec Tec’s goal when designing the Stampede was to offer a unit that was bigger than a portable tailgate grill. Yet they also didn’t want it to be so large that it’s overkill for the times when you need to cook for your family of three.
They market it as being a “Portable Grill. However, it still rings in at 123 pounds, which isn’t something you are just going to lift into the box of your truck on your own. If you have some strong-backed friends and you really want to take it with you, it’s big enough to smoke up to four racks of pork spare ribs at one time.
Their current promotion includes extra wood pellets as well as two non-stick grill mats. This makes it even more affordable and easier to clean. The PID controller is designed to provide you with accurate temperature control. With an app, it can also connect via Wi-Fi to your phone or another wireless device.
Grilling Areas
The primary cooking chamber of the Rec Tec Stampede measures in at 592 square inches. It also has a secondary rack measures in at 180 square inches. Combined they provide you with 772 square inches of cooking space.
Just keep in mind that the secondary rack is indeed an additional cooking space. It isn’t meant to be used as a warming rack like you would find with a traditional gas or charcoal grill.
Special Features
The PID controller with its Wi-Fi connectivity is a nice touch, and lets you truly “Set it and Forget It” as well as keep tabs on it from just about anywhere. It also works with Rec Tec Bull Pen instant-read thermometer.
The Hot Flash ceramic ignition system provides superior heating for the firebox.
The octagonal cooking chamber helps to evenly distribute heat and smoke for consistency.
Ease to Clean
The Rec Tec Stampede promotion includes two non-stick grill mats. When you put them onto the grate it makes it incredibly easy to clean up. The grease management system also works well to redistribute any runoff and grease to the reusable stainless steel drippings cup.
It would have been nice if they would have included a hopper purge feature to quickly release unburned wood pellets. If you leave excess pellets in the machine for a prolonged period of time, ambient humidity and moisture can start to break down the lignin binder that helps them hold their shape.
Once this starts to happen you will be left with a hard brick-like wood substance that will not feed into the auger. You will need to make sure to take any unburned pellets out by hand after every cooking session.
Warranty
The Rec Tec Stampede is backed by a 4-year comprehensive warranty. Rec Tec also provides a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
This is a little bit better than most of the competitors in this category who tend to only offer a 3-year warranty.
Conclusion
Rec Tec has thrown themselves into the wood pellet grill market with a fervor. They know that quality, value, and thoughtful design pave the way toward building customer loyalty. It comes with some bells and whistles, and a few added extras, which go well with the friendly price point.
