So, you want to buy a Green Mountain Grill but are unsure if they’re any good or not? That’s where Take a Yard can help…
Green Mountain Grills are high-quality pellet grills that can smoke, grill, and slow cook. The company was founded in 2006 by Jason Baker, and most of the grills and accessories are manufactured in China. Green Mountain Grills are sold through a network of authorized dealers across he USA.
In this article, we’re going to answer all the questions you’ve ever had about Green Mountain Grills (and some more you’ve probably never even thought of!). Let’s dive in…
Where Are Green Mountain Grills Made?
Green Mountain Grills are manufactured in China.
Who Manufactures Green Mountain Grills?
Green Mountain Grills was founded by Jason Baker in 2006.
What Products Are in The Green Mountain Grills Range?
Green Mountain Grills are pellet grills. They smoke, grill and slow cook. Pellets are loaded into the hopper at the side of the grill and a motor turns the auger (like a screw), which feeds the pellets into the firebox.
There are two Green Mountain Grill lines: Prime and Choice. The main difference between the two is in the power. The Prime line has 12V direct power, while the Choice line has 110V. Other small differences are in the grill view window, dual versus single meat probes, and the pellet window.
For the Prime models, the Venturi-style firebox creates cyclone flames with vertical vents. The Venturi-style firebox maximizes heat and pellet combustion. The food-grade pellets are pure hardwood. The auger system has a micro-adjustable variable speed fan to maintain precise temperatures.
The digital controller has a temperature range of 150° to 550° F, with increments of 5°. The dual meat temperature probes in the Prime models are controlled with WIFI and come with a USB charging port.
All Green Mountain Grills have Sense-Mate thermal sensors that constantly monitor the ambient temperature so when the weather gets cold, it puts the grill into turbo mode.
The smallest Green Mountain Grill is called the Davy Crockett (or the Trek, online). It has 219 square inches of grilling space and weighs 57 pounds. It is designed to be a go-to camping and tailgating grill. The hopper capacity is 9 pounds. The Davy Crockett is WIFI enabled and has a 12V direct connect power.
The medium sized Green Mountain Grill is called the Daniel Boone (or Ledge or Ledge SS, for the stainless-steel option). There are two models offered, one WIFI controlled and one non-WIFI. The Daniel Boone has an 18-pound pellet hopper capacity with 458 square inches of grill space. There are three Daniel Boone models to choose from: two are WIFI enabled, and one is not. Other options are pellet windows and 12V direct power.
The largest Green Mountain Grill is called the Jim Bowie (or Peak or Peak SS). The Jim Bowie has a whopping 658 square inch grill space and holds up to 18 pounds of pellets. There are three Jim Bowie model choices: two WIFI enabled, and one is not. Other options are pellet windows and 12V direct power.
For commercial grillers and smokers, Green Mountain Grills also has a Big Pig Trailer Rig. Described as a “moveable feast”, this trailer mounted grill can hold either a whole hog, 25 briskets, 150 steaks, 65 chickens, 25 pork butts or 200 hamburgers. It weighs 1120 pounds on a 2,000-pound axle.
Here’s a handy chart from Green Mountain Grills comparing their models and features.
What Size & Weight Are These Grills?
The smallest of the Prime line is the Davy Crockett grill. It weighs 57 pounds and has 219 square inches of cooking space.
The Daniel Boone grills weigh 177 pounds and have 458 square inches of cooking space.
The Jim Bowie grill weighs 208 pounds and has a grill space of 658 square inches.
Do These Grills Come With a Warranty?
All Green Mountain Grills come with a limited 3-year warranty from it’s first retail purchase.
During the three years, they will replace or repair defective grills or grill parts. The grill must be returned to an authorized dealer by the original owner.
Do Green Mountain Grills Also Make Accessories?
Green Mountain Grill accessories include the following: pellets, BBQ rubs, a pizza attachment, pizza peels, carts, racks, rotisserie kits, grill spotlights, grill covers, floor mats, and griddles.
They also make smoker tubes, spritz bottles, tray liners, baseball caps, bucket liners, food porters, grill mitts, aprons, grill pans, grill utensils, and rib racks.
Phew- take a breath!
What Do Buyer Reviews Say About Green Mountain Grills?
Most Green Mountain Grills are sold by authorized dealers, and we couldn’t find any reviews from the dealers.
We looked on Amazon and found one grill – the Davy Crockett Sense Mate Tailgating Grill. For that one grill, over 1400 reviewers gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Positive reviewers thought it was very easy to assemble, they loved the customer service, and the flavor was great. Other positives were solid build and great smoky flavor.
Negative reviewers describe temperature control issues – bad “hot spots” – which were partly mitigated with heat shield experience. One very negative reviewer described their grill as a firebomb and deemed the grill “a ticking time bomb”.
Here’s a professional review of the Daniel Boone model from Meathead’s Amazing Ribs website. Meathead gives this model a solid Gold Medal, based on it’s solid performance, ease of use and the excellent customer service.
Here’s another professional review of the Daniel Boone pellet grill, by The Spruce Eats. They felt the Daniel Boone model stood out from the crowd – in a good way. They liked the positive pressure fan, the hopper alarm, the Sense-Mate, and the temperature control. They felt that the grill had good attention to detail, and high-quality components.
Finally, here’s a review that compares Green Mountain Grills versus Traeger.
How Much Do These Grills Cost?
The smallest Green Mountain Grill is the Davy Crockett/Trek and costs $350.
The Daniel Boone/Ledge and Ledge SS cost around $800.
The Jim Bowie/Prime Peak grill retails at $1,000.
How Do I Use My Green Mountain Grill?
We chose the Daniel Boone grill for this how-to. Here are the directions for everyday use:
- Load up the hopper with food grade pellets. Green Mountain Grills have a nice selection of hardwoods, but you can buy other brands as well. Just be sure to buy food grade pellets – heating pellets should not be used.
- Close the pellet hopper lid. The fan inside the hopper needs to blow air into the auger tube, so the lid needs to stay closed.
- Put in the heat shield. Heat shields positions have to be perfected by trial and error. Start with the heat shield around 4″ from the left side. The heat shield may have to be moved depending on the food types and amount.
- Be sure to have the grease tray installed.
- Open the chimney cap to at least a two-finger opening.
- Plug in the grill.
- The display panel should read OFF.
- Push the red power button once to turn on the grill. The display should move through the 1-2-3 cycle and automatically ramp up the temperature to 150° F. This process should take around 15 minutes, depending on your climate.
- Once the display reaches the pre-set 150° F temperature, you can adjust it with the temperature up/down buttons.
- The grill may make huffing or chuffing noises – it’s the fan and totally normal.
- On the Daniel Boone grill, there are two meat probes. Use the probe buttons to find the meat temperatures.
- Keep the lid closed as much as possible. If your model has a grill window, use this to check on cooking progress so heat doesn’t escape.
- For a detailed description of the Smart Control APP, which you can use to control and monitor the grill temperatures and create and manage food profiles, check out the manual linked below.
Here’s the manual from Green Mountain Grills.
Are Green Mountain Grills Easy To Look After?
Make sure your grill is unplugged in between uses and always double check it’s unplugged before cleaning it.
Clean the grates after every use with a wire brush (or wadded piece of aluminum foil) while the grates are warm – not hot.
Check on the level of the grease tray. If you’ve grilled or smoked something with a lot of grease (pork butt?), then clean the tray. Avoid grease fires by keeping the grease tray, the drip system tube, and the chimney cap free of grease.
Green Mountain Grills recommends super heating the grill periodically to burn off meat residue from the interior. Set the grill to 500° for about an hour.
Pellet dust needs to be cleaned out. Be sure the ash is completely cool. Some Green Mountain Grills have a fan (the ash vac) to help blow out the dust leftover from burns. Otherwise, a shop vac works well.
Pellets are made from sawdust. Hard pellets, when mixed with water will turn into sawdust mush and then into something much, much harder. So, keep the pellet hopper and auger dry at all times.
How Do I Store My Green Mountain Grill?
Water is the enemy. Store your Green Mountain Grill in a dry place or be sure to cover it with a heavy-duty cover.
Store the pellets in a cool, dry place, like your garage. Don’t let them get wet or you’ll have wasted your money.
Conclusion: Where Can I Buy One?
Green Mountain Grills retail locations can be found here. Amazon sells only the portable Davy Crockett model.
