The Fast Eddy’s Pellet Grill we are talking about today is the PG500. If you are familiar with your BBQ brands, you will know the brand, but for those who don’t, here’s a quick story on who is Fast Eddy.
Eddy Maurin, a retired firefighter from Kansas, a former welder, and a competitor on the KCBS circuit, found Fast Eddy. He wanted to design an automatic grill that burned wood pellets. In the past, he had designed his own pits, but always discovered ways to improve the experience of pellet cooking. Using his welding skills, he designed his own pellet smoker in 1998. In 2003, he collaborated with Cookshack to design Fast Eddy’s Pellet grill at their facilities in Oklahoma.
The PG1000 model was the first pellet grill he designed with Cookshack. The PG1000 pellet grill’s notable feature was its insulated stainless steel electric smokers. The pellet grill, released in 2010, was made of stainless steel and had an insulated lid with several cooking zones. In 2011, Cookshack released his second design, Fast Eddy’s Peller Grill PG500.
The PG500 model is a modified version of the PG1000 and is more affordable. Today, we present you a review on Fast Eddy’s Pellet Grill, which is still the latest model of the series.
Fast Eddy’s Cookshack PG500 Pellet Grill Overview
The PG500 pellet grill differs slightly from the PG1000 one. It does not have an insulated lid, a large cart, and it costs less. It does have a side shelf for you to place items and the decrease in price makes it more affordable for a larger customer base.
Those are the only changes that set the PG500 pellet grill apart from the PG1000 pellet grill. If you are searching for a premium quality pellet grill that fits into your budget, consider getting the PG500 pellet grill.
Features of Fast Eddy’s Pellet Grill: The Cookshack PG500
The PG500 pellet grill has the following features:
Rugged and Durable Stainless Steel Design
In comparison to all the other pellet grills in the market, the PG500 has opted for a stainless steel design instead of the usual drum barrel design. Stainless steel is durable, corrosion-resistant, and enhances the appearance of the pellet grill.
Even though stainless steel construction increases the price of the pellet grill, it is worth the investment because it will last you a long time. Yes, there are several stainless steel gas grills that you can buy, but most of them are powder-coated steel.
The manufacturer did not only construct the body of PG500 using stainless steel, but also the fire pot and diffuser. The firepot and diffuser are continuously exposed to high temperatures, which leads to corrosion and eventually, so you will need to replace them.
Since Fast Eddy’s has used stainless steel to manufacture the fire pot and diffuser, you will not have to worry about ever replacing them.
Direct and Indirect Cooking Zones
Most pellet grills only have indirect low and slow cookers. Only people who want to smoke meat find them appealing. For those who want to perform high grilling and sear meat would need to invest in a second grill, thus not making it a very economical choice for them.
Eddy decided to design a pellet grill with dedicated indirect and direct cooking zones. The PG500 offers both indirect and direct open flaming grill, thus making it a two-in-one pellet grill. After seeing Eddy’s pellet grill, other brands also decided to follow suit, but his still differs from theirs.
Other pellet grills require you to remove the diffuser plate for direct grilling, but the PG500 has a dedicated area for open flame grilling. Inside the double doors, there are two cooking areas. The direct grilling zone is on the left while the indirect grilling zone is on the right.
The direct grilling side has a stainless steel grate and the indirect grilling side has a nickel-plated grate. You can switch between direct and indirect grilling easily without adjusting anything. You can cook everything on the PG500 because it offers these two grilling features.
Ash Drawer Slides Out
Ash interrupts airflow and can snuff out the fire. Excessive ash buildup can fluctuate temperatures and result in the grill turning off. For this reason, you need to remove the ash from the fire pot regularly. For several pellet grills, you will need to vacuum the ash. However, the PG500 works a little differently because its ash drawer slides out. You can slide it out to empty it.
Warming Drawer for Cold Smoking
The PG500 features a warming drawer, which you can use for cold smoking fish or cheese. The issue that users run into is that most pellet grills have a temperature limit of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. For cold smoking, the temperature of the grill needs to be around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you want cold smoke on a pellet grill, you need to get an accessory that increases exposure to smoke but decreases exposure to heat. With the PG500, you do not have to buy anything because you can just use its warming drawer for cold smoking or to keep the food warm.
The Cons of Buying a Fast Eddy’s Pellet Grill
Even though are a lot more advantages of buying the PG500 pellet grill, there are some disadvantages of buying it as well. The cons of buying the Fast Eddy’s PG500 pellet grill include:
- Some users may find it difficult to cook with the front open doors because they tend to get in the way of grilling.
- The main body of the pellet grill is not insulated, but this is not a big issue because it can still hold its temperature.
- When you are grilling, ash can get into your food because there is no cover over the fire.
- Some users may also find it hard to control the heat when grilling food.
- In comparison to other pellet grills, some users may still find it more expensive.
- You cannot grill and smoke at the same time because both are located in one place.
Our Final Thoughts
If you want a pellet grill for both direct and indirect grilling, consider buying Fast Eddy’s Pellet Grill. The PG500 is a fantastic pellet grill overall due to the number of benefits it provides users. If you are looking for an upgrade or need a premium quality pellet grill that can last you several long years, the PG500 is a good buy.
It will make your food taste amazing. However, even though it is cheaper than the Fast Eddy PG1000, you may still find it costly in comparison to other pellet grills in the market. Since it is expensive, only buy if you do a lot of grilling at home.
Even if it just sits there, its lifespan will not be cut short due to its stainless steel construction. If you are investing in the PG500, you really have to make sure that this is the pellet grill that you want to buy.
Overall, PG500 is a good pellet grill to buy for grilling and smoking. Just make sure you purchase the pellet grill from a reliable source, such as Cookshack’s website or whatever medium they use to sell their products. Most people have given rave reviews on the PG500. It is a good value for money, especially for those who want a pellet grill that can do more than the basic pellet grills on the market.
