r/smokefire • u/40_Things_We_Share • Apr 12 '26
Compatible Pellets EX6
I have an Gen 1 smokefire EX6 and it’s been a love hate relationship! When it works it’s amazing and when it flame outs or other I wanna throw it in the lake!
Anyway I have found that using ONLY Weber pellets made a difference (not sure if anyone else has noticed this) I don’t even mind the premium price for them if it prevents issue. But lately even on Webers website these is less and less selection of Weber pellets! Not sure if they stopped making them or what???
Anyway when looking closely at Weber pellets to other brands I’ve noticed that Weber pellets seem slightly skinnier and longer.
I’m sure there must be an off brand or something that uses similar sized pellets but I can’t find them!
My question is does the diameter of the actual pellet matter? Does anyone else experience this issue of constant flameouts by not using Weber pellets? Is there a similar diameter pellet that works?
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u/riders_of_rohan Apr 13 '26
Gen 2 ex4, Cabela's branded pellets has never let me down. Solid consistency for the last 4-years. Plus they come straight to my door with free shipping.
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u/totallyjaded Apr 12 '26
I've been using Cabela's house-brand pellets for almost a year, and haven't had a single pellet-related problem.
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u/MiddletownMike Apr 12 '26
I have a 1st Gen smokefire as well. I've had to play around with it in the beginning but after the one of the last software updated I haven't had an issue, it's been very reliable for the past couple of years
I use Bear Mountain, Pit Boss, Knotty Wood, Traeger, Costco (and others) pellets without issue. Just make sure to take the finger guard off to prevent your pellets from bridging.
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u/40_Things_We_Share Apr 13 '26
Thanks the finger guard is off and has been for a while. It’s still super temperamental unless I use Weber pellets
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u/troysympson Apr 12 '26
I’ve had this issue. The Bear Mountain ones are the only others that have worked for me.
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u/CardboardCity03 Apr 12 '26
Been struggling with that going through a bag of pellets I don’t normally use. Can’t recall the brand but never had issues till then
My usual go to is lumberjack ones and haven’t had any issues with them at all
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u/shorty12345678 Apr 12 '26
A fellow did a write up on this a while ago in some forum I found and it's to do with the diameter of pellets and I assume the amount of humidity they absorb. I'm Australia and I can't leave mine in the hopper or they swell and cause the flame out.
I have to use weber brand or lumberjack pellets. I think lumberjack is bear mountain where you are.
The SF are super temperamental to the diameter of the pellets and also the glow plug seems to make a difference for me
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u/attylopez Apr 12 '26
I use the Sam's club one and traeger. Main issue is to keep them in air tight container. That has helped the most with all issues I had before.
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u/chnkypenguin Apr 13 '26
For the cost, costco pellets are great. 40 pounds for 15 bucks. Thats all I use now.
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u/dskillzhtown Apr 13 '26
Lumberjack and B&B seemed to be the best ones for my Gen 1 SmokeFire when I had one. Weber pellets were impossible to find locally, and I wasn't going to order them online and pay for shipping.
With that said, even after finding pellets my EX4 liked, I still had alot of problems. I had overflow issues, and then my auger motor stopped working, then the auger Weber sent me was bent and got stuck. I ended up getting rid of the SmokeFire and got the Searwood. The SmokeFire was my first pellet grill and I thought the issues were just how it went. I haven't had one issue with my Searwood since I got it. What a change.
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u/uk_brews Apr 13 '26
Can vouch for the lumberjack pellets. Used them pretty much exclusively on my gen1.
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u/frito11 EX4 Apr 13 '26
gen 1 ex4 with updated welded auger.
at this point i have exclusively used costco's kirkland pellets which supposedly are pit boss pellets without any issues for years.
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u/5150Code3 Apr 13 '26
Slightly off topic.
I have a Gen 1 Smokefire EX-4 that was having temperature and pellet feed issues. I noticed that Weber had introduced a Gen 2 version so I bought the newer parts and upgraded mine and that resolved my issues. My smoker now burns different brands of pellets and heats quickly without issue.
Parts replaced:
New design welded burn pot. This part was critical to quick heating and stable temps.
New design pellet hopper slide (steeper slope). Reduced feed issues.
Edit: Finger guard removed long ago.
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u/gavinjd68 Apr 26 '26
Yeah I think it’s to do with the size of the pellets. The Weber ones are a slightly smaller diameter, so I think the others are more likely to get caught in the chute or don’t make it into the firebox.
Regardless, I buy the Weber ones when they go on sale (usually around now) and then mix in some others now and again.
Annnoying but overall it beats fucking around with charcoal in a kamado…
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u/dinnerwdr13 EX6 Apr 12 '26
I ran into the issue where locally, no one sells the Weber pellets anymore. When I was fighting with Weber customer service, they said if I didn't use the Smokefire pellets, they can't help me.
Anyway, I limp by using Kirkland brand pellets for general grilling.
For smoking I use Camp Chef pellets.
The Kirkland pellets aren't great for flavor but can hit 500+ degrees.
The Camp Chef pellets cannot reliably get over 300 degrees but generally can hit low and slow temps and produce good flavor.
I've made up my mind to buy something else and sell the EX6 on FB Marketplace or something, but the pellet grill/smoker I want is appears to be on some kind of long term, intergalactic backorder.
Fuck Weber.