Rec Tec Trailblazer Review

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rec req trailblazer

When I started on the Rec Tec trailblazer RT-340 review, one of the first things I found was that this is one of the easiest to assemble compared to the other Rec Tec’s I wrote about.

I will try to find answers to all the questions you and I might have about this pellet grill.

Read the rest of the Rec Tec trailblazer review:

You can read all about it by clicking on this table of content, or just go to the part where I give my opinion about this grill.

Grill surface of the Trailblazer

The first thing to know is the size of the grill grate to see if this is the size you need for your style of cooking.

With its 340 square inches, it is in my opinion big enough for a family of 4 or 5 people. If you go by the rule that you need 72 sq. inches per person.

There is an optional second shelf available to increase the cooking area with another one and bring the total to 511 square inches.

This is large enough for a full-size brisket or 2 Boston buts.

Material of the grate

The grill grates are made of 304 quality stainless steel. This type of stainless steel is made with 18% chromium and 8% nickel.

This is widely used for cooking and kitchen products, because of its strong oxidation resistance and durability.

Features of this grill

Here are some of the main features of the Trailblazer RT-340 and I will write more about them and all other features later.

  • 15 Lbs hopper
  • 340 sq inches grate (upgrade optional)
  • folding legs
  • Weighs 80 Lbs
  • All stainless steel
  • 200-500 degrees F
  • Extreme smoke setting
  • Full setting for temp. above 500 degrees
  • Dual meat probes

I can make this list a lot longer, but these are the main features. Other features worth mentioning are the PID controller of course and the fact that is the only portable pellet grill as far as we know. With the folding legs, this seems to be pretty easy.
<h2″>Customer Reviews of the Rec Tec Trailblazer
</h2″>

Better Grills Rating: 4.8

Find the price here

Pros & Cons

green-pro's-button

I read a few times that people switched from a big green egg to the trailblazer and never looked back. I think this is one of the best pros I have seen in a long time since most people love their BGE. The WiFi option is also very easy and eliminates the use of an external meat thermometer with a long-range monitor. Let’s have a look at some more pros and cons I found.
Pros:

  • Gets very hot
  • Extreme smoke under 200 F
  • Full setting is 500+ degrees
  •  
red-con's-button

Cons:
This pellet smoker is not been on the market for too long so again finding too much negative news is hard. But to be honest, since my first Rec Tec RT-340 review I did a long time ago I am still not able to find many negative things.

  • Price
  • Minor complaints about assembling
  • No hopper cleanout

Rec Tec trailblazer – My Opinion

After doing the “Rec Tec trailblazer review I think I have formed a nice and honest opinion about this grill.

The trailblazer from Rec Tec is maybe more affordable for a lot of people. The 340 square inches might look small but is big enough for a normal size family and with the optional extra cooking grate you can add an extra 170 square inches if you like.

The stainless steel is again in my opinion a great option to make sure this grill will last for many years.

With its weight of 80 lbs and the 15 lbs hopper, I think this is a great tailgate pellet grill and suited for camping and maybe even RV.

When I looked at the Manual I see there are only a few steps to assemble the grill. I can only see 9 parts that you need to use.

There is no hopper clean out, but I can justify that with the lower price compared to the more expensive models like the Rec Tec bull RT-700 I reviewed here.

The controller is of the modern PID type and this means that it measures the temperature constantly and adjusts the speed of the auger to keep it at a steady temperature.

The temperature can be adjusted in steps of 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

The setting LO is used to set the temperature under 200 degrees and activate the Xtreme smoke setting.

The setting FUl will put the grill in turbo mode and adjust the temperature to maximum. Rec Tec claims a temperature of over 500 degrees, but I read that many users get it over 600 degrees.

There is an option to adjust the controller in case you need to adjust the minimum and maximum feed rate of the auger for some reason.

The two temperature probes are not to measure the temperature in the cooking chamber but to measure the temperature of the meat you are cooking.

It is very nice that there are two so you can cook two types of meat at the same time and pull them when done.

I would still suggest using a pocket thermometer for thinner cuts of meat, however.

The WiFi option, that they claimed a long time ago would never be in a Rec Tec grill, has been added probably because everybody is using his or her cellphone for about anything.

I read one comment from someone that mentioned that he did not like to way you move the grill and he claimed it was not balanced and it fell over.

That makes me believe that we have to take the word “portable” in the product description with a little grain of salt.

Searing on any pellet grill is always a problem since they are basically ovens that circulate the air. For the trailblazer is a special sear unit available. it will also fit all other models I just found.

Assembly really seems to be a piece of cake. The legs are already installed but just have to be folded open and fastened.

Installing the interior parts like the flame deflector, drip pan, and cooking grate are very simple to do.
Just be careful not to damage the temperature sensor in the processes.

Overall I like the Rec Tec trailblazer and since I have a smaller family I think about putting one on my wish list.

If you think this is not the Rec Tec you need you can find all other models and reviews here on this Rec Tec page.

Recommended

There were not a lot of other products but of course, I recommend the use of a grill cover.

The available sear kit can help you grill your steak and will add nice grill marks I read.

If you need more grill grate space you can order the extra grill grate and add another 170 square inches.

Tips from real users

Tips you can find from real users can be very valuable and improve your grill experience and make life easier.

Lining your drip pan with aluminum foil is okay if you keep it only on the inside to protect the temperature sensor.

The same warning is for when you assemble the grill. Be careful not to damage the temperature sensor. This will make the grill malfunction.

Rec Tec trailblazer review

if you think I missed anything in this Rec Tec Trailblazer review or you have any questions feel free to contact me or add them in the comment section.

Robert Chill

Robert Chill loves to cook on BBQs and grills and uses all types of recipes and techniques to cook some awesome food. With his experience, he can share many reviews, tips, and ideas on how to use any grill. You can read more about him here

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