Are you looking to become the master chef of your patio or the go-to person for any BBQ related question? With this machine from camp chef you found yourself the ultimate weapon to access your desires.
Camp Chef “The way to cook outdoors” has been the leader in the outdoor stove manufacturing industry for over 28 years now. They quickly understood that people who loved outdoors activities probably also liked good tasty food and would be happy not to give up on a good hearty meal while enjoying the nature.
Here below you’ll find the review of their classic woodwind grill and its upgraded version, the Woodwind SG 24. Both amazing pellet grills with many features that will make everything taste greatly delicious.
Pellet Grill
Back to basics: what is a pellet grill? It is essentially a grill that is powered by hardwood sawdust, i.e. pellets. They give this authentic taste of firewood to the food that makes it so flavorful and mouth-watering. The digital controller is like a smart computer that makes sure to maintain the temperature you set up by automatically sensing the temperature in the main body and feed just the right amount of pellets in the burn cup. This way, the temperature is conveniently and evenly sustained for a perfect cooking without the need to look after the fire.
The auger feeds the pellets into the burn cup where a little rod ignites and get the pellets to start burning and releasing the smoke. To make sure your food does not burn, just above the burn cup there’s a plate that is responsible for dispersing the heat evenly.
The Build
Camp Chef is used to create gear that is suitable for the outdoors and is able to resist some rough conditions, hence, the quality of the built has to be irreproachable. The woodwind is no exception to this. 150 lbs of solid built. You have 4 steering wheels linked by a bottom shelf which helps with the stability of the structure.
On the left hand you can find the pellet hopper that can help up to 22 lbs of pellets for the SG version and 18 lbs for the classic one. On top of the increased capacity of the pellet hopper, the woodwind SG also features a clear window on the front which helps you assess the level in a quick glance. We really appreciate that the top lid of the hopper is also wider than what is strictly needed to cover it cause it allows you to use it as a shelf. So you have an extra space to store food, plates or your utensils.
On the front part of the hopper you’ll also find the LED display that is quite simple to understand and operate. You have the on-off power, a temperature gauge where you can easily see what’s suitable for smoking or grilling and the meat probe (1 for the classic and 2 for the SG). On the SG version they also indicate that to operate the direct flame mode, the temperature has to be set as HI. Remember, the “SG” slide and grill is only available on the SG version of the woodwind pellet grill.The SG also boasts a bottle opener on the front of the hopper.
At the bottom of the main body you can see a little cup. This is an ash cup cleanout system patented by Camp Chef. There’s a little knob that you pull and it empties out the ashes into the cup. The cup itself is simply removed by rotating it. Finished the heavy cleaning.
On the right side, you’ll see the sear box (that is present on both models). It fits seamlessly all other models and adds 184 square inches of cooking space. It’s a genuine cast iron grates that can reach a temperature of 900 degrees. It’s meant to allow you to do some sizzling grilling, has a lid to draw some beautiful grilling marks and has its own control panel. It requires propane fuel.
Slide and Grill
Do you remember the plate we spoke about on the previous section? The one that is there above the burn cup and that allows the heat to be spread evenly? Well, that plate is not immobile! The “SG” Slide and grill technology by Camp Chef can be put aside pretty simply with the pull of a knob.
As you can see in the picture above, the usual built of a grill/smoker is pretty much straight forward: the burning pot, the deflector plate, the drip tray and the grates. The particularity and unique feature of this Camp Chef pellet grill is that thanks to the knob (far left in the picture) you can slide the plate away and release the flame directly to the grilling section for high temperature, flame cooking.
Versatility
You can achieve almost all type of cooking techniques on the Camp Chef Woodwind: you want high temperature to grill? Use the sear box or the slide&grill technology. Do you want authentic woodfire taste for your pizza, crusts and breads? The pellets will do a great job for you. Love the smoke taste on your ribs? Set up a low temperature, a timer and let the grill do the rest without needing to babysit.
All You Need To Know Before You Buy It
– Do you need it ? If you eat: yes, it’s already enough to get one. If you like to cook, grill and smoke, that’s a must.
– Are there some prerequisite? Except for having a backyard/garden, not really. But it’s indeed strictly an outdoor stove.
– Is it easy to set up? Yes. One person is enough to assemble it. The instructions are clear.
– What is the size? We would refer you to the below table referencing all the dimensions of both the classic and SG versions as they are slightly different. In general it has a pleasant size for grill: it’s big enough for you to cook comfortably but is not unnecessarily over-dimensioned.
– How big is the cooking area? The classic woodwind offers 570 sq. in. of racks area where the SG boasts a rack surface area of 811 sq. in. You can add to both 184 sq. in. of searing area.
– What fuel can I use? It’s a pellet grill. The hopper in the SG has a slightly bigger capacity than the classic and you can fill it up with 22 lbs of pellets. The sear box will require propane.
– Do I need experience to use it ? Nope. It’s all pretty straight forward and you’ll find all sorts of tutorials/how to on internet or Camp Chef website to guide you through on how to maximise the benefits of your woodwind grill.
– Is cleaning up fastidious? The patented ash cleanup makes the task easier and quicker, nevertheless, consistency and dedication will help you maintain your grill longer. Wind circulates in the pit for smoking and ash can’t be completely captured by the cup, so regular hoovering and cleaning is the best.
| WOODWIND CLASSIC 24 PELLET GRILL WITH SEAR BOX | WOODWIND SG 24 PELLET GRILL WITH SEAR BOX |
|---|---|
| Grill Features | Grill Features |
| - Electric auto-start ignition - Dual LED temperature readout - Easy setting selection system - Automatic pellet auger - Included warming rack - Included meat probe - Patented Ash Cleanout system - Large capacity pellet hopper - Included recipe pamphlet - Pellet hopper cleanout and purge - 160º F up to 500º F temperature range for slow smoking to grilling - Included bottom shelf - Four wheeled legs for easy movement | - Includes 2 meat probes - Includes removable 2-piece enameled steel lower rack - Includes removable 2-piece nickel plated upper rack - Smart Smoke Technology - Pellet Hopper Cleanout/Purge - Slide and Grill Technology - Ash Cleanout System - Cord Management System - Grease Management System - Large capacity hopper - Electronic auto-start ignition - Dual LED temperature display: internal cooking temps and internal food temps - Simple temperature selection system - 160º F up to 500º F temperature range for slow smoking to grilling - Automatic auger dispenses pellets as needed for improved smoker efficiency - Bottle opener - Clear hopper window - High temperature paint with matte finish |
| Grill Specifications | Grill Specifications |
| - Grilling Area Dimensions: 19.5 in. x 22 in. - Smoking/Warming Rack Dimensions: 6 in. x 24 in. - Upper Rack Area: 141 sq. in. - Lower Rack Area: 429 sq. in. - Total Rack Surface Area: 570 sq. in. - Chamber Capacity: 3,778 cubic in. - Hopper Capacity: 18 lbs. of pellets - Overall Height: 32.5 in. - Overall Weight: 146 lbs. | - Upper Rack Area: 382 sq. in. - Lower Rack Area: 429 sq. in. - Total Rack Surface Area: 811 sq. in. - Chamber Capacity: 4,850 cubic in. - Hopper Capacity: 22 lbs. of pellets - Overall Height: 42 in. - Overall Weight: 150 lbs. |
| Sear box features | Sear box features |
| - Stainless steel construction - Enamel-coated cast iron grill grates - Raised ribs on grates for distinct grill marks - Propane burner for high heat - Propane tank holder included - Grease management system with drip tray - Built-in ignition for easy lighting - Heat diffuser plates for infrared cooking - Reaches temperatures up to 900° F - Easily replaces existing side shelf with existing holes and hardware - Propane tank not included | - Stainless steel construction - 16,000 BTU stainless steel burner - Enamel-coated cast iron grill grates - Raised ribs on grates for distinct grill marks - Propane burner for high heat - Propane tank holder included - Grease management system with drip tray - Built-in ignition for easy lighting - Heat diffuser plates for infrared cooking - Reaches temperatures up to 900°F - Propane tank not included |
| Sear box specifications | Sear box specifications |
| - Searing Area Dimensions: 11.5 in. x 16 in. - Total Surface Area: 184 sq. in. - Total Output: 16,000 BTU stainless steel burner - Overall Weight: 34 lbs. | - Searing Area Dimensions: 11.5 in. x 16 in. - Total Surface Area: 184 sq. in. - 16,000 BTU stainless steel burner - Overall Weight: 34 lbs. |