Have had mine for about 10 yrs as well and love it. The only problem I have had with it is the brass temperature control probe went out on me. Green Mountain sent me a replacement free even though it was out of warranty. Not many places stand behind there products like that.
What was the symptom when your temp probe went out ? I have had my Danielle Boone for 5 months now. Purchased 12/22. It produced some of the best BBQ that I have ever made for the first 6 cooks. After about my 7th or 8th cook, I noticed that ash was building up on the inside of my grill more and more, producing ash on my food more and more. After about the 12 cook or so, I can't even use it without globs of ash spewing all over my food and outside of the grill itself. I clean and vacuum before EVERY cook so that is not the culprit. GM tech support has had me update the software twice, replace the fan once, replace the temp sensor once, switch from using Lumberjack pellets and Bear Mountain pellets to the GMG pellets, and now they want me to replace the motherboard but the motherboard has been on back order for 2 months now. I want to love it but right now it is a $1000 piece of S___ !!! Anybody else heard of this issue or experience this ? Any insight would be extremely helpful !
@@chrisross1657 it would run out of control. Go way past my set point and then drop well below. Wouldn’t settle into a consistent temperature, just kept bouncing way out of range.
@@MarkS-zy2nw Thank you for the reply. That sounds exactly like what is happening to me. I am going to have them ship me another temp sensor and hopefully that fixes my issues with it. ✌
As Yogi Berra once said, It's deja vu all over again! I too have had my Daniel Boone 10 years. Serial number 52790, made in 01/2010! On of the best buys I ever made. Like the Energizer Bunny, it just keeps on keeping on. The control panel crapped out after about two years. I called Neil at GMG, and he sent one free of charge. Not only that but he upgraded it to one with the meat probe! Two things: One, if you get one of these, buy a GMG grill cover. Good protection. Two, make an extra shelf. I went to the box store and bought a grate. Cut it to size. Took a 1/4" threaded rod, cut 4 pieces about 9" long. Then 12 large diameter flat shoulder washers, and some nuts. Instantly almost doubled the cooking surface! You can put it in or take it out as needed.
I love my Jim Bowie model! I've owned it for 8 years. I had an igniter issue early on, so I called customer service, and they walked me through starting it up with a propane torch. They overnighted a new one to me. The rep said they had a bad batch of ignitors, but some slipped through. The cover needs to be replaced but that's acceptable after 8 years in the Arizona sun. Mine has a completely "boxed in" firebox cover and mine has not warped. I think your hotspot may be due to yours warping. Mine was much cheaper than a Treager.I could not be happier!
I’ve had mine 12 years. Only had to replace the power board under warranty and combustion fan, about $30 bucks, so well worth the money. My heat diffuser and drip tray both warped too. Recently started getting a hole in the bottom but it’s never been in the rain and always covered and under our patio. Guess it’s time to replace with another GMG and keep this one for parts. Lots of good memories and meat made with this grill!
This review made my day just bought a peak plus based on this and some comments. Was worried about the Canadian climate / weather as well but this out me at ease. Thanks for posting!
Had mine for 5 plus years. Love it. Great flavor. Easy to use. Family loves the food that comes off this grill. Recomend to anyone that wants to have great smoked food or grilled food. Temperature adjustment easy. Still in use. No major issues.
Outstanding video, indeed the most intelligent and informative one I’ve seen. Makes so much more sense than a test after a few days. Looks like a GMG is the way foreword. Thanks again👍🏻.
Awesome video, thanks!! Just bought a 2014 Davy Crockett in really good shape (was never cleaned!). Cleaned up really nice and look forward to many years of use.
The overall performance on my Camp Chef SmokePro SE (about 3 yrs old now), began to deteriorate a few months ago. It struggled to reach 400 degrees and soon afterwords wouldn't make 375. Then, a few weeks ago, the Temps began to fluctuate wildly. I contacted Camp Chef and they suggested to check for Aftermarket Gaskets under the Lid, to check that the Blower was working, to run "Feed Mode" before each cook and to Empty the Burn Pot before each cook, to clean the Chimney & Vents, to check the Chimney Cap and lastly to empty the Feed Tube and blow it out w/ compressed air. So the Camp Chef brand uses a Slide Out bottom for the Burn Pot w/ a catch bucket underneath so I looked inside the Burn Pot after dumping the ash and it was OK, the only other thing I hadn't already tried was to blow Out the Auger Tube, so I did that and it Still would not climb above 350 degrees in less than 30 minutes and the Temps were fluctuating still. So, None of that worked. I then ordered a New internal Temp Probe (which oddly was Not suggested by Camp Chef), and while I was waiting on this $30 Dollar item, I decided to break out the old Inspection mirror and a Flashlight and examine the inside of the Burn Pot. I was actually intending to watch the Auger turn during Feed Mode and when I looked at the Burn Pot walls I found the problem. It was Rusted out on all sides, especially around the cutout for the Auger Tube. So, I went to Camp Chef's website for this part and found it Extremely Difficult to locate specific parts. Their Parts aren't arranged or sorted in any order and the Descriptions just Sucked. Eventually I found Two different Burn Pots, one w/ a Bottom & one without. I had to assume the Open Bottom Pot was the one I needed but the Description failed to identify which Pellet Stoves it would fit, so I sent an e-mail to Camp Chef and told them that their Parts catalog lacked the information I needed to tell which Burn Pot fit my SE. They responded w/ the Part number for the bottomless pot, and I ordered it. The bottom line on the NEW Burn Pot was that it fit so badly, I had to loosen the top 4 mounting screws just to allow the bottom sliding plate to move for emptying the Pot. Also, the Igniter retaining tube was offset welded in a different location than the original which made it Very Difficult to get past the Auger Tube when installing. Additionally, the Receptacle Tube for the Igniter hadn't been finished when it' was machined. There were Huge Metal Burrs inside the Igniter mount Tube that prevented me from installing the Igniter. None of these defects were obvious before installing, so I had to remove & reinstall the Burn Pot several times before I realized the Machining work on the Igniter Tube wasn't finished. I finally got everything installed and the Igniter had quit working, likely caused by be trying to force it into & back out of a defective Mount tube. I contacted Camp Chef again and told them the finish quality on their New Burn Pot was so bad it made my Pellet Grill inoperable. They gave me a Return Authorization number & they got their POS Burn Pot back. I went to Pellet Stove Parts For Less where they give the option for OEM parts (at a much better price than from Camp Chef), or to purchase Aftermarket parts at about Half the price. I ordered the Aftermarket Burn Pot & Igniter and now my Pellet Grill works again ! I will likely be selling or giving away this Camp Cheff Grill and going w/ Recteq or Traeger next time.
I have had mine since 2017, I just ordered a combustion fan other than that no problems. Just repainted it this week and it looks brand new. The internals are a little different from yours. My firebox also warped at some point but is still fully functional. The right side of the grill is hotter than the left...
Hey great to hear, nothing wrong with the Traeger but in my opinion you end up way over paying for what you get. I think value for dollar is better with the GMG
Glad you’ve had good luck. I’ve had mine for about 8 years. In that time I’ve replaced 4 igniters, no big deal $13 on Amazon so I get spares. My control board just went out so I upgraded to the WiFi board which I have t installed yet. I really like the grill, I mostly use it for smoking fish and occasionally bbq a pork butt or two and it works great for that.
Can't put a price on a review like this. Durability and longevity are such an important consideration at this price point and you can't get reliable information on those factors from an unboxing and test run video. Appreciate this. I have ordered the new version of this smoker, hopefully the new ones stand the test of time like the old ones.
I live on the East Coast of Australia, we have a more stable climate where I'm from (no snow in the winter) 5 degrees Celsius would be a cold day. My GMG Jim Bowie Prime Plus is scheduled for delivery today, I think with our climate, Pellet usage would not be as high as in colder areas and maybe we'd get a little more life out of the grill too, if that's the case and the grill in this video is still going strong after 10 years, I may be passing mine on when I die. lol Thankyou for an honest and informative review, much appreciated 😎
Hey thanks for the comments. Yes I think you will get lots of years out of your GMG with more stable weather and good fuel economy too for pellets. 5 degrees would be nice here right now, this past Monday we dipped down to -37 lol. But in the summers it gets to 30 above as well so it’s a real mix bag of weather. All in all you will love that grill. Thanks for the comments. Cheers
Cool video, as was the one for the NEIPA. Always enjoy seeing what you're up to. Good to see you posting again. Happy Smoking / Happy Homebrewing / Stay Safe... Cheers! - Vinnie
Nice review. I have an October 2011 SN#79447. It’s the stainless steel remote control version, pre-WiFi. The big difference is mine has flanges that lean off the sides of the heat shield. I’ve replaced the shields, drip pan, igniter and control panel over the past 9 years. Green Mountain customer provided the shields and pans and gave me a discount code for the igniter and control panel. All easy to do. All shields, and pan have warped again, but it just adds character. I also keep my blanket on it year round.
Great long term review. 10 years outdoors in Canada and still in that good a shape. High praise. I got the same model a couple of years ago and they tweaked a couple of things. The drip tray, grates and heat diffuser are stainless steel and heavier duty now. The diffuser is *much* different looking now, probably to reduce hotspots. Anyway, I love mine and it's nice to know I'll be using it for a long time if it's anything like yours! I've only used it for pulled pork and some chicken. Going to try brisket for the first time next week.... and after seeing those awesome ribs you put on there, I guess that's next on the list!
After 8 years my Davy Crockett has experienced zero problems. It's used 5 times a month on average. The only money spent on the grill has been for meat probes which last about two years. Also replaced the grease plate once. That's it. Would I buy another? Yes, not not sure I will need to.
Great video, I have a Daniel Boone, about 2.5 years now, works great. Every once in a while some moisture will get into the burn cup, and it won’t start up, but just take apart and vac out the cup, and you’re good to go. Regarding the hot spot, the newer models have a heat shield that is turned 90 degrees from yours, and it has a threaded rod attached to the shield, so you can slide it back and forth a little to tune any hot spots out.
Thanks for the comments that’s great to hear that the heat shield has been updated. I will for sure be buying a GMG when this one dies. On year 11 now and it’s still going strong, if it makes it to 15 years I’ll have to do another vid ha ha
Great video .. this the best so far .. like u said u grill scars are the best .. everyone unbox which is good . But longevity and Ten Years After..💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾
Great video bro. Thanks. My Jim Bowie arrives Wednesday. I love my WSM. I hope the pellet smoker gives me the results I’m looking for. I like the fact it’s Obviously built well. Your video prove that for sure. Thanks and happy barbecuing
Mine is was 8 years old at the time you made this review! I just upgraded my warped tray and box to stainless steel at the same time I updated my controller. I have loved my GMG from day one and everything it grills and smokes. Nice 10 year review plus those ribs look delicious!😂
Best review, cant beat time. Waitng for my Daniel Boone, looking at videos of GMG's. As i saw in the video you have a hotspot. I am almost sure its from the heatshield warp. The warping makes an angle that way. Heat moves up, so. But as you say, a hotspot can be benfitial too. Anyway, this video made me sure about my choise. Thanks.
Totally agree with your review -- I've been using mine for 6 years now. Sure, it'd be nice to have their Prime Plus version, but my original one (like yours) just keeps working. The only complaint I have about it isn't really specific to the GMG grills. ALL of the pellet grills that I've seen have the same issue -- not enough smoke at temps above 160F. This is subjective, but I like a LOT of smoke. I run one or two smoke tubes inside my GMG just to keep enough smoke going, even when the grill is running at 225F. I wish they'd include a smaller, secondary auger and igniter/pot system just to run at 150F the whole time -- just to dole out more smoke when you want it. I'd pay for that add-on for sure.
Thanks for the great comments, I agree more smoke. I generally use one of my other smokers when I want lots more smoke. But I sure love the convenience of the GMG
Mine is a few years as well, but I've been having pellets stick in the hopper creating a funnel, which in turn makes the igniter to turn off....only to come out and find the firebox full of unburned pellets.
I think my brothers GMG is about 10 years now. He just replaced his first part, the controller went out. He bought and installed the new wifi version and loves it.
Wow this is an awesome with all the necessary points mentioned. It’s great to see a well put review from Canada with the climate we deal with. I should be getting the DB prime plus as a Christmas gift and am wicked stoked about it. Great to watch your video from Ottawa( yes we hate Trudeau here too) take care and keep er smokin good sir
Great review! I’ve had my Daniel Boone for over 2 years now. Get the heat cover, it’ll use 50% less pellets in the winter and temp stays a lot steadier. I’m in NC Wisconsin. Just did some smoked salmon on it today. You get the great taste a charcoal grill gives with the convenience of a gas grill.
I agree. I use a heat cover on mine in cold weather in South Dakota. I really like my GMG. I've had mine for about 7 years. Other than it needing a good cleaning, it's good to go.
Edit- have had my Daniel Boone for over 5 years now and still works flawlessly. I love it so much I recently purchased a ledge for our permanent RV site.
Your hot spot is in that corner because it is the high corner after it warped. Heat is rising out of that corner causing the hot spot. Watched this because its time to replace my gas grill and I'm seriously looking at the GMG Daniel Boone wi-fi. Thanks for your review!
Hey thanks for watching, Yep totally correct, the warp is causing the hot spot, when I don’t want the hot spot I actually folded up a a few layers of tin foil and put it in the corner and boom hot spot fixed. Yes you will be very happy with a GMG Cheers
awesome video! i have a couple follow up questions, i am in the market for a pellet grill and was already leaning towards this model. What did you pay for yours 10 years ago AND have you gone to a local store to see the latest version? how does it stake up? you may notice some detail on any changes they made that could affect quality (thinner metal, compentats not as beefy) thanks for your feedback you got a subscriber here! have a great week and happy new year
Hi Ryan thanks for the comments and checking out the vid. When I bout mine it was close to 800 Canadian with taxes etc. I have checked out some of the new models and the drip tray is better and the heat deflectors are better as well for more even heat distribution. The gauge of metal seems to be pretty much the same but I can’t speak to the quality of raw material used in producing the metal 🤷🏻♂️ There are lots of great upgrades available now as well but if you go with the base model you will be just as happy, can always add on later Cheers
You can get a new lid is very inexpensive.. i just got gmg to send me the stainless one.. I have had a few issues with my gmg , but like you said the customer service is amazing and i received new parts from them with in a week ... best grill ever!
been thinking getting the Jim Bowie because i thought I needed the extra cooking space. Glad I watch to the end of your vid. I think old Jimmy would of been too big and maybe David will do fine. Cheers from Southern Ontario.
Hey there thanks for the comments and watching the video. Yes you can pack a lot in the Daniel Boone, also keep in mind that you can also get a second shelf to expand grill space. Cheers
Yes. Their customer service is out of this world. I had an anger jam( my own fault) and the guy stayed on the phone with me for over an hour to walk me through how to fix. Cant recommend this grill enough!
I have the same grill and got mine in 2007. Mine has a high, Med, and smoke mode only. I bought mine before they had a digital readout. Changed smoke box fan out and heat prob about 7 yrs ago.
My Jim Bowie prime is 5 years or so old, and my control board just went out on me. I'm going to order one soon, but will have to shift to the oven for a while. I am pretty sure all the other components are working fine, as I can kind of trick the board to run them... Hoping it is just a main board replacement.
Hopefully it’s only the board for sure. I’m on year 14 now with this one and she was making some odd fan noises last weekend when I was making some pork belly burnt ends, but then it went away. If she makes it to 15 years I’ll do a updated video next year
That's a nice review! I'm excited, I just bought a Jim Bowie prime plus and I cant wait to get it going this weekend!!!! So far ice really enjoyed the customer service and the company itself has a great thing going. Much better than the Treager I was originally going to get. Im pumped! Thanks!
Hi thanks for the comments, only thing I have it covered with is an old thin cheap cover from peavey mart. And no I don’t have and insulator, but I would recommend one for anything below-10 Celsius because it runs a little hot to try and keep up. Cheers
Great video period ! Thank god Treager lost there Patton on pellet grills in 2006 and the birth of GMG your unit is some of there first units and there still going strong . Not sure if Treager and there 35yrs can say that .
I've just bought one of these in the UK. I watched your vid, great by the way, and thought I'd give you my thought on your hotspot, I reckon the warped deflector causes it, more heat leaks out that side, just an observation, sure it makes no difference to you after all this time lol
New Sub here! This might be the oldest grill I’ve ever seen reviewed!! This is awesome that your GMG is still up and running AND still standing on its own 4 legs! All I can say is Holy Moly! Great video! Smoke on, brother!
Thanks for the comments, heading into year 12 now with this bad boy, I’ll keep on using it until she dies. If I get to 15 years I’ll do a 15 year review 🤣 cheers and key on smokin!
Definately no hot spots like that with the new ones unless you set your heat sheild too far left or right. Mine's about 4 years old. The newer grills have a way to slide the heat sheild left to right and vice versa without having to take out the guts.
Hey there, thanks for watching and the comments. Eventually I will have to replace this one and this is good to know. Thanks for the info. Keep grilling!
I found a trick if you want to block the hot spot. I fold a few pieces of tinfoil into about a 10x10 square and just lay it directly in the drip tray to cover the corner. Works great, and if searing steaks or something like that I just remove the tinfoil to get the hot spot working again.
I'm looking at buying my first pellet grill and trying out smoking and I'm lost in analysis paralysis between waiting on a GMG to go on sale for Black Friday or spending more than I wanted to on a Rec Tec 590 and feeling good about the quality. Have you come across any current showroom models of the Daniel Boone lately? I would love to hear your opinion on whether the build quality seems on par with what you bought 10 years ago. If I knew I was buying the same quality as what you're showing in this video it would be a no-brainer for me but it seems like these companies mess with the build materials and go cheaper over time.
Hi thanks for the comments, I have not had too much exposure to the Rec Tec pits at all but have heard good things. I would say continue with your research on them and compare specs with the GMG etc and see how it goes. Guessing that both brands of grills will have Black Friday sales. I’ve checked out a few GMGs recently and the build quality seems to be pretty much the same. A little more tech in them now which I the only thing I would be concerned about. As always the more you take them away from basic the more risk you have of something breaking or going wrong. But GMG customer service is top notch so there is always comfort there. Hope that helps. Cheers
I bought mine last spring 2020 spent all summer changing parts because it would fire up come up to the initial temperature and shut off and I talked with everybody in the factory they sent me every part for this thing at least once the control panel I have two or three of those till we got one that worked so I’m just starting the spring yesterday with my grill a year later the customer service is excellent!! So I’m hoping that I can just use it now instead of working on it but should I ever need to replace anything I’m intimately familiar with how it’s built!
Wow sounds like it was a bit of a struggle but glad that GMG is still standing behind their products and giving great customer service. All the best and enjoy the grilling season
To even your heat you must make sure the heat shield over pellet pot is centered to do this on the JB measure 9"3/4 from left inside grill wall to left side edge of heat shield.
I bought my Jim Bowie 7 years ago and it has been ok, I always keep it covered and there are 2 rusted holes at the bottom contacted green mountain and its past warranty, they recommend to buy some liquid steel to fix I try this and it doesn't work. The wifi doesnt really work and I had the controller replaced twice, my Jim Bowie has moved to my curb for trash pickup day. I now have a Recteq RT-700 these blow GM away and they have a 6 year warranty good luck too all.
Hey thanks for the comment. That is too bad that yours did not seem to stand up like some others. I hope you have good luck and lots of great BBQ with your Recteq RT-700. I have never really looked into those. I will have to check them out sometime. Maybe when my GMG finally dies I might explore getting something different. But the damn thing wont die..12 and a half years now for the ole girl.. Cheers!
Bought one this year that's about 4 or 5 years old for a steal. Smoked some chicken today on it! It has quite some rust (surface) and I'm going to repaint the outside. As for emptying the hopper, how do you do that?!
Nice, how do you like the Jim Bowie so far? I do have a cheap thin cover for it, originally I had the GMG cover but over time the weather destroyed it, so now I just use a big basic bbq cover. Thanks for watching, cheers
@@EsCoBrewing So you keep you GMG outside with thin cover and it lasted 10 years. I'm impressed. Is it kept under some kind of roof or totally under the weather? I'm a but concern about the electonics so at the moment I roll my Jim Bowie into the garage, but since I'm lazy and uneven paving makes it really hard to roll I consider keeping it totally outside.
Yep totally under the weather. But I would recommend the garage method or a shed if you can. Yes with the. Ew electronics on the GMGs it might now far well out in the open for years at a time. I just didn’t have room in my garage or shed so it remained outside. I’m actually smoking some chicken thighs today on the old boy👍🏻
I guess ten years ago they made them better, I've had one for a month and I can't use it, round 3 of parts.... Not sure how you got ten years....I'm not sure if I'll get mine to even work
I've had nothing but problems from the same model, same year. This is the most temperamental smoker imaginable. It has never consistently worked properly, the auger tube is constantly clogged, it won't hold a temperature no matter what sacrifices I make to the smoker gods.
Oh wow that’s too bad, I know I have heard that a lot of the newer GMGs have issues etc but being that yours is a 2010 also I’m surprised it’s not better. Mine is still going strong 14 years later, no issues
Just curious if this was made in China? I bought the gmg ledge and already have had the power supply fry on me! The new ones are China made but they are based out of Nevada. Oh and thanks for the great well put together video!!
That sucks that the power supply fried on you, hopefully GMG replaced it. I’m not sure if mine was made in China, I’ll have to take a closer look and let you know. Cheers
The main reason I bought my gmg grill was because build quality and the ratings about their customer service. The power supply that fried on me will be replaced through warranty but is on back order!
absolutely, I grill steaks and bugers all the time on it. It will go up to 500 degrees. But I will warn you dont get the same char on the steaks as an open flame, burgers...are epic
Great review. I’m considering buying one, but recent reviews I’ve read indicates a lot of quality issues. Anything anyone can comment on? BTW, greetings from Winnipeg.
Being a long time GMG owner still have my first JB from 2009 and most of those problems are usually caused by owners lol . You have to take your time to learn your smoker , just be patient
Totally agree, there's definitely a learning curve. The few issues I've had were operator error. Been running mine 2-4 times a week for almost 2years now and I love it. My only complaint is now friends and family are always asking me to cook!
One common complaint I hear about pellet grills is that they lack the ability to produce truly smoky flavors. Any truth to this? Have you tried BBQ produced using other smokers, such as offsets, kamado's etc? I have a gas Weber and Pit Boss kamado, both of which I love using... but the set and forget capability of pellet grills is so appealing. GMG seems to be extremely well liked, and hey, we can always use another grill, right!? Cheers from Northern Ontario!
Hey there, yes that was my worry originally too. I have a Weber Smokey Mountain as well as a offset and always loved the intense smoke. With the GMG I find you get plenty of smoke, maybe more so than other pellet grills. My brother and I did side by side pulled pork , him on his Traeger and me on the GMG and the GMG has at least 25% more smoke and more or a crust on the pork. And you are right, you can never have enough grills.
I have a green mountain grills Jim Bowie prime and a couple of kamados. The food cooked on the kamado is definitely more flavorful. The pellet grill is much more convenient though.
I've had mine for approx 4 years, a few flawless cooks but mostly frustrating cooks trying to get the app and wifi working. Too many inconsistencies to even list. It shouldn't be that complicated period. A hundred dollar printer stays wifi connected better than this junk. Customer service are pretty good but shouldn't have to contact them 3 out 5 cooks.
my old one is still going 12 years. my new one lasted 5 bags and no customer service . sent Many many emails and call. NOthing one snarky guy told me to replace my fuse i did popped immediately. Id question buying another
I still can’t believe I bought an Oklahoma Joe’s and that piece of shit didn’t even fucking last a week what the issue was when the temperature would be too high the internal bullshit was tripping I’m so glad I return that thing I just can’t believe that I paid 1100 bucks I’m getting the newest stainless steel CMG with the rotisserie with the pizza with the cover and The pizza tool