Camp Chef Sidekick Sear 14-Inch Propane Searing Station - PG14BB

I bought this machine in November 2022. I use it regularly, and clean after every use. Today it appears the ignition went out in the middle of a cook. This is not the first time I have had to work on this pellet grill. For what they charge they should be able to use better parts to ensure quality.

This Sidekick Sear gets the searing done. Only bad thing is no matter how much you clean and condition grill grates rust

I received the Camp Chef Woodwind 36 for an early Fathers Day gift. I had been looking at a number of pellet smokers and decided on the Camp Chef based on a friends experience and some of my own research. Building the unit took about an hour and a half, and though the instructions weren't completely clear, it was pretty easy to figure out. Per the instructions I did a 30min startup burn, which went smoothly. The following day I inspected the grill and was disappointed to find the following: - Paint peel from the bar which moves the over on the burn box - Silver coating peeling from the bar the burn box slides over - A screw missing from the lid (which can installed from the factory) The screw I can forgive if it was the sole issue, but the peeling paint is disconcerting and speaks to quality issues. I don't know what to do next, but I hesitate to cook anything in a grill that has peeling paint and paint chips in the cooking area. Pictures of the paint included.

I bought this about a month ago and was very excited to upgrade to such a nice large (expensive) smoker. However, upon assembly I noticed that the lid did not seem to be sitting right when it was closed. It is either bent or the hinges are misaligned. I hoped it would be fine but upon first startup I was losing a considerable amount of smoke from the bottom of the lid along with some wide temp fluctuations. I contacted customer support who was very helpful at first and recommended I try taking the lid off the hinges and back on. As I did this I realized that it was already all the way towards the direction it would need to go for the door to sit right. I tried anyway to no avail. I even applied a grill gasket to the edges and had the same problem. It has been over a week now and customer support has stopped responding to me. Very disappointed.

1 user found this review helpful

I replaced an older version of the sidekick with this after it rusted out multiple time. The jury is out on how this will fare from that standpoint. Initial impressions: this is built to sear. It "can" grill but that's not its strong suit. It gives one heck of a sear on steaks. I had multiple compliments from guests regarding the quality of the sear, and I agree it was far better than its predecessor (which was pretty good itself). Anything that requires lower temp cooking will be a bit trickier and runs the risk of burning if used for more than just a reverse sear. Also this runs insanely hot when on high, so be sure to take precautions to use away from structures. The manual is full of propane liability butt-covering, but more cautionary statements about the heat this thing generates would've been helpful.

Bought this about a year ago and I love it. I have had a gas smoker and two electric smokers and this camp chef 36" woodwind is by far the best.

Just delivered Jan 11th. Item was packaged nicely. However, quality assurance is definitely lacking as I am missing hardware. I am missing 6 6m x 15 black bolts as well as 6 4.2 screws for the thermometer, plate, and burner mount. Also to note the handle for the lid is also an issue. The nuts on the handle are suppose to be secured in order to tighten for install. Unfortunately one of the nuts just spins and therefore will not tighten properly. This is completely unacceptable for an item that cost as much as this does. I will give an updated review once I am able to use the product. I am hoping that will be a better experience than the assembly.

My box is 2 years old. The burner tube is rusted out, holes big enough to poke a finger thru. The angled heat diffuser plate has rusted out, as well as the square plate with the small holes punched in it. Be aware that these parts have a very limited life. The mystery? You cant find a parts list, parts diagrams, source of the replacement parts or even a model number anywhere, including this website.

I've used this a few times now. You cannot grill on this without having the ground below the box get covered in grease drippings. Not really an issue on a reverse sear, as long as most of the fat has been cooked out of the meat.

The Woodwind 36 came very highly recommended by a friend. I have used it frequently for the past month to get a good feel for it, and overall I am extremely disappointed. Never have I experienced the heat fluctuations I see on this thing. Having it set to 220 and seeing it spike over 300 is just ridiculous. The swings to the down side aren't as extreme but still significant. I had to finish a brisket and 321 ribs in my oven because this cooks so poorly. I have gotten good results with hotdogs and burgers, but that's about it. This is stored in my garage unless it is running and it is already beginning to rust.....after roughly a month and half owning it. It was delivered with a faulty hotrod. I admit support was good I sent me a whole new hopper. But in the end its just an overpriced, inconsistent grill.