Pit boss / Traeger feud

[BurntOfferings]

All the problems I'm having and those that are posted on this and other sites has lead me to look into PB a little bit further while I wait for parts that have "non-guaranteed expectations" of arrival.

It seems PB hired the Traeger family a couple years ago which resulted in "Traeger" (bought from original family members with certain rights retained) filing a lawsuit for various issues related to copy of design and marketing. Danson's Jeff Thiessen issued a letter in response. Civil suit was settled but several other issues remain. Interesting reads.

Hard to understand why PB is selling products that are now being developed with the original pellet gurus help and having all these problems.

 

[david_ski]

All the problems I'm having and those that are posted on this and other sites has lead me to look into PB a little bit further while I wait for parts that have "non-guaranteed expectations" of arrival.

It seems PB hired the Traeger family a couple years ago which resulted in "Traeger" (bought from original family members with certain rights retained) filing a lawsuit for various issues related to copy of design and marketing. Danson's Jeff Thiessen issued a letter in response. Civil suit was settled but several other issues remain. Interesting reads.

Hard to understand why PB is selling products that are now being developed with the original pellet gurus help and having all these problems.

Interesting. Do you have links to the response letter?

 

[BurntOfferings]

Louisiana Grills webpage, look under Press

 

[DaveXDm9]

All the problems I'm having and those that are posted on this and other sites has lead me to look into PB a little bit further while I wait for parts that have "non-guaranteed expectations" of arrival.

It seems PB hired the Traeger family a couple years ago which resulted in "Traeger" (bought from original family members with certain rights retained) filing a lawsuit for various issues related to copy of design and marketing. Danson's Jeff Thiessen issued a letter in response. Civil suit was settled but several other issues remain. Interesting reads.

Hard to understand why PB is selling products that are now being developed with the original pellet gurus help and having all these problems.

What started it was a picture of the Traegers and the Danson team with the Traeger family building in the background where they actually started the original Traeger pellet grill.

TBH Traeger actually became a better pellet grill after Joe and Brian Traeger sold it. Ever since Danson brought on Joe and Brian Pit Boss has now starting to have a bad track record....interesting

Traeger Grills suing founder Joe Traeger claiming he is selling his name and image again

The Traeger family sold their company in 2006 for $12.6 million, according to lawsuits, and now Joe and Brian Traeger work for rival Dansons.

www.statesmanjournal.com

 

[BurntOfferings]

Kind of my point in bringing it up

 

[MKinHB]

old news.
Traeger has an awesome PID controller, but the flimsy build quality prevents me from going there, just open the lid and you will feel the difference.
It would not be hard to build your own pellet grill, just get a Smoke Daddy complete pellet system and the rest would be easy.

 

[BurntOfferings]

I emailed Jeff Thiessen, Danson's big dog. Got the email from the lawsuit response letter.

He replied within minutes, referred my email to another "Upper" who just now called.

 

[DaveXDm9]

old news.
Traeger has an awesome PID controller, but the flimsy build quality prevents me from going there, just open the lid and you will feel the difference.
It would not be hard to build your own pellet grill, just get a Smoke Daddy complete pellet system and the rest would be easy.

I agree 100% on that, but my neighbors new traeger is built pretty solid to me.

 

[DaveXDm9]

I emailed Jeff Thiessen, Danson's big dog. Got the email from the lawsuit response letter.

He replied within minutes, referred my email to another "Upper" who just now called.

Good Luck on that one

 

[BurntOfferings]

Suppose to get a call today from George Koster, Head of Quality Assurance - Dansons

We'll see ..............

 

[DaveXDm9]

Suppose to get a call today from George Koster, Head of Quality Assurance - Dansons

We'll see ..............

Keep us posted, please.

 

[BurntOfferings]

Spoke with George, very nice fellow.
Good discussion about my problems and also about what I've been finding as posted here and elsewhere.

He said the 850 problems have been worked out, 1150's are slowly getting replaced. He stood by the many PB products in use. He also commented that CS issues are being addressed, manuals updated / more call takers.

Agreed I got a bad controller. Offered to send replacement (Series 5 instead of my 4). He couldn't offer refund but we discussed how to go back through Lowes.
I told him I was reluctant to stay with PB, He confirmed that the 5 is basically the same as the 4 (same controller).

Headed to Lowes, see how that goes. May have to try again with the series 5 .........

 

[david_ski]

Spoke with George, very nice fellow.
Good discussion about my problems and also about what I've been finding as posted here and elsewhere.

He said the 850 problems have been worked out, 1150's are slowly getting replaced. He stood by the many PB products in use. He also commented that CS issues are being addressed, manuals updated / more call takers.

Agreed I got a bad controller. Offered to send replacement (Series 5 instead of my 4). He couldn't offer refund but we discussed how to go back through Lowes.
I told him I was reluctant to stay with PB, He confirmed that the 5 is basically the same as the 4 (same controller).

Headed to Lowes, see how that goes. May have to try again with the series 5 .........

What is the series 5 vs series 4 controller?
Differences and on what models?

did he elaborate on what 850 problems have been worked out? When will those solved 850s be stocked in Lowe’s. Seems like there is some inventory, time lag delay before customers might be happy.

 

[BurntOfferings]

He offered to replace my PBV4PS1 with the PBV5P1, both are described as VP1 controllers.

He didn't detail the 850 specifics - my impression was a firmware fix. Other models were getting replacement controllers at a rate of 30-40 per day (which is what he said he was getting daily)

Nice guy, tried to right a wrong but ultimately I believe their product is not reliable enough for me to swap.

 

[david_ski]

He offered to replace my PBV4PS1 with the PBV5P1, both are described as VP1 controllers.

He didn't detail the 850 specifics - my impression was a firmware fix. Other models were getting replacement controllers at a rate of 30-40 per day (which is what he said he was getting daily)

Nice guy, tried to right a wrong but ultimately I believe their product is not reliable enough for me to swap.

Thanks for the info. 30-40 per day. Wow. That does not seem like a sustainable business model. replace old junk with new junk. That alone would seem to dictate a need to have an end customer firmware update process..

I do like the mechanical build quality (except the controller) of Pit Boss products. If I purchased a Pit Boss i would need to budget a 3rd party controller into the equation. I will most like get a Camp Chef in the next week.