Unbiased KC Combo Platinum Review & Reported Issues-Buyer Beware

SwingDangler

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This is my first KC grill and first pellet smoker and thought my review might help others. I purchased this $800 grill at the local Walmart for an early Father's Day gift. I made sure it was new in the box and not one of the pre-assembled ones that people have returned and without shipping damae. It was packaged greatly and neat and no issues out of the box when checking the parts list.
1/2 the grill is preassembled which is nice and it took my wife an I an hour or so to assemble which was rather easy to do. It is a monster and took 5 of us to load it into my truck at Walmart. This is my first 'expensive' smoker after using a leakly Charbroiler side smoker with no controls for years. Needless to say, I was excited after watching the reviews of Weekend Warrior BBQ and Pit Boss Instructional videos on Youtube!. And then....

1. The advertised Bluetooth app does not work on Galaxy S10 and continues to want to update the firmware during set up. This was out of the box. I was able to connect and update using the Apple iPad app. I've read in some older reviews that the Galaxy S9 does work. None of the 'official' reviewers on Youtube! in their video mention this probably due to Pit Boss sending them the grill for review. If the "I" on the digital display board keeps flashing, that is an indiciation of the firmware needing updated. If you have a new Galaxy, your stuck with the flashing I. Mine stopped and went solid after I updated using the iPad. I am not using the latest OS 13.5.1! The last update the developers had was back in January for android. I suspect the app will not be revisited unless a legal claim arrises for false advertisement. The email the developers used for support in the comments is dead address. Pit Boss customer service sent me to a 800 number where I left a voice mail at 8:44 am today. Its almost 2 and no call back. I'm not expecting one.

2. The smoke setting apparently burns to "clean" or "hot" according to a comment from Weekend Warrior BBQ in response to my question and doesn't produce nearly as much smoke as other KC models or competitive brands. He must have did something different because a follow up video showed a nice smoke ring from his cook. I noticed on my first smoke with ribs, "puffs" would come as the auger dumped a handfull in but the continous smoke just doesn't happen and then the pellets burned off rather quickly not providing the smoke I was looking for. I noticed little to no ring after being smoked about 4 hours. The same thing on the second smoke with the bbq chicken breasts. I could taste a hint of smoke after 2 hours but no ring at all. I'm going to try a bag of pit boss pellets to confim it is not the pellts. One reviewer had to use a $10 smoke tube to get what the $800 brand new grill could not-a smoke ring and healthy smoke flavor. KC Pit Boss own website suggests using a pellet tube to get more smoke flavor!! Uhhh excuse me? I paid $800 for a grill to do that and now I have to spend another $10 to get what the grill is suppose to do? Why not include it in the grill? If your reading this and get the copius amounts of smoke one would expect, please explain to me what brand of pellets you are using and what kind of settings. I will revisit this with a different brand of pellet. I have yet to find a Youtube! video showing this grill pumping out smoke like other models and brands. If you find one, please share!

3. Some users report the fan stays on. This is a safety featue and not an issue with the device. After a period of time, the fan kicks off after all of the pellets have burnt off.

4. Ash build up in the ash tray. Although this happens in nearly every grill after a while, this grill is suppose to have a brush that sweeps the underside of the ash tray, except the bristles are too short to cause the ash to drop in some cases. Owners of other models do not report having this issue of ash build up. After enough build up in the tray, the flame will die and your cook is disrupted or worse, ruined. Conclusion, the bristles are too small and may melt/shrink due to the location directly under the firepot. Whose bright idea was that??

6. The knobs are heavy and well made, however the turners they push into are pretty flimsy across the whole unit. I wouldn't allow a kid to go yanking on them on purpose or by accident.

7. The gas/griddle side is great! I've heard or read of no complaints and fried up a nice batch of potatoes while smoking the chicken.

8. Temp control worked fine for me on my unit taking into consideration all the things that fluctuate within a given time frame.

9. Both lights worked from the digital screen. I did not test the lights using the app.

10. The broiler feature is awsome on the smoker side. Slide the top cover over and you can sear that meat. The cover does produce a hot spot in the center of the grill where this feature is enabled which is to be expected.


11, UPDATE AND EDIT 6/29 I used a 3rd party thermo probe literally placed above the built in thermo in the grill that is on the left hand side of the chamber. There was a 20+ degree difference between the built in probe and the 3rd party probe. I don't know if it is because of the 3rd party probe or KC's, but I've read simliar reports from other bosses.

If you would like to respond in kind or offer any ideas, please include the number above. I desperatly want to fall in love with this grill so maybe proper pellets is all I need. I've given up on the Android app side of things. If I'm doing anything wrong with the smoke side of things, please educate me. Thanks for reading and I appreciate any responses.
 
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Great post! I agree with you on the bluetooth app, mine keeps wanting to update and I have an S9+. As far as the smoke ring, again I agree I havent been getting the ring I would like considering what the KC cost but the flavor has been awesome! I have done ribs, chicken and a 17 lb. choice brisket which I would put up against any bbq restaurant. I use the Pit Boss brand competition blend pellets. And again I agree about the griddle, LOVE IT! And yes...that is a Blackstone butter roller on my Pit Boss...??
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1. The advertised Bluetooth app does not work on Galaxy S10 and continues to want to update the firmware during set up. This was out of the box. I was able to connect and update using the Apple iPad app. I've read in some older reviews that the Galaxy S9 does work. None of the 'official' reviewers on Youtube! in their video mention this probably due to Pit Boss sending them the grill for review. If the "I" on the digital display board keeps flashing, that is an indiciation of the firmware needing updated. If you have a new Galaxy, your stuck with the flashing I. Mine stopped and went solid after I updated using the iPad. I am not using the latest OS 13.5.1! The last update the developers had was back in January for android. I suspect the app will not be revisited unless a legal claim arrises for false advertisement. The email the developers used for support in the comments is dead address. Pit Boss customer service sent me to a 800 number where I left a voice mail at 8:44 am today. Its almost 2 and no call back. I'm not expecting one.

I have the lockhart and was very upset about the app as well. I recently updated my app through the app store (it didn't update automatically) and now it works. It trys to update the firmware every time but now they have a message that if your firmware was updated to just click start. It is wonky but it works. I have a Note 9
 
Hopefully I hear some good reviews of the Platinum series grills until then I will stay away from them. I have a gut feeling and a hunch that Pit Boss will be releasing PID controller for the Pro Series, Navigator, and Sportsman grills....thank you everyone helping to spread the word to PB.
 
This is my first KC grill and first pellet smoker and thought my review might help others. I purchased this $800 grill at the local Walmart for an early Father's Day gift. I made sure it was new in the box and not one of the pre-assembled ones that people have returned and without shipping damae. It was packaged greatly and neat and no issues out of the box when checking the parts list.
1/2 the grill is preassembled which is nice and it took my wife an I an hour or so to assemble which was rather easy to do. It is a monster and took 5 of us to load it into my truck at Walmart. This is my first 'expensive' smoker after using a leakly Charbroiler side smoker with no controls for years. Needless to say, I was excited after watching the reviews of Weekend Warrior BBQ and Pit Boss Instructional videos on Youtube!. And then....

1. The advertised Bluetooth app does not work on Galaxy S10 and continues to want to update the firmware during set up. This was out of the box. I was able to connect and update using the Apple iPad app. I've read in some older reviews that the Galaxy S9 does work. None of the 'official' reviewers on Youtube! in their video mention this probably due to Pit Boss sending them the grill for review. If the "I" on the digital display board keeps flashing, that is an indiciation of the firmware needing updated. If you have a new Galaxy, your stuck with the flashing I. Mine stopped and went solid after I updated using the iPad. I am not using the latest OS 13.5.1! The last update the developers had was back in January for android. I suspect the app will not be revisited unless a legal claim arrises for false advertisement. The email the developers used for support in the comments is dead address. Pit Boss customer service sent me to a 800 number where I left a voice mail at 8:44 am today. Its almost 2 and no call back. I'm not expecting one.

2. The smoke setting apparently burns to "clean" or "hot" according to a comment from Weekend Warrior BBQ in response to my question and doesn't produce nearly as much smoke as other KC models or competitive brands. He must have did something different because a follow up video showed a nice smoke ring from his cook. I noticed on my first smoke with ribs, "puffs" would come as the auger dumped a handfull in but the continous smoke just doesn't happen and then the pellets burned off rather quickly not providing the smoke I was looking for. I noticed little to no ring after being smoked about 4 hours. The same thing on the second smoke with the bbq chicken breasts. I could taste a hint of smoke after 2 hours but no ring at all. I'm going to try a bag of pit boss pellets to confim it is not the pellts. One reviewer had to use a $10 smoke tube to get what the $800 brand new grill could not-a smoke ring and healthy smoke flavor. KC Pit Boss own website suggests using a pellet tube to get more smoke flavor!! Uhhh excuse me? I paid $800 for a grill to do that and now I have to spend another $10 to get what the grill is suppose to do? Why not include it in the grill? If your reading this and get the copius amounts of smoke one would expect, please explain to me what brand of pellets you are using and what kind of settings. I will revisit this with a different brand of pellet. I have yet to find a Youtube! video showing this grill pumping out smoke like other models and brands. If you find one, please share!

3. Some users report the fan stays on. This is a safety featue and not an issue with the device. After a period of time, the fan kicks off after all of the pellets have burnt off.

4. Ash build up in the ash tray. Although this happens in nearly every grill after a while, this grill is suppose to have a brush that sweeps the underside of the ash tray, except the bristles are too short to cause the ash to drop in some cases. Owners of other models do not report having this issue of ash build up. After enough build up in the tray, the flame will die and your cook is disrupted or worse, ruined. Conclusion, the bristles are too small and may melt/shrink due to the location directly under the firepot. Whose bright idea was that??

6. The knobs are heavy and well made, however the turners they push into are pretty flimsy across the whole unit. I wouldn't allow a kid to go yanking on them on purpose or by accident.

7. The gas/griddle side is great! I've heard or read of no complaints and fried up a nice batch of potatoes while smoking the chicken.

8. Temp control worked fine for me on my unit taking into consideration all the things that fluctuate within a given time frame.

9. Both lights worked from the digital screen. I did not test the lights using the app.

10. The broiler feature is awsome on the smoker side. Slide the top cover over and you can sear that meat. The cover does produce a hot spot in the center of the grill where this feature is enabled which is to be expected.

If you would like to respond in kind or offer any ideas, please include the number above. I desperatly want to fall in love with this grill so maybe proper pellets is all I need. I've given up on the Android app side of things. If I'm doing anything wrong with the smoke side of things, please educate me. Thanks for reading and I appreciate any responses.
I've had the same issues 800 is alot not to receive what you've paid for..
 
This is my first KC grill and first pellet smoker and thought my review might help others. I purchased this $800 grill at the local Walmart for an early Father's Day gift. I made sure it was new in the box and not one of the pre-assembled ones that people have returned and without shipping damae. It was packaged greatly and neat and no issues out of the box when checking the parts list.
1/2 the grill is preassembled which is nice and it took my wife an I an hour or so to assemble which was rather easy to do. It is a monster and took 5 of us to load it into my truck at Walmart. This is my first 'expensive' smoker after using a leakly Charbroiler side smoker with no controls for years. Needless to say, I was excited after watching the reviews of Weekend Warrior BBQ and Pit Boss Instructional videos on Youtube!. And then....

1. The advertised Bluetooth app does not work on Galaxy S10 and continues to want to update the firmware during set up. This was out of the box. I was able to connect and update using the Apple iPad app. I've read in some older reviews that the Galaxy S9 does work. None of the 'official' reviewers on Youtube! in their video mention this probably due to Pit Boss sending them the grill for review. If the "I" on the digital display board keeps flashing, that is an indiciation of the firmware needing updated. If you have a new Galaxy, your stuck with the flashing I. Mine stopped and went solid after I updated using the iPad. I am not using the latest OS 13.5.1! The last update the developers had was back in January for android. I suspect the app will not be revisited unless a legal claim arrises for false advertisement. The email the developers used for support in the comments is dead address. Pit Boss customer service sent me to a 800 number where I left a voice mail at 8:44 am today. Its almost 2 and no call back. I'm not expecting one.

2. The smoke setting apparently burns to "clean" or "hot" according to a comment from Weekend Warrior BBQ in response to my question and doesn't produce nearly as much smoke as other KC models or competitive brands. He must have did something different because a follow up video showed a nice smoke ring from his cook. I noticed on my first smoke with ribs, "puffs" would come as the auger dumped a handfull in but the continous smoke just doesn't happen and then the pellets burned off rather quickly not providing the smoke I was looking for. I noticed little to no ring after being smoked about 4 hours. The same thing on the second smoke with the bbq chicken breasts. I could taste a hint of smoke after 2 hours but no ring at all. I'm going to try a bag of pit boss pellets to confim it is not the pellts. One reviewer had to use a $10 smoke tube to get what the $800 brand new grill could not-a smoke ring and healthy smoke flavor. KC Pit Boss own website suggests using a pellet tube to get more smoke flavor!! Uhhh excuse me? I paid $800 for a grill to do that and now I have to spend another $10 to get what the grill is suppose to do? Why not include it in the grill? If your reading this and get the copius amounts of smoke one would expect, please explain to me what brand of pellets you are using and what kind of settings. I will revisit this with a different brand of pellet. I have yet to find a Youtube! video showing this grill pumping out smoke like other models and brands. If you find one, please share!

3. Some users report the fan stays on. This is a safety featue and not an issue with the device. After a period of time, the fan kicks off after all of the pellets have burnt off.

4. Ash build up in the ash tray. Although this happens in nearly every grill after a while, this grill is suppose to have a brush that sweeps the underside of the ash tray, except the bristles are too short to cause the ash to drop in some cases. Owners of other models do not report having this issue of ash build up. After enough build up in the tray, the flame will die and your cook is disrupted or worse, ruined. Conclusion, the bristles are too small and may melt/shrink due to the location directly under the firepot. Whose bright idea was that??

6. The knobs are heavy and well made, however the turners they push into are pretty flimsy across the whole unit. I wouldn't allow a kid to go yanking on them on purpose or by accident.

7. The gas/griddle side is great! I've heard or read of no complaints and fried up a nice batch of potatoes while smoking the chicken.

8. Temp control worked fine for me on my unit taking into consideration all the things that fluctuate within a given time frame.

9. Both lights worked from the digital screen. I did not test the lights using the app.

10. The broiler feature is awsome on the smoker side. Slide the top cover over and you can sear that meat. The cover does produce a hot spot in the center of the grill where this feature is enabled which is to be expected.

If you would like to respond in kind or offer any ideas, please include the number above. I desperatly want to fall in love with this grill so maybe proper pellets is all I need. I've given up on the Android app side of things. If I'm doing anything wrong with the smoke side of things, please educate me. Thanks for reading and I appreciate any responses.
Excellent post. You are right on the money with the description of the KC Combo. According to other posts the pellet basket should be vacuumed out about every 3 cooks. The ash does tend to build up. And the smoke doesn’t seem to be as heavy as I would like for it to be on the meat. I have cooked 2 times and have used the same competition blend pellets from Academy. I would like a heavier charcoal flavor on the meat. Maybe I could just use charcoal pellets instead? I want to praise this smoker but I haven’t quite got it dialed in yet. The 2 times I cooked in the smoker I cooked 3 racks of ribs each time. I used the 3-2-1 method each time. I was a bit disappointed in the smoke flavor but I did have the smoke ring on the ribs. My family enjoyed the rib flavor. I am a plant shift worker and the guys at work enjoyed them also. So I guess the flavor was spot on. They are just not to my smoke satisfaction. If anyone has any ideas other than a smoke tube, which I agree if PitBoss says to use one then they should have provided it. We pay a lot of money for the pit for the smoke on the meat so it should not need a tube. Also on the side of the pit by the sight glass where you can see the pellets, towards the bottom left what is that knob? My pit was already assemble and I m not sure what that is? Does it control the amount of pellets that fall in the basket when the auger intermittently comes in? If so then maybe I need to adjust it to get a few more pellets to drop and then the smoke on the meat would be greater. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I plan on responding to any comments so I can help anyone that may be struggling like me to get the smoke flavor. Also I used Big Moes rub in my ribs. When I wrapped them I put a thin layer of brown sugar and some tabs if butter on each side. Then I finished it off with a thin mop of Stubbs original BBQ sauce. My next cook will be with the KOSMOS rub and sauce I just received. And I already ordered some ribs from PitBoss. I will let y’all know the results of these flavors. Thanks for reading
 
I went ahead and bought a Amazen pellet tube (I do not have a KC or a Lockhart, I have a regular Pit Boss grill). I also thought I wasn't getting enough smoke on ribs but as you said the family loved them as did the guys at work (I also work in a plant on shifts). The next time I did them I used the Amazen pellet tube with charcoal pellets (found at Walmart) and they did turn out with more smoke flavor. I also have a Pit Boss vertical smoker and no tube is really needed for that because the smoke is always billowing. I have heard the PID controllers on a PB keep better temps but because of that they smoke less. Again, I don't have one so I can't really comment on it. Personally I love a heavy smoke flavor and that's why I bought the vertical smoker.
 
Excellent post. You are right on the money with the description of the KC Combo. According to other posts the pellet basket should be vacuumed out about every 3 cooks. The ash does tend to build up. And the smoke doesn’t seem to be as heavy as I would like for it to be on the meat. I have cooked 2 times and have used the same competition blend pellets from Academy. I would like a heavier charcoal flavor on the meat. Maybe I could just use charcoal pellets instead? I want to praise this smoker but I haven’t quite got it dialed in yet. The 2 times I cooked in the smoker I cooked 3 racks of ribs each time. I used the 3-2-1 method each time. I was a bit disappointed in the smoke flavor but I did have the smoke ring on the ribs. My family enjoyed the rib flavor. I am a plant shift worker and the guys at work enjoyed them also. So I guess the flavor was spot on. They are just not to my smoke satisfaction. If anyone has any ideas other than a smoke tube, which I agree if PitBoss says to use one then they should have provided it. We pay a lot of money for the pit for the smoke on the meat so it should not need a tube. Also on the side of the pit by the sight glass where you can see the pellets, towards the bottom left what is that knob? My pit was already assemble and I m not sure what that is? Does it control the amount of pellets that fall in the basket when the auger intermittently comes in? If so then maybe I need to adjust it to get a few more pellets to drop and then the smoke on the meat would be greater. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I plan on responding to any comments so I can help anyone that may be struggling like me to get the smoke flavor. Also I used Big Moes rub in my ribs. When I wrapped them I put a thin layer of brown sugar and some tabs if butter on each side. Then I finished it off with a thin mop of Stubbs original BBQ sauce. My next cook will be with the KOSMOS rub and sauce I just received. And I already ordered some ribs from PitBoss. I will let y’all know the results of these flavors. Thanks for reading
The knob on the bottom left is to remove the plate when you want to remove the pellets in the hopper. Have a wide mouth bowl ready because it comes out fast .
 
I went ahead and bought a Amazen pellet tube (I do not have a KC or a Lockhart, I have a regular Pit Boss grill). I also thought I wasn't getting enough smoke on ribs but as you said the family loved them as did the guys at work (I also work in a plant on shifts). The next time I did them I used the Amazen pellet tube with charcoal pellets (found at Walmart) and they did turn out with more smoke flavor. I also have a Pit Boss vertical smoker and no tube is really needed for that because the smoke is always billowing. I have heard the PID controllers on a PB keep better temps but because of that they smoke less. Again, I don't have one so I can't really comment on it. Personally I love a heavy smoke flavor and that's why I bought the vertical smoker.

If you add a Savannah Stoker PID controller you will not need a smoke tube. it just shows that the PID on the platinum's are not up to par.
 
The knob on the bottom left is to remove the plate when you want to remove the pellets in the hopper. Have a wide mouth bowl ready because it comes out fast .
Thank you that makes a lot of sense!
 
Can you add it to these KC Platinum Combos?

The new Platinum grills come with a PID controller and the Savannah would not be compatible anyway. It will probably take Pit Boss awhile to fine tune the PID controllers on the new Platinum grills. My suggestion is to keep giving them feedback on Facebook and Twitter. The more information you provide them on your cooks and how it is performing like lack of smoke. This will allow them to tweak the software and make adjustments to the algorithm in the software then they can push a firmware update to help your fan and auger perform better.

TBH Pit Boss should have done was to add a PID controller to there Pro Series, Navigator, and Sportsman grills instead of building a new line of grills. My understanding that they are working on a PID controller offer for there other grill models. I could not wait so the Savannah Stoker controller was well worth the money.
 
I like the look of the Savannah Stoker controller and from what I have read they perform great. However I did find the Amazen pellet tube last season on clearance for 8 bucks at Walmart. $8 versus $189, the pellet tube wins. I don't use it all the time and on my vertical Series 3 Pit Boss no extra smoke is needed but I have use the tube a few times on the PB340.

Hopefully one day soon the PID controllers will become standard on all pellet grills.
 

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