Traeger's patent expired in 2006. Since then there has been an explosion of pellet grills. Just glad I don't have to choose among them now. I believe one of the differences in the Recteq is that they will also get hotter than the Traeger. A Traeger, will get hot enough to grill, but it will not usually sear - I assume the Recteq can sear. There are also some other pricier ones that have an infared unit off the side to do the same. I would not use those features. If I'm grilling, I use real wood (fallen limbs from the yard). I very seldom use charcoal (just using up a stock of lump I had when my Bandera still existed) and never use gas (haven't had a gas grill in 30 years or more) - well except if I'm grilling at my daughters - that is all she has.
Another thing to consider about smokers, is the quantity and types of meat to smoke. If you regularly do 10 racks of ribs, probably not a good idea to get a Big Green Egg or knock-offs - not big enough. Same as with the drum smokers. A smaller Traeger or other pellet grill, might not be able to do them either. Some of the upright cabinets can as well as off-sets and the like. I used to do as many as a dozen or more brisket at a time or 20 - butts, that is why I had my trailer mounteds. Or I would do maybe 20 meats/dishes and needed the landscape for moving around in the different temp zones.
Just remember smoking is low-n-slow. Most smokers are indirect heat and essentially act as a low powered convection oven with smoke generators. Meaning, controls are an almost must. My big smokers had a lot of heat mass and once they got up to temperature, it held temperature well, even with opening the door/lid. These light weight jobs that we are talking about, have little mass, and early on in the smoke if you open the door/lid, you lose the hot air and you have to build up the heat again. The automatic pellet feeder, etc... gives you more heat when you lose heat and backs down if you have plenty of heat.
Another thing to consider about smokers, is the quantity and types of meat to smoke. If you regularly do 10 racks of ribs, probably not a good idea to get a Big Green Egg or knock-offs - not big enough. Same as with the drum smokers. A smaller Traeger or other pellet grill, might not be able to do them either. Some of the upright cabinets can as well as off-sets and the like. I used to do as many as a dozen or more brisket at a time or 20 - butts, that is why I had my trailer mounteds. Or I would do maybe 20 meats/dishes and needed the landscape for moving around in the different temp zones.
Just remember smoking is low-n-slow. Most smokers are indirect heat and essentially act as a low powered convection oven with smoke generators. Meaning, controls are an almost must. My big smokers had a lot of heat mass and once they got up to temperature, it held temperature well, even with opening the door/lid. These light weight jobs that we are talking about, have little mass, and early on in the smoke if you open the door/lid, you lose the hot air and you have to build up the heat again. The automatic pellet feeder, etc... gives you more heat when you lose heat and backs down if you have plenty of heat.