A chimney starter (1) including a hollow element (2), for receiving a solid fuel product to be ignited, an upper-end (3), a lower-end (4) and a grate (5), the grate (5) is placed across the hollow element (2) in the lower-end (4) of the chimney starter (1), wherein the lower-end (4) of chimney starter (1) rests on a chimney starter base (6) and the chimney starter base (6) comprising a gas burner (7) and one or more means (9) for increasing the air flow through the hollow element (2).

Embodiments of the inventive concept provide a double-sealed high-temperature resistant DC ignitor for use with a wood pellet burner assembly. The DC ignitor includes a non-heating element portion. The non-heating element portion is connected to at least one of a battery or an AC to DC electrical transformer attached to the wood pellet burner assembly. A heating element is connected to the non-heating element portion, and extends by at least one inch into a combustion region of the wood pellet burner assembly. The heating element portion is configured to be heated by power received from the battery or the AC to DC electrical transformer. The DC ignitor provides safe, reliable, and fast combustion of wood pellets that congregate in a combustion region of the wood pellet burner assembly.

Pellet grills and associated methods of operation are disclosed. An example pellet grill includes a burn pot including an upper end having a first opening, a lower end located opposite the upper end and having a second opening, and a sidewall extending between the upper and lower ends. The example pellet grill further includes a fuel grate positioned within the burn pot between the upper and lower ends. The fuel grate is configured to support pellet fuel within the burn pot. The fuel grate includes a plurality of ash openings dimensioned to enable ash produced from combustion of the pellet fuel to pass downwardly through the fuel grate toward the second opening.

Pellet grills and associated methods of operation are disclosed. An example pellet grill includes a main body defining a cooking chamber. The example pellet grill further includes a grease deflection bar assembly located within the main body. the grease deflection bar assembly includes a first rack removably positioned on first tabs of the main body, a second rack removably positioned on second tabs of the main body, and a grease deflection bar extending between and removably positioned on the first and second racks.

Pellet grills and associated methods of operation are disclosed. An example pellet grill includes a main body defining a cooking chamber. The main body includes a first opening extending through a bottom portion of an outer wall of the main body. The main body further including a grease channel formed along the bottom portion of the outer wall and extending to the first opening. The example pellet grill further includes a burn pot located within the main body. The burn pot includes a lower end having a second opening aligned with the first opening. The second opening is configured to enable pellet fuel ash to pass downwardly from the burn pot onto an ash slide positioned below the second opening. The example pellet grill further includes a waste collection drawer located below the main body. The waste collection drawer is movable relative to the main body between a closed position and an open position. The waste collection drawer includes a grease bin positioned below the first opening and configured to receive grease from the grease channel when the waste collection drawer is in the closed position. The waste collection drawer further includes an ash compartment positioned below the ash slide and configured to receive pellet fuel ash from the burn pot, via the ash slide, when the waste collection drawer is in the closed position.

Pellet grills and associated methods of operation are disclosed. An example pellet grill includes an auger and an auger motor operatively coupled to the auger. The example pellet grill further includes one or more processors configured to determine whether the auger is jammed. The one or more processors are further configured, in response to determining that the auger is jammed, to command the auger motor to modify a direction of rotation of the auger.

Pellet grills and associated methods of operation are disclosed. An example pellet grill includes a main body defining a cooking chamber. The example pellet grill further includes a burn pot located within the main body. The burn pot includes an upper end, a lower end located opposite the upper end, and a sidewall extending between the upper end and the lower end. The sidewall has an opening. The example pellet grill further includes an ignitor extending into the burn pot through the opening of the sidewall. The example pellet grill further includes an ignitor carrier removably coupled to the ignitor. The ignitor carrier extends away from the burn pot and is accessible from outside the main body.

Pellet grills and associated methods of operation are disclosed. An example pellet grill includes an ignitor configured to be activated. The ignitor has a duty cycle associated with a number of activations of the ignitor. The example pellet grill further includes one or more processors configured to determine whether the duty cycle has violated a threshold. The one or more processors are further configured, in response to determining that the duty cycle has violated the threshold, to generate a notification indicating that the threshold has been violated. The one or more processors are further configured to cause the notification to be presented at a user interface of the pellet grill.

Pellet grills and associated methods of operation are disclosed. An example pellet grill includes a burn pot configured to combust pellet fuel received within the burn pot. The pellet grill further includes an auger configured to deliver the pellet fuel to the burn pot. The pellet grill further includes an auger motor operatively coupled to the auger. The pellet grill further includes one or more processors configured to determine whether a shutdown sequence of the pellet grill has been initiated. The one or more processors are further configured, in response to determining that the shutdown sequence has been initiated, to command the auger motor to reverse a direction of rotation of the auger. The reversal is to cause pellet fuel which the auger has not yet delivered to the burn pot to be purged in a direction away from the burn pot.

Pellet grills and associated methods of operation are disclosed. An example pellet grill includes a one or more processors configured to detect an improper shutdown of a control system of the pellet grill. The one or more processors are further configured to generate a notification in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown, the notification indicating that the control system was improperly shutdown. The one or more processors are further configured to cause the notification to be presented at a user interface of the pellet grill.