Don Godke’s Downdraft is a Patented Pellet Grill Enhancement, made in Iowa, United States, designed to improve the performance of your pellet smoker. It is an effective tool that helps to control the temperature and smoke flow, resulting in better tasting food.
Don Godke’s Downdraft works by redirecting the flow of heat and smoke, forcing it to circulate around the food before exiting the smoker. This not only ensures that the food is cooked evenly, but also that it is infused with a rich, smoky flavor. The variable Butterfly Vent creates an adjustable amount of flavor and smoke.
The device is installed inside the grill on longer Stainless-Steel hardware, supplied in the kit, that replaces the existing bolts on the chimney. No modifications other than that are required. Once the heat and smoke are produced by the pellet grill, instead of rising directly to the top and escaping, they are forced to move downwards, around the food. The smoke and air, which is heated, and higher pressure is racing to get to cooler, lower pressure outside the chimney, but is forced down and around the grate, which is where the food is, entering the OPENING at the bottom of the downdraft. This circular motion ensures that the heat and smoke are distributed evenly throughout the smoker, equalizing the chamber for more even temperatures. By holding more heat and smoke in the chamber, longer, this reduces the pellet consumption, on average of 35% or better, therefore paying for itself on average of 6.86-months.
Users of Don Godke’s Downdraft have reported that it significantly improves the performance of their smokers. They have noted that it helps maintain a consistent temperature, cuts the start-up time, reduces the amount of pellets consumed and enhances the flavor of the food. It is also praised for its ease of installation and use.
Like any product, its effectiveness can depend on various factors, such as the type and quality of the smoker, the maintenance of the smoker (most importantly), the weather conditions (altitude, humidity, and wind) and the skill of the user (not as important). Therefore, while over many thousands of users have very positive experiences with the Downdraft, results may vary.