Description
The pellet cooker is a relatively recent innovation in the barbecue field.  Some smart guys in the Pacific Northwest figured out they could apply popular pellet stove technology to cooking.

These units have two upsides: they can operate unattended for long periods of time, and they burn cleanly due to a well-controlled Fire Triangle.

On the downside, they are expensive and relatively complex.  Fuel can be purchased by mail or at specialty shops - it must be kept dry to prevent swelling, which can jam the auger feed mechanism.  Finally, some folks enjoy the "Playing-With-Fire" part of smoking, and there's none of that going on with a pellet cooker.

Operation
Fill the hopper and push a button.