I used to hover over my grill like it was going to do something wrong if I looked away. With a pellet grill, that's not a thing anymore.
How it works
You fill the hopper with wood pellets, set a temperature like you're using an oven, and it holds that temp for as long as you need it. The controller does the adjusting. You do whatever you want.
What I actually made first
Ribs. Low and slow at 225°F for six hours. I checked on them twice. Both times I didn't need to touch anything. They came out better than anything I'd done before and I barely participated.
The smoke flavor situation
Wood pellets come in different varieties — hickory, applewood, mesquite, cherry. The flavor is real and it's subtle, not overwhelming. You're not getting a campfire taste. You're getting something that actually tastes like you knew what you were doing.
The one thing to stay on top of
Clean the grease tray regularly. It doesn't take long and it prevents grease fires, which are the one way you can ruin a good thing fast. Do it every few cooks. That's the whole maintenance story.
Bottom line
If you're still working a basic kettle or a gas grill for long cooks, you're doing it the hard way. This is the upgrade that actually changes how you cook outside.