Should I get a WSM?

caseydog said:

Big question: Can I get 8 hours of relatively consistent temperatures from a WSM? If so, are we talking plus or minus 10 degrees, or plus or minus 50 degrees?
Thanks in advance.

CD

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If you can't you are doing something wrong.
Frankly, I don't sit and watch the thermo on my WSMs. If it jumps a little here and there, big deal.
My experience says that you should be able to run a WSM for twelve hours without significant temp changes.

Since you are in a breezy/windy place, a windscreen works well instead of running it in your garage.

You will not be disappointed with a WSM.

Maybe you should look at a Cajun Bandit Conversion kit http://www.shop.cajunbandit.com/product.sc?productId=1&categoryId=4

If you're gonna pull the trigger for a WSM go for the 22-inch or you may be wishing you did later.

yes


today

But seriously,
Big question: Can I get 8 hours of relatively consistent temperatures from a WSM? If so, are we talking plus or minus 10 degrees, or plus or minus 50 degrees?

no freakin doubt you get 8 straight. i can get a solid 8 hours at 250 degrees out of 1 bag of competition kingsford. (which padiodaddio proved burns hotter and faster than kingsford blue bag)

no yr temps wouldn't fluctuate 50 degrees if you just check it real quick. if you have the lid open adding food it will drop 50, but it regains temp really quickly. i do not use my guru on the wsm and i have no problem maintains any temp.

WSM is totally worth the money.
Between my WSM 22", my 22" Kettle, and my crock pot, I plan on not cooking inside all summer long.

I started with a COS, then I got myself a kettle, got a WSM and haven't regretted a moment of it. I waited a whole year to buy the thing, kept reading up on it, and the more I read the more I liked the thought, and I am 100 percent satisfied.

Duh! WSM-ing!!

What everyone else said. I would also go with the 22. There are times I really wish I had a couple more 22's

Of course you should. You'll love it especially for butts and brisket, and no, you don't need to shell out more money for the big one going by what you said. Check out CL and you might find a steal.

If you're cooking for any kind of crowd, do as others say and get the 22. If your family is fairly small, the 18 will do you fine, and it isn't a fuel hog.

Either way, you won't regret it! The only time we use our 22 besides comps is to cook for an event. Although being able to get a full packer brisket, or multiple rib slabs in it without a rib rack is kind of nice

I have owned both the 18 and 22. The 22 will do everything a 18 can but it does use more fuel( more room needs more heat). I now only have a 18 and Pellet Grills. I had to sell one of the WSM for space. I would agree the 22 maybe the better buy. I live in a area that can be windy also. I wrap loosely the WSM with reflix from Lowes as a wind break. Temps can be kept within 5º with a Stoker or Guru.

I did about a dozen low and slow cooks on my 22.5 kettle and had some great results. Then I decided to get a WSM and I couldn't be happier. I've only had it a couple of months, but I've done a few 8+ hour cooks without having to add fuel or make any vent adjustments once I got the temp where I wanted.

I only cook for my family and small gathering and the 18.5 seems to have plenty of room if you don't want to cough up the extra dough for the 22.5.

You can't go wrong with a WSM! I just bought another 22.5" yesterday for the same price as a 18.5". Check out this thread. It will save you about $100 on a new WSM.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101002
Happy Smoking :thumb:

I got about 16 hours on a ring full of K on my first cook the 22 WSM. That was at temps of 275-295

Definitely get it. Use the Sears ad to get it cheaper too!

6th post down.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=101002

Yes!

CaseyDog, for a little more on how I feel about the wsm...

Weber has marketed the classic 18.5" wsm for decades and IMHO, it's the BEST economical, quality, "set it and forget it" smoker choice for the backyard bbq guy.

The only mod I'd really recommend is picking up a Brinkman replacement charcoal pan for the cheap water smokers, and using that for a water pan. That'll give you another layer of charcoal, but regardless, the cooker should run all night 225-250* at the lid without needing to be re-watered, re-fueled, or re-tinkered with. :-D

Eventually though, you might find your cooker is tight enough to go low-n-slow with no water if you put enough meat in it. (Unless using lump, mine will hardly ever run any hotter than 275* w/ a dry pan as long as the door is shut.) As for water in the pan meaning you use more charcoal though, I don't see a huge difference and I still prefer to use water in the pan for over-nighters. Even then, I rarely need to add any briqs in a cook...maybe 3/4 to one chimney at the very end if it's really cold or windy, or I have the cooker loaded with more than 3 butts. Speaking of the wind, it's the enemy of any smoker, but since the wsm is compact, if needed, windbreaks are easy to configure.

Capacity? The big wsm obviously wins here, but using rib racks, nine slabs of spares (five of them trimmed to St. Louis) turned out fine in mine, and fifteen pound briskets are not a problem. On the bottom rack, use one of those roasting racks to cradle a big brisket and angle the ends upward away from the heat. On the top rack, the handles work nicely to help squeeze it on, but guys have even folded big briskets with good results.

As for "bbq-ing for a crowd", we all know that pulled pork or brisket is gonna be what most folks do...and I don't know about your Missus, but mine refuses to entertain more mouths than what 15 lbs. of brisket or 20 lbs. or pulled pork will feed. My biggest cook was 42.5 lbs of pork butt and that made a BUNCH of sandwiches for us and the neighbors!

OK, maybe that was more than a "little how I felt about the wsm", but I hope it helps. I almost bought another one off craigslist last week.

Asking if you should buy a WSM is like asking if you should marry the woman of your dreams :heh:

Seriously, it's probably the best money you can spend on q. I have the 18" and I wish I had the 22. I can do butts and chicken, but no whole packer briskets or full slabs of ribs (I have to cut slabs in half).

The first couple of cooks may see some temp fluctuations as you figure out how to deal with the water pan. But after that this thing is a thing of beauty.

Smoothsmoke said:

I got about 16 hours on a ring full of K on my first cook the 22 WSM. That was at temps of 275-295

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Smoothsmoke, you sure you ain't blowin' smoke? :wink:

Did you do load the briqs in one at a time for max capacity or what? From what I've read concering the big 22.5" wsm, it seems a lot of folks report needing to refuel to get 16 hours for even a low-n-slow cook. 275*+ for 16 hours? I couldn't even get my 18.5" to do that; not with any meat in it, at least.

Dave Russell said:

Smoothsmoke, you sure you ain't blowin' smoke? :wink:

Did you do load the briqs in one at a time for max capacity or what? From what I've read concering the big 22.5" wsm, it seems a lot of folks report needing to refuel to get 16 hours for even a low-n-slow cook. 275*+ for 16 hours? I couldn't even get my 18.5" to do that; not with any meat in it, at least.

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Nope not even, although for about 5 of the last hours. Their was no meat in the cooker. I tried shutting her down after the 11.5 hour mark and it still went strong past 16 hours. All the vents were shut. I guess the small gaps in the door was keeping the baby going strong.