$400 Budget, Which Smoker????

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Prisoner

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Ok, being new here, I came here for advice. I am treating myself by retiring my smoker that is similar to This
(I hope posting he link doesn't violate the rules)

Anyway, I have about $400.00 to spend, so what would you suggest I buy? I am leaning toward the New Braunfels Bandera Smoker from Academy. Or Oklahoma Joe's Wild West Traditions S.E. Smoker

I smoke brisket, ribs, salmon, turkey legs, turkey breast and anything else that I think might taste good.

What would be the advantage of one over the other. I read the Bandera 101 and am not sure I want something that would need to modded so heavily.

Thank you.

Prisoner/Rick
 
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Are those the only choices?

If it's between those two I'd go with the Bandera. If you are willing to consider other options I'd get the new 22 inch WSM or build a UDS.
 
Nope, certainly not the only options. I am here for advice.

(I kind of don't like the top access WSM's. They seem inconvenient)


Thanks.
 
You are going to get all kinds of info on the Bandera from folks here, but not me.
The Ok Joe's looks like a right handed Brinkman Cimmaron. If it's 3/16 or 1/4 inch steel, that's a good price. However, with a smaller offset like that you will find the temps are uneven across the cooking area, being considerably higher at the firebox. One of the Brethren (Coz) set me up with a batch of 1/4" steel plates that I put in my Cimmaron under the cooking grates and it helps to even out the temp. I also removed the stock baffle between the firebox and cook chamber and attached a different style that directs all of the heat from the firebox under the steel plates. It's a rib machine now.
There is another direction you can go too. With $400 you could get everything you need to build a UDS and buy a WSM. That way you get two very versatile smokers for the price of one.
Good luck on whatever you decide to do.
Merry Christmas.
 
Prisoner said:
(I kind of don't like the top access WSM's. They seem inconvenient) Thanks.
Click to expand...

This shall be an interesting conversation. Stand-by for some strong opinions. Don't take anything personal...

The WSM and UDS are both top access and loved by millions...
 
Prisoner said:
(I kind of don't like the top access WSM's. They seem inconvenient)
Thanks.
Click to expand...

trp1fox said:
This shall be an interesting conversation. Stand-by for some strong opinions. Don't take anything personal...

The WSM and UDS are both top access and loved by millions...
Click to expand...
The top access is not an issue really. It just takes a little thought and advance planning. Though not done to all of mine yet, I used some ceiling tile wire to make handle extensions for the lower cooking grate. Makes it much easier to remove when hot.
Don't discount the advantage of grate over grate cooking. Imagine the tasty goodness you will achieve when you cook butts over brisket. Or butts over Keri C's hog-apple baked beans. No way to duplicate these on an offset.
For me, the biggest advantage is once you get a WSM up to temp, it's pretty much hands-off cooking.
Prisoner, I love all of my cookers, and wouldn't get rid of any of them. Each serves a purpose in my arsenal.
 
Dont knock the WSM until you try it. No better cooker for the $. Although, I firmly believe you need to experience one of the mass manufactured department store offset smokers to fully appreciate the WSM's greatness.
 
if you want a stickburner, and THATS IS TRULY A NEW BRAUNFELS BANDERA, DONT PASS IT UP!!!. NB bandera are far and few between. Forgo the horizontal and get the vertical. More even temps, larger capacity, more versatile, and more useable cooking space. It will teach you fire management, uses charcoal or all wood, and once u get used to it, you will talk to it likes its your best girl.

But its apples and oranges comparing it to the WSM. The WSM is a cooking machine.... that u dial in and go away. (I have 3.) it will chug for 12 hours nearly unattended and it performs consistent each time. But the capacity is no where near the banderas and like i said, its a different machine, filling a different niche. U want to be a stickburner.. starting with a bandera is a great start.



For 50 bucks over budget, u can get both. Start with a bandera, save the extra 150, and in a few months or a year, throw in another 50 bucks and get a WSM for those overnight briskets and u dont want to get up every hours or 2.
 
BBQchef33 said:
For 50 bucks over budget, u can get both. Start with a bandera, save the extra 150, and in a few months or a year, throw in another 50 bucks and get a WSM for those overnight briskets and u dont want to get up every hours or 2.
Click to expand...
The Poobah is wise.
 
ProQ XL. for easy access if considering a WSM.

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sq5qxd.jpg
 
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A WSM will allow you to sleep. With either of the units from Academy you will be up tending the fire. The Bandera will give you more capacity than the WSM or horizontal you've looked at. It all depends on what's important to you.
 
Prisoner, you asked for opinions so here is mine and I am prejudiced.

To start with, to me it depends on how much fire tending you like to do. Offsets take alot of tending while a WSM or UDS does not.

On the top access on a WSM, I have an old WSM and tend to agree that it's small diameter was a bit of a pain to me, just MHO. So the new WSM should be much better on that front.

The UDS is big enough that getting to the meat is not a problem even when your cooking on two racks.

Building your own smoker and or grill is also great fun. For less then $200 you can build a UDS and a UDG(rill) and spend the other $200 on something else fun like a Red Thermapen, Thirdeye's grill lifter, Maverick ET remote thermometer or whatever suits your fancy.
 

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I don't know all that much about any of these smokers mentioned but that ProQXL looks like the bees knees compared to the WSM. Why isn't that thing pushed more?
 
Another one I would suggest is the Chargriller with the smoke box. You will save some money and it works great. I love mine.
Todd
"The Dirt Man"
 
You guys are great with the advice. I had suspected that the horizontals would have an issue with the uneven temps throughout.

I like the vertical Brinkmann (it's just that the metal is very thin. It cost me $50.00 new four years ago and I thought it would be great to learn with it) so I will probably go with the Bandera.

The only issue with the one I currently have is acheiving temps above 200. I usually only cook in it for a couple of hours of smoking, then put the meat into a cooking bag in the oven for a few more hours. I have never had a bad outcome.
 
cheez59 said:
I don't know all that much about any of these smokers mentioned but that ProQXL looks like the bees knees compared to the WSM. Why isn't that thing pushed more?
Click to expand...

The maker of the ProQ BBQ's is a Brethren member. He can speak more to your question. I own the older ProQ and it had problems with too few vents. The new version has three. The components are lighter weight as well.

Mike
 
Thanks Mike I have been toying with the idea of either building a smoker of buying something like the WSM 22.5 just to have a second unit for more capacity. Is the ProQ American made? That means a lot to me.
 
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