Jambo vs LSG vs Johnson Reverse

JokerBroker said:

I jumped into stick burning with both feet and bought a LSG. If you have nicely seasoned wood, you'll be producing thin blue smoke while maintaining temps before the 6-hour seasoning process is complete. If you get to the point where you just aren't using the pit, you can probably sell it for a $500 loss to someone who isn't willing to wait 4 months. If you buy a piece of junk, the resale value will be next to nothing so your total cost of ownership may not be much different in the end between each unit. That's what I tell my wife anyway when I want to buy nice things. A cheap offset could kill your enthusiasm for stick burning because they are more difficult to maintain temps. As far as waiting for what you want to get built, I strongly suggest you do it. The amount of time you own it will be far greater than the time you waited for it and you will forget about how long you waited once it arrives. Having something to look forward to is fun and while you wait, watch some videos on fire management and hang out around here. You will learn everything you need and more to produce very good BBQ on your first try.

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for clarification, was the stick burner your first smoker ever? or had you had practice on something else before going into stick burning?

a great backyard smokers from rockin w smokers in the forth worth area
http://rockinwsmokers.com/

el luchador said:

for clarification, was the stick burner your first smoker ever? or had you had practice on something else before going into stick burning?

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I started on a BGE so I learned about air flow management on that but with the advent of Youtube, there isn't much you can't learn ahead of time if you are willing to do your homework. The other thing about spending more money on something is you are less likely to give up on it if it doesn't work out in the beginning.

JokerBroker said:

I started on a BGE so I learned about air flow management on that but with the advent of Youtube, there isn't much you can't learn ahead of time if you are willing to do your homework. The other thing about spending more money on something is you are less likely to give up on it if it doesn't work out in the beginning.

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thanks for the clarification- so you had quite a bit of experience smoking before actually buying the stickburner- kind of different from what the op is attempting.

ifI were advising a first timer I would say start with a kettle. it can put out some great Q for $100 new or about $30 used. then when you are ready to upgrade you still have a dang good grill.

ain't nuttin to stickburning. Getcha One.

Venturing into a new hobby I would also start with a WSM or something easy to learn on. Not saying you can't learn something with a steeper learning curve, but there are so many variables into getting a $2500 cooker.. like style, size, and other bells/whistles. It's easy to upgrade if you decide you want to go bigger or change cookers later down the road. Can't forget about kamado cookers, they can also grill like a champ too.

The OP asked about 3 specific smokers. He didn't ask about charcoal grills or how to get into Q the cheapest, easiest way.
Maybe he already knows the best Q is made on a stick burner

Larry

The Shakar said:

First time posting and a total beginner when it comes to smoking. I'm looking at purchasing my first ever smoker and have been narrowing down my options. Hoping someone can provide some personal experience regarding the following pit makers:

-Jambo
-Lone Star Grillz
-Johnson Smokers

I'm looking for a backyard pit that I can learn on and everything I've read has said the thicker the steel the better. LSG and Johnson both have 1/4" cook chambers and 1/4" firebox whereas Jambo has 3/16" cook chamber and a 2" insulated firebox. Any information / opinions on these pits would be greatly appreciated. I'm in Austin and would be open to any other suggestions. These are just the ones I've researched the most. Thanks!

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From that list, Jambo...

Check out Rock'n W pits in Euless, TX. It is a jambo clone but improved. Mine works great. Fair priced as well.

Matt's Pitts- San Antonio - Fine Tune 20x40 or even better - 24x54".

http://rivercottagetables.com/matts_bbq_pits

Rockinar said:

This is like telling someone who's shopping for a Mercedes to go buy a Ford Pinto first to see if they like driving nice cars.

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Sometimes it is better to learn to walk before we try to run.

LloydQ said:

Maybe the OP is a real smart guy and can handle a basic task. This ain't rocket science.

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Wow. So, I guess I must be dumb because I found out I didn’t have the time necessary to dedicate to stick burning.

JokerBroker said:

I jumped into stick burning with both feet and bought a LSG. If you have nicely seasoned wood, you'll be producing thin blue smoke while maintaining temps before the 6-hour seasoning process is complete. If you get to the point where you just aren't using the pit, you can probably sell it for a $500 loss to someone who isn't willing to wait 4 months. If you buy a piece of junk, the resale value will be next to nothing so your total cost of ownership may not be much different in the end between each unit. That's what I tell my wife anyway when I want to buy nice things. A cheap offset could kill your enthusiasm for stick burning because they are more difficult to maintain temps. As far as waiting for what you want to get built, I strongly suggest you do it. The amount of time you own it will be far greater than the time you waited for it and you will forget about how long you waited once it arrives. Having something to look forward to is fun and while you wait, watch some videos on fire management and hang out around here. You will learn everything you need and more to produce very good BBQ on your first try.

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Yeah, it doesn’t work like that. I speak from experience. No one wanted to buy a barely used pit, unless it was for a major discount. Had one guy in Austin offer half price, and told me he would be available when it didn’t sell. It took me several months to sell it, and then, I had to ship it a couple thousand miles.

SmittyJonz said:

Matt's Pitts- San Antonio - Fine Tune 20x40 or even better - 24x54".

http://rivercottagetables.com/matts_bbq_pits

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I am totally happy with the 2 pits I got from Matt, but his welds are nowhere near the quality of the pit makers the OP listed.

Larry

CptKaos said:

The OP asked about 3 specific smokers. He didn't ask about charcoal grills or how to get into Q the cheapest, easiest way.
Maybe he already knows the best Q is made on a stick burner

Larry

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So let me get this straight. Someone who has never climbed mountains comes to you and says which mountain should I submit first, Everest or K2? You wouldn't advise them to try something easier first?

The quality of the food comes from the cook and not the cooker

el luchador said:

So let me get this straight. Someone who has never climbed mountains comes to you and says which mountain should I submit first, Everest or K2? You wouldn't advise them to try something easier first?

The quality of the food comes from the cook and not the cooker

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So let me get this straight. someone asks about smokers and you want to send him mountain climbing

Larry

CptKaos said:

So let me get this straight. someone asks about smokers and you want to send him mountain climbing

Larry

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dont try to deflect. answer the question asked. actually dont as it was rhetorical.

the right thing to do to help a beginner is to let them know the potential errors of their desired path.

I wouldnt tell a beginner to summit k2 or everest, and I wouldnt tell a beginner to buy an offset smoker.

and as thoey said, some of them dont really hold their value that well.

I wonder if the OP knows that three of the top 5 teams last year in KCBS team of the year were cooking on drums? I wonder if that would change his mind and make him want to learn on a $100 drum first?

el luchador said:

dont try to deflect. answer the question asked. actually dont as it was rhetorical.

the right thing to do to help a beginner is to let them know the potential errors of their desired path.

I wouldnt tell a beginner to summit k2 or everest, and I wouldnt tell a beginner to buy an offset smoker.

and as thoey said, some of them dont really hold their value that well.

I wonder if the OP knows that three of the top 5 teams last year in KCBS team of the year were cooking on drums? I wonder if that would change his mind and make him want to learn on a $100 drum first?

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Are you going to spend the rest of your day trying to convince everybody your opinion is the only correct one? I suggest you go out and cook something.

Springram said:

Are you going to spend the rest of your day trying to convince everybody your opinion is the only correct one? I suggest you go out and cook something.

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lol. Im trying to help the op. if it goes against your religion sorry. lol.

Im cooking a brisket today btw, probably grill some chicken wings as well.

Enjoy your cooking today as well.

el luchador said:

lol. Im trying to help the op. if it goes against your religion sorry. lol.

Im cooking a brisket today btw, probably grill some chicken wings as well.

Enjoy your cooking today as well.

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Now we have gone to religion...

For all we know the OP is a pyromaniac eagle scout that has been burning up GI Joes and tree forts since the age of 8. A stick burner could be child's play for him. :flame:

I think you're makin exactly the right call by starting with a good quality smoker. Don't waste $400-600 of your purchase money on something that mainly will be frustrating and will be even harder to sell than a good quality pit when you decide you want to upgrade.

Since you're lucky enough to live in Texas, you don't need to look outside the state for a great pit. Some prior posters have mentioned the names of really good pitmakers in Dallas, Houston, etc.

With reference to your comments about 1/4" vs 3/16" steel, IMHO you shouldn't base your decision on that difference. Once you get a pit that has 1/4" -- or really even 1/8" -- then you're lookin at a great quality pit. The only folks who need a thicker pit than that is someone cookin in super-cold temp's up north. No need in Texas, and the extra weight will just make it harder to move around.

Finally, if you want to look at something a little different you might look at the Karubecue, made by an engineer near Dallas. Look up the website -- he developed a unique design that virtually assures perfect smoke, and therefore perfect smoke flavour, from the burning wood. You also can find great reviews on his smoker and others on the AmazingRibs.com site. Good luck!