Oklahoma Joe

Dude...I know you live up there in horse country and have a huge freakin back yard.

BUT HOW MANY CAN YA PACK IN BACK THERE?? :-D

Brinkmann also makes a few 1/4 models - so it's pretty much the same as those with the firebox on the other end. I don't believe Chargriller makes anything that thick.

OK Joes even have differences between them, depending on if it's an original OK Joes (now Horizon) or if it was made after it was sold and has been cheapened.

I used to have an original OK Joes, thick with great welds. The only bolt on it was on the air intake vent control in order to turn it. Ya don't see too many backyard offsets with the firebox welded on, most seem to be bolted.

Not sure if the Brinkmann Cimmeron has the door at the end of the firebox or not. That door sure makes it easy to get out ash during a cook.

KC_Bobby said:

Not sure if the Brinkmann Cimmeron has the door at the end of the firebox or not. That door sure makes it easy to get out ash during a cook.

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The Cimarron is a 1/4 inch cooker, has a welded on firebox and a door on the end for loading/cleaning ashes out. Pretty well constructed unit.

The new Horizon grills (formerly OK Joes as KC Bobby mentioned) are built solid. I recently bought a Horizon Patriot grill (no firebox) and it is made out of 16" cylindrical steel pipe, 1/4" thick, and weighs about 175lbs. The welds are clean and the lid is recessed when closed so it fits flush. The chargrillers I have seen are thin walled about 1/8" and seem wimpy compared to the others out there.

That Low&Slow to Go place that I sent you info for is a stocking dealer for Horizon, Backwoods and another brand that I cannot recall. He had about 5-different size Horizon smokers(in multiples) at his warehouse in Redlands.

Another brand to check out is the Tejas smokers. They make some real fine smokers as well. The only Cali dealer I found for them is up in Yuba City called Grills for All Seasons.
http://www.tejassmokers.com/
http://www.grillsforallseasons.com/

Rob

I highly recommend the Horizon brand. They're really great to deal with, and produce a top-notch product. We have one at work, and it's a piece of art. The steel is super-heavy. It holds heat like Oklahoma air in August. I had them make everything but the firebox and cooking chamber out of stainless and its fantastic. http://horizonbbqsmokers.com/index.html

Norco,

Get the Tejas from "Grills For All Seasons" they are in Yuba City. If you picked it up from them on October 25th you could drive over to the Nor Cal Bash and we could help you season it.

The original OK Joes were all welded 1/4" steel. The original owner's brother is now making the Horizon pits that are the same.

Brinkman bought the original factory and now makes their 1/4" models there.

New Braunfels bought the OK Joe name and then started making 3/16" thick models. Charbroil then bought New Braunfels and they started looking fancier but the fit and finish quality went down. The last one's I saw were still ~3/16" thick thus considerably heavier than Chargrillers, Hondos, etc.

With the exception of Horizon I do believe they are all 1/8" now.

I own an original OK Joes that I bought about 4 years ago.

It is not a Klose or a Bandera, but it cooks very well.

The only mod I have made to it is putting a water pan right next to the firebox opening for a heat sink.

I had a really good picture of it - with snow on the ground - smoking meat on Valentines Day but I can't find it.

ZILLA said:

With the exception of Horizon I do believe they are all 1/8" now.

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Academy still has some of the older/heavier stuff.