Need brotherly advice.

[Hoorenga]

I'm going a bit crazy here. I know I said I was looking for a Bandera but some how I got crossed over to looking at a Kingfisher smoker out of Kansas City. http://kck.com/bbq/info/kombo_smoker24.htm They have that particular model on sale for $575. They call it a water smoker, not sure what that is other than it has a water pan. I called them just for the heck of it and Bob who runs the place said he could ship me one for $209 and that includes a $75 crating charge. Now that runs my bill up over what I wanted to spend but for $800 it could be sitting on my deck. I just need some coments from you all. I am looking for a stick burner with small to moderate capicity (just me and the family, 3-6 people)

[Bigmista]

Dude!

Take this like a nudge from a big brother.

Buy a smoker and cook something!!!

If you want to spend $800 for a smoker with less capacity than the bandera or the BSKD. Do it. We have given you our recommendations. If you want to ignore them and listen to somebody who is in business to sell you something, that's fine. But make a decision.

Just remember, an expensive cooker won't make bad Q better. You have to learn the craft. Once you do, you will be able to turn out great Q on any smoker. A smoker is just a tool. Fire management, Seasoning and TLC are what matter most.

One last note, I'd be willing to bet that every BBQ champion has used a Weber smokey mountain at one point in their career. Ask Mr. Minion.

[jt]

With the shipping involved I understand why you're wanting to make the right decision. Let me put it this way - the Kingfisher looks like a nice unit but less capacity than the Bandera. Now I don't have personal experience with the Kingfisher but I would think you'd have a hotspot next to the firebox. This will limit you somewhat and you've only got 24" to play with. I didn't read too deeply on the site - how thick is the steel? If it's not going to hold heat any better then I'd go for the Bandera. I currently feed 3 people although I typically invite friends over when I'm smoking. The way I figure it is if I'm gonna spend all day smoking a butt or a brisket then I'm gonna do 2 or 4 or whatever it takes to fill up the beast. Then I just freeze what I don't eat that day. BBQ is great reheated.

On the other hand if you want a small set it and forget it smoker, the WSM is the way to go. 2 racks, holds temps a long time, etc etc etc. I plan on having one of these sometime so I can satisfy both my urge to smoke and appease my wife by not spending all day tending the pit.

Wanna spend $600? Get the Bandera AND the WSM. Best of both worlds.

[BrooklynQ]

Originally Posted by Bigmista

Dude!

Take this like a nudge from a big brother.

Just remember, an expensive cooker won't make bad Q better. You have to learn the craft. Once you do, you will be able to turn out great Q on any smoker. A smoker is just a tool. Fire management, Seasoning and TLC are what matter most.

I don't know what you have now, but you can start with a Weber Kettle or an El Cheapo Brinkman Smoker. Get some experience there, then think about the more expensive models. Go to a contest in your area, see what they're using. Kick the tires, so to speak before you do a major outlay. Talk to the cooks, you'll find one you like.

But like Bigmista says, just get cooking.

[spicewine]

Whistles and Bells don't make good BBQ. Knowing your smoker and keeping a good journal of your experiences for reference makes good BBQ.

[BigAl]

My first unit was a 50 gal. drum, about $15-$20 invested, used it for years, worked great 'til the bottom rusted out. :(

[chad]

The Kingfisher cookers are built in Kingfisher, OK. Bob is a distributor in Kansas City. If he says he'll deliver it - he will.

The cookers are built from 12-14 gauge steel. The cook racks are 9 gauge expanded metal and the fire grate is 6 gauge expanded metal.

That being said: you should consider a WSM ($179-189 with free shipping from Amazon.com) until you can save the money and get the experience to make an informed decsion about a more expensive cooker.

The stick burners are cool but the efficient cookers like the WSM, Spicewine, Stump's are awful effective - and they win a LOT of contests, too. If you need more volume - buy two WSMs - you'd still be under the price of a Bandera in your area!!

Just my $.02 worth. I'll admit I've got a Kingfisher combo cooker on it's way right now - but I don't think my WSM is going to see any less use! Heck, I still use my $50 ECB Gourmet model for chicken and pork butt - and it has NO controls (I have learned to control the fire) :D

[Arlin_MacRae]

Hoo, I gotta second JT - for that money you'll get a GREAT smoker that has limited capability, due to the design. If you like that type, get a NB Silver or Hondo or equivalent so when, in a couple of years, you want something larger you won't have this huge investment to try and recoup.

Arlin

[Bigdog]

IMHO you should buy either a Bandera or a BSKD. You will not be dissapointed. You sound like you are relitively new to smoking, and there are a ton of guys here with experiance with these smokers. We can guide you through the learning curve. They are great wood burners, although somewhat inefficient. A WSM is charcoal of charcoal and wood chunks. Not a true stick smoker(WSM owners, please correct me if I am wrong here). You told me that you wanted a wood burner. Many have both a Bandera and a WSM for long unattended burns. That is the best of both worlds. What ever you do, your decision will not be wrong. Just make a choice and buy one. If nothing else, call around till you find one, get in your pick-em-up truck and make a road trip. You will smile all the way home.

[roknrandy]

If you like that type, get a NB Silver or Hondo or equivalent so when, in a couple of years, you want something larger you won't have this huge investment to try and recoup.

Arlin

Hoo,
Arline and the others are correct, Get something cheap, I spent $150(I've had a silver smoker for a year now) and get started on it first (keep a log, figure out what woods to use and so on) I plan on getting a large/better unit in 2 or 3 years.

[Hoorenga]

For some reason some of my replys arn't being posted. I have found this to be true in other threads as well. Also my image that I ran through Avatar some times comes up and some times doesn't. Not sure what that's about.

So the saga continues. I think I'm ready to choose, I just don't have anything to choose from. If there were a store right down the street that carried all of the avaliable smokers at their advertised prices I would probably get the smaller of the Spicewine models. It is a bit more than I wanted to spend and I was leaning towards a stick burner but it is the beauty of the thing that really apeals to me. I learned on a Great Out Doors vertical, charcoal smoker and feel that I have honed my skills enough to where I can reward myself with the smoker that I will probably live with for the forseable future. The manager from Home Depot called at lunch time and is still looking for one in their west coast stores so guess I'll just wait a while longer. Short of that it looks like I'll be ordering direct from Char-Broil. $330 including shipping for the Bandara. Not so bad.

Thanks guys.

Doug

[sigmasmokers]

Check out Academy Sports website. They have Banderas for 199.00. I have a Bandera and a WSM and I love them both. The Bandera is more fun because more work involved.

Steve

[Arlin_MacRae]

I have to agree with Sigma: the Bandera is a labor of love. You don't plug a 'dera in and walk away!

Originally Posted by roknrandy

Hoo,
Arline and the others are correct, Get something cheap, I spent $150(I've had a silver smoker for a year now) and get started on it first (keep a log, figure out what woods to use and so on) I plan on getting a large/better unit in 2 or 3 years.

Did he just call me Arline???

hmmph :?

[Bigmista]

I used to work with a girl named Arline. Nice lady.

[jt]

Did he just call me Arline???

Yes he did. Got something you want to tell us?