barrel style vs vertical smoker?

[porkingINpublic]

I am currently looking to upgrade my smoker, been smoking on the small vertical Brinkman for to long... lol. I like the idea of the vertical smoker but there are so many barrel style smokers out there I just have to ask if one is better than the other? I have found a nice heavy steel vertical smoker with the offset fire box at academy that is $300.00. Fair price for thi smoker I think.

Any help would be greatly appreciated before I go throw away $300.

thanks

[IamMadMan]

Originally Posted by porkingINpublic

I am currently looking to upgrade my smoker, been smoking on the small vertical Brinkman for to long... lol. I like the idea of the vertical smoker but there are so many barrel style smokers out there I just have to ask if one is better than the other? I have found a nice heavy steel vertical smoker with the offset fire box at academy that is $300.00. Fair price for thi smoker I think.

Any help would be greatly appreciated before I go throw away $300.

thanks

Watch the cheaply made ones not made from 1/4 metal.

I bought a brinkman Professional Pit about 12 years ago. Sadly I used it twice and gave up until I found some mods on-line. As I installed the mods, I also made some of my own changes in the mix. Anyway after added time and expense the horizontal is now a good back-up smoker. I would say take your time and look at a Backwoods or a Coolshack.

The difference between good food and fantastic food.

Lastly if you feel empowered you also cannot beat the UDS for the quality of it's smoked foods.

[BBQ Bandit]

Originally Posted by IamMadMan

Lastly if you feel empowered you also cannot beat the UDS for the quality of it's smoked foods.

He nailed it right there..^^^^. The UDS is a competition proven winner.
Its both a barrel AND a vertical PLUS a very efficient cooker PLUS a low cost project... most have been done under 100 dollars.

[smokingj]

+1 on the UDS. It's not the ultimate smoker, but it's about as efficient as one can get in simplicity as well as producing really great 'que. I can stabilize mine and lock in the temps with no problem and from there on out it's basically on auto pilot till the show is over.
One day I would like to get a heavy duty stick burner but until I can get the funds up I'll stick with my 'trash can barrel'.

[BBQ Nuts]

Another +1 for the UDS. Easy to build and easy to use. It's snowing here and mine is running smooth (so far) tonite!

[gtr]

I love love love my offset, but I also have a UDS that I use all the time - it's a fantastic cooker, cheap to get the parts for and easy to build.

What kind of cooker are you looking at - how thick is the metal? If you put up what kind it is, there's most likely some folks here who have experience with and can tell you about it.

[el_matt]

UDS, nothing else to say.

Matt

[42BBQ]

UDS or take the $300 and buy a Weber Smokey Mountain

[FromthePitBBQ]

+1 (or whatever number we're at from the previous multiple +1's) for the UDS.

Take the $300 and ...

1) Build UDS ($80)
2) Get a Thermapen ($95)
3) Get a Thermoworks Dual Channel Thermometer (TW8060) ($120)

You'll be a cookin' fool!!!!!

Seriously though, if there was only one cooker I could use/have....it's an UDS.

[TomB]

When I got my first charcoal smoker I looked at bulidng a UDS (so many positive reviews) and a WSM (many positive reviews, as well). I chose to buy the 22" WSM. Here's why: no building required (I had trouble locating a drum), easily transportable (breaks down into three sections) for storage/competitions and the Weber name (known for qaulity and service). I love my WSM. Great cooker. Maintains temp. And doubles as R2-D2 at Halloween :-)

[porkingINpublic]

How hard is it to tend to your meat in a UDS? Ex glaze or spritz etc

How hard is it to add wood for smoke to a UDS?

The smoker is at academy for $300... It's pretty good steel that's welded. Fire pit offset with a vertical tower to put meat with pull out drawers.

[smokingj]

Tending meat is super easy.....remove the lid and do what you need to do.
No need to add wood. Your basket will hold enough lump/wood chunks for several cooks....depending on what you cook. That's the beauty of it.
The thing also to think about with a 300 offset is not just the gauge of metal used but also how well is it put together. Most offsets will need mods such as sealing up any gaps with silicone to prevent unwanted heat/smoke loss, usually a wood stove gasket around the lid to seal that to make it airtight, a heat sheild in the firebox and then adding tuning plates to the main chamber to even out your temps across the grates. All that add's up in time and $$ to the initial cost.
Not trying to sway you away, get what your comfortable with and what you'll be happy using. Because if you don't enjoy using it, more than likely it's going to sit somewhere getting dusty or rusty.
Find someone who has a UDS and the offset your looking for and see how each works, then make a decision.