Assassin 17 size questions

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BigWil

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I just ordered my assassin 17 today. I'm trying to figure out if i should change it to a 24. I cook a lot for family and friends but never more than 3 briskets and maybe some ribs or chicken. Is the 17 the right size. I ordered it with an extra rack. so it will have 4 racks. I think that's big enough but having never seen one in person I just don't know. I don't know if its just ego that wants me to get the bigger 24 or not.

Also are there any addons I should be thinking about while they are building it.

Any advise is helpful
 
Take it from me, always order the biggest one you can afford. I have a backwoods party which I thought would be way more than enough. It's slim on space, so I end up running a few WSM's as well.
The more air movement around the meat the better too. Crowding a smoker takes a lot longer to cook.

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Never buy to what you currently cook. Adding extra racks helps but only if there is enough spacing between racks. I bought my first cabinet about twice as big as my current cooks. A couple years later I was buying a bigger cooker for the 2-3 cooks a year that were bigger than I could do. While I'm not one to say go big or go home I do understand that sometimes it makes sense. Do you think it's possible that your cooks will get bigger?

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Yes I think they will get bigger I just don't know how soon. They have been growing over the last 2 years. I can afford the 28. But can't see the need for it for at least a few years. It seems like over kill for me, I think. But that's why I'm asking here I don't know. I have a friend that wants me to cook the meats for his wedding next year but that's one event with 50-60 people do I really spend the another thousand dollars for one event. I was going to use multiple smokers. Is it really just better to go bigger and not have to worry about upgrading later? I want to start cooking for more parties.
 
If the 17 is what you currently need and the 28 is too big then get the 24. I like trying new cookers so I get one every few years. Now that I have a big one those new cookers can be smaller and cheaper. This decision can be brutal. Only you know what you really need.

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The other thing is , it will last a very long time, you will not be able to sell it down the road for what you paid, so it might actually cost you a lot more long term to get the smaller one. I wish I went bigger, but would loose to much to sell it, so I bought 2 22 Weber smokers to fill the void, this is my primary hobby though too, and I enjoy cooking for parties. I just don't want ya to be a year or 2 in and realize it's not working.


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I'm in the Go Big or Go Home camp. It will cost you more in the long run to sell the 17 and get something later on. Some things you can't upgrade and size is one of them. At least on a cooker...
 
Thanks for all the help. I called Jeff this morning and changed to the 24. It is a big investment and I expect to cook more so it only makes since to get something I can grow into.
 
Sorry, I didn't see this sooner since I have a 17. You can do 3 briskets in the standard 3 rack configuration. Each rack of the 17 will hold a full size pan. Without pans, i can put 3-4 butts per rack. The bottom rack does run hotter. The 17 works for me since I mostly cook for immediate family with 2-3 cooks for 100 or so per year. I have cooked 6 butts & 30# of leg quarters for one event, but timed it so the butts were resting in a cooler before the chicken went on.

If you can afford the 24, then you did the right thing.
 
I'm a firm believer in, "it's better to have and don't need, than to need and don't have". Also, the money you have now to afford the 24 or 28, may not be available when decide or need/want to go bigger later down the road. I've ordered 2 stationary Shirleys, and one of them is just crazy stupid too big to justify having it.:rolleyes: But, it WILL come in handy for the 1 or 2 church functions that I help with each year, and some sporadic catering gigs. that go over the 100 person mark. The smaller Shirley will probably do 80% of my cooks. Having the luxury of not having to juggle food from one cooker to another or into the oven to either finish or keep warm, is going to be a welcomed relief.
 
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