Weber Smokey Mountain vs PBC

mcyork28 · 01-19-2020, 01:13 PM

If price were the same, which would you buy and why?

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sudsandswine · 01-19-2020, 01:15 PM

WSM, because it seems more versatile to me. You can use it like a PBC, or the traditional “WSM way”. I’ve owned both, btw.

TexaQ · 01-19-2020, 04:29 PM

I'd pick WSM for cooking flexiblity, a domed lid, charcoal capacity, ease of internal access and ease of clean up. I do prefer to hang most proteins.

4ever3 · 01-19-2020, 04:39 PM

WSM...

That is all...

70monte · 01-19-2020, 04:56 PM

PBC. I had three WSM's and ended up selling all three after getting the PBC.

SMetroHawkeye · 01-19-2020, 05:01 PM

I’ve never cooked on the PBC, but I’ve seen some amazing things come off those cookers from Breathren who swear by them. But with that said, I’m in the WSM camp. The Droid was my first smoker... so cutting my teeth and learning how to get the most out of that cooker has been a true journey. I love the flexibility, and with practice, the ease of use to turn out consistent, repeatable and tasty cooks.

Maybe I’d feel different if my first cooker was a PBC or a drum... but I’m really happy with The Droid, so I’m voting WSM.

Stlsportster · 01-19-2020, 05:33 PM

Depends. You want rock solid out of the box with expanded capacity to hang, or do you want to buy something you need to tweak and upgrade?

PBC comes out of the box with grate and hanging. 8 racks of ribs, 3-4 briskets, 8 chicken halves. No need for a PID. No vents to adjust or chase every cook. Set it once based on altitude. No door to upgrade or seal or make tighter. No water pan to empty or foil or fill with sand or clay heat sinks.

If you prefer to play with tweaking and adjust and pay extra for hanging racks. Then for sure get the WSM.

gcs · 01-19-2020, 06:44 PM

WSM, can use with or without a water pan, doesnt NEED a PID, doesn't NEED gaskets, can hang anything you want, set the vents and go drink a beer, hardly any tweaking, easy to take apart and clean or dump ashes, and can usually be found gently used for 100 bucks,

But if you prefer to cook in a garbage can, then for sure, get a PBC...

Pocchampion · 01-19-2020, 06:48 PM

I have both and prefer 22 WSM if could only have 1. The pbc is my go to for chicken and ribs and WSM is my brisket and pork butt cooker.

I prefer a world that allows me to have both. Super well price given their longevity and performance.

sudsandswine · 01-19-2020, 08:45 PM

Another big difference is....do you like the taste of fat and juices burning on coals or not? For me, that’s a hard pass on bigger cuts like brisket and pork. You don’t HAVE to cook that way on a WSM, but the inverse doesn’t hold true. Matter of personal preference, of course.

mcyork28 · 01-19-2020, 09:02 PM

Thanks for the feedback. A twice used 22 WSM was on CL for cheap but I missed it.

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Happy Hapgood · 01-19-2020, 09:23 PM

Both are Excellent. Cannot go wrong either way. I'm a WSM guy.

Little Pig Barbeque · 01-19-2020, 10:01 PM

I have both. I cook on both all of the time. If I could pick just one, it would no doubt be the WSM.

It virtually cooks identical to a PBC except you can dial in the temps low and slow or hot and fast. It can be ran like a UDS without the water pan or used as a water smoker with the pan. It has two cooking levels. You can buy a rib hanging rack and use it exactly like a PBC. It holds more coals and from my experience burns longer. I've had mine go 18 hours on a full load. Both are great, but if they are both the same price I think the WSM is better.

Out of the box, the PBC is as good as it's going to get. The WSM on the other hand, has more potential. More ways to cook, more accessories, temperature control etc...

Do what I did. Get both. I got both used on facebook for less than the price of one.

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SlowmotionQue · 01-19-2020, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcs

WSM, can use with or without a water pan, doesnt NEED a PID, doesn't NEED gaskets, can hang anything you want, set the vents and go drink a beer, hardly any tweaking, easy to take apart and clean or dump ashes, and can usually be found gently used for 100 bucks,

But if you prefer to cook in a garbage can, then for sure, get a PBC...

Smokin D@wg@77 · 01-20-2020, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexaQ

I'd pick WSM for cooking flexiblity, a domed lid, charcoal capacity, ease of internal access and ease of clean up. I do prefer to hang most proteins.

SAME here

01-19-2020, 01:13 PM	#1
mcyork28 Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-15-13 Location: West Linn, OR	Weber Smokey Mountain vs PBC If price were the same, which would you buy and why? Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk __________________ LSG 20x42 BPS Drum Blackstone 24 Weber Kettle Weber Genesis Weber Smokey Joe Passed on to a new home Tejas 2040 Deluxe Humphrey's Long Weekender

01-19-2020, 01:15 PM	#2
sudsandswine Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-23-12 Location: Kansas City	WSM, because it seems more versatile to me. You can use it like a PBC, or the traditional “WSM way”. I’ve owned both, btw. __________________ Shirley Fab 250g trailer \| Primo XL kamado \| [COLOR="Red"]Red[/COLOR] Weber Limited Edition kettle + 26” kettle \| Clonesaker PDS (pretty drum smoker)

01-19-2020, 04:29 PM	#3
TexaQ On the road to being a farker Join Date: 02-18-08 Location: New Braunfels, TX	I'd pick WSM for cooking flexiblity, a domed lid, charcoal capacity, ease of internal access and ease of clean up. I do prefer to hang most proteins. __________________ New Braunfels; Yes......really

01-19-2020, 04:39 PM	#4
4ever3 somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-29-12 Location: Tulsa	WSM... That is all... __________________ Jeremy Old Oklahoma Joe (Opal) GMG TREK (Greta Thunberg) Weber Summit Charcoal (Waylon) MAK 2 Star (Maybel) 2x “Unfortunately nothing wrong with that” Bob C Que… I must be living right (somehow…)

01-19-2020, 04:56 PM	#5
70monte is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-29-17 Location: Aurora, Mo	PBC. I had three WSM's and ended up selling all three after getting the PBC. __________________ Good One Marshall, Open Range, HB 357 Pro, HB Legacy, M1, Weber Performer, PBC & PBJ. PK360.

01-19-2020, 05:01 PM	#6
SMetroHawkeye Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-03-17 Location: North Loop Minneapolis Name/Nickname : Hawkeye	I’ve never cooked on the PBC, but I’ve seen some amazing things come off those cookers from Breathren who swear by them. But with that said, I’m in the WSM camp. The Droid was my first smoker... so cutting my teeth and learning how to get the most out of that cooker has been a true journey. I love the flexibility, and with practice, the ease of use to turn out consistent, repeatable and tasty cooks. Maybe I’d feel different if my first cooker was a PBC or a drum... but I’m really happy with The Droid, so I’m voting WSM. __________________ [B]Current Corral:[/B] LSG VO 24” ([I]Li’l Herky[/I]); MAK Two-Star General ([I]Mando[/I]); PK360 with GrillGrates ([I]Galgadot[/I]); Vision Pro Kamado ([I]Punkinhead[/I]); WSM 22” ([I]The Droid[/I]); Weber Kettle ([I]Dory[/I]); Bull Angus ([I]Gasser[/I])

01-19-2020, 05:33 PM	#7
Stlsportster Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-09-16 Location: Random Point In Time and Space Name/Nickname : Parental Assigned Label	Depends. You want rock solid out of the box with expanded capacity to hang, or do you want to buy something you need to tweak and upgrade? PBC comes out of the box with grate and hanging. 8 racks of ribs, 3-4 briskets, 8 chicken halves. No need for a PID. No vents to adjust or chase every cook. Set it once based on altitude. No door to upgrade or seal or make tighter. No water pan to empty or foil or fill with sand or clay heat sinks. If you prefer to play with tweaking and adjust and pay extra for hanging racks. Then for sure get the WSM.

01-19-2020, 06:44 PM	#8
gcs is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-14-13 Location: NY	WSM, can use with or without a water pan, doesnt NEED a PID, doesn't NEED gaskets, can hang anything you want, set the vents and go drink a beer, hardly any tweaking, easy to take apart and clean or dump ashes, and can usually be found gently used for 100 bucks, But if you prefer to cook in a garbage can, then for sure, get a PBC...

01-19-2020, 06:48 PM	#9
Pocchampion Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 04-27-13 Location: Sugar Land, Texas	I have both and prefer 22 WSM if could only have 1. The pbc is my go to for chicken and ribs and WSM is my brisket and pork butt cooker. I prefer a world that allows me to have both. Super well price given their longevity and performance. __________________ 26 OTG, 22 WSM, mini WSM, Weber Gasser, Jumbo Joe, Blackstone 36 griddle, Akorn, PBC, Weber Performer

01-19-2020, 08:45 PM	#10
sudsandswine Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-23-12 Location: Kansas City	Another big difference is....do you like the taste of fat and juices burning on coals or not? For me, that’s a hard pass on bigger cuts like brisket and pork. You don’t HAVE to cook that way on a WSM, but the inverse doesn’t hold true. Matter of personal preference, of course. __________________ Shirley Fab 250g trailer \| Primo XL kamado \| [COLOR="Red"]Red[/COLOR] Weber Limited Edition kettle + 26” kettle \| Clonesaker PDS (pretty drum smoker)

01-19-2020, 09:02 PM	#11
mcyork28 Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-15-13 Location: West Linn, OR	Thanks for the feedback. A twice used 22 WSM was on CL for cheap but I missed it. Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk __________________ LSG 20x42 BPS Drum Blackstone 24 Weber Kettle Weber Genesis Weber Smokey Joe Passed on to a new home Tejas 2040 Deluxe Humphrey's Long Weekender

01-19-2020, 09:23 PM	#12
Happy Hapgood somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 03-17-12 Location: Shreveport, Louisiana Name/Nickname : Mike	Both are Excellent. Cannot go wrong either way. I'm a WSM guy. __________________ Cooking Equipment: Weber WSM, Weber GA, Weber Spirit E-310, Weber 22" OTG Charbroil Oilless Turkey Fryer Wife LuzziAnn 1956 model. Ink Bird IBBQ 4T Wi-Fi Temp Monitor, Superfast LSU Purple Thermapen & ThermaPop, Party Q Ink Bird Sous Vide, HF Flame Thower My Motto these days is "Low Stress, Low Drag". The Artist Formally Known as Toast

01-19-2020, 10:01 PM	#13
Little Pig Barbeque On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-10-18 Location: Kentucky Name/Nickname : Jesse Robinson	I have both. I cook on both all of the time. If I could pick just one, it would no doubt be the WSM. It virtually cooks identical to a PBC except you can dial in the temps low and slow or hot and fast. It can be ran like a UDS without the water pan or used as a water smoker with the pan. It has two cooking levels. You can buy a rib hanging rack and use it exactly like a PBC. It holds more coals and from my experience burns longer. I've had mine go 18 hours on a full load. Both are great, but if they are both the same price I think the WSM is better. Out of the box, the PBC is as good as it's going to get. The WSM on the other hand, has more potential. More ways to cook, more accessories, temperature control etc... Do what I did. Get both. I got both used on facebook for less than the price of one. Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk