How do you guys answer this question?

Wrench_H · 11-26-2012, 03:02 PM

I would bet that around 8 out of 10 people that find out I cook a lot on my smokers always ask the same question and it usually goes something like this... "If I just want to smoke some ribs or something every once in a while, what kind of smoker would you suggest I get?"

I always start with their price range(which is almost always way too low for what they want), and then move onto how much work they want to put into each cook. I then explain the difference between charcoal, pellets, gas, etc. Usually somewhere in the middle of the second hour of my explanation, I see their eyes glaze over, and by the third or fourth hour, they are openly wishing they hadn't asked and some have even started snoring at this point. Kidding aside, what recommendation do you guys usually give to questions like this?

mbshop · 11-26-2012, 03:05 PM

its near impossible to answer that question.
for me a weber kettle is usually the answer i give.
with a few mods you can do near anything on them.

chad · 11-26-2012, 03:07 PM

Depends on how well I know the people.
I tell 'em my rig was $4500 7 years ago and my lanai smokers are $299 or so.
We then can talk grills and if they already have a gasser or charcoal grill we discuss. If they are serious I often offer them a "class" on my WSM. Heck, I get to talk cookin' and eat! Works for me.

Harbormaster · 11-26-2012, 03:07 PM

I always suggest they get a new WSM because they'll never find a used one on Craig's List.

BBQ Bandit · 11-26-2012, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harbormaster

I always suggest they get a new WSM because they'll never find a used one on Craig's List.

That's true - you grab them first.

However an afternoon with a WSM will answer that question.

Carbon · 11-26-2012, 03:34 PM

My default answer on that is always "get a Weber kettle".

JD McGee · 11-26-2012, 03:38 PM

Wsm...

aawa · 11-26-2012, 03:40 PM

I always ask for budget first and how often they think every once in a while is. And then if they want to do charcoal or propane.

Most of the time I direct them to a weber kettle, if they plan to smoke something a couple times a month I direct them to a wsm. If they dont want to spend $100 i direct them on how to make a mini wsm out of a smokey joe.

If they want something super fancy, I direct them to this website so they can ask the more experienced people

aquablue22 · 11-26-2012, 03:55 PM

People like that are most likely in the Weber kettle price range, that's where i go first.

TN_BBQ · 11-26-2012, 04:11 PM

an offset barrel from one of the national stores or 22" weber kettle

they will smoke ribs n such as well as double as a grill

G$ · 11-26-2012, 05:28 PM

landarc · 11-26-2012, 05:34 PM

I ask them what their standard is for good BBQ ribs. From there, I can usually determine where to point them.

On Edit: Most of them are quite disappointed in my cookers (Weber Kettle, UDS, old gas grill) and I think they are hoping I will answer with something shiny. I really do like my 22" kettle for most cooks.

samfsu · 11-26-2012, 05:36 PM

WSM or weber kettle

NickTheGreat · 11-26-2012, 05:36 PM

I would suggest WSM, but like others say, usually that's above the price range they're talking. "But Home Depot has the Brinkman for $100 . . . "

People know better than to ask me questions like that now. I drive a V8 pickup for my 10 mile commute. But I hauled a Christmas tree on Saturday!

smokeyokie · 11-26-2012, 06:35 PM

I tell em go get a Weber Kettle, tell them I can show you how to set it up to smoke and you can do all that for under 150.00, I also explain to them that you can produce killer Q from that unit, if you want to expand the sky is the limit!.... Smoke on Brothers and Sisters

11-26-2012, 03:02 PM	#1
Wrench_H is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-22-09 Location: Wilmington, NC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	How do you guys answer this question? I would bet that around 8 out of 10 people that find out I cook a lot on my smokers always ask the same question and it usually goes something like this... "If I just want to smoke some ribs or something every once in a while, what kind of smoker would you suggest I get?" I always start with their price range(which is almost always way too low for what they want), and then move onto how much work they want to put into each cook. I then explain the difference between charcoal, pellets, gas, etc. Usually somewhere in the middle of the second hour of my explanation, I see their eyes glaze over, and by the third or fourth hour, they are openly wishing they hadn't asked and some have even started snoring at this point. Kidding aside, what recommendation do you guys usually give to questions like this? __________________ Anthony - Pork City Grillers KCBS team CharGriller Smokin Pro, King Kooker Cast Propane Smoker, Smokey Joe Silver, Blue Mosaic Kamado, Traeger 075(Somehow I now have 2 of these), Weber Performer, BW Fatboy Multiple Time Zero Member Try the Throwdowns - MMMMM...tastes like liquid crystal

11-26-2012, 03:05 PM	#2
mbshop Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-24-07 Location: visalia, ca Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	its near impossible to answer that question. for me a weber kettle is usually the answer i give. with a few mods you can do near anything on them. __________________ george spam, can't live without it

11-26-2012, 03:07 PM	#3
chad somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: Clearwater, FL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Depends on how well I know the people. I tell 'em my rig was $4500 7 years ago and my lanai smokers are $299 or so. We then can talk grills and if they already have a gasser or charcoal grill we discuss. If they are serious I often offer them a "class" on my WSM. Heck, I get to talk cookin' and eat! Works for me. __________________ Dave Southern Brethren BBQ Competition Team "It's all about getting paid!" - Myron Mixon "I love being hated in my hometown!" - David Hair KingFisher Gator Rotisserie cooker, WSM, Stainless 5 burner with IR gas grill, Turkey Fryer, Weber JD Commemorative grill, slightly used Bandera chamber for future use as a cold smoker, Masterbuilt 40" insulated ELECTRIC smoker

11-26-2012, 03:07 PM	#4
Harbormaster Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-14-06 Location: Wyocena, WI Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I always suggest they get a new WSM because they'll never find a used one on Craig's List. __________________ Clark My Boys: Joseph (EI); Andrew (EE); Daniel (EE) My Toys: 10 WSMs (B, C, DH, DA, EZ, DZ, EO, DU, DR, EE/DU mutt); Brinkman Cimmaron; Chuckwagon Cooker; 22.5" OTG (DT); Two 22.5" Bar-B-Kettles; One 18.5" Bar-B-Kettle; Smokey Joes (A, K); Genesis Silver C (DU); 3 WGAs (EZ, DE, N); 3 SJPs (DT, DU, DR). "For when democracy becomes tyranny, those of us with rifles still get to vote"

11-26-2012, 03:34 PM	#6
Carbon is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-24-08 Location: Los Angeles Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	My default answer on that is always "get a Weber kettle". __________________ UDS / Mini-WSM / Weber 22.5 OTG / Modified ECB / Lodge hibachi / 34" WFO.

11-26-2012, 03:38 PM	#7
JD McGee somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-28-07 Location: Duvall, WA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Wsm...

11-26-2012, 03:40 PM	#8
aawa is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-03-12 Location: Virginia Beach Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I always ask for budget first and how often they think every once in a while is. And then if they want to do charcoal or propane. Most of the time I direct them to a weber kettle, if they plan to smoke something a couple times a month I direct them to a wsm. If they dont want to spend $100 i direct them on how to make a mini wsm out of a smokey joe. If they want something super fancy, I direct them to this website so they can ask the more experienced people __________________ Weber Mini WSM x2 Weber 22.5in OTG x2 Weber Touch and Go Performer *Sublime Smoke UDS* Maverick ET-732 World's Fastest Blue Thermapen *

11-26-2012, 03:55 PM	#9
aquablue22 Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-26-08 Location: Ormond Beach, Florida Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	People like that are most likely in the Weber kettle price range, that's where i go first. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310 Gasser 1 - Big Green Egg - Large 2 - 22.5 Weber Kettles 2 - 18.5 Weber Kettle Magma Newport - Gasser (on the Boat) 1 - Terracotta PIG 1 Masterbuilt Modified Smokehouse [COLOR=Green]2 - Super FAST, Super ACCURATE Green Thermapen[/COLOR]1 splashproof)

11-26-2012, 04:11 PM	#10
TN_BBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-02-08 Location: Knoxville, TN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	an offset barrel from one of the national stores or 22" weber kettle they will smoke ribs n such as well as double as a grill __________________ Life's a party with a Backwoods Party!

11-26-2012, 05:28 PM	#11
G$ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-01-05 Location: Southern Arizona Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Wsm. __________________ Totally Que-Less BBQ Team

11-26-2012, 05:34 PM	#12
landarc somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 06-26-09 Location: San Leandro, CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I ask them what their standard is for good BBQ ribs. From there, I can usually determine where to point them. On Edit: Most of them are quite disappointed in my cookers (Weber Kettle, UDS, old gas grill) and I think they are hoping I will answer with something shiny. I really do like my 22" kettle for most cooks. __________________ "perhaps...but then again...maybe not..." careful there son, those ribs are boiling hot... \_\|_/ (='.'=) Here there be bunnies... (")_(")ooo Pacific Rim BBQ Bob's Brew and Que

11-26-2012, 05:36 PM	#13
samfsu Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 05-18-10 Location: Wellington, FL Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	WSM or weber kettle __________________ Weber Genesis Silver B, Twin 18.5" WSMs, Weber Performer, Green Weber Smokey Joe Gold

11-26-2012, 05:36 PM	#14
NickTheGreat is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 05-08-12 Location: Iowa Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I would suggest WSM, but like others say, usually that's above the price range they're talking. "But Home Depot has the Brinkman for $100 . . . " People know better than to ask me questions like that now. I drive a V8 pickup for my 10 mile commute. But I hauled a Christmas tree on Saturday! __________________ 18.5" WSM ; Weber E-330 ; Weber Q200 (tailgating) . . . Guess I'm a Weber fanboy!

11-26-2012, 06:35 PM	#15
smokeyokie is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-26-11 Location: Vinita, OK Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I tell em go get a Weber Kettle, tell them I can show you how to set it up to smoke and you can do all that for under 150.00, I also explain to them that you can produce killer Q from that unit, if you want to expand the sky is the limit!.... Smoke on Brothers and Sisters __________________ open brick fire pit weber smokey joe with homemade WSM 2 weber kettle maverick ET 732 1 really, I mean really UGLY Drum Smoker super fast RED and BLACK thermapens _____________________ Billy"Smoke on Brothers and Sisters"