Anyone used both a home made Mini WSM and "Real" WSM?

[Hadoken]

Hey guys - I've been smoking on my weber kettle for a few years, and last Christmas I made a mini WSM out of a smokey joe gold and a tamale pot.

It turned out real well I think, but I've never used an actual WSM to compare it to.

Well tonight at Walmart I found a 14" Weber Smokey Mountain marked down to $100. I bought it, but its still boxed up and I'm trying to decide if I should keep it or not.
The advantages over my homemade mini WSM are:

Thicker lid and walls than my smokey joe and pot combo

Fuel door (but at this size it's usually easy enough to lift the cooking chamber and add fuel if needed, but I haven't had to add fuel up to 10 hours on my homemade).

Taller lid - right now I think this is the biggest advantage, I mounted the grate high enough in my home made mini WSM that ribs vertically in a rack get up in the high dome temps and cook unevenly. Not a big deal unless I'm trying to do 2 grates worth of ribs at a time.

A couple of niceties like a lid thermometer, nice openings for my temp probes and a cover are included.


Think I would notice much improvement using the real Weber, or should I just keep my home made mini and put the $100 towards a 18.5 or 22.5WSM?

Thanks

 

[Fwismoker]

Can't beat it for a hundred bucks.

 

[AClarke44]

I haven't cooked on either, but folks around here love their smokey Joe mini wsm's. Based on what you said, I'd put the $100 to a 18.5 or 22.5 WSM. I think you'll get much more use from one of those than a mini wsm anyway.

 

[Bebe]

it's a keeper, no doubt!
I have both 18 and 22 WSMs and WSJ mini-wsm but the 14" is the MOST used one!
I would say 8 out 10 cooks is the 14" WSM, great performer, easy to carry anywhere if needs to and just perfect for the family. For $100 i'll buy two more

 

[tb80]

I haven't cooked on either, but folks around here love their smokey Joe mini wsm's. Based on what you said, I'd put the $100 to a 18.5 or 22.5 WSM. I think you'll get much more use from one of those than a mini wsm anyway.

Agreed. Since you already have the mini I would put the $100 towards an 18.5 or 22.5 WSM. I have the mini and a 18.5 and a 22.5 and it is nice to be able to have the different options.

 

[smoke ninja]

Id save the money for the 18 or something else you want. The difference between a 14 and your mini are minor, a different cooker will give you more versatility

 

[pjtexas1]

I agree with everyone else. Two of the same size cookers doesn't make as much sense as two different sized cookers.

 

[Wetsmoke]

I made a mini and cooked on it for a year and it cooked great!! Found a 14.5 on sale and bought it. Gave my mini to my son and he loves it. The 14.5 is well-made and has a taller lid. Both cook great. I had $35 in the mini cost and $100 in the WSM. The WSM will last a very long time, the mini, not as long. Gift the mini and keep the WSM.

 

[poorolddan]

I convinced a Wally Mgr that they should honor a Target on-line ad asking $50 for the 14.5. Cooks like dream. Save your $100 towards a 22" WSM and keep an eye on Craig's List