Deep South GC28 Instead of a Humphrey's Pint?

[Seed]

So a little background. Smoked on weber mountain for many many years. Back isn't the greatest as I got older, so went with a vertical Down East Beast about 1 year and a half ago. It's a good smoker. Had some issues with rust and paint bubbling which disappointed me but it cooked really well. A buddy of mine who smokes for much much larger groups kept borrowing it so I sold it to em. In the back of my mind I thought i'd get a Pint someday to replace it with some changes I wanted.

Now I'm thinking of going a little smaller and started to spec out a Pint. The DEB is too top heavy. With stainless steel and some rack upgrades and such the unit comes close to 4k shipped. $700 for stainless and $500 to ship to the West Coast. Damn that's some change...

Then I started reading and reading more and thinking well what could I get for 4-5k and I kept reading about gravity smokers, Stumps Baby XL, Assassin, and the Deep South GC28, the Classic.

I don't know anything about GF smokers. I understand how they work somewhat, but how well do they smoke? Im just used to tossing a few chunks into the firebox in the Down East Beast, but this ash drop thing I don't quite get. Does it smoke just as well with little embers falling on wood and ash? Does it burn more, less? Anyone go from a vertical indirect to a gravity fed and have some advice?

It's really hard to stray from the Pint as it's spec'd to what I think I need/want, but the price just makes me have to look at what else is out there.

 

[Pappy Q]

Look at a Southern Q Limo Jr for your needs.

 

[GreenDrake]

If you are gonna stray, I'd give the nod to Assassin, for sure. Buddy has a restaurant in Montana and his Assassins have been running non stop for over two years now, no joke. They are heavy, like super heavy. I think he had his custom built to his specs so he has more chassis heat also, but man those things run like a top.

 

[midwestmindz]

Went from a Humphreys to a Deep South and never looked back. Don't miss the ash in my face or messing with a water pan. Best switch I've ever made. So simple to run set it and forget it

 

[cpw]

I had a backwoods Fatboy and now a Deep South 36. Both cook about the same as far as "set it and forget it," but I love how the Deep South is a whole lot cleaner than the backwoods. There's just a small ash pan on the bottom of the chute that I'll shovel the ash out of once or twice for a competition (using lump charcoal). As far as wood goes, I'll throw a few chunks in the ash pan when the meat goes on, and go to bed.

 

[Seed]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll do some more research on all of these ideas.

 

[CharcoalCowboy]

I have owned several gravity fed smokers (Stumps, Assassin and Deep South) and I would strongly recommend the Deep South over anything else. I have a GC28 which is a really nice size cooker with the 5 racks. If you are worried about moving it around a lot I just saw that Randall has a new option on the GC's with larger wheels which makes it really easy to move around. You could also look at the Deep South RGC (size smaller than the GC) if you are looking for something more portable.
No matter how you go I think you will love cooking on a gravity fed!

 

[Westx]

Since your looking at GFs look at the Humphrey's GFS also.

 

[Roast Beast]

The Deep South is a great cooker, but if you're looking to go smaller, it's more than twice the size of a DEB. Randall makes a smaller gravity fed that you may want to consider as well (RGC model). And Pappy's Southern Q suggestion is a great one as well.