Need advice on pit purchase

[grill 'em all]

i'm beatin myself up on buyin a new pit.. i'm ready to go for it but would like to hear any pros or cons from yall who been down this road before me.. heres my info: $4K tops..backyard pit,no trailer..quality steel..indirect smoker..fuel efficent..no smaller than 48" cookin area..built to last a really long time....i think that covers it..i really like the looks of klose and jambopits but i dont know anyone thats even heard of them let alone owns one..my buddies say"go to lowes" but i want something better than that..anyone who owns klose or geer pits please tell me what you think of them..i'm also open to other ideas on pits..thanks in advance..

 

[MilitantSquatter]

I've got a Klose and it's great...

lots of other good quality stickburners too by Gator, Lone Star etc.

Spicewine is great for an insulated cabinet style..

 

[Ken V]

Talk to alot of pitmakers and tell them what your needs are and let them help ya and sell ya.
I would give Stumps smokers a call and talk to stump himself and let him tell ya what they have to offer. I would really look at the stretch model.

Ken

 

[ZILLA]

I own two Gator Pits, they are top notch as are Klose. Lone Star closed its doors a few months ago but there are others. I think a Jambo will be more than 5K. Do you want an Offset are a Cabinet smoker?

 

[toadhunter911]

I've been looking at these...

Stumps

Lang

Klose

and Gator

 

[C Rocke]

Call and talk to Jay @ Spicewine - None better.

 

[Ron_L]

Spicewine!

If not then Lang.

 

[gtsum]

Jambo has a backyard pit for under 2k I believe (24x48 cooking area)

 

[Bigmista]

Spicewine! I've got 2!

 

[The Grill Sergeant]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...f183aad&itemid=160441161060&ff4=263602_263622

I have been coveting this one...

 

[grill 'em all]

thanks yall..hey militantsquatter i like that BYC..i was wantin to know about the upright,what you use it mainly for,how often you use the upright section,if it has the pop baffle,diff in temp from the main cookin chamber and if you have the charcoal basket in firebox..i'm sorry to ask so many questions of you but before i shell out that kind of cash, i'd love to hear from an actual owner..

 

[MilitantSquatter]

thanks yall..hey militantsquatter i like that BYC..i was wantin to know about the upright,what you use it mainly for,how often you use the upright section,if it has the pop baffle,diff in temp from the main cookin chamber and if you have the charcoal basket in firebox..i'm sorry to ask so many questions of you but before i shell out that kind of cash, i'd love to hear from an actual owner..

Thanks... I bought the BYC from Greg (Parrothead) earlier this year and refurbished it. Phil (BBQChef33), our forum owner/admin, has one and I'd cooked on his a number of times over the years so I knew what I was getting.

I don't cook in large qty often to use the upright frequently, but when I have it came in handy It allows you more flexibility to cook at diff temps if you choose, provides an area to ramp down or warming area and came in handy as an area to cook side dishes (4th of July, I used the shelves to load in half pans of mac & cheese, beans etc.

It does have the pop baffle.. about 50 deg diff between chambers when baffle is in.

I do not have the charcoal basket. Once I get a coal bed developed, it takes about 1 log an hour to maintain steady temps.

 

[OneHump]

This is funny I'm new here but this very much reminds me of a common question on a forum that I've been a member of for nearly 10 years. It's rcgroups.com. People will ask which battery or which plane to get and, every time, there are dozens of right answers.

I guess the good news is that there are tons of great options out there that will get the job done. I'm about 1 year new to smoking and use a Weber Smokey Mountain with a BW Fatboy on the way. One thing that has struck me as a new guy is how Harry Soo is winning damn near everything on his WSMs. That tells me that you really don't need anything fancy. Either way, I like toys and I'm really looking forward to my FatBoy.

 

[42BBQ]

Three months ago I knew exactly diddly squat about BBQ. Now I now diddly squat plus a smidge about BBQ...and because of this site my buddies come to me for advice on Que now. Kinda funny...

 

[woodwardbbq]

I have a BWS. My re next wednesday:-D:-D

 

[CBQ]

I guess the good news is that there are tons of great options out there that will get the job done.

Yup. 4k gives you lots of good choices. My top five to look at would be:

- Klose (Have had one since 2006)
Pro: Very high quality build, burn charcoal or firewood, super steady temps with a Stoker or Guru
Con: The firebox will rust unless you get an insulated one.

- Backwoods
Pro: Low fuel consumption, water smoker (moist cook)
Con: Water smoker (you will learn much about smoker leveling), doesn't need refueling often, but "exciting" when it does

- FEC100
Pro: Almost a set it and forget it smoker, low operating cost, large capacity for the price point
Con: Requires power for the controller, slight fire risk if the grease isn't draining properly

- Superior:
Pro: Low fuel consumption, super long burn time with the chute
Con: Chute can jam with big lumps of charcoal

- Spinewine:
I only know what I read on here, but lots of people seem to like 'em. Worth a look. Seems like the Backwoods but heavier build, larger rack space.

 

[Willie's Smokehouse]

www.superiorsmokers.com

 

[Bigdog]

I own a Klose pit and just love it. Built like a tank. As "Milt" said, get a coal base and add a log an hour and cook all day. His BYC is more versatile than my MOAB due to the horizontal part. I wanted a BYC at first due to this fact but am very satisfied with the MOAB. The Spicewine is also a great cooker but is more for charcoal and chunks of wood. You can also get long burn times in them without refueling. I prefer a charcoal base and then use all wood logs, hence why I love the Klose. Kinda old school here. Pellet poopers are great for all night cooks but I don't like the taste as well as wood.

All the pits mentioned here are good. I recommend you buy one based on what your going to cook, size, fuel choice and versatility. My .02 MMV

 

[thillin]

I've been through a few different types of pits. I sold my Klose and miss it alot. But my current lifestyle doesn't offer me as much free time to tend the fire. Now I use Green eggs and a Med Spicewine. Check the For Sale section. Spicewine has a large unit on a trailer that he said could be refurbed out the door for about $2500. Smoker alone would cost $4000 new.

But if your set on an offset, any of the majot makers mentioned are great. I prefereed the Klose due to the square firebox.

 

[drbbq]

You could build like 100 UDS!