Start on the cheaper end or buy the expensive smoker I really want?

[JAKs Q & brew]

Lots of good advise. One other thing I'd add, that you can tell from a lot of the posts. Getting what you really want now does not mean you are done mentally shopping for your next pit. Most of us seem to already be fixated on our next pit even while still breaking in the new one.

 

[Jlems]

I would have to caution that I've seen too many people be pushed away from offsets by buying cheap. The experience is bad, requiring so much tinkering and fire tending that they decide they hate offset cookers, when really they hate the cheap offset cooker. I can tell you that the difference in the overall experience is massive between the good and the bad. So if you can, spend the money now.

 

[Killa J]

I ended up kind of splitting the difference between a $1000 smoker and a $3000 one - ordered a KBQ C-60 and it should arrive either today or tomorrow. I’ve been jonesing for one of these for about a year and a half. Pluses are that it’s small enough to not annoy my wife and it’s supposedly as easy as a stick burner gets once you get the hang of it. I’m going to hold off on the big offset until I’ve got more yard.

 

[SmittyJonz]

Once you Learn to cook on Cheap Leaky POS(s), ( like an Ok Joe Longhorn with bottom of firebox rusted out so you line it with 10 layers of foil) cooking on a Good smoker is Easy, almost boring in fact………..

 

[shares]

Buy once, cry once as they say. You will be glad you did!

 

[SmokeRingsMatter]

Buy once, cry once as they say. You will be glad you did!

Or buy cheap's, learn heap's as they say. You will be glad you did!

 

[16Adams]

You can cook really good food on a cheap cooker, you can cook really good food easier on a top shelf cooker.

People win blue ribbons with home made drums, ranch boxes and Weber’s Bullet design. I think higher end top shelf cookers matter more in the Offset design-and such.
Just a late day observation

 

[SmokeRingsMatter]

You can cook really good food on a cheap cooker, you can cook really good food easier on a top shelf cooker.

People win blue ribbons with home made drums, ranch boxes and Weber’s Bullet design. I think higher end top shelf cookers matter more in the Offset design-and such.
Just a late day observation

I personally am glad i started off with a cheap WSM knockoff. Taught me how to control air flow, stoke the fire, add pre lit hot coals when the fires going out...ect..ect.
If i started off with a anything between a insulated stick burner to a pellet grill, I would have no experience on what to do when things don't go as planned. I see soo many threads on this site where members end up tossing $$$ meat because they either under, or over cooked meats due to lack of experience.

 

[CALWLDLIF]

Once you Learn to cook on Cheap Leaky POS(s), ( like an Ok Joe Longhorn with bottom of firebox rusted out so you line it with 10 layers of foil) cooking on a Good smoker is Easy, almost boring in fact………..

Or buy cheap's, learn heap's as they say. You will be glad you did!

You can cook really good food on a cheap cooker, you can cook really good food easier on a top shelf cooker.

People win blue ribbons with home made drums, ranch boxes and Weber’s Bullet design. I think higher end top shelf cookers matter more in the Offset design-and such.
Just a late day observation

:thumb:

I personally am glad i started off with a cheap WSM knockoff. Taught me how to control air flow, stoke the fire, add pre lit hot coals when the fires going out...ect..ect.
If i started off with a anything between a insulated stick burner to a pellet grill, I would have no experience on what to do when things don't go as planned. I see soo many threads on this site where members end up tossing $$$ meat because they either under, or over cooked meats due to lack of experience.