Backwoods G2 Chubby or BBQ Guru Onyx? Help!

[johnnyspo]

Greetings all.

I am getting to be a serious backyard "pitmaster" and am outgrowing my existing setup, primarily when it comes to ribs. I want to consolidate these cooks into one cooker and not have to worry about cutting the slabs to fit, using rib racks, etc. I also do not want to worry about constantly feeding new charcoal (problem with my OTG's), especially in cold weather. So for these reasons I am looking at a vertical smoker.

I would love to get a vertical gravity fed system (Stumps Baby or XL Baby), but they are a little out of my price range. So I have settled on a water cooker. I am looking at a budget of $1000+. Through my research I have narrowed it down to the Backwoods G2 Chubby and the BBQ Guru Onyx. I have read great things about the G2, but there's not much out there on the Onyx. Most reviews are years old; the newest on this site is from January, but not much detail.

Any thoughts on one versus the other? I do not have a temp controller, nor do I plan on purchasing one in the near (12 mos) future. Is this a problem with the Onyx? Don't see an air intake control other than the rear port for the Guru.

All help is appreciated.

--John

[rookiedad]

not an expert on the onyx but i owned a backwoods party for a while and i will say that if you keep it out of the weather you will have what you are looking for. it is a verticle reverse flow so that is a plus and with a litle practice you probably will not need a temperature controller. fully insulated so it holds temperature in any weather but like i said, try to keep it out of the rain, they have a tendency to rust. the only problem i see would be it's size. in a short time you will probably find yourself wanting a party. have you given any thought to a 22.5 wsm?

[big brother smoke]

You will appreciate the onyx more with a guru. It can used without but much better with the device. The BWS is easier to control without the device.

[johnnyspo]

My main concerns with the WSM is maintaining temperature during winter cooks, having to monitor and reload charcoal, and not jiggering things up to fit 6+ racks of ribs. Kind of tired of using rib racks and cutting ribs to make things fit.

As for the Party, it would be nice, but the G2 is more than I can spend right now!!! If I went with the (plain) Party, I'd be back to cutting slabs to make them fit. Not the end of the world, but the increased # of cooking racks would allow me to vary the cook, e.g. racks + butts, etc. Costwise, the Party is putting me into the Stumps price range......

--John

[SmittyJonz]

NEITHER. Go with Humphreys battle box or half pint.

http://www.humphreysbbq.com/smokers/the-half-pint

http://www.humphreysbbq.com/smokers/testing
They not too far from ya either.

[pjtexas1]

Humphrey's makes a great cooker but the half pint has 12.25"x16.75" grates that are smaller than the regular chubby (unless they have changed the design). Going to the Battle Box will double your budget but would be worth it. It looks like you have it narrowed down to the only 2 in the sub $1500 price range that will fit full size hotel pans. I don't have either but I did consider both when I was looking for a cabinet smoker. BWS has the longer/better reputation. The Onyx has the better price. I can understand your dilemma. Good luck with your journey.

[Smokesignalsfromtx]

My main concerns with the WSM is maintaining temperature during winter cooks, having to monitor and reload charcoal, and not jiggering things up to fit 6+ racks of ribs. Kind of tired of using rib racks and cutting ribs to make things fit.

As for the Party, it would be nice, but the G2 is more than I can spend right now!!! If I went with the (plain) Party, I'd be back to cutting slabs to make them fit. Not the end of the world, but the increased # of cooking racks would allow me to vary the cook, e.g. racks + butts, etc. Costwise, the Party is putting me into the Stumps price range......

--John

Isn't the chubby G2 out of your price range as well? (@$1300)

You might be able to find a used one for $1000.

Sorry, just noticed the 1000+

[johnnyspo]

Isn't the chubby G2 out of your price range as well? (@$1300)

Haha! Yeah a little bit, but that's why I said $1000+.......The "+" is how much I can get away with with my wife. $500 might be pushing it a little; that might cost me additional $$ in compensation!

--John

[pjtexas1]

Haha! Yeah a little bit, but that's why I said $1000+.......The "+" is how much I can get away with with my wife. $500 might be pushing it a little; that might cost me additional $$ in compensation!

--John

I can relate. My $1,750 smoker cost me $2,000+ in gold and diamonds. If it wasn't for that I could have my Abe's and and a Shirley offset. That didn't seem like a good battle to take on at the time.:tsk: Maybe in a year or 2 I can get the Shirley.

[rookiedad]

My main concerns with the WSM is maintaining temperature during winter cooks, having to monitor and reload charcoal, and not jiggering things up to fit 6+ racks of ribs. Kind of tired of using rib racks and cutting ribs to make thing fit.

--John

you could get a 22.5 wsm with a smoking jacket, a cajun bandit stacker and a temp control unit.

[johnnyspo]

Thanks for the input all!

First, let me thank Nicole from Humphrey's. Extremely helpful, especially to a novice like me. She threw a monkey wrench into my plans! Here is my thinking. The Chubby and Half Pint don't fit my needs. If I go with the G2 Chubby, I may as well go with the Party (will have to trim some meats) or the Battle Box. Now add shipping, casters, and slide-out drip pan, now we are +$1000 from my starting point.

So it seems to me that my choices are:
- BBQ Guru Onyx: appx $1200, maybe can pick-up as it's in driving distance. 1-3 months timeframe. Still need to research this box some more.
- Party -or- Battle Box: appx $2000, 6-12 months timeframe.

Thoughts??

--John

[pjtexas1]

I have seen this movie before and it cost me $1,750. I suggest you get what you really need. Buy once, cry once. I didn't want to find out in 6 months that I bought too small of a cooker.

[Sjpatg]

Why not build a UDS ? Sorry could not resist

[theBBQspecialist]

I have seen this movie before and it cost me $1,750. I suggest you get what you really need. Buy once, cry once. I didn't want to find out in 6 months that I bought too small of a cooker.

This is great advice!

[SmittyJonz]

New Monkey Wrench enters. - 270 Smokers. :mrgreen:


http://www.270smokers.com

[johnnyspo]

I have seen this movie before and it cost me $1,750. I suggest you get what you really need. Buy once, cry once. I didn't want to find out in 6 months that I bought too small of a cooker.

Yup, been there too! Researching some more, I'm leaning towards the Battle Box. Seems like a very versatile cooker with plenty of room. Love that the racks fit restaurant pans. 99% of the feedback I've seen has been positive; seen one or two issues with welds. Can anyone expand on this?

And I have authorization to move up my purchase date! :hail:

--John

[SmittyJonz]

Those 1 or 2 are Drunkards.........:twitch:

[pjtexas1]

Wouldn't worry too much. They are human. But it's not my money so..

[BDAABAT]

@Johnnyspo: am in the same situation...would LOVE to upgrade my rig and have been considering insulated cabinet smokers. I live in MD, where the weather can be cool, wet for much of the year. Temps overnight are often 40 or lower. Insulated cookers seem like a very good thing to look into.
Unfortunately, it seems that once you start getting the cookers outfitted exactly the way you want them, the cost (for my family) gets to the point where the wife starts giving me THE LOOK.

Am now going to slink back to my very modest gasser and will continue to follow this thread...living vicariously through you. Please keep us posted on your journey. :-D

Thanks!
Bruce

PS: there was a note on the previous page about 270 cookers... They're definitely intriguing.

[johnnyspo]

@BDAABAT - agreed 100%. Once you start adding the "gotta have's", what was affordable becomes less so. But like @pjtexas1 said, "cry once". That's what I am going to do.....but I can't afford to this minute! Hopefully by the new year I'll have my order placed.

It's looking more and more like the Battle Box.

--John

[ncstan]

Buy biiger than You need You will find that more cooking space is nice and what is a few bucks over the next 20 years of use .