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View Full Version : Pro's and Con's of the smaller WSM options?


Sid Post
12-02-2017, 12:21 PM
I see a lot of references to the Weber Smokey Joe converted smokers which got me to thinking about the 14" WSM and the 18" model for that matter. I don't want to give up my Smokey Joe so, I guess I could always buy a second one and convert it instead of spending ~$200 on a new Weber.

For small cooks, assuming you have the original 22" WSM, does it make much sense to buy a 14" or 18" model? How much does the 14" model hold versus the 18" and 22" for comparisons?

My friend's son really likes smoked meat so, I was wondering if a 14" WSM would make sense for him too. For myself, smoking a single ham, shoulder, roast, brisket, etc. seems to make a lot more sense than smoking more than I could possibly eat in a weak too. The 14" Weber also looks like it would be super easy for a college kid to move around too. For myself, it still probably makes the most sense to get a small electric smoker or small insulated cabinet smoker but, at $200 one could almost 'impulse' buy the 14" WSM without regrets. It seems though, in my case that puts me $200 further away from an insulated cabinet smoker ... decisions, decisions ....

pjtexas1
12-02-2017, 01:20 PM
I'd buy another Joe and tamale pot. With 2 racks the little 14 can fit a lot. I used mine for years for the 4 of us with only 1 rack.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171202/57f8eb599b28d48ffff8d896b09d0557.jpg

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Ag76
12-02-2017, 01:38 PM
I don't have a 14" or a mini, so I can't speak to those.

I do have an 18" and a 22". I use the 18" a lot, and the 22" rarely. I really like the 18, and it is relatively portable. If I could only have one, the 18" would be it. If you are going to cook for a lot of people regularly, and if portability is not important, the 22" would probably be better.

homesmoke
12-02-2017, 02:33 PM
Sid, you don't have to buy a second Smokey Joe, or make any alterations to your original, to add the tamale pot center section. The tamale pot just stacks on the bottom half, and your lid sits on the top of the pot. Super simple.

Would be great for a college kid. Small footprint, economical, portable, and be able to have both a charcoal grill and a smoker.

I can fit 2 butts, or do ribs, chuckles, fatties, ABT's, chicken, etc. Not replacing larger cookers by any means, but often for just the two of us it is perfect.

Portable for camping, on our toon, or great to carry to family events where just being outside cooking will normally gather all the guys together. Have even after cooking, used just the bottom half as a small patio fire pit, sitting around smoking cigars at a cousins house. Small gets the nod often, as it is fuel efficient, and cooks just as well.

Not trying to talk you out of a new WSM 14", but for your friend's son, that size will get a young man a lot of experience. And a tamale pot at under $30.00 won't prevent you from getting that cabinet smoker as well.

pjtexas1
12-02-2017, 02:38 PM
I think the op wants to keep the SJ for himself and build a mini for his son.

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Sid Post
12-02-2017, 02:49 PM
I think the op wants to keep the SJ for himself and build a mini for his son.

Yep! I'm a little stingy with my Smokey Joe and won't be giving it away as I like it a lot. I also have many really good memories using it on the road for work.

My friend's son has recently discovered the joys or real BBQ, that isn't the karo corn syrup and tomato sauce kind from a fast food joint or normal restaurant. I want to be an enabler and feed his BBQ addiction! After all, this will be much better than frat parties and other college age distractions!

Sounds like I need to go to the Mexican market and see what they have to offer for tamale pots.

homesmoke
12-02-2017, 03:30 PM
Sorry for not speaking Texas enough to have properly understood.:doh:
About an hour of sleep last night. Up with a sick pup.

This tamale pot fits the Smokey Joe perfectly. Got it at Albertson's, as not many Mexican markets here for selection. Wish we had a Fiesta or something similar.

152188

Hinds15
12-02-2017, 04:36 PM
I love my little mini wsm. I went a little farther and cut the bottom out of a jumbo joe to put on top for more grate space.

Sid Post
12-02-2017, 04:36 PM
:
About an hour of sleep last night. Up with a sick pup.

I hope the little guy is doing better today.

Sid Post
12-02-2017, 04:38 PM
I love my little mini wsm. I went a little farther and cut the bottom out of a jumbo joe to put on top for more grate space.

That sounds picture worthy! :wink:

robert-r
12-02-2017, 04:54 PM
I have 18.5 & 14.5 WSMs. If I could only have one, it would be the 18.5 because of it's capacity. However, I use the 14.5 at least 95% of the time.

Hinds15
12-02-2017, 04:59 PM
That sounds picture worthy! :wink:

No problems with that lol

Sid Post
12-02-2017, 05:17 PM
That's really cool! I might have to try that myself sometime.

pjtexas1
12-02-2017, 05:38 PM
I wonder if anyone has tried 2 tamale pots?

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Hinds15
12-02-2017, 05:44 PM
It's working great so far. Got the idea from user swamprb
Have to copy and paste the link

http://s163.photobucket.com/user/swamprb/library/Ugly Drum Smoker/CajunBandit?sort=3&page=1

Sid Post
12-02-2017, 05:49 PM
I wonder if anyone has tried 2 tamale pots?

I suspect getting them to 'nest' properly would be the biggest challenge. It might be easier to take sheet aluminum and roll it to the correct diameter.

However, at that stage, you are probably getting close to the cost of a 14" WSM that is ready to go.

With a Mini-WSM running ~$100 unless you have a lot of 'found parts', adding a second Tamale pot and some additional random parts gets you probably to ~75% of the cost of 14" WSM at full retail pricing.

If could craigslist a small WSM, I'd be all over that option first though, a mini-WSM/Smokey Joe is an attractive option for camping, tailgates, etc.

Hinds15
12-02-2017, 06:03 PM
There's a 14 wsm on letgo for 70$ looks in great condition. It's outside of Austin I think but not sure how far that is from you.

70monte
12-03-2017, 12:13 AM
The 18" WSM was my first smoker and I made some good food on it. I then got the 14" as a gift and only used it once. I then went on to bigger smokers and quit using the WSM's. I sold both of them this year. If I was going to have one WSM, it would be the 18" one. It holds a decent amount of food and can go for hours on one load of charcoal.

Rusty Kettle
12-03-2017, 04:01 AM
The 14.5" wsm is a great smoker. It can go longer if you use lump charcoal. Briquettes about 8 hours. Lump over 12 hours easily. Less ash so refueling is no problem with lump. Briquettes make to much ash and refueling is much more difficult.

Sid Post
12-03-2017, 06:34 AM
The 14.5" wsm is a great smoker. It can go longer if you use lump charcoal. Briquettes about 8 hours. Lump over 12 hours easily. Less ash so refueling is no problem with lump. Briquettes make to much ash and refueling is much more difficult.

Thanks for the tips on ASH management. I have read about different techniques to avoid smothering the fire with ASH. If I get a 14" WSM, sounds like it might be a good candidate for lump when I need a longer cook.

Cook
12-03-2017, 07:31 AM
For small cooks, assuming you have the original 22" WSM, does it make much sense to buy a 14" or 18" model?

Personally...if I had a 22.5 (which I do), I'd probably look in to the 14". For a single butt or a few pieces of chicken it's fine. Anything more and I'm firing up the 22".

In your OP you made reference to the "original" 22. Just to clarify...the 22 was the third and last WSM model to be manufactured. The 18 & 14 were both introduced in 1981. The 22 came around '08 or '09.

Sid Post
12-03-2017, 08:02 AM
Personally...if I had a 22.5 (which I do), I'd probably look in to the 14". For a single butt or a few pieces of chicken it's fine. Anything more and I'm firing up the 22".

In your OP you made reference to the "original" 22. Just to clarify...the 22 was the third and last WSM model to be manufactured. The 18 & 14 were both introduced in 1981. The 22 came around '08 or '09.

When I bought my WSM, the only one in the marketplace at the time, at least that I was aware of, was the 22" model. Since then, I first learned of the 18" model and later the 14" model after reading about the 'mini-WSM' that was becoming trendy a few years ago. I'm not moving near as frequently and thankfully no longer spend a significant number of days each month in a motel so, I can put my Smokey Joe aside for some real 'smokes' with something more than a few random branches on a bed of coals topped with chicken or burgers.

My "original" model is pretty old (~15 years) and I lived in a pretty rural place at the time so, it is possible the other models were out there and I was just unaware of them at the time.

Sid Post
12-21-2017, 01:37 PM
There's a 14 wsm on letgo for 70$ looks in great condition. It's outside of Austin I think but not sure how far that is from you.

:becky:

https://i.imgur.com/XpbChOp.jpg?1

Hinds15 got me directed to this 14" WSM. THANK YOU!

I finally got to fire it up today since the rain and work eased up. It's been sitting idle for 2 weeks at my home until today!

https://i.imgur.com/OQQ4IDL.jpg?2

Probes say I'm 265F on the grates and the meat probe says I'm at 84F right now after about an hour.

Sid Post
12-21-2017, 01:50 PM
Please pardon the mess on the WSM. It was clean when I started but, between wind and light rain, plus my dirty hands makes it look worse than it is.

It looks basically brand new when the exterior is hosed off. The fire basket grate has some light rust and the wire meat grates were slightly dirty when I got it. A touch of easy off and everything on the inside was clean and basically rust free after about 90 minutes of soak time. A light hose off and rag polished the outside really nice.

That was $70 well spent in my book!

JeffJ
12-21-2017, 03:01 PM
I have the 14.5 WSM and really like it. It has a surprising amount of capacity, especially if you get creative. Also, it travels well. We have a Christmas party for our friends every year (22nd annual this year). This year I decided I was going to smoke a pork butt as one of our menu items. My Performer, 26.75 and PBC all reside on our patio. Well, we got hit with a foot of snow last week and these cookers were all buried. I keep the 14.5 in the garage, so I cooked the 7 pound butt on the top rack and put the WSM on our porch, which has an overhang. The butt cooked beautifully.

Hinds15
12-21-2017, 07:37 PM
Glad to see you picked it up. Any done pictures of the cook.