WSM Owners

pigout sc · Sep 27, 2011

I am considering buying the 18.5 on sale at HomeDepot for $224. I have heard they are great at maintaining temps with minimal supervision. On average, how long will it go on a load of fuel? How big a hassle is cleanup. I love to smoke brisket and as you all know it can be a chore on a chargriller offset. Thanks

Harbormaster · Sep 27, 2011

pigout sc said:
I am considering buying the 18.5 on sale at HomeDepot for $224.

That's a good deal on a new WSM.

pigout sc said:
I have heard they are great at maintaining temps with minimal supervision. On average, how long will it go on a load of fuel?

Depends on how you use it and the conditions, but I read a post recently where someone had a WSM still at 200 degrees after 26 hours. Now, I've never gotten that kind of performance, but I have gotten 16 hours without adding fuel.

pigout sc said:
How big a hassle is cleanup.

Again, depends how you use it. Foil the water pan before you cook and it's pretty easy. Let the rendered fat cool in the pan, take the fat and foil out and toss it. Shake the ashes off your coals, scrape down the sides of the charcoal bowl and dump your ashes. Grates clean just like any other grate.
It's a WSM after all, not a Saturn V.

Smoked · Sep 27, 2011

At $224, the 18.5 WSM is a great deal. Buy it!!!

I've loaded my ring for a pork shoulder, filled the water pan, and have gone 15 hours without having to reload. After the smoke, I opened the vents (water was gone in the pan) and it shot up to 300+* and stayed for another couple hours. Cleanup is not a big deal, just line your pan with foil, and instead of water, you can use a clay saucer, sand, etc., but I prefer water. It takes a few more minutes of cleanup, big deal.

A full packer brisket is going to be tough at first on an 18.5. You will have to tuck the ends under the handles of the grate, if it's even that short. The 22.5 WSM will handle one no problem, but that's not on sale. But I think for another $100, you can get a 22.5 WSM from Amazon, which is a great deal too.

The first couple smokes, it will burn hot until it gets some seasoning and you might have to fiddle with the lower vents more. But once the seasoning is there, it's like setting cruise control.

boogiesnap · Sep 27, 2011

if you've got 224 extra, buy it. you will not be disappointed.

Callahan-que · Sep 27, 2011

When I cooked my last brisket on my 18.5 wsm I made one adjustment to the vents and it cruised along till it was done. I had the water pan lined with foil so clean up was a breeze. Same thing for doing Boston butts, easy to maintain.

Ron_L · Sep 27, 2011

Smoked said:
A full packer brisket is going to be tough at first on an 18.5. You will have to tuck the ends under the handles of the grate, if it's even that short.

You can drape the brisket over a rib rack or steel bowl. That will raise the middle and make it shorter overall. then, once the brisket has shrunk enough you can remove the rack or bowl.

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · Sep 27, 2011

The WSM is probably the best value for the money of any dedicated commercial smoker in my opinion. You won't regret it.

The Cosmic Pig · Sep 27, 2011

I been eyeballing one of those myself! I work a twelve hour shift, alone, at night, and / or on the weekend, and I'm thinkin' to myself, "self, you could do a lot of experimenting with your 'que here at work if you just had one of those WSM 18.5"ers!" Yeah, when you work 12 hour shifts, alone, at night, and / or on the weekends, you tend to talk to yourself a lot... :crazy: At any rate, it would be cool to have one of those!

The Cosmic Pig · Sep 27, 2011

pigout sc said:
I am considering buying the 18.5 on sale at HomeDepot for $224. I have heard they are great at maintaining temps with minimal supervision. On average, how long will it go on a load of fuel? How big a hassle is cleanup. I love to smoke brisket and as you all know it can be a chore on a chargriller offset. Thanks

Our local Home Depot doesn't even STOCK them! Damn them! :tsk:

G$ · Sep 27, 2011

For $224, don't buy one.

Buy TWO.

Frankbbq · Sep 27, 2011

WSM's are great. They will run out of water in the pan before fuel. Many comps have been won with a WSM.

Callahan-que · Sep 27, 2011

wearcd said:
Our local Home Depot doesn't even STOCK them! Damn them! :tsk:

Go online and check all the HD's in your area. Here in Jax for example the HD closest to my house doesn't stock them, but another a few more miles away does.

JMSetzler · Sep 27, 2011

I have the 18.5 also. If you use the minion method and go with a full load of kingsford blue, you will easily get 16 hours cooking at 250° or below. Your time will shorten if you cook hotter, but I'm not sure how much because I have never run mine much hotter than that for any length of time.

tbone310 · Sep 28, 2011

I'm loving my 22.5. Did two briskets (one choice, one wagu) this weekend and they turned out great. Cooked to 150, foiled and cooked to 193. Rested them for 3 hours in a cooler.

Get a remote thermometer and your off. Good luck

nexpress · Sep 28, 2011

I bought a used 1 and fired it up for the first time on Saturday. Filled the charcoal ring about halfway then used the minion method when lighting it. It ran for a sold 6 hours @ 275. No problems at all.

Dave Russell · Sep 28, 2011

Although my 18.5" is nice and tight, I still prefer water in the pan, and for that I recommend replacing the stock Weber pan (old or current) with the Brinkman charcoal pan used in their cheap water smoker. With the added space to heap up coals I probably get on the average about 15 hr burns at about 240 or so.

It's a smoker so there's no reason to be anal about clean up. I use a plastic putty knife to hit the high spots of build-up, particularly in the dome, and do little more than rinse the pan out. Grate clean-up is simple and I start and finish with paper towels. After first wiping the grates, which I don't do unless I glazed something, I remove the pan and let the coals ride long enough to cook any crud a bit on the grates so I can hit 'em with my brush. Next I'll wipe them again and then shut all the vents if I want to save charcoal. EAsy breezy.

Jaskew82 · Sep 28, 2011

My 22.5 runs for about 10 hours @ 240* on a full load of Kingsford blue. Note that I use water instead of sand and I also use half a chimney to start my minion method.

Lytnin · Sep 28, 2011

I'm looking at buying a 18.5" WSM soon myself. I know none of my local Home Depots stock them so I have been looking here:

www.aimtofind.com

$240 for the 18.5 $390 for the 22.5 - free shipping and no tax.

DaChief · Sep 28, 2011

HeSmellsLikeSmoke said:
The WSM is probably the best value for the money of any dedicated commercial smoker in my opinion. You won't regret it.

:thumb:Agree

scp · Sep 28, 2011

If you don't mind my asking..what did you pay. I have been looking and just want to bo fair when I get the opertunity..I know condition comes in to play.

nexpress said:
I bought a used 1 and fired it up for the first time on Saturday. Filled the charcoal ring about halfway then used the minion method when lighting it. It ran for a sold 6 hours @ 275. No problems at all.

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