WSM..... 22.5" - VS - 18.5" ..... Input From Users Of Both?

F

Fishawn

is one Smokin' Farker
Joined
Aug 9, 2010
Messages
606
Reaction score
206
Points
0
Age
60
Location
Olympia, WA
Of Course I am drawn to the 22.5" over the 18.5"..... BIGGER, COST MORE, STATUS, ETC....... But, is it really worth the extra money?..... Have only talked to 2 people that have cooked on them both & have heard pro's and con's for both...... (too small, too big, uses to much fuel, etc)..... Would love to hear some feedback..... I typically cook for about 2 to 8 people, so basically "Backyard" use.... Thanks!
 
If your going to be cooking for up to 8 people thenn I suggest the 22.5. It's better to be safe than sorry.
 
Well, are you they kind of guy that buys a mini truck (S10, Ranger) or a real truck (F series, Silverado, Ram, etc.)? That was my line of thinking when I decided on the 22. I've had small trucks in the past and hated it. I didn't want to make the same mistake with my cooker. Plus, with the 18 you can't even cook a slab of ribs without coiling them or cutting them. There's just something unnatural about that.

This is America, bigger is always better. :thumb:


Bartstop
 
Don't have either but have found it is better to go bigger. If you need the ability to cook more you can. If you go smaller and need more room, you are out of luck.
 
I bought my wsm last weekend and after looking at the 2 side by side,, I decided to go with the 18. The 22 is a big farker and I only cook for a family of 3. We do host numerous parties but even then they only amount to about 15 max. I can put enough meat on the 18 to feed that many. I also have a weber kettle and a gasser if the need arises. With the money saved I got a few goodies to go with it.
 
Bartstop said:
Plus, with the 18 you can't even cook a slab of ribs without coiling them or cutting them. There's just something unnatural about that.
Click to expand...

That's not really correct. I can get three racks of loin backs or St Louis spares on the top rack of my 18.5 laying flat.

But... I would still go bigger. You can always cook less, but it's hard to cook more when you are out of room. Also, packer briskets can be a challenge to fit into the 18.5.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have 2 18 1/2 inch WSMs, and the only reason that I want (REALLY WANT) a 22 1/2 inch is so that I can cook my ribs without a rack.
 
All good points in this thread. I have the 18wsm and I agree on the need for more room at times. However I have been able to cook over ten slabs of ribs in mine using rib racks. You can also modify your cooker to add additional racks.

The 22 is huge compared to the 18 hands down. For me living in a condo I am limited on space for my cooking toys! So the 18 works good for us and I have cooked a good amount of food on mine.

The one issue that was mentioned in this thread is the amount of charcoal used in the 22. I have read where some guys will make a smaller charcoal basket to help reduce the amount of fuel used. I personally have never used a 22 but if I had the room for one I would not pass up the opportunity to smoke with one. I hope this helps. Vince B
 
Brian in Maine said:
I have 2 18 1/2 inch WSMs, and the only reason that I want (REALLY WANT) a 22 1/2 inch is so that I can cook my ribs without a rack.
Click to expand...

This. I hate making ribs on my 18.5 because I have to cut the ends off and use racks. Terrible PITA.
 
cgarrit said:
If your going to be cooking for up to 8 people thenn I suggest the 22.5. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Click to expand...

Wrong, wrong, wrong.....just wrong. If this was true then Weber wouldn't have waited over TWENTY years to make a bigger one.

I've cooked nine slabs at a time, and regularly cook over thirty pounds of pork butt, but you can put 'em on end with the fat cap out and cook six at a time, leaned up against a beer can chicken rack, three to a grate. I read recently how a guy cooked six 10 pounders like that....no turning, no rotating.....and that sixty pounds of pork butt will feed right at 100 people.

I'd say anybody is "safe" with the original one unless wanting to sell bbq or see how much charcoal they can go through.

Regards,
Dave
wsm, otg, ots, char-griller stickburner, uds, smokey joe
 
Duster72 said:
This. I hate making ribs on my 18.5 because I have to cut the ends off and use racks. Terrible PITA.
Click to expand...

Honestly, I prefer my char-griller for cooking ribs, but the best ribs off my wsm are rolled and skewered. It's really easy, three or four a rack, and they cook much more evenly this way. Anything hanging past the pan on the bottom rack of a wsm, big or small, is gonna cook much faster there and this means overcooked slab ends, whether flat or in a rack.
 
I've got an 18 1/2 incher that I modded to hold four racks, so I can get plenty of meat on it, problem being you have to remove top racks and meat to do any mopping or glazing on the lower ones, not a big deal just a pain sometimes. I'd go for the bigger one if I buy another WSN.
 
This is gonna be no help at all!:-D

I have both. If I don't have enough to cook to warrant firing up the big one, I'll just use the little one. No sense wasting good lump! Get both, and you're covered for anything!

My favorite thing about the 22" is I can get a full packer in there without rolling, squishing, etc... and without hanging into the hot zone of the outside edges.
 
Stoke&Smoke said:
My favorite thing about the 22" is I can get a full packer in there without rolling, squishing, etc... and without hanging into the hot zone of the outside edges.
Click to expand...

Good point. I have never done a full packer in my 18wsm only flats. However I have been contemplating using a foil pan to cook it in to see if this helps me to get a better finished product???

I guess this might help with hot spots. BTW my brisket is rarely the way I think it should be and to me is dry. Longer cooks, shorter cooks, low n slow, high heat I just don't get it!

I tried a new local place called hickory river that made my brisket seem uneatable!:confused: More practice I guess! :roll:
 
I have both and use both. It's strictly a quantity thing. If what I want to cook fits on the 18, that's what I use; if not I use the 22. Got the 22 for the added space and I'm glad I did, I use it allot. 2 butts and a brisket fit quite nicely on the 22 with lots of room for air flow.
 
I have both models and I fire up the 22" more often than I do the 18". I only use the 18 if I'm doing a pork butt or one slab of ribs. But, if I'm doing multiple ribs or a brisket I use the 22.

As far as fuel, I just don't fill up the 22" basket. I put in what I need and it works out great.

If a tornado came by and destroyed both of mine and I only had the funds to replace one of them, it would be the 22".
 
I only have the 18" and it works fine for my family. I can cook 4 butts with ease, pleny of baby back slabs, and if I cook spares it doesn't bother me to bend them a little or whatever... Also, I cook in different places, sometimes I cook at my house, sometimes I take mine down to the river, sometimes I take it to a bachelor party, sometimes to someone's hunting camp etc... The 18 seems to be a nice fit for us and does not consume tons of fuel.... If fuel $$ was a non issue, I entertained a lot, and was going to be 95% stationary, I would roll with the 22" no doubt. Good luck.
 
I have both and they each have their pluses and minuses as pointed out by those before me. You're going to have to figure out how you will be using it the most and which one has the most "advantages" for you.

If space, charcoal economy, and portability are important and you don't cook for large crowds of people very often, go with the 18.5" and be prepared to trim/curl/rack your ribs and get creative with large briskets. I've fed over 50 people with my 18.5" WSM and a Smokey Joe Platinum, so I don't buy into that "you can't cook enough" story.

If you like the luxury of plenty of space on the top grate to cook everything you want most of the time, don't mind using a bit more charcoal, aren't moving the cooker around much, and cook massive quantities of meat on a regular basis get the 22.5"; you won't be disappointed.

Either way I don't think you will go wrong.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

jkief
MAK vs Yoder final impressions
2
Replies
32
Views
6K
loghead2510
L
N
Narrowing New Pit Choice - My experience so far from Canada
2
Replies
35
Views
3K
Northsmoke
N
M
M1/M36 grill vs Kamado
2
Replies
32
Views
3K
travismagee
travismagee
rwalters
Pellet Cookers 101 - Part Two
Replies
0
Views
355
rwalters
rwalters
T
My experience with a rental kitchen/commissary/ghost kitchen.
Replies
5
Views
322K
blackdogbbq21
B
Back
Top