Help me choose a new drum!

Playtoannoy

Playtoannoy

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My birthday is coming up, and my girl told me she wants to buy me a new drum that I’ve been wanting for a while.

I’m looking at the Cotton Gin Harvester, a Gateway, a short rib drum, and maybe a Hunsaker.

Can anyone offer comparisons?
 
If you want 55 gal I would go with Hunsaker due to the Vortex and all the other cool features.

If a 30 gal would do, PBC would be my suggestion.

Good luck!
 
Playtoannoy said:
My birthday is coming up, and my girl told me she wants to buy me a new drum that I’ve been wanting for a while.

I’m looking at the Cotton Gin Harvester, a Gateway, a short rib drum, and maybe a Hunsaker.

Can anyone offer comparisons?
Click to expand...

Had not heard of this one before you mentioned it. Holy moly. Looks amazing! Also nearing IVS cost territory.

https://cottonginsmokers.com/products/option-2

I want an excuse to buy another smoker and a UDS is part of that want. Miss my OK Joe Bronco a bit. It was such an easy smoker design to deal with. UDS style smokers should be recommended to all new smokers IMO.
https://cottonginsmokers.com/products/option-2
 
When I was looking I was deciding between Hunsaker and Gateway. I liked the hinged lid, large wheels, and color options from Hunsaker. Don't regret my decision one bit. It is a well made product. I am sure others will chime in with love for the Hunsaker.
 
I have a Hunsaker and I love it. I strongly considered Gateway when I was looking, but the larger wheels on the Hunsaker swayed me. (I move my drum around a lot.) I think don’t think you can make a wrong choice with the options you are considering.
 
Never used anything other than Hunsaker. It’s a solid cooker. If you’re into fan controllers, you will have to modify the Hunsaker or look elsewhere. If you don’t want or care, the Hunsaker is amazing. The bottom air vent is excellent at cleaning the grease from the bottom as well.
 
Smokerbuilder MFG Draftmaster. IMO takes the best features of all these and combines them. Cotton Gin uses a lot of their parts to build his.
 
The one thing that sets all the pre-made and kit smokers apart is the vortex basket from Hunsaker. The basket alone is a $100+ piece of steel and it actually works to even out heat and slightly increase fuel efficiency. If someone offered me the money to buy a (no cost to me) drum smoker, it would be a Hunsaker for that reason. The other option would be to buy a different pre-made drum or kit, and add the Hunsaker fire basket to it.
 
Having owned the Gateway and Hunsaker, if I wanted another 55gal Drum I'd order another Hunsaker.
 
On the subject, have UDS always cost this much? Maybe I am misremembering but about 10 years ago the station where I worked bought a drum smoker for about $150. I don't recall any name stamped on it but it had 2 intakes, I chimney, 2 grate levels, etc. It was bought new.......I just don't think it was a common brand
 
I had a hammer and a jigsaw and some nuts and bolts old weber grill grates and put this together for about$125.00.
Ok, got lucky on some items!!!
Paul B
 

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I have a cottongin and about to order number 2. I love it. More $$ but Matt does a great job. Lots of options you can add to them as well.
 
Hunsaker cooks incredible. Two things to note though, had mine for prob 5 years and the intake on the bottom gets very hard to open and close. I like the idea of the intake tubes coming to the top of the drum. Secondly the charcoal basket/vortex is very heavy to pick up unless you are young and healthy neck back. But again it is an incredible cooking machine.
 
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