Horizon BBQ Smokers

CharredApron said:

I am about to enter into a exclusive dealership agreement for France with this product. Do you have first hand knowledge of their products? I have done my due diligence via the ether webs but you guys know.....what up! Please only reply if you have relevant knowledge. TIA

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All I know for sure is that the guy that started Horizon is the same guy that started Oklahoma Joe's...back when OKJ built some solid stuff. I have talked to some guys on other forums that have nothing but good to say about these units...they look solid in the pics I've seen.

Never really heard anything bad but only some models being small in diameter. Pretty solid cookers Jed. Good to see posting here.

CharredApron said:

I am about to enter into a exclusive dealership agreement for France with this product. Do you have first hand knowledge of their products? I have done my due diligence via the ether webs but you guys know.....what up! Please only reply if you have relevant knowledge. TIA

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A long time ago, these same people built some smokers for Brinkmann. The one I have is the mirror image of the current 16 inch Classic Smoker. I have had it for years and love it. I recently bought some replacement grates and a convection plate from Horizon and they were top quality.

First off - good to see you man! Been a long time.

Second off - this feller was using a Horizon pit as his holding pit. He's a pretty good cook, so he probably has good cookers.



Context for pic is here.

From what I recall, it looked like a solidly built heavy smoker with good exhaust.

^^^

Who the hell is that?? :becky:

We own and use a Horizon 20" R.D. Special. It is heavy but well-balanced, and a couple of guys can roll it around on it's large steel-spoked wheels. It drafts very well through the fire box intake vents and is supplied with a heavy-duty fire-grate. The adjustable convection plate really works (we can low-n-slow ribs on one side while roasting a turkey on the other at 350°F) and can easily be moved without having to open the lid. The welds are all substantial and all components are fitted together nicely. There are no massive leaks around the doors. Even the two included thermometers actually work. Thin blue smoke is the norm.
About the only thing I'd change, is to drill a few large holes through the top of the fire box that would open up into the interior of the externally-sealed warming plate that is welded to the top. I don't know if this would really help or not, but I noticed some other brands feature this and it looks like it would be nifty.
This smoker has been, for us, everything one would hope for when purchasing this style of cooker.

I saw a 16inch version with the vertical pipe at a Bass Pro shop and was not impressed with that small unit. The floor model had real sloppy welds, lots of spatter, and doors that were visibly misalgned. They only had one floor model, so it could have been a fluke. Either that, or the small ones dont carry the same quality as their bigger units.

I seen the same things as McSpazatron the doors on the ones I looked at definitely did not fit.


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I have a horizon. Awesome cooker. Only wish it was a little bigger in diameter so it could fit a second shelf. Makes some awesome food though

McSpazatron said:

I saw a 16inch version with the vertical pipe at a Bass Pro shop and was not impressed with that small unit. The floor model had real sloppy welds, lots of spatter, and doors that were visibly misalgned. They only had one floor model, so it could have been a fluke. Either that, or the small ones dont carry the same quality as their bigger units.

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Agree. The ones I looked at were all sloppy. Openings overcut, sharp edges etc. they are heavy duty and I'm not sure it would have affected the cook. Purely a guess but I'm wondering if the volumes caused by the deals with Bass Pro etc caused them to have change their production approach.

Wouldn't be surprised if the larger ones are better as I think they are more made to order.

Good luck

I've never seen any of the smaller 16" Bass Pro models, and critics might well have a valid point. We ordered our smoker through an outdoor cooking supply company. The owner of the business had the same model at his own residence. After a two month wait we received a solid, well-built and attractive unit. All welds are quality and their is zero weld splatter.

The only thing I might do differently if ordering another one, would be to get the 24" (or maybe even the 30"!!) diameter units. At the time of purchase all we had was a size Large Big Green Egg, and the 20" diameter by 44" long cook chamber of the Horizon seemed absolutely huge by comparison to the BGE's 18" diameter cooking grid. We simply could not conceive that we'd ever fill the Horizon to capacity: famous last words......

ssv3 said:

^^^

Who the hell is that?? :becky:

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Revealing my noobish-ness. But I have no idea who that is supposed to be the picture.

ChrisBarb said:

Revealing my noobish-ness. But I have no idea who that is supposed to be the picture.

Save​

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gtr said:

Context for pic is here.

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:-D ...

Thanks.

Steven Raichlen endorses Horizon and he's the PBS bbq university host and author of many books. Horizon is the true version of Oklahoma Joe at this point