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Best smoker for friend?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stucue74
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Stucue74

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Fellas,

I've got a pal who will be buying a smoker for his brother's birthday and he's asking me what kind to get. I asked him whether he was into tending the fire every 45 minutes or if he wanted to lazy Q and he said in between. Personally, I don't think the Bandera would be a good fit for him, also, he only wants room to feed about 8 people. I'm a tend-the-fire guy, any suggestions? I though about the Weber Smokey Mountain but since I don't own one I could use some advice. Is the Weber too "set it and forget it"?

Thanks.
 
A WSM is as close to set and forget as is gets and still use charcoal and wood. 18 to 24 hour burn times on one load of charcoal not uncommon. A WSM can feed 15 to 30 people depending on what you cook. The thing I like the best is a new cook can spend time on cooking techniques and not having to fight fire control.
 
I believe a few hundred dollars is his budget which might come into play. I've heard many good things about the WSM but after seeing a pictue of the smoker, I don't see how you use wood? I guess wood chuncks? I'm used to fireplace sized logs in the Dera, guess size doesn't always matter, right? :oops:
 
Lots of BBQ contests are won using a WSM. Question is do you want to be known for your food or for your smoker?
 
Don't matter what you have. If you know some stuff any pit will do. WSM is a perfect starter model. $175 from Amazon, with free shipping.
 
I know this may be blasphemy but Cookshack has A OU painted oven along with a OSU..This is truly a lazy q type setup (its electric) I think they are about 400 and made in Ponca City...
 
Any other suggestions other than the WSM? For some reason I don't think he's gonna be real fired up when he sees a picture of it. I'd like to give him a couple of options? Maybe a New Braunfels Hondo or the Wild West Tradition smoker? Are these in between say the WSM and Bandera with fire control and maintenance?
 
Maybe a New Braunfels Hondo or the Wild West Tradition smoker? Are these in between say the WSM and Bandera with fire control and maintenance?

Nope, they'll wear his ass out! Horizontals (I've got one and use it a lot) are a royal pain and require lots of tending. Now, I'm talking about the home models -- so don't you high-end owners (Klose, OK Joe, etc) get your knickers in a knot.

They have serious hot spots and require mods to get them under control - extending the chimney, baffle/heat shield, perhaps a "tuning plate" (real iffy considering the small volume of the chamber).

If he wants to do que and use fire then get the WSM - I've got one and love it. I use wood chunks and get some serious 'que from it. Phil, Rob, and I won first in brisket at NJ with the meat cooked in the WSM.

If he doesn't care about the fire then consider a Bradley smoker or something like Cookshack.

Just my $.02 worth -- you can get great food from any of the models mentioned in this thread - some just take more work.
 
i would go for the WSM.... but(please dont rape me guys).... the Brinkman "all in one" gives you all options... all wood, all charcoal, mix of each or propane with wood chunks.... its what i started out on, and with the gas assist he dont have to tend fire if he dont want to... but he can do all wood or the carcoal/wood mix like wsm. Personally, if he aint a fire fiddler, the WSM is the way to go, but if he wants and introduction to fire fiddling, the "all in one" is an ok start.... the Silver smoker or other horizontals will give him a taste of real fiddling. I went from the all in one to the hondo.... and after that it was the 'dera to real Q'in..
 
WSM is a perfect starter model. $175 from Amazon, with free shipping.

WOW - I got $20 in equity in mine already :mrgreen:

Nope, they'll wear his ass out! Horizontals (I've got one and use it a lot) are a royal pain and require lots of tending.

Agreed - my buddy Mike loves his NB silver but you're tending all day. Being a pitbitch I have no problem with that but for many folks it can make the difference between liking and disliking having to Q.
 
I have never owned a WSM but my brother-in-law and father-in-law both liked theirs. I went from a kettle to a NBBD and then later got a Bandera. The NBBD is still in good shape and can cook up some fine 'Q. We also use the old kettle for grillin'. Yep, I would recommend a bullet like the WSM, because you never know how much the guy will take to smoking. You do not want to spend a lot of money on a pit that sits in his back yard rusting away. If he really likes the bullet then you can always get him a real pit in the future.
 
You do not want to spend a lot of money on a pit that sits in his back yard rusting away

Unless of course you have plans to take it off his hand for dirt cheap or nothing cuz he doesn't like it. :idea: :twisted:
 
WSM's are Porclean(sp) coated.. they cant rust. :)

seriously, i know ya wanted altrernatives to the wsm. If ya dont want to go to a horizontal, and the dera is not what he wants. then a bullet type is your only choice. The "all in one" or the wsm.
 
Bryan, I'd have him go for a small offset smoker like a NB Silver or something similar.
I'm not familiar with the WSM, but I know you can learn a lot from the Silver Smoker. If he wants to get into the game of fire tending, have him buy one of those.

Arlin
 
tommykendall said:
You do not want to spend a lot of money on a pit that sits in his back yard rusting away

Unless of course you have plans to take it off his hand for dirt cheap or nothing cuz he doesn't like it. :idea: :twisted:


:shock: Didn't think about that. Maybe I should recommend a Klose? Then offer to get it out of his backyard in a year?
 
:shock: Didn't think about that. Maybe I should recommend a Klose? Then offer to get it out of his backyard in a year?[/quote]


No problem id be more than happy to break in a Klose for ya.

1510 Lynndale Dr
St. Charles, MO 63303
 
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