All of these threads and youtube videos coming out are down right cringe-worthy. They are all just saying the same thing over and over again, yes we know the slow n sear is expensive, yes we know you can do the same thing with a fire brick and a water pan, yes we know you can get longer burn time without it, yes we know all of it.
It doesn't make the slow n sear a bad product, lots of people enjoy them. So what? You certainly don't need one to smoke on a kettle, or sear a steak. But you also don't even need a grill for either of those. Have you tried cooking in a trash can?? Hell, have you tried cooking in a hole in the ground??? You don't need a grill, but it certainly helps. Similarly, you don't need a slow n sear and you shouldn't care if people decide to spend the money on one.
Conversely, the videos that come out in favor of the product are just as bad. Why do they all have to be comparisons? Can you just show us how they work? And what applications they shine in and not make a pissing competition out of it? Somebody is always going to find a better or cheaper tool.
End. Rant.