Hello from the granite state!

[Zekesbbq]

Hello I just subscribed on here but have been following for a little while now getting great ideas and cooking tips from you all! I have owned a few smokers throughout the years learning and cooking for family and friends. I am now in the market to buy a bigger insulated cabinet. With so many options I am looking for a little help. I was really leaning towards a Humphrey as they are literally 2.5 hours away from me. Doing more research and reading more forums I have really liked other features from a few other makers. Lone Star Grillz and Iron side are the 2 others I have been considering. I like the idea of built in water pans with drains as well as filling from the outside! LSG has the ability to run any probe wires right through the door seal, ironside and Humphreys have ports to run them through. Any plus or negatives to these set ups that I might not know about? Another is the flow or each cooker. I think Humphreys is a reverse flow setup? Others are straight by the sounds? Any big plus of each direction? nI will be moving this new unit about 6 times a year onto a trailer so some portability will be done but im not scared to move either. Any help with my decision would be very grateful! I know everyone jhas there opinions but I look foward to all feedback and suggestions! Im looking to order in the next few weeks! Cheers! :thumb:

 

[BillN]

Welcome to the forum from sunny SE Arizona.

 

[bluetang]

Welcome, come on in, take your shoes off and sit a spell.

 

[cowgirl]

Welcome!

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Welcome. Lots of good smokers out there. I just bought a 270 Sumo in July. 270 smokers offers a reverse flow convection type cooker. You can run it like a traditional cabinet if you like too. You have two chimney options in one smoker. It depends how you put the cap on. The Sumo is discontinued now but they have three New models out.
The Humphreys ones are a good design. If your that close it's not bad. I was going to get one but the shippers are really rough on them. Changed my mind at the dealer. If you get one I would go pick it up from them. Backwoods is practically the same design. The airflow is controlled from the front on a Humphreys and Backwoods controls it on the side. Heavier metal and thicker insulation with Humphreys. Backwoods came before Humphreys did. Backwoods is the only one with a warranty. Its one year.

270 smokers are shallow but wide. Its easier to access all the meat. Backwoods and Humphreys both are deeper but narrow width.

I would go with 270 smokers as it has casters and a built in dolly. Its standard on 270 smokers. You have to buy those as extras with Backwoods and Humphreys. Once you add The essential extras in they cost about the same as a 270. I am lifetime 270 customer. It cooks faster and multiple cooking options and they are built to last. Easy meat access makes it one of the most enjoyable cooking experiences I have had.

 

[Titch]

Welcome to the forum from down here in Victoria.
Nice friendly bunch here that are very sharing with information.
Enjoy your time here, I sure have

 

[toymaster]

Welcome to The Brethren. I have a Backwoods Party and a Humphreys Weeble. Both are older and both are reverse flow. I compete with the Backwoods because it is light enough to get in the back of a pickup truck by myself but the metal is thinner than the Humphreys. I prefer removable water pans because I like the option of scrubbing them when they get dirty. I like the Backwoods a little better than the Humphreys but both are good cookers. I have cooked on the Backwoods at a contest with 50 mph wind gusts with no problem. Make sure you get a heat diverter.

 

[Zekesbbq]

Thanks for the replies! Toymaster or Rusty kettle have either one of you had any experience with lone star grillz? I have been leaning toward them lately. Shipping will definitly be more but I do like the standard options compared to humphreys which offer them for more $

 

[Rusty Kettle]

Thanks for the replies! Toymaster or Rusty kettle have either one of you had any experience with lone star grillz? I have been leaning toward them lately. Shipping will definitly be more but I do like the standard options compared to humphreys which offer them for more $

I have not had any experience with lone star grillz. A few guys have them. Go ask on the Q talk section. They will chime in.

I have mainly cooked on bullet smokers and kettles and a drum until this past July. I got my 270 Sumo cabinet smoker. My opinion is add the options onto the Humphreys and compare costs after you add on your options. Ask yourself what do you have your heart set on. Are you going to be happy if you save money?

The other question you should ask is what is their customer service like? When you drop the kind of money these things cost it's important.

 

[slim2061]

Welcome from Southeast Alabama.

 

[toymaster]

Thanks for the replies! Toymaster or Rusty kettle have either one of you had any experience with lone star grillz? I have been leaning toward them lately. Shipping will definitly be more but I do like the standard options compared to humphreys which offer them for more $

Sorry. No experience with Lone Star Grills.

 

[armor]

Welcome from VA!

 

[IamMadMan]

Welcome aboard, glad to have you as a fellow Brethren here.

I hope to see you in the Q-Talk forum soon. You'll find help on almost every topic from cooking your first Pork Butt to curing and smoking your own ham and bacon.

If you can't find the topic you need help with, or have questions about, just start a new thread in "Q-Talk". There are many people with years of experience that are willing to answer your questions and guide you in the right direction.