Is the Bandera still a decent buy?

[Yellowstangduane]

I’ve had a cheap Outdoor Gourmet propane horizontal for years and it’s always done good. I did figure out lately the thermometer is off by 50 degrees. So when I go to the real 225, it won’t produce any smoke. I want to try a wood burner and this one fits the budget. It’s either this or try to build a small box on my old one. Looking for any tips, I need all the help I can get!

 

[Czarbecue]

I like it so much I have two, now mounted to a trailer. If your budget is $400, then it is the best offset you can buy for that price point. Bonus if you can buy it for less.

The other entry at $400 is the Old Country Pecos.

 

[SmittyJonz]

Yup.

 

[SmittyJonz]

225* Blows.....275* Is THE Best BBQ Temp.

 

[Hoss]

225* Blows.....275* Is THE Best BBQ Temp.

Opinionated are ya?

 

[SmittyJonz]

Opinionated are ya?

Yes.

 

[HoytFlinger]

225* Blows.....275* Is THE Best BBQ Temp.

I agree 100%

 

[Rusty Kettle]

275* Blows.....300* Is THE Best BBQ Temp.

There I fixed it for you.:thumb:

 

[Yellowstangduane]

I guess I need more education, I’ve always seen 225 is preferred. Any particular reasons?

 

[Mikhail]

Someone read the 7 as a 2.

 

[SmittyJonz]

I guess I need more education, I’ve always seen 225 is preferred. Any particular reasons?

Old Skool Style someone came up with Years Ago but if you go Back to beginning of BBQ ist was over open fires or fires in trenches and no thermometers and you adjusted your heat by raising or lowering the meat or moving it closer/farther away and so they were cooking/smoking at All kinds of temps.
Nuttin Wrong with 225* Low n Slow if that's your Style but don't get stuck on it - try 250-275 even 300* and See whats Best for You and your Cooker. In my experiences (and many others) 275* is The Best but I usually cook at 300-320* cuz I'm too Lazy to cut my Wood down to Hit 275* in my stick burners and my charcoal smokers have all been Leaky Beotches that sucked air and ran Hot so would run right past 275* to 300-325* so I just went with it. I did for a while cut my wood and babysit my Charcoal smokers to run 275* and I liked the results The Best but I'm Lazy and my results at 300-325* are almost as Good so why bother. :loco:

If you look at Most of the Insulated Cabinet Smoker makes/models - Most are designed or recommended to Run in 275* neighborhood. Once I have the Funds for a Nice Insulated cabinet Smoker I'll be cooking at 275* again or whatever temp it runs Best. :wink:

 

[wahoowad]

Can someone help me understand what the Bandera redeeming qualities are that might make it better than this Gyna-Glo offset I have been looking to get? Is it that the Bandera is mounted on wheels and has a table? I see that can be handy.

 

[FrkYrPrk]

First things I see:
248 sq. in. primary cooking surface in grill chamber available on the Bandera is missing. I don't use it all that often, it's nice for reverse searing, or grilling.
I don't see a baffle or water pan to push heat / smoke away from the firebox wall side of the pit. Not sure how even left to right temps will be, I expect they won't be good...
It looks farking short - I don't like tending a fire below my knees. Maybe the legs are off in your photo.
Not sure about the metal thickness on this, or the OKJ version. My older version is 11 gauge, or just shy of 1/8".
The door gasket & latch look good.

 

[SmittyJonz]

Bandera is much Heavier gauge than the DynoGlo-- Bandera is Not Heavy gauge but DynaGlo is tinfoil and the Firebox is TINY..
A few fellars on here have bought them and Hated them.

 

[IXL]

I was looking at offsets a couple of weeks ago at an Academy store. They had both a Pecos and a Bandero, and for the same price. I don't remember which, but one of them was noticeably heavier material than the other. Even the exhaust stack vent was cut from 1/4 steel plate, as opposed to the paper-thin little thing of the other. Heavier hinges and a vastly superior warming plate on the fire box.

I feel it is worth ensuring one purchases the heavier product.

 

[Czarbecue]

Can someone help me understand what the Bandera redeeming qualities are that might make it better than this Gyna-Glo offset I have been looking to get? Is it that the Bandera is mounted on wheels and has a table? I see that can be handy.

Oh no! Do not make the same mistake I did. I had both the wide Dyna Glo and the Bandera at the same time. Both are vertical offsets but the DynaGlo is so thin it was ridiculous.

What sealed the deal for me was when I cut the hole for another temp gauge on the door on both cookers. The quarter size piece of metal that came off the Bandera was exactly that... the thickness of a quarter. The piece off the DynaGlo I was able to bend with my two fingers.

Plus the size difference is no joke. Check out the firebox... it’s a pain in the ass to keep temps stable with that shoebox of a firebox.

 

[smokinit]

This is finally on my hit list It seems like I have used everything but one of these.