Need help on deciding between a Humphrey Pint and Down East Beast

[cfrazier77]

Hello and thanks in advance. I am looking to purchase a new smoker in 2016, I currently am using a cheap propane. I think that I have narrowed it down to a Humphrey's but am torn between a pint and down east beast, either with a slide out water pan. I will be cocking for my family, small groups of around 10, and for my church. Its that last one that troughs a wrench in things. At most I would be looking at 120 men, women, and children. But I have to move it to the church and back every time I am going to cook there. I have no plans on competing, pastors don't get weekends off very often.

I am trying to figure out realistically how much food I can fit on each. I would mostly do one protein at a time and beans. Is the chart on Humphrey's realistic? What I mean, is it a jammed packed "possible" load or is it easily doable? Also, I think the numbers are wrong on either the pint or down east beast, they are the same.

Again, thanks in advance! My church members thank you too!:thumb:

 

[tcv21]

What is your budget?

 

[PatAttack]

I'd suggest to contact Kevin at:

http://www.northeastprofessionalbbq.com/

He can answer just about any question you may have, I'm sure.

 

[Decoy205]

I'd suggest to contact Kevin at:

http://www.northeastprofessionalbbq.com/

He can answer just about any question you may have, I'm sure.

You should definitely talk to Kevin! He can answer all your questions. Most here will tell you to get the biggest size you can afford. It's always good to have the extra capacity.

 

[cfrazier77]

what is your budget?

$3000

 

[AZRaptor]

Also, I think the numbers are wrong on either the pint or down east beast, they are the same.

It looks like they have the same width and depth, just the height is different.

Pint - 22w x 28d x 49t
DEB - 22w x 28d x 53t

 

[cheez59]

It looks like they have the same width and depth, just the height is different.

Pint - 22w x 28d x 49t
DEB - 22w x 28d x 53t

^These are outside dimensions^

Below are cook chamber dimensions.

Pint - 15w x 22d x 21h
DEB - 15w x 22d x 26.5h

 

[Untraceable]

Go wider, not taller

 

[GreenDrake]

I think you are only talking about a couple racks, if you are not packing it all the time, I would go with the Pint. That's what I did and I spent the extra cash on upgrades like the slide out water pan, handles, umbrella holder, bigger tires, angled legs, upgraded to the stainless round bar racks and I could not be happier. Think of the the majority of your use will be and go with that.

 

[cheez59]

Go wider, not taller

Wider is considerably more money and does not give more cooking space unless you go taller as well and then the price shoots way above OP's budget.

 

[Lowki]

The difference in height allows for a cpl extra racks, which come in handy when catering or cooking for a crowd. My buddy has the beast and we have filled it to capacity with a variety of meats and it cooked like a dream once it came back up to temp. and accessing the firebox without opening your cook chamber is super nice (at least for those of us that cook on a UDS). I am looking at the pint now and just waiting on the boss to make up her mind on my budget to see if I get it. I have contacted kevin and he is great to talk to, knows his product and will work with you. As has been said here before go bigger than you think you need, or you may regret it down the road. If you are going to be regularly cooking for larger groups, the down east beast is the way I would go. And by the by, Our comp. cooker has literally been set fire to (the outside) and rolled down a steep hill (not on the casters), still cooks great and now has some "character". Well built cookers from these guys.

 

[pjtexas1]

Below are cook chamber dimensions.

Pint - 15w x 22d x 21h
DEB - 15w x 22d x 26.5h

looks like the difference is about 1 rack for big meats. i don't have one but the racks in my insulated cabinet are 17x21 and they can hold 2 10-14LB briskets per rack and 3-4 butts that are 8LBS or so. If i have an 18 pounder it needs its own rack. hopefully someone can answer the meat capacity per rack for you on the 14.5x22 racks. in my experience the rack spacing is crucial...4" minimum for briskets...5" minimum for butts. although you might be able to get away with a little less on smaller butts. don't forget that the slide in water pan takes up a rack in the cook chamber but i guess if you needed the space you could always cook without the water pan. i just cooked 30LBS of sausage and that took up 1,056" of rack space so based on the 14.5x22 racks that would take up about 3.5 racks on a Humphrey's. take into account that these are my experiences and yours may vary. mine is a little bigger than the beast and it doesn't bother me to fire it up for just one brisket or butt because these types of cookers are very efficient.

as far as moving it i don't think the 25LB difference is going to matter. mine is 425LBS and on a smooth surface it is no issue. anything else is a big problem. toughest decision on a cooker is always how big. on insulated cabinets the difference in fuel usage is not really noticeable unless you are comparing the half-pint to the beast. i guess the real decision is do you want the space or the upgrades on the smaller one.

 

[cfrazier77]

Guys, thanks! I am going to think long and hard about this as someone pmed me about Lone Star Grilz and they look really good as well. I also found out that Spicewine is drivable close so I am looking at them too. I can't wait to have a smoker that I don't have to babysit like my propane, but I really want to do this right, especially with the money involved, it is a lot for my family.

Thanks!

 

[LarryD]

Just a thought about how much space you will need. I started BBQing about 6 years ago pretty much only for folks in my church. I found that if I smoked it, they would come. The fellowship around bbq has been great. Your results may and probably will vary but my current smoker can smoke 16 pork butts and I often have it 1/3 to half way filled up. Sometimes all the way for an occasional wedding. Anyway, bigger may be better. Just my 2 cents.

 

[93vpmod]

You may want to visit the STL BBQ Store and touch/feel the Humphries line in person. They also have other smokers including Backwoods. It is just a short drive for you and may help in your decision.

 

[Ron_L]

You hear "I wish I had bought a bigger cooker" a lot more than "I wish I bought a smaller cooker" :-D

 

[pjtexas1]

You hear "I wish I had bought a bigger cooker" a lot more than "I wish I bought a smaller cooker" :-D

I think that's part psychology. It's almost boastful to buy a cooker and then cook so good that demand for your food requires a bigger cooker. Buying a huge cooker and admitting you can't fill it up enough to use it is a little embarrassing. Just my .02 on why you hardly see the other side. Now this thread is a little different. Not much wasted fuel cooking on a cooker as efficient as a Humphrey's.

 

[cfrazier77]

I think that's part psychology. It's almost boastful to buy a cooker and then cook so good that demand for your food requires a bigger cooker. Buying a huge cooker and admitting you can't fill it up enough to use it is a little embarrassing. Just my .02 on why you hardly see the other side. Now this thread is a little different. Not much wasted fuel cooking on a cooker as efficient as a Humphrey's.

I agree with this, but also for a different reason. If money was not an issue I would go basically as big as I could get, but money is an issue. A pastor's salary only goes so far. So, I agree with big enough and even a little bit bigger than needed, but it would not be responsible to our finances to buy way more than needed.

By the way, with this price tag so big, without this site I would have been paralyzed with fear of making a mistake that I would have never pulled the trigger. I feel so much better about it now. Thank you!