Want a new smoker...

[Eckie]

Right now i have a weber gasser and performer. I want a smoker bad, but cant figure out what i want/should get. Want more capacity than what i can do on the 22.5 weber.

I would love to have a good stick burner. Wood supply is not an issue, I have access to unlimited wood. Price of a quality unit and time is more of an issue. I like tending fire, but am never just sitting around looking for something to do to really be available every 45 min.

I have typically been opposed to pellet type smokers, but i have been entertaining the idea a bit more lately.

A walmart about 45 min away supposedly has the ok joe bronco for 185ish. Never used a drum style smoker. I am a bit worried about dirty smoke from briquettes...my wife and i (especially the wife) are tight sensed on dirty smoke flavor.

I like burning down oak and hickory to coals in my bowl fire pit and then putting them in the kettle but this takes a lot of time as well..

Oh yeah, budget. We just renovated a house and moved, and need to pay down various debts. So consider the budget very limited. I know thats vague...

Sorry for the long post. Any suggestions, ideas and insights appreciated.

 

[SonnyE]

Get an inexpensive stick burner and try it out.
If you love it after 6 months to a year, well, you know where to invest for the future.

I run a gasser myself.
But I smoke with two modified Masterbuilt electrics.
Highly modified!
I basically have two outdoor electric ovens, with a smoker box to make cold smoke with.
I use pellet fuel, but dissolve it down to sawdust for my tray.
Best of all worlds for me.
One of our Grand Daughters sez I'm weird. :loco: But she comes runnin for my BBQ. :decision: So who's weird?

 

[redchaserron]

Check Craigslist, FB Marketplace etc. A couple of weeks ago I came to the conclusion that my old smoker is finally too far gone for continued use (the firebox is now bottomless). Because of budget I was pretty much resigned to picking up something at Academy, but decided to peruse the classifieds for about the 800th time on the off chance I might find something, and as luck would have it found a pit that was pretty much the exact pit I would want were budget not an issue, at a very attractive price.

 

[Stlsportster]

Check out this thread.

https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=202034

Lots of decent pits under 500. If your budget is a little higher I always was watching Academy for that OC Over/Under and the Vertical Smokehouse.

 

[Eckie]

Yeah, i have pretty much become a craigslist stalker looking for smokers and cookers. Found a loaded wichita the other week for 1300, but dont know that i can justify that right now. The father in law has an ok joe, highland i think, that i could try out and see how it goes. I know its mark down time at walmarts etc, so keeping my eyes open there too.

 

[SonnyE]

Yep. End of season sales at the big box stores.
Move out the current items.
Catch a sale.
Have fun!

Good time to buy a BBQ or a Boat.

 

[LloydQ]

That Bronco looks like a good entry level smoker at that price. Having the choice of hanging or cooking on the grate is cool, too. Off taste from charcoal is not an issue if done properly. That would be totally in your control.

 

[Eckie]

Charcoal selection is a bit limited locally...usually have kingsford blue bag, or off brand briqs. Ive never used lump before, i think can find royal oak and maybe another brand. I am quite tempted to go for that bronco. Its hard to even get 2 good size butts on my performer w/o a lot of space and fire trickery. Wonder if you could do something like beans below the butts if you had the second rack? Or too close to heat...

 

[BKING!]

If you are sensitive to dirty smoke flavor like you said in your post then id burn the wood down to embers then shovel those into your charcoal or offset smoker, learn how to burn a clean fire in an offset, or get a pellet smoker for flavor.

It sounds like your a pretty busy guy though so my vote goes to pellet smoker. It’s not as fun and I like to play with fire as well but it does allow me to sleep more and be more productive around the house.

 

[Capt]

craigslist and offerup have some good deals if you are patient. Of course it really depends on your area. It might pay to shop surrounding areas. If you have an Academy around you they usually discount the old country pits this time of year. The ones that have been sitting outside. They get a bit of surface rust but thats easily corrected. The Pecos generally runs about $400 and I really enjoy cooking on mine. If you do buy a new old country be sure to inspect all that are in store as they are not always created equal....

 

[Eckie]

Ill check put offerup, never looked there. Craigslist has gad a few things, but either i see them too lare, theyre not what i think i want, or too far away. I search within 200 miles...any closer and i dont get anything worth looking at usually. And no academy anywhere near me....