Wanting to buy my 1st Smoker

[Bayme]

Commercial smokers like the WSM and PBC are great, but I would build a UDS. There is great satisfaction cooking delicious food with something you made. Depending on the age of you kids, they can help with the build. Mine (ages 4, 7, and 8 at the time) helped me build mine. The night of the burn out was a big hit with the family.

 

[HumboldtSmokeBBQ]

I pulled great food off my UDS for almost a decade before I stepped my game up and but down money on a smoker. My UDS cost me under $80.00. By far, the best money I ever spent. I honed my craft and cemented my love for bbq on an amazingly reliable and affordable cooker. She sure is ugly too.

 

[NY Pork Junkie]

Where are you located? Have you checked your local Craigslist? You might be able to get more bang for your buck this way

Now is the time to do it! I picked up my barely used, 1 year old Pit Barrel Cooker with a cover, 8 hooks, and the poultry hanger for $200 from a fine gentleman moving to Chicago. It sat on craigslist for a week before I noticed it. Nobody else was even looking. In July, that thing would have sold in an hour.

Best $200 I ever spent!

 

[Slicer021]

Live in Eastern NC. I have several searches saved into Craigslist for all kinds of smokers and Weber’s. Can never seem to find any good deals on any in my area


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[Stlsportster]

Wood burning smoker
https://eastnc.craigslist.org/for/d/okayama-joes-grill-smoker/6339435000.html

If you could spend a $1100 this is a great smoker.
https://eastnc.craigslist.org/for/d/awesome-bbq-smoker-grill/6349490283.html

UDS Build
https://eastnc.craigslist.org/for/d/55-gallon-food-grade-metal/6350832175.html
Plus
https://www.bigpoppasmokers.com/big-poppa-s-engineered-drum-smoker-kit

Or this for $299 delivered and already built.
https://www.pitbarrelcooker.com/product/the-pit-barrel-cooker-package/

 

[el luchador]

Ugly drum smoker. can be built for $80 or so if you don't get fancy.

it has no leaks like a WSM, and once you get your temp going it will hold the temp and you can go to bed and wake up to perfectly cooked food.

I have one that burns sticks and one that burns charcoal like everyone else. the charcoal burner actually has more smoke flavor than the stick burner.

 

[Kanco Connection]

Pit Barrel Cooker
+
22.5” Weber kettle

Can do anything between those 2, and it’s just about your budget.
Good option.

 

[redhawk]

300 or 400 is all I can spend


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22.5 WSM. It will last a lifetime and it works like a champ.

 

[NY Pork Junkie]

Given your pricepoint, I'd say you can't go wrong with either a PBC or a UDS.

One thing that tipped me in favor of the PBC is the portability. A 55 gallon drum was just a bit bigger than I wanted to lug around to family reunions etc.

 

[Bob C Cue]

Pit barrel cooker?

Good question, and the answer is..........most definitely yes!

 

[pharp]

PBC would be my vote.

 

[SmittyJonz]

 

[Bob C Cue]

Ribs are beautiful but the pit really puts the U in UDS.

 

[ssv3]

Pit Barrel Cooker
+
22.5” Weber kettle

Can do anything between those 2, and it’s just about your budget.
Good option.

He's got the kettle already so I say PBC also. Seems like you're fairly busy with the kids so the PBC is easy to use, meets your capacity needs and falls within your budget.

 

[Leftwngr]

Admit your problem early. Go get a big trailer pit. Every day I regret not going big right off the bat.

Kidding. WSM, PBC or UDS. All good options.


But that pitmaker Vault/Sniper dual axle number does look enticing...

 

[Slicer021]

Thanks everyone for the info. Seems like everyone pretty much says WSM , PBC or UDS. My only thing is the 18 WSM big enough to do a couple Pork Butts and a couple racks of ribs? Just don’t know if I can get the 22 and wireless thermo without the wife saying too much lol. Goal is one day to ha e a pit that I can cook whole hog on since I do live in Eastern NC and that’s what we are all about lol.


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[KevinJ]

Thanks everyone for the info. Seems like everyone pretty much says WSM , PBC or UDS. My only thing is the 18 WSM big enough to do a couple Pork Butts and a couple racks of ribs? Just don’t know if I can get the 22 and wireless thermo without the wife saying too much lol. Goal is one day to ha e a pit that I can cook whole hog on since I do live in Eastern NC and that’s what we are all about lol.


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I had a WSM 18.5 it was a great smoker but I sold it because I wanted more room, the PBC which I like a lot is the same size. If I would have purchased the WSM 22.5 originally I'd still own a WSM.

You could always make yourself a cinderblock pit to cook that whole hog. :thumb:

 

[SmittyJonz]

UDS - size of the 22" WSM - you can build one for $125-$150 with 2 cooking grates plus a water pan grate or difusser.......

 

[el luchador]

UDS - size of the 22" WSM - you can build one for $125-$150 with 2 cooking grates plus a water pan grate or difusser.......

lets break it down for him

$35 unlined drum with lid
$22 for two grates from walmart
$5 for bolts
$2 for two magnet sheets to cut up to cover intake and exhaust holes
$30 for charcoal basket, lets say. mine cost a lot less than that but i had to buy a 4x8 sheet of expanded metal lol

total $94. that leaves a lot of money in your budget for a diffuser. I bought mine from the thrift store for $2.

I think it can be done for under $100 and make just as good q as anything out there.

 

[el luchador]

btw, the UDS is so cheap I built two.

one to burn stick when I feel like messing around with the smoker,
one for charcoal when I want to set it and forget it and come back later to cooked food.

I need to mess with the stick burner more as it has less smoke flavor than the charcoal burner (crazy, I know) but with those two drums, I can cook A LOT of food at once. and Im in for about $160 for both

I did splurge for a heatermeter though so I can monitor and change my temps from anywhere as long as I have my phone and internet connectivity.