What kind of smoker to pass down to future generations?

SweetHeatBBQnSC

SweetHeatBBQnSC

is One Chatty Farker
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So as I watch shows and see all the people who have gotten into cooking or own restaurants, I have noticed several of them were passed down from their parents. Well not I, and I always have told my wife how nice it would have been to be a part of something like that. So after watching some Fam Eats on youtube and seeing how he incorporates his children into his smoking video it made me realize I want to (one day) get a smoker to pass down to my kid(s).

So the 2 nice type of smokers I have been looking at are Gravity Feed and Stick Burners. Gravity Feed would probably be an Assassin (although I've seen some of you with the Southern Q's too and they look nice). I don't even know if a gravity fed smoker would actually last long enough to be "generational smoker." With the stick burner I would probably go with the Shirley route. This would be my first time dabbling in stick burning if I go this route. Don't know how much advice anyone can give me on these thoughts running around in my head, but all would be greatly appreciated. TIA
 
My first "serious" smoker was my Kamado Joe - Big Joe. It is a good one to learn on as you learn about time and temperature and temp control on a rig that is easy to use and can make some great BBQ. It just lacks the capacity to cook for a lot of people. It is for sure a smoker you can hand down to multiple generations. There is really nothing on it to fail. The ceramic will last forever and all the internals are easy to replace.

I am looking for a gravity fed right now to add additional capacity. I am thinking probably a Myron Mixon G20 or G33. Odd reason for me, I like the fact the charcoal chute is lower than the top of the smoker and easy for someone like me (5'-8") to pour a chimney of hot coals into vs a Stumps or one of the other top brands like Rockin W.

As for a stick burner, I have no doubt a Shirley Fab would last multiple generations if well cared for. Or a Lang or a Meadow Creek or any other top brand with 1/4" thick steel for the body and firebox.

Good luck to you and I hope you are able to pass along your passion for BBQ to your children.
 
Anything that doesn't weigh very much isn't likely to survive several generations of use. I'd say forget all superficialities and just go by weight. The more it weighs the more likely it will last long enough to be passed down.
 
The better gravity feeds are well built and will last a long time, but they do have some wear points the Stick burners typically don't have. Main thing they have are the gaskets that surround the door, the charcoal chute and firebox.

If you go gravity feed route, make sure the gaskets are easy to change.

That is one of the things that sold me on the Southern Q is that it uses quick snap in oven type gaskets. I can change all in 5 minutes and don't have to unscrew or glue anything.

Another point to consider is that gravity feeds are generally insulated. I looked for a unit that is fully welded. Not that you will have an issue with one that is not, but it gave me piece of mind that moisture wont get inside the unit onto the insulation in humid wet Florida.
 
Chester said:
The better gravity feeds are well built and will last a long time, but they do have some wear points the Stick burners typically don't have. Main thing they have are the gaskets that surround the door, the charcoal chute and firebox.

If you go gravity feed route, make sure the gaskets are easy to change.

That is one of the things that sold me on the Southern Q is that it uses quick snap in oven type gaskets. I can change all in 5 minutes and don't have to unscrew or glue anything.

Another point to consider is that gravity feeds are generally insulated. I looked for a unit that is fully welded. Not that you will have an issue with one that is not, but it gave me piece of mind that moisture wont get inside the unit onto the insulation in humid wet Florida.
Click to expand...

So are Southern Q smokers fully welded? SC is humid too. Do you know if Assassin's gaskets are easy to change or if it is fully welded? Thanks for the info.
 
SweetHeatBBQnSC said:
So are Southern Q smokers fully welded? SC is humid too. Do you know if Assassin's gaskets are easy to change or if it is fully welded? Thanks for the info.
Click to expand...

I don't know how easy the Assassin gaskets are to change, but they are screwed on under plate metal. Here is an older post that discusses changing gaskets on an Assassin:
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265328

In comparison, the Southern Q uses a similar type that Lonestar Grillz uses on their cabinet smokers. Chris from Lonestar has some youtube videos that show these gaskets.

The Assassins are also not fully welded. You can see the rivets holding the bent metal together all over the smoker. I cant say that you would ever have an issue with Assassin getting moisture in it. They are well built smokers, but I did like the fact that the Southern Q is for the most part fully welded, with one exception: the top charcoal chute is bolted on. They did this to make changing this out easier, as that is the one part that tends have issues.

The Assassin and Southern Q were my two finalist, that fit my budget. If money were no object, I'd have a Deep South smoker, although I can't imagine that it would cook any better or last longer than the Southern Q, and the size and weight of the Limo Jr. is perfect for me. Not to big, not too lite or heavy.

Don't take my post wrong though. Assassin makes damn fine smokers and I'd be happy to own one. I have long wanted one of their 48" grills. I just mainly wanted to point out my final deciding factors that steered me to the Southern Q, and I am not disappointed in the least with my choice.
 
chingador said:
When my son gets out of college and shows interest in picking up the hobby I will buy him a Weber 22" kettle with slow and sear and let him walk his own path from there. That is if he lives in a place that allows for those kind of cookers.
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Good luck with that. I gave my son one when he was in college (living off campus in a house with a patio) and when he graduated and moved out it came back, still in the box. They opened the box, saw it required assembly and gave up :mad2:
 
Chester said:
I don't know how easy the Assassin gaskets are to change, but they are screwed on under plate metal. Here is an older post that discusses changing gaskets on an Assassin:
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265328

In comparison, the Southern Q uses a similar type that Lonestar Grillz uses on their cabinet smokers. Chris from Lonestar has some youtube videos that show these gaskets.

The Assassins are also not fully welded. You can see the rivets holding the bent metal together all over the smoker. I cant say that you would ever have an issue with Assassin getting moisture in it. They are well built smokers, but I did like the fact that the Southern Q is for the most part fully welded, with one exception: the top charcoal chute is bolted on. They did this to make changing this out easier, as that is the one part that tends have issues.

The Assassin and Southern Q were my two finalist, that fit my budget. If money were no object, I'd have a Deep South smoker, although I can't imagine that it would cook any better or last longer than the Southern Q, and the size and weight of the Limo Jr. is perfect for me. Not to big, not too lite or heavy.

Don't take my post wrong though. Assassin makes damn fine smokers and I'd be happy to own one. I have long wanted one of their 48" grills. I just mainly wanted to point out my final deciding factors that steered me to the Southern Q, and I am not disappointed in the least with my choice.
Click to expand...


Excellent advice! Glad to know the difference in the two and replacing the Southern Q gaskets look far easier. Very good information to have for the future.
 
Once upon a time I had two 18" WSMs. Now I have a 22". The 18" are at my sons' homes. They have been passed down to them and still work great. They are about 18 years old and still smoking. They do take care of them and keep them covered. Don't know if they will survive to pass down to their boys, but time will tell.
 
SweetHeatBBQnSC said:
Excellent advice! Glad to know the difference in the two and replacing the Southern Q gaskets look far easier. Very good information to have for the future.
Click to expand...

Glad to help.

The Shirley's are certainly nice for a stick burner. Hard to beat.

One other stick burner to check out would be the Workhorse pits made over in Coal Mountain GA. I just love the looks of these. They too are built solid and will last forever if taken care of. These are a traditional flow stick burner as apposed to being a reverse flow as the Shirley's are.
 
This is a great question, and is 25 years a "generation"? For some history:

50 years ago: the family cookers were a brick pit that was wood fired, a steel pit that would burn coals or charcoal, a metal handle Weber, and a (natural) gas grill purchased from the gas company and piped in.

25 years ago: I had a stick burner, (but I was moving away from it because of the problem sourcing wood, cleaning the ash and size), a smaller steel pit, a Weber and a gas grill I bought when I rented an apartment. In a few more years I would be moving into ceramic cookers, and then 4 or 5 years later into drums.

So in my case in one generation I had moved away from wood and 100% into charcoal and in just a few years I would be cooking on Eggs and drums.

One more generation later, I'm still loving the Eggs and drums, and both styles have more options and better fit and finish. I have no interest in moving into propane, or into a pellet or a gravity feed pit. But I have cooked on several cabinet smokers and really like them.
 
While I see how popular gravity fed smokers are and should I ever get one it would be a Stumps just so I could keep telling people--Stumps don't build no junk--in the end I just didn't like the gravity fed concept as compared to an IVC. After months of analyzing and planning was determined to buy a Lonestar Grillz mini...then all these posts about the Shirley 24x36 kept popping up and one fell into my lap. Have not regretted the Shirley for one second!

I'd imagine a high quality stick burner would be the best generational smoker to pass down. As with most of us cost is an issue and comparing the cost of the Shirley to some of the gravity fed or IVC units the Shirley wins--only if you want to spend the time tending to a fire--which I now find myself enjoying alongside my boys! Hope you can enjoy that time with your family!
 
Chester said:
I don't know how easy the Assassin gaskets are to change, but they are screwed on under plate metal. Here is an older post that discusses changing gaskets on an Assassin:
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265328

In comparison, the Southern Q uses a similar type that Lonestar Grillz uses on their cabinet smokers. Chris from Lonestar has some youtube videos that show these gaskets.

The Assassins are also not fully welded. You can see the rivets holding the bent metal together all over the smoker. I cant say that you would ever have an issue with Assassin getting moisture in it. They are well built smokers, but I did like the fact that the Southern Q is for the most part fully welded, with one exception: the top charcoal chute is bolted on. They did this to make changing this out easier, as that is the one part that tends have issues.

The Assassin and Southern Q were my two finalist, that fit my budget. If money were no object, I'd have a Deep South smoker, although I can't imagine that it would cook any better or last longer than the Southern Q, and the size and weight of the Limo Jr. is perfect for me. Not to big, not too lite or heavy.

Don't take my post wrong though. Assassin makes damn fine smokers and I'd be happy to own one. I have long wanted one of their 48" grills. I just mainly wanted to point out my final deciding factors that steered me to the Southern Q, and I am not disappointed in the least with my choice.
Click to expand...

Can’t speak for their gravity fed, but I do own an Assassin 48” and just ordered a FireBoard and fan for it. Their grills are built really well and aside from possibly changing the charcoal grate, I can definitely see this getting passed along to my kids...now 9 and 11.
 
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