Choosing A Good Electric (CookShack vs Bradley vs Traeger?)

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Well I really like my Traeger, but have to admit that I don't have any other experience with other smokers.  However I do know that if you can only have an electric smoker you would probably run into issues with the Traeger, since yes it is electric, but it also has a pretty good fire going in the burn chamber, and it would be such a waste to spend that much on something you ended up not being able to use.

As for the Quality, I have only had mine for about 3 months now, and have had zero issues, but time will tell the "real" story.

Good luck with whatever you chose.
 
I have been smoking with a Cookshack for almost 10 years with no complaints and no mods

I sold my 8 year old Smokette for what I paid for it so I could upgrade to an AmeriQue and I really didn't want to part with it.

I’ve never heard of anyone doing that with any other brand of smoker

I regularly cook briskets, pork butts, ribs, beans and more without issue.

Other than wings I haven’t done much chicken, but what I have done turned out good.

Cookshack is American made
 
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I had a homemade electric smoke made totally out of wood that worked great until it burned to the ground one fatefull day.  after that my wife wouln't allow another unit like that on my back deck and since I am too lazy to set up my smoker down in my back yard away from my house. 

after much looking around i decided on a pellet pooper.  Mainly for the ease of use and the safety.  I have done several overnight smokes with it an have no reason to worry. I was never comfortable with my other smokers to leave it unattended.  I have never owned an mes or cookshack so I can't speak to that.  I have been very happy with my treager and cooked everything from pizza or steaks to beef jerky and smolked salmon.  I only wish it was a little bigger so tha I could do more at once.  I never really compared the treager to the GMG because the I live in anchorage ak and the only thing available locally was the treager.  I have used it in the middle of winder with ambient temps outside being around 10 deg below zero and it worked fine.  I did add bricks to it to help with the swings especially when it is real cold outside.  I believe that treager could have designed it with a little more heat retention and maybe the GMG has that I don't konw.

overall I am pretty happy with my treager.  I love the ease of use with the set it and forget it type of attitude.  I smoked some salmon bellies the other night and set it at a certian setting and left it all night long and the salmon came out GREAT!

I have yet to have any problems with any internal parts but I have only owned it since january of this year.
 
I had a homemade electric smoke made totally out of wood that worked great until it burned to the ground one fatefull day.  after that my wife wouln't allow another unit like that on my back deck and since I am too lazy to set up my smoker down in my back yard away from my house. 

after much looking around i decided on a pellet pooper.  Mainly for the ease of use and the safety.  I have done several overnight smokes with it an have no reason to worry. I was never comfortable with my other smokers to leave it unattended.  I have never owned an mes or cookshack so I can't speak to that.  I have been very happy with my treager and cooked everything from pizza or steaks to beef jerky and smolked salmon.  I only wish it was a little bigger so tha I could do more at once.  I never really compared the treager to the GMG because the I live in anchorage ak and the only thing available locally was the treager.  I have used it in the middle of winder with ambient temps outside being around 10 deg below zero and it worked fine.  I did add bricks to it to help with the swings especially when it is real cold outside.  I believe that treager could have designed it with a little more heat retention and maybe the GMG has that I don't konw.

overall I am pretty happy with my treager.  I love the ease of use with the set it and forget it type of attitude.  I smoked some salmon bellies the other night and set it at a certian setting and left it all night long and the salmon came out GREAT!

I have yet to have any problems with any internal parts but I have only owned it since january of this year.
Dalton,,

 Do you guys up in Alaska have problems with bears being attracted to your smokers from the smell?  If so how do you deal with this?
 
Dalton, fishermen who keep wishing they had a little bit bigger boat are said to have two-foot-itus.  

What do they call it when cooks keep wishing they had a little bit bigger smoker? 
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I sometimes wish I had opted for the bigger Traeger (I have the lil' Tex), but most of the time I'm just smokin' for the Mrs and I, and I can put WAY more in it than we can eat in a couple meals.  2 weeks ago I brined and smoked chicken thighs and was able to lay out 20 thighs without using my shelf to add room, and I have plenty of room when I do 2 butts for pulling.

So I guess it is just "size" envy!
 
had a cookshack for 15 years , its the best, very easy to use.  Have tried them all but always return to cookshack smokette base model
 
I have a large and small Traeger which I use mostly for grilling. I I have a Cookshack Amerique and SM260 which I use for smoking. I bought my first Cookshack (Smokette) 25 years ago. After using it for 10 years I sold it for what I paid for it. 
 
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