Masterbuilt or Cookshack?

[stlouisken]

Jazzspot:  Thanks for the information and the recommendations that you gave to melh.  You are a gentleman and are not afraid to share what you know or have found out by research.  I am 69 years old and am going to buy a smoker this year.l  I am going to take your advise to heart and do more research on the Cookshack Forum.  If, by now, you have already purchased your Cookshack Smoker, please let us know the model number and your experience with it.  Again, thanks for the information.

 

[old sarge]

I have the Cookshack Amerique 066, purchased April 2012.  I have not experienced any problems with the smoker.  None. It is built very well and manufactured here in the US which accounts in part for the high price.  The standard racks  are nickel plated and mine are holding up very well.  Had I given it any thought, I would have opted for the optional stainless steel racks at the time  of purchase.  

I use very little wood, typically 2 or 3 ounces for a smoke. Some folks may use as much as 6 ounces.  I weigh the wood, then split the chunks into the desired weight.  These smokers do not take much wood.  

The only other electric smoker that I can personally recommend is from Smokin-it (SI).  Like the CS, it is all stainless steel inside and out. However, where CS is digital, SI is analog. Both smokers cycle on and off during the smoking process.  And both produce excellent results.

 

[jted]

Hi,  If you buy well you will get a good smoker from china. If you don't do your home work you will end up with a Gen2 Master built. If you do your homework you will buy a Gen1.

I am not all that ate up about Chinese products. The Smoken it line is made in China and they are affordable and are copied from a cook shack. They are often refereed to  as cook shack clones.

I own a Master built 200670910 That is a Gen1 30 " smoker.

When you compare the units it,s it's like comparing a Volkswagen bug to a Ford Truck. The Bugs are gone and the F series Trucks are still here.

The Master built customer service is good because it needs to be. A product will need to be repaired at some time. The Cook Shack's  do need repair from time to time but usually not for the same part. The bottom line is to do your home work decide how much disposable cash you have and get to smoking. I for one would buy a Smoken it smoker (the #3) To get the comparable smoker from Cook ack It would be a lot of money. But those are the feelings of a fixed income retired person. If I were still working, a few shifts of over time would cover my smoker of choice.

Back to you original Question. If you buy a Master built smoker buy a gen ! .if you buy a Cookshack, smoken it or a Smoken Tex. You will  smoke some fine Meat.   Jted

 

[old sarge]

From a purely personal perspective, I would stick with either the Cookshack or if finances dictate lowering your sights, go with the Smokin-it.  No more, no less.

 

[millerbuilds]

When I was looking for an electric to compliment my stick burner, I wanted the cookshack, but due to the high cost (still saving for the Lang and did not want to deplete the BBQ account entirely) I ended up getting the SmokinTex, it was a good alternative, I have had it for 5 years and have had no issues what so ever.

Smoke ON!

-Jason

 

[old sarge]

SmokinTex has a good reputation.  Only one downside and this applies to Cookshack as well as SmokinTex:  the company forums while extremely informative are not very active. OK, it is not a downside unless one is addicted to the social side of smoking. But then there is always SMF.

 

[brickguy221]

 
SmokinTex has a good reputation.  Only one downside and this applies to Cookshack as well as SmokinTex:  the company forums while extremely informative are not very active. OK, it is not a downside unless one is addicted to the social side of smoking. But then there is always SMF.

The down side to me would be no window to look thru to see what is going on inside smoker.... lol 

My MES has me spoiled in reference to the window. I gotta have it ... 

 

[old sarge]

I had a gas grill 20 or so years ago with a window. Never again. I did not mind the cleaning (used a single edge razor blade in a paint scraper), but lookin' and cookin' are two different things.  As for a smoker, well, once I seal it up with food and wood, 5 hours or 12 hours or more, lookin' doesn't speed things up.  And I prefer my door to be every bit as insulated as the box.  But I can understand the desire to check on progress without the need to open the door.  I never open the door till I reckon the meat is finished based upon my set time or the internal temp, but I can understand the urge to check progress. My hat is off to you Brickguy221.  Happy 4th!