Time for a new smoker

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billclarkson

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Sep 6, 2006
95
10
Refugio, Texas
Well to all the masters of the thin blue smoker, i would surely appreciate any suggestions that you might give me towards my new smoker. I currently own and have smoked some fine meats on my CharBroil Electric Smoker. My choice at the time i got that was i did not want to spend hours outside watching it. Well as i soon found out that was not gonna happen, i kept checking the temp and wanted to make sure that i was getting smoke. I am currently thinking of getting a horizontal smoker with side fire box. And since i am Mr. Cheap i have been looking at the CharGriller or the CharBroil American Gourmet Deluxe which can be seen at Smoking Meat Store on page 5.
Any helpful suggestions would surely be appreciated, and thanks so much for your time.

Bill
aka: hopefully one day to be a member of the " Masters of the thin blue smoke."
 
If you can hold off and save up enough money I would go with the WSM. I have a horizontal smoker with a firebox that works nicely but it can't even come close to the control and ease of use as the WSM. Just my 2 cents. Happy smoking bro.

Goose
 
Debi and Goose, just wanted to thank you for your reply's to me looking for a new smoker. Now after doing oh i would say 5 or 6 hours of reading, i might be looking into a propane smoker. Even Jeff the inventor and very wish man who started the great website has let it leak that he bought one and has had wonderful success with it. Alot of people brag on the Big Block and it does look good but it also look way to big for me. So if anyone has some smaller propane's to brag on please let me know.

Bill Clarkson
 
Bill -

Just to let you know. I've never used electric so I can't really comment. Although my ECB has the electric and propane available I just have a thing for charcoal and wood. The propane does make a god fire starter though!

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Bill- If you can use drill you can build a drum smoker! Find an unlined 50 gallon drum with a lid, buy a step drill bit, a 22.5" cooking grid, some expanded steel,and some nuts and bolts and you'll be smokin in no time.
 
I would suggest not going smaller than the big block...For the difference in price, down the road you'll wish you'd gone with the bigger one. There'll be that first time when you're planning either a big big dinner or smoking for more that one meal and you don't have enough room..
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Also, invest in a good remote thermometer. You can walk around the house and do other things and you have the temp with you at all times. A dual probe you can check the smoker temp and the meat!
 
I've never used an electric either....

But I do have 2 CharGriller SuperPros with the side fire boxes... does that count?

Bill
 
Bill, in my opinion, if you want to go with a gas smoker then check around. GOSM has smaller units, as do other smoker companies. Find the one that you think is about right and go up one step... unless you NEVER / EVER cook for more than two. Look around and let us know what you decide on.

Keep Smokin
 
see... you shoulda went up a step... I'm right (kinda) for a change
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BTW Debi.. love what you've done with the place, kind of adds a little color

P.S. I've cooked 40+ lbs of meat in my 3405 BGW. I can't imagine even 3-4 people eating too much more than that in any given meal

Keep Smokin
 
Well folks still have not made my mind up, but next time i'm in the big city will go by Academy and Wally World and check things out. But for now still gonna keep on chugg'in along with my CharBroil electric smoker, has not failed me so far. Thanks for all the info. and will keep on checking back here for more.

Bill
 
Isn't it amazing that it takes so much thought to figure out what our next smoker will be but most of us can pick out a car i a few days?

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I still haven't figured it out so I decided to build one ... LOL
 
Hey Debi, if it just takes a couple of days to look and get a new car and weeks to get a new smoker or maybe even months. Well couple of years ago i was shopping for a new vehicle and i read and searched and looked and it took me almost 6 months before i finally ended up with the Ford Freestyle. So if it took me 6 months to find a car, guess it is gonna take me years before i can settle on what kind of new smoker i'll end up with......gosh am i in troulbe.......HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE.

Bill
 
OH NO NOT YEARS you'll starve! LOL

I guess subconciously I'm always looking at cars and trucks and it's just a matter of getting the mouse traps out of my pockets. I just hate switching vehicles until they die. I'm a one owner kind of gal!
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I just purchased the grand cafe propane smoker from Costco. So far I have only used it for a batch of ribs, but the temp was very consistent and cooked them perfectly. I previously used an electric and this one is much nicer. Not as much smoke, but all the flavor.
 
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