Horizon, Lang, cant decide

You might take a look at Yoder Smokers

http://www.yodersmokers.com/

I like the Klose pits and wish I could get one... Check Out The 20X40 Backyard Chef...

Pits by Klose...

http://www.bbqpits.com/

I've been looking at the Horizon smoker as well anybody have one ? 

As Al said, this is a major purchase and you should definitely get the one that you want and best suits your needs...  Not like buying a cheap 300-400 dollar unit and if you don't like it just go buy something else...

I also recently went through the same thing. Thought I really wanted a Lang 48. If Lang could ever find a way to do something about the prohibitive shipping costs their sales would double. Couple of things I don't get when looking at their web site. The listed weight of their smokers seems teriffically heavy. I will explain further in a bit. Also a shipping skid adds nearly 150lbs? What are we really talking about here. A pallet some shrink wrap and some banding straps couple of nuts and bolts maybe? If they were putting the thing in a entire closed crate I could see it.

I've been in the shipping business for 11 years I know a bit about it and these two things just raised my eyebrows a bit

Not here to bash Lang. They have a superb product perhaps the best I just have some serious reservations about the shipping.

So that being said I could just not bring myself to spend $500 plus on shipping a Lang to me. Just way to many other things I could do with that kind of money. I continued my search and found a new business in my state that custom make smokers. These guys started the business because they were avid smokers. They wanted to buy a quality pit but ran into the same thing many of us do. Prohibitive shipping. So I contacted them.

Turns out these guys know how to build a pit. Everything is 1/4 new steel same as Lang.. I purchased a 20X48 offset convential flow through design. Slide out firebox and ash pan. Shelves slide out and remove. Grate on top of firebox that also flips up so you can fry or saute directly on top of the box. Fold down front shelf. Pnuematic no flat tires.

1/4" baffle and 1/4" steel tuning plates all included. I thought I wanted the revrse flow but I do like the flexibility you get with the standard flow through design. I like to be able to utilize hot spots.

Now to my point about the weight. This unit weighs 550lbs. The same size Lang is quoted at 795. Both are made from the same thickness of steel. I'm willing to bet the offset I  purchased has more steel in it. Now add another 150lbs to the Lang for a skid. Talking almost a half ton!

I'm not saying Lang is trying to massage the shipping costs. They may be just erroring on the safe side with the weight so there isn't a issue. I don't think the shipping costs even pass through Lang..

So the moral of the story at least for me was don't limit yourself to the commercial manufacturers. Check around in your state and neighboring states and see whats out there you may be pleasantly surprised like I was. The $500 I would have spent on shipping bought me a lot more smoker. Here is a pic.



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Drive to GA and pick up your Lang. You'll have to pay sales tax, but that's a lot less than $500. Plus, you can check out a really nice part of the country.

Your primary consideration should be the smoker.  Remember size relates directly to fuel consumption.  To big you won't want to start it up just for you and the wife.  To small you won't be able to feed the neighborhood.   I selected the Lang 36 because I almost always cook for less then 25 people.  When I do have to cook for a larger number I either make two smokes or I pull out the old Oklahoma Joe offset and the three ECBs I have sitting around. I don't run out of smoker room very often.

You may want to check out Bubba Grills.  When I made my decision it was between Bubba and Lang.  I chose Lang because I was familiar with their smokers and the 36 was the right size for me.

responded to your other post first, with a $2000 budget you could easily have a 24 x 60 trailer pit with options or even bigger plain jane from Bellfab.

http://www.bellfab.com/