Which stick burner to buy??

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mikekevs

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 21, 2017
28
10
Charlottesville,Va
 Been researching offset smokers for the patio for several months now. Unfortunately have a budget of $1500 including shipping (which eliminates many of the higher quality made pits), although I feel like it's enough to get a great smoker. Heat/smoke retention utmost importance. Just need it cook several times a year for family and friends.

Have narrowed it down to a few units:

Yoder "Cheyenne" great reviews, good price.

Old Country "Brazos" good reviews, cheap shipping.

Texas Original Pits "Lulling" Free shipping is a big plus, bunch of upgrades and still at $1200. Not much info out there??

Tacoma by Sunterra  3/16 steel for $700 before shipping, made in mexico, very little info out there.

Any help would be appreciated. Thx
 
 
 Been researching offset smokers for the patio for several months now. Unfortunately have a budget of $1500 including shipping (which eliminates many of the higher quality made pits), although I feel like it's enough to get a great smoker. Heat/smoke retention utmost importance. Just need it cook several times a year for family and friends.

Have narrowed it down to a few units:

Yoder "Cheyenne" great reviews, good price.

Old Country "Brazos" good reviews, cheap shipping.

Texas Original Pits "Lulling" Free shipping is a big plus, bunch of upgrades and still at $1200. Not much info out there??

Tacoma by Sunterra  3/16 steel for $700 before shipping, made in mexico, very little info out there.

Any help would be appreciated. Thx
Welcome, Mike.  Questions:

1.  Where are you located?  Plays into the $1500 inclusive of shipping number.

2.  What are you mostly going to be cooking?

3.  How many will you likely be cooking for?  I know you said "family and friends", but that's rather subjective.

4.  One door or two for the cook chamber?  The Luling has 2, and the others have 1

I don't think you can go wrong with the first 3.  OC is a little more mass produced (and carried by Academy) than the other two, but it's still a tank of a rig, and warranted for life.  However, I just looked at Academy's site, and showing it's out of stock online.  Luling is 1/4" pipe:  not rolled, which is a plus to me, but not crazy about double doors in this size range.  I don't know a thing about Sunterra:  3/16", and appears to have smallest (525 sq. in.) cook chamber of the 4. 

May also want to look at Lang and Horizon (boys who used to be OK Joe before sold to CharBroil).  Again, depending on where you are, pickup may be an option vs. shipping and get you a bigger/better rig than having to pay for freight.
 
I would recommend a Lang 36 original. Can get it for $1295. Not sure on shipping though. Probably going to run a bit higher than $1500 all around
 
While it's not an offset in the normal sense, the Karubecue is definitely a wood fired smoker to consider.  It's priced at $1545 including shipping on Amazon.  Read the reviews and check out the Manufacturer's website kbq.us
 
From the Amazon Karbecue page- "Uses a REAL WOOD FIRE, not gas, charcoal, pellet, or electric heat."

Um, just what do they think natural charcoal is made of anyway??? 
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Thanks for the replies!

Groucho, I am located in Charlottesville, Va. There aint a decent smoker within hundreds of miles and shipping is an issue.

I usually like to cook a butt and 4 racks or so at a time, so don't need anything too big. cooking for 4 up to 10ppl.

Luling (Texas original pits) has a 20"by36" offset with single door, heat plate, etc to my door for about $1350. 

Lang 36 Patio was my go to but the shipping ($550.!) puts it up over $1800. 

I do like the Karabeque unit, great reviews, I'm kinda set on an offset, just my personal preference. Also the Karabeque requires uniform logs which could be a pain in the a$$.

What I've read about the horizon is sketchy service and not quite as well built as the Yoder.

More thoughts?
 
 
Thanks for the replies!

Groucho, I am located in Charlottesville, Va. There aint a decent smoker within hundreds of miles and shipping is an issue.

I usually like to cook a butt and 4 racks or so at a time, so don't need anything too big. cooking for 4 up to 10ppl.

Luling (Texas original pits) has a 20"by36" offset with single door, heat plate, etc to my door for about $1350. 

Lang 36 Patio was my go to but the shipping ($550.!) puts it up over $1800. 

I do like the Karabeque unit, great reviews, I'm kinda set on an offset, just my personal preference. Also the Karabeque requires uniform logs which could be a pain in the a$$.

What I've read about the horizon is sketchy service and not quite as well built as the Yoder.

More thoughts?
i would recommend the Lang 36 (never regret buying mine) but if you want to save on shipping have you considered CustomPitsVA.com ? they have a porch model for just over a grand and they ship 1.50/mile and they are in va.

Good Luck!

phatbac (Aaron)
 
Take a look at this:  appears to be in your neck of the woods.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/258236/lang-smoker-36-patio

This was just recent, and I don't know condition or how far apart you may be--hope it helps.  Otherwise, that Luling looks like the ticket:  quarter-inch pipe (not thinner or rolled steel) is what's tipping the scales for me.  One other that just popped into my head was Lone Star Grillz, just north of Houston near Conroe.  I know one of the Louisiana boys on this site used to live in Conroe, and was giving serious consideration to one of their rigs, as he knew firsthand of their reputation and quality:  I'll see if I can find who it was, put a link to the thread, and you may want to PM him for feedback.
 
Yeah, I texted him as soon as I saw that, several days ago, sold already, Damn! THAT was the ticket. Don't see those for sale too often. If anyone knows of another....

Phatbac, last year about this time I contracted CustomPitsVA to buyld me a lang 36 clone, I was psyched!....long story short, after many false promises, by the 4th of July I stll didn't have my smoker, I felt I was getting taken, wouldn't even send a pic to assure me....I cancelled order and at least he refunded in full, however that doesn't seem an option.

MK
 
Out of curiosity, is Academy anywhere near you, or were you sourcing the OC Brazos elsewhere?  Like I mentioned earlier, their site shows online isn't available, and they're not in all stores:  I checked several in the Houston area where they're headquartered, and there's only a scant few who had them in stock.
 
Yeah, I was ready to pull the trigger on the Brazos, given the $100 shipping, thought it was a solid deal...until I saw they've been out of stock for like 6 months...life aint always easy!!
 
Looks like your decision is funneling to fewer and fewer.  In your shoes, I'd give that Luling a loooooong look, unless you contact Foamheart and he's got better news with LSG.  My $0.02--good luck!
 
Yup, like I said....aint easy. I'd love to hear anything from anyone who owns a Lulling, not much about them online. Like to compare to the Yoder Cheyenne.

Anyone?
 
Can't go wrong with a Yoder either. I've been to their manufacturing facility and it's awesome. Good quality stuff for what you're getting and craftsman ship next to none.
 
Shipping is going to eat a lot of your budget for a solid wood burner especially if your total budget is $1500. My advice would be to be patient and watch your local Craig's List like a hawk. Or save the extra money and buy what you want and bite the bullet and pay the shipping. Most importantly don't just "settle" for something because you will most likely experience buyers regret always wishing you had bought the one you really had your eye on.

I have purchased two custom trailer rigs and both times just took the hit on shipping charges but i got what i wanted and didn't just settle. I'm in Minnesota and my first rig came from Texas and the second from Arizona.

There are web sites (can't think of the name of one right now) that you list what you want transported by weight and dimension and general description. Where the item is located and where you need to get it to and people will bid on getting it moved for you. But beware you don't always know who you are dealing with on these sites but you can get some decent pricing.

Somebody mentioned Lone Star Grillz. They make a excellent rig and I almost purchased from them at one time. Since then I ran into someone who owns one and looked it over and it's top shelf quality. 
 
Good advice, I'll look at their site and maybe throw the Lang 36 back in the mix, up my budget to $1800. Any others that might be a contender??

MK
 
You may be back in the game with the Brazos. I plugged in Charlottesville VA in Academy's store locator, a Belvedere store in Greenville NC popped up as the closest, and guess what they have in stock? Yep, and it looks like a little over 3 hours from you.

Got a truck or trailer and a few hours on Saturday for a road trip?
 
I certainly don't regret buying my Lang.

The shipping is high, but the guy who delivered it took it all the way around to my back yard & put it right where I wanted it.

The smoker will probably last way longer than me & it really holds temps steady.

Al
 
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