I don't do competitions, so I don't have a dog in this fight, but I've wondered this myself. I guess what confuses me is that if you ask any pro, they will almost universally say you can't get a quality smoke from an electric smoker. So my question is, if that is indeed the case, then wouldn't the electrics in fact be at a disadvantage, and therefore why would wood or coal smokers object? I do understand the issue with keeping the 'fire', but if you are in a competition, then keeping your smoker at the temp is pretty much second nature, so don't really get that either. Plus, one of the arguments against the electrics in general is the fact that their temps aren't in fact, uniform....element on, element off...etc. So my simple mind is confused...which is not hard to do.......