ATTN Bradley smoker owners

[dking1988]

hey guys, just wondering if anybody else has had a similar concern... i bought a Bradley 6 rack digital about 6 months ago and have used it probably a dozen times so far.. i keep it in the garage so it is out the wind and rain... the oven element has a hard time getting the smoker over a temp of about 230. has anyone else noticed this with theirs? any tips of how to get it to heat up a little hotter? appreciate it.

 

[chef jimmyj]

I don't own a Bradley but from what I have read here, that is about all a Bradley will do temp wise. I could be wrong. Check the Bradley Forum to verify there is no issue...JJ

 

[huntmastershaun]

I've had a Bradley 4 rack for years.. they're susceptible to heat loss through wind, and general cold or chilly temps.

I have been able to get my unit up to 290 on warm days, but when it's loaded with meat, it struggles to stay above 220.

One small work around, put 2 bricks in the bottom, that are wrapped in foil. They act as heat syncs, and when you open the unit, they help it come back up to temp more quickly.

I've done a lot of cooking in mine, and I've enjoyed it a lot, but recently bought a UDS smoker, so we'll see how much the Bradley gets used now.

 

[huntmastershaun]

Also, don't close the vent all the way, ever.. too much humidity builds up, and humidity leeches heat.. keep it at least half to fully open. And let it come well above your cooking temp with the bricks in it, before loading meat.. Also, be warned that the back of the unit cooking area may get hotter than the front because of the element being in the back.. might have to rotate more often.

 

[micrometereye]

dking1988 I have a Bradley 4 rack for about 4 years now. The first year I had it on my deck on a home made table. I too had a hard time getting the temperature up where I needed it to be (225-240). The second year I moved it into my garage and ran a vent pipe up through the roof. Since then I've had no problems getting the temperature even up to 255. No wind to dissipate the heat. Just my thoughts.