I'm looking into getting a new smoker. What's the best smoker for the money. Looking around 300 or less.
Hello, this is my first post here on this forum. I have been researching smokers and the Pit Barrel comes highly recommended at the $300 price point (which is really all I want to spend here). Of course I've looked at the Weber too but I can't seem to make a decision between the two. I read that the Weber construction quality is questionable and that the grates and water bowl are easily able to slip off the tabs that hold them, and that the PBC doesn't come with a water bowl and that you should only use Kingsford briquettes in it. If you could indulge me I was hoping that you could elaborate on why you would pick the Weber over the PBC.I have a wsm and a pit barrel because I am a degenerate outdoor cooker buyer haha. Both are worth the money and produce great results. I think the WSM is a bit more versatile but the pit barrel can cook a lot more food because of the hanging thing. All depends what you're looking for.
Hello, this is my first post here on this forum. I have been researching smokers and the Pit Barrel comes highly recommended at the $300 price point (which is really all I want to spend here). Of course I've looked at the Weber too but I can't seem to make a decision between the two. I read that the Weber construction quality is questionable and that the grates and water bowl are easily able to slip off the tabs that hold them, and that the PBC doesn't come with a water bowl and that you should only use Kingsford briquettes in it. If you could indulge me I was hoping that you could elaborate on why you would pick the Weber over the PBC.
Thank you in advance and I hope this topic hasn't been beaten to death already. If so I apologize.
I never had any grates or water bowl slip off my WSM...Am I missing something?
Hello, this is my first post here on this forum. I have been researching smokers and the Pit Barrel comes highly recommended at the $300 price point (which is really all I want to spend here). Of course I've looked at the Weber too but I can't seem to make a decision between the two. I read that the Weber construction quality is questionable and that the grates and water bowl are easily able to slip off the tabs that hold them, and that the PBC doesn't come with a water bowl and that you should only use Kingsford briquettes in it. If you could indulge me I was hoping that you could elaborate on why you would pick the Weber over the PBC.
Thank you in advance and I hope this topic hasn't been beaten to death already. If so I apologize.
No sir, I don't think that you are. As I lurk the forums I encounter posts from people who have various and sundry opinions on all of these contraptions and one or two of these folks complained that the tabs on their WSM's were either too short or the walls of the unit were not perfectly round and that led to the grates and/or water bowls falling. I was marginally concerned about that in my checklist of data points leading to the purchase of a new smoker. Even if that was the case it seems like it would be trivial fix if the rest of the smoker was ideal.
No actually!!! That's what I was thinking too - get the hooks from the PBC and DIY them onto the WSM. Yea that Weber hook contraption could have be better executed. Lots of negative comments on Amazon. So I'm edging ever closer to Home Depot tonight ;-)No problem at all. That's what this forum is for. The pit barrel ash simply just falls into the bottom of the barrel. The contraption they sell just makes it easier to clean after a cook. Not really needed in my opinion because you can line the bottom with heavy duty foil and just lift the ashes and throw away. If you don't like using up foil, you can get a pizza pan like I did on the advice from someone on a BBQ forum. There are hooks and a kit available for the WSM so you can hang the meat but I read many places that they are not good quality and I would be better off using the hooks from PBC in your WSM. Hhaha im probably making your decision tougher now but I have to say the customer service from both companies is awesome.
Amen..Drewed!
I have a WSM, the big one in fact. What exactly do you think that you will need to hang that can't be cooked on a grate?
As for gates and water bowls falling, I have never head of this. I wouldn't worry about that.
The only downsides to the WSM are that they are slightly harder to load ribs onto vs a horizontal smoker ( I use rib racks ) and it can be harder to maintain temps in the colder/ windier/ wetter time. I have seen some guys built blankets and wind breaks and that seams to solve that problem.
As for quality? Dude, its a weber.....
Hahaha that's to be discovered. But, I have to tell you: I have 13 nieces and nephews, 3 kids of my own, and 3 siblings and their balls and chains. Occasionally, we get together! Oh and the straggling GF and BF. I'm pretty sure this machine will see some use!
I have a WSM, the big one in fact. What exactly do you think that you will need to hang that can't be cooked on a grate?
As for gates and water bowls falling, I have never head of this. I wouldn't worry about that.
The only downsides to the WSM are that they are slightly harder to load ribs onto vs a horizontal smoker ( I use rib racks ) and it can be harder to maintain temps in the colder/ windier/ wetter time. I have seen some guys built blankets and wind breaks and that seams to solve that problem.
As for quality? Dude, its a weber.....