That is how I started.... spent about $180-$200 buying and modding a Char-griller, got sick of having to baby sit it all the time, sold it for $80, bought a 22.5" WSM for $365 and never looked back. My 22.5" holds more meat, and I can actually fire it up at midnight, get it to temp, and go to bed for 6 hrs., check it in the AM with my first cup of coffee, and leave it alone till the meat is done! That is stock out of the box with the exception of adding eyelet holes for my probe therms.I'd say get a cheap offset to start. After you have smoked some of your own meat you will want another and another. Soon you'll have one of each because each one is great for different things.
I feel that you should have to tend your fire and watch the smoker do what it does. I don't mind the work that goes into every piece of meat I cook. That's the reason I never would've gotten an electric. The only reason I built the EUDS is for low temp stuff like bacon and cheese. Everyone feels differently but to me these set and forget smokers take away from what cooking meat on the grill/smoker is all about. Hanging out with family and friends drinking beers talking crap and making damn good food!That is how I started.... spent about $180-$200 buying and modding a Char-griller, got sick of having to baby sit it all the time, sold it for $80, bought a 22.5" WSM for $365 and never looked back. My 22.5" holds more meat, and I can actually fire it up at midnight, get it to temp, and go to bed for 6 hrs., check it in the AM with my first cup of coffee, and leave it alone till the meat is done! That is stock out of the box with the exception of adding eyelet holes for my probe therms.
Yup - that's why I got the 22.5" WSM. I did OK on short cooks when I had my Char-griller, but doing pork butts and brisket was a pain. Now I can light the smoker at midnight toss on the meat and go to bed. In the winter I wrap my smoker in a welding blanket and it can run at 250° with little to no input from me.
I owned a Traeger for many years and it did a great job until I wanted to dial in the temp to a specific setting...
That's when I moved on to an offset cooker. The OK Joes units in my area were being closed out and after some work it turned out to be a great cooker.
I love tending the fire and relaxing on the patio during long cooks, but it's not always good weather here in OR, so now I'm looking at a set it & forget it type of cooker.
The Pit Barrel Cookers get great reviews and come in at $289 delivered to your door...
There are a lot of options out there for all of us which makes deciding on which cooker to buy a fun little project. Enjoy -
Wow, totally confused now ? Whatever you decide on, Practice Practice and you Will be cranking out great Q in no time. I started with an ECB, used one for years, Still have one I get out every once in a while.. Which ever one you get look up some post and threads on mods. It will help it be a lot more efficient
Gary