Good Morning Everyone!
I come to the community today looking for advice on a new smoker. For the past couple months I've been doing research on here and through the web on a charcoal smoker that is economically friendly to me. I've narrowed it down to just 2 smokers, both are near the same price.. I do like my electric smoker but I think I am ready for a new challenge - learning how to build/control a fire and temps. Here's the low down, good/bad of each, and mods they will need (or I plan on doing anyways).. Would appreciate some input on either smokers and/or suggestions.
Subject A) Brinkmann Trailmaster Vertical Offset Smoker - $270 @ Home Depot
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Brinkmann-Trailmaster-Vertical-Smoker-855-6303-SB/203703110
Pros)
- Good Build
- Light Weight
- Lots of Cooking Space
- Hooks for Sausages
- Fair Price
Cons)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Oklahoma-...bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&findingMethod=p13n
Pros)
- Good Built
- Fair Price
- Light weight
- The small working table on front to set things (like the meat probe stand)
- Double as just a grill (I guess the vertical technically could to...
)
Cons)
- Cooking space?
- Mods - Or the costs of modding to make it ideal
-
Intended Modifications:
Another point, I stumbled upon an OK Joe LONGHORN smoker on craiglist nearby my hometown. It has the convection plate, charcoal basket, and.. Unless he sold it off separately - a stoker system? I haven't emailed him.. because it looks like he made a new post a week or 2 ago with the same Smoker, MINUS pics of the stoker system... for $475. I'm half interested in it with or without the stoker system just because it has the plate and basket already..
So to sum it up initial price of the smokers is mute.. But just looking at the mods it appears the vertical offset may have a big advantage. Cooking space also favors the vertical.. even though I'm typically not smoking large volumes of meat.. YET... likely just holidays atm..
Thanks everyone for the help. Like I said I have done some research on the forums as well as reviews on other sites for each smoker. If I'm missing a pro/con lemme know and I'll add it to the list. Just getting into the last stage of my decision making, and would like to know..
What would YOU do??
I come to the community today looking for advice on a new smoker. For the past couple months I've been doing research on here and through the web on a charcoal smoker that is economically friendly to me. I've narrowed it down to just 2 smokers, both are near the same price.. I do like my electric smoker but I think I am ready for a new challenge - learning how to build/control a fire and temps. Here's the low down, good/bad of each, and mods they will need (or I plan on doing anyways).. Would appreciate some input on either smokers and/or suggestions.
Subject A) Brinkmann Trailmaster Vertical Offset Smoker - $270 @ Home Depot
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Brinkmann-Trailmaster-Vertical-Smoker-855-6303-SB/203703110
Pros)
- Good Build
- Light Weight
- Lots of Cooking Space
- Hooks for Sausages
- Fair Price
Cons)
- Door Latches (Several comments on how they don't seal tight)
- May not handle Large cuts of meat
- New Latches
- 2x more temperature gauges
- Gasket seal
- Charcoal Basket
- Drill Holes to insert Meat Probes?
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Oklahoma-...bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&findingMethod=p13n
Pros)
- Good Built
- Fair Price
- Light weight
- The small working table on front to set things (like the meat probe stand)
- Double as just a grill (I guess the vertical technically could to...
Cons)
- Cooking space?
- Mods - Or the costs of modding to make it ideal
-
Intended Modifications:
- Charcoal Basket
- Convection Plate
- Lowering Exhaust (Takes away some cooking space)
- 2x more temperature gauges on either end
- Drill Holes for meat probes?
- Gasket Seals (Not as important at first)
Another point, I stumbled upon an OK Joe LONGHORN smoker on craiglist nearby my hometown. It has the convection plate, charcoal basket, and.. Unless he sold it off separately - a stoker system? I haven't emailed him.. because it looks like he made a new post a week or 2 ago with the same Smoker, MINUS pics of the stoker system... for $475. I'm half interested in it with or without the stoker system just because it has the plate and basket already..
So to sum it up initial price of the smokers is mute.. But just looking at the mods it appears the vertical offset may have a big advantage. Cooking space also favors the vertical.. even though I'm typically not smoking large volumes of meat.. YET... likely just holidays atm..
Thanks everyone for the help. Like I said I have done some research on the forums as well as reviews on other sites for each smoker. If I'm missing a pro/con lemme know and I'll add it to the list. Just getting into the last stage of my decision making, and would like to know..
What would YOU do??