AMNPS in WSM

[pcmyers23]

I'd like to get an AMNPS to use in my 22.5 WSM but am unsure which one to get. I've seen people use the tubes and then also the troughs. I've learned tons just lurking these forums and feel that I've mastered chicken on the WSM and am ready to move on to cheese.

Any input and suggestions is appreciated, thanks.

 

[thedad45373]

I have both, AMNPS and the AMNTS. In my opinion I find the PS to do a good job with both the dust and pellets and the TS does a better job with pellets.
Just my opinion..

 

[pcmyers23]

Thanks for the reply. Seems like im leaning more towards the PS unless someone tells me otherwise. Thoughts on the different sizes?

 

[ndkoze]

I got the AMNPS because I wanted the ability to use both Dust and Pellets.

The AMNTS is only designed to use Pellets.

Either work well, but if you want the capability to use dust, the PS is the way to go.

The one advantage of the TS is that it is long and narrow which makes it easier to put to one side of the smoker to avoid meat drippings from falling on it.

 

[pcmyers23]

Yea I like to have choices so I think I'll go ahead and get the 5x8 PS. About to place the order for package number 3...time to get some cheese.

• A-MAZE-N-PELLET-SMOKER 5X8 Tray
• 2 lbs. each of the following A-MAZE-N-PELLET flavors: Hickory, Maple, Cherry, Oak
• Self Igniting Propane Torch

 

[welshrarebit]

Another thing to consider is if you live at a high altitude you'd want the tube...,

 

[pcmyers23]

I'm down in Texas so I think its sea level. Anything else to consider? Have the package in the cart but am just waiting a bit to see if someone points something else out.

Thanks yall.

 

[coloradoadrian]

I ordered the tray and they called me the next day and recommended that I switch to the pipe based on my altitude.  It was $5 less than the tray so they sent an extra bay of pellets to make up the difference.  They are great to work with.

 

[dave17a]

I'd like to get an AMNPS to use in my 22.5 WSM but am unsure which one to get. I've seen people use the tubes and then also the troughs. I've learned tons just lurking these forums and feel that I've mastered chicken on the WSM and am ready to move on to cheese.

Any input and suggestions is appreciated, thanks.

Never done dust. Humidity here scares me. Bought maple pellets from Todd and dried in oven more than once, would not stay lit. Have other pellets witth issues. Yhen again most of them keep it goin. Who knows. Todd Replace  the Maple for me. Ha

 

[dward51]

I'm a little late to the party, but my experience is that the pellet tray does not work well in a WSM.  Not enough free oxygen above the charcoal to keep it lit.  If you crank open the vents for more air, you temps spike and soon exceed the limits of the pellets (ie, all the pellets start to burn at once).  Mine is a 18.5" WSM.  Most of the time I run a BBQ Guru which keeps the oxygen throttled back to control temps so the problem is pretty consistent on a Guru.

I don't know how well the tube performs in a WSM though.

 

[welshrarebit]

I'm a little late to the party, but my experience is that the pellet tray does not work well in a WSM.  Not enough free oxygen above the charcoal to keep it lit.  If you crank open the vents for more air, you temps spike and soon exceed the limits of the pellets (ie, all the pellets start to burn at once).  Mine is a 18.5" WSM.  Most of the time I run a BBQ Guru which keeps the oxygen throttled back to control temps so the problem is pretty consistent on a Guru.

I don't know how well the tube performs in a WSM though.

This thread is about using a WSM as a cold smoker! No charcoal and no heat regulator!

I have used a smoke generator with no heat source, aka amnts, to cold smoke stuff before... I haven't used a amnps because I don't have one!

If you're gonna use a WSM to hot smoke something there's no reason to use a smoke generator...

 

[dward51]

Ooops......   the curse of posting when half asleep has stuck again!  I saw the thread title in the scrolling new post summary page and did not notice it was in the "cold smoke" section.

On that note, the pellet tray works fine as a cold smoker in a WSM.  I've done it several times and have even used a small electric hot plate as the heat source in mine.  I did that as a test to see if I could do the whole smoke of a batch of snack stick and slowly have a stepped transition from cold smoke to final smoke/heat.  It did fine.  I've even thought about using a brinkmann element and a PID controller for just this purpose with sausage and snack sticks.

As long as you have adequate air flow to the pellets, that tray (and I would presume the tube as well) are great.  So yes, cold smoking with no charcoal and no heat would work perfectly in a WSM.

One thing I have found is that no matter how hard you try to keep them dry, the pellets seem to absorb free moisture from the air in storage.  I have had this issue with different brands, so it appears to just be the nature of pellets.  When I use pellets I will dry them out a little before use.  1 to 2 minutes in the microwave before putting them in the tray works for me.  It is surprising the amount of moisture you will see on the sides of the container from "dry" pellets after a quick trip in the microwave.  They start great with a propane torch after that.

I've used mine for both dust and pellets, but I like the pellets better.  Oddly enough I don't recall having the moisture issue with the sawdust, just the pellets.  I guess it has something to do with the way they are pressed and made?

As to the altitude, I'm about about 800 fee above sea level, but I'm in Georgia so the humidity can be brutal at times.