Anyone make the switch from charcoal? Experiences?

[ross77]

I went from a WSM to a RecTeq and I sold the RecTeq for a Masterbuilt 560. Pellet smokers are very convenient but you give up flavor for that convenience. IMO you just can't be the flavor of charcoal and wood chunks.

All that being said, the Masterbuilt is the lowest quality of all the smokers I've owned. Hopefully someone will make a more robust version but I haven't had any serious problems with mine after 11 months. No question the flavor is much better than a pellet smoker. Not to mention you can smoke at 275 and still get great flavor.

 

[Baconyoulikeapig]

I went from a GMG pellet to a Primo kamado.

The GMG is very fast and convenient. It doesn't grill worth a darn (just as you would expect to grill a steak in your kitchen oven at 500 degrees) so it's main use for me was smoking low and slow. It's had a couple of technology problems but nothing yet that's made it inoperable, just inconvenient. If the power goes out, then you gotta drag the generator out if your set on using it. The smoke flavor is just barely enough WITH a smoke tube on anything other than poultry.

The kamado takes 45 minutes to an hour to set up and get to stable temp, but when I'm cooking for 8-14 hours, that one hour setup is hardly noticed and no big deal. It gives me time to prepare the meat or make my rub.

Good luck in your decision!

 

[danbono]

I have both 22" WSM and Rec Teq 590. The 590 is such a pleasure to start and set up,but the so far the smoke flavor has NOT been there..I just started using a 12" smoke which more of a PIA to get going then the smoker.. Even with the tube the smoke flavor has been lacking. I use the WSM with a rotisserie when I want smoke flavor.
Dan