So I finally made up my mind & went with the Brinkmann horizontal smoker. I just like the horizontals. Unforunatley it's not as well built as I had hoped!! It is a good gauge but there are so MANY leaks in the firebox it smokes more than the stack!! The stock gauge is off by almost 50. Then I have to keep the firebox damper all the way close just to try & keep it at 300:( not happy at all:(