Cant decide on which smoker to get.

[jrsterling]

All,

I have been struggling on which smoker to get.  My two options are a 22 inch WSM and a Old Country Over & Under from Academy.

Here is a link to the Old Country if you are not familiar with it.  http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/old-country-bbq-pits-over-and-under-smoker#repChildCatid=1277366

My struggle is that these are obviously two extremely opposite types of smokers. 

Old Country:  I like the heavy gauge and style of the Over & Under.  Most of the reviews are good on this though there are some that speak of a lower quality control in the original smokers they made for the Academy.  They seem to be very well made now.  The other factor is that this would no doubt be go through some wood and need constant watching to maintain temp.  Although many would see this as a problem there is a lot of fun in sitting in the backyard manning a smoker.  It seems that this would last for decades if you take care of it.

WSM:  First off I don't think I've ever heard anyone say a bad thing about a WSM.  Everyone I talk to and read online thinks this is the best bang for the buck.  Many have won competitions with these and no doubt it produces some great meat.  The first problem I have the door in the front.  It just looks so thin and would seem to leak smoke and heat.  On the flip side many say they can hold temp for 8 hours on one load of charcoal and wood. 

Can you comment with your thoughts and on either and if you own one please share your experiences.

Thank you

JR 

 

[dirtsailor2003]

I can't comment on the 22, but I have the 14.5 & the 18. Yes the door is light weight but I really don't see that as an issue. You can get a better door from Cajun Bandits. I have thought about it for my 18 but still haven't.

One load of charcoal in the 18 and I can get 16-20 hours of cook and smoke time.

The 14 I can get 12-14 hours.

These are super efficient. I don't run a guru or other fan device. I don't really see the need. Some seem to think it's a needed accessory.

 

[dirtydonkey]

I just bought the 18 WSM and did my first smoke on it Saturday. I couldn't be happier. I got the temp dialed in and didn't have to touch it again for a 6 hour cook. Front door did leak a little but didnt seem to effect performance, and was very little.

 

[SmokinAl]

I vote WSM 22.5.

I've had one for years.

Yes they leak, but it doesn't affect the performance.

As a matter of fact if you talk to Weber they will tell you that the smoker was not designed to be air tight.

I ran mine for a couple of years with out any mods at all, then bought a BBQ Guru.

It really makes the unit totally set & forget with the flavor of charcoal & wood.

I have gotten 22 hours out of 1 load of charcoal & wood.

Al

 

[herrjaeger]

Newbie here, and recently bought the WSM 18 after spending a good bit of time on these forums reading reviews as well as posts about smoking projects that I'd like to try. The WSM 18 seemed to fit the bill for what I want to try. I've used mine 3 times so far for Pork Butts and Canadian Bacon. I found it well constructed, easy to set up and worked well right out of the box. Smoking conditions differed for each of the 3 times I used it (wind, outside temp), so it required some adjustments to the vents each time, but that's part of the learning curve. The door seems flimsy compared to the materials used in the rest of the WSM, but given Weber's reputation for quality and how solid the rest of the smoker is, there may be some reason for this. So far I haven't observed any smoke leak at the door. So far the only thing I've added is the iGrill2 for remote temp monitoring, but in choosing the WSM, I knew from reading in the forums that upgrades I may want in the future (like autofan device, etc) are available for this smoker, and what it's limitations are. I'd consider what smoking projects you may want to do in the future and what modifications you may want later before deciding on any particular smoker. I hope that's some help

 

[gr8day]

With the Old Country once you have established a good coal bed it needs to be fed splits about every 40 minutes to an hour. Like you said some people enjoy being more involved with the cook and think you get the best results when cooking with wood. 

I have a WSM 18.5 it's been great, I did replace the door just because I thought it deserved better, also added a lid hinge for convenience, and the Weber Hanging Kit so I can cook PBC style if I want. I prefer to cook at 300 give or take and I've gotten a good 11hrs out of it cooking at those temps, my only complaint is the factory dome thermo is worthless and my only regret is I should have bought the 22.5 instead of the 18.5.

 

[young j]

I'd go with the WSM. Haven't heard anything bad about the WSM and I think it's the best charcoal smoker for the price. I have the Weber kettle and I love it, but I want to upgrade to the WSM

 

[gr0uch0]

I don't think you can go wrong with either, as they have their own merits. I would suggest that you understand the limitations of each, what you're objectives are, and go from there. Are you going to be doing large packers and large full racks of spares? More horizontal space on the OC. Heavier gauge steel?? Easier access for different cook times? OC. Want a lightweight, set-and-forget (largely) type set-up? More portable cooker? WSM is your ticket. All shakes out to your personal usage and preferences in my book. This one isn't as cut and dried as other comparisons I've seen--good luck.

 

[dukeburger]

I'll put my vote in for the WSM.

I've owned the 18" for a couple years now and use it mod free. As the door is a little thin and is not air tight, I haven't had a problem keeping temps up. The more it is seasoned the less smoke will leak out as well. Never given a new door or any other mods a second thought, the unit works great out of the box. I plan on getting a 22" some day.

 

[b-one]

I'm casting my vote WSM! Same reason as others and I don't currently have the time to by the smoker and wouldn't get to smoke much. I also like to do overnite smokes and enjoy my sleep.

 

[whitefish]

Let me throw another twist into this tread. I have an 19” WSM and an Old Country Wrangler offset smoker. I think Academy no longer sells the Wrangler model. Both of these smokers produce very good results. Recently, I have become bored with the constant attention that the Wrangler and WSM require for feeding fuel and making sure I have enough charcoal and wood. So, I purchased a Green Mountain Pellet Grill, Daniel Boone model, and I love it. Truely set and forget and it produces very good results. The pellets are a little easier to handle than charcoal and wood. I use a 12” A-MAZE-N tube smoke generator which provides, in my opinion, as much smoke flavor as wood. I'm so satisfied that I am about to sell my Wrangler. Will probably keep the WSM, but don't plan to use it that much. These are my opinions and who knows, you may really enjoy “handling and working with” your smokers, but I really like to think of mine as the outdoor oven, turn it on, put the food in and finish in time for a really great dinner.

 

[cornman]

I'm one of those WSM owners and I'm going to second what's been said already. I'm more than happy with mine. Easy to assemble, easy to use, and it makes great food. I have the 14.5 and my only regret is I didn't buy a larger model. Good luck!

 

[tsonka]

i have a WSM and there great 

 

[lemans]

IMG_4480.JPG

• lemans
• Feb 27, 2017

Here is my vote!

 

[sauced]

I would vote for the WSM as it is probably as close to a set it and forget it smoker (charcoal) out there. The other smoker will require you to tend to the fire, add splits of wood etc. not that there is anything wrong with that. I personally use a weber 22 1/2" kettle for small smokes and an OK Joe for larger smokes. I like them both. 

 

[jrsterling]

Thank you for the input gents.  Of course I have decided on buying both.  I have a char griller pellet smoker now and am just not satisfied with the amount of smoke you get off it.

 

[pokes13]

How much fuel do you typically use on a 10 hour cook with the O&U?

 

[ammaturesmoker]

for me this one is a tossup......Wood tastes so much better than charcoal. On the other hand, fire management is always a pain. Perhaps the reason for a pellet unit. I smoke with a stick burner myself.