does anyone own a pitmaker?

[jerseydrew]

i'm still shopping for a cabinet smoker and this one seems to fit my bill better than others. ideally i would like a gravity feed system for convenience but this looks like a fantastic smoker. 

any pros/cons you can tell me? if i am going to spend this much on a smoker i only want to do it once....

 

[millerk0486]

Have you looked into the Backwoods Smokers? If you are looking for a vertical water smoker, check them out. I have had my eye on their, "Party" model, but don't want to spend that much money quite yet.

 

[jerseydrew]

i've been looking at all of them. backwoods, stumps, pitmaker, superior, spicewine and so on. but quality & size vs price makes me lean towards pitmaker.

if i were to find a good unit used at a good price i would take any of them. but if i am going to shell out for a new unit i want it to be good.

from my research and this is hearsay!!!!

the problem with the stumps is inconsistent heat in the chamber you could have 20 deg difference from left to right and from top to bottom, it's something to do with the fire box being on the side and the way the heat travels.

the backwoods is good but most people find the build quality to lack and uses thinner metal. 

i see the biggest complaint about vertical water smokers being that the waterpans rot out. the pitmaker makes the waterpan out of stainless to combat the problem. 

please this is by no means a bashing session i am just pointing out what i have found on the internet. and i would absolutely buy any brand of them if the deal were good enough!!!

 

[millerk0486]

I didn't take it as a bashing session, LoL. I don't own any of them. I currently cook on a WSM but have wanted a Backwoods one for its capacity, etc... However you have opened my eyes with your research. I had never known about stumps or pitmakers before. The pitmakers look nice and I like the idea of the staineless steel for the water pan too. Stainless is easier to clean and not porous for bacteria to grow in either.

I hope to upgrade to higher end vertical smoker in the next 2-3 years, so let me know which one you go with and how it turns out!

 

[jerseydrew]

i'm on a WSM too and i hate using the bottom rack because it is a PITA. so i basically use the WSM as a single rack smoker. which limits me on what/how much i can smoke. i don't need a huge smoker but if i am going to bite the bullet and buy one i am going to get a good and big one. i like the idea of the vault because it can fit steamer pans and i can use the top rack with 2 briskets and have a pan under it for the drippings then i can use the middle rack for 2 butts and put a pan under it for the drippings and use the lowest rack for ribs and or chicken all at once. or jut load the SOB up with everything at once for a nice cookout. 

i am not 100% on anything yet but this is the way i am leaning. plus i am not going to buy till about feb so i can use my tax return to help pay for it. 

 

[jerseydrew]

well after reading more the pitmaker seems to have it's issues too. it seems to always cook hot and is extremely difficult to get down once it has passed the desired temp. also seems like the small amount of fuel runs out quickly. 

 

[fwismoker]

Drew sometimes less is more. No one machine can cook a bird at 325 and do ribs at 225 for example. Maybe consider adding 1 smoker and get better results.

I'd take 2 WSMs or 2 UDS OVER 1 of those cabinet smokers any day of the week and twice on Tuesdays...for the q they can produce.

 

[millerk0486]

i'm on a WSM too and i hate using the bottom rack because it is a PITA. so i basically use the WSM as a single rack smoker. which limits me on what/how much i can smoke. i don't need a huge smoker but if i am going to bite the bullet and buy one i am going to get a good and big one. i like the idea of the vault because it can fit steamer pans and i can use the top rack with 2 briskets and have a pan under it for the drippings then i can use the middle rack for 2 butts and put a pan under it for the drippings and use the lowest rack for ribs and or chicken all at once. or jut load the SOB up with everything at once for a nice cookout.  

That is the main reason why I would want a bigger unit; to cook different, if not all meat types at once. I want to get into a comp with all meat categories, but I wouldn't be able to do it with just my WSM. Also, the ability to cook for a larger crowd would be a plus too.

 

[jerseydrew]

Drew sometimes less is more. No one machine can cook a bird at 325 and do ribs at 225 for example. Maybe consider adding 1 smoker and get better results.

I'd take 2 WSMs or 2 UDS OVER 1 of those cabinet smokers any day of the week and twice on Tuesdays...for the q they can produce.

yeah, ideally i would love a lang stick burner but i don't know where to get that much quality wood and/or how to properly store it. i think if i got a stick burner my problem would be fuel. 

i just really like the idea of shelves/racks you can easily get to all your food. and i actually cheat on my chicken i smoke it at 225-250 then just pop it in the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the skin. 

 

[fwismoker]

Drew I'm like you in that I don't care to mess with lifting one rack to get to food on another...it is a pita

I'll tell you one thing if you tasted the chicken I cook on either my mini or uds you would NEVER cheat again. The skin and flavor profiles created by drippings going down into the coals and combing with the smoke...OMG