Electric smoker or not?

[ben cartwright]

Howdy,

I looked for a general smoker equipment category to put this post in but did not see one. If it should be somewhere else please move it.

I've been surfing around taking in all the information on smoking for the last couple of months and am now thoroughly overwhelmed and firmly stuck in analysis paralysis.

My family of three is interested in adding a smoker to the cooking options in our household.

Our profile:
- Would like to smoke beef, fish, jerky, pork, chicken. The ability to properly smoke fish and jerky is particularly important to my wife.

- I would like a unit that has the ability to set it and forget it for several hours or until the cook cycle is complete. I'm not the type to sit around on the deck all day and tend to the smoker.

- I would like a unit that has the capability to smoke year round and in the rain when necessary. (I'm in western WA).

- I would like a unit that I can utilize my own apple wood chunks from trees on my property.

- I am not particularly fond of the bradley unit where you have to buy those pucks.

- I would like a unit that has a large installed user base as my experience is this contributes greatly to shortening the learning curve.

I had kind of thought that an electric unit would be best for our profile but I just don't know based on some of the things I'm reading.

I see that some units don't have a thermostat on the element which doesn't make much sense to me, and I have read some accounts of difficulty with getting up to the proper temp.

My wife and I looked at a masterbuilt in Lowes the other day and I was shocked at the tiny 'chip' tray. Then I see comments that the chip tray needs replenishment every hour in some cases? This makes no sense to me and pretty much negates any of the set it and forget it benefits of an electric model?

In my net travels it looks to me like the WSM has a large and active installed user base, and some of those guys reportedly are getting pretty long burning cycles with charcoal, but I'm not clear how the wood works in those units.

To confuse things even further when we were at lowes my wife really like the propane powered master forge double door and we do have propane on hand for use with our grill, but I just wonder about fuel use in a smoker that is running all day?

I need to get off the dime here. Do you guys think an electric smoker would be best for our use and if so are there electric models that do not require frequent tending of the wood chunks?

Thanks
Ben

 

[chisoxjim]

WSM owner here so you probably know where I stand.

Long burns are easy with the WSM, 9-10 hours off one load of lump and wood. no tending necessary. Rain, snow, below zero temps, wind, do not phase the WSM at all.

good luck with your decision.

 

[Bearcarver]

Personally I think the MES 40 would be the best set it & forget it smoker, but only with an added "A-MAZE-N-SMOKER" (cheap).
However you can't use it in the rain, without something over it, because of the electric components, including the digital control center on top of the unit.

This is only my opinion. Many others will disagree, I'm sure.


Bearcarver

 

[mr mac]

There was charcoal and electric representation right there, now, let me add propane to the mix.

I have had an electric unit (Royal Oak) and a charcoal unit in my ECB and I now have a Masterbuilt propane unit and, hands down the propane unit is my favorite! Once I have the temperature set (takes all of about 10 minutes to settle in after the door is closed provided I didn't stick in something cold) I pretty much get to leave it alone for at least an hour when I drop in another chunk of dry wood and then again to add water every two or three hours depending on how hot I'm running it.

I have used my gasser in the cold with the snow landing on it and now in the heat of the early summer here in the Mid-west and it is always easy to use. I can honestly say that now that the warmer weather is here it is truly miserly on fuel consumption! I thought it was low in the winter but now...I love it! One bottle has done a couple of butts (5 pounds each), three sets of ribs, two briskets (5-6 pound) and a couple of chickens. I still have enough to do a light fish or jerky smoke since it will get down to the 140 mark.

Mac

 

[ronp]

Exactly what I think.

 

[morkdach]

i think i will vote for a WATT BURNER

.
Set it forget it.
but i do like to monitor it for the aroma and sneak peaks

 

[desertjake]

Is the A-Maze-N-Smoker just for cold smokes, or do you use it instead of the chip tray for BBQ? If so, is it just for the greater unattended time, or is there another advantage?

 

[Bearcarver]

It's basically a cold smoke generator. There are different sizes, but I use the small one---6" X 6". If I light one side, I can get 7 or 8 hours of consistent light smoke. You can light both sides, and get twice the smoke & half the time, when cold smoking. I use it to hot smoke too, because I don't have to worry about whether or not my MES has stopped smoking, or is putting out too much smoke.

Here is the site.
http://www.amazenproducts.com/index.html
It probably explains it better than I do. The site even has a video to watch one in action. Any questions, don't be afraid to ask.


Bearcarver

 

[ronp]

It will do both.

 

[rstr hunter]

I agree with the MES recommendation and would get the 40" model. Haven't seen the Amazin smoke deal, but sounds like a great deal. I do like my MES for things like this.

 

[smokingriley]

I also say go with a MES 40". I feel its easy to use and produces geat smoke to your food. I have never tried the "A-MAZE-N-SMOKER" but plan to in the furture. In this fourm you will find a lot of MES fans.

 

[fishawn]

I have a 30" MES for about 2.5 years now. It has more than enough room for a family of 4..... I use it in the Snow, Wind, Rain, Cold, etc..... and its spent it's whole life outside, with the last 8 months not even covered & I have never had a problem with the control unit, nor have I ever taken it off for storing inside.... That said, I have had to do some wiring repair, twice, but that was simple. A 30" is fine for me. The new 40" are pretty nice though & have different features than mine. Depending on what I am smoking, I will only add chips 1-4 times, but I may have a larger chip loader than the new ones.... Too much smoke is bad IMO.

 

[meateater]

All great advice above^. If that's what your leaning towards I would say get it. You will never fall short of support here.

Besides many folks have multiple smokers on here.

 

[jirodriguez]

I live a bit south of you in Portland, OR. I have a 22.5" WSM that I use year round.... but I do have a covered porch. I just did a full packer beef brisket and after 16 hrs. I still had enough charcoal left for another 4 or 6 hrs. probably. If you look at this post you will see how I set up the charcoal ring.... and there is more wood chunks burried in the charcoal.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=94077

Basically the top wood gives it smoke at the start, then the burried stuff kicks in later. So if you cut your apple wood into fist sized chunks you could use it as your flavor wood.

If you truely decide you don't want a WSM, then I would suggest gas as a second fuel choice... just keep a spare tank on hand in case one runs out.

 

[illini]

Ben
When I read your post it brought to mind only one electric smoker that answered your criteria.

Google "Cookshack" and have a look for yourself. They only add wood
one time at the beginning.... Set the time and temp then come back
later and it is ready to eat!

Made in USA.... Quality build... PRICEY... Never have read a review
on them other than on their website which is probably biased.

Anyway I thought it was what you are searching for.

Good Luck; Marvin

 

[yount]

i have 3 smokers electric,charcoal,and propane the one i cant live with out is my propane from lowes the perfect flame gas consumption is great on this alot longer then i expected cheaper then charcoal i think and i put chunks and chips and even pellets in a old soup can with the lid partially opened got that info on this site and increases my smoke time alot and the temps hold stable for a set and forget only time i open is to spritz and throw some more chips in if it need while i am spritzing

 

[fishawn]

Another Thought..... All cost at least some money to operate..... Charcoal & Propane are expensive..... Not sure how they compare to electric cost wise, but there is also the inconvenience of running out of either Charcoal or Propane, take your Propane Grill for example..... I have not owned, used or operated a Propane smoker, but have heard 3-4 smokes per 20# BBQ tank..... Does that sound about right..... Electric, you run the risk of a power outage.... Then you just plug into your generator....

.... I personally love the taste of charcoal cooked food & if I had more time, I would go WSM..... BUT.... They are NOT insulated & can be greatly affected by temps & wind from what I hear.

 

[jirodriguez]

Good run down

The WSM isn't affected to bad by just temperature, not like the horizontal offsets. I'm sure Chisoxjim has a few snow pictures somewhere... lol.

Wind does need to be taken into consideration though. Light to medium winds it will handle no problem, but if it gets to be a gusty, high wind day you will need a wind break. A lot of folks cut a piece of MDF or plywood into 3rds, attach hinges so it folds and use it to create a three walled windbreak.

 

[mr mac]

Not at all! I have refilled my 20# tank twice now since December (total of three fills at $12/fill flat rate) and have probably averaged 7 smokes (each better than six hours) on a single tank. Electric has to be the cheapest of all to operate! Mine was maybe $5/month additional on the electric bill and we smoked at least twice a week during that time frame.

 

[chisoxjim]

probaly some pics from one of my late December, early January smokes where the air temp was 5-10 below zero, and wind chill was in the -20 range. still got 9-10 hours out of a ring of lump.

also I dont worry about how much the WSM costs to run(which is minimal), the better taste of charcoal smoked meat is easily worth the few extra coins. With lump charcoal costing about $.47/lb cost really isnt an issue at all(probably costs me less than $5 for 9-10 hours). Plus when the power grid goes down I can still smoke.