I currently have a Meadow Creek SQ36 with a second tear rack and cover which I am going to be selling later this month.
The smoker has been OK.......but had I looked at or more importantly spoken to someone who had a Lang smoker I would have bought the Lang hands down.
I recently had the opportunity to work with a BBQ Team at a local Church that has a Lang 108 (Big Guy Don'ta Ya Know) and we smoked more than 85 butts last weekend for three events and I was absolutely blown away with the ease of use with the smoker, the consistent temperatures from one end to the other and didn't have to cut down two trees work of wood.
The BBQ Team Lead has a Lang 60 which was used as well for a second function and we loaded that up with butts as well.
Now, having said all of that, I have spent the last three months doing my due diligence on a an upgrade smoker to the Meadow Creek and I am going to purchase their 48 Patio Model.
I spent a great deal of time this year watching the Kingsford BBQ Pit masters program on the TV weekly and paid particular attention to who was cooking on what kind of smoker. In the final episode when it was down to three people for the $50K prize two of the three cooked on a Lang Smoker and the individual who finally one the $50K Smoked on a Lang.
Now I know that I am rambling on and I apologize to you. If you price out the Meadow Creek SQ36 with the second tier rack which you would want and a cover you are looking at around $1200.00+.
I would highly recommend to you to go to the Lang Smoker web site, spend sometime watching the free videos and they have the Kingsford BBQ Pitt Masters episodes on their site that you can see. Watch Ben Lang show you how to start a fire and season & clean your smoker as well.
If you haven't already looked at Lang I would highly recommend that you do and they have a nice looking 36 Patio model that is just a little smaller than the 48 that I am going to order. Please note that the Lang Smoker is the "True Reverse Flow Smoker" and the only one on the market. I found out through a lot of digging that folks from Meadow Creek came down to Georgia, bought a Lang and tried to copy Ben Lang's reverse flow smoker design but I can personally tell you that their smoker does NOT smoke like a Lang. The butts we cooked for 12 hours and the pulled pork was moist and out of this world. Now the Lang 36 patio model costs $1095.00. Please go on the Lang Forum here and read some of the many comments from Lang owners.