my first electric smoker????

[les3176]

It has been a very long time since i have been on,like most of you my days are full of things to do. But things are finally slowing down a bit and i get to spend some time doing what i love.....smoking meat!!!!! I have a ecb and a chargriller duo both have alot of mods and have produced very fine bbq [thanks to this site and all the great people on it] enough that when there is a family get together or picnic i am now the cook!!! I really like my smokers it has took some time to learn how to use them,and how they run.BUT the other day my wife asked me if i would like a electric smoker for christmas if it would be alitte easier for me not having to run out to the garage to check temps,charcoal,smoke every 30 min or so. i have a maverick but it really doesnt reach from the garage to the house.I have looked at electrics before just never got one not for any reason really.So i thought why not ask you guys and girls is there any real benifit in a electric vs charcoal? is there a diffrance in flavor? in bark? in ease of cooking? So now the question of what smoker to get my wife told me to pick one out and she would get it for me i was thinking of the mes 40 or a bradley  but i am open for suggestions! so please if you have any thoughts i would love to hear what you all think.

 

[Bearcarver]

This link below pretty much covers it:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/fo...uld-i-buy-bradley-cookshack-or-something-else

Bear

 

[les3176]

thanks bear, seems like most everyone likes the mes.But what i guess im tryin to ask is there a differance in the end product? is there a differance in flavor or bark between the electric vs the charcoal? What do you's like to use more? Is there any benefit in gettin a electric or should i maybe think about just getting another charcoal smoker..just a bigger one?

 

[Bearcarver]

I would have to say the flavor for most everything would probably be best from the charcoal, if it's done right.

I feel it's too late for me to learn all of the little tricks with the Charcoal side burners, UDS barrels, and things like that.

I don't have the energy or the inclination to make things difficult.

I love my MES 40 with remote!

I just push the buttons, load & light my AMNS, and as the late great Jackie used to say,

"And Away We Go !!!!"

Bear

 

[miamirick]

how ya doin les,   my second smoker was a bradley electric and i really enjoyed it very easy to use and very easy to maintain    i learned alot with it and made almost anything with it,  when it broke i moved to the gosm, but mainly cause it was bigger     bradley is pretty cheap  get it bass pro shops   the only drawback was the pellets which you have to buy were not cheap

 

[eman]

Started w/ a coal / stick burner and now have the MES 40.

 The flavor is a little better on the coals but to me, not enough to off set the ease of use on the MES.

I have done 9  racks of spares at once and another time i loaded the mes w/ a lil over 50 lbs of meat.

 It's really up to you .if you want to stand around and tend the fire or not.

 

[les3176]

a big thanks to all who replied.I have done some lookin around here and the web,and all the q pictures look great! So i guess i will have to get a electric to experimant for myself!!! I am going to shoot for the mes 40 seems like that one would be the way to go.Who knows it may become my favorite smoker,but i will always have my other smokers to use.I guess you can really cant have too many toys!!!  right??   Thanks again

 

[mballi3011]

It's true that alot of folks here have and like the mEs I just happen to be one that really like the propane units. I love the Vault 24"

 

[arnie]

I have been using a Cookshack Smokette electric smoker for 8 or 9 years after several years of using charcoal smokers and trying several cheap electric and gas smokers. I liked it so well that in March I finally upgraded to a Cookshack AmeriQue. The only problem I have with either one is that they are so easy and such a pleasure to use my wife is beginning to complain that all I ever do is smoke food, everything from tomatoes to prime rib. I firmly believe that if you can't smoke it, you probably shouldn't eat it.

 

[scarbelly]

I have had a SmokinTex 1400 for about 2 years - similar to the Cookshack and I really like it. Only drawback is the temp maxes out at 250