My head is spinning! UDS vs WSM

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mlk18

Fire Starter
Original poster
May 1, 2020
52
88
Great Plains
After much research and debate last year I selected and purchased a Weber Genesis II 4 burner to replace my old gasser. I made the right choice and am very happy with it, especially after adding Grill Grates and a pellet maze. Now it's time to replace my old (electric) smoker. For some reason I keep switching back and forth between the idea of a NSU (not so ugly) drum smoker and a WSM 22" or 26" Weber kettle. As far as a UDS goes: the OJ Bronco Pro, the Short Rib Drum, Gateway drum, and Hunsacker Drum are all on my list of finalists. But I do like my Weber gas grill and the WSM / Weber Kettles seems very popular. I have a big family (as I was slow to discover the existence of birth control) so a 14" isn't going to get it done and I would prefer not to run 2-3 units at the same time. My sugar Momma threw $1,000 at me to get started and told me to buy something that will last more than 3-4 years. At the same time the less I spend on the smoker the more I can spend on accessories and toys. I will surely smoke up some ribs & chickens, but my family favs are turkey breasts (the 7lb variety), pork butts, and chuck roasts or briskets. All of which I would prefer to cook on a grate. I live in the great white North so weather extremes and wind are the norm. I actually had a WSM way back when I was married for lust instead of money and actually watched it fly away during a casual tornado. I presume the 22" is a touch heavier. Anyway there was a bunch of random thoughts and a brief explanation as to why my head is spinning. Now it's your turn to throw some thoughts back at me. What would you do? Any thoughts I should be having that I'm not?
 
I just picked up a 22” WSM. I love it it’s about as set and forget as you can get to an electric. Easy to use. And a great price too you could get a 22” WSM and a 26” kettle for under and both would last for 10+ years.
 
Glad you smartened up and went with money over lust 😂😂.

Don't know if the smaller kettle can handle a whole spatched turkey or a packer brisket so I would go with the largest of your options seeing as you also have a big family. Don't want to disappoint the sugar mama!
 
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The WSM is a great smoker (long duration that's close to hands off) and a lousy grill. The Kettle is a Great grill and a better than average smoker. For $1000, no question-get both the 22 WSM and the 26 Kettle.

My 22 Kettle Performer (table only) is over 20 years old. I've replaced the grates twice, I believe. 22 WSM is 8 or 9 yrs old and still going strong. Haven't replaced anything and only added a gasket kit ($25).
 
LMAO. :emoji_laughing: Lots of funny stuff but "casual tornado" is my fave.

I rate all storms by my willingness to remain in a lawn chair and observe it first hand. When that 14" WSM flew away I was about 2' into the garage wondering how that first wife was doing all alone in the basement.


Glad you smartened up and went with money over lust 😂😂.

Okay, I went with lust both times. Just turned out the second wife went from college to career success in very short order.
 
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First I would knock the OKJ off the list as I think it is overpriced for what you get. I ended up going with a Hunsaker drum and I couldn't be happier. It is a high quality smoker and it will last a long time if you take care of it. At one point I found an 18" WSM on clearance so I snatched it up. I ended up not even taking it out of the box because I couldn't see how it would do anything better than the Hunsaker.
 
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I will be honest, after watching 27 YouTube videos a small part of me wants to buy a Pit Barrel Cooker and a Weber kettle. The PBC seems so easy to use that a politician could figure it out. State level not Federal, we have to keep this realistic. The kettle seems like it handle anything the PBC couldn't. My wife keeps telling me I am overthinking it, but this is serious stuff. It's not like we're talking about pointless stuff like who won a Grammy or if Coors Light is really a beer or just slightly yellow water.
 
I know I know.......and I don't even have a Rectec....... my point was for that price point he could end up with his gasser, pellet and a charcoal......But I have a problem....2 gassers, 2 pellets, 2 reverse flows, 1 charcoal, and 1 XFire....
Ya but you get some really cool fire pics so you're off the hook! :emoji_blush:

Ryan
 
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Used a WSM for quite a long time. Once I picked up a UDS and did a couple of smokes, I sold the Weber. UDS is more versatile and is also very fuel efficient. I can do a 12 hr cook on less that 5# of charcoal.
 
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I got all excited last night when I found out that a metal shop not-to-far away from me fabricated their own UDS that are similiar-ish to the Gatway drums for about $300 less. Then I got punched in the brisket when they replied to my email saying that are not currently making them due to difficulties in their supply line and to check back mid-summer. Argh! Every day that goes by that I don't own a smoker is like having to listen to modern pop music on loop: painful and without purpose.
 
I'm a bit biased, but I would recommend the 26" kettle if your only getting one. If you can get two then I would go for the 26 Kettle and 22" WSM. I have a 22" kettle, 26" kettle, and a 22" WSM. The WSM hasn't seen the light of day in a year. The 22" gets used for high heat cooks using the Vortex. I won't use the Vortex in my 26" Kettle because I've seen the damage it's caused to the lid on the 22". The 26" kettle has all the room I need for ribs, turkeys, butts, or whatever. With the slow-n-sear longer cooks are no problem. Another plus with the WSM is that it has three sections. That makes moving it around easier and cleaning out the ash a breeze. I store all my grills in my garage and don't want to lift a heavy drum up and down the two steps needed to get it into my backyard.

Chris
 
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