Need to buy my first serious smoker

[nutt]

Tired of not having a decent CC, I have just out grown the Duo I think, possibly? Anyways want my next to be another off-set that doesn’t need me outside next to it constantly. Want the CC big enough I don’t need to cook over a few days just to feed 7 or 8 people multiple smoked dishes.

I live in Northern CO and cook all year so the metal needs to be decent. I can modify things so can change things up accordingly as far as warming plate on FB etc etc.

Dont need fancy just quality, would love to buy a new Workhorse Pit but not going to drop that much coin(truly would be worth it though!!)

Really don’t want new, money will go farther and quality better(??) if buy used unit. Will go down into Tx for a unit if the buy is worth it.
I‘m pretty sure would be happy with just a stick burner & a Weber for my chimney and quick sears.
I don’t want a collection of bbq equipment, would like to keep in this area:

Will get rid of the duo once I find something, have no need for gas.(Never use left side, holds the chimney starter)

lets say it can take up as much real estate or some more than what the duo is taking up. let the $$ float around, let’s say I don’t want to buy again in 4 years....$1200? What you guys think????

So what names should I look for? What specifics should I keep my eye out for?

 

[73saint]

Join the Lang Smoker owners group on Facebook, and get you a nice used Lang 36 or 48. All you will ever need.

 

[fowldarr]

You can buy a brand new Bell Fab for the price. 3/8" steel and made to order. Mine was $900 without shipping and TNJAKE got his for somewhere around your budget with a bigger cook chamber and a few other custom touches. We both have threads on our pits, I would recommend checking them out.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Search the smoker forums on here and read the out put of the different ones and true owner opinions.

Warren

 

[fowldarr]

Here is my Bell Fab, freshly seasoned

 

[Alphonse]

You mentioned you don't want to have to constantly be with it. Could you elaborate a bit on that?

Fire management is the nature of an offset isn't it?

 

[gary s]

Lots of great smokers out there, try checking your local Craig's list or want adds you may come across a dandy smoker for a lot less than a new one .......... just saying

Gary

 

[mike243]

Offset and not tending it often is a conundrum lol ,maybe you want the new Masterbuilt 560 ? or a insulated cabinet ? lot of choices but hands off will be hard to do with a offset imo

 

[Nole4L]

I'm partial but I love my Lang. You can buy a Lang 36 in that price range. I'm with the other folks who have asked for some clarification on not wanting to be next to it constantly. That's sort of a relative thing with stick burners. I can walk away from my cooker for an hour + and be fine. I can't leave it for 2-3 hours. Compared to box store brands it is easier to maintain temps because of the amount of steel but it's not something you can forget about for a long time.

I bought mine off Craigslist and can attest that there some great deals if you look.

 

[hawtsauc3]

If you want a smoker to not babysit I’d suggest a WSM. I think offsets are cool but I have never heard of one that doesn’t require constant attention

 

[nutt]

Well first off to answer the biggest question....fire management, I don’t want a set it and forget it smoker... I like stick burners! If I could walk away for an hour that would rock

My CC so small that I have to be there cuz the hot end will light up the food super fast if I’m not careful if I’m trying to run hotter than it wants that day.

I have been dreaming of a Lang and is a saved search in my CR program. As well as smoker/offset/stick burner and others I’ve been watching but for the game yesterday my little party I had to cook for 2 days!! And so this thread is just me basically saying that’s it time to change! HELP :-)

FD that Bell fab is Nice!! Exactly what I want, I will read up on your threads later this evening. For that kind of money hard not to go new.

 

[nutt]

I can see the place of a WSM but I don’t see me using it much. I don’t smoke multiple times a week. So I like to plan and make it an event for me, ok so I’m weird?

 

[Chasdev]

I can see the place of a WSM but I don’t see me using it much. I don’t smoke multiple times a week. So I like to plan and make it an event for me, ok so I’m weird?

I'm an ex-offset stickburn owner, I could not deal with the downside of ownership.
First off the hourly or bi-hourly tinkering with the fire got to be a real chore and in the Texas summer heat was not fun at all.
Second, finding and storing wood became a nightmare.
Properly seasoned wood is next to impossible to find (sellers are either ignorant or liars and sell wood that is years away from 20% moisture content) plus storing a cord or half cord of wood invited a multitude of vermin into my yard which proved hard to dispose of long after the wood stack was gone.

 

[jcam222]

Man for stick burners I think the advice you got for either a used Lang or a new Bell Fab are on the money. It sounds to me like you are pretty set on an offset.

If you want a little more hands off I love my charcoal insulated cabinet. I have a 270 Smokers cabinet. In your range you could likely find a Humphrey, Backwoods or Assassin. I run charcoal lump and big chunks of wood in mine. Is pretty hands off once temp is dialed in other than adding wood chunks from time to time.