New Member Seeking Advice on electric Smoker

[ChasP]

Please forgive me if I am posting this in the wrong section, as this is my first post. I moved from Connecticut to Mississippi, and have seen for the first time how wonderful slow smoking of brisket, chicken, pork butt, etc. tastes!

People I have been at their homes have a Trager Pro 780, Trager Pro 575, and another the Weber SmokeFire EPX6, both using pellets.

Knowing nothing about smoking, I liked the idea of using a pellet feed electric system to control the temp and smoke, rather than using actual wood.

I also liked the idea of being able to lift the lid to see how it is performing vs. the Mastercraft ones with a solid closed door.

Can some of you give me feedback on what you would recommend to get me started?

Many thanks in advance

 

[02ebz06]

First thing, the old saying: "If you're lookin', you're not cookin'".
You don't want to be lifting the lid.
Get a remote thermometer with 2 or more (preferably more) probes.
Let the thermometer tell you how it's going.

Recteq is a well respected pellet smoker.
Personally I would steer clear of Traeger, but that is me.

 

[ChasP]

First thing, the old saying: "If you're lookin', you're not cookin'".
You don't want to be lifting the lid.
Get a remote thermometer with 2 or more (preferably more) probes.
Let the thermometer tell you how it's going.

Recteq is a well respected pellet smoker.
Personally I would steer clear of Traeger, but that is me.

Thank you for your help! Just out of curiosity, given the popularity of Traeger, what has you stay away from that brand? I have lots to learn here!

 

[02ebz06]

Unless something has changed, my personal pet peeve is they don't give you the wood it says on the pellet bag.
They use flavored oils.

 

[tallbm]

Please forgive me if I am posting this in the wrong section, as this is my first post. I moved from Connecticut to Mississippi, and have seen for the first time how wonderful slow smoking of brisket, chicken, pork butt, etc. tastes!

People I have been at their homes have a Trager Pro 780, Trager Pro 575, and another the Weber SmokeFire EPX6, both using pellets.

Knowing nothing about smoking, I liked the idea of using a pellet feed electric system to control the temp and smoke, rather than using actual wood.

I also liked the idea of being able to lift the lid to see how it is performing vs. the Mastercraft ones with a solid closed door.

Can some of you give me feedback on what you would recommend to get me started?

Many thanks in advance

Hi there and welcome!

I can't help you with a pellet smoker since I don't own one (though I've read a ton about them), BUT if you want to look into an electric heating element smoker (does not burn pellets for heat, uses an electric element) I can give some good recommendations, especially when starting out.

To start out, you could get on Facebook or even Craigslist and find cheap or even free (sometime) used Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smokers (MES). Washing it out at a car wash gets it whipped into cleaner shape.
Then you could do a simple rewire (cut ends of 4 wires and wire nut to make 2 whole wires) and slap on a new PID Controller and you will have a smoker where you can control temp and smoke very tightly and separately, AND.... it will work better than any electric smoker you get for $1,000 or less :D
This means for way less money you get a way better performing smoker that has tight temp and smoke control and works well for getting starter or as your do everything smoker :D

Anyhow, if this interests you feel free to ask all the questions you have!

 

[chopsaw]

People I have been at their homes have a Trager Pro 780, Trager Pro 575, and another the Weber SmokeFire EPX6, both using pellets.

There's a lot of great pellet grills if that's what you're looking for .
Did you like the food that came off the Traeger ? If so take a look at what they have .
Take all opinions you're going to get and shape them into an answer that fits what you want .

 

[ChasP]

There's a lot of great pellet grills if that's what you're looking for .
Did you like the food that came off the Traeger ? If so take a look at what they have .
Take all opinions you're going to get and shape them into an answer that fits what you want .

Another one I saw recently that is a lot more affordable is from Home Depot, The Oakford 790 Wifi model for $386 with 10% US Navy discount. Wondering if anyone has tried this brand?

 

[schlotz]

Welcome to SMF from Indiana!

Yup, first thing to remember is to keep the lid shut, let the smoker do it's thing and maintain the temp. Totally agree with using a 'good' remote thermometer to keep tabs on the grate and IT temps. Lots of pellet smoker brands to choose from. Yes Traeger is a popular name with reasonable pricing and you can get good food from them. FYI, they are not made in America. Like most brands if you read enough most will have reports about operating issues and/or lack of support.

I do subscribe to the adage that you get what you pay for & also it's better to buy once and cry once vs repurchasing down the road. However, there's still the common denominator of the size of one's wallet that usually is the deciding factor. I too recommend looking at Recteq. They get very good reviews and that includes positive service support as well. Do your research well and pick the one that best suits your needs but my advice is to be warry of the attractive low priced options.

 

[ChasP]

Welcome to SMF from Indiana!

Yup, first thing to remember is to keep the lid shut, let the smoker do it's thing and maintain the temp. Totally agree with using a 'good' remote thermometer to keep tabs on the grate and IT temps. Lots of pellet smoker brands to choose from. Yes Traeger is a popular name with reasonable pricing and you can get good food from them. FYI, they are not made in America. Like most brands if you read enough most will have reports about operating issues and/or lack of support.

I do subscribe to the adage that you get what you pay for & also it's better to buy once and cry once vs repurchasing down the road. However, there's still the common denominator of the size of one's wallet that usually is the deciding factor. I too recommend looking at Recteq. They get very good reviews and that includes positive service support as well. Do your research well and pick the one that best suits your needs but my advice is to be warry of the attractive low priced options.

Thanks! Grew up in Ft Wayne, and college in Bloomington!

I saw a couple of other reviews of that Oakford 790 Wi-Fi that spoke highly of its quality, including this one



I think I’ll give it a try as my first smoking experience. Now I have to find easiest resources to learn temp/rubs/cooking techniques. HELLLLP!

 

[schlotz]

Your best resource is right here on SMF.

 

[schlotz]

suggest you start with a pork butt. These are the easiest and most forgiving to smoke. You can do them low and slow or hot and fast and they come out just fine. Need a starter smoke recipe for it? Link for it is in my signature at the bottom.

 

[tallbm]

Thanks! Grew up in Ft Wayne, and college in Bloomington!

I saw a couple of other reviews of that Oakford 790 Wi-Fi that spoke highly of its quality, including this one



I think I’ll give it a try as my first smoking experience. Now I have to find easiest resources to learn temp/rubs/cooking techniques. HELLLLP!

Have you looked into any Pellet smokers that come with PID Controllers? The PID controller will keep much tighter temp control so you can safely do things like sausage, bacon, and jerky.
Temp swings if non-PID controllers could ruin any of that stuff.

Just some food for thought if you want a pellet smoker that can do basically anything you want vs paying all that money for a pellet smoker that can only do "some" things.

Good topic for discussion so ask any questions you have :D

 

[fxsales1959]

Thanks! Grew up in Ft Wayne, and college in Bloomington!

I saw a couple of other reviews of that Oakford 790 Wi-Fi that spoke highly of its quality, including this one



I think I’ll give it a try as my first smoking experience. Now I have to find easiest resources to learn temp/rubs/cooking techniques. HELLLLP!

I was raised in Ossian IN, and went to Testicle tech. (Ball State).
I've run the route on smokers. I started with no input and hadn't landed here yet.
I bought one of the aforementioned MES Masterbuilt 30" smokers.
I worked for me to cut my teeth. I still have one I've bandaged together that I still use for pork belly for bacon and yardbird. You need to remember that you are now in Missi"Fu$kin"sippi.
Those boys down there would forego a new lift on their F-150 to buy a new reverse flow stick burner. What ever you choose will make meat that will taste good to you. Smoking meat is not easy bake oven. (just kidding)
Whatever you buy you will dislike shortly thereafter. The good thing is, you have landed in Oz (here) and there are plenty here to enable your next obsessions.

 

[jcam222]

I say number one choice is a Masterbuilt gravity burning charcoal and wood chunks if you want. You can lift lid so see it anytime you want. It's very set and forget and offers results close to stick burner in my opinion. That said if you are dead set on pellets I say it's Rec Teq for the win. Yoder would be a great choice too.

 

[ChasP]

I say number one choice is a Masterbuilt gravity burning charcoal and wood chunks if you want. You can lift lid so see it anytime you want. It's very set and forget and offers results close to stick burner in my opinion. That said if you are dead set on pellets I say it's Rec Teq for the win. Yoder would be a great choice too.

I suspect since I have NEVER smoked any meats before that the pellet model from Home Depot for $386 will get me started. I also bought the newer Meater-2 probe to track internal temps.

Which Masterbuilt model should I start looking at for an eventual upgrade?

 

[jcam222]

I suspect since I have NEVER smoked any meats before that the pellet model from Home Depot for $386 will get me started. I also bought the newer Meater-2 probe to track internal temps.

Which Masterbuilt model should I start looking at for an eventual upgrade?

The 1050 is super nice

 

[ChasP]

The 1050 is super nice

Looking at that one now. It uses charcoal rather than wood? How do you get the various wood flavors with it? I'm assuming you add wood chips to that charcoal bin, but what ratio of wood to charcoal?

 

[jcam222]

Looking at that one now. It uses charcoal rather than wood? How do you get the various wood flavors with it? I'm assuming you add wood chips to that charcoal bin, but what ratio of wood to charcoal?

You can mix wood chunks in th chute with th charcoal. You can also put chunks in the ash pan. You will get amazing bbq with smoke rings too.

 

[ChasP]

You can mix wood chunks in th chute with th charcoal. You can also put chunks in the ash pan. You will get amazing bbq with smoke rings too.

Sounds awesome. Thanks!

 

[GatorAGR]

The Masterbuilt MES140B is on sales everywhere right now which makes me suspicious. Several horrible reviews. Is there something wrong with it? I'm looking for an entry level electric to make sausage/jerky. Masterbuilt seems like they own the market so I don't know what to think. Appreciate any suggestions.