New smoker purchase

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

JB in woodridge

Newbie
Original poster
May 21, 2020
6
0
Looking at buying either a The Sausage Maker or Smoke-it smoker. I've seen several comments on the Smoke-it and wanted to know if anyone has had experience with the sausage maker brand? Any assistance would be appreciated.
 
I can't say anything about Sausage Maker smokers, except I have seen some posts that suggest they are good for sausage.
I can say that I own a #1 and #3 Smokin-It smokers and think they are very good.
 
If I were going to make sausage and other items that one hangs in a smoker, I would get the Smokin-it #4, pricey but large interior.
Here is another brand of smoker; been around a long time. Parent company is PS Seasonings. Lots of good stuff.

 
Last edited:
Always hear great things about the Smokin-It ... a little pricey for the space/size, and couldn’t bring myself to spring for it when I bought an electric ... :emoji_disappointed:
 
If I were going to make sausage and other items that one hangs in a smoker, I would get the Smokin-it #4, pricey but large interior.
Here is another brand of smoker; been around a long time. Parent company is PS Seasonings. Lots of good stuff.


Thanks for the info! The pro-smoker looks great but my adult supervision has limited me to $1k :(.
I will be making all kinds of smoked meat. I started looking at the sausage maker as I liked the way it manages air flow and the 1000 watt heater. Just concerned that I don't see but one or two reviews on them. My other choice is the Smokin-it #3.
 
Here's a pic of my #3 with a tape measure placed on top of firebox. There is about 15.5 in clearance at the peak of fire box to top of smoker box. I only hang jerky from the top rack, but there is plenty of room for 6-8 in strips that I have.
If you plan on hanging sausages longer than 12 in, you might want to save up for a 3.5D, it is 8 in taller. Or the 4D, it is higher yet. Of course they all cost a lot more.
I will say the Analog #3 (like mine) works very well, don't see the need for PID. Not sure if the #3.5 or #4 come in the analog variety anymore.
 

Attachments

  • #3 top rack to firebox.jpg
    #3 top rack to firebox.jpg
    86.6 KB · Views: 47
Last edited:
Thanks for the info! The pro-smoker looks great but my adult supervision has limited me to $1k :(.
I will be making all kinds of smoked meat. I started looking at the sausage maker as I liked the way it manages air flow and the 1000 watt heater. Just concerned that I don't see but one or two reviews on them. My other choice is the Smokin-it #3.
Yes, reviews are few and far between. I don't trust any review I see on Amazon; half the time the review is not even directly related to the item one is viewing but rather another model of whatever from the same company. It is more prudent to read comments on forums tied to the use of a product such as SMF, amongst others. I'm guessing that the lack of reviews on Sausage Maker and the PK smokers is due to their being not well known and NOT because they are either too expensive or are inferior. Maybe they are viewed as a niche product and not suitable for anything but sausage smoking. A look at the specs says otherwise. Then again, people may like to buy what others have so they can have a feeling of belonging to a "family".

I came very close to buying the PK smoker in 2012. I had looked at CookShack and SmokinTex as well as Smokin-it. At the time CookShack offered me a deal on a scratch and dent Amerique and I could not resist. Had I not gotten that deal, I would have gone for the PK. I try hard to buy USA whenever possible and I had just gotten my tax return. So I could afford to be choosey.
 
Here's a pic of my #3 with a tape measure placed on top of firebox. There is about 15.5 in clearance at the peak of fire box to top of smoker box. I only hang jerky from the top rack, but there is plenty of room for 6-8 in strips that I have.
If you plan on hanging sausages longer than 12 in, you might want to save up for a 3.5D, it is 8 in taller. Or the 4D, it is higher yet. Of course they all cost a lot more.
I will say the Analog #3 (like mine) works very well, don't see the need for PID. Not sure if the #3.5 or #4 come in the analog variety anymore.
I talked with Steve a few months ago asked about a #4 analog. No dice. Also don't see the photos.
 
sorry, forgot to add pic
 

Attachments

  • #3 top rack to floor.jpg
    #3 top rack to floor.jpg
    92 KB · Views: 50
  • #3 top rack to firebox.jpg
    #3 top rack to firebox.jpg
    86.6 KB · Views: 45
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky