newbie looking for a smoker??

[bow2king]

newbie here been looking for a good electric smoker don't know what to get soo many to choose from any help appreciated?

 

[bow2king]

anyone have experience with this charbroil??

 

[bow2king]

charbroil or masterbuilt 40?? ANY help

 

[bow2king]

or do I spend the extra couple bucks $$ and get a smoken-it??

 

[crankybuzzard]

LOTS of Masterbuilt 30 and 40 users here and most all are very pleased with them.

 

[geezer]

newbie here been looking for a good electric smoker don't know what to get soo many to choose from any help appreciated?

Might I ask; why electric?

 

[marctrees]

So much info already hashed out many times on this Forum, study the "Electric Smoker" sub forum.    Marc

 

[bow2king]

Might I ask; why electric?

​mainly electric because I'm usually busy and want to be able to almost set it and forget it!!

 

[crankybuzzard]

 
​mainly electric because I'm usually busy and want to be able to almost set it and forget it!!

Well, an electric will mostly allow you to do that.  However, most all electric models have a problem with the digital temperature reading actually matching the real temp inside of the cook chamber.  You'll need to figure out how accurate the digital read out is when compared to the internal temp of the pit.

Then, you can set it and forget it, but you will need to look at it every now and then to make sure you didn't trip a breaker and that you're still smoking...

 

[bow2king]

 
Well, an electric will mostly allow you to do that.  However, most all electric models have a problem with the digital temperature reading actually matching the real temp inside of the cook chamber.  You'll need to figure out how accurate the digital read out is when compared to the internal temp of the pit.

Then, you can set it and forget it, but you will need to look at it every now and then to make sure you didn't trip a breaker and that you're still smoking...

​gotcha I def plan on getting a good thermometer! I just cant decide on what smoker to get! its kind of racking my brain lol

 

[crankybuzzard]

Well, let's talk about what you WANT to do with the smoker...  Just smoke chicken, or do you want to smoke many different meats and possible do hanging sausage too?

 

[bow2king]

 
Well, let's talk about what you WANT to do with the smoker...  Just smoke chicken, or do you want to smoke many different meats and possible do hanging sausage too?

mainly different meats ribs,pork,mabye some fish

 

[crankybuzzard]

Well, the MB 40 will hold a good bit of food and is fairly user friendly.  I have one that I use now and then and it does a nice job.  For the money, it'll work for you and make some good Q.   The MB 30 is too small for some folks.

Either way you decide to go, you'll probably want to look into one of the AMAZEN pellet smoke trays or tubes.  They last a LOT longer than the chip tubes and they are more efficient.  The AMAZEN tube/tray will also give you more of the set and forget.  With the chip tubes, you'll be having to tend the smoker every hour

 

[bow2king]

 
Well, the MB 40 will hold a good bit of food and is fairly user friendly.  I have one that I use now and then and it does a nice job.  For the money, it'll work for you and make some good Q.   The MB 30 is too small for some folks.

Either way you decide to go, you'll probably want to look into one of the AMAZEN pellet smoke trays or tubes.  They last a LOT longer than the chip tubes and they are more efficient.  The AMAZEN tube/tray will also give you more of the set and forget.  With the chip tubes, you'll be having to tend the smoker every hour

yea I think I'm leaning towards the mb40 and an amazen! just have to make sure I get a gen 2.5 correct?

 

[crankybuzzard]

 
 just have to make sure I get a gen 2.5 correct?

Hmm, that I'm not sure of...  Hopefully one of the MB gurus will come in soon and answer that one.  

I bought my MB from a guy that needed cash and I've only used it a handful of times.  I usually use my home built electric for my smokes. 

 

[bow2king]

my other ? is there anything newer and better then the MB40 gen 2.5??

 

[geezer]

 
​mainly electric because I'm usually busy and want to be able to almost set it and forget it!!

I gotcha. I'm just always curious why folks choose the methods they do. Its interesting.

Of course here's my preferred method. 

caveman cooking.jpg

• geezer
• Mar 6, 2017

Well, actually I use charcoal. I'm not a stick burning Philistine after all.

 

[bow2king]

lol

 

[marctrees]

Bow - You will be best served if you spend some evenings where I suggested.

You will learn more that way in two eves, than a year on this single thread.    Marc

 

[webpoppy8]

I'm also a newbie.  I've got a Masterbuilt 30 and the capacity is just about right for me.  I have the model with the RF remote controller.  Note this has an interior thermometer/thermostat and a meat interior temperature probe.

I added the cold-smoker attachment as well, pretty happy with it.  This gives me the ability to cold smoke or to hot smoke for many hours without a refill.  I think this eliminates the need for an A-MAZE-N Pellet Smoker (is that what "AMNPS" is???)

Good luck!