I have been using a Oklahoma Joe's Bronco for 3 months and feel that I am ready for a review. I call it a poor man's BGE because they both work as a smoker with a diffuser plate in and a grill with the diffuser plate removed. Obviously they are made from different materials.
In brief, here are the pros for the Bronco.
Inexpensive relative to a ceramic grill
Versatile like a ceramic grill
Large enough for cooking for the average family and a few guests.
Because it doesn't hold heat like a ceramic grill you can rapidly reduce the temperature if you over shoot
Basically it does everything it was designed to do and is very easy to use.
Cons for the Bronco
Don't even bother looking at the built in thermometer it is so inaccurate
Maybe it is just me but, I find it takes at least one hour or more before the smoke settles down to being clean smoke
Not as rock steady with holding temperature as any of the smokers that I have used in the past but, steady enough
Over all, I think for the price that the Bronco is a very good cooker. Everything I have cooked has turned out fine, although at first I didn't wait long enough for the smoke to settle and I over smoked a few things. I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a drum smoker and doesn't want to spend a lot of money.
Other cookers I use:
Rectec Bull
Weber Genesis
Other cookers I have owned:
Stumps classic
Custom offset stick burner from a farmer in TX
BGE
Webe Kettles
In brief, here are the pros for the Bronco.
Inexpensive relative to a ceramic grill
Versatile like a ceramic grill
Large enough for cooking for the average family and a few guests.
Because it doesn't hold heat like a ceramic grill you can rapidly reduce the temperature if you over shoot
Basically it does everything it was designed to do and is very easy to use.
Cons for the Bronco
Don't even bother looking at the built in thermometer it is so inaccurate
Maybe it is just me but, I find it takes at least one hour or more before the smoke settles down to being clean smoke
Not as rock steady with holding temperature as any of the smokers that I have used in the past but, steady enough
Over all, I think for the price that the Bronco is a very good cooker. Everything I have cooked has turned out fine, although at first I didn't wait long enough for the smoke to settle and I over smoked a few things. I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a drum smoker and doesn't want to spend a lot of money.
Other cookers I use:
Rectec Bull
Weber Genesis
Other cookers I have owned:
Stumps classic
Custom offset stick burner from a farmer in TX
BGE
Webe Kettles
