I have used a smokepistol for a few years now and it is great. The smoke is adjustable so I don't know why everyone is concerned about too much smoke. A friend of mine tried that A-MAZE_N smoker thing on cheese and it all melted. He threw it away when he saw and tasted the results I showed him with my smokepistol. There is also a competition cheese smoker guy on the true stories section of the smokepistol web site that does is similar to how I do except he makes his cheese from scratch.
http://www.smokepistol.com/customertucker.html He is much more energetic than I am.
If you just turn down the smoke control on the smokepistol you will get great smoke and it will last for about 6 hours on one cartridge. It has worked great for me and I have done lots of hot and cold smoking with it.
BBQFarmer,
First off, CONGRATS on your success with the Smoke Pistol! The Smoke Pistol and Smoke Daddy both work basically the same, but the Smoke Pistol uses their proprietary cartridges for fuel. Both can be a little finicky, and if you don't "Tap" the sides of the units(Per Instructions), they won't burn properly. They both use air pumps to add oxygen to the fire. The AMNS uses sawdust for fuel, and creates a Thin Blue Smoke for 8+ hours we all strive for.
My guess is your buddy smoked the cheese too long and at temps that are not acceptable for smoking cheese. If he ate the cheese without aging it for a couple weeks, it will have a harsh taste to it. This mellows in a few weeks. This is not the fault of the AMNS, and a Smoke Daddy or Smoke Pistol will do the same thing if used too long or at too high of temps.
I answer my phone, PM's and emails every day. If your buddy had an issue with the AMNS, I never received a call, PM or email. from him. In fact, if he posted his issue on SMF, these guys would have graciously helped him with his issue.
Like any other BBQ Utensil or Tool on the market, there's also a "Learning Curve" to the AMNS. Some people catch on immediately, and some take a few attempts at it. I can assure you that once you get the hang of it, the AMNS is a very handy addition to just about any smoker.
if your buddy really can't get along with his A-MAZE-N-SMOKER, tell him to dig it out of the garbage and give me a call @ (952)412-0484. If he wants a refund, I'll gladly send him a check after he sends the unit back!
Todd Johnson
A-MAZE-N Products