Smoker advice needed please.

[sandyut]

The Ninja Woodfire is kind of a niche product compared to the more standard units mentioned above but ok, maybe it will fit your needs. Let's us know how well it performs for you.

I had to look it up, new to me. Curious how it does. Definitely not a standard smoke set up as mentioned above.

 

[801driver]

Lots of options and opinions out here. Myself, I got tired of "tending the smoker" several years back and bought a Smoke-it #2 electric. I call it my "Set it and forget it" smoker. I smoke most everything at 225' and put my wireless temp probes in through the vent on top. For a pork butt for example, set it to beep me at an IT of 200' and I am good to go. Beeper goes off, time to start paying attention by poking. Nope, not quite like a stick burner taste but close to at least 90% in my opinion. I do sometimes add a couple extra little chunks of wood into the smoker tray for long smokes for more smoke flavor as I think about it.

To me it is on the far side of the easy scale and as reliable as you can get. Mine is analog, heater goes on and off just like your kitchen oven. So what, my oven can bake a cake swinging back and forth a little, everything I have smoked in my electric smoker has survived very well.

I don't have to worry about the electronics or motor augers going bad, there are none. I bought a spare temp sensor and heater element lots of years ago. They are still in the box. My unit gets used at least once a week average. Had ribs for Christmas dinner, made some smoked Chex mix today, have a pork butt slow thawing in the frig for Sunday.

Only negative is that it does not get chicken skin hot enough to crisp (has 250' upper limit), have to do that on the charcoaler of gas grill.

Good luck to you finding something that works for you. Keep us posted.