upright or bullet smoker vs. barrel off-set smoker?

[monctynj]

Hey Everyone,

Been grilling with gas and charcoal grills forever and I'm interested in getting into smoking...didn't realize how much there is to consider when picking out a smoker!!!

Been hearing some negative things about the barrel type off-set smokers....been hearing that if you go that route you should purchase a high end one only because the budget models are very difficult to maintain a steady temp.  They leak too much smoke, need constant monitoring etc....I almost bought the Brinkmann Smoke N Pit Off-Set smoker but now I'm hesitant.....

More recently someone suggested the Smokey Mountain Cooker from Weber.  I've been checking this one out and it seems to be getting great reviews....

I do like the idea of being able to use the off-set smokers for just regular charcoal grilling when not smoking...which the Smokey Mountain Cooker can't do...

Would love to hear about what you guys think...thanks!

 

[thestealth]

I love my new Weber Smoky Mountain.  It is superior in every way compared to my old Brinkmann S'nP.   I have a couple of charcoal grills already, so not being able to grill on my WSM was never a concern.  

 

[SmokinAl]

Get a WSM & a Weber kettle. They will both last you a lifetime.

 

[jirodriguez]

What Al said. I had a Char-griller Smokin Pro for about 8 months, and even with all the mods done to it, it was nowhere near as good as my 22.5" WSM. I also have a 22.5" Weber Kettle for hot grilling and since the racks interchange I can go from the smoker to the hot grill all in one fell swoop. Look for the Weber kettles on Craigslist, I got mine for $25 and it had only been used about 10x, looked almost new.

 

[turn4fun]

I do like the idea of being able to use the off-set smokers for just regular charcoal grilling when not smoking...which the Smokey Mountain Cooker can't do...

Wait a second, you CAN do regular grilling on a WSM.   The WSM is what I learned to smoke on probably 25 years ago.  We used it as a grill more often that anything else.  Just take the body off and set one of the grills in.  I always used it without the charcoal ring.  Lid still fits too.

 

[michael ark]

I had a Weber kettle rust out in 2 years under a covered deck.Just were the legs mount welds were .I still have it it looks pretty good considering it 10 year old other than the extra holes in the bottom it works fine here's how

yes my red bullet has been use and abused to the point that it's pink now .

 

[Fife]

Good Luck

 

[venture]

IMO smokers are like motor vehicles in that you are constantly in compromise mode.  I suggest you consider carefully how you want to use your smoker, and what attributes in a smoker are most important to you.  When you have a handle on all that, it will probably lead you toward a type of smoker which is suitable for your purposes.

Good luck and good smoking!

 

[chef willie]

I had a Weber kettle rust out in 2 years under a covered deck.Just were the legs mount welds were .I still have it it looks pretty good considering it 10 year old other than the extra holes in the bottom it works fine here's how

yes my red bullet has been use and abused to the point that it's pink now .

Man oh man, you gotta love this setup....that rocks for ingenuity

 

[chef willie]

You never mentioned what your budget was. There are many on here swear by the WSM and other units. My suggestion would be to try and find a joint like Lowes or HD that has a big array of different makes and models and spend some time handling them. You should be able to get a feel for decent vs crap real quick and narrow down your preferences.