Vertical or horizontal size more important?

[ack226]

I'm shopping for electric smokers and have narrowed my choices down to two that are around the same price.  One has a narrower but taller cooking area, one is wider but shorter (less space between racks).

Smokin Tex 1400:

grates are 14.5" x 14.5".  Cooking area is 17" tall (can be split up in various ways with 1-3 grates.  With 3 grates in place there are 5.5" of clearance between each grate.)

Cookshack Smokette Elite (SM025) :

grates are 14"x18".  Cooking area is 10" tall (can be split up with 2 shelves - 4" free space over bottom shelf, 6" free space over top shelf).

So, the Smokin Tex gives 7 extra inches of height while the Cookshack gives 3.5" of extra width.  Assuming all other things are equal, which would you choose based solely on the size of the cooking area?

 

[stircrazy]

I would say go for the 14X18.  I have found the average length of rib racks I get is 17 to 18" so it would be nice to be able to lay them out with out cutting them.

Steve