Weber Smoker, Green Egg Or Keep On Kettle Smoking

[kettle man]

I have recently purchased the Weber 22.5 Kettle and love it.  I have been able to do some good smoking but it takes a lot of work. I could probably make my life easier doing the minion method but I am a afraid I won't be able to control the heat as well as using charcoal dividers and adding a couple coals every hour.  Here is my question is it worth getting a Weber Smoker? Are they a lot better than smoking on the kettle?? I am thinking about holding out for an egg but to be honest I would have a hard time parting with my kettle.  Thoughts???

 

[pgsmoker64]

The Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker (WSM), is so much easier than using the kettle grill to smoke meats.  I have both and love my kettle grill, but when I decide to smoke a pork butt, ribs, brisket, etc., I break out the WSM!!!!

It's worth the money.  Much cheaper than the Big Green Egg, though I wouldn't mind having one of those either....he who dies with the most smokers wins!!!!

 

[mossymo]

Whatever you decide, do your best not to part with your Weber kettle. You will always find a excuse or situation where you will wish you would not have gotten rid of it.

 

[kettle man]

Is this 18.5 WSM big enough? I hear 22.5 uses a lot of charcoal.

 

[bama bbq]

I have a 22.5 and I don't consider the fuel usage excessive. ...but I've never had an 18 either.  If I want to do a shorter cook I simply use a half load of fuel.  Longer cooks = full load.  With Stubb's at ~ $8, $4-ish worth of fuel for a short cook (8-ish hours) is not what I consider bad.  I like the 22.5 because I can do ribs without curling them and a full packer brisket.

 

[pgsmoker64]

Bama is right on! I also have the 22.5" and I also use Stubbs, and if I hand pack my charcoal ring I can get 16 hours out of 1 1/3 bag of charcoal...put the butts on and just watch the temps.