What do you tell people when they ask about a smoker?

[ammaturesmoker]

I have a number of co-workers every week ask me what kind of smoker should they buy. I ask them three questions. Average amount of smoking per week, volume per cook, and budget. Already they tell me they cannot afford anything like a Traeger from Costco. So in my mind I already cross off the other good offsets as well. I then tell them get a Weber Kettle. It's the last one they will ever need. I also told them to get a USED unit as there are tons in classified ads all of the time and to get a slow n' sear device. Average for the two going with a used kettle will only set them back 130 bucks. Today a guy asked me about COS models and I say I already told you what you need and what will work good for you. He then ask why I have expensive offsets and not use Weber kettles? The next part shocks them. I first tell them I invested in quality. I then tell them I have three Weber kettles and I use them more than anything else. Two 22 1/2 models and one 18 1/2 I take camping. Jaw drops and asked why I use the kettle so much. I said because it is a smoker, grill, oven(pizza kit), wok, broiler, cowboy grill(Santa Maria attachment), and griddle. He said SOLD!!!

 

[noboundaries]

I am a major fan of Weber Kettles and the WSM.  You can use both for so much. 

What I find incredible is how people react when I tell them about the Webers.  Folks will seek me out, rave about the BBQ, then ask me what I use.  When I tell them about the Webers, how easy they are to use, and what you can do with them, I am amazed how many people shut down because it is charcoal and not propane and wood chips.  Maybe it's just a California thing.  People want amazing flavor without the work.     

 

[phatbac]

 
I am a major fan of Weber Kettles and the WSM.  You can use both for so much. 

What I find incredible is how people react when I tell them about the Webers.  Folks will seek me out, rave about the BBQ, then ask me what I use.  When I tell them about the Webers, how easy they are to use, and what you can do with them, I am amazed how many people shut down because it is charcoal and not propane and wood chips.  Maybe it's just a California thing.  People want amazing flavor without the work.     

Yea i usually tell people if they are looking at 3-4 hundred range a WSM is the way to go. at the last several jobs i have had and around church i have grown a reputation for a smoker/griller person (i give away a lot of goodies) and people are amazed when i tell people i dont have a propane grill. I say yeah i love to smoke with my wood smoker (Black Betty)  and grill with my Weber kettle or cold smoke with my WSM.

i think for about $500 you can have the best smoker and grill combo with WSM 22 and a kettle 22. thats the route i went with my money so it would be silly for me to recommend anything else. now if you going the 1500 area i recommend a Lang. Once my pharmacist asked me about my Lang because she saw the tee-shirt and said she would like to get one for her husband! so i guess i was free advertising for Lang!

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)

 

[lancep]

I am a major fan of Weber Kettles and the WSM.  You can use both for so much. 

What I find incredible is how people react when I tell them about the Webers.  Folks will seek me out, rave about the BBQ, then ask me what I use.  When I tell them about the Webers, how easy they are to use, and what you can do with them, I am amazed how many people shut down because it is charcoal and not propane and wood chips.  Maybe it's just a California thing.  People want amazing flavor without the work.     

What work though? Dumping lit coals onto unlit coals setting your vents and going to bed? Granted, I would usually sit in the porch with a beer and a smoke to make sure everything stabilized before racking out but I was going to do that anyway. I will always recommend the wsm to people for the exact same reasons above. I have done everything on my 18.5" but a whole animal and have not yet been able to conceive anything else That couldn't be done.

 

[noboundaries]

What work though? Dumping lit coals onto unlit coals setting your vents and going to bed? Granted, I would usually sit in the porch with a beer and a smoke to make sure everything stabilized before racking out but I was going to do that anyway. I will always recommend the wsm to people for the exact same reasons above. I have done everything on my 18.5" but a whole animal and have not yet been able to conceive anything else That couldn't be done.

My thoughts exactly! More involved than turning a knob and pushing a button.

 

[SmokinAl]

I always recommend a Weber, either the kettle or a WSM.

Al

 

[smokesontuesday]

I just had this discussion yesterday with a coworker and it didn't go well.

She asked what kind of smoker I'd recommend for her husband. Just like every other time this comes up with someone I asked what their budget was, how much tending they want to do, and how often they'll use it with what volume of food.

She told me budget was ~$600 for the smoker and accessories (healthy enough I thought). He likes the thought of tending it, but they have a baby due in a couple of weeks and he's a K9 officer who is on call regularly so the option of set and forget would be nice too. They plan to grill a lot in the summer for up to 8-10 people and he'd like to smoke 2-3 times a month starting out. 

Given those criteria I immediately said Weber 22" Kettle and an MES 40. That's the best of both worlds to my mind. Throw in a Maverick 732 or a ThermoPro TP-20, a Slow 'N' Sear, a ThermoPop, and an AMNPS and he'd be set for good. Yes, I know everything that can be done in the MES can be done with the Kettle + Slow 'N' Sear or AMNPS but I also know he's lazy as he can be.

She replied that he really had his heart set on a Large Big Green Egg so I asked why we even had the conversation 

. 

 

[bluewhisper]

I agree, if you're getting just one smoker/grill the Weber is the best way to go.

 

[noboundaries]

I just had this discussion yesterday with a coworker and it didn't go well.

She asked what kind of smoker I'd recommend for her husband. Just like every other time this comes up with someone I asked what their budget was, how much tending they want to do, and how often they'll use it with what volume of food.

She told me budget was ~$600 for the smoker and accessories (healthy enough I thought). He likes the thought of tending it, but they have a baby due in a couple of weeks and he's a K9 officer who is on call regularly so the option of set and forget would be nice too. They plan to grill a lot in the summer for up to 8-10 people and he'd like to smoke 2-3 times a month starting out. 

Given those criteria I immediately said Weber 22" Kettle and an MES 40. That's the best of both worlds to my mind. Throw in a Maverick 732 or a ThermoPro TP-20, a Slow 'N' Sear, a ThermoPop, and an AMNPS and he'd be set for good. Yes, I know everything that can be done in the MES can be done with the Kettle + Slow 'N' Sear or AMNPS but I also know he's lazy as he can be.
She replied that he really had his heart set on a Large Big Green Egg so I asked why we even had the conversation :wtf1: . 

Amazing. On average, the large BGE costs a lot more than $600 out here. I've known four people with Kamado style grills that could never get the hang of smoking. I know it can be done because people here do it. The folks I knew didn't have the patience.

 

[smokesontuesday]

Amazing. On average, the large BGE costs a lot more than $600 out here. I've known four people with Kamado style grills that could never get the hang of smoking. I know it can be done because people here do it. The folks I knew didn't have the patience.

Yeah. They run ~$800 to $1,000 here depending on whether or not you want the wheels. They've been around for ~40 years so they have to be good cookers but I just don't see it. There doesn't seem to be a lot of value to that price to me. You can do everything in a Webber Kettle that you can in an Egg without sacrificing any build quality for a hell of a lot less money.

 

[b-one]

I have to agree on the WSM and kettle combo! I bought my kettle used added a rotisserie ring and rotisserie setup from Cajun bandit all together it was the cost of a new Performer.

image.jpeg

• b-one
• Jul 28, 2016

 

[remsr]

I have the 22 1/2 " WSM with a set it and forget it IQ 130 temp controller and a 2.5 gen MES 40" with the cold smoker attachment and the AMNPS 12" tube and 5x8" tray. I'm real happy.

Randy,

 

[ammaturesmoker]

Amazing. On average, the large BGE costs a lot more than $600 out here. I've known four people with Kamado style grills that could never get the hang of smoking. I know it can be done because people here do it. The folks I knew didn't have the patience.

This is where passion comes into play....I like to not only smell the greatness of what I am smoking but also to let the neighbors get hungry from it. Going for many hours is the pure gift of smell.

 

[dave schiller]

A friend has the WSM 22.5" smoker with a BBQGuru controller.  He can do an all night cook by loading it with fuel and leave it alone for 10-12 hours with great results.  I guess the Guru could be set aside and the unit fed manually if that's your preference.  Best of both worlds.

 

[88rxna]

I have the 18 WSM and I'm currently hunting for a 22 kettle master touch.
Throw in the iq110, the maverick and a vortex...what else do you need??
I can't find a used kettle so I may have to buy new. It would be nice to have a built in table but the kettle can go right on my porch!
I wish I would have found these years ago!
And btw, Walmart is having a clearance on the kettle pizza kit.
$40.00!

 

[spacetrucker]

brined grilled chicken.JPG

• spacetrucker
• May 11, 2017

I have not worn out my first webber kettle, I have worn out a couple gassers, finally bought a webber and it continues to last like the kettle does, in addition to the electric, and two pellet smokers, like you all say if I could only have one... it would have to be the webber kettle...

 

[remsr]

Here is all I can say from experience and necessity.
I have only had 4 smokers and there are a bunch out there that are not in my price range, or I don't have the space for that I would love to have.
Sometimes I want to smoke a burger, a rack of ribs, a meatloaf, a fatty, or any one of a number of things and don't want the hassle of setting up and cleaning up a stick burner or a charcoal burner, or even a gas smoker that represent more set up and attention than electric. I am retired and have been since 05 but because of projects that I am constantly involved with I have less time now then I did when I was working a regular job, so I don't have the time to baby set a smoker and keep in mind I live in the refrigerator of the nation, Minnesota and I don't do anything out side when it's below freezing. I'm a born and raised Texas boy who got misplaced years ago sigh! All I have just said is the reasons that I currently have a WSM 22 1/2" with a temp controller for long smoke of butts and brisket when I have the time to deal with set up and clean up and I have a MES gen 2.5 40" for quick set up and small or large amounts that I can turn on and up and track on my phone the same as the temp controller on my WSM. Sometimes I have both going and track both on my phone I find that useful.
I also have the Pellet tray and the 12" tube and the cold smoker attachment so that I don't have to add chips every 45 minutes to the MES. In addition I have a Holland grill that works great with the 12" Pellet tube as a cold or hot smoker for things like chicken that benefit by higher cooking temps. The Holland grill is a indirect gas grill and cooks by time at 400 degrees and has no temp controller. It does a great job on just about anything. For searing and grilling I have a 5 burner grill with a searing station that hits 800 degrees. Real nice for searing my Sous Vide cooked burgers, stakes, and chops.