Stumps Baby

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Oh, and make plans on how to get it to your patio. The only issue is that unless you order the larger pneumatic tires, it won't roll in the grass. It weighs a little over 600 pounds.
 
Sounds good Butthead66, thanks. Really looking forward to order my gravity feed smoker. 
 
I bought a Stumps Baby about three months ago and could not be more pleased. It is a well made piece of equipment, easy to use, and cooks a lot of food. A couple of weeks ago I cooked a 14 lb brisket, 2 racks of baby backs, a rack of St Louis Ribs and a plate rib. No issues with room or capacity, I could have put more if needed. Read the capacity of the baby on the Stumps site, I feel they are a bit conservative with it. I typically cook for 4-6, obviously two weeks ago I cooked for many more. I have no regrets not buying the XL, though I would like to have one. The Baby more than fills my cooking needs.
 
Wow, that sounds really good ugaalf. I am pretty keen on buying one and this is some really good info.
 
Where are you from ugaalf, because it would be cool to see a Stumps Baby in action
 
I was looking at the Baby XL, but the Assassin looks like you get about 600 more inches of cooking space, free caster wheels & it also comes with the pit Master IQ120 controller. The lockable, slam latch it also comes standard with is optional for more money on the Baby XL, All-terrain caster wheels upgrade is only $100, custom colors are $150 & the doghouse-style rain cap is only $15. I've been looking at the one for $2700, but if they ARE coming out with a smaller one, I'd be interested in finding out about it. I don't see anything online, so maybe I should just give them a call. 

I was also looking at a Southern Q Limo Junior for only $1895, but it has less racks & I'm seeing some really unfavorable reviews concerning their promises made when ordering regarding delivery times & pricing.

Has anyone here had any experience with the Assassin or Southern Q gravity-feed smokers?

TW
 
Last edited:
Hi TW,

I think I am keen on the Assassin smokers now and not Stumps, because as you mention the assassin24 is bigger than Stumps XL Baby and then it is approx 500 $ cheaper and for me who live in Texas that means free shipping.

I have really been looking around, but now my eyes fell on this one, so once the funds are there I will book one :)

I got the price and detailed list from Jeff and Robin from Assassin Smokers and it is correct that they have a 17 as well, but I find that a bit too small.

Soren
 
Hi TW,

I think I am keen on the Assassin smokers now and not Stumps, because as you mention the assassin24 is bigger than Stumps XL Baby and then it is approx 500 $ cheaper and for me who live in Texas that means free shipping.

I have really been looking around, but now my eyes fell on this one, so once the funds are there I will book one :)

I got the price and detailed list from Jeff and Robin from Assassin Smokers and it is correct that they have a 17 as well, but I find that a bit too small.

Soren
Thanks, Soren.

Now I just need me some dough!

TW
 
Hi...I have the Assassin 28...the thing is massive!  You would not be disappointed in quality, capacity or ease of use.  Jeff, the manufacturer, is willing to customize and modify, and it comes with detailed instructions on how to season, cook and store.  There is a bit of a learning curve with gravity feed smokers, but the Assassin is a quality product that will satisfy your needs for any size cook.  

I have no relation to C & C Manufacturing, but am really happy with my Assassin and a big fan.

For perspective, I am 5'7", and the chimney is over my head!

Eric

 
Thanks for commenting Eric, meanwhile I have bought an Assassin 24 :) I am crazy about it as well. 

Have made almost everything(not everything but at lot) in it already. It is pretty easy to use with the Pitmaster IQ120, and does not need much of babysitting. 

Have you had any issues with it so far. I just have the paint peeling a couple of places, under the lid for the chute, a small spot behind the door to the cooking chamber and at the fire box. But have spoken to C&C about same, and it can just be scraped off. 

It is a really nice looking smoker you have, I chose gun metal grey for mine. 

I will soon be moving back to Denmark, Europe and the smoker is of course coming with me :)

How do you add the wood chunks to give smoke flavor. I add them with the lump charcoal, to make sure that I get enough flavor. 


Soren 
 
Hi Soren...nice to see another Assassin owner...I liked the gun-metal gray, but have a thing for all black.  My black paint is also metallic, but you cannot tell from this pic.  I'll try and post a better one.

No real problems so far.  I found that it was difficult to get to temp initially...mostly, I am used to my Primo oval which can get to temp in about 15 minutes.  Of course, that is so much smaller than the Assassin 28, so I should have figured that it would take a lot longer to get something so large up to temp.  Now, I just plan on giving myself an hour from fire starting to temp.  I also use the IQ120 that came with it, but I have a few other BBQ Gurus, and I might try one of those as soon as it warms up and stops raining here in Massachusetts.

As for any issues with the paint...I, too, have some paint buckling at the top of the fire box, but that was to be expected with the extreme heat.  Since it is within the gasket-sealed area when the chute door is down, it doesn't really impact anything, and cannot be seen.  I spoke with Jeff and Robin about it and will probably scrape/sand it down if it becomes an issue. Otherwise, no paint imperfections anywhere else.  I do need to tighten a couple of the latches, but I don't have the right wrench...those are small nuts...I think 11mm.  I might have to buy a new set of metric wrenches and find one to use.

There are a couple of mods I should make, and I have recommended them to Jeff.  First, and most importantly, I wish there was a shut-ff valve for the grease drain.  It would solve a couple of issues...first, once it is cooled-down, you can keep it closed to prevent anything from going in, or any constant dripping into a pan from left-over grease.  Also, having a shut-off valve there would allow you to close the top damper, and the drain hole, and cool down the fire faster.  The Oval can be shut down right away, but with the air flow from the bottom through the drain hole, it allows the fire to burn a little longer than I'm used to.

I have used both lump and Kingsford competition briquettes (which is what they recommend)...I might go back to lump in this.  I add cherry or oak logs to the ash pan, give it a shake to get the embers down, and those logs or chunks start smoking right up.
 
Hi Eric,

So sorry for late reply. Thought I had replied to the post.

Mine take approx. 1 hour to start as well, sometimes a bit more. Seems that the blower from IQ is maybe a bit too small. Did you have any success with your BBQ Guru instead.

The mods sounds like a good idea.

I now started adding the wood chunks in the ash pan, and it is easier to control how much smoke you want and when. Where at the time I mixed it in the chute I would not know exactly. I have been thinking of going back to briquettes as that is easier to get in Denmark.

I really like my Assassin and makes some pretty good Que on it.
 
Soren-Jeff recommends using briquettes, so you won't have any issues there.  Adding the wood to the bottom ash pans really allows you to mix woods and control the amount of smoke...I think the design is fantastic, because you can always add more coal (not that you really need to), and you can always add more wood in the ash pan, without disturbing the food in the cooker.  With the kamado, I cannot add coal or wood without taking all the food out, so I never do that.  
 
Yeah, I will try that as well(the briquettes I mean).

Did you try the BBQ Guru on instead, was that working better?
 
Yeah, I have been thinking of getting a Guru instead, but want to know if they are better first. 
 
The guru is a better device overall.  I've been using one of the original ones for the past 13 years on my Primo Oval XL.  My primary one uses analog dials...one for setting the temp and one for setting the meat temp.  It has an LED scale in the middle that lights up next to temp markings showing you how close you are to target meat temp.  I also have a DigiQ that works just like the IQ120...it has a digital scroll that shows pit temp, food temp and if the fan is blowing.

Impressions of the IQ120...it's a good device and a nice inclusion in the package,.  For something the size of the Assassin, I think you really need a temp controller with a fan.  But, I don't like the long hose running from the unit to the Assassin, and the all plastic construction is just adequate.  The DigiQ is all metal construction, is more temperature impervious, and uses a thin lead from the unit to the fan, that will mount directly on the ball valve.  The temp probes, both for the pit and the meat, are essentially the same, and may even come from the same supplier.

I know that Assassin used to include the DigiQ instead of the IQ120, but switched because they had a better relationship with the IQ120 people, but if I could choose, just on the overall quality of the device, I would switch to the DigiQ.  My next smoke in the Assassin will be with the DigiQ and I will post the results.  

All this being said, I am going to buy an adapter from Pitmaster to use with my Oval...I think it will work just fine with the Primo.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky