Master Forge or GOSM from Walmart?

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mojo13

Newbie
Original poster
Apr 24, 2011
12
10
Northern Iowa
This is my first post here, but I have been reading and searching on this forum for a couple of weeks now doing my research. I have never owned or done any smoking of any kind but would like to try it out. I have settled on getting a propane smoker for ease of use and have it down to either the Mater Forge from Lowes or the GOSM from walmart. Both are at the $150 mark which is what I would like to spend. 

I have searched and read a ton of posts on each but haven't seen any with people comparing the two. I was just wondering if there would be any reason from me to get one over the other. The double door of the Master Forge is a plus but was wondering in the end if it is that big of deal. Any help or reasons one would be better than the other would be great. 

Thank you for a great forum and I look forward to being on here often to get all the info I can. Thanks for helping a newbie out. 
 
I have the Walmart 3405BGW GOSM.  For the money it is a good smoker.  You can put a full rack of ribs in it without cutting them, it has a decent size burner.  Here a few things I don't like about mine.  The door hinges are very thin steel and bend easily, especially if the wind catches the door.  Some folks say their door doesn't leak, but mine was more than I was willing to accept - made a seal with RTV gasket maker.  Made a difference when cooking in the winter.  The stock chip box is steel and most folks toss it for a small cast iron pan, or other larger, heavier box.  The biggest annoyance however is the lack of a drip pan - grease collects on the bottom and runs down the legs.  If you buy one, I would strongly reccommend using a large pan to catch drippings (like the foil disposable ones) and I would thoroughly seal the bottom of the smoker with RTV gasket maker BEFORE you season it.  I wish I had done that when I bought mine.

That said, I am sensitive to budgets, but if I were buying a GOSM today I would spend the extra money and buy a 3605BGD Big Block.  You'll pay ~$300 including shipping at Landmann's web site.  The cast iron box, drip guard edging and drip pan, and heavier material (better hinges, etc.,.) all add up to a better smoker.  As to other vertical propane water smokers, I don't have any experience.

SQWIB's has a thread here with a link in it to his excellent blog comparing the smaller 3405GW and 3605BGD.  The Walmart 3405BGW is bigger than the 3405GW but most of the comparison in the blog is spot on to the 3405BGW.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/94714/gosm-big-block-notes

Whatever you buy, you'll find a few things to tweek, but you'll get your smoker to work for you and the folks on this forum will help you with any problems you encounter.
 
I recently purchased the MF gasser from Lowes and, so far, have no complaints after a simple mod of putting fiberglass rope around the door lips to cut down on heat & smoke loss. If I had to do it over I would look for the MF XL which would make it more like the big block but Lowes didn't have it in stock at the time. For the price it's a good deal (for me) and I have now used it a lot for everything from turkeys, pork roasts, tenderloins etc. It is real cheap on propane, hardly uses any...tank still reads full after hours of smoking. The double doors, for me, was a big plus as I originally was using chunks and could just open the bottom door to add more without loosing a lot of heat/smoke in the upper chamber. Now I have the AMNS so that is no longer an issue but, all in all, I am very happy with mine.
 
I have the Walmart 3405BGW GOSM.  For the money it is a good smoker.  You can put a full rack of ribs in it without cutting them, it has a decent size burner.  Here a few things I don't like about mine.  The door hinges are very thin steel and bend easily, especially if the wind catches the door.  Some folks say their door doesn't leak, but mine was more than I was willing to accept - made a seal with RTV gasket maker.  Made a difference when cooking in the winter.  The stock chip box is steel and most folks toss it for a small cast iron pan, or other larger, heavier box.  The biggest annoyance however is the lack of a drip pan - grease collects on the bottom and runs down the legs.  If you buy one, I would strongly reccommend using a large pan to catch drippings (like the foil disposable ones) and I would thoroughly seal the bottom of the smoker with RTV gasket maker BEFORE you season it.  I wish I had done that when I bought mine.

That said, I am sensitive to budgets, but if I were buying a GOSM today I would spend the extra money and buy a 3605BGD Big Block.  You'll pay ~$300 including shipping at Landmann's web site.  The cast iron box, drip guard edging and drip pan, and heavier material (better hinges, etc.,.) all add up to a better smoker.  As to other vertical propane water smokers, I don't have any experience.

SQWIB's has a thread here with a link in it to his excellent blog comparing the smaller 3405GW and 3605BGD.  The Walmart 3405BGW is bigger than the 3405GW but most of the comparison in the blog is spot on to the 3405BGW.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/94714/gosm-big-block-notes

Whatever you buy, you'll find a few things to tweek, but you'll get your smoker to work for you and the folks on this forum will help you with any problems you encounter.
Thank you for letting me know the things you don't like about it, that is the kind of stuff that interests me. I have read that blog on the Big Block and would love to get one but just don't have the budget and with me never trying it before I would hate to get one and find out smoking is not for me (which I don't see happening but possible). 


I recently purchased the MF gasser from Lowes and, so far, have no complaints after a simple mod of putting fiberglass rope around the door lips to cut down on heat & smoke loss. If I had to do it over I would look for the MF XL which would make it more like the big block but Lowes didn't have it in stock at the time. For the price it's a good deal (for me) and I have now used it a lot for everything from turkeys, pork roasts, tenderloins etc. It is real cheap on propane, hardly uses any...tank still reads full after hours of smoking. The double doors, for me, was a big plus as I originally was using chunks and could just open the bottom door to add more without loosing a lot of heat/smoke in the upper chamber. Now I have the AMNS so that is no longer an issue but, all in all, I am very happy with mine.
Thanks for the insight on the MF, I didn't know they made an XL version do you have a link or anything? I do like the idea of the double doors, I have been trying to compare the GOSM and MF but I can't find the dimensions of the MF so not sure how big it is compared to the GOSM. 
 
I have the master forge and think its great. As the other fellow said, easy on propane. I have so far done a few racks of ribs, chicken turkey and a 12 lb prime rib with corn and potatoes as well. All were excellent. I am using a blend of hardwood chunks (maple. cherry and hickory) and so far just water. The mods I have made to my smoker are the fireplace gasket (rope) and also some muffler tape along the upper gap where the top and sides meet. I also suggest to you to get a watering can with a long skinny spout so you can open the upper door to add water while you cook. My one complaint is that it can be hard to get the heats up when the ambient temperature outside is cold or windy. We had a hard time getting it to stay in the 200 range when we were doing the prime rib. I am thinking about getting a hold of some old stoves and somehow wrapping it with the insulation.
 
Thank you for letting me know the things you don't like about it, that is the kind of stuff that interests me. I have read that blog on the Big Block and would love to get one but just don't have the budget and with me never trying it before I would hate to get one and find out smoking is not for me (which I don't see happening but possible). 



Thanks for the insight on the MF, I didn't know they made an XL version do you have a link or anything? I do like the idea of the double doors, I have been trying to compare the GOSM and MF but I can't find the dimensions of the MF so not sure how big it is compared to the GOSM. 
Looked for a link to the MF XL....could not find anything. Maybe I mis-spoke or it's a discontinued model. Sorry....
 
 
I have the master forge and think its great. As the other fellow said, easy on propane. I have so far done a few racks of ribs, chicken turkey and a 12 lb prime rib with corn and potatoes as well. All were excellent. I am using a blend of hardwood chunks (maple. cherry and hickory) and so far just water. The mods I have made to my smoker are the fireplace gasket (rope) and also some muffler tape along the upper gap where the top and sides meet. I also suggest to you to get a watering can with a long skinny spout so you can open the upper door to add water while you cook. My one complaint is that it can be hard to get the heats up when the ambient temperature outside is cold or windy. We had a hard time getting it to stay in the 200 range when we were doing the prime rib. I am thinking about getting a hold of some old stoves and somehow wrapping it with the insulation.
Yeah, I had the same problem here in the NW with high winds and rain affecting holding temps....I wound up building a cheesy looking 3-sided plywood windbreak and it really helped.
f56364d8_windbreak2.jpg
 
Thats a pretty good idea on the 3 sided box, does the GOSM have the same issues with not being able to get up to temp with wind etc?
 
Yes, GOSMs have the same challenge with temp, wind, etc.,.  Here was my solution to it:

2f820e75_Duane_Smoker_Top_2.jpg

Thats a pretty good idea on the 3 sided box, does the GOSM have the same issues with not being able to get up to temp with wind etc?
 
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