New Grill/Smoker Advice??

[ghostred7]

Hey all...hope everyone has had a great time in between posts.

My MES40 started cutting itself off during cook cycles.

My Charbroil 800 grill is on its last leg.

Limited budget (pref < $250 with minor wiggle-room)

Basically need grill and possibly smoker.  I have a chance at a FREE Brinkmann vertical charcoal 2 door/rectangular smoker...so that > nothing I guess.  I've never used one, but know there needs to be wok/drill mods to charcoal pan.

Anyhoo...given all that info..toss some suggestions at me.  My Mom is visiting for about a week and I've been ordered to make pastrami and Q lol

 

[drewed]

3 words:

Buy

A 

Weber.

A weber kettle is one of the most versatile / longest lasting grill for the money.  Besides you can add a rotisserie for birds and the smokenator for Q.

 

[ghostred7]

 
3 words:

Buy

A 

Weber.

A weber kettle is one of the most versatile / longest lasting grill for the money.  Besides you can add a rotisserie for birds and the smokenator for Q.

The kettle 22" premium is def on my radar.  Even w/out the smokenator, it's only some folded aluminum foil away from indirect (ish).

 

[worktogthr]

I agree!  A weber kettle can do everything you want. Grill, smoke, roast, direct, indirect.  It holds temps so well that I sometimes find it less maintenance than my propane or electric smokers.  I would suggest the 22 with the ash catcher, the One Touch Gold or Performer.

 

[timberjet]

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• timberjet
• Feb 1, 2015

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• timberjet
• Nov 30, 2014

I am a Weber man and I do most of my daily smoking on mine. I have the 22 inch performer. It comes with these baskets and hinged grates which makes the smokinater irrelevant. You can get a pretty fair amount of food on one too.

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• timberjet
• Feb 15, 2015

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• timberjet
• Feb 1, 2015

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• timberjet
• Jan 3, 2015

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• timberjet
• Dec 24, 2014

 

[ghostred7]

Those look awesome!

I feel that my "financial services adviser (aka...the one paying for it)" is wanting to push me towards something like the Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Ed simply since we often have the need of doing 2-3 spatchcock birds at once.  I'm having a hard time selling the kettle idea (although this last post may change that ;) ).

That being said....locally there is the BTLE and OK Joe's Highland (unless we decide to go kettle route, which is easy to accomplish).

 

[timberjet]

I can get 3 spatchcock birds in mine just barely. One thing about it, the weber will work perfect right out of the box. Both those other smokers you are going to have to do quite a bit of work to to seal them up and make them work good. I know they look so cool and all but if it were me I would start with a kettle and go from there. You will never be sorry you got one. Also Weber stuff lasts forever and is made in the USA. that overseas made crap does not. I built myself a UDS, which is very easy and cheap for when I need more room or want to do a long long smoke. Smoke Daddy makes an extension ring to add another rack to the kettle as well. I need this. Check them out, they have some neat stuff for Weber Kettles and the WSM.