Offset or Reverse-flow

[SmokinRuss]

Has anyone used both? Which one has given you best smoked meat without much fuss?

 

[griz400]

Well .. an off set is a reverse flow as a reverse flow is an offset ................ previously all I ever had was an off set smoker ....now,since I now own a reverse flow offset .. there is really nothing like it ... no hot spots in smoker at all .. all cooks evenly ,, probably no difference of 5 degrees throughout the entire smoker ... only modification I ever made in my reverse flow is I raised up my fire grate in fire box .. cause on long smokes like butts .. ashes fall under it ,,, and temperature would drop.. and air under the fire maintains temperature ..

 

[SmokinRuss]

Thanx that makes alot of sense air and fire. Now in my side firebox I have like a grate that sits up off the bottom of my firebox but I also have a grate shelf with 2 grates right there when I open the firebox lid with the prongs close together like for cooking directly over the coals. Probably maybe 4 to 5 inches off the bottom. Theres not much room there for between these grates and firebox lid that I could use for my fire. I'd like to find something that would fit wall to wall in my firebox yet sit up a couple of inches for airflow from the firebox vent under my coals and wood to keep heat going strong for hours. Also my last smoke( 3rd one overall) I did chops and moved some around as food temps different from firebox side to chimney side. Anyway I put a few up on warming rack but later when checking temps those on warming rack reached a much higher temp than those down on grill area so was thinking that I should extend my chimney inside lower closer to cook area to force my heat down closer across the meat as it flows up and out the chimney. A lower chimney would force my low and slow heat down which should provide me more control over smoke temps and a better even food temp whole way across. Does that sound about right?