WSM vs Napoleon as300 3 in 1

[tony maulorico]

Hi, I'm new to the forum but have been getting Jeff's news letters for a couple of years now. I currently own a 20+ year old offset smoker that is finally starting to rust out which is making it difficult to regulate the temp (too much air leaking) so i am in the market for a new smoker.

I have been looking at the WSM bullet smoker and have seen nothing but good reviews, but while searching the Internet I ran across the Napoleon AS300K Apollo 3 in 1 smoker, it looks very similar to the wsm but appears to have a few extra features. I also like the idea that i could use it as a standard grill.

Has anyone used the Apollo 3 in 1 or have any advise on a good charcoal smoker?

Thanks,

 

[pops6927]

Can you enclose a Qview (pic) or link?

 

[tony maulorico]

Here is a link to the Napoleon As300 and a pic. See what you think.

http://www.napoleongrills.com/Gourmet-grills/charcoal/smoker.html

 

[tony maulorico]

  

 

[lght]

Wow that As300 looks nice.  Tony did you pull the trigger on one??  Seems like a WSM with all the mods done for you.  Plus I love that bar in the lid since I do fish a lot.  What do they cost.  I got a WSM because NEW it was $45.07 out the door! 

 

[tony maulorico]

I think I will be going with the as300 the price for them is about $350, mid way between the WSM 18.5" and 22.5", makes sense this one is 20". I really like the idea of the bar and hooks in the lid plus the hinged doors and temperature probe grommets which will be perfect for my Maverick remote thermometer. I should be ordering it the 1st part of may (my next bonus) and I will let everyone know what I think.

By the way LGHT is that a typo or did you get a WSM for $45?

 

[lght]

Not a typo at all.  It was $42 + Tax so was a little over $45 out the door.  I bough the last 3 they had at Home Depot and a few guys I know drove around town picking up several from other locations.  Apparently they are no longer carrying them "in store" so it was a discontinued item.   I sold a couple and bought the stoker with the extra cash so technically I got a free WSM AND stoker.

On a side note how thick is the metal and is it ceramic coated like the WSM's?  Although it may look just as good I would make sure it's not thin metal with a cheap coating just to be on the safe side.

 

[tony maulorico]

That's the biggest problem I have with the Napoleon, they only have a 1 year warranty that does not cover burn out and the lack of information pertaining to the construction on their web site.

Awesome deal on the Weber, timing is everything!!!

 

[lght]

1 year for a smoker?   Wow that's a tough one...  Even the cheap $50 smokers have that beat.  Have you seen them in person?  Not sure why they would only want to give a 1 year warranty if it's heavy steel AND has a ceramic coating on it. 

 

[tony maulorico]

No I haven't seen one in person no one in my area carries them and I looked on the internet for reviews and there are very few, I think I found a total of 3 , 2 were good the third so-so. The thing I that keeps coming to mind is the 10 Year warranty from Weber. I assume you are pleased with the WSM. Is yours an 18.5" or 22.5"? If its the 18, is it big enough?

Thanks,

 

[lght]

I like the mods on the Napoleon, but for the cost I think I would just get a weber and not have to worry and do the mods myself.  They don't look hard to do and would be helpful "if" you need them, but aren't necessary by any means.

I have the 18.5".  I actually wanted the 22.5, but I looked at it this way.  What would give me more cooking space an 18.5 WITH a "Pro Q stacker" extra grate or a 22.5 without the extra grate?  The answer is 18.5 with the stacker.

If you add up the cooking space with 3 18" grates you get 54" total.  If you have a 22.5 you only have 44" total cooking space.  Granted it's wider, but not bigger overall.

I've only had it a short period of time, but I also save money on smaller cooks because I can simply remove the pro Q extra grate and not burn as much fuel. 

It's a win win to me.  Plus the Pro Q only cost $45 shipped so right off the bat I already save more than $50 from the 22".

Here is what they look like. 

You can get one from ebay here for $55 shipped new.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PRO-Q-BBQ-P...432?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43ad0a68f8

 

[michael ark]

Looks good from here.

 

[lostarrow]

The WSM 22 has slightly more cooking area than an 18 with a stacker.
The big thing is the 22 makes cooking ribs, briskets & other long or bulky meats easier.

 

[tony maulorico]

I like that idea! I wasn't sure if the 18.5 would be big enough, but with this add-on it would be perfect. The offset smoker I have used for years eats a lot of charcoal. How well does the WSM do on long smokes? 

 

[lght]

Well I have only had mine a few months, but my largest cook with the stacker on I did 2 turkeys, 3 butts and 2 briskets.  The stoker maintained the temps for me and 1 full load of coals lasted 10 hours.  I did take off the turkey about half way through and removed the stacker which did help conserve fuel quit a bit. 

 

[paulmart]

I bought the napoleon 3 in 1 smoker a year ago. Its works as good as the day I bought it. The 1 year warranty is up now but it doesnt bother me. I have yet to come across a piece of meat that didnt fit in it. As far as long smokes go, I dont live in an ideal climate to support long charcoal smokes (high elevation, desert like oxygen quantity, and way up north) so a full charcoal basket only last me about 4-5 hours.
That aside, it really works great. The versatility of being able to break the smoker down to a hot grill has been a cooking asset for me. I dont use my propane grill anymore. I just break the napoleon down to a crazy hot charcoal grill for simple grilling. Removing the water pan and removing one tier is perfect for things like chicken wings..

..I should mention, ive never used a weber so I cannot compare.

People say many good things about thw WSM and im a believer in the Napoleon. Im sure thst between the two, whatever decision you make, you will be happy.

Hope this helped