YANUT (Yet Another New User Thread)

[dparker]

Long time listener, first time caller (OK, only been reading for a few days) from the 'burbs of Dallas checking in.

I have a Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24 on order that will allegedly be dropped off on my front doorstep before the end of the week, so I thought I'd be proactive in the meantime and get myself setup here.  In spite of being a semi-old fart (55) this will be my first dedicated smoker, with my prior experience being limited to use of those awful little steel boxes that you fill with wood chips and set on a grill burner.

So....let's just check the "No real prior experience" box on that one.

 

[mike5051]

Welcome to the forum!  Congrats on that new smoker purchase!

Mike

 

[SmokinAl]

to the forum!

Glad to have you with us!

Congrats on the new smoker, it's a good one.

I've had an SV24 for years.

Al

 

[dparker]

 
I've had an SV24 for years.

How do you like it?

EDIT: Never mind, I just read your response to PorkTaco here...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...4s-24-instead-of-a-pellet-smoker#post_1607839

...and it pretty much answers my question, and then some.

 

[bdskelly]

A late Texas welcome to you.  Why The the Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24 over the other units available? b

 

[dparker]

A late Texas welcome to you.

Thanks.

Why The the Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24 over the other units available? b

Several things influenced my decision, with the most significant ones being:

1) I'm too lazy to fool with charcoal, and none of the electric units in my price range had the capacity I wanted plus a good reputation for quality. That narrowed the field to propane smokers (which works for me because I already have a propane grill).

2) While I wanted the ability to occasionally smoke large items/quantities of food and a dedicated smoker to do it in (having never been happy with using my grill for even small smoking tasks) I don't see myself becoming as hardcore about it as many, so I couldn't justify the expense of some of the nicer makes and models.

3) The space I had available for more stuff on the back porch was somewhat limited, so a vertical configuration was a must. The 24 gave me the capacity I wanted in a relatively modest footprint.

4) Other than not being as robust as the pricier units out there, my research didn't uncover any significant negatives about the SV models.

I've only done three smokes so far (a brisket, some chicken wings that I cooked sous vide beforehand and some large walleye filets, also prepared sous vide before smoking), so I haven't really put the SV24 through its paces yet...but I have no major complaints so far.