Hello I am a new member here from Southern California. I am from the greater Los Angeles area in the suburbs. I been smoking meat for more than 10 years now. I started the hobby with a fairly cheap off set smoker in 2007 from Lowes hardware store. Before that I experimented with indirect heat on the gas BBQ and using wood chips. I learned a lot with the cheap offset smoker but last year I bought a better one. I got a Char Griller from Home Depot. Maybe not the best but it's better than my first one.