Want to Buy Smoker

[smokinjon]

I have finally decided to go with an offset and it looks like the entry level models would be the brinkmann pittmaster and the char griller smoke n pro...Anyone have any preference on which one is better or are they basically the same? Are there any others in that price range or just above that range that I am missing.

 

[smokinjon]

Also...is a Brinkmann Pitmaster Deluxe the same thing as a Brinkmann smoke n pit? I have seen them called different things at different stores but no one at the stores seems to know.

 

[danielh]

From what I've read, not much difference between the cheaper offsets..

It takes about 4x the money to get a 'good' offset of similar size.. Main difference being the thickness of the metal and quality of the craftsmanship.. The cheapos are basically sheetmetal, and the expensive ones are a minimum of 3/16 and usually 1/4" or more. Built to last a lifetime and will hold heat better.

 

[grampyskids]

If you want a truly set and forget, I would buy the 40" MES from Sam's Club and get the A-mazen-smoker. No tending fires, smokes up to 8 hours, and a quality product. I have a Char-griller Smoke-n-pro with a SFB in my garage and I now regret buying it. I have a barrel to build a UDS amd I am looking forwar to it.

 

[dburgette]

I hate to tell you to choose a different option, but after using my UDS for a few months, I can tell you I wish I would have started with that and let it be. You can set it and forget the fire and it has held temps up to 14 hours...no problem. I will disagree with others when they say you have a hard time controlling temps inside the drum. All it takes is some trial and error for the temps to be right where you want them. If you haven't looked into them, search around the site and you will see why everyone raves about them.

 

[dburgette]

Let the building begin! You won't regret that build.

 

[earache_my_eye]

According to Brinkmann's website, they are one in the same.


Just to throw my $.02 in... if you are fairly handy with tools, you could easily build a UDS...and, it's a cheap build...

Or, with a few simple mods, the Brinkmann Gourmet charcoal smoker will get you "near- WSM " performance for less than half the price.

L8r,
Eric

 

[tom37]

Another vote for the UDS, mine got a little carried away but thats me. I have a reverse flow, my cooking partner has a giant azz rotisserie with a southern pride style fire box, our mentor has two small southern prides and a giant old hickory.

My first choice of course would be the southern, propane fired over wood with a thermostat. Its a tremendous amount of room in a small package. Very very cool smoker but I can't afford one. Maybe when I am all grown up and rich I can have one.

Next up is my UDS. Even with no fancy stuff they will fit 4 butts or 4 slabs or 5 chickens or a bunch of wings and thighs. There super easy to build if you have a hand held drill. Oh wait, you will need a tape measure too. I think doing a plain jane version you would only spend 50 bucks or so and thats if you went for the 2 heavy duty grates from weber. When I seasoned mine I did a no load burn and it ran 25 hours on about 12 lbs of kingsford briquettes. In that time I spiked to 300 once, my fault I was playin with the lid. And never dropped below 195 the whole time. I probably have 130 dollars or so tied up in mine if I was to have to buy it all from scratch, but I had alot of left over parts laying around.

 

[dburgette]

I had 5 racks of ribs and tips in a pan on last weekend. My UDS was completely full, but everything came out how I wanted it.