# Help with choosing new budget smoker



## bamapig (Jun 4, 2018)

I have a char griller that ive been using for almost 8 years now. Smoked a lot of good stuff on there. But now im ready to purchase a new one. It had the offset smoke box so I have no problem using sticks and charcoal but it became a big hassle constantly fighting to keep it at proper temp. Long smokes the box would fill with ashes and choke itself out and as much as its been used the smoker is getting rough shape wise. The budget is around 400 bucks.

So kinda looking around and came across pellet smokers. I kinda felt like it was cheating but now im a little older and it would be nice to set it and forget it so to speak. But ive seen about half of the reviews saying it doesnt have the smoke flavor and imparts a light smokey flavor. That wont do. It seems very convenient with the meat probes (I already use a maverick et 73 thermometer). Can anyone shed some light on this? Ive always went by the thin blue smoke rule and always had great flavor. Was looking at the traeger 20-22 or cheaper variant.

Next i was looking at the webber smokey mountain and the dyna glo off set smoker. I like the design of the dyna glo much better but the webber seems to be made of thicker and better materials. Ive never used a vertical barrel smoker but im not opposed to it i just need to be sure that i can fit 2 racks of ribs at least on there at a time to smoke. i want to not have to baby it as much as i have been with the char griller. What say the experts? Any other suggestions?


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## daricksta (Jun 4, 2018)

bamapig said:


> I have a char griller that ive been using for almost 8 years now. Smoked a lot of good stuff on there. But now im ready to purchase a new one. It had the offset smoke box so I have no problem using sticks and charcoal but it became a big hassle constantly fighting to keep it at proper temp. Long smokes the box would fill with ashes and choke itself out and as much as its been used the smoker is getting rough shape wise. The budget is around 400 bucks.
> 
> So kinda looking around and came across pellet smokers. I kinda felt like it was cheating but now im a little older and it would be nice to set it and forget it so to speak. But ive seen about half of the reviews saying it doesnt have the smoke flavor and imparts a light smokey flavor. That wont do. It seems very convenient with the meat probes (I already use a maverick et 73 thermometer). Can anyone shed some light on this? Ive always went by the thin blue smoke rule and always had great flavor. Was looking at the traeger 20-22 or cheaper variant.
> 
> Next i was looking at the webber smokey mountain and the dyna glo off set smoker. I like the design of the dyna glo much better but the webber seems to be made of thicker and better materials. Ive never used a vertical barrel smoker but im not opposed to it i just need to be sure that i can fit 2 racks of ribs at least on there at a time to smoke. i want to not have to baby it as much as i have been with the char griller. What say the experts? Any other suggestions?


I own a 30" Masterbuilt digital electric smoker--a Gen 1--which I really like. Were I looking for a charcoal smoker that burns wood chunks I would buy the WSM. It's an outstanding smoker and it's really popular. Now, just like their most popular kettle grills, it comes in two sizes" 18.5" and 22'5 and has 2 cooking grates. Two racks of ribs should easily fit in there. In my 22.5" Weber OTS charcoal kettle grill I can fit two racks of ribs on the grate, or 3-4 racks in my Steven Raichlen Rib Rack. The total cooking surface of the WSM is double that of my OTS because of the two cooking grates. I chose the MES 30 since it was my first smoker and knew nothing about smoking, it was relatively cheap, and I specifically wanted an electric smoker since I didn't want to use charcoal or propane as my cooking fuel.

Stay away from Traeger's. One of the common complaints is that they're drafty and it's a lot of work to maintain a constant temp. One of my brothers-in-law who owns one always complains about that. My MES 30 is subject to temp swings during its first 2-3 heating cycles then it settles down to stay (within a few degrees plus or minus) on my set point. The 22 in. WSM checks in at $400 on Amazon but there may be lower prices. The new Masterbuilt electric digital Gen 2.5 Bluetooth and non- can be had for under $400. If you _were _considering a propane smoker for under $300, I've heard really good things about Smoke Hollow. We're friends with a married couple and the wife gave her husband one of those and he just loves it.


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## cansmoke (Jun 4, 2018)

Not sure on what you mean by budget but I went from a Char GRiller to a Oklahoma Joe Highland .Much better temperature control .


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## lamar (Jun 4, 2018)

Have you considered the Weber kettle?  It makes some amazing cooks.  I don't use my gasser anymore since getting a Weber Preformer off craig's list.

BTW....war eagle


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## phathead69 (Jun 4, 2018)

Bama this isn't a direct answer but maybe an option. I have a stick burner, vertical offset and working on a reverse flow. Shorter smokes like ribs and such most of the time I enjoy the babysitting. Cold beer espn and I'm good to go. I'm looking at maybe an MES for the longer smokes like brisket. Say 6 to midnight babysit the sticks then move to the electric. Basically an outside oven that I can add smoke to. Just a thought


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## bamapig (Jun 4, 2018)

I don't want propane. Definitely charcoal or pellet.  Budget is around 400. Something kinda turns me off about the Webber shape. Never used a barrel smoker I've always used the offset smoker box but it does get great reviews


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## cansmoke (Jun 4, 2018)

The Oki Joe is an offset barrel. I wanted charcoal and wanted offset.


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## motocrash (Jun 4, 2018)

Can't go wrong with a WSM,surf the threads here and ask anyone who has one.The price range you stated is comprised of A LOT of junk that isn't worth half of what they ask for.Pellet grills as you mentioned do not produce any quantity of quality smoke over about 250* range,it's the nature of the beast.If you are seeking set it and forget it,a WSM is the best in your budget that I know of.


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## cornman (Jun 4, 2018)

Love my WSM!!!  Just my two cents...let us know what you pick and good luck.


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## RiversideSm0ker (Jun 4, 2018)

I haven’t used a WSM but I started my smoking on a Brinkmann barrel smoker. The Webber is way better in every aspect of design and function. Last December I needed to replace my Brinkmann due to wear and tear. I went with the Oklahoma Joe Highland due to a very special price during a clearance sale st Walmart. I have no regrets about my decision but it is an offset that does need to be tended. I can recommend the OKJ without hesitation but in the end you have to decide what is worth your budget. Honestly if I wanted a set and forget setup I would personally go with an MES electric and then add the AmazN smoking tray. I just discovered that for me the tending of my smoker is a big part the enjoyment I experience from my barbecue. I doubt that I will ever go back. I will however consider a higher end model made from at least 1/4” steel. That will be the last one I’ll ever need to buy. The guys are right about limited choices at the sub $400 price point. The Webber Smokey Mountain has the best quality in that price range but the OKJ is made from a decent thickness of steel and does fall into your price range. The pellet grills in your price range are going to be pretty small. If that isn’t an issue then you could consider one for sure. Just remember if something breaks down it is basically a computerized grill and can’t be used without replacing defective hardware. An offset has the most basic design you can get from a smoker. This is just my two plus cents on the subject. I hope that it helps.

George


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## foamheart (Jun 4, 2018)

Only you can decide whats most important to you.  Everyone is on a budget. The link is to BD's step by step on a Very nice piece of equipment which is fairly easily made. AND you get a great multi-task unit     at a very reasonable price. These things once BD posted were like wildfire. Everyone was making them. Take a look and if you have a question send BD a message. It allows you to buy the special equipment you'll need for smoking and have a great smoker all on a pauper's pay check. Good luck and look forward to seeing you smoking on a new smoker!

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...ing-a-mini-weber-smokey-mountain-mwsm.178390/


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## muskyjunky (Jun 5, 2018)

You've mentioned pellet smoker a couple times and 400$ budget. That's what i paid for my Pit Boss 700. I'm nowhere near an expert on any of this like a lot of people on this forum truly are, but i can tell you I'm very happy with it and its performance.  Just today i also got an AMAZEN 12" tube I'm gonna incorporate into a brisket smoke I'm planning on doing near future. But as far as the ribs / chicken / sausages ive already done on it , the smokiness has been very well received by myself / family. I do prefer it to my electric ( MES 30 ) I upgraded from. Just my humble 2 cents on the topic.


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## SmokinAl (Jun 5, 2018)

WSM 22.5 gets my vote!
Well constructed, runs perfectly right out of the box.
Holds temps very steady & can run over 20 hours on one load of charcoal & wood chunks.
And the price is $399.
Al


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## gmc2003 (Jun 5, 2018)

Bama, with the budget your talking about I'd also recommend the 22" WSM. Don't worry about bullet type smokers they're easy to use and there's more then enough people on this site that use them and are willing to help with any questions. I don't have any shots of ribs, but this will give you an idea of available space on the WSM. The link is for a 15+ pound turkey I did not to long ago. 

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/1st-try-at-a-smoked-turkey.274867/

Chris


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## worktogthr (Jun 5, 2018)

I will chime in with my vote and say, spend $299 on a Pit Barrel Cooker (great flavor, ease of use, good capacity when hanging) and then use the extra $100 to  find a nice Weber Kettle on facebook marketplace or craigslist.   I am a big fan of the WSM as well, but portability is important to me and the Pit Barrel Cooker is very easy to transport.


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## daricksta (Jun 5, 2018)

lamar said:


> Have you considered the Weber kettle?  It makes some amazing cooks.  I don't use my gasser anymore since getting a Weber Preformer off craig's list.
> 
> BTW....war eagle


I enjoy using both my MES 30 Gen 1 for smoking and my 22" Weber kettle grill. I'm smoking beef ribs for the first time this week. One of the racks looks to be too long for the smoker. Still deciding whether to chop it in two or just throw that and the much smaller 2nd rack on the Weber over indirect heat and toss some hickory chunks onto the coals.


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## daricksta (Jun 5, 2018)

worktogthr said:


> I will chime in with my vote and say, spend $299 on a Pit Barrel Cooker (great flavor, ease of use, good capacity when hanging) and then use the extra $100 to  find a nice Weber Kettle on facebook marketplace or craigslist.   I am a big fan of the WSM as well, but portability is important to me and the Pit Barrel Cooker is very easy to transport.


I've read about those Pit Barrel Cookers and similar smokers. Yeah, they're very popular. I've owned a Weber Kettle Grill for over 25 years. I wouldn't grill on anything else. I also use it a smoker when I don't feel like dragging out my MES 30.

And this may be a silly question but...you really own all that gear listed in your sig? ¡Muy impresionante! Sorry, a brief spell of Spanish language just came over me.


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## foamheart (Jun 5, 2018)

daricksta said:


> I enjoy using both my MES 30 Gen 1 for smoking and my 22" Weber kettle grill. I'm smoking beef ribs for the first time this week. One of the racks looks to be too long for the smoker. Still deciding whether to chop it in two or just throw that and the much smaller 2nd rack on the Weber over indirect heat and toss some hickory chunks onto the coals.



You don't need to cut it! Do it cowboy style and just "Circle up the wagons!"














Works fine, fails safe, drains to the bilge!


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## slapaho_injun (Jun 6, 2018)

I just sold my MES 30 for $140. I think I got it on sale for $199. No complaints. I would definitely buy one again. I just got a stick burner built out of an old fridge. Like going from a Prius to a Suburban! Do what you can do but you can't go wrong with a MES for the money.


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## lancep (Jun 6, 2018)

I’ll throw another vote for the WSM. You can cook everything but whole hog and I would put the food that comes off of it up against any charcoal beard cooker on the market. I abused mine for five years and now my friend has had it for two years and it’s still going strong. 

Lance


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## daricksta (Jun 6, 2018)

slapaho_injun said:


> I just sold my MES 30 for $140. I think I got it on sale for $199. No complaints. I would definitely buy one again. I just got a stick burner built out of an old fridge. Like going from a Prius to a Suburban! Do what you can do but you can't go wrong with a MES for the money.


I've said over the years that many of Masterbuilt's smokers are the best smokers at their price points. I bought my MES 30 Gen 1 for $189 six years ago off Amazon (even then the price was a bit high but I wasn't willing to wait for the $130 sales). I've had to replace the controller once. I love that little smoker, and someday when I'm able to buy a better, I'll still keep this one.


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## sauced (Jun 6, 2018)

I don't have one, but have read nothing but rave reviews about the WSM and the Pit Barrel. Those both are in your price range. Me...I have the OK Joe and a Weber Kettle, both easily meet my needs. Got the OK Joe end of season from WalMart for $160 and the Weber 22" kettle for $199. Added a few options and can smoke anything.


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## browneyesvictim (Jun 6, 2018)

Based on your input, my vote would be for a WSM or similar vertical smoker for the most versatile reliable and stable temps. You could even add a temp controller such as a BBQ Guru to it that makes it even more carefree.

To me personally, I absolutely LOVE the flavor that charcoal gives- even over straight wood smokes. You know that sweet smell you catch in the air when you are at a park or perhaps a neighbor that is using charcoal versus a wood fire smoke? I just cant seem to replicate that in my electric MES with any flavor of pellets or chips. But I like to use my MES for other things such as cold smoking or jerky, salmon, and smoked sausage that it is best suited more for. But grilling is another matter. In that case a Kettle brings in that aspect.


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## daricksta (Jun 6, 2018)

browneyesvictim said:


> Based on your input, my vote would be for a WSM or similar vertical smoker for the most versatile reliable and stable temps. You could even add a temp controller such as a BBQ Guru to it that makes it even more carefree.
> 
> To me personally, I absolutely LOVE the flavor that charcoal gives- even over straight wood smokes. You know that sweet smell you catch in the air when you are at a park or perhaps a neighbor that is using charcoal versus a wood fire smoke? I just cant seem to replicate that in my electric MES with any flavor of pellets or chips. But I like to use my MES for other things such as cold smoking or jerky, salmon, and smoked sausage that it is best suited more for. But grilling is another matter. In that case a Kettle brings in that aspect.


One of my favorite smells in the world is just after you've lot your stack of charcoal and the smoke starts rising from the chimney starter. And that first smell of smoke portends great tastes to come. I also love the smell of hickory wood chunks burning on top of charcoal. With my MES, the wood smoke smell both delights and makes me hungry. My favorite wood smoke to smell are hickory, oak, and apple. I use my MES for both hot and cold smokes. I'm just getting into more indirect cooking with my Weber kettle grill. And for me, cooking outdoors with propane is not an option.


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## 1215 (Jun 8, 2018)

I mean there's always the good old UDS... $50-$75 can get you into one of those. Or you can be like me and spend $250 on electricity from welding a crazy custom UDS. But WSM bullets with a few mods are pretty rock solid cookers.


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## shoebe (Jun 9, 2018)

Love my WSM, so easy to use and always produces great meat


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## laughingpanther (Jun 10, 2018)

If you want another offset barrel smoker, an Oklahoma Joe would be a good choice, if you want a bullet style smoker, WSM is the best. Here's what I don't like about bullet style smokers. One rack is under the other and you can't adjust the fire without opening the cooking chamber. I prefer offset barrel smokers, The WSM is set it and forget it. That's not true with offset barrel smokers. Anyway, good luck and happy smoking.


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## phatbac (Jun 10, 2018)

For the Price i vote WSM as well. something i haven't seen mentioned is that you can cold smoke with a WSM 22. i have made 10#s of jerky at a time on my WSM and a AMNPS tray. Just shows the versatility of the WSM.

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)


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## 1215 (Jun 10, 2018)

I just re-read bamapig's original post. Said budget was $400. I read "budget" to mean "get me into something under $100". 


For $400 that's a bit of a difficult spot (in my opinion). They don't make'em like they used to. All the newer smokers I see at the big-box stores come with really thin sheet metal. Is it worth it to clean up and modify the char griller you have? (modify meaning door gaskets, fire basket for the firebox, chimney mods, etc.) 

The difficult spot is that you can't quite get into drum (or an egg) and you are at the lower/retail end of the pellet smokers. If you double your budget you could get into a really top notch smoker (pellet or otherwise). I'm biased because I've seen the stuff competition teams cook on and have a buddy who owns a catering company (he owns big catering smoker rigs and small high end competition smokers). Anything under $1,000 or that's sold at the big-box stores starts to get a little junky in my opinion.


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## bamapig (Jun 10, 2018)

I had already modified the chargriller with a metal dryer vent from the exhaust down to the grate. Works great but the SFB is about shot cause the top is rusted pretty bad. The vent wont hardly open or close and the grate is pretty much gone. The barrel itself is in ok shape but the interior grates are starting to get in worse condition than i want. The total cost to replace everything is about 175.


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## RiversideSm0ker (Jun 11, 2018)

bamapig said:


> I had already modified the chargriller with a metal dryer vent from the exhaust down to the grate. Works great but the SFB is about shot cause the top is rusted pretty bad. The vent wont hardly open or close and the grate is pretty much gone. The barrel itself is in ok shape but the interior grates are starting to get in worse condition than i want. The total cost to replace everything is about 175.



See when you are thinking about dropping $175 on a worn out cooker then even if you go low end with a super cheap offset it seems like the better call. At least it's brand new and you are at the beginning of the wear and tear cycle instead of just trying to extend it. If you are still interested in an offset my call would be the same one that I bought. The OKJ Highland. Look around and try to find the best deal that you can for it. If you are willing to lay out the full $400 then that 22" WSM is really a good call because it's going to last you at least 10 years if you get a cover and take decent care of it. You will have the ability to adjust your heat really well and you will be able to walk away from it for extended periods of time. I hope that you find what you are looking for in your new smoker whatever you decide. Have a great day.

George


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## bamapig (Jun 11, 2018)

No I bought the 22 inch Weber today


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## RiversideSm0ker (Jun 11, 2018)

bamapig said:


> No I bought the 22 inch Weber today



I’m pretty sure that you will be very pleased with your purchase. Webber is all about quality. The 22” size will fit most any normal cut of meat. Don’t forget to post some pics of your delicious barbecue. Have a great day.

George


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## Burner76 (Jun 18, 2018)

Stay away from Dnya Glo smokers. 
My opinion as I've own one before. 
It'll last you 3 to 4 years if covered from element's. However , the high temp paint on the unit will bubble. The fire box door is a constant work to keep closed properly. Which i had to make modifications .
The smoke stack is to small and doesn't allow enough pull.. The firebox isn't big enough to sustain a long cook such as briskets, you'll have to pull the ash pan a few times and dump. The smoker door is probably the best part of the smoker as it has a good seal and adjustable latches.
If you have a academy sporting goods store I'd go check thier selection of smokers..most are from 3 to 500 dollars. 
Some  solid welded as well. They're not top end smokers but good quality for the money. 

Cheers


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## AllenRR (Jun 23, 2018)

daricksta said:


> I've said over the years that many of Masterbuilt's smokers are the best smokers at their price points. I bought my MES 30 Gen 1 for $189 six years ago off Amazon (even then the price was a bit high but I wasn't willing to wait for the $130 sales). I've had to replace the controller once. I love that little smoker, and someday when I'm able to buy a better, I'll still keep this one.


I was unemployed for several months last year. I wanted to find the cheapest bullet smoker I could. HomeDepot had a Masterbuilt charcoal smoker on clearance for 19.95 (I think they are usually about 40)
After some mods, it really works well.


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