# My thoughts on "cheap" Chinese Smokers and other things



## dave schiller (Jun 4, 2017)

It seems that there are often references made about cheap Chinese products, especially offset smokers.Comments about how the old American products were so good and now that many of the smokers offered in the big box stores are common,as well as other products such as thermometers and so on.  I don't disagree that these products aren't up to the same standards as the old American ones.

However, I submit that these so-called cheap products being built in China (mainland or Taiwan, I don't know which) are being built to the specifications provided to them by the American companies that import them.  If the specs call for 20 gauge steel instead of 1/8" or thicker, that's what they build.  These products are built and marketed to meet a price point that the public will accept.  If the product were to be built to the "old" standards, they wouldn't sell because of the cost.  Note that there are no Chinese brand names on these products, only the American logos.

So before casting disparaging comments about cheap Chinese products, maybe the "blame" lies on the American companies who specify, import, accept, and market them.


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## b-one (Jun 4, 2017)

Very true,and you get what you pay for.


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## SmokinAl (Jun 4, 2017)

Plenty of guys make them work.

Not everyone can afford a $1500 offset.

It's the cook, not the cooker.

But I will admit that a better quality smoker will make it much easier to get that great Q!

Al


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## dave schiller (Jun 4, 2017)

Agreed, "a better quality smoker will make it much easier to get that great Q!"  But are you willing to pay the price for it?  And yes, they can be made to work.  You do get what you pay for.


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## smokeymose (Jun 4, 2017)

It's actually pretty hard now to find anything NOT made in China (or Mexico). We all share some of the blame, from the companies who look for cheap labor (They're in business to make as much profit as possible, right?) to us consumers who try to get as much bang for our buck as possible. As Chinese people are getting a taste for nice things, labor costs are starting to go up there. As we get used to the idea that the $30 an hour factory jobs are history, people will take a little less in exchange for something at least steady. Eventually things should even up a little, but it won't happen overnight.
I would love to have a nice $1000± smoker, but with retirement staring me in the face I'm saving as many raisins for Sunday as possible, and frankly, that $300 CharGriller offset works just fine.
If it was made here it would probably cost more like $450 with the same specs.
I just got a new Vacmaster sealer. It seems very well built, but when I looked, sure enough, Made In China.


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## cksteele (Jun 6, 2017)

im in this boat id love to buy a $1500-$2000 dollar smoker made in the USA or Canadian fabricator . but frankly cant justify it nor would i have anywhere to place it or get it into my yard where i live .  so for years i used a WSM.  Then a year ago i finally went w a stick burner  picked up a   Oklahoma  joe  off kijiji resale site  here for like $200 bucks, but the guy had made some mods i was gonna do to it.

 like a deflector plate   and  sealing up the doors  and then  i added some ceramic bricks into the firebox for better temp control,and  extended  the stack  inside the smoker  to grate  lvl .  id say  for 200 bucks  the mods that were made to it and what i have done  ive got a stickburner  that can go toe to toe  with  a $1500 smoker right now.


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## dave schiller (Jun 6, 2017)

Additional thoughts on Chinese products

I think they're pretty good, considering the price.  I have a couple of digital thermometers with remote probes and they seem to be accurate.  One for baking bread and one for smoking meat.  About $30 each.

Several years ago, I needed an oscillating sander to reach into some tight spots on a wood bench I was refinishing.  A local woodwork shop that carries quality tools had a German tool for about $275.  I passed and bought an identical tool from Harbor Freight for $20.  I figured if it lasted for that one job, it would pay for itself.  That was five years ago and the tool is still going strong.

I've bought several HF tools since then and have never had one to fail.  Maybe if I was using them day in, day out, they would have died.  But for my occasional use, they're fine.

So I'm not that down on Chinese products.


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