# in need of a new smoker



## Brent860 (Jun 10, 2020)

hey guys, hopeing you can start me looking in the right direction here.  I had a masterbuilt electric smoker that recently died( had to throw out an 8 lb brisket!) but now I'm locking for a new smoker and I would like to go charchol.  I really like the new Kamado Joe but its just super expensive! is there a charcole grill/ smoker that I could make great smoked meats on and also use as a taditional charchol grill when I have the time and dont want to use my big propane grill?   thank you in advance!


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## bregent (Jun 10, 2020)

Have you considered a WSM, or one of the Masterbuilt Gravity Series smokers?


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## mike243 (Jun 10, 2020)

Weber 22" or 26" kettle, very versatile imo


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## BigW. (Jun 10, 2020)

^above or a Weber Kettle should work real nice....


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 10, 2020)

Yep, the Masterbuilt Gravity Feed looks amazing and the review are outstanding...JJ


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## kruizer (Jun 10, 2020)

Take a look at the Oklahoma Joe Bronco. Great smoker.


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## yankee2bbq (Jun 10, 2020)

Weber Kettle. You can’t go wrong. Plenty of threads on this.


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## drunkenmeatfist (Jun 10, 2020)

chef jimmyj said:


> Yep, the Masterbuilt Gravity Feed looks amazing and the review are outstanding...JJ


Not all reviews have stayed great. Amazingribs retracted their platinum review due to a build quality issue


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## Brent860 (Jun 10, 2020)

bregent said:


> Have you considered a WSM, or one of the Masterbuilt Gravity Series smokers?


I was looking at the smokey mountain, it just like you had to do a lot of modifying to make it work as a grill, please correct me if I'm wrong


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## drunkenmeatfist (Jun 10, 2020)

I would also suggest you look into the Pit Barrel Cooker. Very popular unit and easy to use.


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## Brent860 (Jun 10, 2020)

yankee2bbq said:


> Weber Kettle. You can’t go wrong. Plenty of threads on this.


I did conciser this, just didn't know how well they worked to smoke?  They are a great unit specially for the price


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## 6GRILLZNTN (Jun 10, 2020)

Weber kettle. It can sear, do low and slow, and everything in between.


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## Brent860 (Jun 10, 2020)

5GRILLZNTN said:


> Weber kettle. It can sear, do low and slow, and everything in between.


I'm really liking this idea, how much smoke flavor can you get from it?, Would it me comparable to a dedicated smoker if I where to do a long smoke like a brisket?


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## chef jimmyj (Jun 10, 2020)

It happens. I got 8 good years out of my 2011 MES 40. Back then the reviews were great. 4 years later, complaints of coil wires burning up, started coming in. To read the newest reviews, the 20070311 is a POS. But it was one of the best built and most reliable Masterbuilt Smokers ever made...JJ


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## drunkenmeatfist (Jun 10, 2020)

chef jimmyj said:


> It happens. I got 8 good years out of my 2011 MES 40. Back then the reviews were great. 4 years later, complaints of coil wires burning up, started coming in. To read the newest reviews, the 20070311 is a POS. But it was one of the best built and most reliable Masterbuilt Smokers ever made...JJ


To be fair the user reviews seem great. The issue that Amazingribs took issue with was a metal plate that burns through near the insulation. Masterbuilt released a statement saying that this was on purpose and the metal was only put there to protect the firebrick during shipping. People that have experienced this have said that the insulation behind the plate does not resemble any form of brick.

For me $500 is a little too steep for something with questionable build quality. I take reviews from Amazingribs with a grain of salt as well. However, I am keeping an eye out and if I find one of these rascals on sale I will be snatching it up.


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## Fueling Around (Jun 10, 2020)

Brent860 said:


> I'm really liking this idea, how much smoke flavor can you get from it?, _(Weber kettle)_ Would it me comparable to a dedicated smoker if I where to do a long smoke like a brisket?


To me charcoal has a flavor that is wood fired, but not a distinct smoke flavor that I get from stick burning or from using a pellet smoke tube.
I love my Weber kettle.  I use it many times a week as a charcoal grill.
I cut a grate in half so I can offset cook and smoke.  I use a snake for lower temps.  I do use a pellet tube to give more smoke flavor.
Never tried a brisket, but ran many pork ribs.

Got lazy this year.  Purchased a MB pellet pooper.  I still use a pellet tube to add flavor on a smoke.  Pellet poopers are pretty stingy on smoke flavor in my opinion


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## D.W. (Jun 10, 2020)

Maybe I missed it, but what's the budget? Cheap can be very expensive if you love to cook and are looking for the long haul.


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## 6GRILLZNTN (Jun 11, 2020)

Brent860 said:


> I'm really liking this idea, how much smoke flavor can you get from it?, Would it me comparable to a dedicated smoker if I where to do a long smoke like a brisket?



My neighbor does low and slow with a Weber kettle, and I use a WSM.  I honestly can't tell a difference in smoke flavor.   My understanding is that a stickburner (offset) is the King of smoke flavor, but at a cost.  They require some babysitting, and finding splits of the wood you want could be difficult depending on where you live.  My favorite "Q" came from an offset, but I sure do like running to my local Lowe's, Home Depot, or Walmart and grabbing a bag of charcoal, some smoke wood of my preference, and smoking some food.

Dave


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## forktender (Jun 11, 2020)

drunkenmeatfist said:


> I would also suggest you look into the Pit Barrel Cooker. Very popular unit and easy to use.


You can build a UDS for less than 1/4 the price of those with just a few hand tools and a drill motor.
I don't understand why people buy those things at the price they charge for them....crazy!!!


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## gmc2003 (Jun 11, 2020)

My vote is for the Weber 26" kettle. You can smoke on it as well as grill. It's basically my go to for smoking anything that takes under 6hrs. Although I wouldn't hesitate using it for longer smokes. It's just that I also have the WSM and it's just to damn easy doing longer smokes like brisket and butts on the WSM. 

Another nice thing about kettle grilling/smoking is that you can use them straight out of the box or you can add things like the Vortex or Slow-n-Sear to make life even easier. 
Chris


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## lukemart (Jun 11, 2020)

hey guys, hopeing you can start me looking in the right direction here. I had a masterbuilt electric smoker that recently died( had to throw out an 8 lb brisket!) but now I'm locking for a new smoker and I would like to go charchol.


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## Chasdev (Jun 11, 2020)

I got one of the first Masterbuilts, it was a pain to put together but is hands down the best cooker I own or have ever owned.
The cookers I rarely use now are a CampChef pellet burner, a PittBoss 24 inch Kamado, a large Weber and an offset stick burner, which I sold.
Nothing can match the smoke profile of a stick burner but the Masterbuilt comes very close and requires NO tinkering or fire tending what so ever,  which combined with the smoke flavor makes it a clear winner.
I've also had no issues with mine and I'm closing in on 50 cooks.


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## chopsaw (Jun 11, 2020)

Brent860 said:


> I'm really liking this idea, how much smoke flavor can you get from it?, Would it me comparable to a dedicated smoker if I where to do a long smoke like a brisket?


I've done briskets on my 26 " , they come out fantastic . Mine likes to run around 260 , and goes for 10 hours using the snakes method . I get plenty of smoke flavor for my taste .


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## Brent860 (Jun 11, 2020)

D.W. said:


> Maybe I missed it, but what's the budget? Cheap can be very expensive if you love to cook and are looking for the long haul.


Wasn't looking to spend for than 4-500


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## D.W. (Jun 11, 2020)

Brent860 said:


> Wasn't looking to spend for than 4-500


I've been looking at the horizon patriot 20 (they make a 16 for less $) and the yoder abilene, they aren't as expensive as the kamado joe's but a little more than $500. Just something to think about. Also, their baseline offset stick burners have an option to purchase a charcoal grate for the cooking chamber and typically come with a cooking grate for the firebox. Gives a little more versatility.


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