# New ROYAL OAK smoker impressions



## coyote-1 (Jun 11, 2009)

Based only on observation, not on actual use. Saw one in Lowes yesterday. Didn't see the firebox, so this is just about the smoke chamber.

External dimensions, minus the firebox: 40" long x 18" diameter.
Steel: Same gauge as the firebox of the CGSP, except for the small side door which is thin-gauge. Nice sturdy legs.
Cooking grates: porcelain-coated.

The finish looks good. The thermometer looks good and is nicely mounted. And the heavier steel would likely keep things more consistent when smoking.

The fit of the doors doesn't seem as good as it ought be. Both the main door and the side door were somewhat ill-fitting. Could be just due to lax staff at that Lowes (the CGSP standing next to it seemed rickety, my own CGSP ain't like that), but if the main door in particular doesn't fit well you'd have enough leakage to offset the benefits of the heavier steel.

So from what I've seen recently:
-  For $159 the CharbroilSilver and Brinkmann SnP offsets have very thin steel for both their smoke chambers and fireboxes. 
- The CGSP's price has dropped to be in-line with those ($99 for the smoke chamber at Lowes and $59 for the firebox). Unfortunately, its manufacturing quality has apparently deteriorated slightly - with difficult to remove football knockouts and ill-fitting doors on the firebox. However, the steel on the smoke chamber is slightly thicker than the above two and the firebox steel is significantly heavier.
- At $400 for the complete unit, the RoyalOak has good steel but ain't quite a deal. If it were somewhere below $300 it might be worthwhile. For $400 I'd want a main door that fits better, and doesn't flex when you open it.

My brother-in-law has offered to take the CGSP off my hands for $125. I was seriously considering doing that, and picking up the RoyalOak. Having seen it up-close, however, I'll stick with what I have.

Just my opinions of course - YMMV


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## richp692 (Jun 11, 2009)

I have one, and have no problem with leaks. The thing works like a charm.
The only thing close to a mod I have done is use a loaf pan full of water on the cooking grate next to the firebox to block radiant heat form the fire. 
Believe it or not the factory thermometer is spot on compared to my maverick. And it holds the heat well and recovers quickly. The only thing I wish is that there was a little more height in the cooking chamber to do beer can Turkey. But I am thinking about removing to cooking rack and trying it on the charcoal racks.  It was a bit more that the other offsets sold locally at lowes and Home depot, but I think it was worth it.


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## jdt (Jun 11, 2009)

to much money for a sheetmetal pit, save a little more money and go to jersey for a lifetime quality horizon 1/4" steel pit. 

http://www.lipsmakinsmokers.com/products.asp?cat=15


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## rickw (Jun 11, 2009)

I agree, I almost bought the RO but it truly is not in the same league as a Horizon or any such smoker built with 1/4" steel.


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## richp692 (Jun 11, 2009)

I would have done just that, but I didn't have an extra $700 to spend.


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## rickw (Jun 11, 2009)

Understandable.


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## jdt (Jun 11, 2009)

yep, I understand the money thing, I couldn't get the horizon I wanted for the money I had so I had to go oklahoma for a bellfab, one $1000 pit that lasts 50 years is more initial outlay than a cheaper unit but once you replace the cheaper unit 4, 5 or maybe even 8 times in 50 years it evens out, let alone if you spend $1000 on a horizon and cook on it for five years until you get your next pit you can still get $500-600 out of the used pit if its a heavy gauge steel.


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## richp692 (Jun 11, 2009)

I look at it this way, the 700 I saved. Is 700 closer to a lang. In the mean time I have a pretty good smoker to work with.


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## jdt (Jun 11, 2009)

lol, I think the only offset guys not saving for or lusting after a lang have klose or Jambo pits.


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## coyote-1 (Jun 11, 2009)

Replacement is not always needed.

My brother has one of the old New Braunfels Black Diamond units. The stand/cart rusted out, but the smoker itself is in great shape. So he built a new stand/cart from kindorf! He'll easily get another decade or more from it. Since he got the smoker for a hundred bucks and the kindorf for thirty, his outlay over two decades will be $130.

I'm gonna preserve my CGSP by not leaving it out in the rain & snow. I fully anticipate getting 15-20 years from it. Gotta say, the legs on the RoyalOak unit look like they'll last a looong time.


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## papad (Jun 11, 2009)

I agree. My cheapo Brinkman has lasted me 8 years now and at the rate of deterioration on it, I fully expect to get another 10 years if I sand it and repaint it. Trust me, I have not been taking care of this thing. It is always out in the weather, rain, snow, tornadoes, volcanoes, sand storms, makes no difference, it's out there.

I don't think that's too bad for the $150 I bought it for.


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## rivet (Jun 11, 2009)

Exactly.

You put it well.


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## coyote-1 (Jul 6, 2009)

and they are now using thinner-gauge metal. Looks like EVERYONE in the mass-produced smoker world is cheaping out.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   But I guess that, given the current economy, it's the only way to continue to bring these things to market at useful entry-level prices.


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## amdisc (Jul 6, 2009)

*Folks I've been smoking for a long time and I use a Char-Griller Pro with a SFB, I liked it so well that this past Father's day Lowes put it on sale, so I went a picked up another one, and on top of that I also have a Treager Pellet Smoker, I have to tell you that it's really hard to beat the Char-Griller Pro, for the Backyard Que'r. and besides we all know it's about maintaing the Temps and the smoke. Also I have had my 1st. Char-Griller for probably about 6 or 7 years now,, So they do last along time if you keep it covered when it's not in use.*
*I hope this is some help*

*Happy SmokeN'*
*Sunny St. Petersburg, FL*


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## forcedsquint (Jul 10, 2009)

They have yet to show up in my local Lowe's, but the price for the main chamber and the SFB will be $338. I love my UDS, but I'm seriously thinking about picking one of these up. I've been wanting to add more capacity and have a horizontal to "play with". It also helps that I have a $100 Lowe's gift card from last Christmas that hasn't been used.


With that said, Bass Pro Shops has the Horizon 16" Classic in-stock and on sale for $699. That's a good deal.


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## bman62526 (Jul 10, 2009)

I ended up getting a Bellfab unit too...with a couple modifications that I had him build into it, so I didn't have to mod it later!

I really love it, and for $500 plus shipping, I don't know how I could have done better.  

For starters, it's got 1/4" steel for the smoking chamber and 5/16" steel for the SFB!!  That will outlast my kids' kids...

Also, with the baffle that I had him weld in...I don't use any other tuning plates and I get 2-3 distinct cooking "zones" that I can use to smoke different foods at different temps.  

Father's day, I had beef short ribs cooking at 225°, pulled pork at 250 - and a turkey breast going in an area that was around 275°.  Not bad...


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## forcedsquint (Jul 10, 2009)

What is a Bellfab unit? Is it a Horizon smoker and where did you get it? I don't see anything they offer for $500? Do you have a link?

Thanks.


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## forcedsquint (Jul 10, 2009)

Never mind, I found their site.


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## rickw (Jul 10, 2009)

Bell Fab . Seems like a good deal, I looked into them also. One major drawback for me was; you have to provide your own shipping which I knew nothing about. 

 That's a pretty fair price for the Horizon. I ended up going with a 20" RD special from Horizon and love it.


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## rickw (Jul 10, 2009)

Was this done on purpose or is it the nature of that particular design? Can you even the temps out if necessary, like doing a full smoker full of one product?


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## bman62526 (Jul 11, 2009)

Rick,  This is kind of by design, but I CAN even the temps out if I want to...like if I was doing a small hog or say all pork butts, etc...

Here is how it works for anyone that cares.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






My baffle is like this:



This is actually a picture of the Horizon convection plate, which is what I wanted MY baffle to look like.  I have a steel plate to put OVER the permanent baffle with holes.  When the additional plate is put on there, it creates 2-3 different temp zones...with the additional plate off, the Horizon-type baffle evens out the temps better, but I still have a 10 - 15° difference from side to side sometimes...depending on target temp and wind conditions.  I notice that once I hit the 240-245° mark, the temps really even out well.  If I'm trying to go at 225 and not any hotter, then there is more of a temp swing from side to side.  This doesn't bother me because I really prefer the 240° mark when it comes to smoking almost anything.


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## forcedsquint (Jul 14, 2009)

Hey Bman, who did you use for shipping? I'm afraid having this shipped (freight) from OK to PA is going to cost more than the smoker itself.

Any suggestions? I don't care how long it takes, as long as it's reasonable and that's a bit much for a road trip.


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## magandangbaboy (Jul 14, 2009)

This thread seems to have drifted off the original topic, so let me chime in on that.

I also recently bought the Royal Oak offset smoker from Lowe's.  While more expensive than the Chargriller and similar models, it seemed more solidly build to me.  Yes, it is not a 1/4 " metal unit or anything, but I like the metal external shelves, metal wheels, and the doors are fairly heavy for something in the lower priced category.  I did "the standard mods" (home-built baffle, lowered smoke stack intake to grill height, home-built charcoal basket).  I am able to hold a pretty even temp across the food chamber.

I think this is a solidly build unit, though not in the really heavy duty category, but it is about half of the price of those units.  I would recommend this for its price range.


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## elkhorn98 (Jul 20, 2009)

I saw it yesterday at lowes and it is definitely better than the silver smoker (like I have) and Chargrillers.  A little thicker and more solid.  I like the grates better too.  The size is bigger too so you can hold more meat.  I didn't see the smoke chamber they just had the grill (main smoker chamber) set up.


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## coyote-1 (Jul 21, 2009)

It's 40x18 with no top rack capability. That works out to 720 sq inches of capacity.
The CGSP is 29x20, and has an additional 28x10 top rack. Therefore it has 860 sq inch capacity. Knock off about 40 sq in. for the stack extension, and you still have 820 sq inches available.

The SilverSmoker is something like 38x16, for 600 sq in capacity.


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## forcedsquint (Aug 2, 2009)

I can't seem to find a web site for Royal Oak that would give details on this. Would like to know how thick the metal is.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...il=&lpage=none


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