# Landmann 3895GWLA “Wide Easy Access”  2-Drawer Vertical Gas Smoker Review



## smoke-n-smiles

[h1]I already have a Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24” (Model No: SMV24S), and have thoroughly enjoyed a new every weekend hobby for the past year.  That said, I wanted to buy another smoker so I can increase output and try new things.[/h1][h1]
	

		
			
		

		
	







	

		
			
		

		
	
             
	

		
			
		

		
	






	

		
			
		

		
	
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I did my research and was prepared to put out around $2000 for a custom BBQ Pit smoker with water pan, but was having difficulty finding anything in my area in the middle of South Carolina. There’s a boat load of custom makers in Texas, but shipping would cost an “arm and a leg” and I wasn’t finding many with a built in full-size water pan like I desired.  I thought if I went the $2+K route, I would start a roadside business and see how it works out.  Besides, I’m now addicted to the television reality show “BBQ Pitmasters” and after watching every episode of the show I feel could make folks happy with my food while sparing them the cockiness of Myron Mixon!  LOL 

Really though, this is just a hobby and I plan on keeping that way, so I settled down on my aspirations and decided to stick with something similar to what I was using.  Now the decision to make was whether I should switch to a quality electric or charcoal smoker, or just stick with propane like the one I have.  After deciding that I didn’t want to mess with a plugged in device or extension cords on my uncovered patio in a thunderstorm (especially since we lose power in just about every storm), I thought more and more about switching to a charcoal/wood smoker.  However, after watching the BBQ pitmaster show and researching more...I began to realize that there’s a lot of “babysitting” to do with a charcoal/wood smoker as you need to tend and stoke those coals more frequently; and rainy, windy, or winter weather can increase that need even more.  All that led me to stick with the reliability of a propane smoker.  I like the fact that I have the flexibility to move or relocate the smoker anywhere.  Though a purist in smoking food would snicker at anyone using anything other than charcoal/wood…I do like the fact that when I’m ready to smoke meats, I can have fire/heat immediately without striking a match.  Oh yeah, did I mention how convenient it is to be able to darn near “micro” adjust your smoke/cooking temps with propane?  In fact, my Smoke Vault had difficulty keeping the heat under control and the burner lit while on the low setting, so I changed the gas regulator from 10 PSI to 20 PSI and added a needle valve for better control and I’ve never had a better system for “micro” adjustments to my flame (without it blowing out).  By the way, for those interested…the BBQ Pitmaster show competitions are for the purists.  Charcoal or woodburning pits only…no electric or propane unless being used only for an assist in lighting the fire (but no smoking/cooking on anything but good ole primitive charcoal or wood). 

So, the decision was made that I wasn’t going to be joining the BBQ Pitmaster team/show and I won’t be “shigging” _(to enter a persons BBQ site with intent of stealing BBQ secrets in an effort to improve one's own BBQ score)_ any of Johnny Trigg’s or Tuffy Stone’s smoking secrets --- DARN!.  I won’t have the chance to compete for a trophy, let alone money, and I won’t get the chance to make Myron miserable by losing to a dumbass amateur like me…so I’ll stick to bringing smiles to the face of my family and friends and share what I’ve learned with them. 

Those decisions done; now I needed to focus on another propane water pan smoker but was once again was disappointed by the offerings I saw out there until I came upon the Landmann 3895GWLA 2-Drawer Vertical Gas Smoker.  Now the problem was that I couldn’t find an in-depth review of this Landmann Model.  I like my Camp Chef Smoke Vault, but knew there were some features that could be improved upon and I liked the Landmann 3895GWLA feature of being able to add more water or wood without having to open up the smoking/cooking area.  That being said, this is my first attempt at providing a personal and extensive review of the Landmann 3895GWLA.

Packaging:

   Let’s start with the basics.  I must say that I was extremely pleased with the care used in packaging the Landmann 3895GWLA.  The four primary sides of the smoker were protected by Styrofoam and of particularly note…angled, heavy duty galvanized metal to help protect it from damaging dents to the corners.  Once all the exterior wrappings and protective devices were removed, the door opened up to present a neatly packaged group of boxes packed between the grate spacings and big chunks of corrugated cardboard (some close to 2” thick).  I had no dent’s or corner damage to the smoker unit or it’s associated parts what-so-ever.  I’m not sure if that’s solely a result of the packaging care Landmann took with this or gentle, caring UPS carriers, but I’m betting it was a pleasant combination of the two!






	

		
			
		

		
	
        
	

		
			
		

		
	







**Note:  After unpacking, and when opening the door, be sure to lift it off the hinges and set the door aside somewhere safe.  I emptied everything (leaving the door on) and turned the unit upside down to install the legs and burner unit.  I didn’t realize that the door wasn’t permanently attached.  So, as I turned the smoker upside down, the door fell off when the hinge pins slipped out of their “sockets”.  I cringed, blurted out some expletives and rushed to pick up the door to see what damage I had caused.  Fortunately, the 3895GWLA box was packed inside another shipping box and when I removed that outer shipping box, I cut it open to use as a protective surface to work on over my flagstone patio.  When the door fell off, it fell flat on the cardboard I was working on and didn’t suffer any damage as a result.  (For the first time in a long time…I outsmarted “Murphy” on that one!)

The instructions included with the smoker were straight-forward.  Each of the assembly steps basically correspond with a pack of bolts, washers, and nuts that are separately packaged and labeled from A to G.  Installation was a breeze and I had the entire process (from unpacking to finished assembly) finished in a little over one hour by myself.  All you need to have in terms of tools are two different (one medium and one large) sized Phillip screwdrivers and a small crescent wrench.  Be sure not to tighten down the screws on the front legs and leave the front (inside) bolts out until you are ready to install the control/knob panel since the top plate of the control panel slides under the inside corner of the front legs then bolted to the smoker frame together through the same bolt hole.  As I assembled the smoker unit I was pleased to find a triangular metal object with numerous “hooks” dropped from it for installation in the inside ceiling of the smoker.  This unique contraption is a handy meat/sausage hanger that I plan on putting to use when I make my annual batch of teriyaki venison case linked snack sticks!







The smoker wood chip pan measures approx. 12 ½ x 8 ¼ x 2 ½ inches and is constructed of heavy steel with a vented lid.  This is of higher quality and much deeper than my Smoke Vault wood chip pan.  From what I’ve read, the Landmann smokers use to come with a cast iron pan…but now they’ve been replaced with the steel one.  I don’t know for sure, but it seems to me that the consensus of most users is that the cast iron model is more durable.  I see where Landmann offers the cast iron pan on their website at: $14 + $13 shipping and the lid is available for $10 + $10 shipping.







The water pan measures approx. 14 x 12 x 2 ½ inches and is constructed of porcelain coated steel while the chrome plated cooking grates above it measure approx 22 x 14 inches.  If you are smoking meat products across the entire span of the smoker grates all of the drippings will fall into the water pan with the exception of four inches to the left and right of the water pan since it does not span the entire inside width of the smoker.  Those drippings will fall to the steel drip pan that you inserted into the bottom of the smoker during assembly.







The overall construction of the smoker is basically heavy duty, steel sheet metal that is similar (if not of heavier gauge) to my Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24”.  I’m not sure what gauge it is, but it does have some flex and will dent with relative ease if something were to strike a heavy blow against it.  All you have to do with the bottom drawers is install the handles and insert the wood chip and water pan.  Slide those drawers into the grooves that are made for them and they tuck in nicely.  They also have stops on them to prevent the drawers from falling to the ground when you pull them out.  Though I haven’t used it to smoke any food yet…while seasoning the smoker I noticed that the wood chip drawer stops a bit short to make wood chip/chunk replenishment convenient.  Though sufficient to do the job, it only exposes about half the pan and the handle from the water pan drawer above it requires you to lift the vented lid slightly and slide it out to access the tray cavity. 

Though I read where the door and drawer handles were improved from a previous coiled version.  The handle’s metal hardward seems a tad flimsy, and when attached to the sheet metal construction of the main door and drawers…there was a bit more flex than I expected there would or should be.  Fortunately the drawers open smoothly enough that it shouldn’t become an issue.  The door handle is exactly the same as the drawer handles.  I noted that of the three handles provided, only one is labeled with the Landmann name unlike the example pictured on the box.  After 25 years in the Air Force, I’m a bit anal retentive about attention to detail so since I couldn’t stand the Landmann name sitting sideways on the door handle and there was only one of them; I used the Landmann labeled handle on the top “water pan” drawer of the smoker while the others are non-descript black plastic handles







Regarding the door…I already mentioned that it is easily removed by simply lifting up the entire door as you slide the hinge pins out of the hinge sockets.  The door wasn’t sitting square to the top edge and right side of the smoker so I had to slightly open the door and pull up the lower right hand corner to bend the slightly bend the hinge pins and square the door to the smoker frame.  Before I did this the bottom right corner of the door would scrape against the top right of the water pan drawer.  If I pulled the water pan drawer open the smoker door would open because the two made contact with each other. That brings me to another note about the door.  It uses two small magnets as the means for securing the door shut.  Again, being a bit “retentive,” the magnets don’t seem strong enough to me.  Yes, they hold the door shut and I doubt a wind will open them…but it takes little effort to pull the door open. I would just feel better if it held the door with a bit more resolve than it does.  I may go to a hardware store and buy some rust proof hasps to secure the door shut more tightly.  If you’re looking for a smoker that doesn’t leak much smoke out of the door…you’re going to have to add a gasket or extra seal to this one.  Just remember that if you choose to do that, I definitely doubt the reliability of those magnets to keep the door shut with a gasket or seal of some sort added.  You’ll have to improvise and modify improvements on your own as I plan on doing. 






	

		
			
		

		
	
          
	

		
			
		

		
	







After getting everything assembled and double checked my connections.  I fired up the smoker to season it before using this weekend on food.  I filled the water pan, and placed a cup of hickory wood chips in the pan.  I followed Landmann’s directions to light the smoker and voila!  The rotary ignitor started the burner immediately on the first try, and did so on repeatedly after that.  (Zero fails in ten attempts)  My Smoke Vault quite often has to be repeated “clicked” to ignite and it doesn’t have a separate rotary ignitor like the 3895GWLA so I definitely like this feature on the smoker and see this as an improvement over my Smoke Vault.







As instructed, I started the seasoning process on low heat and it wasn’t long before I noticed the temperature rising steadily and the smoke started flowing.  It seemed to smoke faster and more efficiently than my Smoke Vault.  The Smoke Vault leaks smoke around the door and the vents, but the 3895GWLA vents smoke out the chimney, the vents, the main door, water pan drawer, and the wood chip drawer.  I expect there will still be enough smoke inside to perform a nice job on the meat products I smoke, but it sure could make a person wonder.  I’ll post an update to this after I do some pulled pork and C.A.B. beef brisket this weekend.






	

		
			
		

		
	
      
	

		
			
		

		
	







Everything was going well until I noticed that the temperature gauge was starting to “steam up” with water condensation inside the thermometer face.  It got to the point where I could barely read what the temperature reading was…remember my “retentiveness?”  Well after seasoning the smoker for an hour…I barely let the smoker cool down so I can remove and inspect the temp gauge.  The temp gauge “housing” appears to be cast aluminum painted red and seems pretty durable.  The actual “guts” of the thermometer looked like a piece of….well…Chinese crapola.  I noticed that the backside of the actual thermometer was a thin metal plate fastened to the housing by four tiny (eyeglasses tiny) screws and the metal plate sandwiched a thin rubber-like “gasket”.   The front glass to the thermometer is not waterproofed with a silicone seal or anything so I can see the thermometer steaming up every time after a good rain if used in an uncovered area or stored uncovered.  Being the self-sufficient handyman that I am; I thought no problem!  I’ll just grab my eyeglass screwdriver kit and disassemble the backplate from that thermometer, dry the glass, and add a thin bead of heat resistant silicon to seal the backplate water tight.  I was only able to remove three of the screws from the backplate, and noticed the two bottoms ones weren’t very tight at all.  In fact they appeared to be cross-threaded in their slots and that resulted in the screw head not falling flush with the back plate to give it a good seal against that so called gasket.  The top left screw was tight alright…they must have used an impact wrench or lock-tite because I couldn’t remove it for the life of me!  After a half hour I gave up and decided to contact Landmann’s customer service.  I did contact Landmann via their web-site customer service contact us link and by the end of the day I received an e-mail from them asking for my mailing address and a telephone number so they can send me a replacement.  I hope they inspected it before sending to me, but fear not…I’ll update this diatribe of mine once I get the replacement item.  Again, that said…Landmann customer service seems to respond well to it’s customers. 

  I gave the smoker another another “seasoning” session and discovered that the smoker thermometer is off by 30-35 degrees below what it should be reading.  I determined this by installing a calibrated digital thermometer probe to the inside middle section of the smoker.  This thermometer was positioned very close to the thermometer probe of the Landmann supplied thermometer.  Disappointing to say the least, but typical of most reviews of thermometer comparisons between company supplied smoker thermometers and the more accurate digital probe inserts.  Additionally, I find the Landmann extremely difficult to control temps with the standard set-up.  I may try experimenting with a more robust regulator like the one I installed on my Camp Chef Smoke Vault.  It’s amazing the difference it can make by swapping the standard 10 psi propane regulator with a 20 psi regulator.

   
	

		
			
		

		
	






	

		
			
		

		
	
      
	

		
			
		

		
	







Overall, that’s it.  I still see some areas I would improve upon if I were the manufacturer of this smoker which should only drive the price up a couple more dollars.  I purchased this unit on eBay brand new for $400 shipped, and I see internet prices ranging from $349 to $650 retail.  Keep an eye open and I’m sure you can find a decent deal on it.  I think I paid $259 for my Smoke Vault over a year ago, and I definitely think the cost of the Landmann 3895 GWLA was money well spent and worth the extra money over the Smoke Vault.  The 3895GWLA’s five chrome plated cooking grates was a nice touch as the Smoke Vault only came with three (2 regular grates and one “jerky” grate).  The rotary ignitor is a sweet and reliable touch on the Landmann.  The meathook/hangar in the smoker’s ceiling is a nice bonus, and the unit is appealing to the eye.  Though I must say that the stainless steel front of my Camp Chef Smoke Vault looks pretty spiffy on the patio.  All in all, using baseball vernacular… I would say Landmann hasn’t hit one out of the park with the 3895 GWLA, but close.  This smoker is a solid “triple bagger” and worth the money below $450.  I score it 4 out of 5 stars!

*Features:*

Easy access** drawers for water pan and wood chip replenishment
Heavy duty steel construction
Welded cooking chamber
18,000 BTU cast brass burner for dependable heat and long life
Square leg construction
Total Smoker area: 1570 Sq inches
Fully adjustable heat control
Adjustable top chimney vent
2 side vents for heat control
Rotary ignitor
Magnetic door closure
Meat Hanger
Durable plastic drawer handles
Large side handles for easy moving
Porcelain-coated enamel water pan
Large capacity steel wood chip box with lid
CSA Certified
UPSable packaging
10 year burner warranty
Overall dimensions:  48" x 26" x 21" 
Cabinet dimensions: 38" x 24" x 16"
Product Weight: 103 lbs


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## red dog

Nice review! Thanks for posting this. I have the older and smaller version of this smoker. I like having the seperate drawers for water and chips but have been considering the larger version. I would like to see a follow up from you after you have smoked some meat in it. Good luck with your new smoker.

Clay


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## smoke-n-smiles

The Landmann 3895 GWLA functioned well over the weekend as I smoked two pork shoulders, chicken thighs, and a C.A.B. Prime Whole Beef Brisket.  As I expected, the Landmann thermometer is totally unreliable as I found it to be between 30-40 degrees off what the digital smoker probe and meat probe indicated.  I don't see where you can calibrate/zero out the thermometer, and Landmann has yet to send me the replacement thermometer they promised.  We'll see if it comes in this week.

Here's a couple of other things I found out about this smoker.  The first one is to be very careful when opening the water tray drawer...I find it to be very difficult to open that drawer without water spilling outside the tray and onto either your wood chip pan, the drip pan, and/or on your patio floor.  I tried this as carefully and as slow as I could, but failed to succeed very well since the drawer rails of the pan's drawer don't slide as easy as they did when first assembled since they are now covered with a fine coating of smoke residue.

The biggest problem I had was trying to keep the gas flow and therefore the temperature stable by using the factory supplied controls for the unit.  The knob that controls the gas is very "sloppy" with play before you can feel it actually start controlling the gas flow.  I have a remote smoker and meat probe thermometer, and found myself having to run outside almost hourly if not less to adjust the gas and either bring the temp down or raise it.

To be honest with you I had the same problem with the Camp Chef Smoke Vault.  Sometimes the Smoke Vault gas flame blew out on low temps so the fix I chose to incorporate was to change out the 10 PSI regulator with a 20 PSI regulator with a needle valve fine tuning the gas flow from the regulator to the smoker controls.  All I do is leave the smoker control knob set on high all the time and then simply control the gas flow and temp much more accurately with the needle valve.  I've already ordered the 20 PSI regulator and needle valve off an eBay source and will install that set-up in the Landmann this week.  There's no doubt in my mind that this will remedy the gas/temp control problem in the Landmann 3895 GWLA as it did with my other smoker.

That said, the Landmann smoked the meat perfectly.  I ended up with bite through chicken skin, two pork shoulders with a near "3/4" smoke ring, and the brisket finished with a goof 1/4" smoke ring and all the meat was moist and succulent.  The only pain was having to watch and monitor a propane smoker with the vigilance (if not more so) than a charcoal/wood fire!  By the way, I switched to using peach wood chunks for my smoke source and now believe it provides the flavor I like best.  It's a little harder to obtain, but once again...eBay has offered me a good source out of Northwest South Carolina.  Don't get me wrong, I love hickory too...but next time you prepare some pulled pork for your family and guests, experiement with some peach wood.  You'll love it! 

I'll give a final update to this once I get the hardware and install the new gas control set-up. If it works as good as it did on my Smoke Vault I'm expecting I'll finally see the 3895GWLA become a HOMERUN!


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## smokinhusker

Great review!!!!! I'm shopping for propane smokers and this definitely helps.


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## cabrego

A picture with all the racks in and the door opened would be useful :)  i am guessing it holds 4 racks?  Did you consider the smoke hollow 44" inch model, seems to be around the same price point of 400 online- I found mine locally for 300 minus the floor model discount.  Not to many people know about the smoke hollow, I have been very happy with mine and will do a review one of these days.  There is only one review on youtube.  Seems that all of the propane smokers are made from similar enough materials that the big difference is the manufacturing process and how well the tolerances are to prevent massive leakage. I get a bit of leakage but nothing that I care to fix.


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## red dog

I know what you are talking about with the temp comtrol. On mine I open the water drawer a crack and watch the flame as I adjust. If you don't watch you can actually turn the temp knob about a quarter inch without any change in the flame. I have kind of gotten the knack of sliding the water drawer without slopping but mine is narrower and may slide easier.


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## chuckles47

Great review  -keep it going..............


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## smoke-n-smiles

cabrego said:


> A picture with all the racks in and the door opened would be useful :)  i am guessing it holds 4 racks?  Did you consider the smoke hollow 44" inch model, seems to be around the same price point of 400 online- I found mine locally for 300 minus the floor model discount.  Not to many people know about the smoke hollow, I have been very happy with mine and will do a review one of these days.  There is only one review on youtube.  Seems that all of the propane smokers are made from similar enough materials that the big difference is the manufacturing process and how well the tolerances are to prevent massive leakage. I get a bit of leakage but nothing that I care to fix.


I guess I forgot to mention that the Landmann 3895GWLA came with FIVE chrome plated cooking racks whereas the Smoke Vault only came with three.  I had not considered the Smoke Hollow 44 in, but after Googling it after seeing your post...I like the looks of it.  I would love to get hold of one to compare and review it with the two I now have.  I'll update my review with a picture of the 3895GWLA opened.


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## smokinhigh

I have recently obtained the same smoker and used it last week with great frustration trying to keep the temperature regulated.  I am at 9,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains which may make it even more difficult.  I saw your post and am very interested to know if the 20PSI regulator and needle adjust solved the problem.  Also,  my temp guage has the same issue with moisture an accuracy as yours.  In all it would be a nice smoker if I could control the temp.


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## s2k9k

SmokinHigh said:


> I have recently obtained the same smoker and used it last week with great frustration trying to keep the temperature regulated.  I am at 9,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains which may make it even more difficult.  I saw your post and am very interested to know if the 20PSI regulator and needle adjust solved the problem.  Also,  my temp guage has the same issue with moisture an accuracy as yours.  In all it would be a nice smoker if I could control the temp.


Are you using water in the water pan? If so, dump it and fill the pan with sand or pea gravel, that will really help a lot with maintaining consistent temps. The needle valve will help you dial in the temps more precisely and help you get lower temps.

I see this is your first post here, when you get a minute would you do us a favor and go to Roll Call and introduce yourself so we can get to know you and give you a proper welcome, also would you add your location to your profile, we like knowing where you are when we talk to you, Thanks!


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## smokinhigh

Thanks S2K9K for the helpful tip on trying sand or gravel.  Sounds like a good way to provide some thermal mass.


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## rickypro

Great review.  My Landmann 3895GWLA will be here Tuesday.  Can't wait!

I am new to the site but there is some great information here.


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## rickypro

Well I got my new Landmann set up.  I noticed you said in your original review that you didn't see any way to calibrate the temp gauge.  Mine has a small slotted screw in the end of the temp probe that you can turn to calibrate. (in fact, if you click on the pic you have above and look at the full size version, you can see the slot in the screw)  I have adjusted mine and it is really close but I still don't trust it fully so I will use other methods to get accurate temps. 

I am smoking my first meat in it tonight!

Can't wait to eat.

Thanks again for your original review!


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## nymjk

Smoke-n-smiles,

Thanks for that insightful and comprehensive review!

I too purchased a Landmann smoker (my first!) this past week, although the slightly smaller 3895GLA model, for what I thought was a killer price from Costco.

For what it's worth, my experience was virtually identical to your own ... from amazement at the packaging protection to both design (sloppy regulator) and manufacturing (door/drawer misalignment) defects.  I just wish I had the gumption (alas, a mechanical moron am I) to attempt the fixes that you made to the door and the flame control system.  I use the same method for flame regulation as Red Dog, I crack the water drawer and peek...thankfully, it wasn't too windy this past weekend so the temp stayed relatively constant.

I've emailed Landmann CS on these and the non-functioning ignitor issue twice now.  Let's see if I can get the same kind of response that you have seemed to enjoy.  Hope so.

That all being said, the brisket and ribs I cooked for my friends were real nice!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Keep up the good work.

And to all our fellow Landmann cookers, let's keep the thread going!!


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## hawdave

I am a newbie.  I am looking at the Landmann sold at Costco.
I currently have a smoke house I built and have been doing cold smoking sausage, bacon and cheese.  So far so good.


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## tanstones

Hello Smoke-n-Smiles
What a great review with the excellent pictures!  I am very interested in upgrading to this smoker
from the 3605GD I presently use here in Brandon, Fl.  Love the innovative way you modified the
regulator and added a "needle valve" for more accurate gas flow control.  It is that modification
in which I have intense interest.  

How were you able to accomplish all that?  Not sure how to go about the change out from a 10lb to 
20lb regulator with the addition of that "needle valve".  Im imagining you cut off the old regulator and 
added a pre-fabricated new regulator and "needle valve".

"Needle Valve" is what a I need help with.  I see you obtained them from E-Bay.  Could you direct
me to that site with an explanation of how to ask for that indispensible "Needle Valve"?  Sure would
appreciate it.  Thanks for bearing with this somewhat wordy question. 

Temperature and smoke control is the only complaint I have with our present smoker.  What you
are suggesting sounds perfect.  But need more detailed info to go forward. 

Looking forward to hearing from you.  Any hand holding greatly appreciated. 

George and Onie (somewhere in Brandon) 76°


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## hawdave

I purchased the 3895GLA  from COSTCO for $250 delivered.
This is a terrific review and reflects the few frustrations I had during assembly .  I did the seasoning and then smoked a whole chicken and some chicken livers.  It came out terrific.  
I ordered a remote thermometer on EBAY but it has not arrived.  So I am not sure about the temp fluctuation.  The livers were done in 2 hours and the whole chicken took 4 hours.  The temp gauge was reading 275 to 300 each time I checked it.
I used mesquite chunks.  The end result was great, for my first attempt.

This forum will be very helpful to me and the other newbies.  Thanks for taking the time to help us with your wisdom and experience.


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## splitshot

For those of you who wish to seal the doors, this works great:

Part # 87965K11 Fiberglass adhesive tape, .063" thick x 1/2" width 10 foot length (enough to do the door).

I used it on the glass doors on the wood stove, a pair of scissors and the adhesive backing make it easy.

Mcmaster-Carr.com


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## vtmecheng

I have the Landmann 38" two drawer model and really do enjoy the rig.  That said, the lack of seal around the main door became an issue when outside temps get low.  Because of the gap just a small breeze of cold air would bring my temp down and I just about lost a thanksgiving turkey due to this.  I smoke turkeys at 325 and it was cooler with a little wind.  To maintain the temp a larger than desired flame was required, especially when the temp would drop, which caused the smoke wood to catch fire a couple times.  I had to wrap the cover of the wood box in foil so the wood had less air but it still caught another time.

So to fix the issue I got a high temp RTV made for wood stoves by Rutland, their 600 degF black stuff that comes in a calking gun tube.  I put a thick bead of this around the door right on the inside flange you can see in smoke-in-smiles pic showing the magnet.  Once the RTV was applied I took wax paper (don't try parchment paper or freezer paper as they won't work as well), cut it into strips about 2" to 3" wide, and laid it on top of the RTV.  Be careful to just touch the paper to the RTV so it sticks but doesn't deform it too much.  Now I put the door on the smoker and gently close the door completely, which requires a bit of pressure as the RTV will be pressed.  Leave the smoker for at least 24 hours.  Now open the door, peal off the wax paper, take the door off the smoker, and let it sit somewhere dry for another day or two.  This provides a seal that's and exact fit and if you ever need to redo it the whole thing comes off in a couple minutes with a razor blade.


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## hawdave

This is very helpful. I am a newbie and just did 3 racks of baby backs and chicken legs And thighs. They were wonderful . This was my second use of the smoker. I too could not get the temp to stay constant. Did you install the new "20 jet" part. I have a remote thermometer which indicated at least a 30 degree error on the thermometer on the door (basically worthless). Whenever I made the slightest adjustment to the temp knob, the temp would move 20 or 30 degrees in the smoker. Pretty constant vigilance required. Certainly would be helpful to get closer to "set and forget" (for an hour or so). Any help in making a correction will be appreciated. I assume Everyone is having this issue. Otherwise, I love this smoker.


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## vtmecheng

Hawdave said:


> This is very helpful. I am a newbie and just did 3 racks of baby backs and chicken legs And thighs. They were wonderful . This was my second use of the smoker. I too could not get the temp to stay constant. Did you install the new "20 jet" part. I have a remote thermometer which indicated at least a 30 degree error on the thermometer on the door (basically worthless). Whenever I made the slightest adjustment to the temp knob, the temp would move 20 or 30 degrees in the smoker. Pretty constant vigilance required. Certainly would be helpful to get closer to "set and forget" (for an hour or so). Any help in making a correction will be appreciated. I assume Everyone is having this issue. Otherwise, I love this smoker.


The seal I made with the Rutland 600 degF RTV made a huge difference for me in controlling the temp and I don't go through as much propane now.  Also, don't forget to use your vents for fine tuning the temp.  Once you get the temp close with the flame control knob use the bottom and top vents, closing them to increase temp and opening to decrease.  After getting my temp dialed in I probably only check the smoker once an hour to add wood and keep tabs on the temp.

Addition: Because I had a whole calking tube of the RTV and didn't even use half to make the door seal it made sense to use it on other parts of the smoker. I sealed all the gaps around the back and sides of the smoker and though they were small this did seem to make a difference. Still have some more RTV left and was thinking of sealing the water drawer too but that may be overboard. One other thing the seal really seems to help with is keeping the moisture that's created by the water pan inside the smoker, which may have been the reason my last ribs were by far the best to date even though I didn't foil them.


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## hawdave

Thanks very helpful.  I will do the RTV thing.

I never thought about adjusting the vents.


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## vtmecheng

No worries. Feel free to send me a PM with any questions just to make sure I see them faster. I will be happy to help where possible, though I feel like there's something new I learn each time it's fired up.


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## darell wolf

On the Landmann 3895GWLA Smoker, you stated that your replacing the 10psi with a 20 PSI regulator with a needle valve fine tuning the gas flow from the regulator to the smoker controls. Where on ebay did you find it and what is the brand name of this regulator?

"20 PSI regulator with a needle valve fine tuning the gas flow from the regulator to the smoker controls.  All I do is leave the smoker control knob set on high all the time and then simply control the gas flow and temp much more accurately with the needle valve.  I've already ordered the 20 PSI regulator and needle valve off an eBay source and will install that set-up in the Landmann this week."

Also did you every replace the  thermometer? If so, with what?  Did this fix the issue? 

I am also going to get the Landmann  3895GWLA Smoker.

Thank You for your time.

Darell


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## hawdave

I too would like the order info.

Thanks for the help.

Still loving this smoker.


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## staatus quo

Darell Wolf said:


> Also did you every replace the  thermometer? If so, with what?  Did this fix the issue?


The one that comes with it is adjustable, but I never trust factory. I bought a 2" River Country for my old smoker that I'll be transferring to my Landmann when I assemble it because it's always been within 5 degrees of my thermal gauge as well that I used in my HVAC days. Picked it up on Amazon I think.


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## yankswinagain

Very much appreciated the review.  I purchased this from BJ's the other day $349 shipped free (and at 109 lbs from GA to NJ that is and expensive UPS shipment!). 

Will be putting it together Friday night and seasoning it on Saturday.  

Will post feedback and comments...

Thanks again OP for the great review!


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## yankswinagain

Put mine together tonight.  Took about an hour and a half - took it at a slow pace.  Missing one washer (not a huge deal).  It comes with three door/drawer handles and two of them are supposed to have LANDMANN printed on them and one is supposed to be plain.  I got two plain and one printed.  Again, not a huge deal -- they are interchangeable on the unit, but I will call and see how their customer service performs.

Very easy to put together.  At one point (when you flip the smoker over after putting the legs on), it helped to have my wife be there to steady it while I flipped it.  I could have done it all myself, but it was easier to have someone help.  

There does not appear to be gaps of any significance, but I will have to see for sure when it is used after seasoning.


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## yankswinagain

Seasoning in progress...  

Seems like to bottom magnet is not fully holding the door shut.  Might need to be adjusted from the way the door is hung.  Same is true for the two drawers.  Just slight uneven.  Probably can be bent into shape (carefully).  

As was mentioned previously, the temp gauge is way off.  Under-reports temperature by about 30 degrees.  Not sure if there's a way to solve this (after market thermometer that fits the smoker?), but I will see if this changes or how I may have to adjust things moving forward.

Some simple pics from front and sides (notice the handle issue I mentioned earlier - one labeled and two not -- opposite of what was supposed to be there).













CameraZOOM-20130615114929654.jpg



__ yankswinagain
__ Jun 15, 2013


















CameraZOOM-20130615114959543.jpg



__ yankswinagain
__ Jun 15, 2013


















CameraZOOM-20130615114950885.jpg



__ yankswinagain
__ Jun 15, 2013


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## staatus quo

Where did you see that it is supposed to have two Landmann marked handles? Every bit of literature I've seen on this, and all reviews I've seen show just one branded handle. My instructions even show just one branded handle for it.

And if you look at the probe of the gauge the end is slotted for a small flat head to make adjustments to the gauge.


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## michael ark

The factory tempature gauge sucks. I replaced mine with a 2 in adjustiable. You can get a slug buster made by greenlee and make a pretty burr free hole. As far as winter smokeing get it a welding blanket from harbor freight I gained 10f on my widebody. I have pictures in my profile of mods I made. Took the jet burrner off my . Found out my problem was spiders had made a nest in the line and low pressure caused by the cold weather and a low tank not empty mind you just low. I used the tank on a warmer day. Oyea. This was a good reveiw.


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## yankswinagain

Staatus Quo said:


> Where did you see that it is supposed to have two Landmann marked handles? Every bit of literature I've seen on this, and all reviews I've seen show just one branded handle. My instructions even show just one branded handle for it.
> 
> And if you look at the probe of the gauge the end is slotted for a small flat head to make adjustments to the gauge.


Here's a picture from the Landmann site...  my install instructions definitely state two handles with logos and one without.  Like I said, not a huge deal (and now that I think of it, it would have been much less work moving forward if I had put at least one of the handles in the right spot!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






)...    













Smoker Site.JPG



__ yankswinagain
__ Jun 15, 2013


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## the burn

To VTMechEng or anyone lose who's gone the RTV or similar route: did you also have to do something with a door latch or did the magnets still hold well enough? I've had the GLA for about 6 weeks now - my first smoker - and while I've been able to put out some great meat, the smoke comes pouring out at onset and temp control has been a bit of a challenge.  Thanks


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## cbpete

Evening ....... I just joined this forum ..... got a Landmann 3495 ...... so far so good ....... but I like the idea of a needle valve ....... got one on my turkey cooker and it works well ...... and the idea of using a 20 psi regulator sounds good too ....... just looked at e-bay for these and nothing showed up ....... anybody got a link to where I can get one ? .....

Thanks.....

Pete


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## cbpete

Well I just answered my own questions about regulators and needle valves .......  I "googled" "propane regulators" and found a bunch of info ....... found out about 10 psi regulators and 20 psi regulators ..... and about 2 stage regulators ........ I don't need more gas,  I need less gas, and better regulation  .... welding regulators are 2 stage regulators for a good reason ...... so getting a 2 stage regulator for my smoker made sense to me ......  I opted for a Camco 59333 horizontal 2 stage regulator .......I think that it was $22 plus shipping on Amazon.com ...... then I "googled" "propane needle valves" ....... found a bunch more info on that subject ...... got a needle valve from "HomeBrewing.org" ..... their part number 35-1423 .... if it's good enough for brewing beer, then it's good enough to cook something that goes with beer ...... it was $7.99 plus shipping ..... I think that I'm good now on that problem .......

Next project is to engineer some baffles for the side vents ...... I get wind blowing in there and, if I've got the flame down low, I don't want it to get blown out ...... I've got some ideas ...... stay tuned ......

CBPete


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## onneeye

I just order my landmann gas smoker from costco. Should get it next week. Been reading on the mods for this unit.

Would Rutland 600-Degree RTV Silicone Seal Cartridge be safe to use to make a gasket for the door? Amazon has it for $18.


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## cbpete

I wouldn't worry to much about sealing the doors until after you use it a couple of times ..... my Landmann 3495 doesn't leak too bad at all ...... I had to "tweak" it a little but it's only thin sheet metal so it "adjusted" well ........ oh, update to my previous comments (post #35) ..... got my 2 stage regulator installed with the needle valve screwed into the regulator outlet and the hose screwed into the needle valve outlet ....... and that all makes a big difference ...... fire it up as you normally would with the needle valve wide open ...... rotate the burner control knob to "Low" and then start closing the needle valve ....... getting it cold enough for smoking fish is no longer a problem ....... I've also added a baffle to the burner assembly and to the side vents to minimize the effect of wind ..... and I trimmed the tabs on the vents so that they close more ...... wind direction and gusts are now no longer issues ......

Back to the door seal ...... my thoughts, try it a couple of time first ......


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## onneeye

Thanks CBPete for your input. I'll try that first and see how it  goes. Thanks for updating your post. That help answer my question about the dual regulator.


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## lamar

Here is a link to some mods I made to my GOSM.  With the addition of a needle valve,  I have no problems regulating temps under any weather condition.  I have smoked this winter in outside temps of 12F.

I also added sheet aluminum to the base back and sides to block wind.

As for the supplied thermometer,   Landman customer service told me it was +/- 8 degrees. 

www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/151626/insulating-the-landman-38-wide


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## onneeye

Just got my smoker yesterday from ups. But theres damage to the smoker. There a slight ding at the middle edge of the smoker. nice big scratch which has to be painted so it does not rust. water drawer is crocked. one of the cooking rack weld broken and warped. I think the door is bent not sure. Top magent latch holds tighter than the bottom.  Debating if i should return it to costco and reorder a new one. was looking foward to cooking next week. what u guys thing i should do.


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## lamar

x


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## onneeye

i finally got my smoker built and modified. First one ended up returning to Costco do to damage. Second one came with a slight ding at the corner which i can live with but grease pan was missing. Called Landmann about it and got a replacement in a couple of days.














image.jpg



__ onneeye
__ May 11, 2014







The base is a water heater stand which fits perfectly. Added wheels to push the smoker around. 

Thanks eveybody for posting your mods. That help me out alot.


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## onneeye

Finally did my first smoke. Used cherry wood. Smoke the beef and porks spare ribs for 7 hours at 225 - 230 degrees. Turned out great. Nice bark to them. Very happy with the smoker.

beef ribs













image.jpg



__ onneeye
__ May 26, 2014






Pork Spares













image.jpg



__ onneeye
__ May 26, 2014


















image.jpg



__ onneeye
__ May 26, 2014


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## carlnjpn

Just wanted to Thank all who participate in this thread!  I have ordered this smoker through the Military Exchange here in Japan and expect it to arrive in about four months.  The write-ups and experiences shared are excellent!!  Thank you!  I will continue to follow this thread so please keep it going.  After I receive my Landmann I'll join in.  Thanks!  Newbie [emoji]128516[/emoji] Carl


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## mlrtym44

Could someone help me find the step down hardware I would need for the regulator. This is the one I purchased. 
It is a 3/8 flare. I am stationed in japan and they just don't have great hardware stores here. I can't find anything to connect the two. I looked around on amazon and no luck either. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!


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## carlnjpn

I just received my Landmann from the BX.  I'll put it together next week and see what kind of results I get.  I may run into the same problem on getting low Temps and will need an adapter like you are seeking.  If so, I'll see if I can help find one.


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## smokeymeatchow

Hello Smoke N Smiles.

Just read your post concerning the Landmann 3895GWLA. I am very new to the forum. I just read your very informative article concerning this unit.

I just received mine yesterday. I am having difficulty trying to get this up to temp without catching the wood chips on fire all the time. I know there are a few quirks with it that need to be ironed out.

I have been all over this forum and your article seemed like you may have covered most of the problems that this unit may have. I believe I may have gotten through the seasoning process ok, But it seems like I have to turn it almost up to high to get it to 225-230. Also not sure about the side damper adjustment and the chimney. Just hoping you may have figured out the ailments it may have.

Presently the fire stuff is the biggest problem I'm having.  I have been smoking for a few years now and haven't had this type of problem before.

I would appreciate any assistance you may be willing to give me.

Thank you.

Have a good Halloween, Joe


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## glenwillits

Having used both the Landmann and the Camp Chef, which do you recommend to someone looking to choose between them?

I am looking to step up from a much smaller gas smoker to one of these.

Glen


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## smoke-n-smiles

GlenWillits said:


> Having used both the Landmann and the Camp Chef, which do you recommend to someone looking to choose between them?
> 
> I am looking to step up from a much smaller gas smoker to one of these.
> 
> Glen


I really like the Landmann better because of the separate drawers and interior cooking space. It's nice to be able to add water or wood without opening the main door on the cooking chamber.  That way you don't lose valuable cooking temps.  Happy Smoking!


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## glenwillits

Thanks for the feedback.  I ended up letting price/shipping availability finalize my decision, as I really liked both.  I ended up getting the Camp Chef, which will be here this week.  Hopefully it works well.

Glen


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## eboyd

I am currently shopping for a gas smoker for my dad for the holidays. He has always been into grilling and very experienced in that aspect, but this will be his first smoker owned. I had already narrowed down between the Smoke Vault and Landmann through my last week of research. Luckily for me I find someone that happens to own both. He will be smoking anything and everything, fish, chicken, ribs, you name it. And it looking to making it his new hobby. Altitude and extreme weather isn't a factor for him since he lives in Southern CA. Between the two smokers, which do you favor/suggest?


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