# My head is spinning! UDS vs WSM



## mlk18 (Mar 25, 2021)

After much research and debate last year I selected and purchased a Weber Genesis II 4 burner to replace my old gasser. I made the right choice and am very happy with it, especially after adding Grill Grates and a pellet maze. Now it's time to replace my old (electric) smoker. For some reason I keep switching back and forth between the idea of a NSU (not so ugly) drum smoker and a WSM 22" or 26" Weber kettle. As far as a UDS goes: the OJ Bronco Pro, the Short Rib Drum, Gateway drum, and Hunsacker Drum are all on my list of finalists. But I do like my Weber gas grill and the WSM / Weber Kettles seems very popular. I have a big family (as I was slow to discover the existence of birth control) so a 14" isn't going to get it done and I would prefer not to run 2-3 units at the same time. My sugar Momma threw $1,000 at me to get started and told me to buy something that will last more than 3-4 years. At the same time the less I spend on the smoker the more I can spend on accessories and toys. I will surely smoke up some ribs & chickens, but my family favs are turkey breasts (the 7lb variety), pork butts, and chuck roasts or briskets. All of which I would prefer to cook on a grate.  I live in the great white North so weather extremes and wind are the norm.  I actually had a WSM way back when I was married for lust instead of money and actually watched it fly away during a casual tornado.  I presume the 22" is a touch heavier. Anyway there was a bunch of random thoughts and a brief explanation as to why my head is spinning. Now it's your turn to throw some thoughts back at me. What would you do? Any thoughts I should be having that I'm not?


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## yankee2bbq (Mar 25, 2021)

I use my Weber kettle a lot! With that being said, I would go for the Weber kettle 26. You grill or smoke And they make accessories for it too!


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## SmokingUPnorth (Mar 25, 2021)

I just picked up a 22” WSM. I love it it’s about as set and forget as you can get to an electric. Easy to use. And a great price too you could get a 22” WSM and a 26” kettle for under and both would last for 10+ years.


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## civilsmoker (Mar 25, 2021)

Yes for a 1000 you could get both as 

 SmokingUPnorth
 stated.....

Not to distract but you could also get one of these for that price point.....4 year bumper to bumper warrantee....
https://www.recteq.com/RT-590-Pellet-Grill_5

Or better yet, score this quick while on sale and then get a 26 kettle as well.
https://www.recteq.com/RT-340-w-Pellet-Bundle


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## zwiller (Mar 25, 2021)

LMAO.    Lots of funny stuff but "casual tornado" is my fave.


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## SmokinVOLfan (Mar 25, 2021)

Glad you smartened up and went with money over lust .

Don't know if the smaller kettle can handle a whole spatched turkey or a packer brisket so I would go with the largest of your options seeing as you also have a big family. Don't want to disappoint the sugar mama!


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## 6GRILLZNTN (Mar 25, 2021)

I dated a "Casual Tornado" once.   It wasn't pretty!

Dave


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## noboundaries (Mar 25, 2021)

The WSM is a great smoker (long duration that's close to hands off) and a lousy grill. The Kettle is a Great grill and a better than average smoker. For $1000, no question-get both the 22 WSM and the 26 Kettle. 

My 22 Kettle Performer (table only) is over 20 years old. I've replaced the grates twice, I believe. 22 WSM is 8 or 9 yrs old and still going strong. Haven't replaced anything and only added a gasket kit ($25).


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## Brokenhandle (Mar 25, 2021)

Oh decisions! But I like the 22" wsm and 26 kettle idea also. 

Ryan


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## JLeonard (Mar 25, 2021)

5GRILLZNTN said:


> I dated a "Casual Tornado" once.   It wasn't pretty!
> 
> Dave


I've had a couple blow through my life also......Never a good turn out.
Jim


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## JWFokker (Mar 25, 2021)

Even in the charcoal subforum there is no escaping Rectec shills.

As far as UDS vs WSM, both are great. Do you need direct heat or like to cook hot and fast? Go UDS. If you're just looking for a smoker and prefer low and slow the WSM is the better choice.


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## civilsmoker (Mar 25, 2021)

JWFokker said:


> Even in the charcoal subforum there is no escaping Rectec shills......



I know I know.......and I don't even have a Rectec....... my point was for that price point he could end up with his gasser, pellet and a charcoal......But I have a problem....2 gassers, 2 pellets, 2 reverse flows, 1 charcoal, and 1 XFire....


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## mlk18 (Mar 25, 2021)

zwiller said:


> LMAO.    Lots of funny stuff but "casual tornado" is my fave.



I rate all storms by my willingness to remain in a lawn chair and observe it first hand.  When that 14" WSM flew away I was about 2' into the garage wondering how that first wife was doing all alone in the basement. 




SmokinVOLfan said:


> Glad you smartened up and went with money over lust .



Okay, I went with lust both times. Just turned out the second wife went from college to career success in very short order.


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## drunkenmeatfist (Mar 25, 2021)

First I would knock the OKJ off the list as I think it is overpriced for what you get. I ended up going with a Hunsaker drum and I couldn't be happier. It is a high quality smoker and it will last a long time if you take care of it.  At one point I found an 18" WSM on clearance so I snatched it up. I ended up not even taking it out of the box because I couldn't see how it would do anything better than the Hunsaker.


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## FowlAntics (Mar 25, 2021)

Not to make your decision any more difficult... I would toss the Weber Summit E6 Kamado into the choices. It would come in at $1 under budget!


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## mlk18 (Mar 25, 2021)

I will be honest, after watching 27 YouTube videos a small part of me wants to buy a Pit Barrel Cooker and a Weber kettle.  The PBC seems so easy to use that a politician could figure it out. State level not Federal, we have to keep this realistic. The kettle seems like it handle anything the PBC couldn't. My wife keeps telling me I am overthinking it, but this is serious stuff. It's not like we're talking about pointless stuff like who won a Grammy or if Coors Light is really a beer or just slightly yellow water.


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## Brokenhandle (Mar 25, 2021)

civilsmoker said:


> I know I know.......and I don't even have a Rectec....... my point was for that price point he could end up with his gasser, pellet and a charcoal......But I have a problem....2 gassers, 2 pellets, 2 reverse flows, 1 charcoal, and 1 XFire....


Ya but you get some really cool fire pics so you're off the hook!   

Ryan


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## kelbro (Mar 25, 2021)

Used a WSM for quite a long time. Once I picked up a UDS and did a couple of smokes, I sold the Weber. UDS is more versatile and is also very fuel efficient. I can do a 12 hr cook on less that 5# of charcoal.


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## mlk18 (Mar 26, 2021)

I got all excited last night when I found out that a metal shop not-to-far away from me fabricated their own UDS that are similiar-ish to the Gatway drums for about $300 less. Then I got punched in the brisket when they replied to my email saying that are not currently making them due to difficulties in their supply line and to check back mid-summer. Argh! Every day that goes by that I don't own a smoker is like having to listen to modern pop music on loop: painful and without purpose.


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## gmc2003 (Mar 26, 2021)

I'm a bit biased, but I would recommend the 26" kettle if your only getting one. If you can get two then I would go for the 26 Kettle and 22" WSM. I have a 22" kettle, 26" kettle, and a 22" WSM. The WSM hasn't seen the light of day in a year. The 22" gets used for high heat cooks using the Vortex. I won't use the Vortex in my 26" Kettle because I've seen the damage it's caused to the lid on the 22". The 26" kettle has all the room I need for ribs, turkeys, butts, or whatever. With the slow-n-sear longer cooks are no problem. Another plus with the WSM is that it has three sections. That makes moving it around easier and cleaning out the ash a breeze. I store all my grills in my garage and don't want to lift a heavy drum up and down the two steps needed to get it into my backyard.  

Chris


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## mlk18 (Mar 26, 2021)

Uh oh, I screwed up. Because I am taking too long to order something my better half started looking at smokers. She saw a Masterbuilt 1050 Gravity and thought it looked really cool and wants me to watch all kinds of videos on it. I told her that in my never very humble opinion Masterbuilt products are made by kids who grew up riding the short bus and thinking miracle whip is the same as mayonnaise. I went through 2 Masterbuilt electrics in 3 years and their customer service fell somewhere between Comcast and Al-Qaeda.  I am sure other's have had very different experiences than I have, but I would rather get a drive-thru colonoscopy than buy another Masterbuilt product. 

I am currently looking hard at the 26" Weber kettle. I wish they made a copper colored one or still had the blue one's in stock somewhere.


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## NoCoPK360 (Mar 26, 2021)

My first smoker was a WSM I bought well over 10 years ago. I still have it and use it occasionally. It works well and is pretty easy to figure out. I also love my Weber Performer kettle which I use all the time. A combo of a kettle and a WSM would pretty much do anything you needed them to do and produce great results.


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## mcokevin (Mar 29, 2021)

Been using my WSM 18 as my one and only smoker for about six years now, would recommend a WSM to anyone - especially if you are new to charcoal smoking.  It is stupid simple to figure out.  My only consideration is if I should upgrade to a 22.


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## bill1 (Mar 29, 2021)

WSM's (and other bullet style smokers) are basically UDS's with a door for tending the fire and adding water to a pan.  That's why they're not as "efficient" in the fuel usage--it can be fun/addictive to "take a peek".  But if you have a $1000 (or better yet a rich wife!) you're probably not concerned with the price of charcoal. 

And if you can fit a kettle in, you can't beat their versatility and ease of use.  If I could only have one of my many cookers, the Weber kettle would win hands-down. 

But speaking of versatility, the Masterbuilt Gravity covers an awful lot of bases.  However it has both moving and electrical parts.  So the reliability will never match a Weber kettle or WSM, or even the gasser, no matter whose name is on the badge. 

Analogy: All "car guys" like cars.  But some like tinkering on them and others don't.   Same with BBQ/smoking. 

Aside:  your wife sounds awfully _smart _too.


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## mlk18 (Mar 31, 2021)

bill1 said:


> Aside: your wife sounds awfully _smart _too.



Young, educated, smart, big income, and she's Swedish. Thank goodness she has poor decision making skills when it comes to men. 

I have watched so many video, read so many reviews, and spent so much time researching what to buy that at some point the internet should be paying me royalties. Either that or Malcom Reed will come to my house and hand me a thank you card and a fully cooked brisket. I am still not set on any one grill or smoker. I am not really one to tinker and tend to look for a balance of simplicity that yields good consistent results. A buddy of mine has been screaming "CAMP CHEF!" in my ear for 3 weeks now so I am going over to his place this weekend for a low & slow pellet smoked pork loin. We'll see.


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## bill1 (Mar 31, 2021)

What I've discovered from this forum is that no one ever seems to regret a cooker they've purchased.  Which leads me to suggest that the only choice you'll regret is one that your (incredible) wife wasn't keen about.   
It's great that the two of you will get a chance to try one out "in the wild" this weekend.  I'd say you'd be smart to gauge your wife's interest as much as your own.  
And maybe you should both take your time to make a decision, or buy something cheap now with plans to upgrade later, based on features you BOTH find valuable.  After all, this isn't the best time of year to find a bargain in outdoor equipment anyway.


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## mlk18 (Apr 12, 2021)

My head is no longer spinning. The purchase has been made. Thanks everyone for the feedback and advice, both in this thread and all over the forum.

I went on a tour of grills/smokers. A buddy cooked me up some chops in a Camp Chef pellet grill, another one showed me his beloved Weber kettle, a friend of a friend showed me his PBC, my neighbor put his Traeger on display (pretty sure he is starting a cult based on it), an employee of mine raved about his offset smoker for an hour, and I went to a dozen stores looking at display models and talking to the "guys" in the back who do the assembly work and repairs. I was less impressed with the quality of the newer Weber products than I expected to be, I decided I just could not rely on any electronic components, I did not want to buy anything that need 4 mods and 3 accessories to make it work the way I wanted, and the steel on many of the grills/smokers I looked at was weaker than a teenage vegan. In the end the only grill/smoker I found that seemed rock solid, was made with very thick steel, and had all the accessories and features I wanted built-in was the Oklahoma Joe Bronco. It was a bit smaller than I wanted so I bought two of them, two extra cooking grates, and some food grade RTV sealant - and I still saved $60 over just buying a single Bronco Pro model.  My sugar momma got all excited too. While I was finalizing the deal and arranging for delivery, she picked up a couple large bags of B&B charcoal, several packages of wood chunks, and a number of items she thought looked cool that we ended up putting back. I liked where her head was though. Now she is shopping for 1/2 a cow to join the 1/2 hog we purchased last fall. I have a feeling this is going to be a very meaty summer.


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## bill1 (Apr 13, 2021)

I knew you'd make a great choice.  And two!   His and Hers!


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## noboundaries (Apr 17, 2021)

mlk18 said:


> *Oklahoma Joe Bronco. It was a bit smaller than I wanted so I bought two of them...*
> 
> My sugar momma got all excited too. While I was finalizing the deal and arranging for delivery, she picked up a couple large bags of B&B charcoal, several packages of wood chunks...Now she is shopping for 1/2 a cow to join the 1/2 hog we purchased last fall.



Now THAT is a marriage made in Heaven. 

And your wife sounds great, too!


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## apn73 (May 15, 2021)

I don't think I've ever heard a bad thing about the WSMs, but I have a UDS and have loved it for the last 10 years.  I decided on it because I read that they were the closest thing to set and forget it that you could get,  and because a bag charcoal will fuel the thing for practically 24 hours (done it).  This was before the pellet poopers really took off and became what they are today.  I built my own because I didn't want too much money invested if I decided that I didn't like smoking and barbecuing my own food, no problem there!  

I bought a NIB 22" Weber kettle off of craigslist as a donor grill, and probably have around $130 invested, including the kettle.  The cover and grates from the kettle work perfect on a 55 gallon drum, a little grinding on the outer diameter of the drum to make the kettle cover work, but the extra height you gain by doing that is worth it.  I highly recommend the UDS, either home built or factory built, but there's just something really cool about building your own smoker.  There are ton of plans around the internet that will help guide in the construction of a UDS, it's very easy and they work very well.


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