# The Kingsford offsets.



## Rings Я Us (Jul 31, 2017)

I see there are a couple Kingsford offsets. A 36 and a 41 inch stick burner . It looks like these 2 are made to be sold at HD and are $499.00 & $699.00 retail. 
Are those smokers any good? They weigh in pretty hefty. 
Does anyone own one? I think they go by Rancher XL and something else..  oh, one bigger is Rancher Steer model.

Just wondering if someone has one and if they are in need of the usual under $1,000.00 price range mods.. [emoji]128077[/emoji]


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## Purerock Racing (Jul 27, 2018)

I'd like to ask this same question since I've been looking at the monsterous Rancher XL, seems to be better quality than the Oklahoma Joe, and Char Broil... I know the Kingsford is basically the same as Rivergrille, both brands made by Rankam in China... and yes, the Rancher XL is heavy as hell.


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## Berettaclayshooter (Jul 28, 2018)

Just checked those out online... I bought my OKJ highland reverse for under $300, I think $500 is a lot of money for a home smoker that's made over seas.  I do like the full size door on the Kingsford for the firebox.  The upper lid would be welded shut, no need.


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## Diabolical_SmokeMaster (Sep 12, 2018)

Berettaclayshooter said:


> Just checked those out online... I bought my OKJ highland reverse for under $300, I think $500 is a lot of money for a home smoker that's made over seas.  I do like the full size door on the Kingsford for the firebox.  The upper lid would be welded shut, no need.



I actually have one, it's ok... as in the build quality is fine, the main smoke chamber has a gasket to keep the smoke in.  I made the move from a verticle offset to the Rancher XL...  There are a couple of issues, for anyone purchasing here are mine:

1) Exhaust pipe:  The pipe is at the top side of the chamber.  I think this should have been placed at the center on par with the cooking rack or slightly lower.

2) Smoke box tray:  The dinky tray provided should have been a basket for wood or charcoal, instead it's more of a tray that allows coals to fall overboard like rats fleeing a ship.

3) Smoke Chamber:  No baffle, this one REALLY needs a baffle/tuning plate.  The heat/smoke from the firebox travels over the cooking rack straight out the pipe.  Yes, the chamber heats up, but it doesnt distribute smoke and heat evenly across the chamber.  Stock, you'll end up with a temp varience of nearly 30 degrees towards the exhaust end.  So lets say you loaded up with chicken, the chicken closest to the firebox will obviously be hotter, but the with no baffle, chicken mid way to exhaust will have a 25+ degree internal difference.  That's the difference between undercooked chicken and raw... NOGO!! 

4) Lower cook shelf: Don't even think about it, nothing will cook that far below the heat coming from the firebox.  It does get warm, but since the heat from the firebox is traveling up and over the surface exscaping out the exhaust pipe fairly quick, the risk to messing up your food is too great.  

I've used it roughly 8 times after my burn in and seasoning, and have had to go back to my verticle, for smoking, grilling burgers, dogs, and brats you can just put coals on the bottom grates, but for smoking... in my experience, it needs that baffle if you are smoking anything, which is what actually brought me to this site... 

HELLO ALL, heck of a first post right.


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## BayernButcher (Apr 12, 2019)

I bought one last year and I'm just about to start to add mods. You'll most certainly need a baffle plate and charcoal basket. It wasn't successful using  the lower cooking shelf.Built very well though.


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## Damus Smith (Mar 12, 2020)

BayernButcher said:


> I bought one last year and I'm just about to start to add mods. You'll most certainly need a baffle plate and charcoal basket. It wasn't successful using  the lower cooking shelf.Built very well though.


What mods have you made, also have you found a prefabbed tuning plate for your grill. i have one and dont use it much for lack of a tuning plate.


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## JWFokker (Mar 12, 2020)

Berettaclayshooter said:


> Just checked those out online... I bought my OKJ highland reverse for under $300, I think $500 is a lot of money for a home smoker that's made over seas.  I do like the full size door on the Kingsford for the firebox.  The upper lid would be welded shut, no need.



Good luck finding a US built offset for under $1000.


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## DrHouse (Jul 12, 2020)

JWFokker said:


> Good luck finding a US built offset for under $1000.





Berettaclayshooter said:


> Just checked those out online... I bought my OKJ highland reverse for under $300, I think $500 is a lot of money for a home smoker that's made over seas.  I do like the full size door on the Kingsford for the firebox.  The upper lid would be welded shut, no need.


Well if you weld the lid on the firebox shut that would be dumbfounded. The firebox has two grilling racks for direct heat grilling. Second your arm would be burned when adding more fuel when you doing long smoking sessions. Kinda hard to do a 18lb briskets (20 hours or low and slow) and add lumps of coal and wood chucks with that top wielded.


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