# Looking for some help please



## yamalube (Jul 17, 2020)

Hey guys and gals, 
  I am new here and just moved to Amelia Island Florida, but I have been smoking for a while using my Masterbuilt 40 inch xl sportsman elite propane smoker.  I love it, but sometimes hate it.  It is very hard to sometimes regulate temp and sometimes the flame will go out....  Besides that I love it.  Makes great food.  Now, I am looking for a new smoker to go with this one.  I am afraid of buying anything Masterbuilt.  I feel like they have gone down hill greatly.  Their customer service is pretty rough too.  The materials that they use for their smokers in my opinion are cheap.  
  So, with all that being said, may I have some suggestions on some better smoker companies?  Whether it be propane or electric.  I do not want charcoal or stick burner.  I think stick is pretty hard to control heat, but what do I know.?  Any help would be great to what companies I should start looking at.  Again thank you to everyone for any help.  You all have a great day and stay safe.


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## gmc2003 (Jul 17, 2020)

Welcome aboard, Sorry I can't help you out. I'm strictly a charcoal man.

Chris


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## Brokenhandle (Jul 17, 2020)

Welcome from iowa! As far as your smoker search,  maybe a few more details...especially your price range is most important.  I use a master built 30 analog smoker,  with auber pid for awesome temp controls. A weber clone using charcoal (it was $20), and a homemade commercial fridge using propane as heat source. Don't have problems with gas going out. Maybe some mb propane smokers will chime in and help diagnose your problems with it while you search for a new smoker.  

Is your thermocouple getting weak or partially misaligned? Are flame outs happening while trying to smoke at low temps? 

Good luck on your search.  
Ryan


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## normanaj (Jul 17, 2020)

All depends on what you want to spend.If you have a high threshold for a budget and want to go electric check out Smokin-It,pricey but I've never heard bad a word about them from anyone who owns one.

You could also find a used Masterbuilt electric (MES) rewire it and add a PID controller,do the mailbox mod and use an A-maze-n tray or tube in the box.At that point you've turned it into a much better smoker that'll be true set and forget.


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## JC in GB (Jul 17, 2020)

You can get very tight temperature control from a charcoal smoker.  If that is your only concern, perhaps you may want to reconsider a charcoal model?  Also, charcoal doesn't go out as easily as a gas flame does.  I also like the flavor that charcoal smoking delivers.

I use a PID control on my charcoal cabinet smoker and get temperature regulation to one degree.

In any event, there are a lot of good pits out there that will make you some great Q.  I wish you success finding the pit your are looking for.

JC


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## 6GRILLZNTN (Jul 17, 2020)

I would reconsider not going the charcoal route.  The fuel is cheap, and easy to find.  Throw on some chunks of your favorite smokewood, and the flavor is hard to beat.

Dave


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## SmokinAl (Jul 17, 2020)

You may want to look at a Camp Chef Smoke Vault.
I have had one for years & I did have to rebuild it after 4 or 5 years.
But a whole new burner & igniter assembly, new chip pan, and new grease tray were under $100. I did that 4 years ago & it’s still running fine. I use it at least twice a month.
It’s very easy to hold a steady temp & easy to clean up.
Parts are easy to get & Camp Chef has excellent CS.
The taste isn’t as good as my stick burner, but I can fire it up in a couple of minutes & add a chunk of wood every 45 minutes to an hour and it will hold a steady temp All day. I mostly use it for short smokes, 2- 6 hours.
As said above charcoal & wood is a bit better than propane, and a Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5, with a BBQ GURU CONTROLLER will let you have the best of both worlds. Charcoal & wood flavor & I have that setup too, and use it for overnight smokes, like a butt, or brisket. If I have the time I would rather use my stick burner, but that means getting up at 3:00 am & tending to the fire all day long, but a case of beer & the smell of smoke is hard to beat. I even cook breakfast & lunch on the top of the firebox in a CI pan. So if you want to go big or go home, look at a Lang. I have the smallest one they make which is the 36” patio, and have never not had enough room in the cooking chamber.
Al


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## smokeymose (Jul 17, 2020)

I had the same problems with my MB gasser. Now it's just a cold smoker with a mailbox setup. Haven't had gas to it in years.
I'm an offset stick burner guy, but I notice a lot of folks here run pellet smokers...

Welcome to the forum!
Dan


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