# What smoker would you buy if you had $500



## symansaysbbq (Nov 25, 2010)

Simple question... If you had $500 what smoker would you buy? :-/

So, I know $400-$500 in the BBQ world is not much to work this, 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 but my wife and mother-in-law are thinking of getting me a new smoker for Chrismas/birthday and I'd like to point them in the right direction. I mostly cook pork butts and chicken and the occasional brisket. I am looking for wood/charcoal. I also own a Rocks BBQ stoker with the 10CFM fan. It's a long story how I have a stoker with no smoker. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I am not against used smokers and live in CT. I also don't know how to weld but love to build stuff.

Any suggestions would help...

Thanks


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## ecto1 (Nov 25, 2010)

Weber Smoky Mountain if you didn't build a UDS yourself.


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## symansaysbbq (Nov 25, 2010)

Thank you. I have been looking at the WSM. I think your probable correct with this being the best option. Any idea how long of a burn I can get with the 22" unit at temp around 225 with the stoker and lump charcoal?


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## garyt (Nov 25, 2010)

Thermopen, but Lang has a 36 inch model now, check it out stainless steel.


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## symansaysbbq (Nov 25, 2010)

Langs are so sweet but way out of my price range :-/ $850 for the 36"


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## ecto1 (Nov 25, 2010)

SymanSaysBBQ said:


> Thank you. I have been looking at the WSM. I think your probable correct with this being the best option. Any idea how long of a burn I can get with the 22" unit at temp around 225 with the stoker and lump charcoal?




You can get 8-10 hours without the stoker easy maybe more.


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## jirodriguez (Nov 25, 2010)

SymanSaysBBQ said:


> Thank you. I have been looking at the WSM. I think your probable correct with this being the best option. Any idea how long of a burn I can get with the 22" unit at temp around 225 with the stoker and lump charcoal?




 Not sure about the stoker, but in the summer I can get 20+ hrs at 225° on one full ring of my 22.5" WSM, in the winter it drops to about 12 hours. I have been thinking of insulating mine for winter use, then I should be able to get at least 16-18 no problem. I really, really like the 22.5" WSM.


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## mballi3011 (Nov 26, 2010)

Well I would say be different and think that you shoould goo with the smoke vault 24"


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## princess (Nov 26, 2010)

Knowing how much I love my 36" Weston, if I had $500 I'd ask Santa to bring me the 48" ($400) with an extra propane tank ($30) and then I'd order an AMS starter set from Todd for cold smoking ($50). ;)

Cheers!

-Princess


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## sqwib (Nov 26, 2010)

This one

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sorry couldn't resist.


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## deannc (Nov 26, 2010)

SQ - LOL

I've been reading up a lot on the 22.5" WSM recently and I'm trying to convince Santa it is what I need! lol  

A WSM would leave ya $100 for meat or a thermapen.


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## symansaysbbq (Nov 26, 2010)

SQ - LOL ya got me, that was good...

Princess & mballi Nice ideas, I have never heard of either of them and like the look of booth, however I am really looking to stick with wood/coal so I can play with my stoker.

jiRodriguez "20+ hrs at 225° on one full ring of my 22.5" WSM" I think you just sold me. I only get like an hr or 2 on my current piece of junk...

thanks everyone

Maybe I should spend the $500 on a welder and build me one...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 My wife would kill me if I told her that idea...lol


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## jirodriguez (Nov 26, 2010)

SymanSaysBBQ said:


> SQ - LOL ya got me, that was good...
> 
> Princess & mballi Nice ideas, I have never heard of either of them and like the look of booth, however I am really looking to stick with wood/coal so I can play with my stoker.
> 
> ...


Just remember the 20+ hrs is in the summer when the low temps for the night stay above 60° or so, in the winter it drops by 50% or so - thus the suggestion of insulating it in the winter.


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## ak1 (Nov 26, 2010)

Build a UDS and use the other 400 bucks to buy meat


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## princess (Nov 27, 2010)

Best idea yet!!!

 My freezer is looking kinda sad and empty, needs VENISON!!


AK1 said:


> Build a UDS and use the other 400 bucks to buy meat


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## symansaysbbq (Nov 27, 2010)

> Originally Posted by *AK1*
> Build a UDS and use the other 400 bucks to buy meat


Do you have any recommendations on how to adapted my stoker to an UDS. I would need the fire box to be draft free except for the air intake from the stoker. Would the 10CFM be good for a 55gal drum? :-/

Thanks


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## ak1 (Nov 27, 2010)

I don't think you need a stoker. I've done 20 hr smokes with just the basic UDS design and 1 load of charcoal, and it's involved minimal tweaking to maintain temps.
 


SymanSaysBBQ said:


> > Originally Posted by *AK1*
> > Build a UDS and use the other 400 bucks to buy meat
> 
> 
> ...


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## tom37 (Nov 27, 2010)

The stoker fan has a flapper if I'm not mistaken. 10 cfm is way plenty for a drum maybe even to much. But I would think that its still going to do its job, kick on when the temp drops and off when it peaks. Using a stoker, I think you could use one 2" ball valve and not have the extra nipples and caps.

Worst case, the 5 cfm fan is only 60 bucks. Running a drum on a stoker will take all the work out of it all together. Make it almost like a MES.


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## symansaysbbq (Nov 27, 2010)

question for all the UDS fans......?? Would this idea work?


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## deltadude (Nov 28, 2010)

SymanSaysBBQ, you really can't go wrong with a 22" WSM, first it is a champion cooking, lots of bbq teams use them and win with the WSM.  KCBS team of the year for 2009 won using WSM cookers.  Why do so many competing BBQ teams use the WSM, IT WORKS, and delivers serious smoking/BBQ for the prices.  While building a UDS is a nice DIY project, rather than focusing on mechanics & tweaking an unknown entity to get it just right, you get JUST RIGHT with a WMS right out of the box.  This allows you to focus on cooking some great tasting Q.   I am not knocking the UDS, but if you have $500 to spend on a smoking rig, get serious and get smoking with a new WMS.


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## tom37 (Nov 28, 2010)

SymanSaysBBQ said:


> question for all the UDS fans......?? Would this idea work?


First off I don't know that you need the pipe with holes in it. But I also don't see that it will hurt anything, probably does need to be under the coal pan instead of above.


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## arnie (Nov 28, 2010)

Without a doubt I’d buy a Cookshack Smokette.

I have had one for 8 years and just recently upgraded to an AmeriQue.

They are as near to set it and forget it as you can get.

They are American made and their customer service is second to none.

You can actually talk to a real person who knows what he is talking about.


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## symansaysbbq (Nov 28, 2010)

> you get JUST RIGHT with a WMS right out of the box


This is the part my wife likes. I would like a smoker that just works as well. I think I am going to go with the 22" WMS. My last DYI did ok until the mice got to it and turned it into there home 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Take a look...Regulating the heat was not easy.




> Just remember the 20+ hrs is in the summer when the low temps for the night stay above 60° or so, in the winter it drops by 50% or so - thus the suggestion of insulating it in the winter.


How would you recommend insulating a 22" WSM?

Thanks everyone....


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## cycletrash (Nov 28, 2010)

Build one and spend the money you save on meat to smoke !


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## symansaysbbq (Dec 2, 2010)

I think I a going to build one. I found this old commercial over that I am hoping I can get for a good cost (free). I also found a nice metal tank that I think would be good for a fire box. The only think that will be hard to find is someone that can help me weld. I don't have a welder and don't know how. Take a look at my idea, please share your thought. 







sorry for the small type.


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## tom37 (Dec 2, 2010)

Myself, I am not a fan of having two separate locations for the heat to enter. I would rather go for one larger pipe entering the cook area below a diffuser plate with the smoke to rise up to one stack located in the center. Since you are going to have a stoker on it the natural draft is not as big of an issue. IMO, that is.

Another thought may be to put the firebox below the cook box.

1. It would be a much easier build as far as making the connection between the two.

2. When its cold out you could drape a moving or welding blanket over the top box and hang down to help hold some of the radiant heat.

The connection to the cook box could be done pretty easy by cutting tabs like HVAC duct work has, where you cut the hole, insert the piece and reach inside and bend the tabs over. High temp silicon around it and you are set.

Now the lower connection is not as easy. I'm thinking but it hasn't come to me yet.


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## sqwib (Dec 3, 2010)

SymanSaysBBQ said:


> I think I a going to build one. I found this old commercial over that I am hoping I can get for a good cost (free). I also found a nice metal tank that I think would be good for a fire box. The only think that will be hard to find is someone that can help me weld. I don't have a welder and don't know how. Take a look at my idea, please share your thought.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Personally I think your Cabinet smoker was fine, Just replace those 10,000 btu burners with a 30,000 btu and you should be good as gold. my 2 cents


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## coacher72 (Dec 3, 2010)

I would agree with those that recommended WSM 22.5", if you want to go electric then the MES 40"


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## jirodriguez (Dec 3, 2010)

SymanSaysBBQ said:


> > you get JUST RIGHT with a WMS right out of the box
> 
> 
> This is the part my wife likes. I would like a smoker that just works as well. I think I am going to go with the 22" WMS. My last DYI did ok until the mice got to it and turned it into there home
> ...



There are several ways you could insulate a WSM:

They sell an insulated cover for about $100, think Cajun Bandit or somebody sells it.
Use the foil wrap that you can put on hot water heaters. Just cut out an opening for the door access. Costs about $30-$40.
Build a small "shed", just big enough to fit your WSM into and give it a little clearance. Vents on the bottom of the shed for air intake, vent out the top for exhaust, line the inside with foil backed insulation sheets. One side would be hinged or removable, and I would make the top removable as well. Cost: ???
The nice part about the 3rd option is it makes a good windbreak, and is permanent - once it is built you have it all the time.


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## walle (Dec 3, 2010)

Beat me to it, AK1!... it would be Tri-Tips for me!~
 


AK1 said:


> Build a UDS and use the other 400 bucks to buy meat


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## symansaysbbq (Dec 3, 2010)

> Personally I think your Cabinet smoker was fine, Just replace those 10,000 btu burners with a 30,000 btu and you should be good as gold. my 2 cents


I thought of that. How do I keep the mice out :-/


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## sqwib (Dec 6, 2010)

SymanSaysBBQ said:


> > Personally I think your Cabinet smoker was fine, Just replace those 10,000 btu burners with a 30,000 btu and you should be good as gold. my 2 cents
> 
> 
> I thought of that. How do I keep the mice out :-/


In my opinion there should be no way they can get in from the original filing cabinet.

Apparently whatever you done to convert it to a smoker made enough room for the critters to get in.

I would look at all the possible places they could get in and use a steel mesh and cover those areas.

Hell I had rats in my weber grill one year


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## coyote-1 (Dec 6, 2010)

I'm satisfied with the CGSP and Weber 22" kettle. With the addition of my various CGSP mods and the kettle rotisserie ring, the combined price of both is just around $500 now.

Very versatile arrangement. I'm gonna add a few tabs and handles to the ring. That will make it able to support a second stainless cooking grate.


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