Good for starting out?

I'm looking to get my first smoker:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00365FI9Y/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

My cousin has been using this for years and recommended it, but I want more opinions. I'm limited by space (no backyard and limited garage space), so I want to keep my investment down but still get some quality.

I've got the same smoker. Had it for about 4 years now. It's on it's last legs these days but it's worked great. I haven't taken the best care of it so it's my fault. Good value for the money.

I always recommend checking craigslist in your area too if you have a decent sized vehicle. I found the same unit but a couple of years old in great shape for $60. I like it a lot though, and they can be modified to increase their consistency.

What sort of modifications are you referring to? Definitely interested.

Most of the mods I have seen revolve around sealing gaps and cracks in the units to hold in more smoke. Also adding a pan where the smokebox connects to dissipate the heat more evenly. From what I have read, these types of smokers can have a 50 degree temp difference between sides, but modifying them a bit can change that to a 10 degree difference.

I've seen guys put some bricks in the bottom to help dissipate the heat, also put a computer fan mounted on the air inlet on the smoke box side.

I would highly recommend that you either build a UDS or spend a little than what you are looking at and buy a Weber Smokey Mountain. They are really the two best options in the >$500 range.

What is a UDS? My main concern is that when I move and have a yard, I am going to upgrade either way, so I'd rather spend less money now based on the limited space I have to store whatever I buy.

It is pretty much a 55gal drum that is used upright as a smoker. It only takes drilling a few holes and screwing a couple bolts to do. Hardest part is usually finding the drum. It would also be cheaper and take up less space than what you are currently looking at.

You would probably be very happy with either the UDS or WSM and most likely won't want to upgrade unless you start cooking a ton of food at once. They both will hold temp very steady for many many hours without you messing with it.

My wife just got me the exact same smoker for my birthday 3 weeks ago. Word of advise: if you like to smoke meats, BBQ frequently, and not have to maintain you equipment - don't buy this. She got it from walmart for $168 and it took me 1 1/2 hours to assemble, not that bad cause I'm excited and like the way it looks. Next night (before memorial day) I started smokinig 10 racks of ribs. It puts out alot of smoke and heat, smoke excapes from everywhere not just the stack. I lost one rack of ribs next to the opening where the firebox opens into the main chamber because of excess heat, oh well it took one for the team I can live with that. 20lbs of chicken, 30 burers, and 40 hot dogs later now the disappointment comes. The grate where the firebox is that holds the wood up completely softened and formed to the shape of the fire box, the charcoal tray for the main chamber does not stay assembled without some serious tweaking and jerryrigging, the heat guage is just that, it goes from warm-ideal-hot, no temps at all. It's a pain in the but to clean the fire box out, the racks attract every little thing.

All in all it's mine and it does its job. Would I ask for again, never. Would I buy again, HELL NO. That's my honest opinion

Good review, I am going to take all that into consideration. I'm still considering going the very cheap route for now: a BS little Weber that I will modify to do a little bit of meat at a time. I'm seriously constrained on space, so my options are limited.

Honestly, a 22.5" weber kettle will work fine too. It will take a lot more of your attention and effort but it will work. And when not smoking you would have a damn fine charcoal grill.

I really think I'm going that route. I was originally set on the Weber anyway until my cousin convinced me to check out the Char Broils. Based on what I've read on this forum, they work jsut as well just do less meat at a time. Is it easier to hold temps with the Weber?

Airborneguy said:

I really think I'm going that route. I was originally set on the Weber anyway until my cousin convinced me to check out the Char Broils. Based on what I've read on this forum, they work jsut as well just do less meat at a time. Is it easier to hold temps with the Weber?

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Are you talking about the weber kettle or the weber smokey mountain?

Kettle

The weber kettle is probably not what you see most people on here using, I could be wrong since I haven't been keeping up lately though. Most people will be using the WSM. The kettle will work but it will take considerable more effort, time, and learning curve. The WSM (and a UDS for that matter) will hold temp for 12+ hours without you even touching it. The kettle will need you to do something usually every hour or two. It will also have about 1/4 the capacity of a WSM.

I am not trying to discourage you from using the kettle, just want to make sure you understand.

I'd go with an upright in limited space. Also, this design allows the manufacturer to use thinner steel, thus allowing a cheaper purchase price. This problem with the Charbroil is it's thin gauge steel construction. It just won't hold heat.

The WSM is likely the same gauge steel, but the upright design holds the heat better. Put some firebricks in the bottom and you've got a decent smoker.

With all that said, I'd go the DIY route in a vertical configuration. I just like to build shvt.

My DIY line is drawn pretty close to cooking and brewing. I barely even paint!

Dataz, I'm very appreciative of your advice, not taking it bad at all. I don't know anything about this stuff and am actually only getting into it because of what I've seen here and heard from my cousin. I want to hear everything before I make a decision.

The only reason I'm leaning towards cheap is because I know I'm going to upgrade once we get out of this house. When I say seriously limited on space, I mean it. I have maybe a 3 foot wide by 8-10 foot deep section of my garage left to slide a grill intomwhen it's not being used. Leaving it outside is out of the question. I live in a nice area, but people come back here at night on bulk day looking for fixable- furniture. I don't want them getting any ideas.

I am telling you that if you go with a WSM or UDS now you will probably not even want to upgrade once you do get more room. They just work phenomenally. I have 3 UDSes right now and the only things I even consider upgrading to are $1000+. I will stick with what I have for now. They also do take up very little space. They are both about 3-4' tall and 23" in diameter. You would have enough room to store 4 of them in the area you are talking about.

I know there are a bunch of people on here that have both so if you have any questions about either someone will be able to give you an honest answer I am sure.

Ok... so you influenced me, but I'll admit I went a different route

I ordered the Brinkmann Vertical 2-Door, charcoal.

I've been at work since early this morning and busted my ass on a project so the boss told me I could screw off until we leave. Did a ton of research and saw that this smoaker seems to be a very cheap, but easily modified entry-level smoker that with the mods stands up to more-expensive verticals. I'm going to replace the charcoal tray with a grilling wok, and add a few thermometers to get more accurate readings.

sounds like you are an ideal candidate for a uds...

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436&highlight=uds+build

Airborneguy said:

I ordered the Brinkmann Vertical 2-Door, charcoal.

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nice choice

I looked into the UDS route, but I would have trouble getting a good drum around here and I'd have to enlist some help with building it. I like the simplicity though and will probably build one in the future.

My two cents:

The cabinet and upright smokers are cool and look cool, but have two huge drawbacks,
1. you cant put a log or logs in them, (at least easily) and ...
2. you have to open the door to tend the fire causing huge loss of heat and adding 15-20 minutes everytime you open.

The weber kettle is an old school tried and true. I have smoked ribs on one, but only one rack, as you just dont have room to indirectly cook much at all, and its hard to keep your meat from getting too hot. AND as above the lid has to come off to tend the fire.

The $175 walmart jobs are fine with two mods. Go to home depot and buy a metal shingle and use it to make the firebox opening much smaller. It will also act as a heat baffle. You can just screw it in with sheetmetal screws. (id still never put food closer than 8-10 inches to the fire box.) Get some hot water heater stack pieces from by the hot water heaters and slide on to your stack inside to bring your stack down to the food grate. You want the smoke to draw straight across.
Id get a nicer thermo too. I welded a warming plate on the top of my firebox, but whatever you dont NEED that.

Now you got a smoker you can fit a whole 15lb brisket on and tend the fire without opening the cooking chamber, and the box will hold logs.

Have fun.

PS NEVER clean the food side of your smoker. and never try and cook with charcoal in the big side. You will ruin/catch your seasoning on fire. And for sure season it for a few hours before you smoke. After your seasoning gets built up in time it wont leak as much at the seams if it does leak at all. You said you were limitd on space, put that bad boy in your garage by the door with the stack towards the door and the box to the front of the garage, then put a lil box fan in the garage pointing to the fire box. It will blow air through your damper, and all the smoke out of your garage. This is what i do when its raining.

cook1969 said:

My two cents:

The cabinet and upright smokers are cool and look cool, but have two huge drawbacks,
1. you cant put a log or logs in them, (at least easily) and ...
2. you have to open the door to tend the fire causing huge loss of heat and adding 15-20 minutes everytime you open.

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1- so?
2- the good uprights and cabinets don't need to have anything added to them every 2-3 hours like a COS does. They can run 12+ hours easily (I have gone over 24) on one load.

cook1969 said:

My two cents:

The cabinet and upright smokers are cool and look cool, but have two huge drawbacks,
1. you cant put a log or logs in them, (at least easily) and ...
2. you have to open the door to tend the fire causing huge loss of heat and adding 15-20 minutes everytime you open.

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I agree with Dataz722. What is the big deal about not using logs? Chunks work as well. I use a Spicewine Insulated Cabinet smoker (pictured below) and with a BBQ Guru I can get 24 hours without tending the fire using charcoal and chunks. I use a modified Minion Method with a DIY charcoal basket. The firebox door is separate from the smoking compartment so you loose very little heat when it is open for refueling if you ever need it. I compete with it all the time. We also have a Lang 84 deluxe stick burner but nobody wants to stay up all night feeding it a log an hour.

SawdustGuy and Dataz722 make good points, but in terms of the upright the OP is looking at, it's thin gauge stamped sheet metal (uninsulated at that). Even if you don't open the door, it's not really going to hold heat all that well since it's so thin in the first place. We're talking about an $80 upright vs a $3,000 upright. There are a few differences!

dfess1 said:

SawdustGuy and Dataz722 make good points, but in terms of the upright the OP is looking at, it's thin gauge stamped sheet metal (uninsulated at that). Even if you don't open the door, it's not really going to hold heat all that well since it's so thin in the first place. We're talking about an $80 upright vs a $3,000 upright. There are a few differences!

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Which is why many of us were all recomending a WSM or UDS. The thin gauge of them doesn't much matter because they are pretty airtight.

dataz722 said:

Which is why many of us were all recomending a WSM or UDS. The thin gauge of them doesn't much matter because they are pretty airtight.

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hey, i know. but he didn't seem to want to know about the UDS, which is fine. I've never used one myself, but know that many many out there do (which has to tell you something). I just found it amusing that it seemed that you were comparing somethign along the lines of a spicewine to the 80 dollar brinkman upright. that was all.

dfess1 said:

I just found it amusing that it seemed that you were comparing somethign along the lines of a spicewine to the 80 dollar brinkman upright. that was all.

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haha, well you got me there.

dfess1 said:

hey, i know. but he didn't seem to want to know about the UDS, which is fine.

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Airborneguy said:

I looked into the UDS route, but I would have trouble getting a good drum around here and I'd have to enlist some help with building it. I like the simplicity though and will probably build one in the future.

Click to expand...

?

Sawdustguy said:

I agree with Dataz722. What is the big deal about not using logs? Chunks work as well. I use a Spicewine Insulated Cabinet smoker (pictured below) and with a BBQ Guru I can get 24 hours without tending the fire using charcoal and chunks. I use a modified Minion Method with a DIY charcoal basket. The firebox door is separate from the smoking compartment so you loose very little heat when it is open for refueling if you ever need it. I compete with it all the time. We also have a Lang 84 deluxe stick burner but nobody wants to stay up all night feeding it a log an hour.

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So can you tell me more about that basket design? What's the little compartment for and what's the center area for?

Bobby_M said:

So can you tell me more about that basket design? What's the little compartment for and what's the center area for?

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In case he doesn't see the question, I will take a guess at it. I think that the little compartment on the left side is probably to dump lit coals in. The center area is just there as space so that the unlit coals can snake around. That way it will slowly spread and light the coals around the path instead of all at once.

Airborneguy said:

?

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sorry, missed your post there. And i'm not trying to sound pretentious by any means. I had purchased the upright brinkman at a garage sale. my intent was to cut a hole in my brinkman smoke 'n pit and attach it at the end, use it like a warming rack. But it was so thin I turned around an sold it at a neighbors garage sale. It was a bear to try and get up to temp as a standalone unit, and it would loose heat quickly. While I've never built a UDS, there doesn't seem to be all that much to making one. Just a couple of holes (unless I'm way off target). Your hardest problem would probably be finding one, but I'm sure you could find one off of craigslist.

Regarding another post, in terms of "NEVER Clean your pit". While I don't clean it excessively everytime, I make sure I don't have stuff laying around either (chared on meat, drippings, etc). You get better results with a clean pit, than one that keeps getting flavors/juices that have been around mixed together. I'm not saying take off your seasoning layer, but you want it somewhat clean.

dfess1 said:

Regarding another post, in terms of "NEVER Clean your pit". While I don't clean it excessively everytime, I make sure I don't have stuff laying around either (chared on meat, drippings, etc). You get better results with a clean pit, than one that keeps getting flavors/juices that have been around mixed together. I'm not saying take off your seasoning layer, but you want it somewhat clean.

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I agree completely. I don't want anything clinging to the sides or top of it. I will also give it a really good cleaning once a year with a pressure washer and then reseason.

Hoping to build a UDS as my first smoker in the next few weeks. I read the bbq brethren thread already and I'm pretty sure I know the basics. Any other tips or tricks I should know about?

Bobby_M said:

So can you tell me more about that basket design? What's the little compartment for and what's the center area for?

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The first litte compartment on the bottom left is where you put your lit charcoal. To get a long burn the charcoal burns in a U shape from left to right. The center area stays vacant.

dataz722 said:

In case he doesn't see the question, I will take a guess at it. I think that the little compartment on the left side is probably to dump lit coals in. The center area is just there as space so that the unlit coals can snake around. That way it will slowly spread and light the coals around the path instead of all at once.

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100% Correct. Using a BBQ Guru (a PID controlled fan) in conjunction with the charcoal basket I can hold temperature for up to 24 hours. I normally smoke packer briskets and bone-in butts for 12 hours @ 225* and chicken at 325* and ribs at 275*. The Spicewine insulated cabinet cooker is a BBQ contest cooking machine with a BBQ Guru and the charcoal basket. I am also purchasing a Backwoods Smoker and will use a similiar setup. The Spicewine is built like a brick chit house, weighs in at 600 lbs. and will last forever. The Backwoods is not as robust but weighs 250 lbs and is a lot easier on my back.

dataz722 said:

I agree completely. I don't want anything clinging to the sides or top of it. I will also give it a really good cleaning once a year with a pressure washer and then reseason.

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+2....I have been doing this BBQ competing for a few years now and have found out that after a while it begins to smell funky. I clean mine, change the front door and charcoal chamber gaskets and reseason once a year. Take care of your pit and it will take care of you.

Sawdust, you ever do any comps down this way? I had wanted to start this year but things got in the way and it didn't happen.