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Thinking about buying new smoker #6815139 07/07/17 04:23 PM
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DPirates80 Offline OP
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I have an older charcoal smoker but I mainly keep it at the lake camp cause I smoke more up there when the whole family goes up. Thought about about buying a new smoker to keep here at the house. Been browsing the internet looking for the perfect one for the money. Should I go electric smoker or stay charcoal smoker style? Any suggestions? I don't want a real big one but a decent size one.

Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: DPirates80] #6815507 07/07/17 09:35 PM
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I like the egg style setups personally. You can grill, bake, smoke, basically whatever you want and it should last forever.

Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: DPirates80] #6815743 07/08/17 12:46 AM
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What is your price range and how much meat do you plan on cooking at one time?

Charcoal is normally used for grilling, you can add wood chunks to it for a smoke flavor.

There are several variations of more traditional smokers. Like mine is a nice small smoker with a firebox and smoking chamber. There are big green eggs, traeger uses pellets, electric ones with bluetooth remote functionality etc.

Pic of mine which is what I call a traditional smoker.



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Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: Stub] #6817899 07/10/17 11:49 AM
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Originally Posted By: Stub
What is your price range and how much meat do you plan on cooking at one time?

Charcoal is normally used for grilling, you can add wood chunks to it for a smoke flavor.

There are several variations of more traditional smokers. Like mine is a nice small smoker with a firebox and smoking chamber. There are big green eggs, traeger uses pellets, electric ones with bluetooth remote functionality etc.

Pic of mine which is what I call a traditional smoker.

Yeah, my old one looks like that but she's seen better days as I had it for years. That's why I keep it at the lake. I think I might want to try a vertical set-up one that's electric temp. control.

Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: DPirates80] #6819499 07/11/17 07:03 PM
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From what you're describing (Charcoal and vertical) your best bet in my opinion would be a Weber Smokey Mountain or an Ugly Drum Smoker. Both you can put a blowers fan on it to keep temps within a +/- 10 degree range. In my opinion Pitmaster IQ is best and just happens to be one of the cheapest. If you want an affordable Ugly Drum without having to build one yourself I would check out Riley Smokers.


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Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: DPirates80] #6819544 07/11/17 07:34 PM
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I have a large trailer pit (350 gal propane tank and 2x2x4 firebox) and I built a custom PID controller that is wired to two powerful computer fans that mount on either side of the firebox where the dampers used to be. I keep the temp probe in the hotter part of the pit. With the PID unit tuned to the pit, it keeps my temps within 2-5 degrees. All I do is keep a clean fire and add a split every 2 hrs depending on the size of my goal bed. It's not set it and forget it, but about as close as you can get with a stick burner. I am not a huge fan of electric smokers. I have a masterbuilt 40 and only use it for cold smoking bacon, and I do some various sausages in it occasionally. I just don't like it for most bbq. The texture of the meat is just different, I think due to the different heat sources. Just my opinion, but I'd go with a wood burning pit. Something like a Yoder or a Lang.

Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: MacDaddy21] #6819582 07/11/17 08:05 PM
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Originally Posted By: MacDaddy21
I have a large trailer pit (350 gal propane tank and 2x2x4 firebox) and I built a custom PID controller that is wired to two powerful computer fans that mount on either side of the firebox where the dampers used to be. I keep the temp probe in the hotter part of the pit. With the PID unit tuned to the pit, it keeps my temps within 2-5 degrees. All I do is keep a clean fire and add a split every 2 hrs depending on the size of my goal bed. It's not set it and forget it, but about as close as you can get with a stick burner. I am not a huge fan of electric smokers. I have a masterbuilt 40 and only use it for cold smoking bacon, and I do some various sausages in it occasionally. I just don't like it for most bbq. The texture of the meat is just different, I think due to the different heat sources. Just my opinion, but I'd go with a wood burning pit. Something like a Yoder or a Lang.


I don't mean to thread-jack, but I'm going to have to see pics of this. What else can you say about the build?

Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: DPirates80] #6819588 07/11/17 08:11 PM
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I don't mean to sound like a stuck record; but, you can have all the eggs, sticks, and pellets you want. Buy a Pit Barrel Cooker and forget it. I do not work for them but after trying everything out there for the past several years, the PBC is the easiest, fastest and most consistent smoker I've used. www.pitbarrelcooker.com
JMc


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Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: thecytochromec] #6819625 07/11/17 08:33 PM
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Originally Posted By: thecytochromec
Originally Posted By: MacDaddy21
I have a large trailer pit (350 gal propane tank and 2x2x4 firebox) and I built a custom PID controller that is wired to two powerful computer fans that mount on either side of the firebox where the dampers used to be. I keep the temp probe in the hotter part of the pit. With the PID unit tuned to the pit, it keeps my temps within 2-5 degrees. All I do is keep a clean fire and add a split every 2 hrs depending on the size of my goal bed. It's not set it and forget it, but about as close as you can get with a stick burner. I am not a huge fan of electric smokers. I have a masterbuilt 40 and only use it for cold smoking bacon, and I do some various sausages in it occasionally. I just don't like it for most bbq. The texture of the meat is just different, I think due to the different heat sources. Just my opinion, but I'd go with a wood burning pit. Something like a Yoder or a Lang.


I don't mean to thread-jack, but I'm going to have to see pics of this. What else can you say about the build?


Are you asking about the pit iself, or the custom PID controller with the computer fans?

Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: Stub] #6820187 07/12/17 04:37 AM
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Originally Posted By: Stub
What is your price range and how much meat do you plan on cooking at one time?

Charcoal is normally used for grilling, you can add wood chunks to it for a smoke flavor.

There are several variations of more traditional smokers. Like mine is a nice small smoker with a firebox and smoking chamber. There are big green eggs, traeger uses pellets, electric ones with bluetooth remote functionality etc.

Pic of mine which is what I call a traditional smoker.



What brand is that? I've been looking for one just like that


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Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: MacDaddy21] #6820305 07/12/17 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted By: GunsUp18
Both you can put a blowers fan on it to keep temps within a +/- 10 degree range.

Originally Posted By: MacDaddy21
I have a large trailer pit (350 gal propane tank and 2x2x4 firebox) and I built a custom PID controller that is wired to two powerful computer fans that mount on either side of the firebox where the dampers used to be. I keep the temp probe in the hotter part of the pit. With the PID unit tuned to the pit, it keeps my temps within 2-5 degrees. All I do is keep a clean fire and add a split every 2 hrs depending on the size of my goal bed. It's not set it and forget it, but about as close as you can get with a stick burner. I am not a huge fan of electric smokers. I have a masterbuilt 40 and only use it for cold smoking bacon, and I do some various sausages in it occasionally. I just don't like it for most bbq. The texture of the meat is just different, I think due to the different heat sources. Just my opinion, but I'd go with a wood burning pit. Something like a Yoder or a Lang.


This is my first time hearing about the fans, I have to rig my pit with one of those. up

Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: DPirates80] #6820613 07/12/17 05:16 PM
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Oklahoma joes makes a nice pit.


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Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: bigbob_ftw] #6820887 07/12/17 10:26 PM
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Originally Posted By: bigbob_ftw
Oklahoma joes makes a nice pit.


Used to, they were bought out by CharBroil parent company and they moved the manufacturing of them to the Ohio plant. Now they use thinner metal and cheaper parts. Not a terrible smoker, just not the good old Oklahoma Joe smoker anymore.

Same thing with New Braunfels smokers, they were bought out quite a while back by CharBroils parent co and they went cheap on them too.

Last edited by Stub; 07/12/17 10:30 PM.

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Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: B Razorback] #6820890 07/12/17 10:28 PM
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Originally Posted By: WHACK&STACK
Originally Posted By: Stub
What is your price range and how much meat do you plan on cooking at one time?

Charcoal is normally used for grilling, you can add wood chunks to it for a smoke flavor.

There are several variations of more traditional smokers. Like mine is a nice small smoker with a firebox and smoking chamber. There are big green eggs, traeger uses pellets, electric ones with bluetooth remote functionality etc.

Pic of mine which is what I call a traditional smoker.



What brand is that? I've been looking for one just like that


It is an Old Country BBQ pit, bought it a couple of years ago and like it!


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Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: Stub] #6820917 07/12/17 10:49 PM
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What I like about my smoker fire box is it doubles for direct heat grilling, or if I shut the lid, it can be used as a hot plate to put a pan on it. I would post a pic but photobucket is blocking all my pics.

Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: Guy] #6822247 07/14/17 10:45 AM
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Originally Posted By: Guy
What I like about my smoker fire box is it doubles for direct heat grilling, or if I shut the lid, it can be used as a hot plate to put a pan on it. I would post a pic but photobucket is blocking all my pics.


You do know that you can post a picture here directly?


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Re: Thinking about buying new smoker [Re: Stub] #6822300 07/14/17 12:28 PM
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Originally Posted By: Stub
Originally Posted By: bigbob_ftw
Oklahoma joes makes a nice pit.


Used to, they were bought out by CharBroil parent company and they moved the manufacturing of them to the Ohio plant. Now they use thinner metal and cheaper parts. Not a terrible smoker, just not the good old Oklahoma Joe smoker anymore.

Same thing with New Braunfels smokers, they were bought out quite a while back by CharBroils parent co and they went cheap on them too.


well that sucks.


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