electric smoker

I really want to get a smoker for the house and would like to build a wood fired one but I just don't really have the time to set around and keep the fire going so I am looking at electric ones. I don't want something cheap that is only going to last a year or two but would rather spend some money and get a good one. What are your recommendations? and why do you like them?

Thanks

Walter

Masterbuilt all the way. I have a 30 and the cold smoker unit. Love it! Its just too easy.

Masterbuilt 40". I can smoke 2 100# pigs at a time, plus it has a built in meat temp probe.

Love my MES. You are going to hear that from almost everyone. They are great smokers. There are others but MES is great and has a huge fan base. You won't regret it. I wouldn't waste money on the glass door model. It will dirty up quickly and you won't be able to see inside anyway. I'd use the savings to invest in a double electronic thermometer for cabinet temp and meat temp. Wireless is great also.

I've had several electrics and have moved on to a propane unit with cast iron chip box.

Masterbuilt 40" I love it.

X2

How do they hold up. I have looked at one a cabelas and they seam cheap to me?

Thanks

Walter

Best kept secret in Texas. Set it & forget it except for adding a few twigs every hour. Have not abused mine so can say how it has held up, but first time I used mine the nightly temp stayed below 30* all night, and the temp was constant on the Masterbuilt with a 20 mph wind blowing..

tag. No love for Bradley? Cook shack?

That is almost never accurate.

The temp probe is not very accurate but the thermostat has worked well so far. I trust my older meat thermometer over the one with the smoker.

Ive got a bradley and a master built I have smoked meat in the bradley but pucks are high dollar I use the masterbuilt as a warmer in the bbq trailer. but most reliable is the masterbuilt and no high dollar pucks. 40 inch comes with a remote which I have never used but its there.Bayou bunch has one that is bigger but I could never get academy to get one in to look at.If you want to spend a couple grand cook shack would be my next choice.

Ive tested mine with a calibrated thermometer and its with in 2 degrees so I run it 2 degrees higher. (masterbuilt)

My dad has a cookshack that is 12 years old and still works great. But at two grand I wanted to see if there was something else out there that was as good. The price really isn't the issue because I want to buy one that will last years like his has. I saw cabelas has a nice stainless model almost like the cook shack but I am not sure who makes it for them.

Walter

Mine is 40 degrees off called Masterbuilt and 3 months later I get a new control unit and it still won't get to max temp only gets to about 245. I like the smoker just wish it would work correctly.

Academy has the 40" on sale for $299, bout as cheap as I've seen. Thoughts?

Go here. They have some very informative reviews for all types and brands. I like the pellet smokers as you can load it up and forget about it. RecTec is what I have my eyes on. I have a friend that has a Traeger and it works great. He did have to replace the control unit a little too quick in my opinion. The RecTec seems to be better quality for right at $1,000.

amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/smokers

Use this code and get a good discount from the Masterbuilt website MM25. You have to call them at 1-800-489-1581 to get the 25% discount.

I own a Cookshack and it is 10 years old and use it almost weekly. Never replaced anything in it. I also have the commercial model in a commercial kitchen. Been in use over 4 years daily and have replaced ANYTHING in it either. Very much like the Television infomercials........set it and forget it! Stainless steel inside and out and best ever as far as I'm concerned. I bought the first one at the Shotshow in 2004 and done knw how you can improve on it.

You have a restaurant locally?

Wish I had got a 40". Make sure you get the remote control
model, it comes in handy.

Anybody with an MES, how often do you have to add chips?

If I was rich I'd buy a Traeger or a Cookshack, but I think I can afford $300

Anybody use the cold smoke attachment on the Masterbuilt units? Pros/cons?

Well everyone says matter built but cabelas had the big Bradley on sale for 399 regular 599 and 20 percent off all the biscuits. So I went ahead and got that one with my coupon and some points I had came out to 240 bucks with a ton of the biscuits. For that price I don't think it can be wrong. Got it all seasoned in and plan to do some ribs soon. Not nearly as nice as the cook shack but no more than I am going to use it right now and for the price it should work well.

Thanks guys.

Walter

Yes, works great runs for 6 hours on a fill. Put a short pipe between it and the mes and you get truly cold smoke. I use it without the pipe when hot smoking.

I've heard a lot of good things about that unit. I don't have one for my MB, but it's on the list.
it's a true cold smoke, so you can do fish and cheese; when using it with the warmer, it just lets you
run a longer smoke duration without adding wood chips.

Black Friday, the price on this one is $199.

bass pro has the masterbuilt sportsman elite 30" for 189.97 on black friday