What type of smoker do you use?

[JAG72]

Looking at either upgrading my current smoker or supplementing it with a second one and was wondering what type of smoker do you use and would you buy it again if you had a chance?

From reading many threads it looks like most either have the WSM or Orion.

 

[dfergie]

On my second Orion here...

 

[JAG72]

On my second Orion here...

And from the sounds of it you would not give it up for anything. So far this is on the top of my listing after reading your thread about it.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

On my second Orion here...

What happened to the first one?

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I have a Weber Smoker and an Orion. We use both, depends on what we are trying to do. Tend to use the Orion more often.

 

[dfergie]

What happened to the first one?

I kept it outside and it rusted out at the bottom...

 

[JAG72]

Mike, How do both of them compare to one another. These are the two that are on the top of my list but have been having difficulty deciding.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Mike, How do both of them compare to one another. These are the two that are on the top of my list but have been having difficulty deciding.

Both do excellent smoking, but the Weber is a traditional smoker, and thus a pork roast would take 8 hours, less than half the time on the Orion. Although we tend to do ribs on the orion, which take like 90 minutes. We tend to use the Weber when we want to smoke a lot of meat. (Which we then freeze after a feast).

Thinking about it, it is time to do some smoking soon!

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I kept it outside and it rusted out at the bottom...

I should check ours. It is outside all the time. But according to my wife, it is fine.

 

[jrp]

I have an electric 40" Masterbuilt. I like it, but it has a known issue with the connectors to the heating element burning out. Mine did it at the start of the month, but I was able to pry the back off and replace the connector. I expect it to burn through again, at which point I'll need to get a new one. I understand that Masterbuilt has redesigned the heating element, both toughening it up and making it user serviceable. I will consider buying the brand again.

I know you sometimes smoke a lot of food at once (saw your Easter posts ). I did eight pork buts at once last year for my daughter's high school grad party.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

I kept it outside and it rusted out at the bottom...

I checked ours, and it is totally fine. I suspect yours just got worn out from all the use you give it.

 

[dfergie]

I'd be cooking in it right now if it wasn't windy...

 

[StevenD]

I have a SmokinTex 1500. I absolutely love it. My only complaint is its a little "wet". Ive read that if you buy their "Jerky Fan", it will pull some of the moisture out of the smoker and solve that problem. I'm thinking with a variable controller, I could adjust the speed of the fan and get it just where I want it.

I'm looking at a Jambo Pit by Jamie Geer.

 

[al]

We use a Traeger. Expensive, but worth it, IMO.

 

[JAG72]

For those using charcoal based smokers, do you normally have to add coals or does a single load of coals last an entire smoke?

 

[dfergie]

With the Orion I've only had to add when it was windy or when cooking something large (brisket etc)...

 

[JAG72]

Thanks to everybody that has commented in this thread. After a few days of reading on many different smokers and my ever desire to play around with things, I have decided on my next smoker.

I have decided to go with the UDS (Ugly Drum Smoker). I am in the process of looking for a steel drum that was used with food products. After that the build will begin. My daughter is very excited as she is the artist that will plan the custom paint job that it will get. The only problem is that she is stating that it will be pink. I think that I will have the final say in color.

I was really leaning toward the Orion as I really like the quick cooking times, but I realized that we only smoke on the weekends and I really enjoy the whole process of the long smoke.

 

[tigerprowler]

Aw, let her make it pink! That'll give her some incentive to learn how to smoke stuff, so when you're old, she can do it for you!

 

[JAG72]

Aw, let her make it pink! That'll give her some incentive to learn how to smoke stuff, so when you're old, she can do it for you!

I was just waiting for your comment on her wanting to paint it pink

 

[tigerprowler]

Well, you got it! Maybe pink with flames? It'd be the coolest thing ever!!