So now that my Cast Iron hoarding came to completion and Weber Kettle hoarding is in the full swing......I'm thinking about the smoker.
I currently use 3 of my kettles mostly for indirect and smoking duties and I must say, it has worked out perfect. They do everything and anything I need.
So I'm wondering if there is a specific reason why people switch over to a smoker. I'm also curious about about the pros and cons of both. I can see charcoal loading is much better on the smoker......and obviously # of meats you can stack. Anything else?
TIA
They do everything and anything I need.
I won't be an enabler here. You've answered your own question, so a smoker would be a toy. There's something to be said for using a dedicated machine, but since both WSMs and kettles require a certain setup and some experience, the difference comes down mainly to capacity or configuration.
If you like the occasional Boston Butt or other lump of meat, a smoker is a hard sell. But if you'd cook several at a time it's ideal. If you want to do hanging fish, sausages etc it's ideal. But full ribs won't fit unless you get a 22, and your 22 kettle you already have ... so again, capacity.
Looking at retail prices of WSMs, consider instead a Cajun Bandit accessory for your kettle. Looking at used craigslist prices, the common 18 WSM is too tempting to pass up for most of us.
Lots of issues to consider here.
First, what kind of smoker? Charcoal? Stick burner? Pellet? Electric? Each have their own advantages/disadvantages.
Lets' assume you are talking about a WSM since this is a Weber fan website. In that case, I would look at what do you want to smoke? As
@addicted-to-smoke says, if you are doing the occasional pork butt, it doesn't make much sense to get a WSM unless you want it just to have and use another smoker. I have a mini WSM, 18" WSM and 22" WSM. Each one has its advantages.
For me, I look at the length of the smoke and how much meat I am smoking. If I am doing one or two racks of ribs, I tend to use my kettles. If I am doing one pork butt, I am using my mini WSM or 18" because it is easier for me to maintain a constant temp over 8+ hours versus using a kettle (and yes, I know you can use the snake method to get long burn times, and I have done that, but I still like using my WSM for longer smokes rather than the snake on the kettle). If I am doing a brisket or more than one cut of meat, I will typically use my 22" WSM.
One downside of the WSM is it will typically use more charcoal than a kettle, especially the 22" WSM. However, I stock up when charcoal goes on sale so that doesn't matter as much to me.
Also, as a side note, taste of BBQ cooked on a WSM vs. a kettle is the same to me.
So basically, for me, the advantage of the WSM is being able to smoke for a longer period of time (8+ hours) and have more capacity. Plus, it is just fun to use.
Also, keep an eye on CL. I have found multiple 18" WSM for under $100 and two 22" WSM for around $100-$125.
For me the reasons for purchasing a wsm vs. a kettle are:
Holds way more meat than a kettle
Fun to use
Optimized to hold temp at smoking range
Significantly longer burn times without refilling
And here's when I would use a wsm instead of a kettle
Quote from: pbe gummi bear on December 15, 2015, 08:38:54 PM
I have a bunch of 22" kettles and a 22.5" WSM. This is my cooking choice flowchart in text form:
1- Will I need temp higher than 300? If yes, use a kettle. If no, move to 2.
2- Will my smoke session last longer than 3 hours? If yes, use the WSM. If no, move to 3.
3- Will what I'm cooking fit flat on the grate without any of the meat being too close to the fire or being overcrowded? If yes, consider using the kettle or move to 4.
4- Do I want to impress my friends when they come over because I "fired up the huge smoker for them"? If yes, use the WSM. lol
Given that I don't cook too often I rarely break rules 1-3 unless there are extenuating circumstances. ymmv
I've said it before, but the WSM is foolproof. And I have a tendency to foolishness.
That flow chart is perfect. It is definitely a conversation starter when it's fired up. Everyone I know has either an electric or gas smoker. They tell me they are intimidated by a charcoal smoker. I explain how easy it is then they taste the food and tell me it tastes better then anything they ever smoked.
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@ChaoSki I suffer from PAS.
Pit Acquisition Syndrome, and I have a feeling that you too might be a prime candidate for this dreaded disease. Hoarding is just the beginning. I can't edit my signature and either can
@Troy, but hell, smokers are cool!
Start slowly...don't listen to those others ^^^ they know not what they speak! Take my advice!! You need to be diverse in your PAS struggle! Don't buy into the Weber hype!!
Accessorize! Cajun Bandit or Weber Rotisserie rings, Stackers or Smoke EZ, DIY kits - Hey go big or stay on the deck!
Trash cans/ UDS's /55 gallon drums - nothing says hillbilly like smoking on a burn barrel!
Vintage Japanese or Chinese Kamados! Big Green Egg/Primo?Kamado Joe -Hell an Acorn grill FWIW!!
Forget those Char-Grillers unless you need a place to store your tongs and bbq forks!
Electric smokers?? No shame in your game!!
Pellet Poopers? WhyTF not??
Stick burning Trailer Offset - yeah baby! Woodpile!
the world is your oyster! Shuck it!
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/swamprb/mr_natural_my_hero.jpg)
Listen to what
@swamprb has to say. He has been around the block a couple times.
Whether you end up buying a wsm is a personal decision...
That said.....with a 18/14" wsm i thoroughly enjoy both on a regular basis.
For me the buy decision was easy bc i smoke all my own jerky treats for my puppy....the cost savings and MUCH better quality of dyi jerky paid for both wsms within 6 months.
Jerky requires a lot of grate space for large batches so wsms were a hard requirement
Good luck with ur decision
Thanks to everyone for their responses, much appreciated.
Lot to think about. I don't do big smokes with a lot of meat (not yet anyways) nor do I do ribs, fish or jerky etc (although I am a huge fisherman (carp/pike), catch release only).
I will def look out for them on Craigslist, it would be nice to have a dedicated smoker that's stationary. If I can get one for $100, I will certainly snatch it.
Keep them coming
swamprb's collection of modded kettles and WSMs is creative and well-executed. When I grow up I'll be like him.
Quote from: ChaoSki on April 15, 2016, 04:42:15 AM
Thanks to everyone for their responses, much appreciated.
Lot to think about. I don't do big smokes with a lot of meat (not yet anyways) nor do I do ribs, fish or jerky etc (although I am a huge fisherman (carp/pike), catch release only).
I will def look out for them on Craigslist, it would be nice to have a dedicated smoker that's stationary. If I can get one for $100, I will certainly snatch it.
Keep them coming
Patience. I got my 18.5" for $60 a few weeks ago.
Don't be surprised if you come back to the Kettle. But for shoulders and brisket I use the Kettle. If I had a 26 OTG I'd use the WSM's less.
I use my 26 as much as I do my WSM. If I filled my 26 to the limit it would be way more food than my family could eat.
But I still love my WSM.
I prefer to cook on my WSM over kettles for long cooks. You can fit much more meat and temps are more stable. you can cook low and slow on kettles and turn out great results. I can just get a more stable temp on a WSM.
Buy a smoker! Come on already!
I started with a 14.5 WSM, and still choose to use it over my new kettle for some things to this day.
It works, and works well. It's stable as can be with temperature control. It has flat out kicked a$$ for me since day one, and hasn't quit yet.
Yes, I can make good ribs in my kettle...but they are so easy to get right on the WSM.
Smoking a big batch of bacon is trouble free on my WSM...every time.
Do it....just do it....you know you want to...
Personally, I have found that the best smoking machine - bar none - is the Weber 26.75 Kettle. I used to have the big 22 WSM, the 18.5 WSM, and the 14.5 WSM. To me, the drawbacks to the WSM have always been four big things: Nothing to hold the lid for you when you want to tend to the food, no wheels so it has to stay wherever you put it until you're done, the water pan (I don't like using them), and having to control 3 vents. I found that using the 26.75 Weber kettle solved all these problems. It has a lid bale, it has wheels so it can be moved while cooking which is really handy if it starts raining in the middle of a cooking session, no water pan to fool with, and best of all temperature can be controlled with one single vent instead of three.
In addition to all these benefits, the 26.75 kettle has a rubber tip handle on the lid vent so you won't burn your hand, it has a one touch lever underneath so you won't burn your hands there either, it has an ash collection bucket underneath so you can clear ash away as the charcoal burns throughout the cook, the food and fire can both be tended to at the same time without having to bend over and it can be used as a grill or a smoker.
To me, I have always thought that food had a much better bbq taste on the 26 vs. the WSM. I guess because the smoke and heat were closer to the food? Also, I have always had better temperature control on a 26 rather than a WSM. The WSM controls temperature good, but the 26 is better. This is because there is only one seal on the whole unit: where the lid and bowl come together. On a WSM you have three seals: the bowl and the barrel, the barrel and the lid, and the access door against the barrel. Also, with the arrival of the new Slow n' Sear specifically made for a 26 kettle, smoking is even easier.
The WSM is a good piece of equipment, don't get me wrong; but if I had to choose either a 26 kettle or a WSM, I would choose the 26 without even thinking twice. If I had to choose one of the WSM's, I would go with the 22.5 model, that way it covers everything you might ever want to cook.
I do not have as many grils as some of you. And I have smoked meat on my performer, but it is hard for me to sit around and watch it and adjust it etc.
So I found a almost new WSM 18.5 FOR 160.00 only used like three times. I like it because it is much easier to set the temp on the way up and it will hold within 15-20 degrees for the whole cook with no fudging with it. Plus I can cold smoke on it.I can fit four / five Salmon filets at one time much more than a kettle. I also did five butts for church picnic for only a little more time than doing one. Plus it is a new tool to learn which half the fun.
Any Weber kettle from 14" SJ to the grand-dad 26.75" can cook both L&S or H&F (in some cases with a little difficulty). Some enjoy the daisy wheel air intake system (for micro-adj w/ one vent) and some like the OTS style ash sweeper system for its ease.
The major difference that I've noticed in cooking between my kettles and my WSM is ... the meat/vegies/etc. are much closer to the heat source on most kettles as compared to the WSM. The WSM has heat below some form of diffuser 'baking', if you will, the meal above on two grates. The kettle typically (even w/ the Smokenator, Slow-n-Sear, etc.) has the meal in much closer proximity to that heat source. On the WSM, turkey has a uniform color & appearance; on the kettles, even with regular rotation, turkey has uneven cooking appearance.
SJ