Cookaholics Bulletin Board

We are thinking about getting a smoker to do fish, poultry, and ??. Never used one before. I see that there are tons of different types (hot smoking, cold smoking, ones that use water, etc etc).

Does anyone have any comments for a newbie about what type of hardware to start out with? Features? We like the smallish Weber that is about $200 (the bullet?) and some of the other inexpensive entry level ones for around $100.

Thanks
eb

Of course it cost more but I love my Primo ceramic...you saw it at the ranch.

OK, my memory is FOGGY. I was smitten by Lou's guacamole and all that MEAT. Was it a green egg? I've priced those and they seem neat by pretty pricey. If I spend that much, I am going with the "something I can grow into" concept which takes more mental fenagling (sp) than just gettin a smoker for a hundred bucks.

??

I just have a Brinkman that can only be regulated by time (so my opinion may not be very well informed) but I'd need a lot of rationale on the performance difference between the BGE (what, $600? $800?) and say, the Weber Smokey Mountain ($300) to justify the cost difference.

Lynn,

The "FOGGY" could have been related to the winery tour...

Here is a link http://www.primogrill.com/ If you want to "grow into it." the ceramic is for you...now I just wait till I can afford to get what I want ... or do without. I have used about every smoker made...NONE compare to the ceramic.

Several things I really like about the ceramic is that you can load it one time and smoke for 10 hours +. Or you can put a couple of briquettes of charcoal in it with a piece of hardwood on top & cold smoke, or...you can put a stone in it and cook a pizza at a a screaming 500-600 degrees.

It is a dream to regulate the temperature...I have a Bradley also...not worth the $$ in my opinion...have not used it in 4-5 years.

I do wish that I had a WSM just for the porability for when I take my show on the road...I cracked my Primo taking it to Phoenix...that cost me a bunch to replace the bottom.

The big question is: how much do you plan on smoking? If just a couple times a year just pick up a cheapie somewhere. People who use WSM's love 'em. They work pretty good but I've never had one that gave me a good "bark" on a brisket or butt.

I've got a Brinkmann Pitmaster - pretty basic but it works. I'd like to graduate to a larger one but that ain't happening until I start bringing in more moulah.

Plus, the wife wants a new dining room set and she's got first dibs on that.

...lou

Hi Lou,
I figure I am well positioned for a smoker as hubby just got a new piano and guitar recently!! Oh, and he is going on a "guys ski trip"....gee, maybe I should throw in that dining set!!

I am thinking seriously about the Cookshack, it's more than I want to spend, but I really do think it would be used a ton.

Frank, I looked at the website, and I can see the value of the ceramic. I am worried about that price though, any time it is not listed on the website you have to wonder. :0

They ain't cheap...but cheaper than a piano

Call the factory and ask for George ( the owner ) ask if he has any "scratch & dents" available...you may mention the Texan that came by and visited him and bought two of them a few years ago...he might remember me. I went by there 5 or 6 times, helped him assemble one of the smokers, got a full tour of his factory...prince of a guy!

I've an offset that I picked up at Home Depot for about $200. I use it a lot in warmer weather.

I also have cold smoker, but it is only usable as a cold smoker in cold weather. For obvious reasons it is hard to smoke at 90 F when it is 90 or more outside. That came from Northern Tool

I'm late to this thread, but agree with Lou about the WSM. I have one and love it. I don't smoke nearly as often as Lou or Frank, so just couldn't justify spending big bucks on anything more. Now, if I could just find pork bellies out here on the western slope, I'd be in heaven.