Smokers - am in the market and am wondering....
 

............what brand you guys are using?

Please list Pros and Cons

Propane or Electric?

JW

I can't compare the two, but can say I got lazy and bought a Masterbuilt electric and have no complaints. Sure beats trying to regulate temperature with firewood on my old one. Just set the temp and time and forget about it.

Thanks Newton

Have looked at Masterbuilt.

Was looking at the Bradley too!

From what I have read - Bradley you can cold smoke some food. I have also been told with Propane it is easier to regulate the heat as I live in an area it can get cold.

Others such as Mastrbuilt the smoke is a bowl of chips in inside while Bradley is fed externealy which will save on loosing heat and not opening the door.

Also would like an external probe to monitor meat temp and see some have that function. But with anything the more devices it has the higher the price.

JW

I have a propane type that I got at Lowe's. It is OK for me as I don't smoke stuff all the time, just a couple times a years. The problem with mine is 1) on windy days it is tough keeping the flame right, 2) sometimes when it's really cold out I have to keep the flame up a little higher and cause a decent fire in my wood chips causing the temps to spike.
I try to keep foils packs with wood chips in them for my smoke, I can't seem to get them to smoke for a long time and I end up adding fresh chips, which can catch fire raising the temps.

I have a Brinkmann electric unit, and it's ideal.
It's actually my second one, as I wore the first one out.
It's easy to run, does the job ideally except when it's below 15 degrees and windy (I have to make a wind break for it with plywood to help it keep the heat in), and it's very consistent.
And, at $120, it's a steal!
It'll cook 6 pork loins, 2 medium size turkeys, 4 hams, 8 chickens, or whatever else your heart desires on two racks.
Just don't smoke fish in the same one you smoke meat in...your meat will taste like fish, and there's no way known to man to fix that issue.

I have a Bradley, it works great.

Gotta love the Bradley.
The only problem is getting high temperatures in the middle of Winter.
Otherwise, it's perfect.



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I got a Bradley electric, it works fine in the summer but sucks in the winter. Have a Smokey Mountain by Great Outdoors, like this better than the Bradley. I live in Nebr. so it gets cold and windy in the winter. Have not had any trouble with it blowing out from the wind. Zeak

I have a cookshack electric. It smokes using minimal wood, haven't had any problems with it keeping temp when its cold outside. Never have to open to put more wood in. And it is made in the USA. Might be a little more expensive than the others but i doubt I will ever have to buy another one.

My wife finaly let me get this BBQ Pit http://www.zaksmoker.com