SMOKERS electric or Propane??????

[Bullfrog]

What do you guys use and like? Thanks.   BILL

[Bill Kissner]

Neither, I would get a Weber Smoky Mountain. Uses charcoal and the best small smoker out there!

[lpcjon2]

You may have more temp control with elec.or propane but you will never beat charcoal for the flavor it adds to the wood.Charcoal is traditional you know what you must do!

[blueline]

I use the barrel smoker, with charcoal add wood for the flavor,  go light on the wood because you can over do it.  

enjoy

[Lost Arra]

Electric (Cookshack)     : foolproof with delicious results. Of course, I like to eat more than I like to cook.  

[BobW]

nothing beats the results of doing it the real way, but in this wonderful day and age, I find it nearly impossible to devote the required time and attention to a wood/charcoal system.

Each has its plusses and minuses.  An electric, like a Bradley is about as simple as it can get.  Problem is that you are stuck with using pucks for wood.  Propane is also in that "set it and forget it" system, and usually uses a water pan for moisture control.  Both produce a good product.

It all comes down to what time you can devote, what features you are looking for, and what price range do you want to spend.

There are also hybrid systems like the Orion that is really a convection charcoal cooker that you can do some smoking in.

[Lost Arra]

>>nearly impossible to devote the required time and attention to a wood/charcoal system<<
Right on BobW.

What are these pucks? My Cookshack just uses small pieces of wood that I cut and dry. I usually use pecan, apple or hickory.

Nevermind, I went to the Bradley site and saw the pucks.

[Bill Kissner]

I use a WSM and after adjusting the air inlets it will hold temperatures very close. I sometimes load it up and let it run all night while I'm asleep. Don't confuse the Weber Smoky mountain with other charcoal smokers.

[LV2HUNT]

Bill, excellent topic as I am researching the same thing. We had a Luhr Jensen Big Chief but it is just far too limited in terms of temperature. It can only maintain temperature when it is 70 degrees or warmer!

I have been looking at the propane ones as well, Masterbuilt and Kenmore. I read a lot of reviews for the Masterbuilt electric and many negative reviews applied to the electrical unit burning out and not being replaceable. The propane Kenmore:

Kenmore Vertical Gas Smoker

Sold by Sears | Sears Item# 07115884000 | Model# 810-5525-0

Seemed well reviewed on both the Sears site and another. Basspro seems to offer the Masterbuilt in propane now as well.

[EricW]

I was looking at an electric a couple years ago. In my case it wouldn't work. they recommend NOT using an extension cord and I didn't have an outlet outside or 6' from the garage door. I bought a propane one from Cabelas and have not had any problems with it.

[reddogge]

Charcoal and apple wood.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Wood, Wood and more Wood

[longarrow]

Get an electic one....I have both a gas and wood and find it very hard to control temp. We smoke alot of everything from salmon, chicken and vension. And if your new at it you will enjoy and do more with it. It's just easy'er to use.

[mwmwmb]

PK grill smoker....

[xtrema312]

The standard Bradley with a Auber PID is slick.  6 time and temp settings with 1-2 deq. accuracy control.  Get pucks from Amazon when on sale 4 for 3 and fee shipping then they are much less to buy.  The only thing about this set up is that in really cold weather it is hard to get the Bradley up to higher temps.   When it is below freezing I have to smoke and dry down until the mess is done then finish off in the oven.  That works fine, but I wish they had about double the wattage.  Then it would be perfect.  The pucks with feeder and putting them out in water makes for the cleanest smoke I have ever seen.

[Missing Impossible]

WSM for me also.  I added the BBQ Guru which is an electric vent control which really dials in the temperature and keeps the superior taste from charcoal.  There is a reason no-one competes with an electric or propane smoker.

[thunder1]

Local dump now owns my electric smoker and if Santa is good to me I'll have a charcoal smoker soon.

[BDann]

I second the Weber Smokey Mountain.  Easy to use, great results.  It doesn't take up much room, either.  Temperature adjusments are simple, and there isn't a bunch of fluctuation.

[kill shot]

I found electric smokers to br too fragile if used out in real frigid weather or if you have some sort of miss-hap. as for the charcoal smoker,I had a couple and found that they don't get hot enough in cold weather and the charcoal don't last long enough for certain recipies. I have a recipie for venison hind quarter that takes 22-24hrs to cook and the propane can handle it with no problem in any weather.

[Roger Moerke]

It's like so many topics lot's of opinions but I also like the cookshack it's simple and you can use whatever wood you want not pellets or pucks.
It's very well made and is insulated so cold temps no problem.