Electric smoker vs 22.5 WSM

marshallbbq · Posted: Nov 16 2009 Post subject: Electric smoker vs 22.5 WSM

Which would you buy and electric or the 22.5 WSM? I have a buddy in the market. I told him hands down the 22.5 WSM.
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day_trippr · Posted: Nov 16 2009 Post subject:

That's a layup: the WSM.

btw: it's spelled "amateur"...

Cheers
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Thumper · BBQ Fan Joined: 14 May 2009 Posts: 389 Location: Kansas

...Smoke... · Newbie Joined: 02 Aug 2009 Posts: 81

I would say both, I have a cheap electric L J that does trout and small pieces of salmon. Then the drums for every thing else lol.
The kettle works well for grilling just thought i would throw that in as well.

SmokinOkie · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 16 Aug 2005 Posts: 2078

Think "heat control"

Is he the kind of guy who wants to learn heat control and have all the varieties of things he can do with that OR does he want more a "set it forget it" style.

Really depends on what he wants.

Beertooth · Posted: Nov 17 2009 Post subject:

Personally I would say WSM hands down.
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JazzCat · Posted: Nov 17 2009 Post subject:

Yes, WSM all the way.

Beertooth, fabulous display of all your photos! Quite remarkable. Weel done!
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JazzCat · Posted: Nov 17 2009 Post subject:

s/b WELL DONE!
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"My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people." ~ Orson Welles
"Ain't eetin' good food fun?!" ~ Me

Toga · Posted: Nov 17 2009 Post subject:

It all depends on what he wants. The difference between an electric smoker and a charcoal smoker is night and day. You get more flavor from the charcoal smoker but have a little more of a learning curve. With electric you turn it on and add some wood chips or chunks to add some smoke flavor, it has consistant temp and there is no need to monitor any temps other than the the meat. If he decides charcoal is the route he wants to go rather than a WSM I would suggest building a UDS. Easy to build costs less far less than a WSM, you get the satisfaction of cooking on somehting you built, and the money you will save by building one will pay for your charcoal for a very long time.
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chILLinNgrILLin · Joined: 06 Nov 2009 Posts: 10

That's a no brainer, I'd go with the wsm all the way Razz

-CnG

Cranky Buzzard · Posted: Nov 17 2009 Post subject:

day_trippr · Posted: Nov 17 2009 Post subject:

I "hear" what's being said about "ease of use" and "temperature control", but I've read a whole lot of electric smoker threads (and I mean specifically those that use heating elements - not fuel-burners that have electric starters and/or augers) there's not a lot of satisfaction being expressed therein.

In fact frustration seems to prevail one way or the other: cold smokers that run too hot, hot smokers that run too cold, fixed thermostats, etc. I'd rather go with something that is almost universally respected...

Cheers
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SmokinOkie · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 16 Aug 2005 Posts: 2078

KAKid · Posted: Nov 18 2009 Post subject:

As a newbie (3 cooks), here was my logic. I went with a Cajun Injector Electric (650 watt element) with 1 inch foam insulation. Sorta looks like a masterbuilt.
I plan on using it all year long. It's (choose your expletive) cold here in SD in the winter. I can peek out the window to monitor temperature. No open flame near the house (I have it on a steel pan on the porch). I can concentrate on meat prep and cooking times. FOR ME, it was a no brainer.
That being said, NOW that I'm getting more and more into smoking, I am now making plans (don't tell Mrs KAKid Shocked

) to get a WSM or something similar to use in the summer so I can sit outside and drink beer and still make it seem I'm doing something productive. Wink

Then I only have to learn Fire/Temp control (one learning curve at a time).
That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
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day_trippr · Posted: Nov 18 2009 Post subject:

ckone · Posted: Nov 18 2009 Post subject:

feldon30 · Posted: Dec 08 2009 Post subject:

I was going to start a new topic, but this one seems so close to the same issues I'm looking at.

If I were living in a house, I'd have bought the WSM 22 already. But I'm in a 3rd floor apartment with a wood deck/patio and I'd rather not get to be on a first-name basis with the Fire Marshall and/or Sheriff.

I'm not sure he/she would take my word for it if I told them it's an electric. I think they'd want a closer inspection and once the door is open, the charcoal would be pretty hard to hide. Wink

I'm not trying to be unsafe. If I could get away with charcoal, I'd put either patio stones or cinder blocks and a metal sheet so no hot coals or ash has any chance of causing issues.

I just want some decent Q, and a 12 hour smoke would probably draw attention. So at this point I'm facing going electric until I get back into permanent lodgings.

I had an idea that will probably evoke horror...

If I bought a WSM and jury-rigged a heating element and maybe some lava rocks, what would that give me? Could I put small hickory chunks on top of the lava rocks?

Am I better off just getting a cheap electric smoker, maybe wrap it in a blanket, and then donate it to some poor soul when I can get a WSM proper? Any ideas appreciated.

Toga · Posted: Dec 08 2009 Post subject:

feldon30 If in an apartment get a cheap o electric. I bought an electric brinkman for my father and he absolutely loves it. If you can spend a bit more I'd look at a cookshack. They make a nice electric.
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feldon30 · Posted: Dec 08 2009 Post subject:

Thanks for the feedback.

I've been poking around TSR doing some searches...

Are there any mods for an electric ECB to make it better?

The Cookshack Smokette SM20 is probably an awesome unit, but I don't have $525.

Maybe I need to talk to hvac81. He's only about an hour away and is building an electric. Wink

feldon30 · Posted: Dec 09 2009 Post subject:

I guess the best deal on the electric ECB is $70 and there's only one model (the red one)? Can't wait to get back to a house. Sad

Ugh, this decision was getting easy until I read this thread:
http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23967