Jeff Beitinger
TVWBB Fan
I think about this a lot.
As someone who has both a 22 WSM and a 22 kettle, I look at the WSM and wonder what about it makes it so much easier to use, and more "set it and forget it" than a kettle with a stacker midsection. Even a WSM that is modded (i.e., better door, deflector vs water pan, etc) to the point where it essentially no different physically than a kettle with a middle section and a diffuser is proclaimed to be "set it and forget it" and holds temps better than a kettle would.
But why?
The only thing that stands out the most to me is the lower vents on the WSM being off the bottom of the bowl vs the kettle where they are right at the bottom of the bowl and will be much easier to get clogged and cause temp control issues long-term.
So it would SEEM that a kettle with a stacker (or even just the midsection to an old WSM) equipped with a smoke port like on a SnS kettle should be just as easy and consistent with temps as any WSM.
When I made that suggestion to someone else who was wondering the same thing about a kettle vs WSM, I was basically told by some others that I didn't know what I was talking about or that they've never ever had clogging issues on their kettles. One is a smoker, and the other is a grill. End of story.
So what am I missing?
As someone who has both a 22 WSM and a 22 kettle, I look at the WSM and wonder what about it makes it so much easier to use, and more "set it and forget it" than a kettle with a stacker midsection. Even a WSM that is modded (i.e., better door, deflector vs water pan, etc) to the point where it essentially no different physically than a kettle with a middle section and a diffuser is proclaimed to be "set it and forget it" and holds temps better than a kettle would.
But why?
The only thing that stands out the most to me is the lower vents on the WSM being off the bottom of the bowl vs the kettle where they are right at the bottom of the bowl and will be much easier to get clogged and cause temp control issues long-term.
So it would SEEM that a kettle with a stacker (or even just the midsection to an old WSM) equipped with a smoke port like on a SnS kettle should be just as easy and consistent with temps as any WSM.
When I made that suggestion to someone else who was wondering the same thing about a kettle vs WSM, I was basically told by some others that I didn't know what I was talking about or that they've never ever had clogging issues on their kettles. One is a smoker, and the other is a grill. End of story.
So what am I missing?