Which to buy NEW - 2820 or 721001?

I am a newbie who had been researching the purchase of my first smoker. I have settled on the WSM 18in, but have a question I haven't explicitly seen answered anywhere in the forums here.

The 2820 is still available on the Internet for prices in the range of $224 while the 721001 can be had for $299 -- both with free shipping.

Is the 721001 worth the extra money. I have compared the features and have valued them as follows.

It seems like the thermometer is a plus. I could find and install my own, but that isn't as convenient. Ditto for the larger water pan. Maybe an easier mod, but still one more thing that needs to be done. The heat shield is nice to have if only to keep ashes off the patio and the improved door seems good too. I am not sure the stronger legs or improved charcoal grate (if there is one) are that big a deal.

Overall, my assessment is that the 721001 is probably priced at an effective $25 premium over the 2820 plus some intangibles once you buy a water pan and thermometer. Even though I don't plan on selling it, it seems the resale value of the newer model would be at least a tad higher than the 2820 so in the long run maybe they are a wash -- which would lead me to buy the newer model.

That is my assessment. I am interested in what those with experience think.

the larger water pan is not a plus in my books, I don't use water most times, but if you live somewhere it's useful to you it would be a plus

if you intend on buying a remote therm, you will likely be watching grate temps making the hard mount lid therm practically useless, but still a nice to have

the heat shield won't keep ashes off the patio, the biggest cause of ash for me is chimney lighting and dumping, then sometimes ash coming out of the bottom vent holes

resale? seriously??

access door improvements, sturdier legs and improved water pan seating is worthwhile

I think either is a good choice

Larger water pan in the 09 model is a detriment if you don't use water - it limits your ability to pile up the charcoal ring. If water's your thing then the big pan is a real plus.

My addiction to use of a wireless thermometer makes the lid therm a lot less attractive to me. If you had a more sensible approach to temperatures the 09 setup would be an advantage.

IMO the new door is only marginally better, the old legs are plenty sturdy, the heat shield is completely unnecessary.

i have the old style 18 and i find even with that the waterpan is low to the coals. i cant imagine the newer pan issues. the lid therm to me is a plus as i find the lid therm on my 22 to be just fine. i use a probe style analog oven therm stuck through the lid vents of my 18 to monitor temps. i am of the opinion that remote therms are nice toys but totally unneccesary.

newstyle pan to me is a big minus
lid therm huge plus
heat shield a neccessity if you have a wood or composite deck and choose to cook on the deck.

i cook on my concrete patio or at the edge of my garage when the weather is bad.

I'm divided on the water pan issue. I use water as a heat sink, and the bigger pan has come in handy, especially on my overnight butt cooks. But, as others have noted, I sometimes have trouble getting the charcoal to fit under the waterpan, which is a big negative.

Overall, I would say the new model is worth the improvements (I bought the new model as opposed to the older model, after all), but in the end I think the only person who can make that decision for you is you. I do like having the therm on the lid. I experimented with placing a probe therm through a wine cork and getting the grate temp once, but decided the benefits weren't worth the hassle and now cook based on the lid temp only.

Carl Robb, I've only been a WSM user for about 18 months (so take my opinion lightly relative to some of the veterans here) and I've smoked everything from ribs to brisket to turkeys but if I were to do it again, I'd buy the cheaper model (the one I currently have) and spend the remaining money on a good remote thermometer and other accessories that'll make your cooking experience a little easier. I think if I had to choose exclusively between spending more on the same size smoker (without accessories) or not, I'd save and splurge on the 22" before spending more on the newer 18". Otherwise, save your money on the more expensive 18" and buy some good tools to go with it that are universal to any size cooker.

FYI, you may want to consider (with the money you save) some options with the water pan on the cheaper WSM like a (larger) Brinkmann water pan or even a clay saucer. I have both and found them to be uniquely useful depending on the type of cooking I'm doing.

I'd go for the newer model. It's not THAT much more expensive.

For $75 I would just go with the new one. I had a choice at my local bbq store but the new was $299 and the old was $160 so I went old. I just stick a therm in the lid which I use all the time (I dont monitor grate temp, just lid and meat via wireless). I also bought the brinkman pan cause i use water all the time and the old pan would run dry on long smokes (i havent even used the one that came with it yet). You figure $20 for a new pan and $10 for a thermometer and the difference is only $45....

Well, the bodies of each are the same - they will cook the same, hold temps the same, and have the same quality for long term use. Since people want to make things "their own" anyway, I say go for the less expensive one and make it your own. I don't long for a built-in thermometer... my drop in works just fine. The smaller water pan has never been a problem for me... just add water through the door (once on a 14 hour cook ).

Use the savings to buy something to throw on the grates!

Personally - I'd save the money and buy the older version.

When the new model came out just a couple months after I got mine, I was slightly disappointed. But then I realized I like the smaller water pan since I use a clay pot, I don't have issues with heat underneath as I cook on concrete (even in grass) and no problems, and using a candy therm in the top vent is easier to clean.

But such is the beauty of life - so many choices!

Carl, I had these exact same questions when I recently purchased my 2820. I did a Pros & Cons page for comparisons:

I have no use for the lid therm since I had already purchased the NuTemp NU-701 with 2 Remote Probes to monitor grate and meat. And I bought the eyelets thru BBQ Guru.

After reading several posts about the new oversized water pan, I saw the 721001 at a local hardware store. And I concur that the water pan is actually too deep to the charcoal ring. Then others suggested that I should use a 14" clay saucer on top of the stock water pan, instead of water for the heat sink. As a result, the clay saucer concept is brilliant - no messy cleanups, as long as you foil both of them.

If you desire to use water, purchase a Brinkmann Charcoal Pan for $20 and use it in the WSM 2820.

The legs are a non-issue. But if you are concerned, they are easily replicated.

The new door is cool, but I ground a flat edge to the top of the knob, so I dont have to look to see if it's closed properly. A quick fix...

I was a little concerned with the upgrade in packaging. I had heard that some came out-of-round. Not at all in my shipment! Assembly was a snap and it's tight as a drum.

Don't hesitate! I would definitely purchase another 2820.

Merrill