James Geddes
New member
My new WSM 22" arrived today with prompt shipping from Amazon. Thought I would take a minute and share some first impressions.
1. Size - I debated a long time on whether or not to buy the 18" or the 22". It is just my wife and myself at home, but I do like to share with others and have plenty of leftovers. I wanted the extra grill space of the 22" but was concerned about the larger qty of fuel needed, etc. After assembling the 22" - yes it is big but I like the size and capacity and feel like I made the right decision. For reference there have been times when I had 2 cheap Brinkman vertical smokers and my offset horizontal loaded up to do some cooks. So the larger capacity of the 22" is really going to be nice.
2. Design - Overall I like the design. I am a little surprised they did not hinge the door and it seems to me it could have been made out of a little stiffer (thicker) aluminum. It seems a little flimsy to me. I think there is adequate space between the coal bed and bottom of the water pan. And I think I was expecting a little more room between the bottom and top grills, but it is quite adequate as it is. The one design element that was poor in my opinion were the tabs on the bottom vents. As others have reported, the tabs interfere (hit) the coal grill and so I promptly removed them. It was easy enough to do and the tabs on the upper holes still serve as stops as designed.
3. Quality / Workmanship - I have to give a little lower rating to this category. My biggest concern are what I would call bubbles or irregularities in the porcelain finish on the inside of the lower bowl. It is an uneven finish on one side . . . like the finish did not stick well or something. I have a feeling this finish will not hold up in this area and that it will be a prime candidate for rust on down the road. I have taken photos of this and will use them to ask CS for a replacement in lieu of me returning the whole unit. Another nit is that the gray plastic handles all seem loose, and I feel the need to get a screwdriver to them to tighten them up. Which I will do. Also, the aluminum vents on my unit seem too loose. There is a rivet in the middle that holds them on . . . but it does not seem tight enough. They spin too freely in my opinion and I wonder if others have drilled these out and replaced them with a screw/nut for more tightness and better fit? My Weber grill aluminum vents felt a lot "tighter" have remained so after a few years of use. I do like the quality and finish of the grills and feel they are well made and will hold up well.
4. Value - An important question. Is the WSM 22" worth the $400 I paid for it? In my opinion . . . the $400 value is not quite there in the copy I received . . . all things like quality, fit and finish considered. I would say a retail of $349 would be more in line and appropriate. Again, this is a subjective opinion on my part that others may see differently.
5. Summary - Would I buy it again knowing what I know at this point? Yes, I believe I would. I love the smell of a smoker at work and feel confident that I will have a number of great experiences and cooks from my new 22. Looking forward to firing it up this weekend and will keep you posted on results. Hopefully with pictures.
More to come . . . .
Mike
1. Size - I debated a long time on whether or not to buy the 18" or the 22". It is just my wife and myself at home, but I do like to share with others and have plenty of leftovers. I wanted the extra grill space of the 22" but was concerned about the larger qty of fuel needed, etc. After assembling the 22" - yes it is big but I like the size and capacity and feel like I made the right decision. For reference there have been times when I had 2 cheap Brinkman vertical smokers and my offset horizontal loaded up to do some cooks. So the larger capacity of the 22" is really going to be nice.
2. Design - Overall I like the design. I am a little surprised they did not hinge the door and it seems to me it could have been made out of a little stiffer (thicker) aluminum. It seems a little flimsy to me. I think there is adequate space between the coal bed and bottom of the water pan. And I think I was expecting a little more room between the bottom and top grills, but it is quite adequate as it is. The one design element that was poor in my opinion were the tabs on the bottom vents. As others have reported, the tabs interfere (hit) the coal grill and so I promptly removed them. It was easy enough to do and the tabs on the upper holes still serve as stops as designed.
3. Quality / Workmanship - I have to give a little lower rating to this category. My biggest concern are what I would call bubbles or irregularities in the porcelain finish on the inside of the lower bowl. It is an uneven finish on one side . . . like the finish did not stick well or something. I have a feeling this finish will not hold up in this area and that it will be a prime candidate for rust on down the road. I have taken photos of this and will use them to ask CS for a replacement in lieu of me returning the whole unit. Another nit is that the gray plastic handles all seem loose, and I feel the need to get a screwdriver to them to tighten them up. Which I will do. Also, the aluminum vents on my unit seem too loose. There is a rivet in the middle that holds them on . . . but it does not seem tight enough. They spin too freely in my opinion and I wonder if others have drilled these out and replaced them with a screw/nut for more tightness and better fit? My Weber grill aluminum vents felt a lot "tighter" have remained so after a few years of use. I do like the quality and finish of the grills and feel they are well made and will hold up well.
4. Value - An important question. Is the WSM 22" worth the $400 I paid for it? In my opinion . . . the $400 value is not quite there in the copy I received . . . all things like quality, fit and finish considered. I would say a retail of $349 would be more in line and appropriate. Again, this is a subjective opinion on my part that others may see differently.
5. Summary - Would I buy it again knowing what I know at this point? Yes, I believe I would. I love the smell of a smoker at work and feel confident that I will have a number of great experiences and cooks from my new 22. Looking forward to firing it up this weekend and will keep you posted on results. Hopefully with pictures.
More to come . . . .
Mike
