$34 Charcoal Water Smoker at Walmart

I know this is a WSM website, but I wanted to pass along information about a very good bargain at Walmart. I noticed an "Expert" Charcoal Water Smoker Grill in the garden/patio section at walmart and walked over to take a look. It had an unbelievable price of only $34. Skeptical I asked the checker about it and he was quite enthusiastic about it, said he'd bought TWO of them. So for $37 out the door I took one home. I have been wanting a smaller smoker that doesn't consume as much charcoal as my beloved 18.5" WSM, so we could use it weeknights for supper. I can't figure out how to upload photos, I have a couple.of the unit

The unit is quite substantial and well made. The fasteners were in a clearly labeled plastic multi section pouch. Assembly was easy and straight forward. The unit looks somewhat like a Brinkman smoker, it has two 16" grills, a charcoal pan with grate a water bowl that takes a bit less than 1 gallon and a lid with a vent and thermometer. My first cook was a beer can chicken (using some fru-fru raspberry beer my wife wanted), using the receipe on this website for the WSM smokers. Per the recipe, the chicken was done in just about 4 hours. Very smoky, flavorful and juicy!!

The unit does not have bottom air vents, just a single top vent in the lid. Using 1/2 chimney of charcoal, the unit hold 250 degrees for 2 hours then the temperature started to fall off. I added a second 1/2 chimney to finish the chicken. My smoking wood was oak and pecan.

Knowing how Walmart works, I would expect that once these units sell out, there won't be anymore. In these days where you can't even buy a digital thermometer for $34 this is an amazing bargain and compliments my WSM 18.5 well.

Weems Hutto

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Expert-Grill-Charcoal-Water-Smoker/54891442

Before Brinkmann folded Walmart sold the Smoke n Grill for $35. This looks like the Brinkmann with a top vent. The smoke n Grill was my first smoker with lots of mods. It was a lot of work managing the fire but the meat that came off it was great.

I have the Smoke N Grill but the closed fire pan without any option for ventilation does not work. I even tried to modify it with homemade vent system. Did't work either. Since a few years I have been using it on my 22" Weber. I removed the legs from the smoker and place it directly on the coal grates of the Weber. The diameter of the Smoke N Grill is about the same as the diameter of the coal grates in the Weber. Kind of a poor mans WSM. I only smoke once or twice a year and therefore it is good enough for me.

I have an old Smoke & Grill rusting away outside. Honestly, it was much better as a grill than a smoker. Maybe the newer unit shown here is better.