14.5 vs 18.5


 
B

Bill Hoppy

New member
I am ready to buy a WSM because I feel the 14.5 size would be best for me. The thing that concerns me is will the 14.5 cook three racks of ribs at the same time. The smaller cooker will work for my wife and myself but could present a problem if the kids come over.
Anyone have any thoughts about this?
 
If you get creative with a rib rack it should. I've done 5 racks on the 18.5" (serpentine) so with the right sized rack you should be able to do three.
I'll add a pic, if that would help, when I find it.
20121027_131648

20121027_131658

HTH.

Tim
 
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Bill, sure it will handle 3 racks of ribs if you either cut them on half, roll them, or serpentine them on a rib rack. Unless your purchase of the 14.5 size is strictly for budget reasons, I would recommend you get the 18.5 model. The best advice I've ever heard when deciding on what size cooker to buy was, "Find the size cooker you think you'll need and then buy the next bigger size." The reason for that is, if and when you really get into BBQ, you'll want more space. More space will give you the ability to cook more meat, then vac pac some for later uses, you may want to invite some friends over once they know you're a legit pitmaster and you'll need the space. But if you're convinced the 1.4.5 is for you have at it and good luck.
 
Bruce Bissonnette said:
The best advice I've ever heard when deciding on what size cooker to buy was, "Find the size cooker you think you'll need and then buy the next bigger size."
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Too true. I bought a 22.5" thinking I'd never fill that sucker. My first few smokes were all a single brisket or pork butt or maybe a couple turkey breasts. Last weekend I was wishing I had a 2nd smoker so I didn't have to wait for the big meats to get done so I could start on the ribs.
 
I have the 22.5" for the deck and 14.5" for the RV (limited space). I've done two racks of ribs on the 14.5" but think the third rack would not be a prob. Of course there's always the lower grate so really 6 racks should fit nicely.
 
I bought a 18.5 put it together sized it with a rack of baby backs laying across the grate I then went in the house and ordered the 22.5. Returned the 18.5 the next day.
I pre ordered the 14.5 and the first cook was baby backs, cut the racks in half easily fit 3 half racks on each shelve. Bottom rack I smoked dry and top rack I wrapped, best of both worlds!
Let me see if I have any pictures.......
 
I have both a 18.5" WSM and a Mini-Joe Gold. I can do eight half racks of ribs on Brinkman rib racks with my mini (and have done so). The same should apply to the 14.5". Brinkman makes a FINE rib rack that perfectly fits the mini and should so the same on the 14.5" WSM. I use a rib rack on each of the two levels. The ribs cook perfectly evenly. You can see pictures of the rib rack on my posts on the Mini-Joe:

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?45516-Delays-Part-II

Scroll down to Post #8.

I don't believe you'll go wrong with either. On the other hand, I'm going to keep both my 18.5 and my Mini-Joe. My Mini will get more use in the coming year simply because there are only two of us at home, now. When we get a crowd, then we'll do what needs to be done - if that means running them both, we will. YEA!!:D

Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
I purchased the 14.5 and then returned it for the 18.5. I just felt like the 14.5 was to small. Looking back I am happy that I decided to go with the 18.5
 
I own both but have thus far only done one cook on the 14.5" (pork butt). I'm planning to smoke two slabs tomorrow on the 14.5. I'll try to remember to report back in then with my opinions on the space constraints regarding ribs and the 14.5. If I was buying one for the first time, I would defintely go with the 18.5, mainly because I like brisket and I don't see how I could fit a brisket on the 14.5. I should clarify that when I say brisket I mean a full packer; I never get the trimmed down versions in the store. I suppose if you bought just a trimmed flat from the store it would fit fine, but I don't think a full packer would. I have to slightly finagle it on the 18.5 to get it to fit. That's my $0.02. I understand there are space constraints, but I know if I only had one smoker I would be happier with the 18.5.
 
First off, I don't have either of those sizes. But I have faced this dilemna too with other sizes. If you are buying just one, I would go bigger.

Downside to a larger one, it will use slightly more charcoal, not considerably much more I would venture. It will take up a bit more floor space.

Upside, it can cook full packer briskets, and holds more food of course. You will find ways to fill it each cook I would imagine. I am also not a fan of cramming food in a smoker, I prefer to space them out and improve the airflow around the meat. And if you do the math you are getting roughly 70% more cooking space for 50% more money. If you do you long cooks like butts, you will probably find yourself loading up the 14.5" with more charcoal due to its smaller capacity.
 
AJStrider said:
If you do you long cooks like butts, you will probably find yourself loading up the 14.5" with more charcoal due to its smaller capacity.
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This is something I forgot to mention earlier. I smoked my pork butt on the 14.5 for 14-15 hours and had to refill it with charcoal multiple times. I would maybe have had to add coals once on the 18.5. I always use the minion method to cook anything over a few hours.

After just the one smoke with the 14.5 I wouldn't trust it to go overnight. The 18.5 I can trust to hold temperature while I catch 4-6 hours of sleep. With the 14.5 I would set my alarm to wake me up after 2 or 2.5 hours simply because I don't yet trust it to go longer than that without me checking on it.
 
I have a mini smokey Joe silver and using the Brinkman racks I have done three racks easily by cutting them in half. If you foil it can become interesting I found that if I just stacked them when wrapped three on each grill rack they came out fine.

With that said I think the folks who are suggesting going to the larger 18.5 are spot on. Even though it will use a little more fuel the flexibility of a larger unit is hard to beat. I know taking the mini apart to move things around can be a pain and requires a little more finesse to get everything to fit. So yep I'm looking for an 18.5 on CL to add to the fleet.
 
The thing that I like best about the 14.5 is the potential to take it just about anywhere
very easily. It will bbq more than I can eat by myself, and thats all that I really need.
 
After doing two slabs of ribs yesterday, I think you can easily get 4 slabs on it, and maybe up to 6. I roll my ribs and got both slabs on the top grate easily, and could likely have gotten another up there. Not sure if I could get three slabs on the bottom grate or not, but you could easily get 5 slabs on it, probably 6 if you finagled it right. And that's just rolling the ribs; if you cut slabs in half or serpentine them you might be able to get even more than that on the 14.5".
 
Personally I went with the 22.5 and built a SJG mini, and when the 14.5 came out I grabbed one and love it but having the 22.5 I can go big when I need to.

I would actually like to have all 3 but don't really need that many.
 
I have an 18.5 and am in the process of a SJS mini. I wonder what the percentage is of, individual 14.5 owners vs 14.5 owners with additional smokers?
 
I think a poll would be in order, but I would change it to be not only 14.5 owners but people only have a mini and nothing bigger and don't smoke on their OTG or OTS
 
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