18.5" vs. 22.5"


 
M

Marty M.

TVWBB Member
I have a $240 credit toward any grill or smoker at Lowe's (because my old gas grill quit working after using it only three times and the company (The Great Outdoors) is no longer around to warranty it, so Lowe's is warrantying it). I am trying to decide between the 18.5" and the 22.5".

Part of my thinks that if I'm going to buy a smoker and I only have to pay the difference between the $240 credit and the cost of the smoker, why not go ahead and get the bigger one.

The other part of my thinks that I might not use that extra space but in rare occasions.

So, I'd like to know from you guys, is the 22.5" worth the extra $100 dollars? Is the extra space that much more useful? Do you find yourselves using that extra space? I typically smoke for 4-6 people and most of the time it's butts and baby backs, maybe some chicken thighs.

How many full racks can I lay out flat in an 18.5"?

How many full racks can I lay out flat in a 22.5"?

Any other thoughts or advice is welcomed.

Thanks a lot for you guys' input.
 
Marty..the extra 4" in diameter on the 22 increases the total cooking capacity by 50% !
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...said another way, it's like adding a third grate to the 18WSM
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I have both the 18 & the 22...I like em both, but if I could only have one, it'd be the 22" ...it can do both small cooks and big ones, while being nearly as fuel efficient as the 18
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the incresed grate capacity means most times you only have to use one
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.....if the $100 isn't a big deal...GET the BIG DOG Double Deucer 22"
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ron "Rondo" hanson:
Marty..the extra 4" in diameter on the 22 increases the total cooking capacity by 50% !
icon_wink.gif
...said another way, it's like adding a third grate to the 18WSM
icon_smile.gif
I have both the 18 & the 22...I like em both, but if I could only have one, it'd be the 22" ...it can do both small cooks and big ones, while being nearly as fuel efficient as the 18
icon_cool.gif
the incresed grate capacity means most times you only have to use one
icon_wink.gif
.....if the $100 isn't a big deal...GET the BIG DOG Double Deucer 22"
icon_rolleyes.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Haha! Thanks for your input.

How many full racks can I lay out side by side on a rack in the 22.5"?
 
In the past 6 years of being involved in BBQ, whenever the discussion turns to what size pit to buy, the one piece of advice you consistently hear is, "when you decide on the size, buy the next bigger size."

The 18 1/2 is a great cooker (I own 2 of them) but I'm glad I bought the 22 also, you can lay out 3 racks of ribs easily, top and bottom. Using a rib rack you could easily get six racks.

Buy the 22, and once you get it, if you think it's too big, let me know I'll take it off your hands.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bruce Bissonnette:
In the past 6 years of being involved in BBQ, whenever the discussion turns to what size pit to buy, the one piece of advice you consistently hear is, "when you decide on the size, buy the next bigger size."

The 18 1/2 is a great cooker (I own 2 of them) but I'm glad I bought the 22 also, you can lay out 3 racks of ribs easily, top and bottom. Using a rib rack you could easily get six racks.

Buy the 22, and once you get it, if you think it's too big, let me know I'll take it off your hands. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

So you're saying I should be able to lay out three racks flat on the top rack and three more flat on the bottom rack?
 
I'd agree three for each layer for baby backs or St. Louis trimmed spare ribs. If you cook basically untrimmed spare ribs you can fit two on each layer.


On the 18" the most popular thing seems to be to just roll the ribs up with a bamboo skewer, which I gather works great, but I've never had to do it since I have the 22.
 
Sure, I'll be the contrarian in the bunch. I got the 18.5 and haven't regretted it. You use less fuel. I can get plenty of racks of spares using a rib rack. I've only cooked two butts at a time, but I think I could get three large butts or four smaller ones on one grate.

My question to you would be what are the size of your cooks going to be? If you're ever going to cook for large crowds, you might want to get the 22. If you're only cooking for the family, I think the 18's fine. But if I had the 22, I might be singing a different song
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by CullenJ:
Sure, I'll be the contrarian in the bunch. I got the 18.5 and haven't regretted it. You use less fuel. I can get plenty of racks of spares using a rib rack. I've only cooked two butts at a time, but I think I could get three large butts or four smaller ones on one grate.

My question to you would be what are the size of your cooks going to be? If you're ever going to cook for large crowds, you might want to get the 22. If you're only cooking for the family, I think the 18's fine. But if I had the 22, I might be singing a different song
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</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

However, not only can you cook more in the larger one, you can cook more, MORE EVENLY. The wsm becomes a not so perfect "set it and forget it" cooking environment when you pack it full. I've already found out the hard way with a full load of chicken leg quarters. I've also seen what can happen to the ends of slabs of ribs on the bottom grate before the middle of the slab is tender. That being said though, the little wsm will feed as many folks as my wife would ever care to entertain, and I guess that has something to do with why it took Weber so long to add a larger one.
 
I've got both.

If I were to buy another (knowing what I know now and having the experience and probably the ownership of the 22"), I'd get another 18". Don't get me wrong, the testosterone sure gets a boost when I just look at the 22" WSM. The sucker is HUGE.
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Yes, it does burn more fuel and on very windy (and cold) days, it's nearly impossible to keep it at 250F without a 3-1/2 sided windbreak. It's tough to break the 167F plateu on the butts.

With that said, if you do intent to regularly cook for many people, it's for you.

As was said earlier about the 18", I can and have cooked (3) 8-9 lb butts on a single rack before. You can cook 3 full racks of baby backs on one rack with a rib rack. Lots of chicken and a packer brisket on one rack.

You can easily do 15 hours with a full charcoal ring and maintain 250F with the 18". I know of someone who did 15 hours on the 22", using a Stoker.

Good luck, don't be sorry with either purchase. If they made a 26" WSM, I'd buy one tomorrow. Here's a gloat, I've got about the cost of a 22" in both of mine.
 
I got 14 hours off 10lbs Royal Oak with big chunks of apple and my 1st run with my Stoker. It was about 40 degrees, 10-15 mph bursts and rain. I added another 8lbs and went 24 hours from 225-275 total. It makes me spoiled matched to my offset which would have ate 20lbs after 12 hours.
 
http://virtualweberbullet.com/22wsm.html#comparison

This might help give you a better understanding of the size difference between the two.

I went with the 22. I have a BGE with an 18" grid and I was tired of getting it crowded. When I smoke, I go with my Dad's philosophy which is if you got the fire going, get as much meat in that smoke as you can. But then, I have a Foodsaver, for leftovers.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jason Simonds:
http://virtualweberbullet.com/22wsm.html#comparison

This might help give you a better understanding of the size difference between the two.

I went with the 22. I have a BGE with an 18" grid and I was tired of getting it crowded. When I smoke, I go with my Dad's philosophy which is if you got the fire going, get as much meat in that smoke as you can. But then, I have a Foodsaver, for leftovers. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for the link to the pictures. They're very helpful.
 
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