18.5 WSM price question.


 
W

Wayne Dimirsky

TVWBB Super Fan
My local Ace hardware store has a 18.5 WSM on clearance for $199. There didn't appear to be anything wrong with it that I could see but I didn't have time to really look it over. Is this a good price?

Wayne
 
I saw one for that price at our local Ace Hardware store. I stopped in when I saw the grill sale. It didn't have the pan underneath and the door looked smaller. I would have bought it but I'd already ordered one.
 
Thanks for the reply. I don't know if this one has anything missing and it was the only one on clearance. I may try going back today to look at it but with this major snow storm coming, I'm probably going to get stuck at work.

Wayne
 
A new 18 will have the heat shield at the bottom -if it's missing, the hooks for it will be on the legs. The newer one also has a thermometer and a larger water pan. Door is always the same size, but newer ones have hooks to secure it in the down position.

Old one are just as excellent.
 
What Mike, said. If it doesn't have a thermometer and the other things, it is a pre-2009 model. Whether the price is great or just ok depends on YOUR perspective. But if it is pre-2009, think about what you would have to pay and do to add a thermo, a heat sheild (that's a good thing), or get a larger water pan (Brinkmann - $15). Some prefer the smaller water pan (shrug), don't care about the heat shield or the thermometer.

I got my 2010 18.5 last year new, in box, for $200 and considered it a great deal. You may occasionally find a better bargain, but not often.

Rich
 
$199 was retail for the Pre-2009, sale prices were typically $179.

Essentially, for Post-2009, you're paying $100 for minor changes, none, IMO, worth it.

Bottom line is they all cook equally as well.

If you can find ANY 18" for $199, I'd get it.
 
Well, the weather is too bad for me to go check it out closer and I don't even know if they are open since a lot of businesses closed early today. If I make it to work tomorrow I will probably go take a better look at it. I did lift the lid and saw that it did have the Weber cover in a bag as well as a bunch of paper work. I don't recall if it had a thermometer or the bottom pan. I will try and see what year it was. Now that I think about it, the clearance tag did say the regular price was $299 so I assume its a newer model? Thanks again.

Wayne
 
Originally posted by Wayne Dimirsky:
Well, the weather is too bad for me to go check it out closer and I don't even know if they are open since a lot of businesses closed early today. If I make it to work tomorrow I will probably go take a better look at it. I did lift the lid and saw that it did have the Weber cover in a bag as well as a bunch of paper work. I don't recall if it had a thermometer or the bottom pan. I will try and see what year it was. Now that I think about it, the clearance tag did say the regular price was $299 so I assume its a newer model? Thanks again.

Wayne
Click to expand...

I would assume the new model, but just look for the thermometer and the heat shield at the bottom. The year is not specified on the cooker, but it is indicated by a two letter code stamped on the top exhaust vent. There is a table posted here in the TVWB article about determining the age of your WSM:
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/wsmage.html

Rich

This is the date table:

A: 1979
B: 1980
C: 1981
D: 1982
E: 1983
F: 1984
G: 1985
H: 1986 J: 1987
K: 1988
L: 1989
M: 1990 N: 1991
O: 1992
P: 1993
EH: 1994 EO: 1995
ER: 1996
EI: 1997
EZ: 1998 EE: 1999
DD: 2000
DA: 2001
DU: 2002 DT: 2003
DH: 2004
DO: 2005
DR: 2006 DI: 2007
DZ: 2008
DE: 2009
AD: 2010 AA: 2011
 
note: dates are when the vents are stamped out. they get pretty close, but once in awhile there is spill over to the next year. for used, well.. you just assume the vent/lid/bowl all stayed together.
 
"Now that I think about it, the clearance tag did say the regular price was $299 so I assume its a newer model?"

One local ACE Hardware had a Pre-2009 on the floor with a "Reg $299 On Sale $199" tag. I pointed out the discrepancy to the manager who just shrugged.

If it's the new model, it's a great deal. If it's the old model, it's still a good deal.
 
Well, I went and looked at it closer. It appears to be all there. It is an older model with no thermometer or heat pan and has DI on the vent so its a 2007 model.

It also had a product review tag attached to it that showed the newer model as well as the bigger 22.5 version.

I didn't buy it because I have not decided whether or not I need a WSM for sure and I have a hard time buying something that claims to be on clearance when I know the asking price is what it originally cost. I also have not decided whether or not the thermometer and heat pan are important enough to spend the extra money.

I have not tried smoking anything yet on my Performer and usually don't have the time needed to smoke something and keep an eye on it so I'm not sure I would use it enough to justify the expense.

So, knowing that its going on four years old and is the older model, would you guys still jump on it.? I thought about trying to talk to the manager about selling it cheaper since it was originally $199 to begin with.

Wayne
 
I'd drop an extra $30-40 and get a new one.
I know you can install a thermo and heat pan after the fact but it will cost you that extra money to get them ordered/shipped when you could have just bought new and it be part of the deal..
I love my Performer but if I want to smoke anything it's on my WSM.
 
if you are an occassional smoker, you can do that on your current lineup. wait and get the real one you want.
 
If you're not sure, I would try smoking on your Performer first. But you're going to spend more time "keeping an eye on" your Performer than you ever would a WSM. The WSM is essentially "set it and forget it".
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Yes, I would still "jump on" that $199 WSM over a $299 WSM. Offer him $179, he'll probably take it.
 
Thanks, I will go back today and offer them a lower price and see what happens. I will probably buy it anyway even if they don't take less.

Wayne
 
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