Best size


 
T

TenoMorris

New member
18 or 22 WSM? Which provides better smoke quality and temp control? Can't make up my mind which one I want. Any advice?
 
It depends on your needs. If you plan on leaving it in one place the 22 is good. but If your like me who needs to be mobile all the time, then 18 is my preferred size, especially if you have multiple WSM's to carry around.
 
From what I have heard the 18 is easier to dial in and control. However not what you want if you are cooking for 20+ people I would think. Agree with the mobile nature of the 18. I wouldn't be able to deal with the 22 unless I had a covered deck or patio to store it and use it in one place.
 
I have both. The 18.5" WSM is more miserly on fuel, and easier to dial in temps IME, but they both work for smoking.
" Smoke quality" depends on your fuel, smoke wood and a clean burn.
It's easier to cook more on the 18.5" WSM then less on the 22.5" WSM.
I have done 5 racks of spares (serpentine) on a rib rack in the 18.5.
6 butts on both racks stacked teepee style.
One butt or one rack of ribs on the big boy is a waste of charcoal IMO.

Tim
 
Same boat as Timothy, I had a buddy over this weekend and he said he wished that he had gotten the 18 over the 22 that he did. He has done some local competitions and finds the 22 more work to transport in his vehicle. I’m very happy with my 18, I’ve done parties for 30 with that and the rest of the arsenal pressed into service but, they all have their duties to fulfill. I really love this rascal!
 
I have had all 3 sizes. The 18 is ideal for most families unless you have a dozen football players eating at your house regularly. 😁 Timothy wasn't exaggerating about the 18s capacity. Controlling temp on the 18 was easier for me. The food tasted the same. It's easier on a bad back which may only apply to me. :sneaky:
 
Well, for me, I opted to go with the 22, and glad I did. In fact I would be happy if it was even a bit bigger. Say 24.5. I really don’t find the fuel mileage on my 22 objectionable. This is just my opinion. Take it for what it is worth.
 
I love my 22. I had two 18s and bought my 22 the day they became available. I never used an 18 again. My favorite thing to cook on it is ribs. I love that I don’t have to contort the racks on the 22. They can be leaky, but sealed up with gaskets, the extra fuel is negligible.
 
J Grotz said:
I love my 22. I had two 18s and bought my 22 the day they became available. I never used an 18 again. My favorite thing to cook on it is ribs. I love that I don’t have to contort the racks on the 22. They can be leaky, but sealed up with gaskets, the extra fuel is negligible.
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Do you go through more charcoal with the 22 than the 18?
 
TenoMorris said:
Do you go through more charcoal with the 22 than the 18?
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Yes! Think of it like comparing how much energy it would take to run a small oven vs. a large oven. Same deal. Running an 18.5" WSM takes less fuel than running a 22.5" WSM.

Also, some of the difference can be due to the fact that the 18.5" WSM parts have a better fit (less air leakage) than on the 22.5" WSM.
 
Yes, it uses more. But not that much more. I’m planning on doing a single rack of ribs this weekend. I’ll try to remember to measure and track charcoal usage. Though it’s supposed to be 107 this weekend. I could probably move the cooker into the sun, put the ribs on and cook them without a fire!

Edit: now the forecast is 108 on Saturday! That extra degree really makes a difference! ;) DW and I have been wanting ribs, but it'll have to wait another week. Seriously, our average daily high temp is 84 this time of year. I want no part of this two-day heat wave.
 
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I just bought my first WSM, a CL find 22”.

I’m still working on it doing all the mods, it’s a bit of a beast but I think I will be glad to have the extra real estate for doing full packers and multiple racks of ribs.
 
Weber BBQ WSM Life was much easier back in the year 2008 when I purchased new the only size for-sale like my WSM 18".

My WSM has served our family well of 3(Includes our Dog) and sometimes for the extended family when they visit as I have never found the need space to place my meat on the bottom rack.:wsm:
 

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The best size? The 18" need more space buy another 18" BAM! Seriously I use multiple kettles (22", 18", SJ) for different things/times so it's only natural to use multiples of the same size or smaller.
 
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Ron De Hoogh said:
The best size? The 18" need more space but another 18" BAM! Seriously I use multiple kettles (22", 18", SJ) for different things/times so it's only natural to use multiples of the same size or smaller.
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Monitoring two lit charcoal units at the same time is not that easy to maintain proper temperature control for some of us backyard BBQers:(
 
I had all 3 sizes at one time, got rid of the 22. For my needs it was just too big.
 
It's easier to cook more on the 18.5" WSM then less on the 22.5" WSM.

I think Tim gets it right. You can squeeze more onto the 18 if needed on occasion.

I have my 18 set up with brackets for a third grate. Nice to have the extra horizontal space when doing ribs laid flat or wings. But most often I cook using only one grate.

www.virtualweberbullet.com

WSM Cooking Capacity - The Virtual Weber Bullet

Examples of the cooking capacity of the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. Capacity for chicken, pork ribs, pork butt, and brisket are shown in each cooker.
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