Can you explain why I need at WSM?


 
I have a performer and yes you can do almost anything on it but after building my mini 14.5 I found as others have said, set it and forget it. Much easier then the performer for low and slow, plus it's extremely efficient compared to the performer.
I was so impressed with the mini when a great deal came along on a 18.5 WSM on CL I grabbed it, and if I ever learn how to use the beast I'll be one happy camper.

On the 18 & 22 WSM take out the water pan and use it like a grill with a full load of coals you can get the best grilled chicken or a turkey breast you've ever had. To me that makes the purchase of my 18 worth it right there.
 
The WSMs are so easy to use, that's why you want one, I set ours' up at night before going to bed and wake up to really good smoked meat with very little effort. As for what size to get, I really don't think that if you've gotten along fine without a WSM and have just used a performer up to now, that you need the 22.5. You can feed a very large crowd with the 18.5 WSM, and that's without adding a third rack like some owner's of the 18.5 have done. I can do 40lbs. of Pork Butts on my 18.5 easily, if I were to get creative I could probably do 60lbs. of Pork Butts on my 18.5! 11lb. briskets are no problem for my 18.5, I've got room for 2 of them! Ribs are the same thing, if I slice them, load them in a rib rack, curl them, stack them, whatever with them, I can make all the ribs we'll ever use at 1 sitting. I know the 22.5 has a large loyal following, but owners of the 22.5 must be feeding a lot more people than I ever do. Compared to the 18.5 the 22.5 is huge!
 
Steve_M said:
For your next purchase, have a look at the ceramic egg/kamado style cookers. You can do low'n'slow, hot'n'fast, pizzas at crazy temps and they're really efficient when it comes to charcoal consumption.
Click to expand...

Steve,
Apparently, you put some sort of curse on me because I just had to call my brother to help me unload an older Japanese ceramic kamado grill from my wife's minivan. Now I'll have to join a kamado forum to learn about these things.

Tony,
I LOVE your accent!
 
I smoked plenty on my kettle but I always had to baby sit it no matter how I cooked, snake method, minion, etc. I ended up making a mini wsm out of an old Smokey Joe I already had and it worked great. No more babysitting on cooks over 12 hours. I've actually did a butt for 16 hours on one load of charcoal! But I needed more room and I found a great deal on an 18.5 wsm that I just couldn't pass up so I got it. Between my kettle, the mini WSM and the 18.5 WSM, I can BBQ, grill and smoke all I want at the same time. I sometimes think about getting a 14.5 wsm and a 22, but I think it would be overkill.
 
Let's see, you don't have one yet correct, then by all means you need one (insert Jedi mind trick of this is the smoker you want and need), don't over think it just do it. No, don't go there with the " I can do it on my" line, you simply just don't have a WSM and should, not to mention what every one else said about how freak'n easy they are to use and how little space they take up etc etc.
 
Get the WSM. The size or sizes all come down to how much you are going to cook. I went with the 22.5 first and then built a mini and when they came out a 14.5 - that is my favorite one!!!
It turned out the wife isn't a big BBQ fan except brisket and ribs, while I love smoked chicken and everything else. I agree you never can have two many grills/smokers

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Because smoking on one is awesome! I can get 10-12hrs on my 18"wsm without adding more charcoal. That running with water, without its more like 12-14hrs. Way less maintenance.
 
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