I promised myself that I wasn't going to do this, but I can't help myself. After dealing with a Char Broil H2O smoker for the past year, I couldn't take it anymore. It was a smoker that my father bought 15 years ago and I was "blessed" with it. I wanted to give it a fair try, and it was either to hot or cold. Adjusting the temps was just a nightmare. Last week I had enough.
I searched the internet for pricing on the WSM. Granted, Amazon had the best price, however I seem to have shipping issues with them since all I receive is UPS or FedEx here at the house and the regular mail goes to a PO Box. They don't directly ship all of their merchandise, so I usually have to call the supplier to find out exactly how it will be coming. Also, they quoted me up to 8 days for delivery. Being in the true American spirit, I wanted it NOW! I called my local hardware store (not Home depot or Lowes just for the record, although I have no beef with them) and they checked their supplier in Tampa. I was in luck as they had a couple in stock. He told me he could have it at the store in two days. This was great as I also felt better about spending my money in the local community to keep what jobs that are here going.
Two days went by and I got "the call". I went down this morning and picked it up. The associate came out of the back with a huge box. I thought to myself, "ugh...what did I order?". Luckily, I brought the SUV and it fit. It was heavier than I had thought. I got it home and into the living room for assembly. After reading some of the posts and watching some of the videos provided here I was a nervous wreck. All I could think about was a "out of round" condition or the door being bent in the wrong place. As I started unpacking the parts, it was apparent how Weber took the time to think about the best way to package the unit so it would arrive to the consumer as intended.
Being a tool makers son, I had to inspect all of the metal part's. I was very impressed on the quality of the aluminum that was used for the feet, how heavy the nuts and bolts were and the actual metal that made up the body. The craftsmanship was top notch. It's nice to see when it says, "Made in the USA" that it has this level of quality. I went step by step per the directions, and it went together quite easily and the instructions were clear about where the screws and nuts went.
Still fearing that I was going to get a egg shaped model I assembled the bottom bowl and center section. It fit just like a glove. I took a flashlight and went all around the rim, and it was tight. I put the access door on and there was one little spot that needed adjustment. After reading here, I just gave it a slight bend that that took care of the problem. With the door back off I placed the lid on the unit and gave it the flashlight test. Again, there was not any leaking light. I was feeling much better about this purchase as this is my first Weber product and coming from a Char Broil product that wasn't worth a hill of beans.
At this point I'm very pleased with the unit and the quality and craftsmanship. I plan to smoke some split whole chickens as outlined in Gary Wiviott's book, "Low and Slow" to see exactly how this unit runs versus the Char Broil.
I appreciate everyone's willingness to share their knowledge and help others like me who are starting out. I'm a professional photographer by trade and when you ask other photographers for advise or ideas, you get nothing. They are afraid that you are going to steal their only idea I guess. Kudos to you all and thanks again...
Spencer
I searched the internet for pricing on the WSM. Granted, Amazon had the best price, however I seem to have shipping issues with them since all I receive is UPS or FedEx here at the house and the regular mail goes to a PO Box. They don't directly ship all of their merchandise, so I usually have to call the supplier to find out exactly how it will be coming. Also, they quoted me up to 8 days for delivery. Being in the true American spirit, I wanted it NOW! I called my local hardware store (not Home depot or Lowes just for the record, although I have no beef with them) and they checked their supplier in Tampa. I was in luck as they had a couple in stock. He told me he could have it at the store in two days. This was great as I also felt better about spending my money in the local community to keep what jobs that are here going.
Two days went by and I got "the call". I went down this morning and picked it up. The associate came out of the back with a huge box. I thought to myself, "ugh...what did I order?". Luckily, I brought the SUV and it fit. It was heavier than I had thought. I got it home and into the living room for assembly. After reading some of the posts and watching some of the videos provided here I was a nervous wreck. All I could think about was a "out of round" condition or the door being bent in the wrong place. As I started unpacking the parts, it was apparent how Weber took the time to think about the best way to package the unit so it would arrive to the consumer as intended.
Being a tool makers son, I had to inspect all of the metal part's. I was very impressed on the quality of the aluminum that was used for the feet, how heavy the nuts and bolts were and the actual metal that made up the body. The craftsmanship was top notch. It's nice to see when it says, "Made in the USA" that it has this level of quality. I went step by step per the directions, and it went together quite easily and the instructions were clear about where the screws and nuts went.
Still fearing that I was going to get a egg shaped model I assembled the bottom bowl and center section. It fit just like a glove. I took a flashlight and went all around the rim, and it was tight. I put the access door on and there was one little spot that needed adjustment. After reading here, I just gave it a slight bend that that took care of the problem. With the door back off I placed the lid on the unit and gave it the flashlight test. Again, there was not any leaking light. I was feeling much better about this purchase as this is my first Weber product and coming from a Char Broil product that wasn't worth a hill of beans.
At this point I'm very pleased with the unit and the quality and craftsmanship. I plan to smoke some split whole chickens as outlined in Gary Wiviott's book, "Low and Slow" to see exactly how this unit runs versus the Char Broil.
I appreciate everyone's willingness to share their knowledge and help others like me who are starting out. I'm a professional photographer by trade and when you ask other photographers for advise or ideas, you get nothing. They are afraid that you are going to steal their only idea I guess. Kudos to you all and thanks again...
Spencer