New WSMs for 2009


 
Originally posted by JeremyC:
You'd think that they would have given Chris the best possible WSM they had...
Click to expand...
To be clear, it was a pre-production unit. For example, I was informed later that the door was made by hand. I would have liked to have seen it be perfect, too. The few glitches I saw reminded me of problems we see occasionally in today's product, and that's why I pointed them out in the video. Let's hope that it improves when production of the new products begins.
 
I will probably use the bigger model more than the smaller one. The WSM is just a tad small for medium to large briskets and baby backs laid out flat or in racks.

Now, I would much prefer a $299 price point to keep the little lady happy.
icon_smile.gif
 
Originally posted by Scott P.:
I will probably use the bigger model more than the smaller one. The WSM is just a tad small for medium to large briskets and baby backs laid out flat or in racks.
Click to expand...
Exactly my thoughts. For those mostly cooking chicken or butts, you'd be hard pressed to justify the money on the extra room.

The main thing I smoke is briskets. It would be nice to grab any size/shape packer I like. No worries and no more rubbing against the lid for first few hours. And lets not forget the even smaller second brisket I have to find to fit on bottom when I want to do two. Ribs also- no more rubbing lid. I do a fair bit of jerky and capacity will be appreciated here too.

For butts/chicken- extra space never hurt right? But if that were my main thing, I'd probably stick with smaller model. As for fuel, I use so little with the current model I can't imagine the amount of extra fuel needed would be a big issue.
 
Chris,
Thanks again. I know I thank you a lot but you just go so far over the top with this site and feedback for us WSMers...
I was just reading about your visit to Weber on the 25th... exciting stuff.
Keep up the great work!

EB

PS-I was checking out the photos from your Weber visit, its great to see Weber people actually smoking some ribs!
 
Originally posted by Chris Allingham:
To be clear, it was a pre-production unit. For example, I was informed later that the door was made by hand...
Click to expand...

Did you get to keep it? You should have brought the door with you and gotten it autographed...
icon_smile.gif
 
Chris,

Thank you so much for this information. I appreciate the detail and passion you put into reporting this news to us.

In October 2009, Weber will introduce an improved 18" Smokey Mountain Cooker and a new, larger 22" Smokey Mountain Cooker.
Click to expand...

Was this a typo? Do we really have to wait until late NEXT year?
 
Also was difficulty in finishing the pork butts to do more with the out of round condition or just that the larger unit simply consumes more fuel?
 
Originally posted by Paul Newton:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">In October 2009, Weber will introduce an improved 18" Smokey Mountain Cooker and a new, larger 22" Smokey Mountain Cooker.
Click to expand...

Was this a typo? Do we really have to wait until late NEXT year? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Typo.
 
Originally posted by Justin Toomer:
Chris anything more on 12+ hour cooks?
Click to expand...
Not yet, been busy with other things. But I plan to do another long cook and see if I can improve.

Originally posted by Justin Toomer:
Also was difficulty in finishing the pork butts to do more with the out of round condition or just that the larger unit simply consumes more fuel??
Click to expand...
I think both. I tried plugging the out of round gaps after I'd already started the cooker, probably didn't do a very good job of it. Next time, I'll fix that up front, and also try a different firing technique and see if I can breeze past 12 hours.
 
Chris

Excellent work on reviewing this and the objectivity and experience you have brought to it. (It’s also reassuring that my “problem” isn’t extreme)
I have seen the calls for a bigger WSM, I recall your comments on the cost of the tooling and remember people citing the 22 ½” kettle tools as candidates. I always thought this was a lost cause as the WSM design is excellent and capacity is good. Yes the lack of thermometer is irritating but easily remedied and a few bits of wire to tie the charcoal ring to the grate works for me. It all rests on how much volume there can be in smokers. The world seemed to be heading away from the low cost charcoal units to the high end glitzy gas grills. I have an old Genesis Silver B that started life here in the UK at £700 and I picked up on clearance for £60 – replaced by a Far Eastern version at £350. (Keith if you’re reading this I still love those PCI grates – you’re a star!) but it’s just not as fun. If I saw the deal now I’d pass it to a friend.

I shouldn’t think I’ll ever get the big WSM, I’m not sure I’ve used the bottom grate more than a few times, but I’m really pleased it is coming, what it means to me is that charcoal is back in the driving seat and that, to me, is a great thing. Weber must have a damn good reason for this as I’m sure they know their markets and that surely means they can capitalise on a (previously) waning asset. I am on the other side of the Atlantic but it seems barbecue is gaining in popularity beyond its traditional territory and beyond the niche groups that the internet is so good at serving, after all they owe my purchase of a WSM to this site. (As do BGE for my egg….). This is all part of a bigger picture of barbecue “momentum” and I’m all for it.

It’s also interesting that the some of Weber’s core skills, those of steel manufacturing and coating, are set to remain in the fold and, presumably, on US soil. It seems that so many organisations are forced to rely on design and marketing these days while offshoring any actual production.

Just remember if you keep that unit that your strength of independence will be under question (!) though you doubtless deserve it as a furthering the, sometime feared lost, cause of one of the greatest cookers out there.

In summary – thanks for the excellent work, the excellent reviews and your objectivity – long may it last.
Thank you everyone here for showing how great the WSM is.
Thank you Weber for bringing charcoal back to the forefront.

Now I wonder when it will reach UK shores, an academic point as far as I am concerned as I have a fully functional classic with another 25 years of service on the clock.
Apologies for the long post but this is exciting!
 
You know what... I need to weigh in here...

I've been a huge fan of this forum and what Chris has done to promote the WSM and BBQing in general.

Over the past years, we've speculated on what would be the perfect WSM. In all those speculations, the only one that makes any sense is that the WSM be larger, specifically to make it 22 inches, like the other Weber cookers.

Well, Weber has obliged us. But, is that enough? Oh NO... We need to whine about what else we'd want.

I'm just tickled to death with the larger WSM. If it costs $500 I'm good with that. I've seen folks on here switch to the Big Drum Smoker because it was larger. The BDS has no handles on the middle section. The BDS has no Therm on the lid. The BDS that is equivalent to the new WSM costs $550!!! And that BDS has NO Porcelain coating.

I'm not knocking the BDS by any means. I'm just trying to put things into perspective.

The new WSM is just what we've been asking for. Personally, I'm sorry that they included a thermo. I'd rather have the option of adding the thermo of MY choice without paying Weber to add the thermo of THEIR choice, which seems to be lacking, based on the previous posts.

Personally, I'll be getting this new WSM as soon as it's available, and I thank Weber for listening to our requests.

Handles I can add... Thermo grommets I can add...

What I can't add is what Weber provided: a larger WSM. THANKS WEBER!!

And thanks to Chris for providing this forum that Weber obviously has monitered...
 
i guess i will have to add handles myself. i had hoped that weber's response wouldnt be lets not put them on and force our customers to lift the middle section without em.

as for the heat shield when i get mine i wont put that in as i have no desire to clean out the bugs and spiders in between cooks by having to disassemble the thing. anything that smells of or has even the slightes bit of food or grease will attract living things including mice who will bed down anywhere they can crawl into.

the handles on the middle section i can understand their pov on (even tho i am disapointed in their choice). but the non-removable heat shield is a real mistake.
 
Originally posted by Tom Ferguson:
The new WSM is just what we've been asking for. Personally, I'm sorry that they included a thermo. I'd rather have the option of adding the thermo of MY choice without paying Weber to add the thermo of THEIR choice, which seems to be lacking, based on the previous posts.
Click to expand...

from what i have seen the therm they supply looks good and is usable and easily removed or replaced. i like the idea of a therm i dont have to stick through the lid. and it isnt important enough to me on the 18" wsm to drill holes for nor is handles on the 18" version so depending on how fast the fuel gets used and the water evaporates will determine whether i put handles on the 22"
 
Originally posted by Jim Jackson:
Maybe I am to critical. All of us work hard for our money. Why should we just throw it away at shoddy workmanship? Just one of my thoughts.
Click to expand...

yes i do work hard for my money and the excellent quality of weber products and their FREE support if something isnt right is why i purchase their goods. i now have three different weber bbq items i use all the time.

i have a smokey joe a 22" kettle and the 18"wsm. my wsm arrived in perfect condition and if there was a problem i am certain that weber would have made it right without a problem.

i also have a smoker from brinkman that is less than good quality and doesnt cook for crap. hmm i think i will stay with weber quality and service. so far i have gotten nothing but problem free cooks on all my weber products. i would say i have gotten every penny's worth of use and enjoyment out of them and i am looking forward to adding the 22" WSM to my collection.

if the 22" arrives with improper parts i am totally convinced a call to weber will fix any issue.
 
the non-removable heat shield is a real mistake
Click to expand...

Boy, I can't agree more on that one. I have never read a post or article from ANYBODY EVER that ever asked for a mod like that.

Probably some bigwig at Weber burnt his tooties or his million dollar deck or something.

Todd
 
Originally posted by Todd Randall:
I have never read a post or article from ANYBODY EVER that ever asked for a mod like that.
Click to expand...
I think the safety concern starts with the 22" model...it holds a bigger fuel load and has the potential to get hotter underneath than the 18" model. So they add a heat shield to the 22" as a safety feature, then decide to add it to the 18" model, also.

Remember that today's WSM is basically unchanged from 1981. The world has changed a lot since then...from a safety standpoint, we don't design things the same way we did 25 years ago, whether it's a car, a crib, or a cooker. We can argue about whether or not that's a good thing (let's don't), but it is the way it is today.

It's true that I never heard anyone explicitly ask for a heat shield, but there are examples of people placing their cooker on top of pavers to protect a wooden deck...there are photos of this on TVWB. Maybe it was this observation that caused Weber to pay attention to this, in addition to any temp measurements they may have taken beneath the cooker? (I don't know if they did take temp measurements, but it seems logical that they would...if I were building a heat shield, I would want to measure before and after to see how well it worked.)

Regarding bugs, I'm sensitive to that issue, too. We'll see how it goes with the shield. I imagine anything in there will hop out quickly once the fire is started.
icon_smile.gif
If you were to install the aluminum shield and decide later you didn't want it, it would be easy enough to remove without taking off the legs...just snip it off using tin snips. Of course, you might also come up with a mod that makes it removable. (Just don't tell Weber...)

Regards,
Chris
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top