Second WSM or horizontal barrel smoker?


 
R

Rich_S

TVWBB Member
I have an old style 18.5" WSM that I bought new back in 2003. It has served me well for 10 years and is still going strong. Honestly it's all that I need if I'm BBQing for myself, my wife, my kids, and mayber her parents. However, when we're having a party with lots of people (and we're planning one for the last week in July for my son's birthday) it's just not enough.

So I have two choices - get a second WSM (probably the 22.5" model) or get a horizontal barrel smoker.

WSM: Pros - I'm already an expert with it, heat control is simple, works great. Cons - May not be big enough with how much my family eats, limited to just smoking.

Horizontal: Pros - Big, more flexible (can cook a really big cut of meat, can be used for direct grilling). Cons - Unfamiliar, heat control is harder based on what I've seen at friends houses, the nice ones are big $.

If I were to go the latter route, what is a nice smoker (something better than the Charbroil and Brinkman units at HD/Lowes but not quite as $$$ as something like the Klose)?
 
Hamilton Barnes said:
If you go horizonatal route, I would get a lang based on your comments above. The 36 inch is about $1000.
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Yeah, the 3 that I was looking at were: Lang, Klose, and Meadow Creek. It's not just the cost of the unit though, shipping on some of these smokers is a few hundred bucks because they weigh a few hundred pounds.
 
I disagree that the WSM cannot be used for direct grilling. You can move the charcoal grate and ring to the second level, leaving the water pan out, or remove the mid section and place the food grate over the coal bed (aka liitle black egg) and direct grill

However, I know that direct grilling on a WSM is not ideal and offset pits are popular. Most of the ECB(s) such as Brinkman, Chargriller, Okla Joe, etc, need modifications to make them usable and still, ECB(s) have thin metal and never really live up to their potential.

That put's you lookin at Lang, Horizon, Klose, Yoder, etc. if you want one with thick metal which is key to temp control. I'd prefer the Yoder Cheyenne or Horizon 16" classic.

Another option could be to build a UDS. They operate like a WSM and are dirt cheap to make. My son has maybe $100 bucks in one and it works great.
 
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Dwain Pannell said:
I disagree that the WSM cannot be used for direct grilling. You can move the charcoal grate and ring to the second level, leaving the water pan out, or remove the mid section and place the food grate over the coal bed (aka liitle black egg) and direct grill

However, I know that direct grilling on a WSM is not ideal and offset pits are popular. Most of the ECB(s) such as Brinkman, Chargriller, Okla Joe, etc, need modifications to make them usable and still, ECB(s) have thin metal and never really live up to their potential.

That put's you lookin at Lang, Horizon, Klose, Yoder, etc. if you want one with thick metal which is key to temp control. I'd prefer the Yoder Cheyenne personnaly.

Another option could be to build a UDS. They operate like a WSM and are dirt cheap to make. My son has maybe $100 bucks in one and it works great.
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Yeah, there's no way I'm getting a Chargriller or Brinkman from a big box store. I just came from Home Depot and saw what they had there, I could literally crush the metal with one hand they're so flimsy.

On the other hand, spending >$1000 + a few hundred for shipping, having to wait while it's made, and then ending up with something that weighs 500 lbs and basically can never really move from its spot on my patio isn't optimal either. I was hoping there was something in between.

I'll check out some of the other ones you mentioned. If I don't see anything I like I have a hunch I'll just get the WSM 22.5" from Amazon Prime in a few days.
 
Rich my next purchase, probably next year will be the Cheyenne, but I hear you on price etc. I bought the WSM 22.5 and it is pretty darn Big. Combined with your 18 you should be able to do a lot of food. I paid 299 for mine on Amazon and it was here in three days. I made some mods to it and have about a dozen smokes through it and it is sweet.
If and when I do get the Cheyenne I will be using the minion with a extruded metal basket in it for long cooks because that is the only real problem with them, they require constant checking temp wise as a pure stick burner. The over night brisket I just did would have been a bear. With my WSM 22.5 I got the temp set and went to bed, woke up at 0530 to check and went back to bed.
Just some thoughts on the subject for what it is worth.
 
Rich, have you considered a Weber 26" kettle?
believe it or not, you CAN smoke using the 26" kettle.
And, it works well grilling ;)
best of both worlds, keep your old WSM and incorporate a large grillin' / smokin' capacity with the 26" OTG.
 
Jim Lampe said:
Rich, have you considered a Weber 26" kettle?
believe it or not, you CAN smoke using the 26" kettle.
And, it works well grilling ;)
best of both worlds, keep your old WSM and incorporate a large grillin' / smokin' capacity with the 26" OTG.
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I think that's my next purchase as well. I LOVE the 22" but 26" HAS to be better.
 
LOL, I actually already have a 22" Weber Kettle OTG (with an EZ Que rotisserie attachment), plus a Smokey Joe, plus a Silver C gasser. So maybe I shouldn't be worried about the grilling aspect, it seems I have that covered.

The more I think about it, getting the 22" WSM as a second smoker makes the most logical sense for my needs. If I'm honest with myself, it's just the traditional charm of the offset barrel smoker that has me even thinking about it.
 
BTW, just for nostalgia - I bought my WSM the summer of 2003, at a local hardware store, for $179. Amazing how expensive things have gotten.
 
Rich_S said:
LOL, I actually already have a 22" Weber Kettle OTG (with an EZ Que rotisserie attachment), plus a Smokey Joe, plus a Silver C gasser. So maybe I shouldn't be worried about the grilling aspect, it seems I have that covered.
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Since you already have a 22 OTG a Cajun Bandit kit or Stacker will give you more capacity. I can't think of anything I can do with my 22 WSM that I can't do with a 22 Kettle and Stacker.
 
I wouldn't go Horizontal - build an UDS if you don't get the 22.5 wsm. I'll prolly build one but maybe not! I hear one style barrel (out of 2?) allows the lid from a kettle to be used.

 
Ordered the 22" WSM last night. Ebay seller had them new for $379 with free shipping and no tax (Amazon charges tax in NJ as of July 1).
 
Rich_S said:
Ordered the 22" WSM last night. Ebay seller had them new for $379 with free shipping and no tax (Amazon charges tax in NJ as of July 1).
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I think you made a smart move. Between a WSM and a couple kettles, there isn't much you can't do.
 
Rich_S said:
Ordered the 22" WSM last night. Ebay seller had them new for $379 with free shipping and no tax (Amazon charges tax in NJ as of July 1).
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You will thank yourself later for your good sense ;)

These really are versatile, and cook like a dream. I don't know one person with an offset (barring the $10,000+ rigs from Klose or comparable) who doesn't have to babysit and work three times as hard as I do. At competitions, I get a decent block of sleep while the guys with the offsets are busting their arses all night. I use Weber OTG kettles with smoker conversions (Cajun Bandit AND Stacker for my 22.5, and a Smoke-EZ for my 26.75) and I wouldn't trade for this style of cooker.

You will be incredibly happy with your purchase. Best wishes for many outstanding cooks!
 
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