Wavering . . .


 
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Tony Weisse

TVWBB Super Fan
I do not own a WSM, but am considering it. Here's my quandry.

I have a ECB and a Sunbeam charcoal grill. Both need to be replaced (in my opinion. My wife may feel otherwise). I hardly ever use the Brinkmann, mainly because it takes so much tending to keep temps in order. However, everyone does like the flavor it produces when all goes according to plan. I do grill at least weekly.

My original plan was to get an offset firebox pit smoker that seems like it could be used to smoke AND grill. Then I came across the WSM and can't believe how enthusiastic all of the reviews are. But if I get a WSM I've got no budget left for a grill. I could make the old Sunbeam work for a year or two more, but I'd be back to having two piece of equipment on my hands.

Somebody help push me over the edge, please!
 
Hi Tony! Well, to be honest I see that there is no decision. A WSM is a must have. It can be used as a grill untill you have the budget for the grill. I'm kinda in the same situation in that I have used a webber kettle for years to smoke, with great success. I didn't even know there was a WSM untill I found the VWB. I will be buying a WSM very soon, until then the butt is at 185 almost ready to take off. Have fun with your new WSM.

Chach
 
Tony,

Welcome to the site. You HAVE to have two. Get the WSM and then scrape, beg, borrow or, well don't steal, the $79 and get a Weber kettle. Thats all the equipment you'll need. Tell your wife that you won't buy anymore BBQ stuff if you can get both. (LOL) /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif
 
Tony-

I too came from the ECB, and was on the fence for a long time about purchasing a WSM. I figured they were probably so close in operation, that it wasn't really worth $175+ to upgrade.

Boy, was I wrong.

The comparison between temperature control on an ECB and on a WSM is like comparing throwing a bullet to shooting one. The ECB took constant attention in order to maintain a steady temp. When I first set up the WSM, I had also just bought a Maverick remote smoker thermometer. I would have *SWORN* something was wrong with it, because it was just sitting there at 235F. I was so sure, I decided to take out another thermometer and stick it in the smoke vent.

The WSM proceeded to sit there at 235F, without ANY tending - for the next three hours, at which point I had to add some water (and use sand in the water pan, you won't even have to do that).

Words can't describe how much easier it's gotten. Now - I can appreciate the need for a charcoal grill, but if I were you - I'd squeeze whatever I could out of the Sunbeam until I could swing the kettle. The WSM should be your priority now - and just tell the wife it'll reduce your effort level so much, it's well worth it.
 
I?m in the middle of my first cook, so I can?t tell you anything about results but I can say that the WSM is really easy to assemble and use. The temp does not fluctuate. You set the vents until you get a temp that you want and leave it.

Other advice?

What I am about to say may be considered sacrilege on this board. I use a Weber gas grill. There, I?ve said it! Gas! After much arguing with the wife, I bought a Weber Genesis Gold C. We both love it! We currently use it more then our stove. Seriously, you can cook anything on it. I mean stuff that you wouldn?t even think of putting on a grill. Last week my wife made haddock with bread crumbs on top. It came out fantastic, it tasted very similar to being cooked in the oven but had a slight smoky flavor.

As far as the budget goes, it is expensive. It burned up my BBQ budget for the next four years. Though it did help me get the WSM. Amazon had a special where if you spent more then $500 on Weber you get a $100 gift certificate. I used that to but my WSM /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

-Craig
 
Get the WSM and you won't ever regret your decision. Patch up the Sunbeam as needed until next year, then buy a Weber kettle.

If you get a "firebox pit smoker that seems like it could be used to smoke AND grill", you'll still be relegated to tending the fire for smokes, and you'll always wish you would have gone the high quality WSM route. Don't live a BBQ life full of "should've"s. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
I too came from the ecb smoker(dark)side until I saw the "light". It actually took two smoking sessions and several attempted modifications to the ecb smoker before I realized it WAS an ecb, and I'd be spending too much time babysitting it.Well I ended up giving it to a neighbor(a gator fan) that I don't like much anyway/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif and got my WSM. Life is great, especially when I hear that neighbor getting P.O.ed at that ecb.

Dave /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif
 
I had an cheap offset (NBBD)and what people are saying is true. As a smoker, it needs a lot of babysitting. As a grill, it's not very good. If you're thinking of putting coals in the cooking chamber section, there are two considerations: 1) if you want to add more coals, you have to remove the cooking rack and risk dumping the food; 2) there's no way to regulate how much air the coals are getting. If you want to cook with the lid down, they don't get enough air.

I'd say get the WSM and use the Sunbeam for as long as you need to. Sometimes you can get a Weber kettle cheap at the end of the summer (I got my Simpson's grill off e-bay for $1 with $20 shipping). I don't know your situation, but if you cook dinner twice or more during the week on a regular basis, your wife might be more receptive to upgrading your equipment. Clue her in to how you'll be cooking the Thanksgiving turkey, the Christmas ham, the smoked salmon for her bridge club or whatever.
 
I came close to buying a cheap brinkman offset and then I was enlightened to the pleasures of the WSM by this site. And as luck would have it the offset was out of stock. /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif The rest as they say is history. WSM's rule!!
 
There's no reason why you can't grill with the WSM. I just set the cooking grate right on the charcoal ring, with lit coals pushed to one side.

You do need to wipe up any drippings, but it's not a big deal.
 
I like to bring the charcoal grate and ring up to the bottom cooking grate brackets-- better shielding from wind, a little more distance between food and coals, and no bending or stooping.
 
Well, I'm going to offer another view. If I only wanted to have one piece of equipment, I'd pick a Hasty-Bake. True, the WSM can be used as a grill, but it's capacity as a grill isn't big enough for when I do a full dinner cook outside. A Hasty-Bake Legacy has a lot more grill space.

It will serve you well as a grill, smoker or dutch oven. Kinda pricy - $650.

Currently, I have two pieces (three if you count the Smokey Joe) - the WSM and a Broil King Imperial 90 gas grill. It took me a long time to make the switch from charcoal to gas (I kept my Weber Kettle for 3 years after I bought the gas grill...just in case). But, it's hard to beat the convience it offers.

With a gas grill and WSM (which can be converted to a grill), you have the best of all worlds.

Good luck with your decision.

sam
Brisket, Boston Butt, Haggis and Corn - cookin' as we speak.
 
Hi, Tony,

If you posted your question on this site, you must have secretly already made up your mind for the WSM. As if we'd advise anything else!

IMHO, a charcoal grill's just a place to dump your hot coals. There's a much bigger difference between a good smoker and a bad one than between a good grill and a bad one.

In other words, get the WSM now and the Weber Silver One-Touch later.

--Tom
 
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