What was your first smoker ?


 
Bob Correll said:
I had a Little Chief too, but my first was an antique refrigerator. We're talking 1970's.
It had been dumped on a job site and was missing the door.
The smaller compressor compartment, on the bottom, was separate, so I had to make a hole to the upper part. Then I made a wooden door, used a hole saw to make two exists for the smoke, and a couple of swivel tin can lids to regulate.
A hot plate on the bottom, a pan of wood chips, and I was good to go.
I smoked cured bacon, cured hams, fish, and jerky in it.
There was no plastic anywhere. One time I checked the insulation, is was a few layers of foil on wooden frames, kind of like a canvas paintings.
Wish I had taken a picture of it.
Click to expand...

35 years ago when I moved out here from Chicago we had a neighbor who was quite famous for smoking turkeys, hams, bacon in an old steel fridge.
Guy was retired and started me on my smoking journey.
First was a daisy wheel weber kettle. I was pretty good with dialing that into smoking temps until my sons destroyed it playing a basketball game in my backyard.( sorry Dad it got it the way)
Bought a few gassers after that just because. Won a ECB on a safety drawing from service merchandise, and a few years later won a Brinkman Smoke-Pit from the same store.
I defiantly struggled with both of them, but learned things on the way.
Finally my Wife bought me a 22.5" OTG in 06 for Fathers day. I'll tell you, that was a happy day, because I was going back to Weber.
Also bought a SJP from ace and two years later I got the 18.5" WSM and in 012 the 22.5" WSM.

It's been a long ride, but worth it.

Tim
 
I did own an ECB at one time.
It's funny that Brinkmann never figured out, as far as I know, that the main problem with their smokers was the solid charcoal pan.
No internet back then to look for solutions.
 
1st=ECB (gave away)
2nd=18” WSM (sold)
3rd=22” kettle (not really a smoker but I smoke on it)
4th=don’t know what it will be but I’m shopping......
 
Brinkmann which I never mastered. Then I found this site and at the time everyone was building minis with Smokey Joes and stock pots so I joined in. I still have it and use it for bacon and pork butts, added a 18.5 WSM for ribs and my once a year brisket.
 
I started with a charbroil offset smoker. I did all the modifications. Learned quite a bit about controlling temps and learned a lot about smoking. Also did some smoking on my 22" kettle. Then bought my Stumps
 
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1st one, little chief top loader ... 1974
Then a 22 kettle. Actually wore it out but it took 20 years
On to a Chargriller with SFB
Then a Smokin-it electric #3. Still have it and love it for salt, fish, cheese, sausage, jerkey
A finally, a shiny new 2019 WSM 22.5. Boy am I happy with it
 
I started with a New Braunfels off set smoker. I smoked on it for about 15 years until I bought my first WSM, which was the 22”. Funny if it wasn’t for buying the 26” Weber years ago for grilling I may have never owned a WSM. After using the 26 for a bit I found this site and well the rest is history. The offset is at my neighbors house and I own each size of the WSM along with 6 kettles and a fire place.
 
Char-Broil Double Chef. That thing was less than $80 and gave me three good years of smoking. Could’ve kept it longer but I wanted the space of a WSM 22”.
 
Started smoking on my Weber kettle, but my first “real” smoker was an ECB that my neighbor used once and threw out. I did some mods, but after a while went back to the kettle. Just got a 14.5” WSM this winter.
 
First was an R2D2 look alike with what looked like an electric charcoal starter in a bed of lava rocks at the bottom. Don’t know what brand it was. Then I got a New Braunfels Black Diamond - a small offset cooker.
 
WSM, got the bug after reading on this site how easy they were to control,as the kettle was not as easy. Plus i could still cook other foods while doing a slow cook. Win Win anyway you look at it.
 
My first is the WSM 18" "Classic" that I bought new off Amazon. Com in the Year 2008 and it is still serving me well. I paid around $300.00 plus another $200 for shipping costs to Costa Rica.
 
My first smoker was an el cheepo offset. I smoked a lot of good BBQ on that cheap thing. Finally, the fire box burnt thru so I went with Weber.
 
I guess technically my first smoker was a 22” kettle. Great cooker. My first real smoker was a 18” WSM. I Then moved to big green eggs, but still have and love my WSMs.
 
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