WSM Pre-Purchase Questions


 
JJackson

JJackson

TVWBB Member
I’m one of the many trying to decide which WSM to buy. I’ve read some threads on a few different forums. 95% of the stuff I see is “go big go big always go big go big” or “build a UDS”. So, I’m currently leaning towards a 22.5”.

Is there a heat-retention issue on the 22.5” WSM? I’ve seen some hint that there is. I’m worried about it not getting down to 225*-ish, even after seasoning. Do gaskets (like BBQgaskets) help? Do they even last that long?

Has anyone happened to notice the charcoal usage, relative to an 18.5”? I know it will use more. 25% more is of no consequence. 100% more is worth thinking about.

I only have a bottomless ECB, so I don’t really smoke much. Why ruin meat? I will probably cook for four people 90% of the time. 6-10 the other 10%. Ribs taste the same to me whether they’re flat, rolled, or cut. Brisket CAN be fit onto an 18.5”, I’ve read, especially if I separate flat and point (never cooked one before, so I don’t know if that even matters). I assume that would taste the same flat or draped over a SS bowl, too.

Maybe I should get the 18.5”? Any answers/advice would be welcomed. I've been undecided for too long. Thanks, guys/gals.
 
Ok J, this is what I can tell you. As for the gasket, I have had that gasket set on my 22 for three years and it still works great. As for 225*, I can hold 225 all day long with no issue. The key with any size WSM is to learn your smoker and learn proper fire control. I debated for a while about the 18 and the22 and went with the 22, however, the 22 has been around much longer and people have been feeding much larger crowds than 10 people on a regular basis. The key is this, do what you feel that YOU want to do and make yourself happy. That said, I also want to get a 14.5 WSM for the small cooks for just my wife and me.

As for the 225* issue, I just recently smoked pork belly for bacon on my 22 WSM using the snake method at about 140* for many hours. These things are quite versatile. You can do a lot with them no matter the size. Just enjoy it.
 
It's true that size matters.
I have smoked 8 butts on my 22" more than once, and 8 butts fit better than 6 butts on a 18".
If you ever want to play with hanging meats, the extra height of the 22" will come in real handy.
Don't sweat the charcoal usage. You can always buy or make a smaller charcoal basket for the 22" if you want, or a Hunsaker Vortex basket will really cut down on charcoal use.
I can hold 225° but prefer to cook on both the 18" & 22" at 275°
Even if you're only cooking for 4 people, you can cook extra and freeze for later!
If I could only keep one of mine it would be the 22".
 
The 22" is a bit of a pig on fuel as compared to the 18.5" but I'd never go back.

Pros to the 22:
1. Interchangeable grates with the kettle.
2. Ability to flex up and smoke more.
3. No need to bend racks of ribs.

Cons:
1. Yes, you will need BBQ gaskets. They last a long time.
2. More fuel consumption than the 18.5".
 
Get the 22 you can't go wrong you can always put smaller things in the 22 but not bigger things in the 18 plus the 22 sits up higher off the ground it's not the fuel that expensive it's the meats:wsm22:
 
What ever you decide have fun with it. Charcoal is cheap so l bought the 22 for fathers day. I'm very happy with it and don't have heat retention issues at all.
 
The 22.5" seems the most logical. I just didn't want to be heating up a whole smoker for just a few racks or 1 butt, which is what I'd probably usually cook. However, a 14.5" WOULD be a nice companion...

BTW, does a smaller coal basket really help? Wouldn't it have to heat up the same amount of space to equilibrium, regardless of coal amount? That's why I never considered it. Hmmm...

I just want a smoker I can rely on and actually LEARN with. I beg all lurkers to not settle for an ECB. They're more frustration than they're worth, in my experience. Just start with a kettle (that actually closes).
 
The 18.5" WSM is my favorite and it has adequate capacity for most backyard enthusiasts. You already know about the SS bowl trick for briskets...you can also use a wood chunk wrapped in foil. But you'll have no problem fitting a whole 12-13lb brisket on the top grate, just fit it between the two handles and it shrinks during cooking, no need to separate point from flat before cooking.

I only recommend the 22.5" WSM if you anticipate needing the larger cooking capacity or you want to cook the largest brisket or more ribs laying flat.

See this page for comparison photos: http://virtualweberbullet.com/wsmcapacity.html
 
22 should be your choise.

Properly sealed and modified (door) you will get any cooking T you want from 225F to 500F.
For hours. Many many hours.
 
If you just want one you can "LEARN" with, find a close out 14.5" at a Walmart and then decide on your appropriate "size" next year. You just might find the 14.5" is large enough for "your" particular needs. I could have gone that way if I had thought ahead.
 
The OP lives in St Louis and all the Walmart WSM's, as far as I know, were cleared out last year.
I bought a 14" for $75 and have only used my 18" one time since.

I get it that the owners of the 22" love them, but totally agree with Chris A that the 18" is quite adequate to do just about anything.
After all, this site for years, was all about the 18" :wsm:
 
As you can see, people have a lot of different opinions and ideas. It's one of the things I love about this forum--I'm always learning new things and hearing other perspectives that I never would have thought of.

Anyway, my advice would be to get the one that most fits your needs. Ask yourself these questions:

1. How much storage space do you have? The 22 is pretty big, and if you have room that won't be a problem. I have a really small home and even the 18 gets in the way at times.

2. How many people will you be cooking for on a regular basis? I am cooking for just one (me) these days. So I really don't need anything bigger than the 14 most of the time. The 18 can easily handle enough for an average size family. I can fit 4 pork butts from Costco on my 18 no problem. Or I can fix six racks of ribs. Or one large brisket and one smaller brisket. Or a combination of these things. Any way you slice it, the 18 can fit a lot of meat!

3. How often will you cook for groups of more than 10? As mentioned above, the 18 can kick out a lot of meat, but the 22 is on a whole other level. If you are cooking for larger groups all the time, the 22 might be the way to go.

4. How important are aesthetics to you? For example, it's hard to lay full size racks of ribs flat on the 18. Me... I just cut the racks in half and use a rib rack. Some people roll them up and stand them on end. But if you like to have perfect, whole rib racks, the 22 is a better choice.

5. How much tolerance do you have for fiddling around? With the 22, you won't have to mess with cutting rib racks in half or rolling them up. Larger briskets will fit easily on the grate (sometimes I have to get "creative" with big briskets on the 18). Finally, if you are cooking a lot of food, you won't have to wedge it all in like a puzzle if you use the 22.

6. Is the cost of charcoal a consideration? Some people want to conserve their fuel, and for others that cost doesn't matter. The 22 definitely uses more.


Similar to Bob Correll and others, I bought a 14 on clearance at Walmart. I have not used my 18 in the six weeks since buying the 14.
 
To get a sense of the size of these cookers, consider going to a BBQ store & viewing them side by side. Might help with your decision.

fwiw - I have an 18.5 & 14.5. I rarely use the 18.5 anymore. The 14.5 & Performer seem to be my "go-to" cookers with the 14.5 seeing the most use. (I have 9 cookers, 7 of which are charcoal Webers).
It's just the wife & I, but have done dinner for 8 on the 14.5 & had leftovers. I have made stackers, a hanging rack & rotisserie ring for the 14.5 which have really increased it's capabilities. However, the basic unit is quite capable of cooking a lot of food.
 
Robert-R said:
To get a sense of the size of these cookers, consider going to a BBQ store & viewing them side by side. Might help with your decision.

fwiw - I have an 18.5 & 14.5. I rarely use the 18.5 anymore. The 14.5 & Performer seem to be my "go-to" cookers with the 14.5 seeing the most use. (I have 9 cookers, 7 of which are charcoal Webers).
It's just the wife & I, but have done dinner for 8 on the 14.5 & had leftovers. I have made stackers, a hanging rack & rotisserie ring for the 14.5 which have really increased it's capabilities. However, the basic unit is quite capable of cooking a lot of food.
Click to expand...

How long have you been able to cook on the 14? I did 10 hours and the bottom was filled with ash. I felt like I was nearing the max time.
 
I agree with Chris and Bob C. I have a 14.5 mini and a 18.5 WSM. They are all I'll ever need and 90% of the time I use the mini. But with that said we don't do a lot of meals for 10 or more although with the two I think I could handle that many and more.
One more thing I took into consideration at the time of purchasing a WSM was I had to move it from one location to another to use it and that 22.5 is a beast. The 18.5 was easier to move so I went with that. Now all 9 grills and smokers have their own parking spot so it wouldn't be an issue now.
 
Well, now I'm even more torn between the 18.5" and 22.5".

Getting a 14.5" first seems like sound advice, although based off a few other threads, I'd be worried about longer/lower cooks, due to ash. Externalizing the heat shield looks like a great mod, so maybe that'd be enough.

I'm not concerned about rib presentation, although I'd like to try hanging them sometimes, a la PBC-style. I haven't made ribs well enough yet to really like them.

I've never cooked a brisket, so I don't know how much a 13lb on an 18.5" would feed. I also don't know how often I'd cook for a lot of people. Currently, never, although if I get okay at BBQ, I'd like to show off with extended family and friends. Probably just 5 or 6 times a year. Smoking a lot and freezing is also a good excuse, but I may miss BBQing every week. It's all theoretical, since I haven't yet had a controllable smoker.

I really appreciate the insight. I know this question is asked a lot, but I never saw detailed fuel efficiency compared, nor a consensus reached on 22.5" getting lower temps, so again, thank you.
 
I think most people go through the 18 vs 22 mind game.
I did it and decided on the 22 and I wouldn't trade it.
If I had decided on the 18 I am sure I would feel the same way about it.
It was / is silly to not want to cut ribs in half but that greatly influenced my decision and FWIW I love throwing 4 full racks of baby backs on the top grate without cutting any of them in half.
I never use the lower grate.
Buy the charcoal on the holidays for $10 for 2-15# bags and don't worry about how much you use, it is by far the least expensive line item on any cook.
My WSM is stock, and I am a low-n-slow cook.
I don't fiddle with the WSM much, I know how to set the vents and if it settles in at 225 - 250 I just leave it alone.
I used to fiddle with it and keep it below 230 but 250 or even 260 is still cooking low-n-slow so I just leave it alone now.
A little bit hotter temps render fat a little better than 225 does so I am more flexible on my temperatures than I was initially.
Right now my WSM has a brisket in it, I started the fire about three hours ago with 14 briquettes using the center minion, with only one vent fully open after an hour it was at 200 degrees and I adjusted the vent for cooking temperature and loaded the brisket, over the next two hours it has settled in at 244 and I expect it to run through the night like this.
I would expect a well seasoned 18" WSM to be able to do the same thing.
I will easily get 16 hours cooking time on 15 lbs of charcoal. I have no idea how much charcoal the 18 will handle or what the 18's run time is on a full load.
Its plenty fun going through the 18/22 debate but unless you really do need the extra space I don't think you can make a wrong decision.
 
I have always lived by the motto, "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it"; so I bought the 22.5" and I have no regrets. I did end up buying a 14.5" a couple of months after, but that was mostly because I couldn't pass up a $50 wal-mart closeout deal on it.

The 14.5" has been my go to smoker for the most part while I experiment with different things to smoke, but I am always looking for a reason to bring out the big dog. Once I get a vacuum sealer, I imagine I will not hesitate to use the 22.5" more frequently as long as I can fill it up with the meaty goodness.
 
Get the 22.5 if you like to lay your ribs flat and have briskets fit with no fuss. I also like the 22.5 for doing bacon and just this past Sunday I cooked 80 wings just using the top grate. I love the 22.5. Charcoal is cheap so I don't care if it uses more.
 
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