the BEST smoker?

[akaShag]

I have been smoking since I was a young man.  Yeah, I started with fish like most people do, but eventually I got into the hard stuff, like bacon.  But I could always control my habit, or so I thought.

My name is Doug, and I'm a smokeaholic.

My beloved Luhr Jensen Big Chief is on its last legs.  It could not muster enough heat to cook some thin salmon fillets a couple days ago.  I have a propane-fired smoker at my hunt camp, brand IIRC is Masterbuilt or a similar name, but I have not got the hang of it and don't really like it.

I have tried the Bradley and they are OK except for those annoying proprietary wood chip pucks.  At my age, I am probably not going to learn how to do brisket, but I do like to smoke fish, side bacon, back bacon, pork loin steaks and roasts, jerky, etc.

So, regardless of cost, what in your experience is the best smoker out there? 

Doug

[smitty55]

Dougie, you can buy replacement elements for your Big Chief and be good for another 20 years
https://www.smokehouseproducts.com/collections/parts-accessories

[Spiel]

8 hours ago, smitty55 said:

Dougie, you can buy replacement elements for your Big Chief and be good for another 20 years
https://www.smokehouseproducts.com/collections/parts-accessories

I was going to suggest the same thing. I had issues with mine several years back and I replaced the heating element and all was good again.

[BillM]

Really gotta figure out what you want.  Pellet, stick burner, something else.   I've got a Grilla Chimp, extremely happy with it.   Lots of good choices out there these days.

[akaShag]

4 hours ago, BillM said:

Really gotta figure out what you want.  Pellet, stick burner, something else.   I've got a Grilla Chimp, extremely happy with it.   Lots of good choices out there these days.

That's the point.  I am interested in hearing some opinions and experiences before I go same old, same old.  Looks like yours is a pellet smoker - are you willing to say the pros and cons for it?  My neighbour has a Traeger, and it smells AWESOME when he lights it up.  But he uses it pretty much as a grill, not a smoker so much.  No sense in me asking him how it works as a smoker...

Doug

[akaShag]

6 hours ago, Spiel said:

I was going to suggest the same thing. I had issues with mine several years back and I replaced the heating element and all was good again.

Thanks Smitty and Spiel.  I thought I replied to this one already, but I don't see my reply...  I have previously replaced the burner element and the power cord, but the drip pan has bad body cancer and is only half there, the rack holder is also on its last legs, the chip pan is about to fall apart, the racks are seriously pitted and now very hard to clean, you get the idea.  I very well might just buy a new Big Chief.  But first I am looking to hear from some other guys about their experiences.

 

Doug

[Spiel]

I bought this electric one (on sale) a few years back Doug after being bitterly disappointed with a propane smoker that proved to be a waste of money.

I like it, does a decent job and has a programmable heat control and a sturdy insulated housing.
I added handles to mine to make it easier to move about.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/masterbuilt-digital-4-rack-electric-wood-chip-vertical-smoker-0853144p.html#plp

[akaShag]

6 hours ago, Spiel said:

I bought this electric one (on sale) a few years back Doug after being bitterly disappointed with a propane smoker that proved to be a waste of money.

I like it, does a decent job and has a programmable heat control and a sturdy insulated housing.
I added handles to mine to make it easier to move about.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/masterbuilt-digital-4-rack-electric-wood-chip-vertical-smoker-0853144p.html#plp

Thanks!  I am looking at the ad but can't see if it uses regular wood chips, or the special puck things like a Bradley? 

 

I think Masterbuilt is the maker of the propane smoker I have at my hunt camp, and yes I do not care for it either.

[Spiel]

46 minutes ago, akaShag said:

Thanks!  I am looking at the ad but can't see if it uses regular wood chips, or the special puck things like a Bradley? 

 

I think Masterbuilt is the maker of the propane smoker I have at my hunt camp, and yes I do not care for it either.

It uses wood chips Doug. I generally buy the True North brand.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/true-north-apple-smokin-100-natural-smoking-wood-chips-for-bbq-and-smoker-2-lb-0853271p.html#plp

[akaShag]

6 minutes ago, Spiel said:

It uses wood chips Doug. I generally buy the True North brand.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/true-north-apple-smokin-100-natural-smoking-wood-chips-for-bbq-and-smoker-2-lb-0853271p.html#plp

Yes, same here.  CTC has one of these smokers in stock and I am going to have a look at it to see how the mechanism works.  THANKS!

Doug

[BillM]

On 7/2/2022 at 12:40 PM, akaShag said:

That's the point.  I am interested in hearing some opinions and experiences before I go same old, same old.  Looks like yours is a pellet smoker - are you willing to say the pros and cons for it?  My neighbour has a Traeger, and it smells AWESOME when he lights it up.  But he uses it pretty much as a grill, not a smoker so much.  No sense in me asking him how it works as a smoker...

Doug

Pros:  Simple to use, set it and forget it.  No need to babysit it for hours on end, just make sure the hopper is full.

Cons:  Some people say the food isn't 'smokey' enough.   These are usually guys that have/had stick burners.  Although if you want more 'smoke' flavour a lot of people toss a smoke tube in and that usually solves the problem.    Mine wasn't cheap however, probably around $1000CAD after it was all said and done.   But like my BBQs, I do my research and buy a decent one.   I've still got a Vermont Castings BBQ I bought in '06, still going strong.    

[mamona]

Very interesting topic... What about electric smoker and harsh weather? Say heavy rains or snow? Does it need to be sheltered?
 

[akaShag]

Just now, mamona said:

Very interesting topic... What about electric smoker and harsh weather? Say heavy rains or snow? Does it need to be sheltered?
 

I run mine on the back deck where it is mostly sheltered.  Real heavy rain would be a bad thing, not only for the possibility of a short, but also if the rain got into the unit through a vent, it would screw up the contents.  Snow is not so much an issue, but a howling snowstorm would give you issues about adequate heat.  I cover my Big Chief with a cardboard box in marginal weather.

[BillM]

11 minutes ago, mamona said:

Very interesting topic... What about electric smoker and harsh weather? Say heavy rains or snow? Does it need to be sheltered?
 

I run my pellet smoker in anything.  Winter time I move it into the garage so I don't have to keep cleaning the snow off it.    

[mamona]

Thank you guys.

[misfish]

For what I do, the big chief is more then enough. I pick my days for what ever I want to smoke. Like many that use this smoker, want heat, put a box over it. Summer time I have reached 190 deg. Plenty of heat IMO. Just takes a bit longer on some things.

 

[smitty55]

49 minutes ago, misfish said:

For what I do, the big chief is more then enough. I pick my days for what ever I want to smoke. Like many that use this smoker, want heat, put a box over it. Summer time I have reached 190 deg. Plenty of heat IMO. Just takes a bit longer on some things.

 

Totally agree, for some roasts and larger racks of ribs (3-2-1) I finish them in the oven but otherwise it does everything I need. I'm on my third one now but two still work.

[DanD]

On 7/1/2022 at 5:30 PM, akaShag said:

I have a propane-fired smoker at my hunt camp, brand IIRC is Masterbuilt or a similar name, but I have not got the hang of it and don't really like it.

Yeah I didn't like my propane smoker either at first. Its a dual burner Dyna-Glo. Liked everything about (roomy, good racking) it; but it was just to hot for my style of smoking.

Even with only one burner turned on, to its lowest setting and all the vents open; I could not get the temp below 225-250 degrees. I was roasting the meats, not smoking them low and slow. I was about ready to give up on the thing; but I paid to much for it to just sit there. Then I looked at my camp cooker and its temp control was was on the regulator.

So I took that adjustable regulator and put it on the smoker. I set both of the smoker's burner control knobs to high and then adjust the amount of heat I wanted with the regulator. It also now works great for prepping the smoker; as in getting the chips smoking by cranking up the heat until it gets a good roll of smoke going. Turn the reg down and by the time I get the smoker loaded with whatever I'm smoking; its at about the right temp. Make a few adjustment with either the reg or the smoker's control knobs and I now can control the heat to wherever temp I want. 

Dan...

 

[akaShag]

7 minutes ago, DanD said:

Yeah I didn't like my propane smoker either at first. Its a dual burner Dyna-Glo. Liked everything about (roomy, good racking) it; but it was just to hot for my style of smoking.

Even with only one burner turned on, to its lowest setting and all the vents open; I could not get the temp below 225-250 degrees. I was roasting the meats, not smoking them low and slow. I was about ready to give up on the thing; but I paid to much for it to just sit there. Then I looked at my camp cooker and its temp control was was on the regulator.

So I took that adjustable regulator and put it on the smoker. I set both of the smoker's burner control knobs to high and then adjust the amount of heat I wanted with the regulator. It also now works great for prepping the smoker; as in getting the chips smoking by cranking up the heat until it gets a good roll of smoke going. Turn the reg down and by the time I get the smoker loaded with whatever I'm smoking; its at about the right temp. Make a few adjustment with either the reg or the smoker's control knobs and I now can control the heat to wherever temp I want. 

Dan...

 

Brilliant!

[woodenboater]

love my Masterbuilt propane smoker. Wish it was larger or I could find more racks. I had a needle valve installed to get finer control and lower temps. Smoke with a Weber kettle as well (using a Slow n Sear in it) but it does need more babysitting some days.

[akaShag]

58 minutes ago, woodenboater said:

I had a needle valve installed to get finer control and lower temps.

How did you do this?  I saw Dan D's work-around with the second hose/regulator.  Is your needle valve installed on the smoker regulator/hose somehow?

[DanD]

The only thing I can think of is this "needle"/Tee valve installed between the regulator and the units burner(s)?

There's no reason that I can see why it wouldn't work to reduce gas flow to the burner? Cheaper then buying an adjustable regulator. Good idea!!!

Dan...

[akaShag]

I might be able to make that Masterbuilt propane smoker work for me after all..........right now it is just a decoration.

[DanD]

15 minutes ago, akaShag said:

right now it is just a decoration.

It could also double as a heater for the camp???? LOL

Sorry I had too!!!

Dan...

[akaShag]

1 hour ago, DanD said:

It could also double as a heater for the camp????

Maybe the front porch............