Smoker opinions

[vortex]

Hi all. I am looking at getting am electric smoker soon. Just wanted to see what people have and what they like and dislike about them. I am most likely going to go with the master built 40" digital with the window from cables. What do you all think?

[^rotohead^]

Hey long time lurker here. I recently bought a masterbuilt digital smoker as well. One with the window in the door and the controls at the back on the top. I've been told this is a 'gen 1' and is better then the 'gen 2' version. I bought it at home depot with free shipping to my door last summer. Made brisket, ribs and turkey in it so far. Love it.

[Xbolt7mm]

Originally Posted by vortex

Hi all. I am looking at getting am electric smoker soon. Just wanted to see what people have and what they like and dislike about them. I am most likely going to go with the master built 40" digital with the window from cables. What do you all think?

What is your primary goal. ie what do you plan to smoke. The "fridge" type Bradly, master built are perfect jerky machines but can do larger stuff too like briskets, smaller turkeys, pork shoulder but these can be overwhelmed with too much meat as there needs to be room for the heat/smoke to get around the meat. They are also a smoke only. No searing. The masterbuilts, I believe need to have the chips loaded regularly and the Bradley will load by itself for over four hours and heat for over nine hours without a reset. Bradley's can be a little on the cold side during winter smokes unless you insulate or add an element, not sure about the masterbuilts in this regard. I ran three briskets in my 6 rack bradley and blew out the fusible link so I lost my factory element but the second one kept working. Bradley told me that it was way too much for the smoker and said if I want a commercial smoker I should get one lol, but they did send me the part for free. Now I do that and more on a gmg with no trouble
The electric pellet smokers are certainly not ideal for jerky but excel at the larger cuts, multiple briskets, shoulders and bigger turkeys or combinations of each, traigers reach 450 degrees which is a bit low for searing steaks unless you have grillgrates. Gmg's hit 550 and will sear but that temp is about the minimum for steaks if you want sear marks on the meat. Pellet grills are about twice the cost of the fridge style and they are kind off both different tools. There are other types of both kinds of smokers out there so maybe others who have used them will contribute. Just all my humble opinions from my own experiences so the haters don't jump all over me.

[bat119]

I have a Bradley digital, it only has a 500 watt heater element works great in the summer not so good when its cold or windy. The pucks can get pricey too when smoking for long periods. I have been thinking about upgrading the element to a little chief type 1200 watt in the bottom just haven't got around to it.

[sharpstick]

I would suggest goggling smoker reviews. I spent a few months reviewing smokers before I bought mine. I wanted simple, set it and forget it, went with a RecTec pellet smoker.
I'm very happy with it and have ordered 31 more of them for friends and family.
You just need to figure out what you want to use it for and how much time you have to play with them. A charcoal/stickburner will consume more time as you are tending a fire and controlling air/vent flow to get your desired temps. I would recommend staying away from propane as there is nothing worse than running out of propane in the middle of a cook. If you plan on using it for grilling as well, not sure you will get the temps required with the Master Built. There are so many styles, makes and models out there so make sure you do your homework. If you go on many smoking forums, you will see what most guys are using. Have fun searching, I learned a whole lot about BBQ'ing and its my new hobby...

Cheers,

SS

[tirebob]

I am a stick burner when it comes to smoking so I can't really say one brand is better than another, but you need to absolutely consider what it is you plan on smoking as many of the cheaper smaller options will not really have the space to do larger amounts of meat nor the juice to heat enough in certain situations. If you plan on being pretty serious about it and smoke for more people, I would consider saving up for a better unit, or scour kijiji. There are some great deals that come up on smokers as many people want to do it but find out they just are not into doing it and sell their gear off...

[silver]

I have a Masterbuilt smoker and I am happy with it. This is my second one, got 8 or 9 years out of my first one, was happy so I bought another. The thermostat only goes up to 275f I think, but it will make that temp in the winter.

[A-Baum]

For electric smokers, I would highly recommend getting a traeger. Easy set it and forget it. It's a little pricey, but it makes some great food. I had it for years before getting my Big Green Egg, which I would recommend if you ever graduate to charcoal cooking.

[Xbolt7mm]

"Graduate",,,, here we go! Ya had to do it?

[HighlandHeart]

Love my big green egg, great barbecue but a terrible smoker, unless you like having to take food out to add coals or chips or don't want the option to cold smoke. The cheap barrel smoker with an offset firebox was a much better option for smoking salmon and brisket for 6-8 hours. Graduating to charcoal BBQ? Lol.

[sharpstick]

I guess I "un graduated" as I went from a charcoal/stickburner Horizon smoker to a set it and forget it pellet grill. Its not a question of which brand/type or model that you need to know, as they will all make good food. You need to figure out how you want to smoke your food and then narrow down your brands. There are several ways to smoke food. Electric burners/elements that provide the heat and you just have a tray for wood chips or pellets to smoke in, Propane for heat and same as electric for smoke, charcoal chunks/stick burners for heat and add real wood chunks for smoke, pellet grills burn wood pellets for your heat and smoke. Bradleys burn their pressed sawdust pucks... And many more I'm sure I missed. Point is, there is many ways to smoke food and many options out there. Do some research and decide what way you want to do it, that way you can narrow down your search on brands, and types.
Warning, its an addicting hobby. You will wonder why you didn't start sooner.

Happy smoking.

SS

[moose_hunterette]

well I may not be much helpin your decision nor do I know if I am graduated or un-graduated in smoking



I was given a the original bradley...no digital ....I plug it in and it feeds the pucks that I load it with.......... it has one element that I have yet to replace (touch wood so I dont jinx it) It sits outside in all weather with no protection from snow,rain or BC tropical heat........ it has been Frankinsteined because the door kept falling off.......... I have abused the crap out of this smoker...... and I love it to every last spark it gives me and it has smoked some pretty fantastic creations that have yet to disappoint me.

My smoking training has come from my daddy who taught me with a hot plate, or an old coffee can with briquettes, a cast iron pan with wood shavings and a card board box with wire coat hangers inside........... eventually he built a wood box with racks but smokin in my family was learnin pretty rustic..............

my point being........people make too much out of what type of smoker yall should buy or use.......... it's all in what type of skills ya got to make that smoker work for you.......

I smoke all year round........ and I smoke everything that is tempting to try.......

But of course this is just my opinion from my Culinary secrets cabin........

good luck
Alison

oh one last thing..... I even smoke inside my house on a stove top smoker.....ya would never that I was smokin in my kitchen.... no smoker smell at all.... culinary secrets..........

[Opa]

I had the good fortune to get a stainless steel milk cooler(15 cu.ft.)that was scrapped by one of the local educational institutions, which I upgraded to a smoker. I installed a thermost linked to the electric burner and have had nothing but good success in smoking anything, bacon, hams, sausages, fish and smoke cooking fresh meats. The neighbours heads all come out of their houses like badgers peeking out of their holes, when they smell the smoke happening. Usually done with willow, saskatoon, maple or chokecherry, depending on the contents. Can't beat it with a stick. I learned the curing & smoking art from my immigrant father(German)on the farm back in Sunny Sask.

[Alberta83]

I also have a masterbuilt, 30" I believe. I've had it for about 4 years now and I love it. Like someone said previously, it will hold temperature no problem in the winter it just takes a bit longer to get warmed up. I would buy another one in an instant

[last minute]

I also have a Masterbuilt love it done brisket many times pork shoulder chicken quarters fish ribs beef and pork also like the fact that I have to put the chips in them below I don't like that hockey puck type chips the Bradley has good luck in your decision

[wolfriver]

I'm running a green mountain grill
Love it, actually doing some fattys right now

[Red Bullets]

I don't own an electric smoker but I was wondering if the electric smoker users can buy willow pucks? Willow smoke on whitefish and certain game jerky is so good.

[Kristopher10]

A friend and I picked up a Bradley original smoker around Christmas time. Haven't done a crazy amount of smoking with it, but so far everything that has come out of it has been delicious. The auto puck feeder is nice when for when you're out in the yard doing whatever, don't need to worry about forgetting to put your chips in.

[Vigilante]

I have a Bradley Original and I really like it. The pucks really can get a bit pricey, but I love to be able to wake up, put a pork shoulder or 2 in, and go back to bed (or whatever you want to do with your free time).

[Xbolt7mm]

Originally Posted by Vigilante

I have a Bradley Original and I really like it. The pucks really can get a bit pricey, but I love to be able to wake up, put a pork shoulder or 2 in, and go back to bed (or whatever you want to do with your free time).

This^^^^the new ones can be hooked to you cell phone, gmg has a app that to be released soon that allows you to hook your smoker to wifi and then you can access it with your iPhone from anywhere, currently you have to be within about a hundred feet as the smoker produces its own wifi with limited range These too work just like the quote above. I know there are people here that have some of the "off the beaten path" smokers be nice to hear from them, would be interesting.

[PartTimeHunter]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

I don't own an electric smoker but I was wondering if the electric smoker users can buy willow pucks? Willow smoke on whitefish and certain game jerky is so good.

Bradley does not make a willow puck. Never thought of it - might be a good idea to send the request in.If they get enough requests they might look at it.

[vortex]

I love this forum thx for all the replys i have done alot if looking into smokers and think the masterbuilt will be the one for me. For cold smoking i have a a-mazing pellet tub it puts out lots of smoke it would go in the bottom and runs for 4 hours plus on .5 lb of pellets. And wood chips are alot cheeper the the bradly pucks. And the masterbuilt 40" has more room. And is less expensive then the bradly. I would love a pellet smoker but a little out of the price range. Thx all for your options.

[MadMarty911]

I bought a bradley 6 rack smoker and the cold smoke attachment. Im perfectly happy with it and I dont use half the smoke pucks they tell you to and I find it amazing.

[A Sittn Duck]

I have the same MasterBuilt Smoker you are talking about getting. My only recommendation is to have another thermometer to see how accurate the digital display really is. It seems that mine is off, so it is just something to keep in mind. Otherwise, it's a great smoker!