PBC or WSM

[FireMan]

In examining yer post you answered yer own question, the PBC. If it matters, they also back our monthly give away, just sayin.

[Richard Chrz]

I have the 22 wsm, it is super easy to run, i have hanging racks and other accessories on it. I love the capacity, never have even looked at a pit barrel or other in person. But the fan club here certainly have convinced me that they are good cookers, so likely cant go wrong.

[radiodome21]

I had never heard of Oklahoma Joe so when I was looking at smokers many moons ago I was looking at the WSM and PBC, though I wasn’t that interested in the PBC. I won a free 18.5 WSM and I like it but kind of wish I held out for the larger 22. I did watch Max’s video review of the Oklahoma Joe and have to say that I probably would’ve gone with that. Never under estimate the importance of wheels. Metal mesh gasket and side tables are also really nice.

[Richard Chrz]

"wheels..." absolutely!

[Steve R.]

Yep, wheels are good. Especially the bigger wheels. I had the wheel kit on my WSM 22", but they were small enough that I was always afraid they would get stuck while rolling it and the thing would tip over. Plus, there was no real handle to pull and guide it.

[tstalafuse]

Just gonna say, I don't live on property that is conducive to small 2in wheels, so big old wagon wheels are a plus and a half.. just sayin...

[tstalafuse]

I recently bought both the Bronco and Bronco Pro and have become a fan. The Bronco is 18in and the Pro is 22in. They both come with a cooking grate, more hooks to hang meat than I have friends to come over and eat, and you can add a second cooking grate if you are like me and are not comfortable with the idea of hanging meat. Isn't the meat just going to fall off into the fire once it becomes tender? They say the meat won't, but I am not one to miss a meal. They both come with one side shelf and another rod type shelf to hang the hooks and cooking grate, but if you are like Panhead John a second full shelf can be added. The lid is hinged and comes with a kevlar gasket so running the wires for temp probes is easy and they won't become pinched. I think the wagon wheels, heavier gauge metal, and ability to control at lower temps have already been mentioned.

I used both extensively this past weekend and was very pleased with how they performed. Temps were very steady and easy to maintain using B&B Oak Charcoal Briquets. The one time I used lump coal, the temps required much closer attention, which I think had to do with the irregular size of the lumps lighting at different rates vs the briquets.

[Uncle Bob]

second shelf is such a useful tool, not only for extra cooking real estate but also for holding drip pans, running a vortex, particularly for wicked sear, and for moving the center of heat zone to off center locations.

[tstalafuse]

Panhead John my middle name is "operator error"...

[tstalafuse]

Uncle Bob yes, I am fully in agreement with the second shelf holding drip pans...

[Purc]

I want to thank everyone who expressed their advice, opinions and experiences on my questions regarding these smokers! That's what makes this site and every member of the Pit so valuable. What a wealth of shared knowledge you all have. I was never thinking about an OJ Bronco or a PBC until now. I wish I had the space for 3 or 4 more cookers. I am on my second Weber kettle and there are many options but if I'm going to purchase another smoker, I want (not need) the space of the OJ Bronco Pro, WSM 22 or similar. I do know that I want to stay with charcoal as a fuel. Thank you all again and I will show a photo of my purchase when it happens because I know the rules, without pics, it didn't happen.

[ecowper]

Best of luck and you will love either the Bronco Pro or the WSM 22, I am sure

[surfdog]

So after following this thread, I’ve decided that I hate you all! ROFL
I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a Bronco Pro… Darn near ordered one the other day.
Do I "need" one? Of course not! But that’s never stopped me before.
The difference is that now I can blame my shenanigans on someone else. LOL
"I didn’t say you did it. I said I’m going to blame you." ;-)
If they weren’t out of stock locally, it would probably be there before I got back to SoCal. Sheesh
MCS is real!

[Steve R.]

I'm right there with you. I clicked on a thread about the OKJ Bronco Pro being on sale recently. I had no intention of buying one, and was only stirring the MCS pot for fun, but I ended up ordering mine within a few hours.

My FIL says I'm impulsive; I tell him "No, I'm decisive!"

[jhapka]

Before I bought my PBC I had an SNS and 22" kettle. Built up the PBC in my head to be this foolproof cooker that would be perfect. Cooked 'too hot' and that's actually why I joined the pit to find out what was wrong with it. Read the PBC channel top to bottom. 'Just let the PBC do its thing.' Disillusioned (for some dumb reason). Quit using it and I moved on to a few other cookers. Now I'm having a renaissance with it and I love it and am not sure why I haven't been using it. PBC PBC PBC

[Uncle Bob]

I suspect your story resonates with many of us here in the pit. Each cooker, no matter the design, fuel source, manufacturer, requires understanding it's "quirks". Some can't or won't work to learn, others put in the effort which, in time, changes problems into tools to reach a desired objective/result.

[Purc]

My son and I are heading out to an Academy Sports to look at a OJ Bronco and Pro this morning. My local store had neither. My first in person look at these cookers.

[Panhead John]

I remember the first time I saw a Bronco at my local Academy. I hadn’t bought mine yet nor had I heard about it here on AR. I was just casually looking at all the different cookers they had. For some reason I kept being drawn back to the Bronco, it looked like nothing I’d ever seen before, I mean that in a good way. I was impressed with the build quality. Never even thought about buying one. Then Uncle Bob posted, describing its attributes over the PBC. And I ain’t looked back since….

[Finster]

Get er done..
I see a cook in your near future... like tomorrow 🤣

[Purc]

Well, I am impressed by the Broncos! This Academy Sports in Keller TX has quite a BBQ section including Pitts and Spitts. They had both the Bronco and Bronco Pro side by side. The Broncos appear to have great build quality and very versatile. I set up the hanging racks and the grilling options. I hate to admit it, but the Pro is most likely more than I need. Since both wives went plus one wheelchair, we had no room today, but I really like the Bronco over the WSM.I do believe a Bronco is in my future! Again, thank y'all for your advice.

[Sid P]

No surprise here 😎. If you’re not in a hurry, they seem to go on sale fairly frequently.

[DTro]

Purc I went with 18. Sure wish it came in Bronco orange though. On big cooks you can hang the meat. I have not had to cook more than I could fit in it yet and I cooked for a party of 20 with a slight assist from my kettle- see here. I did buy a second OK Joe grate and a second shelf. I have cooked 3 whole chickens one time and on another occasion seven racks of ribs, hanging. If you get a brisket that is too big for the grate you can hang it for the first couple hours of the cook and put it on the grate after is shrinks.

[jitsntricks]

I've got them both. It depends on what I cook really. I cook ribs and chicken (spatchcock or thighs are my go to) and turkey on the PBC. I cook tri tip, pork butt, and ribs on the WSM. I have the WSM if I want to keep the temps a bit lower (around 250), I use PBC for hot and fast. Also with the meat dripping onto the hot coals of the PBC you get kind of unique flavor profile.

[Spinaker]

I would go with the PBC all day. I have both the XL and 3 regular PBCs. I love them all. They are easy to use and once you get a few cooks under your belt, they are a breeze. The WSM has a lot of parts and it does not seal the best. Don;t get me wrong, they work well, but given the choice.......I bought two more 18" and got an XL PBC instead of getting a WSM. The steel on the PBCs is plenty thick and they last. I still use my first generation PBC from 2014, she is still going strong out on the farm after 100's of cooks and lots of abuse. When it comes down to it, the PBC is a Barrel, some rebar, a basket and hooks. No door, water pans, a bunch of grates at different levels. The PBC also has great capacity, especially if you go with the PBC XL.

A friend of mine has a WSM and I used to borrow it when I was cooking for a huge group of people. Needless to say, I found that the PBCs ran better and so I got more of them.

As for the broncos, I have heard good things about them too. But never cooked on them.

[klflowers]

I have an 18" wsm and a bronco. They are both excellent cookers. I have had the wsm for 20+ years, but the Bronco beats it out. The only advantage to the wsm is portability. The Bronco is a heavy beast and it won't move from its current position even with the wheels.