Has anyone used this? I was thinking about this after hearing about it on the BBQ Central show. Any thoughts or feedback?
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Well hell, you and me both.
I'm way ahead of you - I ordered 2 (one each for my WSM 18 and WSM 22).
I read a bunch of reviews and decided to pull the trigger. MCS and all...
I've been wanting to cook direct, with no water pan. But I wanted an even dispersal of heat. And since I haven't bought anything related to BBQ in over a week, I felt entitled to order these.
But I just got the plate to set on top of my Weber charcoal ring. $33 bux apiece.
https://www.hunsakersmokers.com/coll...ate-plate-only
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I own the Vortex plate on my WSM 22" and really like it. I've gotten rid of the water pan and have been using the Gateway rack to mostly hang ribs on it. The heat is really evenly dispersed and I can hold temp quite easily.Comment
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Just bumping this thread to see if any updated feedback?Comment
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While I like the looks of their hanger, and may order one some day, I think the Vortex is a little overkill. I have no problems using the water pan, and the Vortex takes away the option of being able to pour in more briquettes if needed.Comment
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I understand the concept and if dshaffes has had good luck with his then it sounds promising. Quite frankly with fan control on my WSMs and no water pan ever, I've had great luck. I can't believe adding a new heat dispersion gadget would benefit the outcome of my cooks significantly. I also wonder about your maintenance. My WSMs get really nasty from smoke buildup and I have to pressure wash them from time to time. I'd be afraid the vortex would get all nasty from grease drippage as well. Just something else to have to maintain. My motto has become KISS.
But hey, not trying to be a boo bird, if it works for you great !! I just don't really see the need personally.Comment
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I got one a few weeks ago for my 18†WSM. I tried it out as soon as I got it. I had a few chicken thighs In the freezer so I put them on the top grate just to have something for the smoker to cook. Here are my initial observations.
The Good: Very well made! This will last a lifetime. There is definitely a swirling "vortex" effect with how the smoke rises. Temps are even throughout the smoker. The basket allows for more charcoal to be used. The charcoal seems to last longer, although I haven’t timed a basket full from start to finish.
The Meh: I can see how replenishing the charcoal will be a pain. If the bottom grate is removed it should be relatively easy, otherwise, I don’t see how the cover can be accessed and lifted without separating the top and bottom halves of the smoker.
The Bad: Forget about using a waterpan, unless the bottom grate catches are raised somehow. The basket handle in the center of the cover is about an inch higher than the cover. This handle is pretty even with the bottom grate. So if a waterpan is needed, the bottom grate catches need to be raised at least an inch or 2 (or more) depending on the depth of the waterpan being used.
Now that Turkey Day is behind us, I plan on smoking a slab of ribs this weekend on the WSM and will use the vortex. We’ll see how it goes.Comment
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I smoked a rack of ribs on my 18†WSM using the Vortex Charcoal basket Sunday and was very impressed with charcoal efficiency. I held the smoker at 225° with the assistance of a BBQ Guru DigiQ for 10 hours. I filled up the basket with Jealous Devil lump charcoal and some chunks of post oak. I closed all vents after 10 hours. This morning I cleaned the WSM and this is what was left of the Jealous Devil.
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