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Seeking suggestions for a new charcoal smoker.

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    Seeking suggestions for a new charcoal smoker.

    I am looking to get a new smoker and can't decide which one to get. I don't want a round one with multiple pieces to take apart to clean. I already have that with the Weber Smokey Mt smoker. The two I am considering are The Good One and the Hasty Bake 256. I would appreciate if any one has one of these two tell me what they like or don't like about it.
    Thanks in advance,

    Barbara Lusk

    #2
    Hi Barbara - both the Hasty Bake 256 and The Good One Open Range are solid cookers to consider. I don't have either personally - but others here do. There are probably more Hasty Bake owners than The Good One owners. I am paging Mr. Bones to comment on their Open Range model, as he is the only person that comes to mind.

    I would point out that the designs of the two cookers are very different.

    The Hasty Bake is designed principally as a grill, but with its solid deflector installed, does an excellent job of smoking as well as baking. Without the deflector, the charcoal pan can be set at multiple levels from the main cooking grate, giving you a "Santa Maria" style grilling experience as well. And as they say in the review here on the free side of AR, it is one of Meathead 's favorite cookers, which is saying something! I think the grates are stainless steel, and should last forever.

    The Good One Open Range with its unique design can grill on the lower section, and smoke on the upper section - at the same time if you want. The upper smoking section has a stacking method for providing two grate levels, with one stacking on top of the other. All grates are expanded metal, which you will want to keep oiled until well seasoned, to prevent rust. I've got expanded metal grates on my smoker, but they are made from stainless expanded, so rust is not an issue. I don't think the grates are stainless on the Good One, but maybe that is an option. Overall the Good One Open Range gives you somewhat of an offset smoker type arrangement, but I will point out that on their website, they say that it is a charcoal fueled cooker - I don't think the lower cooking chamber is heavy duty enough or sized for burning logs like some offset smokers. I think its more a charcoal and wood chunk cooker.

    In reading the reviews and spec sheets on both, I think that the Hasty Bake has more overall space if you want to grill OR smoke (but not both at the same time). The Good One has smaller grates, and if only grilling, less overall space. If smoking, the stacked grates provide about the same space as the main cooking grate on the Hasty Bake, but with some vertical space limitations - for example, if cooking 6 boston butts, they say that the two on the upper grate have to be butterflied to fit.

    All in all, you can do a lot with either one. If I had to pick, I would say that the Hasty Bake is the more versatile cooker, as it can grill, smoke, bake and emulate a Santa Maria in some senses while grilling. And it has a little more space. The Good One Open Range is a very unique and cool looking cooker in its own right, and if you want more of an offset smoker experience, may serve the bill better.

    Ok, now that I wrote a novel on the two options you mentioned, have you thought about vertical charcoal smokers such as the ones from Backwoods, like the Chubby or G2? It's more of a cabinet smoker, but if you are strictly looking for a charcoal smoker, and not a drum type like your Weber Smokey Mountain, its something to look at. https://www.backwoods-smoker.com

    Also, I see that you did not mention offsets, but charcoal, so I am not going there. I have an offset, and rarely use it because I usually don't have time to deal with constant fire management, and I prefer to smoke with charcoal and get some sleep...
    Last edited by jfmorris; November 19, 2019, 11:34 AM.

    Comment


    • jfmorris
      jfmorris commented
      Editing a comment
      I think with both cookers, I would learn it a little first before modifying it with a fan. They ought to both be able to be setup to run for hours and be stable without a fan, but if you are used to one with your WSM, I am sure they can be setup with it too.

      Thanks, but nope - not a KCBS judge, and while I've been to the Whistle Stop, its been a few years. I want to enter it in the "shade tree" category, but my 3 kids getting married 2018, 2019 and now 2020 keeps interfering with going...

    • Meathead
      Meathead commented
      Editing a comment
      There is no way you could mount a fan on a HB. There are just too many leaks.

    • jfmorris
      jfmorris commented
      Editing a comment
      Meathead that was kinda what I was thinking, glad to hear you confirm it. I am guess it really doesn't need one in the long run, once you learn the cooker and the right technique for setup for low and slow or hot and fast.

    #3
    I agree with jfmorris . Are you aware that we have Max Good a full time grill and smoker tester and he has a database of more than 500 grills and smokers with ratings and reviews and photos and videos? You can search by price, fuel, etc. Use that to start your search narrow down the field, and ask Max for help. https://amazingribs.com/ratings-revi...smoker-reviews

    Comment


    • Barbara
      Barbara commented
      Editing a comment
      Yes, I have used the search tool to find a charcoal smoker with a Platinum or Gold rating. That is how I selected the two smokers I was asking about. I also read the reviews you wrote on both smokers. Thank you for your reviews.

    • Meathead
      Meathead commented
      Editing a comment
      Great! I think you've zeroed in on my two faves. Tough choice from there.

    • Barbara
      Barbara commented
      Editing a comment
      When you cooked on the HB did you use lump charcoal or regular charcoal? The HB site recommends lump charcoal which burns hotter. I wonder if you use regular charcoal it would be easier to maintain a lower temp?
      In your review you mentioned "precise measuring of the coals". Can you give me a hint as to what precise measuring" is? Did you start with a certain amount of coals and add more till you were able to maintain a temp of 225? It must take a fair amount of trial runs to get it right

    #4
    M1 grills can use both charcoal and wood. They are similar to Hasty Bake but overbuilt to last a long time.

    Lone Star Grill and Smoker.

    Cabinet smokers allow for for lots of cooking space and are insulated and very efficient.

    Weber Summit Charcoal is round but easy to use.




    Comment


    • Barbara
      Barbara commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks for the info. I will look them up.

    #5
    Yup with the Max Avenue.

    Comment


      #6
      Get a Stumps! They have any size you could need.

      Comment


      • Barbara
        Barbara commented
        Editing a comment
        I am afraid they cost a "little" more than I want to spend on a back yard smoker.

      #7
      Barbara, on break right now from recordin some tracks, but I will try my dangdest to give ya a more personal viewpoint on th Good One Open Range, as my time permits...soon!
      Ain't never been unhappy with it, or any of it's mannerisms, quality, build, operation, nuthin...
      Time er two, wished it was a lil larger...
      Gotta Go!

      Comment


      • jfmorris
        jfmorris commented
        Editing a comment
        Mr. Bones I know vertical space with the 2 grates on the smoking portion is limited. Can you fit a couple of large turkeys up there? I usually end up smoking two 20 pounders every Thanksgiving. The cooking grate(s) up there are 11x30, so it seems it might be tough to fit a spatchcocked turkey (or two) up there?

      #8
      Barbara with Thanksgiving coming up, and while we wait on Mr. Bones to respond above, I think you need to consider whether your new smoker/grill can handle big items like a turkey. The Good One Open Range has 3 total cooking grates, all 11" deep x 30" wide. One for grilling, two for smoking (stacked on top of each other). You need to consider whether you like to do things like smoke a turkey, and if a turkey (spatchcocked or not) could fit well on the Good One Open Range. I'm thinking the smoker chamber on the Open Range is more optimized towards brisket, ribs and butts than it is something as large as a turkey.... making the Hasty Bake 256 with its larger primary grate a better choice for those type items... The Hasty Bake certainly appears to have more vertical clearance for a non-spatchcocked bird as well.
      Last edited by jfmorris; November 20, 2019, 09:33 AM.

      Comment


        #9
        Speaking of Hasty Bake. I am testing their new 357 model and it is sweeeet. It is based on the older models but has numerous refinements, including a $3400 price tag.
        This product is made to order - please estimate roughly 3 weeks for shipping   Welcome to the evolution of the Hasty Bake 357 PRO Series. Introducing the all-new high-performance Hasty Bake 357 PRO charcoal grill. Take your BBQ craft to the next level. Featuring a revolutionary ergonomic hood, the 357 PRO is specifical

        Comment


          #10
          Something to consider is the 20% off sale at Hasty Bake through 12/2:

          I went to the Hasty Bake website today (Nov 20) and saw they're having a 20% off sale through December 2. https://www.hastybake.com/

          Comment


            #11
            Besides the two you listed, I'm looking forward to Max Good getting a chance to review the Masterbuilt Gravity Series charcoal grill and smoker. It might be gimmicky but it looks promising.

            Comment


            • jfmorris
              jfmorris commented
              Editing a comment
              Yes, that rig looks VERY interesting. Like a charcoal fueled pellet style rig. Will we call it a charcoal pooper?

            • tbob4
              tbob4 commented
              Editing a comment
              jfmorris - I will call it MCS until Max tells why it shouldn't be.

            #12
            Barbara I use whatever charcoal I have on hand, usually briqs. When I speak of precise measuring, I know, for example, that a Weber chimney holds 80 briqs. That is a fairly precise amount of energy every day of the week. Temp is directly related to number of briqs. Because lumps range in size from small chips to softball size, they burn unevenly and the volume and surface area varies everytime I fill a chimney. I can't get consistency. And I talked with Richard Alexander (HB owner) about why he recommends lump and his explanation was because he thinks it is more natural. We discussed the issue and he said he never heard my arguments for briqs. I think he went away scratching his head.

            Comment


            • Barbara
              Barbara commented
              Editing a comment
              I am sorry for the delay in getting back with you, I have been really busy. Thank you for your in put, I appreciate it.

            #13
            I've I have had a hasty bake for years and presently have 3 of them. I used nothing but Kingsford blue for the first several years on my original Hasty bake and it worked like a charm. I have since switched to all natural lump or all-natural briquettes made from compressed lump and usually a corn starch binder. I know some will argue that you can't tell a difference between Kingsford blue and natural lump or compressed natural lump but I think I can so I use those. For really long Cook's I use natural briquettes, but for everything else I use natural lump. Low and slow or hot and fast, it's all about getting to know your rig and getting familiar with it and taking into consideration the atmospheric conditions

            Comment


              #14
              Thanks so much for your input. I appreciate all the help I can get.

              Comment

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