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Looking for a charcoal smoker - MCS
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I have the Kettle/SnS and have owned a WSM 18. If you need a charcoal grill also, then I would go with the Kettle/SnS, but you are losing a lot of capacity. If you are looking for strictly a smoker to replace the offset, then I would go with a WSM. jfmorris has already listed the advantages of the WSM.
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Hello all, thank you so much for the wonderful responses. It has opened my eyes to a couple of things I need to decide before I pull the trigger. With all of your input it looks like I should stay true to the Weber line of equipment and go with a kettle or WSM. Maybe down the road I could take it to the next level and jump up to the kamado's line/ price tag but I just don't seeing my other half letting me pull that big of a trigger! HAHA. I just need to decide what my true capacity needs are and how "flexible" I want the cooker to be. Obviously, I could just fire up ALL the cookers to get things done, but that is not always easy. So thank you again for your inputs, The Pit always comes through when you need them.
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I have a two Weber kettles, the 22 and the 26 (not counting the two smaller Joe's) and the WSM 22. If you want a dedicated smoker I'd go with the WSM 22. Lots of real estate to cook on and a pretty easy study. I also ahve a BGE XL but really haven't cooked on it much so can't give you any experienced based opinion on that.
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I think a big question for BigD is how much he needs to smoke at once, if he gets into smoking meat.
A 22" kettle + SnS can hold 2 butts, maybe 3 chickens split or spatchcocked, and 2 racks of ribs flat in the indirect zone. I use a rib rack and a hover grill to increase those capacities, and have done 5 or 6 racks of ribs at once, but it was tight, and I had to rotate things halfway through the cook. That said, the kettle+SNS is VERY fuel efficient, and easy to refuel for really long cooks, since the SNS is to the side of the kettle and you can rake the coals and easily add more.
The WSM has a side door, so refueling is easy as well. The WSM capacity is outlined well here:
Examples of the cooking capacity of the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. Capacity for chicken, pork ribs, pork butt, and brisket are shown in each cooker.
The PBC we all know can handle 8+ racks of ribs (hanging), 4 split chickens (hanging), 1 or 2 small turkeys, probably 2 butts, and I guess 1 or 2 briskets. Refueling is similar to on other drum smokers - you have to pull everything out and load more fuel from the top. That said, the hotter and more moist environment of the PBC cooks most meats faster than on other smokers, so often, no refueling is needed.
Only BigD can decide what his needs are. Capacity? Flexibility? Duel use as a charcoal grill?
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Along with capacity, the OP was looking for a smoker...
I like the versatility of the WSM. Good rack space, or use a hanger if so inclined. Water pan or no water pan...diffusion or not, operators choice. I also like the ability to control temperatures, low & slow to hot & fast. If I didn’t have the WSCGC I’d have another 22†WSM in a heartbeat.
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Capacity, especially in the 22" WSM. Also, flexibility. If you buy the Gateway 30 or 55 gallon drum hanger kits, they will work on the 18" or 22" kettle to let you dangle your ribs over the fire just like a PBC.
To me, where the PBC falls down is capacity for big hunks of meat like butts. A WSM 22 can hold 8, a WSM 18 can hold 6. With the PBC, 2 butts is about the limit, hanging, or grated. If you just cook ribs/chicken and never more than 1-2 butts or briskets, then the PBC is a rock star.Last edited by jfmorris; February 6, 2020, 10:57 AM.
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So, what gravity fed charcoal smokers would you recommend? Inquiring minds want to know! My smokers burn charcoal, and are fed by gravity (me dropping charcoal into them)...
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Get into charcoal with the PBC, especially if you only want a smoker. It's a great cooker for the price. Actually it's a great cooker for any price. It holds its own against the big boys (I have a Weber Summit Charcoal Grill/SnS/Kamado as well).
If you can afford it, get a 22" Weber kettle with the SnS as well. That way you'd have all bases covered. There isn't anything you couldn't smoke or grill with a PBC and a kettle/SnS combo.
For a smoker only, the nod for me would go to the PBC because of the volume it can hold and the price vs a kettle+SnS combo.
Kathryn
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Follow up question if I may: The kettle's main advantage seems to be versatility. What would be the advantage of a WSM over a kettle?
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Like DavidNorcross mentioned, the SNS Kamado is pretty nice looking. 2 zone coupled with a kamado. A few more dollars though.
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Lower costs.... Kettles (26 and 22) as I have 2 with the accessories. I love my kettles.
more money and quality are the Kamado. KJ, BGE and Primo.
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