MCS is running HOT!!!! What do you guys think of this little number?

[Spinaker]

What do you guys think? This little thing would be pretty sweet to add to the collection. I have never used one of these units before, But I know these are Silver Medal on AR and people like them. $400 for this unit. Is this a good deal or not? Thanks!!

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/r...016268057.html

[tbob4]

What would you see yourself using it for? I have no experience with it so I am just putting that question into your head to answer yourself.

[Mr. Bones]

Brother, tell me what this decidedly cool cooker can do, that yer KBQ n' PBC cannot, besides give ya some more quality real estate fer bigger cooks.
On it's own, it's a fine cooker; jus' wanna hear how it stacks up against yer fleet, an' why.
Highly Value yer experience, an' prowess!!!
Heck I might run across one someday on CL...
Based on my cookers, I'd think it was dropped off by Aliens, an jump all over it, blindly.

[edible hen]

It seems like a good deal, but where is it gonna fall in the usage chain/flavor profiles you already have with KBQ, PBC, Kamado, Kettle/SNS?

[Dr ROK]

I have had one for over 20 years and it's still going strong. Pork butt over a pan of beans is heaven. They also do fantastic on brisket.

[BBQbot]

I have one of these, here's my overall impression from some years of use:
1. Smoke flavor is very mild, not my preference, but I've had guests that really like it.
2. Some uneveness in heat distribution - hotspot directly over the heating element.
3. Seems to be pretty durable, it's still going since my purchase 15 years ago. Only issue I had was the door latch breaking, but wasn't hard to fix.
5. Because heat is from electric heating element, I never get a smoke ring - if that makes a difference to you. Some say you can add some briquettes into the heating chamber, but this never really mattered to me.
4. I primarily use it now if I'm cooking a lot for a big party, and need more space to cook. It's basically my backup smoker.

Seems like a good price!

[Nate]

Get it

[bcostlow]

Nice that he's willing to deliver but it's harder to say no if he does that and it doesn't tickle the MCS nerve. I'd definitely go check it out though.

[LA Pork Butt]

Do you want to be talked into it or out of it? As I remember you have a collection of cookers. Will this bring you up to a different cooker for each day of the week or are you already there? Every cooker is something to take care of. Will it do something your other cookers can or can't do? But, maybe it is enough to take the challenge of conquering another cooker. I think that challenge is the real driving force behind MCS along with the fact that we can't resist a bargain. Either way you can't go wrong if you can afford it and are satisfied with the results.

[RonB]

I have the Smokette Elite - the next size up. It's a well built and easy to operate smoker. It is set and forget, but no alarms to tell you when meat is done.
There is a pan for wood, and it comes with wood chunks, but I could never get the chunks to burn, so I made foil wood chip packets and they did work. I tried adding several briquettes, but they didn't add a smoke ring. The smoke flavor is not strong, but adding more chips might solve that problem. I have to cut racks of ribs in half to get them to fit and that effectively cuts the number of ribs I can smoke at one time in half.
They no longer offer a painted unit, so I have no idea how old it is.

I haven't used it since I bought the SnS... If you were closer, you could have mine for $400.

[AdamJG]

I don't have an opinion on whether you should buy it or not.. I'm just happy to have some reassurance that I'm not the only one hopping on craigslist regularly and typing "smoker" in the search bar with hopes of coming across a new toy.

[Spinaker]

Thanks guys. I think I am gonna let this one slide. I defiantly don't need it. But I do want a cabinet smoker at some point. This one came up and I thought I would ask. This is also a pretty small unit. i think I need to wait until I find a slightly bigger one.

Thanks for your input.

[Huskee]

They're great for jerky and smoked fish. Set-it-forget-it, no loading. I say if you do a lot of jerky & fish it might be worth a second thought. I do agree you probably won't be terribly happy with ribs or brisket from it, compared to your live fire cookers.

[Spinaker]

Yeah thats what I was thinking. I was looking at it for jerky though, but I don't make enough for it to be worth it.

[Steve R.]

Good call, Spinaker. I sold my electric smoker on Craigslist immediately once I learned to smoke with the Weber kettle/SnS combo and haven't missed it. I actually can see it being useful if you don't want to spend a ton of time tending the fire in live fire cookers. I'm thinking get to the stall and then transfer to the electric to finish. Kind of like a portable outdoor oven.

[DWCowles]

Walk away Spinaker get yourself a real smoker (stickburner) you don;t need a damn old electric smoker

[Spinaker]

I walked.