camp Chef 18 or 24?

[AndyB]

Just join the Pitmaster club and am excited to start cooking. Only two of us at home these days, love to cook for others but that is usually 3 or 4 others. Would a Camp Chef 18 be adequate, or should I step up to the 24?

Many thanks for your help

AndyB

[Huskee]

Welcome aboard Andy! I can promise you this much- you'll never wish you'd have gotten the smaller one instead! That extra 6" multiplied by 3 grates could be a few more racks of ribs you'll have room for. You can still put a small piece of meat in a big smoker! Are you dead set on a gas rig?

[AndyB]

Electric vs gas? Looks to me that Meathead is in the gas camp so I was just following his wisdom....should I consider other smokers?

[Huskee]

I would suggest that you familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of each type of smoker so you can be best prepared for your purchase. Electrics tend to rate lowest in the flavor category, but are very easy to operate. Gas are better flavor wise, since there's actual combustion which affects your flavor differently. Charcoal and wood are the best tasting rigs but are also the most hands-on. If you're not interested in charcoal I would suggest a gas rig not electric. If you are open to whatever, I'd say consider a charcoal/wood setup.

[Jerod Broussard]

Like Huskee said, the 24 is a beast, but the most common regret people always have is not getting one size bigger.

[Max Good]

WELCOME! The 24" is mighty big. On the other hand, your kitchen oven is probably big too, but when you need the extra capacity, you're glad it's there.

[Huskee]

One more thing Andy- when you get a minute, check out Pit Boss' Welcome & Announcements channel, as well as the tips posts in that channel. These will help you learn your way around The Pit, as well as set up your signature. There's also a post that explains the best way to post nice big pics here... we like to see bragging pictures of whichever smoker you get your hands on, and your cooks too. We look forward to hearing more from you! Enjoy!

[theroc]

I've had the 24-inch for about a year and a half now and love it. Usually just cooking for my wife and myself, but its nice to not have to cut rib slabs to fit in the smoker, which I think would be necessary with the 18-inch. And every once in a while, I do have occasion to load it up, so having the extra space comes in handy (think Thanksgiving turkeys). A new development is that my neighbor now knows when I'm starting the smoker and comes over asking if we can throw on a couple of things for him and his family! So we're very happy we got the larger pit.