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**Bob's BBQ** · August 2, 2022, 01:01 PM

If you're talking primarily a smoker, can't believe no one has mentioned a PBC. Small footprint, easy to use, great for chicken and ribs.

**Murdy** · August 2, 2022, 01:39 PM

Originally posted by DaveD View Post

She's now reached the point where she doesn't need to stage there anymore

Incredible, I thought no such point existed. Perhaps my wife suffers from MPS (More Plant Syndrome?)

**glitchy** · August 2, 2022, 02:51 PM

I’ll throw a little more info out for the WSK suggestions. I had a Performer before and wouldn’t go back. Don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a Performer, but the WSK just does things better. It can automate itself right out of the box and run for 20 plus hours on a load of fuel. It’s has double wall insulation (air gap) so it’s close to the efficiency of a ceramic, but can be snuffed out and cool down within a couple hours after cooking. If it’s price is out of range, they do show up from time to time used. In kamado mode, it probably has about the same smoking capacity as a 26â€ kettle with a SnS in it. It’s easier to run low and slow with a fan like pretty much any charcoal smoker would be, but is not a required add on for easy temp management. If you do overshoot temps, you can adjust much quicker than ceramic.

I also get that your Weber gasser gets hot and quickly having a similar gasser, but setup a two zone charcoal grill and cook a steak on that and another on your gasser and you might rethink whether you would grill on it too versus just smoking.

If you don’t ever see doing long smokes on charcoal and only doing smaller cooks on it a SnS kettle or Performer might be all you need. Maybe in those cases the Bronco might even be a better choice as mostly a smoker.

**DaveD** · August 3, 2022, 06:07 AM

Alright, here's where I'm at after this past few days of cogitation. Sorry for the navel-gazing, but this is helpful for me to organize my thoughts...

Although I very much enjoyed the PBC/OKJ smackdown thread, and some kind of barrel was in the mix at the outset, I'm ruling those out now simply because of the amount of bending that would doubtless be required to use and maintain one. I've got some back probs and that bending would do me no good, I'm sure (and this is part of the reason why managing a woodpile is off the table too).

Similarly, I'm ruling out anything ceramic, like a trad kamado. Don't like the thermal mass concerns, overshooting a desired temp is a serious timing problem given how long they take to cool down. For someone just starting out in actual fire management, that sounds like asking for trouble to me.

In thinking about what I would likely use any new cooker for, I have to kind of guess a little bit, because until I do the sets of comparison experiments I'd want, I wouldn't be in position to make a fully informed decision. The primary thing is the ability to use charcoal and wood chunks as the fuel/flavor combo to add to the pellet and propane gizmos I have now. Ipso facto, smoking low & slow would be a major use, given that one always gets more wood flavor from a long cook than a fast one.

But! I might decide after some tests that I prefer charcoal even for searing, at least in some circumstances, so having a unit that makes for ease of hot searing seems like something I should include. It's hard for me to imagine steaks turning out better than the SVQ process we've been using, searing on the gasser, but hey, I haven't done the experiment, so...

A hard requirement is the ability to do 2-zone effectively, and of course it has to fit on the small slablette I now have available. Other "desirements" include: fast starting; temperature stability and controllability; ability to mod with some form of automation; ease of replenishing fuel mid-cook; capacity to go for a good long while (obvs related to the foregoing).

Finally, I only have so much I can shell out, and am trying to keep the outlay under $500, and that also rules out a lot of choices.

Taking all this into account, right now the SnS Deluxe Kettle is leading the pack. With the standard temp probe ports and "smoke hole" suitable for a fan/controller setup (I have no ability to drill metal), small footprint, 304 stainless spin grate, etc., it looks pretty appealing and sits comfortably in my price range.

The metal kamado style, e.g. the WSK, has a lot going for it as well, but that's a lot more money than I can spend any time soon. I would seriously consider one if not for that.

OK, sorry for the bloviating... as always, I welcome your inputs!

**Panhead John** · August 3, 2022, 08:19 AM

I’ve been following this and it’s time to push you over the edge….I think the SNS kettle would be an excellent choice. As an owner of that and having 2 Weber kettles, I can speak from experience. If I did not have a kettle of any type and knowing what I know now, I’d pick the SNS kettle all day long over a "comparable" Weber. In addition to the fan port and probe hole, something not mentioned yet is Weber’s lid rack is in the back on some of their models. I hate that, having to reach over the fire and rest the lid in the back. SNS’s rack is on the left side, much easier and better. I love the fold down side shelf SNS has, I had to buy a shelf for my 3 legged Weber. And it doesn’t fold down, I have to remove it and store somewhere when done.

The thermometer is also a lot closer to grate level than Webers, the temps shown are a lot more accurate than the Weber’s, which is close to the top of the lid. I’ve found that the SNS thermometer is usually within 15-20 degrees of my grate probe. I don’t feel the need to use a grate probe sometimes when cooking on the SNS. With the SNS having 4 legs instead of 3, the storage rack below is also bigger than the 3 legged Weber’s. My SNS kettle also seals better than my 2 Webers. None of this is a knock against the Weber at all, but to me, SNS makes a better kettle.

Attached Files

**DaveD** · August 3, 2022, 10:53 AM

Well, wouldn't you know it, I go to the SNS site and their kettles are all on backorder, but it says they should ship in "mid August", which is *gasp* under two weeks away, so that's not terrible.

Question: what's the deal with the drip n griddle or drip n roast pans? I know a few folks use them and like them, but what is the main benefit? It's another hundred bucks, dang near, so I am a little skeptical if its main benefit is making cleanup easier...

**jfmorris** · August 3, 2022, 12:16 PM

Sorry to hear they are back ordered, but not surprising with supply chain issues these days.

I use the stainless drip n griddle, mostly as a drip pan and to help divert air from the vents towards the bottom of the SNS. If I were buying one today I would want the cast iron one so that it would be better as a griddle. The stainless one can warp if you use it as a griddle with too much heat. Anyway I also usually cover it in foil when using as a drip pan for easy cleanup.

**DaveD** · August 3, 2022, 01:21 PM

Alrighty folks... I think I'm sold on the SNS. Going to go ahead and order, and wait for the backorder to come through. Many thanks for all the discussion, super helpful!!! And of course, more discussion is plenty welcome

And I'll be updating this as I prep the new little space and all that. Hey, I'm here all week. Don't forget to tip your waitstaff!

Aaaaaaand away we go:

**Panhead John** · August 3, 2022, 01:44 PM

Grillin Dad Here ya go….
The bottom of the thermometer [not the hole] is 2 3/4 inches to the very bottom of the lid, on the outside.

On the inside of the lid, it is 3 3/4â€ from the thermometer hole to the very bottom of the lid.

**DaveD** · August 14, 2022, 02:17 PM

Got a "hang in there" email from SnS a few days ago, hopefully the kettle will ship soon... meanwhile, I got the little area prepped, just took half an hour or so. Found I had some ceramic floor tiles in my shed, left by the previous owners, so I put down some of those beside the slab just for a little extra space if I need to sit something down or step over there.

We're due for some rain this evening, lasting off and on until midmorning tomorrow, so I'll see how it looks after that, hopefully that will remove most of the surface dirt...

Edit: the photo is a little misleading because it makes the area look like nothing but dirt. But in the lower right, the area is grass but covered for the moment in some mulch. Tomorrow our yard service will do all the usual mowing etc and afterwards I'll rake that and the other dirt clods around to let the underlying grass have an easier time poking through. That said, there may need to be a couple of steppers out there before all is said and done...

**DaveD** · August 25, 2022, 11:04 AM

Hey!! Just got notified that my backordered SNS kettle is en route! Expected delivery on Saturday afternoon. Yippee! I'm ready to go, got a couple bags of B&B charcoal and some apple & hickory wood chunks already. Already planning to smoke a rack of baby backs in the pellet smoker on Saturday, which is fine because we always get our FedEx deliveries late in the day, no way it'd be useable that day. Hopefully will get it assembled Sunday afternoon and burned in, if everything goes perfectly...

Needless to say, more to come...

**DaveD** · August 27, 2022, 04:01 PM

Well looky what Mr. FedEx Man brought me today!

Couple of divots on the box that I'm not wild about but they don't look problematic as far as I can tell. Hopefully get it assembled and burned in tomorrow...

**Panhead John** · August 27, 2022, 04:10 PM

,,,

**Sid P** · August 27, 2022, 04:23 PM

Congrats, Dave! Did you get the Slow â€˜n Sear unit with it?

**Bad Hat BBQ** · August 28, 2022, 06:22 AM

Santa Maria from Titan

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