Pellet smoker or electric smoker?

[NotLazyRustic]

I am a senior citizen in poor health so handling a big heavy log-burning smoker isn't a possibility for me. I am also a little on the lazy side have to make the choice these days between drinking and falling on the ground, so I need a smoker with automatic temperature control. My first smoker was a $50 Meco water smoker. I still use that, but a number of year's ago I found that it will not come up to temperature here in the Chicago area when the air temperature gets below 40 degrees. (Had to give up on a Thanksgiving turkey and bring it in to the oven to finish one year.) About 3-4 years ago I bought a Traeger Timberline. I use this at my primary residence and still have to use the old Meco at my lake cottage a couple hours north. The problem with the Traeger is that I can't get a great bark on my food like I can with the Meco where if I want more smoke I can just throw on a couple more chunks of wood. I also am realizing that the totally un-insulated Meco smoker not only can't be used when its cold, but even on nice summer days cooking a shoulder or a brisket really has an impact on my electric bill.

I need some advise on what would serve my needs. I have considered maybe a Cookshack electric smoker that is well insulated or a vertical cabinet pellet smoker like a Pit Boss 77550. I am uncertain if the Pit Boss could produce enough smoke when I want it or whether a Cookshack could function economically when its 20 degrees out.

Any recommendations that you have would be greatly appreciated.

[barelfly]

I have a smoker similar to a CookShack - it’s a SmokinIt Smoker. My dad has a smaller sized one as well, it’s on a cart that brings it up so he has easy access to it and doesn’t have to bend down to get food in or out or clean up. He also lives up in elevation, about 7200’ and uses it during the winter and hasn’t had any issues.

I really like my SmokinIt Smoker - it’s lazy q at its best, set it and forget it! but it puts out great food. The smoke profile may be lighter than what you would get from a pellet cooker, but for me, I like the profile it provides. I’ve had mine for almost 7 years and it works like a charm with the Auber Control unit.

if you have questions on them, let me know. Happy to provide more info you would like.

[NotLazyRustic]

Thank you. I looked up the SmokIt Model 2d and it is very reasonable priced. Doesn't it use chunks of wood to generate heat over the electric heating element? If so, can't you easily just add more wood if you want more smoke, or will it only burn the wood at a limited rate?

How about it's insulation? Can it be used in the cold?

[barelfly]

Also a note on cook temps. The D models can get up to 325 to where as analog only cook at 250 top temp. That is one other reason to consider the 2D SmokinIt rather than an analog - if you decide to go that route. This makes a difference for chicken, unless you plan to sear it a bit on the gasser after smoking.

[barelfly]

Yes, wood chunks, about 3oz or so a piece. I usually go with about 8oz of wood for pork butt and brisket. Little less for smaller items. You could keep adding in chunks as well, I just haven’t tried that in the seven years I’ve had it. The element works like an oven basically, puts off heat that gets the chunks to smoke. I’ve also used chips for fish and that works great too.

The units are Insulated very well. I cook with it in the winter, and it’s in the 20/30s here at my house over night, sometimes colder. My dad, he lives higher and it gets even colder and it works great for him.

I have the 3D, my dad has the 2 analog. He has to cut packer briskets in half to get them to fit, but it works that way. It’s just my dad and my mom, so he didn’t need anything bigger and it cooks ribs, brisket, pork butt, chicken great! Reliable and easy cooker!

[DaveD]

I have the Pit Boss Copperhead 5, a vertical pellet smoker with five shelves and a whopping square metre of cooking space. The key to getting good smoke with these units, IMO from both recommendations here and my own experimentation, is to make use of the lowest-temperature "smoke" setting for the first hour or so, when the meat is cold (always put it on the smoker straight from the fridge, because smoke uptake is best on a cold, moist surface). Then set it to your desired target.

This unit is exceedingly stable with minimal temperature gradients top to bottom, typically less than 20 degrees F. Yes, it's true that one can't get as much smoke flavor as with wood chunks. But it is DAMN close IMO. But using that low-T setting is a must. Hope this helps!

[NotLazyRustic]

You have both provided the help that I was needing. thank you.

[glitchy]

My experience having had a number of pellet grills is if you want barky BBQ, there only seems to be a few that can do it well. The standard cookie cutter pellet grills usually can’t. I’ve had several Traegers, CampChefs, GMG, and Memphis that never produced consistent bark (they still produced good food, just seasoned with smoke). My MAK can and so could the SmokeFire. By their designs and info I’ve seen I think Lone Star and Yoder can too. I’m a little surprised the Timberline doesn’t, but if it’s the older model it might explain a lot of the internal design changes they made with the new model.

As far as the vertical design, I’ve never had one. I’m personally not of fan of the build quality I’ve seen in Pit Boss construction. I know they’ve gotten better, but it’s hard to erase the memories of all the broken display models I saw in stores and the frustration a family member had trying to get a Pit Boss to work correctly. SmokeDaddy makes a vertical that seems like a lot better quality than the Pit Boss models.

I also had a Smokin Tex electric smoker before I got lost down pellet road. It worked fine for traditional BBQ. It was to too one dimensional for my wants and too dang low to the ground. Throwing more wood on a smoker like this is a very fine line. They are about the lowest of airflow I’ve seen in a smoker, too much wood easily teeters into creosote bitterness.

The question I want to ask is based on your story is have you considered a Kamado? Like the Weber Summit Kamado or a ceramic? They’ll run just fine in cold weather and you can add more wood to dial in to your smoke preferences. They’re still lower on the airflow, so you can’t just throw another log on the fire, but a lot more room to miss by several ounces and not totally ruin a meal compared to an insulated electric. Plus they’re far more versatile, you can direct grill steaks, bake pizzas, get a rotisserie for many of them, etc. on top of smoking a brisket in the middle of a midwest winter.

Finally, back to your Timberline. What pellets have you used? Have you stuck with Traeger pellets out of their scare tactics? If so, you might want to try some CookinPellets or LumberJack 100% hickory before totally giving up. A lot of pellets sold are actually 70-80% oak or alder, especially if your buying single species pellets.

Edit: Added a pic of a chuckie from the MAK for reference, this was wrapped in butcher paper at 160° IT and still had this bark.

[Jfrosty27]

I also have a Smokin-It electric model 2. It was my first smoker after decades of gas grill cooking. I’m just north of you in the Milwaukee area and it works great year round. It has limited temp range though. Only goes up to 250. Great for low and slow but that’s it. I went to a Recteq RT-700 pellet grill for a main cooker a few years ago.

[bbqLuv]

I have a pellet grill, a Traeger Timberline 850. It works well in cold weather here in NW Oregon when it is in the 30s.
It runs temperatures of 165 to 500 degrees, give or take.
Some people use a welders blanket on pellet grills in very cold weather.
Look forward to your final decision with pictures of course.