Help me choose

[Hammo]

I need some help choosing my next smoker. Here’s my situation:
1. Demanding job
2. Home projects
3. 4 children (full schedules)
I have a Phoenix no-flare LP grill for weeknight hot dogs & burgers.
I also just recently purchased a new 22” Weber Kettle on Craigslist for $40.
FYI...I have been cooking on Weber Kettles for approx 25 years.
Here’s some of my thoughts:
1. Weber with slow n sear...these look really intriguing to me from what I’ve read. would the 22” be too small with slow n sear installed?

2. UDS from a kit or the Pit Barrel cooker
(I’ve wanted to do one of these forever but, time...

3. Some other traeger-type of automatic pellet smoker(no experience with these but they seem to have a following)

4. 30” Masterbuilt with the AMNPS pellet tray (I had an old one given to me and with the AMNPS tray it performed quite well until it recently kicked the bucket)
kinda leaning towards this one just cause maybe the easiest??

I’m a bit indecisive at times...lol

thanks in advance for the help

[ComfortablyNumb]

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We are happy to have you along and looking forward to your participation.

I use a KBQ for smoking, not mentioned as one of your choices.

[HawkerXP]

Welcome to the Pit!
I have a Weber 22 with SnS plus the PBC. Depending what you're cookin will tell you if the 22 is to small. How old are the kids? Boys? PBC cooks (for me) big meats. Brisket, multiple racks of ribs and chicken (s). I like the 22 for most everything else. Search around here in the pit under the channels page. Lots of good info here.

[ItsAllGoneToTheDogs]

You need to be more clear with what you want and your budget. My co-worker enjoys his UDS and has a family. I enjoy the meats he's brought in to share.

I don't have kids, but have other commitments AND I'm lazy so maintaining the grill had to be as easy as cooking on it. That led me to a quality fully rust proof pellet smoker. They do still require a semi-annual deep cleaning and regular cleaning of the burn pot with a quick scrape and brush or vacuum, but it's only like 15-45 minutes depending on the model. Some pellet cookers require re-application of sealant and rust mitigation annually, and some are only meant to last a few years with average maintenance.

There's tons of grill reviews on the free side of things, it'll help you narrow things down and/or dream above your budget

I love plopping food on and walking away for multiple hours, but still like the excuse of the grill running to go sit on the deck with a beer.

Without knowing your full intent and budget I'm inclined to think that with kids I would go UDS for a different experience since you're very familiar with your Weber and heat management or a pellet cooker since you already have a gasser to do quick cooks or no wait reverse sear cooks.

[SMOG MAN]

In my world I love my pellet cooker for ease of use and when I am busy, so that’s my recommendation.

[HouseHomey]

If you don’t have an SnS with your kettle than you need that first.

Emphasis on "Need." The SNS is truly a game changer. That’s IMHO.

i echo what was said above. My guess is you want an outdoor taste without any management of the cook, as little as possible anyway.

ill let others comment on the poopers as I’ve zero knowledge on them.

you NEED that SnS though.

[Willard]

Sense no one else has mentioned it, you NEED the SnS!

[Hugh]

I disagree completely.....He needs a SnS AND a PartyQ temperature controller.

[bpiela]

and he needs a vortex

[RonB]

You are cooking for six now, (unless your kids are teenagers, then you are cooking for 10 to 12). The 22" kettle with SlowNSear can probably hold enough butts or brisket for your family, but you might want want to look for a 26" kettle if you want to cook ribs. The 22" will do burgers and dogs, and maybe enough chicken, but you already have a gasser for that.

Using a Pit Barrel is probably the quickest way to do long cooks and makes killer chicken I am told. It will also hold a ton of food. That is where I would go...

[FireMan]

That’s my other second or third.

[LA Pork Butt]

Based on what I think I understand about your situation, you need a cooker that can cook low and slow overnight or unattended all day. A pellet cooker, Kamado, or barrel cooker would fit the bill. A bullet smoker or kettle cookers would probably require adding fuel on really long cooks.

[Rod]

Check the following link out. It can be done with a 26" kettle as well. You end up "set and forget" and with a 26" kettle plenty of capacity. I have had a traeger and now a Rec Tec. Pellet grills are nice for capacity and set and forget cooking. However, the smoke flavor is very mild and you have to worry about moving parts eventually failing.

I can also recommend a PBC. You don't have precision temp control on it if that's important to you. It's kind of set and forget if you're not trying for a specific temp. My only issue with it is it consumes a lot of charcoal and fishing and hanging probe wires is bit of a pain.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/grills-and-smokers/charcoal/kettle-cookers/609951-how-to-weber-kettle-and-fan-combo

[Hammo]

Thanks for all the great replies. Budget is $1000 max. (Preferably less)
Sounds like I’m definitely gonna invest in a slow n sear no matter what. And maybe still get a pit barrel for overnight cooks. Does anyone cook on the UDS while they’re away at work? I would love to sit around and manage it if time allowed. I suppose I do need something I can confidently set & forget...

[FireMan]

PBC is big enough for ya! SnS & PBC spells OKIE DOKIE.

[HawkerXP]

Just from my experience, the PBC isn't a overnight cooker. Since it runs hotter (270ish) and should be allowed to run hotter, I am able to start my cooks in the morning and have them ready by dinner. I think 10 hours was my longest cook for a full packer (15 lbs) to which I added 3 racks of ribs. Of course you need to add an hour or two to rest that big hunk o meat.

[Huskee]

Welcome to The Pit!

With regards to your #1 question if the 22" would be too small, let me share a couple pics!

Here's a top-down view of both the 22" and 26" with their respective SnS installed, to give you a side-by-side (literally) view of the real estate difference. The red line is the edge of the SnS in the 22 since it was hard to see in the shading.



Also a pic of a 14lb (pre-trimmed) full packer brisket on the 22" kettle w/ SnS. Brisket length may vary of course.




The 22 limits you in whole chickens/turkeys, and ribs unless you do the coil/pinwheel method. Otherwise you can feed 6 people very easy on the 22" with pork butts, chicken pieces, steaks, burgers, brisket, etc.

Happy choosing!

[Hammo]

Great comparison pics. Thanks a ton

[ColonialDawg]

You sound like me. I also have 4 kiddos, which bring a lot of fun, but a crazy life. Add a full time job and a budget....

I have a 26-inch kettle with SNS XL and a PBC. I have never needed anything more substantial.

I would get a SNS for your 22 inch kettle AND a PBC. Those will cook pretty much everything you’ll ever want to eat. If and when your budget allows, upgrade to a 26-inch kettle for more cooking space. Plenty of folks on these forums use the SNS for the 22-inch kettle in the 26-inch kettle, so no need to buy a new SNS if and when you get a bigger kettle. In fact the new SNS 2.0 for the 22-inch kettle has a removable water reservoir which means more space for fuel. I rarely use the water reservoir in my SNS XL but I bought mine before the SNS 2.0 was released. Otherwise I would have bought the SNS 2.0 for my 26 inch kettle.

[Hammo]

Thanks for that. I was wondering about the different sized SNS

[Polarbear777]

Either the 26 OR the PBC plus a thermostatic fan controller and an SNS for the 22” should still be well sub $1000.

The fan control would let you run either for hours unattended. The 26 will direct grill well too so it’s double duty.

PBC if you want the increased space to hang lots of things (ribs , chickens ) . 26 if you do cuboid or spherical things that have to be on a grate.

As mentioned above advantage 26 if you want the SNS to be double duty.

[Polarbear777]

PBC no food, single coal load. I’ve gotten 5-7 hours on the 26” with controller.

[Texas Larry]

Welcome from Wilson County, Texas! I’m sure this MCS-infected crowd can offer many suggestions, and maybe make your choices harder🤣.

I have Both 22” kettle with SnS and a good sized pellet cooker. Both have their uses. The Weber for smaller, hotter cooks and when I want that charcoal grilled taste. The pellet cooker for bigger meats, longer, slower cooks. Just now learning to use the SnS for low and slow.