I recently added a pellet smoker to my old modified COS to increase my cooking space and allow me to comfortably cook brisket without having to constantly tend a fire. It essentially replaces my old GMG Davy Crocket, which I got to try out pellet smoking first since the full-sized ones can be expensive. Personally, I love the convenience of the pellet smoker, but definitely prefer the smoke taste I get from my modified COS. I'm hoping that the full-sized pellet smoker I ended up getting will bridge the gap.
After much research, I settled on the Pellet Pro 1190 from Smoke Daddy Inc. They make various cold smoking attachments that allow you to increase the smoke applied to the cook chamber without changing your cooking temp (I went with their Magnum P.I.G. cold smoke generator). They will also modify the pellet grill with an additional port for the cold smoker before shipping it out if you call them to palace your order. I'm guessing that the cold smoker, which uses small wood chunks rather than chips or pellets, will sufficiently add the extra smoke I want. They also have YouTube videos showing it in action, and it seemed to work really well.
They also have an attachment for high-heat direct flame grilling called the Sear Daddy. They also have YouTube videos showing it in action, and it seemed to work well too.
This set up, with both cold smoking and searing options, was the most versatile that I found. It was also the least expensive for the size. So I would recommend that you check it out. They also make a smaller model, the Pellet Pro 770, if you don't want anything as big as the 1190. But if you like having people over for a BBQ, I would not go smaller than the 1190. Unlike grilling, if you're smoking for your BBW, whatever you can fit on your smoker is all the food you will have because of the long cook times. So the extra space definitely comes in handy.
Finally, don't just judge a smoker based on its cooking area size total, but look carefully at the grate dimensions. The St. Louis spares I get at Costco are just under 19" long. So it's a big advantage to have at least a bottom grate that is that long front to back, as it allows you to fit more food on the smoker compared to a grate that is the same in total area but is less than 19" front to back.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for your input! I do like the idea of the cold smoke generator - I would like to do bacon at some point. However, I am also trying to be conservative on deck space, so not sure I'd be going with a full size pellet grill. I'll have to get out a measure and do some math. One of the positives of the Grilla was its smaller footprint. It's mostly me and a couple friends - I'm not hosting 20-30 person BBQ parties.
The rib-length observation is particularly helpful, and something I hadn't really factored in.
To those encouraging me to get the Slow N Sear, I'll consider it - I had looked at the Smokenator a few years ago. I am not getting as much enjoyment out of getting myself dirty and flaring my allergies up lighting a chimney of charcoal as I used to, which was part of the reason I was looking toward pellet grills - cleaner burning and less fuss.
I will take the input into consideration, we'll see what happens. Temperatures and weather around here are still fluctuating, so I've got some time to think (I'm a fair weather smoker).
Welcome aboard! Lived in your hood (St. Clair Shores) for about 15 yrs. The din of getting a SnS is some really sound advice. That way you can smoke some great cooks while you are trying to figure out where you go from there. No hurry. Eat good & have fun! The cooking for 2 or 3 might be ok for now, but, watch out. This gig can be addicting.
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