But it's branded with HIS name. That means it's just got to make better 'que.
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I think it looks nicely made, but is overpriced. I would want it with a coat of black paint, and the painted model is $4000? For a smoker that small? Wow. That laser cut door on the end sure adds a lot to the price tag!Comment
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jfmorris is and Loren I'm guessing they are not worried about the temp specs since the firebox is double walled. Nothing should ever get that hot should it being built that way?
A couple things I did notice after looking at the OP's attachment, the paint colors have changed between pre-release and now. Both the gray and the black were glossy previously on the web site. The new colors appear to be more flat. The original gray they had was beautiful and seemed to have color variations at the seams in the pictures. The new gray, not so pretty.
Also, I think the prices have gone up about $500. I could have sworn the original pre-release listed price was $2995 or $2999 for raw steel. Guessing maybe the skyrocketing and fluctuating costs of steel have made them increase and remove any pricing from the website (it was there previously).
I have no idea why I've looked at these multiple times. I could never justify that kind of money for a stick burner as I'd never get enough use out of it. Maybe someday I'll score used Horizon just to have the real wood option. I actually just stumbled on a Horizon locally, but didn't want to get served papers so let someone else snatch it up.Comment
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Hi All,
Sorry, I haven't been on the site in a few weeks and need to set up notifications to go to my email. After reading through the thread, here's a few comments based on my 2 months of experience with this pit. Note this is my first and probably only offset I'll own, so my ability to comment on value compared to other offsets is limited. I've smoked pork shoulder (-5 degrees with high winds), ribs (pork spare and beef plate) (40 degrees and rain), pork belly (60 degrees and sunny), and whole chickens (55 degrees, windy) and thus far every single one has been the best I've ever put out (several years smoking experience all on a WSCG). I had no experience with fire management prior to this. All in all, I've put it through the ringer and am extremely happy with how it performs and have no regrets.
1. Regarding price, it has risen $500 from when I bought it ($2950, Jan 21, now $3450 it looks like) due to the increasing price of steel. I purchased the non-painted one because I liked the look better. It requires more maintenance than the powder coat, so you're paying for convenience as well as color when you opt for those options.
2. Regarding value, it comes down to what you prioritize in size, engineering, customization, etc. After speaking with customer service, Franklin built over 60 prototypes of this pit over 5 years before he was satisfied with how it performed so I can assure the quality and engineering have been maximized. Sure there's probably a bit of price inflation due to the branding, but that's expected. For me, learning "real bbq" and putting out the single best piece of bbq using only wood was my priority and I was willing to pay the premium for something Franklin would prefer to use himself as his material is how I got into bbq. I'm sure he could maximize profits by outsourcing and slapping his name on it to drive sales, but that's not what he's going for. So, size and customization where secondary concerns to me.
3. Nit-picky things: the firebox is hard to clean, but I just use a shovel and it's fine. Also, my temp gauge is upside down if you screw it all the way in. I wouldn't have minded a little more space in the cook chamber as the temp difference closer to the firebox can cause some issues around 275-300, but I just have to get used to that. I do use a welder's blanket for insulation in winter temps, but everything above 40 degrees is fine. I can't imagine this would be different on other offsets.
Overall, I'm very happy with it and will likely use it for the rest of my days. I'm meaning to get a more detailed post on here with pics of cooks and what not sometime, but young kids, job, etc.
Happy to answer any other questions!Comment
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Glad to hear you’re digging it! I’ve been wondering how the cooks were going. And I’m still jealous. Lol! -
STEbbq, I'm tackling brisket this weekend and then will post a write up!
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Looks like a really nice cooker.
Honestly I don't think the price is that bad for a small production made in USA item, plus the Franklin name (if I had his name recognition I'd charge a premium for it too). While Franklin didn't get me into BBQ, I have his book and watched his masterclass so buying from someone who has influenced your BBQ makes sense.Last edited by Walt Dockery; April 17, 2021, 11:13 AM.Comment
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