Welcome to the Pit! Go for it!
-
-
That's a nice pit, the 24" is pricey (at least from Gator Pits). I'd pull the trigger. I was on the fence between a Gator and a Shirley and went with the Shirley,but part of me wishes I'd gotten a Gator with tuning plates vs. reverse flow. : )
Just to cast some perspective on this, I paid about $2,500 for my Shirley 24"x42" patio Cabinet model, but this came with a warming cabinet, and I can draft the traditional way using the cabinet as a warmer, or through the cabinet using it as an extension of the main cook chamber. I added a baffle so I could also draft right through it like a vertical cooker. I found a great deal on shipping, but Rich ships so many pits that he has an agreement with a freight co. so you may not pay much. The 42" cook chamber is somewhat deceptive - you loose about 6 inches on the end with the RF design, but the cabinets give you a lot of cooking space so maybe it's a wash.
The round firebox design on the Gator is an advantage when keeping your firebox clean, which will promote longevity. Mine is square, and no matter how much I sweep it with the hand broom I end up leaving behind a little ash in the welded corners. I may get a shop vac or a blower.
I live in the south so I don't have a need for an insulated firebox. Once up to temperature it's easy to keep the fire stoked so the main cook chamber stays at 250-275. Even Steven all day. The Shirley design works.
Tuning plates vs. RF? I gotta say, there is a hot end on my RF - the spot closest to the firebox is 15 to 25 deg. hotter than the rest of the chamber. But it's pretty much even cooking throughout, which is what some guys want. Others want zones. With tuning plates, you get the best of both worlds, and can remove them and clean them a little easier than with a RF. On the Shirley the baffle that acts as a tuning plate is welded in. I think I'd like to be able to get to the bottom of my main cook chamber with more ease, just for cleaning purposes, but it's not a deal breaker. Slight advantage to the traditional offset with tuning plates on that front. Bottom line: I think the ideal set up is a traditional offset with tuning plates because you can cook at one temp or create hot spots. I went with the Shirley primarily for the warming cabinet (multiple draft options to create a really versatile cooker).
Gator Pits is the standard for the traditional offset, but the prices reflect that. I think they are worth it, but YMMV.Comment
-
Ground Chuck I think you will find that nobody here will ever try to talk you out of buying a cooker. We are a bunch of enablers here. If anything you will be encouraged to buy 2 or 3 of them.Comment
-
Or buy one or two for the rest of us, which reminds me. Hey Joe, when you going to buy me that new Blackstone griddle? -
ComfortablyNumb Between kids breaking their arms, needing dental work, a new baby coming in July, etc. my cooker budget has taken a hit this past month. But still trolling Craigslist and FB marketplace for one.
-
-
I wouldn't get any offset without an insulated firebox. I'd go LSG before Gator.Comment
-
Looking forward to seeing some pictures and hearing your review of that beautiful cooker! Welcome to the Pit!Comment
-
Beautiful cooker! Looks almost identical, sizewise, to my Yoder loaded Wichita. I paid ~$2200 w/ delivery for mine, but that was 7 years ago. Best o' luck to ya in your new smoker endeavors, and whatever you do, take the time to learn YOUR cooker! They all have different traits just like your lady, your kids, or your dog, etc. Learn it and you'll have many years of enjoyment and good eating...but also work, don't forget that part with a stickburner!Comment
-
For many years the Pitmaker Sniper was on top of my list. To me it seems like the perfect blend of quality, capacity, technology, and price.
Then I discovered the KBQ...
Working hard to make 2019 the year I order one!Comment
-
Welcome to The Pit! Like many others I can't help you with this decision but I might be able to shed a little light on the STL BBQ warehousing issue. There's a reason the pictures they post of shipments received and happy customers standing next to their new cooker(s) are all outside. They don't have a warehouse. For all the cookers they sell, and they sell a lot, the place is tiny! This the building they're in but as you can see they share it with an HVAC company.
Their part is in the back, lower section. Great place but small. And packed.
Comment
.
Comment