Any recommendations on smokers? Or considerations to think about when getting one or building one. Which is better, things they have learned what to avoid ect...? Any one have some insight to smoking they wouldn't mind sharing on here?
Thanks -LC

a super cool thread from Eastmans wish I had the skills to make one like this

https://forum.eastmans.com/threads/building-old-smokey.12058/

I've had a few Bradley smokers. They are good for cold smoking. Hot smoking meat they tend to drip on the heat exchanger on the bottom thus catching the grease on fire. I still use one for smoking cheese and what not. I do have a Traeger. Older model haven't used it much just do to the constant cleaning and maintenance that is needed for them to operate correctly. What type of smoking are you looking to do? you can also get an electric hot plate and build your smoke box or get an smoke tube. I don't have experience with those.

I have a master built smoker that I really like its about 12 years old now and ready to give up the ghost. It worked great for pulled pork and those types of foods. Couldn't cold smoke tho

What is your budget? There is a HUGE range of prices.

I'm looking to get into all sorts. Starting with sausage right now. i would like to be bale to cold and hot smoke.

i am not trying to keep cost low.

electric smoker and disposable aluminum pans...easy!

Getting closer... are you planning big feeds where you'll need to smoke 100+# of meats at a time or just enough for a small gathering of 10-12 folks maybe?

nvwrangler- talk about life goals that's a serious smoker.

small gathering never big feeds. just personal use.

Pulled pork is the easiest to do and do correctly, if your going to do summer sausage and things make sure its tall enough to hang them in the smoker

malukchuk how is it smoking cheese? also do you make your own to smoke? just curious. i have made my own farmers cheese but never got further into it then that?

When this subject comes up there usually seems to be two different things people refer to as "smoking". I think it has to do with what part of the Country you come from.
When I refer to smoking I'm thinking more in the line of meat preservation such as cold smoking fish, jerky, sausages, hams, etc.. I think people in other places use the term smoking for what I call BBQ, like pork, and grilling is what you do to steaks.

The only home type smoker you can cold smoke with is a Bradly. With most you are not smoking, you are cooking with smoke or hot smoking. I am not a real bradley fan. I have had two. The pucks are expensive and they seem to die in a couple years. I feel the best bet is to build one.

I use Tillamook cheddar cheese, sometimes pepper jack or sharp cheddar it's what's available here. I smoke it for two hours minimum with Apple and Alder biscuits. I stack em every other one. Some times you gotta watch the heat if it gets above 90 the cheese will melt. if it melts no big deal peel it off and cut it square when done smoking. I let it sit a day to mellow out. wrapped in foil in the fridge. they say the longer you let it set the better it gets with age. Fruity flavors are suggested, I use alder because we smoke a lot of fish with it. I do ten pounds cheese each time for friends and family and have no complaints yet.

Based on what you have said, i'm kind of in the same boat as you. I have been using a Smoke Vault Propane smoker and I have put out some dang good food. That said it has finally started to rust out on the bottom and I'm looking into a new smoker. I really liked the propane for keeping the temps regular but it isn't the best for cold smoking stuff, which I'd like to venture into more. That said I don't want to set next to it and babysit it for 14 hours on a big brisket, lol.

This is the style I'm wanting to try next (I think ) https://www.acehardware.com/departm...BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#ratings-and-reviews

I’ll watch this thread...

https://cookshack.com/

This is the brand I would like to have but just don’t have the funds, otherwise I use an electric mecco smoker I can make it work good. Not much experience with gas types except for the ones my friends and their biggest problem is low temp smoking, 170 to 200 which is where I run, the cook shack would be nicer because of the set it and forget type mentality.

If building one lets say from a barrel you want to make sure your vent holes aren't too big or small or have too many. You gotta decide early if you're going to use wood or charcoal/coal. I helped my neighbor build his vertical barrel smoker and the thing is hard to control the temp with wood. He now uses charcoal after much trial and error with wood.

Temperature control is important. If you can't control it you will not get consistent results. If it's too hot or too cold outside and your smoker can't keep within desired parameters you won't get good results. Another thing to consider is humidity; I won't smoke fish if I know it's going to be drizzly, and damp; I just don't get a good product. I suppose you could build a smoker that could mitigate for too high of humidity but I've never tried to get that technical.

A simple box fed from the vent solves that problem. I used a juice can as a duct. Works perfectly. It doesn't show up in the photo but back.left of photo is a vent in the box, of the same size as the smoke inlet.

https://louisiana-grills.com/shop/grills/wood-pellet

I sure like mine. Idiot proof. Set it, and forget it.

ADC I was looking at the same ones you were just not sure if i want to pop on one of them. I might build one to play with at first then go for something like you and yukonal have shown I think. Not sure or maybe I will just do it. Thanks for all the info everyone.

Watch the black friday ads. I have seen some for $100 off... I think at Ace Hardware.

https://www.theblackfriday.com/ace-hardware-blackfriday.shtml - actually its a little smaller but I bet it would be big enough for my needs, maybe yours too?

I have a weber smoker.
I put my propane turkey burner under it and have a water pan and a wood pan just over the burner.
Works way better than using charcoal.
you can monitor the heat way better and works like a charm.
You could do this with a homemade box or small freezer chest very easy.

I have a Pit Boss smoker/grill and a master built smoker. Like them both but they are different. Cook on the Pit Boss very frequently, in good weather sometimes 2-4 times per week.

I have a Z Grill pellet grill. It is about half price of a Traeger grill. It works the same. It was $300 shipped to the house in Dec of 2018. I just put a chicken on it. With it set on smoke, it runs between 190 and 200 degrees. You are cooking with smoke with it. I do brisket and pork butts that you can cut with a fork, but you can't cold smoke on it the way it comes from the factory. I would bet all the pellet grills are the same pretty much. The box on top the smoker would help with cold smoking if the heat is down enough to not cook.
The reason most smokers are too hot to cold smoke in is because they have a single heat source for smoke and heat. A pellet grill works the same as a pellet or corn stove. There is an electric igniter that lights the pellets in a combustion box. Once up to a burning temp it shouts off, and the ignited pellets light the new one that are fed in with an auger. There is a fan blowing to help keep the burning. A Bradly has two heat sources, one to make smoke and one to heat the smoker. But what I saw is that makes twice as many to go out.

Here is a homemade job. It takes a lot to maintain proper temp and smoke but a lot of fun as well. It's definitely not a set it and forget it smoker. All charcoal, normally takes 2-3 bags depending on outside conditions It will cook two cases of butts at a time. Just smoked 14 turkeys Sunday on it. I need to do some work to it though, there is way to much air flow. There isn't any need for that many smoke stacks. However big you think you need one to be go bigger. If your any good and people know, you will be amazed how many people will want you to smoke meat for them

Traeger Wood Pellet are awesome smokers!

I'd recommend a pellet grill if not concern about cold smoking. Wife got me one for my birthday and I tell you it is a total game changer for cooking!

Look up ugly drum smoker. I was ready to buy a smoker in the $400-$500 range and my buddy talked me into the uds and I am very glad I did. Very efficient on charcoal with long burn times.

That is what I was referring to in my earlier post: That I would call a BBQ, ei. a slow cooker.
A "smoker" where I'm from is used to make things like sausage, jerky, smoked fish, hams, etc.. What do you call what I am describing?
Regardless, whatever you're cooking there looks mighty good!

I have built several large smokers.i cook alot of meat for alot of people.if was only cooking for my family and not alot I would go with a good Pellet smoker ,easy temp control, jmo