What's the smallest size you'd go?

I have the Navigator 550 and the only time I can say I wish I had the bigger model is when Ive had a couple pork butts and a couple chops going and would like to do baked beans or something. I havent had the top rack in for a couple years though because it’s a pain to get to stuff on the main rack in the back. I guess if I did it over again I may get one size up but Ive been perfectly happy with it. I am cooking for 5 at most usually, never trying to do 5 racks of ribs or anything.

I've got the 820 and love it.plenty of space to ribs,pork butts,brisket and baked beans.

None. I bought one brought it home read the instructions. Started the first burn to remove the oils and such as directed. Got that completed went in got meat ready to smoke put it on watched it tell it got up to temp and for several mins after. Satisfied I went on to doing other task. I went back to check on it 45 min later and it was not smoking and had an error code on the display. I called pit boss they said it needs the computer replaced but don't worry thay will send me one absolutely free of charge. It should be there in a week or two.

I followed up with 2 questions 1 was what is that going to do for the meat that's bairly smoked on it now and you expect me to wast my time putting the part on on a smoker I have not even got to use once and be happy you are sending me tha part free of charge.

I took it back to the store and got a traditional style Oklahoma Joe.

Ceramic egg is my next one

I have a pit boss electric smoker the elements never got hot enough to smoke ribs. They sent a replacement it just gets to 250 and this smoker sposed to get to 325. Made in China nothing good in this country anymore.

UDS

Ugly drum smoker.

• Relatively easy to make/customize
• Plenty big
• only slightly more needy than electric gizmos

Here is my UDS. It is made out of a fuel drum with a hot water heater tank for a fire box under the grill. The grate is 3 x4 feet. It has a slide up door on the end of the water tank and if I open it half an inch it burns at 200 degrees pretty much. The more you open it the hotter it burns. I can put a three foot piece of wood in it and start a fire on the door end and it will burn right down it with out much change in the temperature. The air intake regulates the heat. It will burn for five to six hours with out touching it. The fire box and grill are hooked together with a piece of six inch square tubing.

I wouldn't go smaller than 700. I use ours probably 150 days out of the year...

ADC you ever smoke channel cats they turn out pretty good

No, I'm scared to use fish in my smokers since I have heard subsequent cooks can have a fishy flavor. I want to try it though so I'm thinking of making a cheap smoker out of a hot plate in some kind of box...

Really good with pecan wood

Skip to 3:00 for a cardboard box smoker demo