LSG IVC vs VO with Insulated Firebox Questions

Notorious Q.U.E.

Notorious Q.U.E.

is Blowin Smoke!
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Dear Brethren,

I'm relying on you folks as I slowly work on the Mrs to let me get another top flight smoker. I got an opening when she asked me the other day what I'd want as an anniversary gift!! My heart skipped a beat and I told her. She said "let me think about it." No guarantees but it's a glimmer of light so here it goes:

1) I've been cyber stalking Lone Star Grillz and I'm admiring the vertical design for both efficiency and footprint. Which one would you get IVC or VO? Why?

2) anyone own both to compare? My two worries are possibly less wood flavor with IVC and boredom since I like being a caveman poking at flaming logs

3) if I went with VO, how about insulated firebox vs warmer oven with 1/2 inch thick upgraded firebox?

I know it's a flood of thoughts but this is the place to get additional perspectives. I know I've been doing lots of PMs and its essentially a 50-50 split so I figured I'd go larger. Thanks in advance for your time!!
 
I prefer the VO since it will be a stick burner. I have a WSM already and it's too much like a easy bake oven for me.

And definitely insulated FB since you're in DEN.
 
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Czarbecue said:
I prefer the VO since it will be a stick burner. I have a WSM already and it's too much like a easy bake oven for me.

And definitely insulated FB since you're in DEN.
Click to expand...

That's been one track in my head since insulated FB on VO might be the lower tech way of having a less pure set and forget but still having stick burner flavor.

When you lament WSM being too much like easy bake oven, is it safe to say that it's a bit of the boredom factor?
 
I would go with the IVC. One, I have one from another maker and love it. You already have a stick burner where you can play with fire and it happens to be one of the best out there. I really like being able to run my IVC overnight and being able to get a good nights sleep. Flavor is not a big difference if you load up a lot of wood in it. As to board, there is always something you can do. I spray once an hour and you can always through another piece of wood on to add more smoke if you want to.
 
cfrazier77 said:
I would go with the IVC. One, I have one from another maker and love it. You already have a stick burner where you can play with fire and it happens to be one of the best out there. I really like being able to run my IVC overnight and being able to get a good nights sleep. Flavor is not a big difference if you load up a lot of wood in it. As to board, there is always something you can do. I spray once an hour and you can always through another piece of wood on to add more smoke if you want to.
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Thanks cfrazier77! I know you've got an IVC from a different maker but how long can you safely "forget" it and not worry about destroying the meat? Do you use a digital stoker?
 
I love my LSG vertical offset with the insulated firebox. Just plain love it! Now..... you have a Shirley offset that provides you with the "playing with fire" and pure wood flavor aspect. So.... I am not going to advise you toward another stick burner. As to an insulated cooker, that would be my choice if you are looking for another play toy for your back yard. The difference between men and boys is the size and price of their toys. Thus, get whichever one that makes you happy. OR... get both! Ha ha ha
 
I don't actually think Chris will let you do an insulated box with the warming oven which is the reason why I opted for the 1/2" on mine.
 
Since we are on the topic of IVC vs VO, do the IVCs come with sausage hangers and can they be added if they don't? I'm really getting into hanging meat in my VO. Seems to work very well with the vertical draft.
 
Springram said:
I love my LSG vertical offset with the insulated firebox. Just plain love it! Now..... you have a Shirley offset that provides you with the "playing with fire" and pure wood flavor aspect. So.... I am not going to advise you toward another stick burner. As to an insulated cooker, that would be my choice if you are looking for another play toy for your back yard. The difference between men and boys is the size and price of their toys. Thus, get whichever one that makes you happy. OR... get both! Ha ha ha
Click to expand...

Thanks Springram and JacksBBQ,

I think I would be pushing marital limits if I asked for both. I too want to get into hanging meat because the old country ways of Europe involved smoke shacks where meat was dangled vertically. It just jives with the science of hot air and smoke rising.

Anybody out there with both a VO of any brand AND an IVC of any brand? It's wild how even my PMs that I've sent are truly on the fence with 1/2 saying VO and the other half saying IVC. Decisions, decisions.
 
Notorious Q.U.E. said:
When you lament WSM being too much like easy bake oven, is it safe to say that it's a bit of the boredom factor?
Click to expand...

Not necessarily boredom, more like it involves less skill than a stick burner. Do you really feel like a pitmaster with a pellet pooper? It's like calling yourself a chef when all you do is boil the water for your Kraft Mac n' Cheese. But not as extreme with a WSM. Still requires the know-how to manage temps and deliver the smoke but man, sometimes it is not challenging or rewarding.
 
I do not think that tools matter as much when referring to the skill set whether pit master or chef. For me, real talent lies in the cooking process. Leave any BBQ meat on any set and forget pit too long and it's not good. Pull too early and it's not good. I great pit master can use any form of fire as long as he / she knows how to treat ingredients.
Try boil that Mac and cheese for an hour and let us know how it tastes. Al dente should not be that hard but it's amazing how many folks cannot boil pasta.

The right pit to buy is the one that brings you the most joy.
 
this is my story and i am sticking to it... :heh: you need to have at least 2 different types of cookers to give yourself some variety. i don't know if the shirley is the only cooker you have but its the only one in your signature. i would pare the LSG IVC with the shirley.

i had 2 stick burners and could not see the reason for both other than 1 was way smaller for smaller cooks but even that didn't make much sense because i have other smaller charcoal cookers that will work and don't require attention every hour. i have a few but i try not to have 2 of any one type. i would have loved to get an LSG cabinet but i already have another brand the size of the mini and a really small cabinet so i went with a GF cooker instead. in my opinion and from my experience i think if you are going to have multiple cookers you need to have as many different types as possible. i know a backwoods is different than a humphreys but they are not different enough to have a different cooking experience with each one. i apologize to you egg heads and weber guys that have a dozen of each...that is more of an addiction than anything else. :crazy:
 
Pocchampion said:
The right pit to buy is the one that brings you the most joy.
Click to expand...
+1

If you are unsure of how you would like cooking in an insulated cabinet, I'd suggest getting a used WSM, PBC or Drum and getting a few cooks in with an open mind to see how you like cooking on a charcoal smoker.

I thoroughly enjoy cooking on my Drum whether it's hanging meat or cooking on the grate, as far as skill that was mentioned above, there is still a process to get the results you desire and you have to be involved regardless of the cooker. Everyone has their own preferences, the most important thing to me are getting great results not what type of cooker you used to get there.

I'm with Paul I would work on adding to not trading out, even if it took being patient and adding the LSG IVC cooker down the line, the LSG VO is awesome stick burner but so is your Shirley.
 
Notorious Q.U.E. said:
Thanks cfrazier77! I know you've got an IVC from a different maker but how long can you safely "forget" it and not worry about destroying the meat? Do you use a digital stoker?
Click to expand...

I have a smaller model from the same company as crazier77 and when I am cooking overnight I cook L&S so I start the pit around 6 meat on at 8 in bed by 10 then get up about 6 to check on things. I run a Digiq and it works great. I normally cook at 235*. If need be I will crank the temp in the morning to speed things up. Never had a problem with a bad overnighter.
 
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Folks, this is some great gouge coming my way. If I'm gauging the pulse of this thread, I'm reading IVC by a nose. I love my Shirley so much but it's like watching another child with the wood tending. It's fun but it also keeps on demanding even when I'm dead tired.

I'll wait for more input but I can understand a compelling argument that a next cooker really should be of a different type altogether. IVC is further away from my Shirley than VO
 
Notorious Q.U.E. said:
Thanks cfrazier77! I know you've got an IVC from a different maker but how long can you safely "forget" it and not worry about destroying the meat? Do you use a digital stoker?
Click to expand...

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, busy day. I have run mine 14 hours at 225 with no issues. I use a CyberQ so it minds the fire and watches the meat temps. I can set it and forget it, or fiddle with it as much as I want. I have a Down East Beast from Humphrey's and I have heard that my coal box is the same size as a Lone Star Mini. If you go with the full size IVC then you can go a lot longer. In my opinion both manufactures are great and you can't go wrong with either maker.
 
cfrazier77 said:
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, busy day. I have run mine 14 hours at 225 with no issues. I use a CyberQ so it minds the fire and watches the meat temps. I can set it and forget it, or fiddle with it as much as I want. I have a Down East Beast from Humphrey's and I have heard that my coal box is the same size as a Lone Star Mini. If you go with the full size IVC then you can go a lot longer. In my opinion both manufactures are great and you can't go wrong with either maker.
Click to expand...

No worries, I can relate to busy. Coincidentally, blue is the color I've been admiring. I've got to give Humphrey a hard look !
 
Is your Shirley already a patio model? If it is, I think the IVC would probably be the better buy since you have something that already fits the place of the vertical offset on the patio. The vertical offset is an amazing patio offset and it would be a great supplement for someone who has a nice trailer pit but can't necessarily use it right out the back door but still wants to cook on an offset. If you get the IVC, you've got the best of both worlds on the patio. I asked Chris at LSG what he would get if he was gonna buy one and he said he's only got one smoker at his house and its one of the IVCs so you know they are good. Something else to think about is you could probably get the mini as opposed to bigger one since you already have something else with a ton of capacity. That might an easier sell for the wife. I kind of think the mini is actually what Chris has at his house.
 
Jacks...good points. I totally agree with getting smaller if you have a big cooker. Also the mini holds more meat than most people would ever cook. I don't know how anyone considers it "mini".

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 
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