Need Help Choosing:Lone Star Vertical Offset vs Lone Star Vertical Insulated Cabinet

I wish I had such problems... :mrgreen:

I'm getting old and really appreciate not playing fireman so much. With that quantity you're doing it sounds like you're busy enough. I'd vote insulated!

They're both great smokers but different:

Insulated is more efficient, set and forget and less maintenance

Offset as you already know needs more attention and tending to during cooks and constant maintenance (controlling rust mainly by hitting it with oil here in there as needed) but produces way better flavor IMO

If you do a lot of cooks and as you said your demand is growing maybe the insulated is a better choice unless you don't mind tending the fire and constant attention. I don't mind it but I fire mine up on average two to three times a month.

One thing I would suggest since capacity is a must for you is to go with a 24x30 main chamber on the offset. The difference in price is only $175 but you gain a lot more room.

I will say that I was facing the same dilemma when I ordered my vertical from LSG but I enjoy the stick burner flavor tremendously and I have been very happy with my choice. I will add that I have been thinking about the mini insulated down the line as a sidekick to my stick burner. :mrgreen: Hopefully I didn't confuse you even more.

Nothing beats sticks as you know so my vote is the offset, plus the warmer will be nice. Can't you cook in the warmer also...just like the Shirley?

I think you have to ask yourself... How much do you want to tend a fire? Like mentioned, the insulated can be set it and forget it. The offset will be rock steady, but need a stick every hour or so. Both units will hold 12 briskets, but the insulated will be at or very close to full capacity. The offset in either 24" or 30" will still have a little room for you to grow. Good luck with your decision!

Fwismoker said:

Nothing beats sticks as you know so my vote is the offset, plus the warmer will be nice. Can't you cook in the warmer also...just like the Shirley?

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Yes the warmer can be cooked in, but I'm not sure it's that much more practical. Yesterday I used 17 lbs of charcoal in the basket and a small bag of apple chunks and got 7 hrs burn time. For that fuel cost ($20), I could have just used pecan logs and accomplished the same thing in my regular cook chamber.

Well I guess from previous conversations that we've had that you know what I'd pick out of the two but Sausage Warrior makes a good point about keeping the cook as simple as possible when cooking large quantities. Your answer may be found by asking yourself the question,... how busy am I going to be and can I realistically tend to a fire while cooking that much food?
You know that the capacity of the vertical offset (especially if you moved up to the 30" wide cabinet) would easily handle the amount of food that you want to cook as would the insulated unit, so with that issue being a draw it really comes down to ease of the cook and flavor of the food.
So as for the level of difficulty in operating them obviously the insulated cooker would be easier, giving you a pretty much set it and forget it cooker BUT... having spent more than 30 years cooking on offsets I can attest to the fact that the vertical offset that I have from LSG is by far the "easiest to cook on" offset I've ever cooked on. It gets great fuel economy in comparison to a traditional horizontal style pit and it holds temps like a dream, especially with the tuning plates which you can adjust to your liking, creating a cooler side or having level temps from side to side which I don't think would be a feature of the insulated cooker.
As for flavor,... in my opinion Q from a stick burner is unmatched by that of charcoal cooked Q. I'm sure there are many here that would disagree with me but I've tasted competition level Q from both styles of cookers and I'd have to go with the stick burner.
I personally would go with the vertical offset because when feeding the public or even large gatherings of family and friends I want the VERY best finished product possible and IMO the offset is what will give me that. Not that the food cooked on the insulated unit wouldn't be just as juicy or tender but I know the flavor just wouldn't be the same as all wood cooked Q.
Finally however, on top of the capacity, ease of use and the flavor of the vertical offset there is the matter of versatility. You can set the LSG vertical and warming oven combination up to do so many things, (smoke, grill, bake, roast, hold, warm) that it really becomes the one cooker that will do it all, it becomes the "Swiss Army Knife" of cookers. You can't get that from the insulated cooker.:wink:

Fwismoker said:

Nothing beats sticks as you know so my vote is the offset, plus the warmer will be nice. Can't you cook in the warmer also...just like the Shirley?

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It can be used in conjunction with the main chamber or not. It's obviously is much more efficient used with the main chamber. Just crack the lid back if you want more heat etc. You just have to use your imagination and the possibilities are endless. I've thrown some sides, mac n cheese etc. in the oven and cooked it. Obviously not limited to sides only.

Some croutons (one of the few pics I have using the oven)



Or I've used the oven by itself for pork shoulder kabobs for a quick dinner (35 mins max) with my PBC fire basket and plate removed completely. Very efficient with the PBC basket.



I chose to hang them meat




Or use the firebox to cook :becky:



Forgot to say that I also chose the 24x30 for a whole hog that I needed time to time. A 38lb-er for New Years eve party. Like I said infinite possibilities.

12 Briskets at once , hmmmm I really am an amature . GOOD LUCK DUDE !

Fwismoker said:

Nothing beats sticks as you know so my vote is the offset, plus the warmer will be nice. Can't you cook in the warmer also...just like the Shirley?

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N2Q said:

Yes the warmer can be cooked in, but I'm not sure it's that much more practical. Yesterday I used 17 lbs of charcoal in the basket and a small bag of apple chunks and got 7 hrs burn time. For that fuel cost ($20), I could have just used pecan logs and accomplished the same thing in my regular cook chamber.

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I use my oven to cook chicken, ribs and even a single brisket or butt. I use a wood fire to cook with instead of charcoal and I can get and hold pretty much any temperature that I want ranging from 200 to 450 or higher (not sure how hot I can get it since I don't cook anything at any higher a temp than 375). The whole system works better with wood.:wink:

Ssv, does your lid that separates the firebox from the warmer have any damper control on it? Chris was telling me he could build one with two pinwheels on each side of the handle that you could open and close to control the heat much better. I'm thinking of having him build a new lid with these as I think it would really come in handy.

oldbill said:

I use my oven to cook chicken, ribs and even a single brisket or butt. I use a wood fire to cook with instead of charcoal and I can get and hold pretty much any temperature that I want ranging from 200 to 450 or higher (not sure how hot I can get it since I don't cook anything at any higher a temp than 375). The whole system works better with wood.:wink:

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I agree. Wood is the way to go. The charcoal basket hasn't quite worked as I had planned. What I do is take the lid out and set it on the grilling grate in the firebox. Works great as a diverter!

Old bill, do you feel like you get better efficiency cooking w wood in the warmer vs using the smoke chamber?

(Sorry to hijack your thread Jason ;-) )

N2Q said:

Ssv, does your lid that separates the firebox from the warmer have any damper control on it? Chris was telling me he could build one with two pinwheels on each side of the handle that you could open and close to control the heat much better. I'm thinking of having him build a new lid with these as I think it would really come in handy.

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Nope! Just a plate with a handle. That sounds good actually but for me personally I just pull back the lid a bit and have more heat if I choose to and control it with the oven pinwheels.



Like so



Pinwheel heat control

N2Q said:

I agree. Wood is the way to go. The charcoal basket hasn't quite worked as I had planned. What I do is take the lid out and set it on the grilling grate in the firebox. Works great as a diverter!

Old bill, do you feel like you get better efficiency cooking w wood in the warmer vs using the smoke chamber?

(Sorry to hijack your thread Jason ;-) )

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Gotta agree that I get better results with wood since wood burns much hotter. Still haven't used my charcoal basket though.

N2Q said:

I agree. Wood is the way to go. The charcoal basket hasn't quite worked as I had planned. What I do is take the lid out and set it on the grilling grate in the firebox. Works great as a diverter!

Old bill, do you feel like you get better efficiency cooking w wood in the warmer vs using the smoke chamber?

(Sorry to hijack your thread Jason ;-) )

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Well yes but mostly due to the fact that I'm maintaining a much smaller fire when cooking in the oven as apposed to the main chamber. Once all that steel gets heated up however, I've found that a well maintained coal bed is all that's needed to hold temps in the main chamber as well (apart from times of extreme cold or moisture that is). For the capacity of the cooker, I'd say that it's extremely fuel efficient either way.:grin:
P.S. Good use of the grill top lid!:thumb:

Going by the specs the vertical offset will hold more than the insulated cabinet. If you are already cooking 12 briskets at a time then 15-20 isn't too far away. Then you can sell me the Muskrat backyard at a decent price.:wink:

Smokin' Greene said:

Thanks guys, my original choice was the vertical offset (because of the warming oven versatility). I believe I will stick to those plans, so now 30" or 24"???

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30!!!!! For an extra $175 you get plenty of room for 2 full size pans or a possibility of up to 3 briskets per slide out!:wink: