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$500 Pits.

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SmittyJonz

somebody shut me the fark up.
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In New $500 Readily Available Store Bought Stick Burners you have 4 Choices:

1. "Ok Joe" at Lowes n Walmart - $429-$449.
2. Old Country Pecos - Academy $399.
3. Old Country Wrangler - Academy $499.
4. Old Country Over n Under - Academy $499.

I have cooked on 1,2 n 3 in the last year and half. They all cooked about the same. None had Mods. I used cookie sheets and foil water pans under the grate on FireBox Side. 1 and 2 are Basically the Same (Size, Gauge, Look) 3 is heavier Gauge on the Doors but Smaller. 4 I have not cooked on but I look at them every Academy Trip. I don't need it cuz I have a PatchWork Bandera. I wish someone local to me would get one so I can cook on it. I would Help them with the Tweaks too.







So if you are in the MKT for a $500 Stick Burner go look at ALL and make up your Mind. I don't see Nuttin wrong with buying any of them.

You High End Pit Owners need to remember the Days of cooking on the cheaper pits because that's what you could afford or was willing to Spend and STOP comparing your $1000-$1500-$2000-$2500 Pits to $500 Pits. That's just Stupid, UnFair and you could be Discouraging a Guy that $500 is All his has to spend on a Pit and it IS a Big Purchase for him. All 4 of those Pits can put out some Good Q - I know cuz I done it. Yes they will burn some Wood but not near as Much as the $200-$250 COS Pits. If one took care of the above Pits Id say they are 10 yr Pits.

Once I get my BadAzz Muscrat Pit in future I will still Look at the Mid Grade Pits and recommend or review them for the Newbs and Average Joes ( like me) for Who $500 is a Big Purchase.

Many will say keep saving and get the so n so Small Backyard model for $850-$1000 but for some Folks the Difference tween $500 and $900 is 1 Yr., for some it's 2 yrs. Some guys can swing $900 but don't want to. MANY Kitchen Passes Cap at $500.
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FARKING North Texas BASH - Oct 18 Lake Ray Roberts - Be There!
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Last edited:
Thank you for posting this information.

Now, how long until someone gives the recommendation to "Build a UDS"?
SmileySuicide.gif
 
I got my gently used ok joe from ButtBurner. He modded it with a few tuning plates and some insulation in the fire box. The price was a steal.

Great entry level cooker and worlds away from the under $200 models

It likes to run 275+ and works best with small splits
 
Ive been cooking on the Pecos for just over a year and love it. I had to work with a reasonable budget and for 400 bucks it's worth every Penny plus some. Added a second shelf while I save for a different unit in the meantime. It holds temps like a champ for me.
 
This was my cycle
1st - $50 brinkmann vertical (wasted tons of fuel but I learned how to q)
2nd - $200 cheap/small offset (burned a lot of fuel and I learned how to manage a fire)
3rd - decent offset (wish I would have started with this one)

I believe what people are trying to say is start with a better quality cooker if you can because it will be a more enjoyable experience. I don't believe the intent of anyone here is to shame someone who cannot afford or justify an expensive cooker. My first offset drove me nuts but I made it work. I also think having all the information is critical in making a decision. We don't want the new guys buying a cooker thinking it is going to be as easy as cooking on a LSG or Shirley. That is where the new guys get frustrated. If you know you are buying a cooker that will be a little more work or need mods then you know what you are getting into and there will be no surprises. Just my .02. Good q can be made on anything if the cook works at it.:-D
 
Thanks for sharing Smitty...it is important to remember that the commitment is always different for different folks!
 
Good info here, thanks. Not everybody has the stuff/skill to build custom pits, the $ to get a high end pit or even the need for a high end pit. Ain't nothing wrong with making what you can afford work; kettle, UDS, COS or whatever.
 
SmittyJonz said:
In New $500 Readily Available Store Bought Stick Burners you have 4 Choices:

1. "Ok Joe" at Lowes n Walmart - $429-$449.
2. Old Country Pecos - Academy $399.
3. Old Country Wrangler - Academy $499.
4. Old Country Over n Under - Academy $499.

I have cooked on 1,2 n 3 in the last year and half. They all cooked about the same. None had Mods. I used cookie sheets and foil water pans under the grate on FireBox Side. 1 and 2 are Basically the Same (Size, Gauge, Look) 3 is heavier Gauge on the Doors but Smaller. 4 I have not cooked on but I look at them every Academy Trip. I don't need it cuz I have a PatchWork Bandera. I wish someone local to me would get one so I can cook on it. I would Help them with the Tweaks too.







So if you are in the MKT for a $500 Stick Burner go look at ALL and make up your Mind. I don't see Nuttin wrong with buying any of them.

You High End Pit Owners need to remember the Days of cooking on the cheaper pits because that's what you could afford or was willing to Spend and STOP comparing your $1000-$1500-$2000-$2500 Pits to $500 Pits. That's just Stupid, UnFair and you could be Discouraging a Guy that $500 is All his has to spend on a Pit and it IS a Big Purchase for him. All 4 of those Pits can put out some Good Q - I know cuz I done it. Yes they will burn some Wood but not near as Much as the $200-$250 COS Pits. If one took care of the above Pits Id say they are 10 yr Pits.

Once I get my BadAzz Muscrat Pit in future I will still Look at the Mid Grade Pits and recommend or review them for the Newbs and Average Joes ( like me) for Who $500 is a Big Purchase.

Many will say keep saving and get the so n so Small Backyard model for $850-$1000 but for some Folks the Difference tween $500 and $900 is 1 Yr., for some it's 2 yrs. Some guys can swing $900 but don't want to. MANY Kitchen Passes Cap at $500.
__________________
FARKING North Texas BASH - Oct 18 Lake Ray Roberts - Be There!
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Click to expand...

Thanks buddy :thumb::thumb:

$500 was my budget. I went with a WSM 22 and I haven't regretted it yet. Got great comments on my whole shoulders and spares.

To you average guys--$500 is enough to make BBQ better than all but the top 10% of 'BBQ' joints out there. Don't let the semi-pros scare you off.
 
I agree, I would love a Shirley or a Lang but that type of investment is just not possible for me. I wanted a decent quality offset so I had to scour CL until I found a NB Oklahoma Joe that needed a new paint job for a price I could afford. That was the best $75 I have ever spent and with $30 worth of materials it now will last for many more years.
 
The Over n' Under really has my attention for the future. I'd like a simple, straight forward stick burner that's not too much money and love the design. I had looked at The Good One line in the past and may still look to them in the future for when I make the next purchase, but the OnU fits nearly all the qualities I'm interested in. The only thing I wish it had was a manual open/close baffle between the firebox and cook chamber.
 
500 bucks??? A few weber grates or case pocket knife skinned coat hangers. Let's Cook!!! I'm 56. Thinking back on what my dad cooked in (guessing 18" cast aluminum from Sears). Five Benjis would have been hilarious in the 60's for a cooker/smoker. In NE Oklahoma I was surrounded by UDS's. Mostly marshmallows and Oscars though.
 
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16Adams said:
500 bucks??? A few weber grates or case pocket knife skinned coat hangers. Let's Cook!!! I'm 56. Thinking back on what my dad cooked in (guessing 18" cast aluminum from Sears). Five Benjis would have been hilarious in the 60's for a cooker/smoker. In NE Oklahoma I was surrounded by UDS's. Mostly marshmallows and Oscars though.
Click to expand...

Wasn't Brisket $.39/Lb then.......
 
SmittyJonz said:
Wasn't Brisket $.39/Lb then.......
Click to expand...

Probably. Enjoyed your review and like you I find the O/U an interesting cooker. Academy near me had one for a while. I didn't see it yesterday but I did find five boxes of urban friendly 22short
 
16Adams said:
Probably. Enjoyed your review and like you I find the O/U an interesting cooker. Academy near me had one for a while. I didn't see it yesterday but I did find five boxes of urban friendly 22short
Click to expand...

Good Find. :eusa_clap
 
Remember to watch craig's list fellas. I've already seen a few pop up in the last 2 months. (not the o/u obviously) .... but it will. :thumb:
 
Given that this is my first post on the forum, I find it fitting to post about my "gateway smoker" into the smoking world.

I asked for and received an Orion Smoker a few years ago as a gift. Now, I know it strays from "traditional" smoking, it gave me the itch to learn more and more about barbecue. It's at a fairly decent price point, which makes in (IMO) a good option for anyone just starting out.

After a few years in and much research conducted (including trolling this forum!), I'm now ready to move on to a more "official" smoker. We shall see where I land...
 
I've got a 22" WSM and an Old Country Pecos in my backyard right now.

If your budget is $500 or less, I'd recommend either of those. WSM for set-and-forget style charcoal cooking, Pecos for stickburning. I've turned out some great Q on both of them. They're certainly good for family-size cooking, won't take up all the room in your back yard, and won't break the bank.

You really have to look at spending in the $2500 range to get a significant upgrade from either of those. For me, the next steps would be a LSG insulated cabinet for the ultimate in charcoal cooking, or a LSG or Shirley offset for stick burning (depending on if you want traditional or reverse flow). If you want to go beyond that, you're really looking at whatever manufacturer makes the best trailer for your particular needs, or stepping into a commercial unit like an Ole Hickory. Or buying my dream smoker, a Jambo. :)
 
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