Narrowed it down to 4

[TuscaloosaQ]

Just some info.... my personal backlog is around 13 months.... for the gentleman that said we should just stop taking orders until we catch up....I'll say this...some people have to save up $$$ for a smoker and the long backlog is convenient and works for them especially since we only require a 300$$ deposit.... the issue along the way has been you'll have a guy that orders a 24x50 patio model before he's done he's changed to a trailer model with an insulated firebox and other upgrades....it's easy to say hire more people but you run into way to many problems.. more headaches... it takes a long long time to train people to work to our expectations.... plus the younger generation have a whole different outlook and work ethic than I was raised with ... not to highjack this thread.... I wish you well in your quest in a great smoker!!!!!

 

[Big N Hot]

Lang
Meadow Creek
Bubba grills.
Johnson smokers.

Lang, Meadow Creek, and Johnson would be a patio model due to the cost.
The bubba would be a trailer model.

It's taken me 3 weeks to narrow it down.

Just a quick look at Bubba Grills and Johnson would make me cut them from that list. The offerings just look a little impractical for my tastes.

I went Lang mainly because they had the only offering with a heavy duty pull/push around frame mounted on heavy duty trailer tires. Anything on casters would have been a disaster in my backyard. If Meadow Creek had that option on the TS-120P I would have bit.

In the future I may go with a Shirley. But only because now I have something that I can play on while I wait almost 2 years for it.

 

[sudsandswine]

Just some info.... my personal backlog is around 13 months.... for the gentleman that said we should just stop taking orders until we catch up....I'll say this...some people have to save up $$$ for a smoker and the long backlog is convenient and works for them especially since we only require a 300$$ deposit.... the issue along the way has been you'll have a guy that orders a 24x50 patio model before he's done he's changed to a trailer model with an insulated firebox and other upgrades....it's easy to say hire more people but you run into way to many problems.. more headaches... it takes a long long time to train people to work to our expectations.... plus the younger generation have a whole different outlook and work ethic than I was raised with ... not to highjack this thread.... I wish you well in your quest in a great smoker!!!!!

Put quality before quantity and the rest will sort itself out eventually :thumb:

 

[Stlsportster]

I just bought a Lang 48 and the welds are flawless on 90% of the rig and the other 10% are just fine. To say the quality has slipped is probably not an accurate statement.

Langs are workhorses and put out awesome product. I will never not hane a Lang in my stable.

Mine is a used 2013 model. Here is what I mean by poor quality welds.

Nothing impacting function....just sloppy. Still cooks great!

 

[ChrisBarb]

I am waiting and in que for a shirley but i don't think i would have waited for them to take my order. That was the pit that i wanted and figured waiting a year was better than having "i wish i had waited" in my head.

Not trying to be rude. But, can I ask why Shirley has this reputation as the end all and be all of smokers? I know they are good, but what makes them so much better than their peers that a 19 month wait is acceptable?

 

[DaveAlvarado]

That oughta Tell ya something right there.......I bet them other builders Wish they could Book orders that Deep. Nuttin wrong with the other Top builders but if people are willing to send a deposit knowing it's 18 months out then that just shows what a Great product they put out - and Shirley Should keep on taking them orders. :heh:

They can. Gator could fire everybody but 2 welders and one part-time guy and they'd have a wait list just like Shirley.

The problem with Shirley isn't that they have too many orders, it's that they have incredibly high standards, an incredibly long training program for their welders, and a lack of additional Shirley boys to teach. From a business standpoint their options are to either hire more welders at the risk of quality slipping, or keep doing what they're doing and recognize that they're losing some potential sales, but with a year and a half of work to do, who cares?

The market for their smokers is stabilizing--eventually they're not worth the wait, so people just don't place orders with them when the line gets too long. Seems to be about where they're at right now. Jaime Geer had the same problem with Jambo pits for years after BBQ Pitmasters aired. Didn't seem to hurt him any, he just had about a year waiting list and people are still lining up to give him money.

 

[DaveAlvarado]

Not trying to be rude. But, can I ask why Shirley has this reputation as the end all and be all of smokers? I know they are good, but what makes them so much better than their peers that a 19 month wait is acceptable?

Their build quality is literally second to none. If you want the best reverse-flow smoker money can buy, you buy a Shirley. They are to reverse flow smokers what Jambo Pits is to traditional flow competition smokers.

 

[locosmoke]

Not trying to be rude. But, can I ask why Shirley has this reputation as the end all and be all of smokers? I know they are good, but what makes them so much better than their peers that a 19 month wait is acceptable?

For me I wanted a reverse flow and after looking around on the internet and comparing I felt most comfortable giving my money to Mr. Shirley after watching ALOT of videos of his products and the only negative i could find anyone say anywhere about his smokers was the wait. So i wait!

 

[Czarbecue]

Not trying to be rude. But, can I ask why Shirley has this reputation as the end all and be all of smokers? I know they are good, but what makes them so much better than their peers that a 19 month wait is acceptable?

Their YouTube videos won me over. You should check them out.

 

[PatAttack]

Not trying to be rude. But, can I ask why Shirley has this reputation as the end all and be all of smokers? I know they are good, but what makes them so much better than their peers that a 19 month wait is acceptable?

This is why.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBZgDgayvfs"]Ross @ shirley fabrication is slicking those mig welds on again - YouTube[/ame]

The whole smoker has welds like this. Not just what you can see.

Quality..

 

[SmittyJonz]

Not trying to be rude. But, can I ask why Shirley has this reputation as the end all and be all of smokers? I know they are good, but what makes them so much better than their peers that a 19 month wait is acceptable?

One of the main things is they are Custom - more so than most others. If you can think it up and it makes sense to them and feasable they'll do it (with in reason/ within their general style/design) and being a smaller shop with less overhead their prices are lower than many. Another Big Selling point is their sq or rect fronts with cabinet doors on a horizontal reverse flow and sq back/flat back design - bigger grates and easy to open doors. Like Grand Poobah said in a post a while Back - every Major brand was Hot for a while - its Shirley's time right now. I've seen PAuls at 3 N Tx Bash(s) and it's KickAzz.

 

[mowin]

Just some info.... my personal backlog is around 13 months.... for the gentleman that said we should just stop taking orders until we catch up....I'll say this...some people have to save up $$$ for a smoker and the long backlog is convenient and works for them especially since we only require a 300$$ deposit.... the issue along the way has been you'll have a guy that orders a 24x50 patio model before he's done he's changed to a trailer model with an insulated firebox and other upgrades....it's easy to say hire more people but you run into way to many problems.. more headaches... it takes a long long time to train people to work to our expectations.... plus the younger generation have a whole different outlook and work ethic than I was raised with ... not to highjack this thread.... I wish you well in your quest in a great smoker!!!!!

I'm the OP... for the record, I did not or mention you should change your business or ordering status.

I think it's great your doing so well and you've got orders for 1 1/2 yrs. (Per your email 2 days ago).

I think you have a great product. I seems this forum is heavily geared towards SF. So much so that every thread I read turns into a SF or nothing thread.

I wish I had the money to get "by" as some say with a sub par unit like a Lang, MC ECT while I had one built, but I don't. Lol. Maybe my lotto ticket will hit tonight..

 

[Czarbecue]

I'm the OP... for the record, I did not or mention you should change your business or ordering status.



I think it's great your doing so well and you've got orders for 1 1/2 yrs. (Per your email 2 days ago).



I think you have a great product. I seems this forum is heavily geared towards SF. So much so that every thread I read turns into a SF or nothing thread.



I wish I had the money to get "by" as some say with a sub par unit like a Lang, MC ECT while I had one built, but I don't. Lol. Maybe my lotto ticket will hit tonight..

I still highly recommend Johnson Smokers. As of last month, I was quoted a Labor Day completion date. He may have moved on to a later date by now.

 

[PatAttack]

I'm the OP... for the record, I did not or mention you should change your business or ordering status.

I think it's great your doing so well and you've got orders for 1 1/2 yrs. (Per your email 2 days ago).

I think you have a great product. I seems this forum is heavily geared towards SF. So much so that every thread I read turns into a SF or nothing thread.

I wish I had the money to get "by" as some say with a sub par unit like a Lang, MC ECT while I had one built, but I don't. Lol. Maybe my lotto ticket will hit tonight..

I disagree. Folks are just suggesting the quality is much higher with these units. They're not the end all, be all by any means.

Good luck with your search.

 

[SmittyJonz]

I'm the OP... for the record, I did not or mention you should change your business or ordering status.

I think it's great your doing so well and you've got orders for 1 1/2 yrs. (Per your email 2 days ago).

I think you have a great product. I seems this forum is heavily geared towards SF. So much so that every thread I read turns into a SF or nothing thread.

Shirley and Lone Star Grills are Hot right now. A few years ago it was Jambo for a while, before that it was Klose and a cpl others had their Time in Spotlight......

 

[SmittyJonz]

I disagree. Folks are just suggesting the quality is much higher with these units. They're not the end all, be all by any means.

Good luck with your search.

Value is Much Higher - what you get for the Price is Higher than Any. Quality is Higher than Many but a few are Equal - But those ones were Hot a Few years ago and so they expanded and so did their pricing.......

 

[Jason TQ]

Not trying to be rude. But, can I ask why Shirley has this reputation as the end all and be all of smokers? I know they are good, but what makes them so much better than their peers that a 19 month wait is acceptable?

It is a truly a very good question. My sentiments are similar pretty much to what they others have said. Amazing people, amazing cookers and for me the experience of purchasing and who they are is something very uncommon in this world.

Of all the cookers I've been around they are 2nd to none (both in and out of competitions). Obviously here on this forum is a big fan base. I recently had another amazing experience with Mark Hunsaker and bought 3 of his drums after talking and messaging to him for maybe 10mins. Another amazing person.

So from the outside if you are just looking statically at a cooker producer and only see the 13/18month (whatever the wait is) I would have a similar reaction that you did Chris. There's just more behind the curtain. Paul and Tyler can't control the fans hooting and hollering (which actually turns some people off that can stand that "fanboy" appearance at all). Off my douche-canoe pedestal and back to the regularly schedule thread :becky:


So back to the OP. Looks like any of those cookers would be great. I've seen the bubba's in person and really like them. Langs are still great smokers and more readily available. Not sure you can go wrong with any of them. With that selection you really should be able to find the specifics you want, which is a great place to be in. Lots of different models and features between that lot so I'd be making a list of what I want and see who's got the majority of that. Good luck!

 

[olewarthog]

Lang
Meadow Creek
Bubba grills.
Johnson smokers.

Lang, Meadow Creek, and Johnson would be a patio model due to the cost.
The bubba would be a trailer model.

It's taken me 3 weeks to narrow it down.

Bubba Grills has a patio model. Lonnie Smith, the owner, is super to work with. He will make sure you get what you want. He competes almost weekly on his own products. Has won Ribs at Memphis in May a few years back.

 

[BillN]

Bottom line there are a lot of great smokers out there, with that in mind here is my two cents. Get at least a 24" diameter smoker with removable upper and lower grates. At minimum 3/16" preferably 1/4" or thicker steel. If you need a trailer then get a trailer model. Determine who you are cooking for, a 36", 42" and 48" will cook a lot of food, bigger is great but not necessary unless you cook for large numbers 75 or more. Make sure if you go patio model you get wheels and castors large enough to easily move your cooker these things are beast. Now there are an infinite number of custom options you can put on a cooker so if you got to wait a month or 24 this is a huge investment so get what you want/need so this can be the last cooker you need to buy.

 

[Nuco59]

I've watched the videos -everything I saw was impressive.
Then I saw one in person... my buddy waited a year for his.
He did not regret it one bit.
I only thought I was impressed by the videos- I was blown away when I got to lay hands on one.
That is why they have that reputation- they did it the old fashioned way - they EARNED it.