Anyone have a Pitts & Spitts Ultimate Smoker?

[Fishwater2002]

There's a Pitts & Spitts ultimate upright smoker available near me & was thinking about it for my first stick burner but I haven't seen much info about them online. It's the big one with the upright cabinet which I really didn't want or need but then I started to think maybe the upright cabinet would be good if I got into smoking sausage. The price is right but I haven't seen it in person yet but before I waste time I figured I'd ask if anyone was familiar with their stick burners. How's the roll top door? It looks like it would leak to me? How's the draft? Temp stability etc....Any insight is appreciated!

 

[Jmgunn]

I had no idea they made anything but pellet smokers until reading this post

 

[oldgfbbq]

I lived in Beaumont & Houston until my mid 20s, where the company is HQ'd. My concern would be less about the roll top leaking, but insulating. I now live in western MA and was surprised at how much heat loss a non-insulated offset smoker experiences, particularly in temps below 50.


They have a list of dealers across the country. It might be worth a call to a few in northern states, places that sell multiple brands, and ask them about their experience. One does not need a lot of insulation on a smoker in Houston, or a lot of places for that matter. If you intend on cooking during the winter, you might consider other options.


That dealer network also suggests longevity of the company and appeal to wide audience. And, selling through Academy Sports & Outdoors is significant. Both are HQd in Houston and ASO should know a little about Fitts & Spitts and their products.


In another thread, you mentioned a desire to keep cost under 1k and commercially produced. You might end up with something much better if you considered homemade offset smokers, fabricated in a similar climate as ours. Alternatively, Humphrey's is right up the road. There are probably tons of units in this part of the country.


Just my two cents, seems you have been looking for a while. Good luck.

 

[Fishwater2002]

Thank you, you bring up some great points. I've driven past the Humphrey shop a few times in the last few months & never have time to stop but will some day. Fortunately I have a few options for cold weather smoking like my Summit & pellet pooper that has the insulated jacket but you do raise a good point about insulation or lack there of in a typical offset.

Yes, as expected my budget has grown substantially beyond the original $1,000 used target, now I've doubled that for used & even worse trippled for a new unit..the killer is freight. I just heard back from Big Phil, I'm about 1700 miles from Texas so expect to pay $1.00-$1.25 per mile which absolutely kills the thought of one of his smokers!

 

[Fooball]

How's the roll top door? It looks like it would leak to me? How's the draft? Temp stability etc....Any insight is appreciated!

Don't blame you for asking. Heat rises, so any gaps in the roof... if it is a gap would lead to lower temps.

 

[Lahawk1]

I do not have one now but had one about 8 or 9 years ago, I had it for about 5 years. It leaked smoke like crazy, but it produced some great briskets. My only complaint was that it did go thru a lot of wood.

 

[gtsum]

I had a pitts and spitts 24x48 offset about 17 years ago (the design appears unchanged?!?). I’m not a fan of the roll top lid. Firebox was too small also. My current workhorse 1975 is so much easier to run than that pitts and spitts i had, it’s not even comparable.


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[Fishwater2002]

Sounds like I’ll stick with my gut & pass on the Pitts & Spitts, that lid just doesn’t make sense to me.

 

[SmoothBoarBBQ]

I have a smaller model Pitts & Spitts and it's a fantastic smoker. It had the firebox underneath the smoke chamber with a water pan, and I get thin, blue smoke every time I cook. Great smoker and I have very little heat/smoke leakage from the lid; just a very tiny spot in the back but I never notice it.