Hard to find bandera smokers...what gives?

[cayenne]

Hi all,

Whew...been a LOOONG time since I last posted.

Last year...I finally got my old bandera smoker out of storage with the rest of my stuff that had been in storage since Hurricane Katrina (I finally put roots down again somewhat).

Anyway, the smoker lasted about a year, caught fire, warped and at that point I decided to get another (it was rusting badly too).

I was shocked to find...I could not find another one by Charbroil or really any commercial one like it online or local?

I finally found ONE....a single unit left at the local Academy Sports (it wasn't on their website, just happened to see one unit in the store). It wasn't a Charbroil...but some off brand I'd never heard of...but it appeared to be a bit more solidly built than the New Braunfels or Charbroils. It wasn't a kit...fire box and smoke chamber were welded, and metal seems thicker.

It has less shelves, but they are all heavy expanded metal ones with frames...I got it for $299.

Well, my old cover for the old one, when I put it on the new box the other night...promptly poked a hole through with one of the two chimneys this thing has.

Anyway, was about to buy a cover for it that the Charbroil site had (nothing on amazon)...then while searching, I found old threads on this forum about just using a tarp of some kind.....so, I might go that route.

So, couple questions: What do you use to keep your tarp covering the smoker? Rocks? Rope?

Second question (subject of this post): What's the deal with not being able to buy a bandera style smoker lately? Anyone else noticed this? I was thinking I was going to have to go the route of spending $$$ on a Klose box....I'll eventually do that, but needing to save a bit of money for now...

Nice to be back...long time since I've been around....I'll start reading and catching up.

cayenne

 

[Pappy]

I see them on CL about twice a year.

 

[cayenne]

What's the deal ?

I see them on CL about twice a year.

That's kinda sad.

So, I wonder what's the deal? Why don't companies seem to manufacturing them any more?

What is everyone here doing when theirs finally wear out and a new unit is needed?

C

 

[---k---]

Being a relatively late comer to the BBQ craze, I've never actually seen a Bandera type smoker and have wondered why the aren't more popular. I must say the size and layout has me very intrigued. It looks like something that would fit on my patio, fits how much meat I smoke, and fits the image in my head of what a smoker should look like better than many of the insulated vertical smokers.

Probably just fads and trends. What was once new is old and what is old will be new again. Just give it time.

With fads, it just takes someone to use one on TV like on BBQ Pitmasters for them to be back in style. I nominate that Big Mista guy. He's famous now. Someone get him a Bandera. :wink:

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Second question (subject of this post): What's the deal with not being able to buy a bandera style smoker lately? Anyone else noticed this? I was thinking I was going to have to go the route of spending $$$ on a Klose box....I'll eventually do that, but needing to save a bit of money for now...

Nice to be back...long time since I've been around....I'll start reading and catching up.

cayenne

To be honest. I don't know the "official" answer but if I had to guess it's because they were badly built, IMO. My father in law has one and they are good to grill on but when Q'n they aren't very good. Temps go all over the place, very hard to control temps and there are huge temp differences from one section to the next which can cause major cooking headaches. But again, that's just my .02. :thumb:

 

[chad]

The Bandera is where the term "mod" started -- if you owned one you definitely did modifications: baffle, door gasket, additional shelves, firebricks in the firebox, charcoal basket, drain mod , etc. The very originals were heavier gauge steel and were pretty good cookers, but by the time the mass manufacturers got to the the sheet metal was thin, the wheels pretty lousy, etc. Great concept and there are some variations on the rectangular vertical cooker around - I know Klose and Gator each make one.