Help Deciding - Insulated Vertical vs Offset Vertical Smoker

[ssv3]

Great point by Terry on charcoal if it's expensive in your area. I had briqs (2 bags for $16) on hand and that's what I used but we get plenty of cheap charcoal here. A 40lb bag of mesquite can be had for $13-15 depending where you get it from.

I also calculated the cost of charcoal vs sticks and I averaged about the same as Oak is pretty expensive here and that's what I like to burn. On average my fuel cost whether burning sticks or and charcoal equals about the same. Depending the length of your cook, the average cost to operate the LSG offset is $10-15 here. In my case I can run both comfortably.

PS when I say charcoal I mean charcoal being used in a basket.

 

[Wbfd118]

Years ago I started with a big WSM and even after adding every mod I could and a control unit, still found any harsh MI weather made temps tricky to say the least. Last year scored a Abe's 60 off CL (now called heavy metal, out of Roseville) reverse flow cabinet and I love it, with a control module it doesn't even notice 20 degree days. I'm now saving my nickels to hopefully order a Shirley stick burner in the fall, because the idea of working a smoker sounds fun. My wife asked if the cabinet will go, I said nope the set and forget feature is nice to have. FYI check CL Ann Arbor there is a guy selling garage build backwoods clones, not as refine but his work looks solid and his prices are very good.

 

[pjtexas1]

Years ago I started with a big WSM and even after adding every mod I could and a control unit, still found any harsh MI weather made temps tricky to say the least. Last year scored a Abe's 60 off CL (now called heavy metal, out of Roseville) reverse flow cabinet and I love it, with a control module it doesn't even notice 20 degree days. I'm now saving my nickels to hopefully order a Shirley stick burner in the fall, because the idea of working a smoker sounds fun. My wife asked if the cabinet will go, I said nope the set and forget feature is nice to have. FYI check CL Ann Arbor there is a guy selling garage build backwoods clones, not as refine but his work looks solid and his prices are very good.

You lucky farker! That abe's is a beast. I'll probably keep mine forever too. You don't see many of them anymore.

 

[Wbfd118]

Thanks, yeah deal of the century ($900 every option). It sat there he kept dropping price until he hit that then I swooped in. To bad the business went the way it did, they're good cookers. But hey, ever feel the urge to trade for your Shirley I might part with it...Haha

 

[ngiovas]

Thanks for all of the great feedback (and the PMs). That helped a lot. While I haven't made a final decision, I am still heavily leaning towards the stick burner. I don't enjoy smoking just for the food. I really enjoy the entire process of prep and cooking just as much as eating the end result. I also feel like I have more control over every aspect. I also brew my own beer. While I occasionally use a kit to quickly get a batch done, I really like going through the entire process including crushing my own grains and starting completely from scratch.

As crazy as it sounded at first - having two smokers isn't a terrible idea (although my wife might not agree with that :biggrin1 I am thinking that if I get the vertical offset smoker, I would keep the electric for small unattended smoking sessions. If I find that I am still using both a lot, I can always look into adding an insulated smoker.

I still have a few questions about fire boxes and a couple of other features, but I will probably start a separate thread to ask those questions.

Nick

 

[Adubree86]

From a guy who has both I'd say it depends on what you're cooking and the time you have available. A vertical offset takes a lot of time tending to the fire but the taste is unbeatable. All wood vs wood/charcoal. But my Humphrey's gets a lot of use with a guru too. I just recently got my vertical offset so I don't have a lot of experience yet but my first cook turned out great. I can't get the same flavor out of my humphreys due to lack of oxygen to keep a clean fire going with lots of wood chunks but it's as set it and forget it as they come and will run 10+ hours on a load of coal at 250. Great for those overnight cooks. Based on the results of my offset I foresee myself using it for all my short cooks (around 5-6 hrs) and running the humphreys for overnighters. Some day in the future I'll have a fulling insulated 3/8" steel vertical offset.

 

[Bludawg]

Build a UDS and Get the stick burner

 

[ssv3]

While I haven't made a final decision, I am still heavily leaning towards the stick burner. I don't enjoy smoking just for the food. I really enjoy the entire process of prep and cooking just as much as eating the end result. I also feel like I have more control over every aspect.
Nick

Bam! Exactly why I bought and enjoy the stick burner. And no it's not crazy to have both. :becky:

 

[longwayfromhome]

Two different animals and ultimately you have to go with the one you think will make the best sense for you. Terry (THoey1963) on here got the vertical offset but found out stick burning wasn't for him. He then bought the insulated and sold the offset. I'm sure he'll chime in.

I've had my LSG vertical offset for a little over year and a half and I love it. I thought it through before I bought my offset and again, no regrets. I outfitted mine to run with a charcoal basket and guru hook ups but I have yet to use a guru. It works best with sticks. Well works awesome with the basket also. A few weeks back I used my charcoal basket for the first time and got about 8+ hours with 2x18.6 Kingsford Comp bags. Ran about 275* and worked really well. I had a lot of downtime compared to running it with sticks. Basically nothing to do and just kick back. So there is that option when you're lazy and I'll use the charcoal basket again for sure. A few things I'll consider using the charcoal basket next time but that's besides the point and really happy with the outcome.

As for a flavor difference, while I haven't cooked on an insulated smoker, I do have other charcoal smokers and I'll say that there is a difference in flavor and I DO prefer the stick burner over any of them.

In the end just remember that a stick burner requires way more involvement the insulated. Insulated is more set and forget type of cooker but I must say that once you've got a nice coal bed going in a stick burner, all you do is add a stick every 30-45mins.

Here's the bigarse basket.

So, Sako, with this charcoal cook, was this cooking in the main chamber or was it cooking in the warmer oven? I would assume that by closing the two chimneys in the main chamber, most of the heat would go up into the warmer.

 

[THoey1963]

Bam! Exactly why I bought and enjoy the stick burner. And no it's not crazy to have both. :becky:

Says the man with how many outdoor cooking devices? :biggrin1:

 

[BBQ_MAFIA]

If you have a lot of cold rainy weather I would get the insulated.
I love playing with my Stick Burners but not when is raining.
My Spicewine doesn't care what the weather is, it cooks steady all the time
and allows for some rest during those long over night Brisket cooks.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[DBBQ]

That's why I went with the insulated vertical. In my area it rains a lot. I might save up for a stick burner next year, and have both.

 

[ngiovas]

If you have a lot of cold rainy weather I would get the insulated.
I love playing with my Stick Burners but not when is raining.
My Spicewine doesn't care what the weather is, it cooks steady all the time
and allows for some rest during those long over night Brisket cooks.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

I don't know if this was someone on the forum, but this video is interesting. Temps held in his Lonestar smoker after 40 minutes in pouring rain. I know it isn't cold, snowy and windy, but still interesting.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlA7GkdfDU0"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlA7GkdfDU0[/ame]

 

[ssv3]

So, Sako, with this charcoal cook, was this cooking in the main chamber or was it cooking in the warmer oven? I would assume that by closing the two chimneys in the main chamber, most of the heat would go up into the warmer.

Ralph,

It was cooking in the main chamber. I only had a brisket it in there but it shouldn't matter much if it was loaded. And yes, it goes up to the warmer if you close the main stacks and open the pinwheels.

Says the man with how many outdoor cooking devices? :biggrin1:

I lost count. Lol. I just don't have anymore room, I mean I do but I don't want a cluttered mess. I really like the new Weber Summit Charcoal grill :loco: You know the saying, "He has the most toys...."

On a serious note unless I thin the herd I can't do anymore cookers. I will say that they all have their purpose.

 

[longwayfromhome]

Ralph,

It was cooking in the main chamber. I only had a brisket it in there but it shouldn't matter much if it was loaded. And yes, it goes up to the warmer if you close the main stacks and open the pinwheels.

So, in relation to the identified high usage of charcoal, if the two chimneys were closed, and the cook was in the warmer, then the charcoal usage could be expected to be (probably) significantly reduced. If this is so, with reference to the OP, where the requirement was mainly sticks, with occasional charcoal, the concern about a heavy consumption of charcoal might not be valid if he was happy to cook in the warmer.

Just saying ...

 

[ssv3]

So, in relation to the identified high usage of charcoal, if the two chimneys were closed, and the cook was in the warmer, then the charcoal usage could be expected to be (probably) significantly reduced. If this is so, with reference to the OP, where the requirement was mainly sticks, with occasional charcoal, the concern about a heavy consumption of charcoal might not be valid if he was happy to cook in the warmer.

Just saying ...

Precisely!! Very well put. Cooking in the warmer will reduce charcoal usage greatly.

 

[longwayfromhome]

Precisely!! Very well put. Cooking in the warmer will reduce charcoal usage greatly.

That is what gets me about the LSG VOS ... the warmer, with the large connection to the firebox, is a smoker in its own right, not just a warmer. In the video on the warmer Chris makes it clear it has been designed like that and the availability of the big-assed charcoal box to me shows how well thought out this is. It is a genuine stick-burner and a genuine charcoal smoker. In absolute terms the dedicated insulated vertical smokers are more efficient in comparison, but the VOS is uncompromised stick-burning with very reasonable charcoal capability. So, for the OP, it would appear to be perfect.

 

[ngiovas]

That is what gets me about the LSG VOS ... the warmer, with the large connection to the firebox, is a smoker in its own right, not just a warmer. In the video on the warmer Chris makes it clear it has been designed like that and the availability of the big-assed charcoal box to me shows how well thought out this is. It is a genuine stick-burner and a genuine charcoal smoker. In absolute terms the dedicated insulated vertical smokers are more efficient in comparison, but the VOS is uncompromised stick-burning with very reasonable charcoal capability. So, for the OP, it would appear to be perfect.

The initial investment would be about $600 more, but it would potentially add a lot of versatility to the unit. The real question is, would it be good enough that I wouldn't want to add the insulated smoker in a few years.:wink:

 

[longwayfromhome]

The initial investment would be about $600 more, but it would potentially add a lot of versatility to the unit. The real question is, would it be good enough that I wouldn't want to add the insulated smoker in a few years.:wink:

From what I read by users of the LSG VOS, they have virtually all included the warmer in their purchase, so I think you might as well do it. When they have commented, they have all been positive in their comments about it.

 

[ssv3]

From what I read by users of the LSG VOS, they have virtually all included the warmer in their purchase, so I think you might as well do it. When they have commented, they have all been positive in their comments about it.

Yes! I'd do it all over again. You can bake, smoke, cold smoke, grill, sear, vertical grill or smoke... Plenty of configurations.

Just some of the pics


Oven

Toaster :becky:

Grill

Sear

Kabob grill

Hanging grill/smoker

Or use it in conjunction with the main chamber