Help!! Talk me out of a stick burner please!

DavidJ said:
So I've been "wanting" a new smoker for the past couple of years, and a small part of me has broken down and admitted that a pellet smoker is not a terrible thing :wink: but what I've really been leaning towards is a stick burner.

Do I need one? no, especially since I'm not a competition cook and it's just down to the wife and I at home, as well as the occasional groups of family or friends coming over, but there's that primal urge to take my skills up a notch and master the fire on the stick burner.

Next week I'm expecting a sale at one of our local stores that carries the Horizon 20" smoker and I know I'll be over there lusting for it, and because I haven't treated myself to any real toys for several years, I know I'll try to rationalize the purchase.

I know it'll take some time to master, and that I'll probably ruin some expensive cuts of meat on it, and that it'll take up more room on the patio, and that I'll be nursing it a lot more than my UDS, yet that all seems unimportant....

So... with all of this running through my head, why am I still considering one? I'm writing this partly as a way of confirmation that I've made the right choice, but it'd be really helpful if some of y'all with some common sense would confirm that I'm perfectly happy with my drum smoker before I go send this money! :grin:

Thanks!
David
Click to expand...

KBQ, small, light, easy to clean, smoked faster due to convection / air flow, makes incredible bark, electronic temp control, cook w/ real wood smoke, smoke w/ clear blue clean smoke if you'd like, can smoke a lot of food in one cook. VERY short learning curve as opposed to an offset. New for under $2000 shipped. I got mine used for $500.
JD
 
DavidJ said:
and a small part of me has broken down and admitted that a pellet smoker is not a terrible thing :wink:
David
Click to expand...


pellet smokers are actually terrible...they barely impart any smoke flavor at all...its literally an oven....i def vote for stick burner...night and day difference
 
Josh you are a nice guy

Calling a “electric thermo regulated auger driven popper tin box” a oven is super nice of ya!

I would have went full throttle…. :mrgreen:
 
Don't go small cheap offset. I did to get started. (sorry Adams)

When I upgraded to a 1/4" 20x20 firebox and a 1/4" 20x48 cook chamber, I said "OH! So this is how you do it!"

MUCH easier in a larger thicker walled space to maintain temp and a full-flame fire. Don't let your logs smolder! Big fire like a fireplace is where it's at!

Buy a decent size offset and smoke away young man. Just me and the GF, too. No regrets. I smoke for my neighbors and house guests, so when I need the room....it's there.

Oh wait. You wanted someone to talk you out of this. Never mind.
 
You are in a great location for 2nd hand pits. I've driven down twice to Missouri and Kansas to pick up a pit second hand from Minnesota. I'd be checking out Craigslist/Marketplace for pits. You should find a real nice pit between Missouri and Kansas for a decent price.
 
DavidJ said:
I know it'll take some time to master, and that I'll probably ruin some expensive cuts of meat on it, and that it'll take up more room on the patio, and that I'll be nursing it a lot more than my UDS, yet that all seems unimportant....


David
Click to expand...


i had this same thought, pork butts! im on the side of thought that it is almost impossible to mess one up!
 
A stickburner is a fun experience! As long as you have time to tend the fire and a place to store/season wood, go for it.



Though, I agree on the idea of buying a high-quality used one instead of a new mid-quality one. Just watch Craigslist and FB for a few weeks and you'll find one. It'll probably last longer and you'll probably be able sell it later for near what you paid for it. So, it's like trying it for free :). I did that and, even though my cooks are usually small, I like my really large 60" Klose BYC (complete overkill for my needs but, so fun to use!).
 
Allrighty...

This has been a great thread to read, and sorry I didn't respond to everyone's comments, but there's been some great advice here. BTW... I don't subscribe to the "Happy wife happy life" cliche unless I get to add "Happy man happy clan" :)

I have been watching Craigs List and Amazon Marketplace for quite a while, and I see a lot of OK Joe's, but many of them seem to be the "newer" type with a smaller gauge shell, the others just looked a little to used for me... I also liked the idea of buying and selling the offset if I didn't like it, and I actually did that several years ago with a Good-One Open Range patio smoker (talk about eating a lot of fuel :shock: )

I also saw the Old Country Brazos when I spent a month in Alabama earlier this Spring, and strongly considered that one as well.

So.... I walked into the store on Sunday still on the fence, brought the wife with me who wasn't completely opposed (seeing as how she and the kids actually do enjoy my cooking) but that nagging voice in my head that wouldn't allow me to buy it finally won out. :cry:

Since I still "needed" a change of some sort, I decided to upgrade my barrel smoker. After chatting with a buddy I went to the Hunsaker website and began shopping. I then called Mark at Hunsaker and chatted for a while (nice guy!) and am going to order (or pick up) a bunch of "stuff" including the vortex basket and a hanging rack & hooks for ribs, chicken, whatever....

After all is said and done I'm a little disappointed, but am also content with my decision. This upgrade will only cost $300+ and take care of the itch for at least another year, or until I find a decent used stickburner. And... while it's not competition level yet, I'm still turning out some really good Q on the barrel.

Thanks again for all the responses, it's been a lot of fun to read through it all, and I'm glad to see that there's at least one or two of you that could relate!! :grin:

David
 
asks us to talk him out of a stick burner, and he ends up talking himself out of it and ignores us.....lol wow....

its funny you upgraded a current smoker, as I'm actually doing the same thing...I wanted to get an LSG offset vertical, but for now, I ordered the LSG fire management basket, and had a baffle plate made by Royale BBQ Fabrication for my wood barrel. Same thought in my mind, it'll keep me content for the new few years
 
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