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If you could only have one cooker...? My thoughts.

lunchman said:
Great analysis, agree with many of your points. All good cookers.

For those looking for a non-ceramic Kamado, I went through that thought process recently. My Bayou Classic Ceramic Cypress suffered a fatal lid crack for the very reasons stated by BBM, a misaligned hinge. Something I probably should have paid more attention to although I did adjust it periodically. Was it a great cooker? No, it was a good cooker and my go to was always the Bubba Keg. The fact that the BC is no longer sold and replacement lids weren't available led me to look at other Kamados, non-ceramics.

Tossing ceramics out of the decision process left me with a handful of choices. Blaze Aluminum, Caliber Stainless Steel, another Big Steel Keg/Broil King Keg, Akorn. Had I known about the Weber Summit Charcoal I might have considered it.

With a Google search I stumbled across the Goldens' Cast Iron. Not a well known brand, hardly any reviews, and frankly I took a chance on it. It was cheaper than the Blaze and the Caliber. I wasn't keen on the Akorn reviews. Wanted something different than my Bubba Keg.

I've only had it six weeks or so and am pleased with the purchase. It does everything I need in a Kamado.

Have not tried overnite low and slows yet, those are on the agenda.

Pros:
Cast Iron, not ceramic
Built like a tank
Will outlast me, my great-great-great* grandchildren will get to use it.
Cooks thus far have been effortless, like I've been using it for years
Interaction with the company has been outstanding

Cons:
Unknown company making its mark in the Kamado world (though they've been in business as an iron foundry since 1882)
Price is up there, but for me it was a good value
Won't be tailgating with it :-D

Just another Kamado to consider and solely my opinion based on ownership. I'm probably the only forum member who owns one!

-lunchman
Click to expand...

No expert but first look that looks like nice cooker
 
Do I have to be the first to say build a UDS?

Bought a KJBJ a few weeks and I'm very happy with it. I wanted a WSCG for all the reasons that BBM pointed out, but it's not available in Australia (and Weber get a bit weird when I ask them if/when they're going to bring it in, like I'm asking for the Coke formula).
 
Toast said:
I can understand why alot of the Northern Brethren choose the ceramics but how long do they last? I'm liking the WSCG.
Click to expand...

I have seen a BGE that was pushing 40. The ceramics looked fine but the metal parts were showing their age. I think it comes down to how well you take care of it plus a little luck.
 
m-fine said:
I have seen a BGE that was pushing 40. The ceramics looked fine but the metal parts were showing their age. I think it comes down to how well you take care of it plus a little luck.
Click to expand...

I bought a house a year and a half ago that came with a Large BGE. The stand is built into the deck, so they included it with the house. It got me into BBQ and outdoor cooking and was a great grill. But, when I got it the fire bowl was cracked. Over the next year the crack got worse, and eventually it started to fall apart. Bought a new one for about $150 or so. When I pulled the old one out for the last time (I knew it would really fall apart if I tried to remove it) I discovered the fire ring was also cracked, but it broke into two solid pieces, and I've been using it as-is for now.

Fast forward a couple months, the lid got out of alignment. Trying to adjust it was a huge PITA. Partly because it's a dumb design, partly because of how the stand is built the limited access it provides. While spinning it around in the stand so I could get to the bolts easier I discovered a crack in the base, starts on one side, goes down and cross the bottom and about a foot up the other side. It's not falling apart yet, but it's a matter of time. Seeing as how it's sitting on a wooden deck attached to my wooden house, I don't want to leave it unattended. No more overnight cooks for sure.

A replacement base will be over $500. I could buy an all new grill (with a lifetime warranty, which I don't have with the current Egg since I'm not the original owner) for $700 from the Ace down the street. So, no way I'm paying $500 for a new base!

But, I'd still have the same issues. Bands that go out of adjustment. Ceramics that eventually crack. Some folks get decades of use out of them, but cracked bases are not uncommon. A mountain biking buddy has had his Egg for over 18yrs and hasn't had anything crack but the firebox. He doesn't use it all that much though. We used ours several times a week, and I don't know how much use it got before we owned it.

So instead of fixing or replacing the Egg, I bought a 22.5" Kettle, an 18" WSM, and then a rotisserie for the kettle. All of that cost me less than $500 buying it new (I did get the WSM on sale), and there's no ceramics to fail, and I've got a TON more cooking space, and I can take them with me somewhere if I wanted. Plus the two-zone fire ability of the kettle is a nice feature the Egg didn't have.

But now I've got an Egg sitting in it's stand that's built into the deck I'm not using, and I need to do something with it. I'm hoping I can find a base on craigslist or something...

Anyhow. Cost is always a factor. And IMO, if you want the ultimate in versatility, but don't have $700+ to spend, my vote is a kettle and a WSM. I know, that's two cookers, not one, but the cost is less than a single komado and you can do everything you might want to do.
 
What a good topic.

Price no object: Jambo J-5.
Under $5k: Lone Star Grillz 24x60 pipe smoker with a 24x30 vertical attachment
Under $2k: Lone Star Grillz 24x24 offset vertical or a Ranch Kettle
Under $500: Weber 26" kettle
Under $100: Used Weber 22" kettle
 
If I could only have one grill/smoker, it would probably be my Good One Marshall. You can grill on one side and smoke on the other and it has plenty of room to do either for larger cooks or larger pieces of meat. While it may not be the most fuel efficient, it does hold solid temps for smoking and you don't have to baby sit it.

With that being said, I probably have around 15 different grills and smokers and like all of them for different reasons and uses, so I'm glad I don't have to make that choice.
 
With the Weber Summit Charcoal Grill being ~$1700~$2000, I think a Shirley Fabrication Patio model is a no brainer. Wood or Charcoal in the firebox for burgers or a sear. Briskets and Butts in the smoker.

The WSCG looks like a really nice setup but, I think the price point is just too much. I get the marketing aspect too (sell one unit at $500 profit versus selling ten units at $50 profit).

Why do people have Weber Kettles? Smokey Joe's everywhere for $30 and other larger Kettles for ~$50~$130 (skipping the MSRP $150 and up models).

For me, a Shirley and Weber Kettle may not be a "one cooker" solution but, if all I have is a hammer, will I live in a world that only contains nails? I cold also 'store' a kettle in the Shirley if I had too.
:-D
 
With no disrespect intended toward Baby Back Maniac and his excellent YouTube video, I think a more appropriate or possibly a follow up video should be something along the lines of, best smoker for someone on a modest budget (no earthen pits, no assembly (or very limited) required).

I will admit my bias against Big Green Eggs. Yes they are excellent appliances for most people but, I don't like being price gouged and upsold and I am underwhelmed by their lack of evolution and improvements as noted by their competitors. Being nickeled and dimed is irritating to say the least. They lost me as a customer even though I always thought I wanted a BGE.

For example, with $300 do I get a Pit Barrel Cooker, a 22.5" WSM or, a Kettle and some accessory for smoking?

The Weber 22" Kettle with the accessory charcoal basket mentioned in the video is a sub-$300 option as well, granted the 26" Kettle and basket would kiss $500 but, how much capacity do I really need? Where would a PK Grill fit in?

The generic big box offsets from various vendors would have to be included as a group along with the various electric options (which are probably their own category with the pellet options as another category).
 
Last edited:
Sid Post said:
With no disrespect intended toward Baby Back Maniac and his excellent YouTube video, I think a more appropriate or possibly a follow up video should be something along the lines of, best smoker for someone on a modest budget (no earthen pits, no assembly (or very limited) required).

I will admit my bias against Big Green Eggs. Yes they are excellent appliances for most people but, I don't like being price gouged and upsold and I am underwhelmed by their lack of evolution and improvements as noted by their competitors. Being nickeled and dimed is irritating to say the least. They lost me as a customer even though I always thought I wanted a BGE.

For example, with $300 do I get a Pit Barrel Cooker, a 22.5" WSM or, a Kettle and some accessory for smoking?

The Weber 22" Kettle with the accessory charcoal basket mentioned in the video is a sub-$300 option as well, granted the 26" Kettle and basket would kiss $500 but, how much capacity do I really need? Where would a PK Grill fit in?

The generic big box offsets from various vendors would have to included as a group along with the various electric options (which are probably their own category with the pellet options as another category).
Click to expand...

22" WSM is a nice tool for smoking but not much of a grill. The PBC to me is too simplified/non-flexible and not a great value compared to a larger self built UDS. For $300 new not on sale, the 26" kettle comes with a pair of charcoal baskets so I don't think you would need a slow-n-sear to get a whole lot of flexibility out of it. Yes the S&S may be better but it is pricey and can be added later. Not a bad option but...

I think if I was truly limited to $300, with a little Craig's list shopping, you could put together a pair of 55 gallon sized UDS's for smoking and have a pair of 22" Weber kettles for grilling. That is some serious capacity and they are tools that can put out quality Q. If money was tight, that is what I would do.
 
m-fine said:
22" WSM is a nice tool for smoking but not much of a grill. The PBC to me is too simplified/non-flexible and not a great value compared to a larger self built UDS. For $300 new not on sale, the 26" kettle comes with a pair of charcoal baskets so I don't think you would need a slow-n-sear to get a whole lot of flexibility out of it. Yes the S&S may be better but it is pricey and can be added later. Not a bad option but...

I think if I was truly limited to $300, with a little Craig's list shopping, you could put together a pair of 55 gallon sized UDS's for smoking and have a pair of 22" Weber kettles for grilling. That is some serious capacity and they are tools that can put out quality Q. If money was tight, that is what I would do.
Click to expand...

I have a UDS build pending. Right now, all I have is the $35 barrel. Grates, charcoal basket, ball valves for air, smokestack and, paint/screws/etc. are TBD as time allows.

I used a Weber Smokey Joe for a long time TDY when I just couldn't take steaks, chicken, etc. in a skillet or over gas anymore.

I run hot and cold on a Ceramic mini-Kamado and will probably end up with a Weber 22" or 26" Kettle at some point. A 14" WSM is probably going to stand-in for a potential PBC at some point too. It really all depends on finances and opportunities at the time.

While a Shirley or Backwoods or Lonestar Grill is on my 'wish list', the reality is that it would most likely take me a couple years to save enough to buy one and then there is the issue of how much capacity do I really need anyway? Two or three hundred dollars over a few months and catching a holiday sale is a more realistic option so, that's the path I'm most likely to take.

Regarding Craigslist, I must live in the wrong part of the country to score a good deal on a Weber or something similar. Heck, I found a gently used WSCG on the cart in New Jersey for $1,000 with accessories that looks barely broken in ... now if it was the Midwest, I might be breaking open the piggy bank and counting change but, that's just too far to consider even for a good deal.
 
Toast said:
I can understand why alot of the Northern Brethren choose the ceramics but how long do they last? I'm liking the WSCG.
Click to expand...

I think you're spot on Toast. I know I've considered ceramics but metal is my favorite. I know I've been prodded about being obsessed with metal thickness of the chamber walls, but, to me, it's a real factor sometimes cooking in ambient temps that are 50-60 degrees colder than southern climes with gusting winds.

To answer OP, I'd look at upgrading my current shirley to one with a warmer box. I've also been eyeing Lone Star Grillz with the warmer oven option directly above firebox. It looks like a simple and elegant solution compared to the slow cooking cabinet on the far side for a traditional flow. I like the choice of having smaller cooks and not using quite as much wood if I'm doing just a single cut of meat
 
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