Start on the cheaper end or buy the expensive smoker I really want?

[Killa J]

To start, I’m not new to BBQing at all. I got my first cheap offset in 2013 or 2014, and it was worth about what I paid for it. I’ve used various styles of smokers since then, but I don’t have an offset stick burner. I bought what I thought was going to scratch that itch in a Good One Marshall, but it works way better as a charcoal smoker and not a stick burner. Anyway, I’m most likely going to ditch (or at least cover and store) my RecTeq pellet grill and put an offset stick burner in it’s spot.

What I really want is either a Workhorse 1975 or a Pitmaker Short Sniper. But I also have been thinking it makes more sense for me to get a smoker a few steps down from those along the lines of an Old Country Brazos. It’s about $2000 less than the Workhorse and $3000 less than the Pitmaker. Can I afford the more expensive ones? Yes. Should I splurge that much? I don’t know. I’ve got several other smokers already, and I’m not catering or doing competitions. I have cooked for upwards of 30 people at a time, but that’s a rarity.

 

[bucko]

I would get a Barrell smoker don't know if you have tried one I just started hanging meat about a month ago and it is the best tasting food I have ever cooked and it comes out great every time and so easy to do no more low and slow for me or if you want to tend fires try a cement block pit you can build one cheap about 3 layers high and sheet of expanded metal

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

I have always went cheap on stuff like that and I almost always ended up buying what I really wanted eventually anyways. I am trying to break that habit. I'd say just "buy once, cry once"

 

[Killa J]

I have always went cheap on stuff like that and I almost always ended up buying what I really wanted eventually anyways. I am trying to break that habit. I'd say just "buy once, cry once"

That’s part of my problem too. I know there’s a chance I’ll want the “nicer” one later, then what the hell do I do with the other one?

 

[Killa J]

I would get a Barrell smoker don't know if you have tried one I just started hanging meat about a month ago and it is the best tasting food I have ever cooked and it comes out great every time and so easy to do no more low and slow for me or if you want to tend fires try a cement block pit you can build one cheap about 3 layers high and sheet of expanded metal

I’ve got the Pit Barrel Jr and I have a big Smokey Mountain with hangers. For ribs and chicken, there’s nothing better.

 

[1Gradymaci]

I would spend the Money and get the Workhorse..Better quality and really just more value.

 

[Burn]

If you have a good source for wood already I would get what you want. Buy used. You can offload it if you find the amount time you use it any worth the value of the pit.

 

[SmoothBoarBBQ]

100% I live by the motto of "buy once, cry once." Workhorse is definitely on my radar right now for a backyard smoker, but I've heard their waitlist is getting to be in the 9 month region (don't quote me on that, just going with what I've heard). I've never seen any Pitmaker smokers up close, but online they look fantastic.

You've got some good cookers now, so maybe the lead time won't be much of a problem for you.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[gtsum]

If you can afford it, then spend the money on what you really want. Workhorse is moving into a new facility and their lead times should get cut down, but they are getting really, really, really popular. My 1975 is a lot of cooker for the money imo. It will certainly
Last a proverbial lifetime being 3/8” thick.


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[Killa J]

If you can afford it, then spend the money on what you really want. Workhorse is moving into a new facility and their lead times should get cut down, but they are getting really, really, really popular. My 1975 is a lot of cooker for the money imo. It will certainly
Last a proverbial lifetime being 3/8” thick.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

How many briskets can you reasonably fit on your 1975? I’m pretty much a complete newbie with offsets, but I know you can’t just cram the entire cooking grate full with good results.

I’m worried that Workhorse’s prices might go up if I wait.

 

[SmokeRingsMatter]

Had i bought my PB for $200 on clearance, and my Rec Tec Wifi controller for $220, first, i probably would not have bought my $2500 Timberline 1300.

 

[Lomey]

I would definitely go with the offset you want. I went through the same thing a couple of years ago. Started with a cheap offset and cooked some really good bbq on it for about 12 years or so and loved tending to the fire. I wanted to upgrade and went with an ABS All Star which is the same principle as the Good One. I just didn't like the charcoal taste it put off. Sold it for about half of what I paid for it a year and a half later. Considered the Brazos, but I knew I would end up with a higher end offset down the road anyway so why not just get what I wanted. Finally decided to go for it and found a local builder to build the offset I've always wanted.

Like you money wasn't the issue so I just should have gotten what I wanted right off the bat. Would have saved me $600 loss on the ABS in the long run. The crazy thing was my wife said get the nice offset because I wasn't going to like the ABS. She was right that time. :-D

 

[tom b]

Splurge!

 

[Burn]

Seeing you’re in La maybe source a pit from that area. There’s that one dude on YouTube that makes cool cookers. I can’t remember his name but there was a thread a few weeks back.

 

[drunkenmeatfist]

That’s part of my problem too. I know there’s a chance I’ll want the “nicer” one later, then what the hell do I do with the other one?

If you were brand new to smoking I might suggest something cheaper, but you said you have been doing this for several years. Doesn't seem like this is a passing fad for you. If you take the leap and somehow end up regretting it then a nice pit will have much better resale value than your other options.

 

[rm41400]

Splurge. A quality stick burner will make things so much more enjoyable.

I think a cheap stickburner makes life a lot more difficult. Yes it can be done but it seems most people have more problems with them.

I spent about $1200 on my first stickburner and it was a backyard job/copy of a smaller Lang. I wanted to make sure I would actually really enjoy a stick burner. Loved it and snagged a Shirley and offloaded the Lang copy.

The only reason I would go cheaper is if your not really sure about smoking/cooking or just struggling to swing a higher end smoker.

 

[KB BBQ]

Get the one you actually want, you'll end up buying it later anyway. (Ask me how I know)

 

[smoke ninja]

If your sure about stick burning and the attention it takes get what you want as long as your comfortable spending the money.

I've never spent more than $300 on a cooker... heck, maybe $250. It was for an ok Joe longhorn and I loved the thing but life got complicated and stick burning was out of the question. I'd love to return to it and was ready to jump on what I consider the perfect smoker for me but every time I save up the $2500 for it I cant pull the trigger. I'm literally flush with stimulus $ I didn't even expect and I still cant do it

 

[Burn]

And there’s always the Ironside pellet charcoal all wood option.

 

[Killa J]

Seeing you’re in La maybe source a pit from that area. There’s that one dude on YouTube that makes cool cookers. I can’t remember his name but there was a thread a few weeks back.

The one with the cool videos is probably Country Built Smokers (Allen’s Welding on YouTube). Funny enough, he’s building me a Santa Maria grill. However, he’s far enough away from me that shipping is still a bit expensive. And it was supposed to be finished last December.

There is a guy about 15 minutes from me that builds what looks like high quality stuff called Boathouse Smokers. He only has a Facebook page. Almost all of what he builds are cabinet style or cabinet-ish reverse flows. I had actually kind of forgotten about him because my BBQ buddy had talked me out of getting a vertical smoker. Maybe I should give Boathouse another look.