Why do WSM's cost so much?

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Its not burned

Senior Cook
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Sep 12, 2015
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106
I've been poking around the BBQ world for some time, and have smoked on grills both gas and coal as well as offset, vertical, electric, etc. smokers. From what I've experienced you can get good quality BBQ out of most anything, the biggest difference is the level of attention and coaxing the unit takes. My old COS's were like newborns in a nursery, you couldn't leave them alone for more than a minute. My current smoker mostly runs itself once I get it tuned in to atmospheric conditions.

I have never cooked on a WSM, so maybe that's the missing link. I have been around them up close and personal, and have eaten food off of them. They seem to produce good BBQ with a minimal amount of tending, a huge plus. Someday I want to try one. But I cannot understand for the life of me where the cost comes from.

I can still buy a 22.5" Weber Grill for $100. How does the 22.5" WSM warrant four times the cost? We add a cylinder with a door and some brackets, a couple more grates, and a water pan. The legs are probably about the same, the bowl and lid about the same. I could see double the price, maybe even 2-1/2 times, but $400 seems like it is priced solely on popularity.

A couple years a go I bought a Cabela's branded electric smoker made by Masterbuilt. Cabela's, purveyor's of all things overpriced. I bought it to experience electric smoking to see if I like it. I don't, so I sold it. But the point here is that the roughly 14 or 15 inch smoker cost $129 with essentially the same components as a WSM plus a set of legs, a work table, and an electric element. It had the same type of tough baked on enamel finish, etc.

So, what is it in your opinion that makes them worth the cost?
 
Because they are worth it. Really they are not all that much, I mean $400 for a 22.5", a Trager starts out at $700 for about the same size. But if you want cheap you could do a Brinkmann Vertical, and constantly be screwing with it to get it to keep temperature. Or you could build a UDS, normally is around $100-$150, unless you get a kit, that would run around $300.
 
It's not cost. I easily have as much wrapped up in my smoker. In fact, the 22" WSM was on my shortlist before I went a different direction.


It's about cost V. value as compared to their kettles. I just keep looking at the kettle and imagine that the production costs can't possibly be 4 times less than their WSM counterpart. Think about it, a 14" SJ is what, $29? A 14" SM is $200. that's more like 6-1/2 times. the 18" kettle is $80 or so, and the 18SM is $300, and so on. It just doesn't seem justified.


I know they're worth it. Maybe I should just be thankful, that kettles aren't more!
 
I am not sure it is fair the way you are trying to compare the Weber products. You are trying to compare a grill to a smoker. But even with that, lets look into some details.

The largest Weber kettle lists for $ 1499.00 dollars and the largest Weber smoker lists for $ 499.00 dollars. Hell, looks to me like the big WSM is a bargain.

Another thing, production costs are only a small part of how a business will price it's product. The very first thing a business should consider in pricing it's product is how much the market will pay for your product. If it's a hundred times the production costs so be it.

Get you one of these fine cookers and I am sure you won't be sorry. I have used them for over 20 years along with many other cookers in their category and I am a very satisfied customer. Talk about inflated costs, my first WSM cost $119.00.
 
Because they are worth it. Really they are not all that much, I mean $400 for a 22.5", a Trager starts out at $700 for about the same size. But if you want cheap you could do a Brinkmann Vertical, and constantly be screwing with it to get it to keep temperature. Or you could build a UDS, normally is around $100-$150, unless you get a kit, that would run around $300.

What Max said. (Did I really type that?)
 
Well, again...thanks, but not looking for recommendations. I'm happy with my current smoker. I am more trying to sort out in my head how Weber justifies the cost differential when they're so similar.
 
If you have never owned a Weber and you have a closed mind, you will NEVER understand. For starters, think CUSTOMER SERVICE! Nobody comes close to Weber customer service, although few ever need any.
 
I have the same 22" kettle I purchased new in 1986. I have a mid 90's Genesis 1000.


Try and separate "Weber is overpriced" or "Weber isn't worth it." from my question. Not sure why you see that, when I am specifically asking:

"Why do the WSM's cost 4X as much as the kettles?"
 
I have the same 22" kettle I purchased new in 1986. I have a mid 90's Genesis 1000.


Try and separate "Weber is overpriced" or "Weber isn't worth it." from my question. Not sure why you see that, when I am specifically asking:

"Why do the WSM's cost 4X as much as the kettles?"
Because with use, a Weber is WORTH 4X as much as other kettles/grills/smokers of the same type.

Don't like the price? Don't buy one.
 
You'd freak out if you knew how much money I have tied up in my outdoor cooking equipment, but I think every one of them is worth at least double what I paid for them.


NOW I remember why I don't come by here much any more.
 
Wow.


I am not sure why you are taking offense to this, I am asking a purely mechanical question. I like Weber. I am a Weber enthusiast. I have had nothing but positive experiences with Weber's customer service.


Fact: A Weber WSM costs 4X as much as a Weber Kettle.
Fact: There is not 4X as much metal, 4X as many parts, or 4X as much labor in producing a WSM over a Kettle.


BTW, My Kettle IS a Weber, it seems you missed that. Bought new in '86. One owner.


I am asking if anyone has any empirical knowledge on the matter, that's all.


And I doubt I'd freak out.
 
Wow.


I am not sure why you are taking offense to this, I am asking a purely mechanical question. I like Weber. I am a Weber enthusiast. I have had nothing but positive experiences with Weber's customer service.


Fact: A Weber WSM costs 4X as much as a Weber Kettle.
Fact: There is not 4X as much metal, 4X as many parts, or 4X as much labor in producing a WSM over a Kettle.


BTW, My Kettle IS a Weber, it seems you missed that. Bought new in '86. One owner.


I am asking if anyone has any empirical knowledge on the matter, that's all.


And I doubt I'd freak out.


OK, let's try this again. I'll type very slowly, so please try to keep up.

You asked for opinions (since none of us work for Weber, all we can answer with is opinions, got it?) and several people gave you opinions. You didn't seem to like the opinions, so you repeated your question again, probably expecting different answers. Well, since we don't work for Weber, all we can give in answer to your questions are OPINIONS. Take them or not. That's all we can give you.

Also, you seem to expect ME to be a mind reader. NOWHERE in this thread did you ever say that you owned a Weber, you said "kettle" and many companies build what can be considered a "kettle". Yes, in your last response to me (this one that I quoted) you finally admitted that you had bought an overpriced (your words, not mine) Weber or 2 in the past.

Before I responded to this post this time, I did look at a thread or 2 that you had started. No, I didn't study them, I just glanced at them. You sound like you like to start and then stir up SHITT in just about everything I have read from you. Get over yourself. Maybe your punk attitude is why you have been run off from so many forums? Probably.
 
LOL. I haven't been run off of any forums. I leave because of people like you. So full of yourself, telling me how you spend big money on you cooking gear and acting like poor 'lil 'ol me wouldn't be able to comprehend the amount. What a joke.

Go back and read my post 6, then read your post 8 if you want to see where it started. And, if your such a BBQ Guru, it seems to me you'd know damned good and well that a Genesis is a Weber. Even if you didn't comprehend that 'kettle' on a BBQ forum is pretty much universal language for a Weber Kettle.

I haven't started shit in a single thread in here. Although, I am used to being on forums where people like to debate, have a little fun, and most of all don't get all butthurt from a simple conversation.

The problem is (was), that you didn't understand the original post. You assumed I wanted to start shit because I asked a question other than how wonderful you Weber is. I wanted to know what makes the WSM worth the cost differential over a Kettle.

And now this conversation is done.
 
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Don't stop now!!!!
This was gettin really good!!

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