new guy needs help

[cflatt]

I hope this is the right forum for this. After many many years of grilling I have finally decided to try my hand at smoking. trying to keep it around the 200 buck range and so far have looked in the forums online that I can find. I keep comming across the Silver smoker and the chargriller. I have just recently moved from TN to eastern PA so I dont know many of the stores in the area outside of Lowes/ Home Depot. I am looking for any advice/tips I can get . Thanks

 

[Nick Prochilo]

First, welcome aboard cflatt. You've come to the right place. Lots of folks here use a WSM (Weber Smoky Mountain). Easy to use, affordable price and easy to store in the attic during the winters in Ohio. There are other smokers used here and others will chime in with their thoughts, but for about $200, it's a good deal. Bill...hook him up with the website will ya!

 

[Guest]

This site seems to be the last that has the WSM for $200. Ships free but the last I read, it's been taking them a few weeks to get one shipped.

America's Best BBQ

 

[Finney]

Get the Weber. As Bill says, that is the best deal out there right now.
You might check your local Ace and True Value hardware stores to see if they have them in stock. I know one near me does and it is still $199 because it's been there 2 years and they never changed the price.

 

[Finney]

Oh... Welcome cflatt. Hope you like it here.

 

[cflatt]

thanks for all the input so far. looks like perhaps I was steered off course thinking a side smoke box had benefits that a bullet type did not. but I have no doubts that you are all having wonderful results from your wsm...plus being smaller I am sure it would be easier to store

 

[Finney]

cflatt, you will find the attic storage is a running joke here.
Read enough posts and you will eventually find out why. 8-[

 

[Finney]

I have a different type smoker arriving shortly, but I would like to chime in about the Weber company. They have great customer support. I've used a Weber Genesis gas grill @ twice a week, sumer and winter, for fifteen years. I've had to replace the flavor bars and the grates a couple of times. Other than that, no problems. Buy a Weber product if they make the type what you want.

Wonder if Amazon.com has them?

Amazon does, but they are now $249. That is the current price that most are quoting. Retail is going up, and up, and up. :-(

 

[Thom Emery]

$200. Its WSM time

 

[kidsmoke]

Grill Guys still has it listed for $169.99 with free shipping. I got my grill and WSM through them, definately recommend giving them a call to see if they still have it in stock.

http://www.grillguys.net/smokeymc.htm

 

[Finney]

Grill Guys still has it listed for $169.99 with free shipping. I got my grill and WSM through them, definately recommend giving them a call to see if they still have it in stock.

http://www.grillguys.net/smokeymc.htm

They have been out of stock for at least a month. Not getting more until next year (spring, I think). Probably won't be same price then.

 

[Greg Rempe]

thanks for all the input so far. looks like perhaps I was steered off course thinking a side smoke box had benefits that a bullet type did not. but I have no doubts that you are all having wonderful results from your wsm...plus being smaller I am sure it would be easier to store

cflatt, the storage joke is at my expense...last year during the winter I would smoke in my garage...but it made the house all smoky and the wife didn't dig it, especially on overnight cooks...so I just packed it up and put it in the attic...I made the mistake of letting that tid-bit of info out here and I have never lived it down.

Welcome to the board and I think that $200 on a WSM is money well spent!!

 

[Woodman1]

Another nice advantage of the WSM is that you can grill on it too!

 

[cflatt]

I am in Collegeville. What stores in the Lancaster area had the WSM ? thats an easy drive from here. thank again everyone for all the info

 

[Finney]

Yeah, if you can get that WSM for $179 and it's right there... that's a great piece of luck for you.

 

[Woodman1]

Just be prepared to get hooked on BBQ and be posting on here all the time, and buying all kinds of gadgets all the time......

 

[Captain Morgan]

yeah, after that 179 bucks, you'll spend several thousands on woods, lump and charcoal, thermometers, calphalon pots, gloves, aluminum foil, bbq sauces, spices and rubs....if fact you may go broke. But you'll be fat and happy!

 

[Finney]

Just make sure you don't mention that the website says the higher price.
Sometimes (faking) ignorance is the way to go.

 

[Finney]

Amazon .com is back down to $199 with free shipping. :!:

 

[Frank h]

Welcome to the forum. I recently bought a WSM and I am real happy with it. Like you , I always thought a true smoker had to have the offset firebox and all that , but for the money , I don't think you can buy a better smoker than the WSM. I am amazed how widely they are used in competition bbq . Anyhow , if you can really get one for 169.99 I would jump on that like a rooster on a June bug!