Sitka Gear Optifade Cover

Smokers

Amand

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2010
Messages
91
Location
Kaneohe, HI
I am thinking of picking up a smoker and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations. I am not looking for anything too big as I don't have a ton of space currently. Any tips would be appreciated.
 
My Traeger is a nice size. Not too big and not too small. And I love that I can set it and do other stuff without having to monitor the temps.
 
My Traeger is a nice size. Not too big and not too small. And I love that I can set it and do other stuff without having to monitor the temps.

Love mine too ...but ....they are sending me my second auger motor (this one is on them) in a year along with a new control board. They said they should have told me to replace the board when I replaced the first AM. Down time sucks. BUT when it works it is great for smoking and turns out a great product.
 
Love mine too ...but ....they are sending me my second auger motor (this one is on them) in a year along with a new control board. They said they should have told me to replace the board when I replaced the first AM. Down time sucks. BUT when it works it is great for smoking and turns out a great product.

The only thing I've had to replace is the blower motor that stokes the flame. But I leave mine on my back porch year around so the moisture may have contributed to it.
 
The only thing I've had to replace is the blower motor that stokes the flame. But I leave mine on my back porch year around so the moisture may have contributed to it.

Mine was on the deck as well (covered though). Now it will reside int he garage/newly acquired man-cave :)
 
I think the Traeger I'm using is on it's 5th or 6th season, and nothing's been replaced on it. It's always been stored indoors and I try to clean it once a year.

It's a great smoker, the temperature control is really convenient. Mine tends to run about 20-30 degrees cooler than what I set it for, but it's consistent and the built in thermometer is accurate so it's easy to work around.
 
I have an electric smoker, a Cajun Injector, that was pretty inexpensive and has worked well the few times I've used it.

I did just get a Big Green Egg for my birthday. While not strictly a smoker, you can do meats low and slow. The thing is about the most versatile cooking device ever, as I can keep the temperature at 225 or crank it up to 800 degrees plus. With that and the ability to easily cook with direct or indirect heat the Big Green Egg is really the ultimate. I recommend one if you can afford it...it's not cheap but you'll find it becomes your go-to cooking apparatus!
 
I have Cajun Injector smoker also. Same as bigeasygator. I like it. Less than $200 buck and has digital temp controls. I don't use the side feed though. I just put a pan of chips in and let it go.
 
I also have a Masterbuilt electric unit and love it. Got it from the bargain cave at the local Cabelas and have used it at least once a week for the 10 months I've had it. It'snot fancy,no digital anything, but once you use it a time or two you know where to turn the dial for the temp you need, etc...

Generally, electric smokers will smoke about half the rate of charcoal type, I don't know where the autos like a Traeger fit in that.

Probably my favorite is to pick up a Mediterranean spiced tri-tip roast from Costco and smoke that with some mesquite and hickory chips. Or anything wild game/fish.
Joe
 
I have the electric masterbuilt. I got it through walmart.com for around $200. I like that I can set the temperature and time and leave it alone, except for adding wood chips about every half hour or so. I also have 2 charcoal smokers that I use for smoking bones for my dogs that I have smoked meats in before I got the electric one. The taste was good, but you can't control the temp very well with the charcoal ones.
 
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