Smoker recommendations

I’ll probably go back to a tried and true little or big chief but wondering if anyone knows a better option

I had a big traeger which worked fine then failed - fortunately was a costco purchase so I returned it for replacement which then also failed

Would be nice to have a good grill that could go low temp and make plenty of smoke

I have a medium-ish sized Cuisinart vertical smoker that I really like for lower temp stuff.  Can hold 225 for a long stretch for stuff like brisket or pork, and is very easy to manage a little cooler for more delicate stuff like fish.  It is kinda tricky to get much warmer than 225 though, so not really great for shorter cook times - plan to be at it all day with this style.  It was cheap, is super simple, and charcoal always tastes great.  Bonus - being vertical, it doesn't take up too much room. 

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-COS-118-Vertical-Charcoal-Smoker/dp/B01GFLYWF6/ref=asc_df_B01GFLYWF6?mcid=8b5f212e6f23330cb267ebabb0129cc7&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693713553061&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8572896582373687378&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031994&hvtargid=pla-381707153477&th=1

Want a little chief? You can use it while you look for an alternative. I haven't used it in years (its around here somewhere) No need to return it either

I have a medium-ish sized Cuisinart vertical smoker that I really like for lower temp stuff.  Can hold 225 for a long stretch for stuff like brisket or pork, and is very easy to manage a little cooler for more delicate stuff like fish.  It is kinda tricky to get much warmer than 225 though, so not really great for shorter cook times - plan to be at it all day with this style.  It was cheap, is super simple, and charcoal always tastes great.  Bonus - being vertical, it doesn't take up too much room. 

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-COS-118-Vertical-Charcoal-Smoker/dp/B01GFLYWF6/ref=asc_df_B01GFLYWF6?mcid=8b5f212e6f23330cb267ebabb0129cc7&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693713553061&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8572896582373687378&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031994&hvtargid=pla-381707153477&th=1

100% agree. The electric ones are convenient but you cant beat the flavor of real wood charcoal!

I use a Masterbuilt with a "mail box mod" that I made.  (I use a stainless steel culinary hotel pan instead of an actual mailbox)

The Masterbuilts are OK, controls are clunky and hard to see but really all you need to do is set the temp.

The mailbox is really helpful.  You can smoke at any temp and set it for 8+ hours for longer smokes.

Without the mailbox you can't really cold smoke well below 180 with these things due to the smoke being generated by the same heating element.   

I love my Bradley.

Downside:
-the wood pucks it uses are not in any stores near me. I usually just order in bulk through Amazon.

-doing a long smoke on something like a briquet would be expensive as each puck is good for about 20 minutes of smoke.

Upside:
-Adjustable temperature, cold smoke, hot smoke, everything in between.

-small enough to store easily in a shed or garage.

-self feeding

-lots of options for smoking woods.

-racks are easily removed and pop right into the dish washer.
- 

depends on what kind of smoking you want to do. i currently have a pitboss 1000 pro and it works great for smoking meat but it you want to cold smoke fish of cheese there is no function for that. but you can get a smoke tube and use it with any grill when it is off and cold smoke.

Weimarian thanks for that offer but i dont currently own any snowshoes to get up your way
Also will need more real estate knowing how much I tend to do in a batch. I get the impression those aren’t being made anymore and the company might only make the cold smoke units which I might give a shot, hook it up to my weber or whatever

Too bad about them not being in production i used them all the way back from the 70s onward i think i had both sizes for a while and gave the last one to some ncka’er or other

We could use a good grill too so I might go that way and hook up smoke externally. I had friends in the Mendo zone who had a perfect cold smoke setup w the fire 10 ft from the box, hung a lot of steelhead in that thing

I should probably be looking at grills re we have small kitchen syndrome

Thanks for all the suggestions

Seems like the company quit making smokers but they still have a cold smoke generator so I’ll give that a shot

Maybe will get a gas grill for cooking and attach the smoke unit when we need it, or just pipe it into our weber

Too bad if the Chiefs go extinct, they were cheap and straightforward

Back in the smoke again

Not to hijack your thread but I have a Smoke Daddy Magnum P.I.G for sale.  I used it twice but it made too much smoke for what I needed.

I might’ve bought that if you’d put it up a few weeks ago

We needed a good grill more than a smoker but we miss the smoked fish. I gave our big chief to some ncka-er I forget who

Not sure if that company is just not going to make them anymore or what but I got their firebox and piped it to the Weber

It puts out enough smoke for a 5x10’ box and total cold smoke unless I fire up one of the grill burners Will be a total experiment

My friends did cold smoke but their box was 4x4x8 feet

I built my own cold smoker for bacon and cheese.  I decided to go with a smoker tray I put pellet dust into.  It works well.

That looks like a good combo!  I really like my free Tragger, gifted by someone here on NCKA!  Nothing i have ever tried cooked a pork shoulder to perfection like it! It may break, the elements don't last forever, but dang it's super good at making delicious smoked meat.  I still have my Big Cheif for smoking fish, although I wish I still had the little chief, it seemed better with lower temperature for the kokanee and trout.


That said, I remember the NCKA Hunting crew making smokers out of tamale pots and the little weber smokey joe bbq's, and I think I'll build one of those, soon as I find a tamale pot for cheap that fits 

Hi All,
I have three smokers.... my ugly drum homemade smoker for big jobs.... turkey, lots of fish, two or three pork shoulders.  I even have a big pig cold smoker attached to it and it works great for both cold smokeing lox and regular smoking for pork.

I have a weber little smokey with my homemade version of a big pig (really a little pig) for smaller amounts.   Works great for when I only want to do up to 4 kokanee.

And I have another homemade little pig on my propane little travel webber for when I want to smoke a few fish while camping.

All work well but need some tending with the ugly drum and the little smokey as they also have charcoal so managing heat is something that needs attention.

make your own you may be surprised how well they work with some effort.

Troy