Hello. I would like to preferably hear from anyone who owns a WSM or a
vertical smoker or who at least knows something about them.

I have had started up 'Q'ing about nine months ago when I purchased a
traditional offset firebox smoker. I bought it because I would be able to
smoke several things at once if needed and it seemed that a lot of your
contest bbq'ers used offsets. Overall, this smoker has worked out pretty
good for me being a rookie. With a lot of reading and a little luck, I have
been fortunate to turn out some excellent BBQ. With bbq taking several hours
to finish up and sometimes 15+ hrs for your larger pork and brisket cuts, I
have obviously found that slow cooking takes a considerable investment of
time and energy. Don't get me wrong now. There's nothing like finely cooked
bbq. With my smoker, I find that at least every two hours, I have to be
putting new coals on the fire. If I go out, it can only be for a couple of
hours at a time. It would be great if I just didn't have to be stuck around
the house all day long tending to the smoker if I didn't feel like it. Yes,
I want to have my cake and eat it too.

The other day I was talking with someone who owns both an offset smoker and
a Brinkmann vertical charcoal water smoker. He likes the vertical because he
can stock it up with charcoal and let it go not having to worry about the
temps getting too high with the water pan regulating the temperature. He
also said that it can go for longer between charcoal refills, something like
4 or so hours. That seems to be a little more palatable if I want to get for
a bit and do something. I know the downside is less meat can be smoked at
one time. I have also read about the marvels that seem to be the Big Green
Eggs and Kamados in the way they turn out good meat and how they are very
constant with temps and efficient with fuel. Perhaps some day, but for the
time being a little bit too much for the budget right now from what I have
seen - around $500 or so and up.

Now for my questions.

Does a vertical smoker sound like a good way to go?

Have any of you experienced the same with vertical charcoal smokers, where
it was about 4 hrs between charcoal fills?

How often does the water pan need to be refilled if at all? How much water
do these pans generally hold?

I prefer charcoal being the fuel in the firebox, but might even look at
vertical electrical smoker. My first instinct would be to pass on electric
because u miss out a lot on charcoal and wood positives that make BBQ so
dang good. Has anyone had an electrical and liked it?

These verticals are pretty cheap starting out at about $50 and go up from
there. Without any personal experience with one, Weber seems to be rather
proud of its WSM vertical smoker. I just can't see why it seems to cost $180
or so. Is it worth it? Is there a noticeable difference between a lowly
Brinkmann $50 unit and the mighty WSM? Although it seems that Weber has done
something right. There seems to be a very loyal almost cult-like following
of the WSM out there. So, please fill me in.

That's it.

Sorry for being so long winded.