Ok,
I've narrowed it down to either a WSM or a flavor of ceramic bullet
smoker. Anyone have any advice?

Thanks,
RZ

"RZ" > wrote in message
...
> Ok,
> I've narrowed it down to either a WSM or a flavor of ceramic
bullet
> smoker. Anyone have any advice?
>
> Thanks,
> RZ

I own a WSM and it's great. My parents own a Kamado and it's
better. The Kamado gives you more options like grilling and
smoking on the same thing, but it costs 6 times as much (after
you get it with all the accessories you'll need).

That said, I've reserved a Kamado and can't wait until I
eventually get it. I'm sure others will chime in with their
opinions pretty soon.

"Saunka [BOA]" > wrote in message
...
>
> "RZ" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Ok,
> > I've narrowed it down to either a WSM or a flavor of ceramic
> bullet
> > smoker. Anyone have any advice?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > RZ
>
> I own a WSM and it's great. My parents own a Kamado and it's
> better. The Kamado gives you more options like grilling and
> smoking on the same thing, but it costs 6 times as much (after
> you get it with all the accessories you'll need).
>
> That said, I've reserved a Kamado and can't wait until I
> eventually get it. I'm sure others will chime in with their
> opinions pretty soon.
>

I missed your earlier post about being on a budget. Better
forget about the Kamado.

RZ wrote:

> Ok,
> I've narrowed it down to either a WSM or a flavor of ceramic bullet
> smoker. Anyone have any advice?

What ceramic cookers are as cheap as a WSM? I would get the WSM first
and save save save for the K to be purchased at a later date.

--
Aloha,

Nathan Lau
San Jose, CA

#include <std.disclaimer>

Nathan Lau wrote:

> What ceramic cookers are as cheap as a WSM? I would get the WSM first
> and save save save for the K to be purchased at a later date.

Excellent advice, Nathan.

"Nathan Lau" > wrote in message
...
> > I've narrowed it down to either a WSM or a flavor of ceramic bullet
> > smoker. Anyone have any advice?
>
> What ceramic cookers are as cheap as a WSM? I would get the WSM first
> and save save save for the K to be purchased at a later date.

Isn't a Big Green Egg ceramic cooker in the $200 range? Apparently not
nearly as good as a K but hey, it costs a lot less and in many cities can be
in your back yard the same day you decide to buy unlike a K.

The 'Egg' is like $500 for a WSM sized version. Not really an option
although a similar model (Chinese knockoff) is regularly available on
Ebay.



On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 18:26:59 GMT, "Jason in Dallas" >
wrote:

>"Nathan Lau" > wrote in message
.. .
>> > I've narrowed it down to either a WSM or a flavor of ceramic bullet
>> > smoker. Anyone have any advice?
>>
>> What ceramic cookers are as cheap as a WSM? I would get the WSM first
>> and save save save for the K to be purchased at a later date.
>
>Isn't a Big Green Egg ceramic cooker in the $200 range? Apparently not
>nearly as good as a K but hey, it costs a lot less and in many cities can be
>in your back yard the same day you decide to buy unlike a K.
>

I tried to find it on Ebay and couldn't, what do they call it? -RP

Randy wrote:
>
> I tried to find it on Ebay and couldn't, what do they call it? -RP

What do they call what? Please quote enough of the previous message to
provide context.



Brian Rodenborn

"Dave Bugg" <deebuggatcharterdotnet> wrote in message
...
> Nathan Lau wrote:
>
> > What ceramic cookers are as cheap as a WSM? I would get the WSM first
> > and save save save for the K to be purchased at a later date.
>
> Excellent advice, Nathan.
>
Nah....just put it on yer plastic and pay for it a little at a time.
Jack

I have the info. at home - will email tonight.


On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 21:31:27 GMT, Default User
> wrote:

>Randy wrote:
>>
>> I tried to find it on Ebay and couldn't, what do they call it? -RP
>
>What do they call what? Please quote enough of the previous message to
>provide context.
>
>
>
>Brian Rodenborn

Here is the original link on Ebay - she just listed one last week so
keep checking:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...photoho sting

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 15:18:26 GMT, RZ > wrote:

>I have the info. at home - will email tonight.
>
>
>On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 21:31:27 GMT, Default User
> wrote:
>
>>Randy wrote:
>>>
>>> I tried to find it on Ebay and couldn't, what do they call it? -RP
>>
>>What do they call what? Please quote enough of the previous message to
>>provide context.
>>
>>
>>
>>Brian Rodenborn

Randy > wrote in message >...
> I tried to find it on Ebay and couldn't, what do they call it? -RP

http://www.biggreenegg.com/

I was looking at one of these at Barbeques Galore in Palo Alto last
night. It's too heavy.

Karen

"Karen O'Mara" > wrote in message
m...
> Randy > wrote in message
>...
> > I tried to find it on Ebay and couldn't, what do they call it? -RP
>
> http://www.biggreenegg.com/
>
> I was looking at one of these at Barbeques Galore in Palo Alto last
> night. It's too heavy.
>
> Karen

I'm not sure what you mean by too heavy but I've had a #7 Kamado for about 5
yrs. and just recently moved it for the 1st time.

If you mean the lid's too heavy, I can't speak for the BGE but the K has a
spring assisted lift system that you can adjust from just about no help to one
finger opening.

Either way the mass pays off a lot by holding heat so well. It would be the last
grill you ever need to buy.


Tyler

On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 19:31:35 GMT, "Tyler Hopper" >
wrote:

>If you mean the lid's too heavy, I can't speak for the BGE but the K has a
>spring assisted lift system that you can adjust from just about no help to one
>finger opening.

Can you point me to instructions for doing so?

--
Kevin S. Wilson
Tech Writer at a University Somewhere in Idaho
"Anything, when cooked in large enough batches, will be vile."
--Dag Right-square-bracket-gren, in alt.religion.kibology

"Kevin S. Wilson" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 19:31:35 GMT, "Tyler Hopper" >
> wrote:
>
> >If you mean the lid's too heavy, I can't speak for the BGE but the K has a
> >spring assisted lift system that you can adjust from just about no help to
one
> >finger opening.
>
> Can you point me to instructions for doing so?
>
> --
> Kevin S. Wilson

All I can say is to search the K forum. I believe it came up on a thread about
band adjustment. IIRC it has to do with removing the bolts that hold the springs
and adding spacers.

You need to cobble up a forked tool to recompress the springs and get the bolt
back in. If you want I can send a picture of the one I did. It ain't pretty but
it worked.

BTW I did a tune up on mine a few weeks ago including the band adjustment. It
wasn't nearly as hard as I imagined.

_________
ht_redneck

FH wrote:
> On 30 Jun 2004 11:11:50 -0700, (Karen O'Mara) wrote:
>
>> Randy > wrote in message
>> >...
>>> I tried to find it on Ebay and couldn't, what do they call it? -RP
>>
>> I was looking at one of these at Barbeques Galore in Palo Alto last
>> night. It's too heavy.
>>
>> Karen
>
> WSM are a great cooker. Lightwieght and they break down enough to put


Offset all the way, lots of room and you can burn wood better than anything
other than an open pit.
Steel dont care what the temps are either, not that Palo Alto get much in
the way of extemes.

--

On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 13:35:43 -0600, Kevin S. Wilson >
wrote:

>On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 19:31:35 GMT, "Tyler Hopper" >
>wrote:
>
>>If you mean the lid's too heavy, I can't speak for the BGE but the K has a
>>spring assisted lift system that you can adjust from just about no help to one
>>finger opening.
>
>Can you point me to instructions for doing so?

It's been on Forum periodically, Kevin. Most recently in a post from
DavidM. The adjustment involves inserts into the tubes or cutting
the springs., depending on where you want to go. I'm lucky in that
both of my 7s were well balanced. I gather it needs some
experimentation.

Harry

On Thu, 01 Jul 2004 17:31:55 -0500, FH > wrote:

>WSM are a great cooker. Lightwieght and they break down enough to put
>in the trunk of a car. I easily get unattended overnight cooks with
>sand in the waterpan. They also have more meat capacity than the
>ceramic cookers at 25 % of the price.

Ahem! Are you saying that a WSM is going to hold more meat than my #7
K with an upper rack?

--
Kevin S. Wilson
Tech Writer at a University Somewhere in Idaho
"Anything, when cooked in large enough batches, will be vile."
--Dag Right-square-bracket-gren, in alt.religion.kibology

Harry Demidavicius wrote:
> On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 13:35:43 -0600, Kevin S. Wilson >
> wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 19:31:35 GMT, "Tyler Hopper" >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> If you mean the lid's too heavy, I can't speak for the BGE but the
>>> K has a spring assisted lift system that you can adjust from just
>>> about no help to one finger opening.
>>
>> Can you point me to instructions for doing so?
>
> It's been on Forum periodically, Kevin. Most recently in a post from
> DavidM. The adjustment involves inserts into the tubes or cutting
> the springs., depending on where you want to go. I'm lucky in that
> both of my 7s were well balanced. I gather it needs some
> experimentation.
>
> Harry

Definitely an experimental process. I cut two coils (one at a time) off one
spring to make my K lid balance and eliminate a leaky side. If you need
more lift, add washers, a wooden dowel or whatever fits the inside diameter
of the tube between the spring and the bolt.

Jack Curry

"FH" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 01 Jul 2004 17:11:39 -0600, Kevin S. Wilson >
> wrote:
>
> >On Thu, 01 Jul 2004 17:31:55 -0500, FH > wrote:
> >
> >>WSM are a great cooker. Lightwieght and they break down enough to put
> >>in the trunk of a car. I easily get unattended overnight cooks with
> >>sand in the waterpan. They also have more meat capacity than the
> >>ceramic cookers at 25 % of the price.
> >
> >Ahem! Are you saying that a WSM is going to hold more meat than my #7
> >K with an upper rack?
>
> Sure am! Stock, twice as much. If you add an upper rack to a WSM on
> the upper and lower grates, the WSM will still hold twice as much at a
> fraction of the price of any ceramic. I would definately sugggest any
> newbie to get the WSM first before spending the Big Bucks on a
> ceramic. Start out slow and work your way up to the more expensive
> model if you choose. That's my advice.
>
> I can make any one of my WSM's perform unattaended cooks for any piece
> of meat you choose to name that will fit into the cooker.
>
> I mean, we are talking $179 including shipping as oppsed to ~ $500 for
> the cheapest *good* ceramic cooker.

You're math is a little off. "Stock" the WSM has ~537 sq. in. of cooking area.
K7 has 398 sq. in. That != twice as much cooking area. More like *1.35

Add lower grate to K7 & cooking area = 652 sq. in. Add upper grate to K7 &
cooking area = 906 sq. in.

When you add those grates to a WSM,,,, oh forgot you can't do that.

Grill on a WSM: Disassmble and reconfigure to get a mediocre grilling unit.

Grill on a K: Add more lump and open vents more. Grill any food product you
want.

Add thermal mass to WSM: Put water or sand in water pan and **** with cleaning
it up.

Add thermal mass to K: Do nothing.

Add a thermometer to a WSM: Hang thru top vent, put inside on grate, drill hole
in smoker & mount, etc.

Add a thermometer to a K: Comes with a 750dF thermometer and replaced free if it
fails.


Temp recovey time: With smoker at 250 remove or open lid for 1 min., replace,
and see what happens.

WSM temp drops to ~200 and recovers in 7 - 10 min.

K temp drops to ~200 and recovers in 1 - 3 min.


Once again, any K owner, myself included, think the WSM is a fine unit and
priced well for what it was designed for.

Also, no argument toward the price delta. K's are expensive.

But the pottery cookers can just do more. If you can do everything you want to
do with a WSM, good for you.

_________
ht_redneck

P.S. - Once again, I own both and can support all of the above through personal
experience.

P.S.S. - If one they will hone their skills and move up then it makes no sense
to
buy a WSM and then move up to a ceramic. Additional cost and relearning curve
makes no sense.

"Ford the big Pussyboy" <Ford_big > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 02 Jul 2004 15:44:18 GMT, "Tyler Hopper" >
> wrote:
>
> >Add lower grate to K7 & cooking area = 652 sq. in. Add upper grate to K7 &
> >cooking area = 906 sq. in.
> >
> >When you add those grates to a WSM,,,, oh forgot you can't do that.
>
> WTF are you talking about?!!

As previously posted by FH:

"Sure am! Stock, twice as much. If you add an upper rack to a WSM on
the upper and lower grates, the WSM will still hold twice as much at a"

That's WTF I was talking about.

>
> WSM already HAS a lower cooking grate... STOCK! And, as long as were
> "adding" stuff in, you can easily add a third level with a few nuts
> and bolts found at any hardware store and "add" another level on there
> for a total of 6 grate levels. Try doing THAT wuth a ceramic. HA!

No problem. Look here for an example:

http://www.zenreich.com/ZenWeb/drippan.htm

Using readily available, cheap hardware you can add all kinds of stuff without
drilling a hole. Think L brackets.

I don't quite get your math of adding 2 grates to 2 existing grates and getting
6 cooking levels but hey, sometimes I'm just a little dense.

I just measured the vertical space of the WSM (recall I do have one of both
sitting close to each other). I measured from the top of the fire ring to about
midway between the top rim and top vent on the lid. Looks like 20" +/-. Allows
for about 3.33" for each of your 6 cooking levels.

>WSM is $179 plus shipping. What is a K7 running nowadays? Hmmmmm?
>
>($900 to $1500 for a K7 depending on the unit)
> No thanks. I coud buy FIVE WSMs for the price of the *cheapest* K7!

K7 starts at $600. Again, I don't quite get the math of 600/179=5 but if you can
do it and want 5 WSMs in the yard, go for it.

And, once again, I never disputed the price delta between the two. Hell, you can
get a WSM for the price of _just shipping_ a K7.

If you're happy with a very good, though less capable rig at that price point,
good for you.

_________
ht_redneck

P.S. - I like you're handle. Kinda makes it hard for people to make fun of you
with a name like that. ;-)

In article >, "Tyler Hopper"
> wrote:

<snip Ty givin a brutal whippin to a stupid drippin>

> If you're happy with a very good, though less capable rig at that price point,
> good for you.
>
> _________
> ht_redneck
>
> P.S. - I like you're handle. Kinda makes it hard for people to make fun of you
> with a name like that. ;-)

Hmmmmm... mebbe a big whoppin dose of red-ass is what our boy was after
after all?

monroe(YKINMK)