Where to buy an offset smoker?

[ctom87]

Hey guys,

I have a $200 home depot gift card and another $120 that could be spent anywhere... Is it sacrilegious to buy an offset smoker from a home improvement store? If so, where should I be looking and at what brands?

To me - the expert pellet griller and blackstone savant - all offset smokers are essentially the same; welded metal bits and pieces. I know that's not the case, so I'm hoping to learn something before I make a purchase!

Pellet grills are convenient and can make a dang good product, but the offsets are king!

[fishfeeder01]

FWIW, look up youtube for discussions on the traditional wood burning off set smoker, where men can cook with no shirt on, while angels play a harp in the background. or you can look at the Treager brand pellot smokers. my Friends have old MEN smokers that use real wood. you have to learn how to tune in or hit the sweet spot with wood management on a stick burner, but its an art, and enjoyable. also, dont know where you are located, but here on the coast, lots of people are having issues with the electronic controls on the pellet smokers, i think due to natural corrosion, and the humidity of being close to the coast. You can also look up Blacks bbq, i think they sell different models on their website, good luck, enjoy the smoker, which ever you decide on.
** ALso certain Super HEBs sell a smoker thats pretty good as well.

[ctom87]

Yes! HEB had some on sale when I stopped at one, I think in waco? I am in Fort Worth, been running a Traeger since 2013, never had any issues, except the one time it caught on fire, but God had his hand in it. I just so happened to be cooking ribeyes. Best seer ever on a Traeger. Also, thats not a joke, dhall1414 saw it and can confirm. It was during the super bowl in 2020. Panic ensued by everyone in the house, but I had everything under control.

Anyway, the pellet is great and after my traeger goes out I will get a Yoder, but I want the stick burner. Can't beat the flavor and it is something I must master before I leave this earth.

[dope hunter]

Hey guys,

I have a $200 home depot gift card and another $120 that could be spent anywhere... Is it sacrilegious to buy an offset smoker from a home improvement store? If so, where should I be looking and at what brands?

To me - the expert pellet griller and blackstone savant - all offset smokers are essentially the same; welded metal bits and pieces. I know that's not the case, so I'm hoping to learn something before I make a purchase!

Pellet grills are convenient and can make a dang good product, but the offsets are king!

About the only smoker I would by from a big box store would be an Old Country BBQ Pit. They have some really good commercially produced offset smokers. just my .02

[Bucknaked]

The thinner the steel the more you’re going to have to feed it! But if you like to sit around near the pit all day and put down a few frosties then it doesn’t matter now does it

you May want to look at the Weber Smokey mountain cookers. I sold my offset and went to this because it’s a no brainer cooker. Once lit, it only takes it 10 minutes to get to temp and as for myself mine will hold temp for 21 hours( I definitely do not cook that long but the temp gauge stays going) . Easy to clean and easy to move around for storage. You can still sit around it and enjoy cold frosties with friends and family too. It is mainly a charcoal or lump charcoal cooker but I do add chunks of wood to it.

[Mertzon Man]

About the only smoker I would by from a big box store would be an Old Country BBQ Pit. They have some really good commercially produced offset smokers. just my .02

I agree!!!

[rockyraider]

Old Country Brazos gets really good reviews after a couple easy mods are done. These are reviews that you can watch on youtube by guys that know what they are doing like "madscientist bbq", "smokinjoe bbq", etc.... Pretty universally agreed upon they are the best bang for a mass-produced smoker. They actually have a new smoker by Old Country that has some significant upgrades like an insulated firebox, etc. They are probably pushing $2k but again, a custom with the same features would be 2-3 times the price.