Cover alternatives

[aspenextreme03]

I am opening the model 2 today and just missed the free cover promotion by a couple of days. I doubt Steve put on in there but if he did not what do you all do for a cover outside of ordering one from the website? 

 

[Pork Belly]

My #3 has sat outside, uncovered on the deck since I bought it last June. No problems or issues because of it.

I do plan on a good hot water bath for it once the weather stays warm. I want a black cover but haven't pulled the trigger because I haven't decided on the cart yet.

 

[aspenextreme03]

Do you put anything over the vent hole on top or is that not a problem if water gets inside?

 

[swthorpe]

Depending on where your smoker is relative to rain, you might want to cover the top hole just to avoid water running inside the unit.  I have a cover on my #2, but it is also under the roof eve on my deck so it gets little rain or snow, unless it is coming in from the side.

 

[SuperDave]

Inexpensive cover alternative is a blue tarp.  LOL!  Or, look at your home improvement store for an AC / swamp cooler cover. 

 

[paidin]

I do this to keep the water out of the bunghole

 

[Pork Belly]

I don't worry about the vent hole while it is sitting or while smoking.

 

[aspenextreme03]

Ordered a classic accessories square cover on amazon tonight. If it works i will let you all know as it was $22 with free ship with prime. The dimensions are good for depth and width. It is about 3 inches to tall but that wont bother me.  I have this brand of cover for my weber and it is great and best cover i ever have had.

Thought about the smokin it one but it was $29.99 and $15 shipping which honestly i was a little thrown off by the high shipping.

Worst case it does not work and amazon is easy returns. Will update when i get it and test it out just in case anyone wants and alternative and was like me who missed the free cover offer by a day or two.

 

[Durangosmoker]

I use an old vinyl (cloth backed) picnic table tablecloth to cover my #2.  Just cover the unit as evenly as I can, and wrap some clothesline around the whole unit (like ribbon on a package).  Never had a problem, and it keeps the water (and snow) out.

 

[tsax6010]

I bought my #2 last spring and it came with the black cover for free. Unfortunately after a year of sitting on my uncovered deck in NE Ohio the cover is shot - the color is completely faded to a sickly gray with a pink logo, and it ripped about 3 inches down one of the seams when the wind caught hold of it and the cover snagged on the corner of the smoker.

I considered buying another one from Smokin-It, but with the quality issues there is no way I am paying $15 to ship one of these every year when it inevitably fails again. I have a premium all 304 stainless grill costing over $3k with a great cover that only costs $80. Comparably, for the $45 that this small cover costs shipped I expect a much higher quality - ie - vinyl lined canvas or something. Not this thin, easily faded and ripped product.

I cannot find another solution however. Looking at the Classic Accessories smoker covers on Amazon they are all slightly too small fitting smokers up to 17"x20" where the #2 is 17.25"x21.5"

I would be willing to pay more for a quality cover that does not need replacing every year and protects my smoker investment.

 

[paidin]

maybe find the right material and get a local person to sew it together for you?  That might work without being too expensive.

 

[tsax6010]

I have thought about that. I happen to work for, lets say, a major national retailer specializing in fabrics and crafts.

I think I would have to buy my wife a very expensive commercial quality sewing machine to get through sewing the two thick materials together. She swears that there is no way for her current machine to do it.

I really wish Smokin-It would offer a more premium quality cover accessory to go with their premium quality smokers. Oh, and reasonable shipping charges too. This current cover weighs as close to nothing as you can get.

 

[DivotMaker]

I don't have one yet, Dana, but the camo covers (from what Steve told me) are much better quality than the black ones.  My smokers sit on a covered porch, so the black covers have held up well for the last 2 years.  Maybe someone with a camo cover can comment?

 

[gregbooras]

Ordered a classic accessories square cover on amazon tonight. If it works i will let you all know as it was $22 with free ship with prime. The dimensions are good for depth and width. It is about 3 inches to tall but that wont bother me.  I have this brand of cover for my weber and it is great and best cover i ever have had.

Thought about the smokin it one but it was $29.99 and $15 shipping which honestly i was a little thrown off by the high shipping.

Worst case it does not work and amazon is easy returns. Will update when i get it and test it out just in case anyone wants and alternative and was like me who missed the free cover offer by a day or two.

I bought the same cover for my grill and it works great. For the smoker I have the black cover, if goes bad I may replace it with the classic also.

Keep us posted on the fit, got to love Amazon Prime!

Greg

 

[aspenextreme03]

Fit is pretty good. A little tight in areaa but not bas. I put a small platic box upside down on top and then put the cover on so it keeps the rain off the top.

 

[tsax6010]

Eric, are you using the cord hook on the back of the smoker too?

 

[aspenextreme03]

No i am not. I just wrap it up and lay it under the smoker when not in use. I did not see the need for the hook honestly. If you have it i doubt the cover will fit well.

 

[1stlink]

I use a Weber cover that covers the SI2 as well as the SS equipment stand that it is on. ($20) My smoker is under roof cover but sun and dust are still a bit of a problem. It is far from a perfect fit and it ain't real pretty but it serves the purpose at a reasonable cost. 

http://www.walmart.com/ip/10924694

 

[DivotMaker]

Good improv, Ralph!

 

[1stlink]

It works but the SI has very sharp corners so I'm not sure how long it will last