Greetings from a Newbie in Oklahoma

[cohiba]

Hey All,

My 50th is just around the corner(July 10th) and my wife is wanting suggestions for a few B-Day presents.  Well, I've always wanted a smoker and I've been looking and reading about quite a few and narrowed it down to an electric smoker.

Basically, what I want and need is a smoker to cook the night before, all through the night, or early morning for a few hours before I watch my Houston Texans play some football!!  Anything from ribs to pork to brats to just smoking a steak before I cook it.

*** I can afford the Cookshack and have been looking at the Smokin Tex but something keeps drawing me back to this site and the Smokin-it smoker.  For what little I'll use it...August through January.. once to twice a month...maybe smoke a turkey for Thanksgiving.  This is the smoker for me....right??  The model #1, or will I have regrets and wish I bought the model #2???


Shipping to Oklahoma???


Any tips, tricks, and information is appreciated!!

Thanks!!

Cohiba

 

[old sarge]

You cannot go wrong with any  of the Smokin-it models. It all depends upon your needs now and the future. You can always smoke less in a large unit, but not more in a smaller unit.

 

[Rob Babcock]

If the extra expense is no hardship, get the bigger one.  You won't regret it!  I initially was thinking of the #2 but wound up getting the #3 and I'm glad I did.  First off, as Sarge says you can always run a larger smoker less full but you can't overstuff a smaller one.  Next, as you get used to smoking stuff more and more things will pop up that you want to smoke.  Lastly, even if you plan to smoke just a couple things a month once you see how tasty the results are and how easy it is to get them you may wind up doing more smoking than you anticipated.

In any event, you can't go wrong with either one.

 

[schway]

If your still wondering what brand look at the construction of the models your looking at. The smokin-it are built the same or better.  I also notice the smokin-it seemed to have larger heating units for the size and they also are cheaper or in-exspensive. If you are wondering if the heat will keep up overnight I just had mine on last night and it got down to the teens outside and my #2 kept up. If you are going to get a smokin-it get a number 3. I got a #2 and after buying a full uncut brisket from Sams and went to put the brisket in the smoker. The brisket is a little bigger, so I had to put the brisket up on the sides a little. I'm sure when it cooks down it will fit nicely. So if you want to put full size racks of ribs or brisket without having to cut them get the model #3. I think when my sons grow up and move out on their own they will have a #2 in their future and I will get a #3. When you do get a smoker I would also get a Maverick 732 thermometer. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=maverick+temperature+probe&sprefix=maverick+te%2Caps%2C266&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Amaverick+temperature+probe
It keeps from having to opening the door and a set it and forget it cooking.