Larry - Just my 2 cents on your concerns, which are very well stated:
The wide platform adds to stability since the smoker will be sitting higher and the penchant for folks to push/maneuver nearly anything and everything on wheels from the top, it is a safety thing. Even Cookshack's cabinet is wider at the bottom (and costs $399 without a shelf) plus shipping. I have linked to two archived pages that illustrate the retail prices for the cabinet and that Steve has generally sold them as well as the smokers at a sale price. But like everything, price adjustments have to be made from time to time as material costs material and manufacturing costs go up. So looking at it that way, and ignoring the 'sale price', the increase is not that significant and it includes shipping. All in all, not really a bad deal. Quite a number of people have used rolling tool cabinets, some utility carts, and others have made their own out of wood. All just personal preference. I hope this helps you and others who may be thinking along the same lines and believe me I mean this as a helpful insight only, not a criticism.
David
https://web.archive.org/web/20160723174857/http://www.smokin-it.com/?
https://web.archive.org/web/20160812210135/http://www.smokin-it.com/category_s/29.htm