Chris A,
For those of us who don't have a WSM yet, is Amazon going to capitalize on marketability of this day to sell the 18.5 and 22.5 at a discount?

If there are any discounts around Memorial Day, they will have nothing to do with Smoke Day, I assure you.

If you're willing to give up the new features, the previous 18-1/2" model is available now for $224, which is a nice savings:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi...N/B00004U9VA/tvwb-20

Regards,
Chris

I saw that you had mentioned this reduced price on the pre-2009 model in another post. But I wasn't sure if I'm giving up $75 of "must haves".

The therm in the lid is nice, but I plan to purchase and use a NuTemp probe. I already have the probe eyelets from BBQ Guru.

I don't feel that the larger water pan is a plus because, from what I can see, it's too deep. I planned to purchase a Piedmont Pan to give me better access to the coals for long smokes.

From what I gather from other posts, the charcoal grate on the 18.5 was supposed to be "fixed". But Weber is still shipping the old grate.

I'm not sure if the other upgrades, like he wider legs and heat shield, are deal breakers. But does the redesigned door give much better access? And do the new grill straps hold the water pan more securely?

Although I've only seen the 2009 model, I'm assuming that the model 2820 is of the same mold and quality. Chris, in your opinion, is it worth the extra $75? (I'm kicking myself that I didn't purchase the 2009 the day Amazon was selling it for $259.)

Merrill

The $75 is worth it to the guy that wants a built-in therm but doesn't want the hassle of doing it himself. The new door is a nice addition. The new water pan should sit more steady than the old model. The wider legs are more sturdy. The heat shield...take it or leave it. So overall I think it's worth it.

But if you're handy (sounds like you are) and plan to mount your own therm anyway, you might as well save the money, buy the model 2820, and put the savings toward other things. If you want, you can order the new door as a replacement part. See the Parts Schematics page for the part number.

Regards,
Chris

Chris, I made the mistake of purchasing the CG Smokin' Pro. I have done nearly every mod to it, just to get it to work properly. And I still need to babysit it on longer smokes. So, adding a couple things to the WSM shouldn't be a hassle.

My previous post was incorrect to list the upgrade to the Piedmont Pan. What I meant to ask is how sturdy is using the Brinkman Charcoal Pan as the WSM water pan? How well does it fit on the grill straps?

Do you know a link that I can find a price on the new door? Since you mentioned the legs being more sturdy, can these be upgraded as well?

Thanks,
Merrill

Merrill,

Sorry, I missed your message and neglected to reply.

You'll have to call Weber Customer Service at 800-446-1071 for a price on the new door and legs. Both should be available as upgrade parts.

The Brinkmann Charcoal Pan sits very stable in the WSM, but is not the same gauge metal as the WSM pan and has a cheap coating vs. the porcelain enamel on the WSM pan. However, it's quite serviceable and I would not hesitate recommending one.

Regards,
Chris