Yes I realize that you might not be the most unbiased group ever to ask but I think its time I buy a real smoker. I have an 18" kettle that I use to smoke up to 2 pork butts at a time on. Its a real tight fit and usually I can keep the fire at the right temp but some days its a real pain. A proper smoker would be nice.

Anyway I started researching and of course I found the WSM since I like wber stuff so much. I've also found some english grill called the pro-q excel 20. It seems like its about $70 cheaper than the 18" weber, 20", has meat hangers, large water pan, and comes with a stacker already. It SEEMS like a good deal. Has anyone tried it though? I'd hate to drop the cash and get something that is junk.

Thanks!

both are good choices and will do you well. both have their die hard fans. but i'm partial to weber.

I suppose I should add too that I'm usually just cooking for 2 people so doing 2 butts leaves me we leftovers that will last weeks. If I didn't have the urge to do some stuff that just plain wouldn't fit in the kettle like a turkey I'd have an ever harder time swallowing the cost of the wsm. I'm concerned that even if the other is a "bargain" it will eat up the savings in increased coal use pretty quickly.

in that case ya might wanna get a 22.5 kettle. i smoke on mine a lot with great success. i got a cheap wsm on craigs list. not sure which is best for me at this time.

I have both and have used both and would definitely give up my kettle first.

i would never give up my kettle. wsm would go first but luckily that will never happen !

Do the WSM - definitely the WSM over the wanna-be. A WSM and a kettle is an unbeatable combination.

Pat

I smoke on both my kettles and the wsm, ribs-brisket-pork butts on the wsm....chicken-turkey on the kettles. My wsm get used about 2-3 times a month, the kettles 3-4times a week.

Oh wow a turkey will actually fit on the kettles? I will admit I haven't tried on the 18" but assumed it wouldn't.

I was planning on picking up a 22" otg kettle soon. I wonder if it will let me do a thanksgiving bird and hold off on the wsm til next year..

I've done a couple of turkeys on the kettle. There is a recipe in the current edition of Bon Appetite along with some illustrations of how to do the turkey on the grill.

That being said, dude, get yourself a WSM!!!

Pat

quote:

Originally posted by John09:
I suppose I should add too that I'm usually just cooking for 2 people so doing 2 butts leaves me we leftovers that will last weeks. If I didn't have the urge to do some stuff that just plain wouldn't fit in the kettle like a turkey I'd have an ever harder time swallowing the cost of the wsm. I'm concerned that even if the other is a "bargain" it will eat up the savings in increased coal use pretty quickly.

I'm cooking for two and it is remarkable how much meat the 18" WSM holds! Might I suggest an alternative? I couple of us have modified the SJ with a middle section fashioned from a very large pot. You can see more at http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/fo...0039023/m/5870049575. I have to add that my results have been good so far, but I don't think it is as easy to operate as the regular WSM.

I've used Weber kettles for decades and the WSM is new this year. For me it is well worth the price. I find it much easier to maintain low temps (~250°) for hours and hours.

HTH,
walt

I bought a ProQ WSM stacker section off eBay. It's nowhere close to the quality of Weber products. Don't waste your money. If cash is an issue, (like it is for alot of us) start a jar for coins and wait 'til next year to buy your WSM.
Brett

...and Oh Yeah....
Do you NEED it? Of course you do! You're a guy who cooks over coal. You'll see what we mean after your third or forth smoke. (the first two are for breaking in the WSM)

A no brainer...Get the WSM. You won't be sorry. I also have a pro-Q stacker and like Brett says, it's not even close to the Weber quality.

I have had good results using my kettle but it needs constant attention. I wanted and got a WSM for the "set it and forget it" approach a lot of people are doing with good success on long cooks.

Hi John,

i bought this year my 22.5" WSM, and what can i say about, i love it to make a Q and freinds and Family, too.The WSM is a perfect Smoker, easaly to hold the temperature and also perfect US quality.
In germnay a lot of guys use the "Q" Model Excel or Frontier, but the problem is the quality from the stuff, sometimes you can get problems with the stacker, because the part to lock two stacker together can be bend.
I know the Pro Q is bit cheaper as WSM, but the reason is the quality, i can´t accept.

I have the 18" WSM and a couple of the Pro Q stackers. I haven't used the stackers yet but the quality of them is not the same as a WSM. I know the WSM is sprayed with porcelain enamel and is hard as nails. The stackers look to just be painted with black paint. Whatever it is I know it doesn't appear to be very thick. I tried to contact the Pro Q people via email and never got a response from them so don't expect to ever get any help from the Pro Q people.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LDThornton,

If I'm just doing a single rack of ribs or a 3 lb chuck roast, then I use my kettle. I have gotten really good at getting the kettle to settle in around 250 degrees for hours with little to no work. If I'm doing pork butts or more racks of ribs, then I use the WSM.

I use my kettle about 3 to 5 times a week and my WSM about 1-2 times a month. Love them both.

Buy the best,cry once!Weber all the way!!!

<< wondering if John09 ever got a WSM....
...and Chuck, where in Racine are you?

"should I get the wsm?"
Is this a trick question?
So, John09, don't leave us hangin'. What's the verdict?