Electric smokers
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Hello. I have been smoking a couple years using the Big Green Egg. Although it does well it is cumbersome to keep temperatures below 180 so I have been researching electric smokers. Although I would love a pk 100 it is not in the budget. I have been looking at the char broil and master built digital electric smokers but see a lot of people say the temperature is off and other issues. Just looking for some thoughts from the community about a good electric smoker under $500.00 and what they like and don’t like. Thank you
Stats77 I have a BGE, stick smoker and a propane unit for cooking and smoking. The MB40 purchase, the price was right. Overall my only complaint is the temperature control portion, variation swings constantly at least 5-10 degrees. That is why I use a separate unit to monitor the temperatures. My temp control panel failed w/i the first 6 months and the company sent me a replacement right away. That was before this craziness hit. For the money it was a good buy and the easiest to use. Will I buy something different next time? I am always looking.
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I currently have an LP vertical smoker but am looking at switching to an electric or pellet smoker. A lot of Walton’s recipes call for starting the product on the smoker for the first hour without introducing smoke. How can this be accomplished using a vertical pellet smoker?
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Rob Lee I haven’t noticed an issue in appearance or flavor with the smoke right away with my pellet smoker.
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Hello. I have been smoking a couple years using the Big Green Egg. Although it does well it is cumbersome to keep temperatures below 180 so I have been researching electric smokers. Although I would love a pk 100 it is not in the budget. I have been looking at the char broil and master built digital electric smokers but see a lot of people say the temperature is off and other issues. Just looking for some thoughts from the community about a good electric smoker under $500.00 and what they like and don’t like. Thank you
Stats77 I am currently using a pit boss vertical smoker copperhead 7 series . It works well for summer sausage, ribs,pulled pork, brisket, and jerky, Reverse sear just remove steak while it gets up to searing temp. It works exceptionally well for smoked salmon. I do use a grilleye thermometer with it and set up ambient temperature probes with the extra probes to make sure I know what the cook temp is as the built in temp probe is to low and close to the burn pot to be trusted. It always reads higher than the cook temp actually is. I have had it for a little over 2 years and have used more than 500 pounds of pellets. I have had it break down 2 times. Both times it was the temp sensor. Both times that happened the temps would run wild and both times it was a five minute call to customer service ending with them saying “We have a new temp sensor headed your way” and they never asked me to pay a dime. Very good customer service and very easy to work with. I am very happy with my purchase. Just like any of them it will take a few cooks to get acquainted.
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I have had flame outs at 150 setting not sure if its over feeding and smothering the fire. Seems like the times it has done it have been cold outside temps, and filled with cold meat. Did you contact Camp Chef?
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Its happened a few times but I have been around to restart it. I don’t trust it to do an overnight cook, I’ve only done sausage with it. Camp Chef told me it may be due to a “pellet bridge” which starves the auger of pellets. What temp were you running at?
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Its happened a few times but I have been around to restart it. I don’t trust it to do an overnight cook, I’ve only done sausage with it. Camp Chef told me it may be due to a “pellet bridge” which starves the auger of pellets. What temp were you running at?
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Rob Lee Maybe there is a better way to start saying this, smoking for the first hour isn’t going to create any major problems or anything, it is just that we want to focus on drying the casing at this point so that smoke can adhere in the next stage and don’t want you wasting fuel. Also, smoke won’t adhere when the surface temp of you product is just starting out, but you arent hurting anything by starting with it.
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Joe Hell man no good. Thank you. I’ve heard a lot of people having issues with newer models. Every time I think I found a good candidate I here of problems. Maybe I go the pellet direction or stay with the BGE. I use an Auber controller on it but still hard to keep at Low temps. Might just save for the PK 100 . Thank you for info
Stats77 The ceramic is probably going to put you in the same place a pellet is. Have you thought about trying an electric element in your ceramic with a PID controller. Might sound hard, but its not. If I were going to go electric I’d get busy converting something I own. Alton brown has a good eats episode where he uses a simple hot plate and cardboard box to make an ellectric smoker. Add a pid controller to that and shazam you got something very capable.
Vision Grills actually has a gas and electric conversion for some of their models, I have used a gas element in mine from agrisupply with great success.
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I know I’m late to this thread; but a lot of great information in this one. Thanks.
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