Orion Cooker The Convection BBQ Smokers (Medium- 36" H) review and price compare 2025
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you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Product overview
| Brand | Orion Cooker |
| Model Name | Medium- 36" H |
| Power Source | Wood |
| Color | Stainless |
| Item Weight | 2 Pounds |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 21 x 20 x 21 inches |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- Cooks with smoke, steam, and convection heat for fast cooking times.
- Cook Times: Whole Turkey (12lbs) 1 hr. 24 min, Baby Back Ribs (6 racks) 1 hour 15 minutes, Brisket (9lbs) 4.5 hrs.
- 100 percent stainless steel construction.
- Cooks in half the time compared to traditional smokers with the same great taste.
- Comes with poultry stand, lifting handle, 3 rib hangers and three cooking grates.
- Uses indirect heat to produce convection current within the cooking cylinder
- Produces amazingly fast cook times
This fits your .
product description
Size:Convection cooker
A revolutionary way to cook out. Moist, tender meat without the wait. The revolutionary Orion Charcoal Cooker simultaneously smokes, steams, and uses convection with an extraordinarily fast cooking time. Perfect for pork tenderloin, turkey, baby back ribs, and salmon. Cooks a 20-lb. turkey in 2 hours, 15 minutes, without sacrificing succulent, juicy flavor that will melt in your mouth every time. Low-maintenance unit gives you moist and tender meat every time, with no flare-ups. Stainless steel design. Comes standard with 3 cooking grates, a poultry stand, lifting handle and 3 rib hangers. Dimensions: 19-3/4" W x 36" H. Cylinder diameter: 13". Cooking Surface: 360 square inches.
product details
important information
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Questions about Orion Cooker The Convection BBQ Smokers (Medium- 36" H)
Q:
Could the unit be set on a countertop during use without heat damage to the countertop? I will have concrete but the sealers are heat sensitive.
Answer: The unit uses charcoal so you will want to use it outdoors. The bottom tray (while burning the charcoal) does get very hot, and it does put off some smoke. We usually set ours away from the house on our concrete pool decking. I wouldn't recommend putting it on a countertop. It does a great job--everything has turned out great. Love it.
Answer: This unit gets very hot all the way around it. I wouldn't put it on anything that could melt or be damaged by high heat.
Answer: Not sure about how much heat it would throw off but the legs are about 6 1/2 inches tall so you would get some radiant heat. I would not recommend putting it on a counter as it would be pretty high to lift the meat out. The unit is fairly tall and you have to lift up. It does an excellent job. I have only used it a couple times but was real pleased with the finished product. It seems to me that you need to add a few minutes to the cook times given. I think that is due to starting with a cold cooker and it takes a few minutes for the charcoal to heat up and really start cooking.
Answer: Probably not the best idea. Charcoal may fall out on your counter and it would be way to high. I use both of mine on the patio floor.
Answer: Are you serious? You can't be serious. Take your meds.
Answer: I would not recommend it, as it gets really hot on the bottom side.
Answer: No. Use outdoors on a floor.
Q:
cooking turkey
Answer: I have cooked 6 turkeys in my Orion, I have never been disappointed. Left one about 20 minutes too long (as based on the time limit suggested) and the only thing I noticed was it was so moist it fell into two big pieces I had to pull out separately. I have used injections and dry rubs and never been disappointed in the way this cooker does the job, I do not like to do my turkeys any other way now.
Answer: About 2-1/2 hours for 20 lb turkey, little water in drop pan. The meat will fall off the bone. Have tongs to get it out.
Answer: Yes but I have always had to let it cook longer than the directions suggest
Answer: About 7 minutes per pound, largest bird I’ve done was 30 pounds
Q:
How many minutes per pound for a brisket? Don't need a large cut.
Answer: A brisket 10lbs or less will take approximately three hours. Load it full of coal and that's about a three hour burn before the temp starts to drop. Check the meat temp at 2hrs. You want to pull it at about 195-200 degrees. I am a temp cooker not time. But should take no more than 3hrs.
Answer: Hi Fabian, I normally put a brisket that is anywhere between 10 and 14 lbs for 4 1/2 hours. If it's only 5 lbs, you might want to try 2 hours. Brisket makes delicious leftovers. I suggest buying a larger cut...you'll have enough for the week. Hope that helps.
Answer: Approx 30 mins a pound for brisket
Answer: 12 lbs is about 4.5 hrs, so I would say 1hr per 3 lbs
Q:
on the The Orion Cooker web site it sells for 149.00 bucks what makes this one worth more than twice that price? looks like you get the same items?
Q:
How is this Orion cooker different from the Orion 101 cooker offered at half the price ?
Q:
How fast will it be delivered to San Diego?
Answer: Depends on if yout prime member or not
Q:
What gauge stainless steel is it made from?
Answer: Haven't measured it but close to 16 gauge. Very sturdy.
Q:
What happens if I use regular Kingsford? I've got 3 huge babs.
Answer: Same results. i use Kingsford, Walmart, Grocery store etc...
Answer: I use regular all the time because it cheaper with no issues in cooking time. Just use the times suggested in the booklet with no worries.
Answer: We use Kingsford with no problems. Cooking times are the same. Enjoy!
Answer: We use Kingsford with no problems. Cooking times are the same. Enjoy!
Answer: Keep your big bags! Match light are just user friendly. You should soak coals very well so each one will light for even cooking. Just endure you have correct amount of coals 12 to 13 lbs.
Answer: The cooking times are based on using Matchlite. Regular charcoal will work, but cooking times will be off.
Answer: It does not mater what kind of charcoal you use, it heats from the outside in. I some times use dry branches and limbs from the woods behind my home. average time for a 8 lb shoulder butt roast is 3.5 hours or so.. just need to keep it fueled, charcoal does work the best. flraven
Answer: You can use any kind of charcoal you want. I use the cheapest stuff they sell with lighter fluid because the fumes never touch the meat.
Q:
how to you use it?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: i have used it primarly for baby back ribs it will cook from 1 to 6 racks.
Answer: Cooks great fall off the bone ribs and tender brisket.Just use the cooking times listed in the book no need to worry about over cooking
Answer: Read the directions and you should have no problem.
Q:
This is the regular or the large orion
Answer: This is the regular/Original Orion Cooker.
Q:
Has anyone had any rusting issues on the newer models?
Answer: Why do you ask?are you having a problem?I have with a older ones that are 15-18 years old .1 has a hole rusted through the bottom of top where the coal goes.I just pack aluminum in there before loading with coal.That same one the ring that holds the can itself to the smoker has split so the can is now removable but I still use it.
Answer: Yes mine came apart this year
Answer: I haven't.
Q:
The chicken skin on a whole chicken becomes rubbery, how to make it crispy in the Orion?
Answer: No matter what you smoke chicken on it will be a little less than crisp. I have a kettle bbq as well and I always transfer the coals from the orion to the other bbq. I then finish my product on that. The skin will crisp up in a few minutes. I also finish my ribs with sauce on the bbq when done on the orion. Hope this helps. Happy smoking....
Answer: Thanks everyone. I let the chickens dry out in the fridge for 48 hours, then coated it with EVOO and added my spice rub. Came out nice and a little crispy.
Answer: I use a light coating of olive oil followed by a dry spice rub. I also rub spice and place a few slices of butter in between the skin and breast meat.
Q:
I'm traveling in a motor home. what are the demensions? broken down i'm guessing i can find a spot for it.
Answer: The base is about 20 inches in diameter and it about 34 inches high. The main part of the cooking diameter is about 12 inches. Lightweight enough to move easily.
Q:
Does this unit come with the deep drip pan or the shallow drip pan?
Answer: It comes with the shallow drip pan.
Answer: The drip pan is about an inch deep But u can use other pans if you have one and it fits
Answer: It has a drip pan that is about 2” deep I think. We have had 3 Orion cookers over the years and have never had a deeper drip pan.
Answer: It is about 2 inches deep
Answer: Mine did.
Q:
I live in the Chicago and would like to do some St. Louis ribs. Any suggestions?
Answer: I visited Memphis a while back and was blown away by dry rub (no sauce) ribs from Central BBQ. So I tried a dry rub on 3 racks. I chose a rub from the on line recipes and the ribs wete delicious. There are a couple of differences between Orion ribs and those cooked other ways. Orion ribs are incredibly moist and tender - no crusty burned fat or dry stringy meat next to the bone. One of my racks was so moist that about half of it fell to the bottom. For that reason, I suggest putting one of the grills just above the bottom pan.
Q:
Which size is this one considered
Answer: This is the first one made. There is now 3 sizes, making this one the middle
Answer: The big one is what I what I ended up getting. A local home improvement store had it on clearance for $45.00 unopened new in box.
Answer: This is the Original Orion Cooker. It is NOT the Small or the Large Orion Cooker.
Q:
Does the timer start as soon as you light the fire or when the coals turn white?
Answer: Start the time as soon as you light the fire
Answer: Start as soon as you light the charcoal and use the Match Light charcoal.
Answer: My experience has been when you light the charcoal. You don't need a whole lot of charcoal. Fill up to half of rim for 3 hours of cooking. I can cook 6 racks of ribs in 3 hours total. I tried hanging and on flat racks.
Q:
Do the gates rust? Can you leave the unit outside covered without getting rusty?
Answer: We leave our cooker uncovered but in an outdoor carport/shed which has a roof. I think Orion is all stainless steel. It’s been 4 months and has not rusted so I’d say it doesn’t rust. Especially if you’re covering it.
Answer: No rust , and you can leave it outside
Q:
Unit come with a pan for drippings?
Answer: There is a pan that is placed at the bottom that will catch drippings and/or you can add liquid to it ( Like apple cider or water)
Answer: Yes it does have a drip pan but it is extremely hard to take out the pan full of hot liquid after your food is done. You can easily burn yourself trying to get it out but it can be done.
Answer: Yes. It has a shallow flat bottomed pan made from stainless steel. Make sure you add some water to the pan before lighting the coals or it will warp. Found out the hard way.
Q:
Does this cooker create a bark on the outside of the meat?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: If your looking for the bark that a traditional wood smoker creates , my answer is No, it does not do that, but I will say of you are smoking chicken with the orion and want crispy skin , rub olive oil on the chicken, I've always used a 50 gallon drum smoker , and I can say the food that comes out of the orion is on point ! Has just enough smoke flavor and very moist , I use apple wood chips or a mixture of apple and cherry , I had doubts bout this cooker , but I can say I would recommend it
Answer: Have not had that happen to the pork ribs, salmon or a 21 pound turkey I smoked so far. All of these remained moist and tender.
Answer: Not that we've had at this point because everything has come out so perfectly so far, but weren't really looking for that texture and flavor. Good question and we'll try it! LOL Meanwhile, if it doesn't you can always sear or brown on stovetop or in oven. Just another step tho and the beauty of this thing is that you load it and leave it. NOTHING like an oven or BBQ or any other contraption we've used. Good luck and sorry I didn't have a better answer.
Q:
don't have book how to use the turkey smoker
Answer: A booklet came with mine. It’s just a small one but gave some recipes and smoking times. Call Orion and ask them for the booklet. We love our smoker and the meat that we smoke turns out delicious!!!
Answer: go online to orion smoker , they have the book and several recipes on the site as well as a forum ,really easy to use put the pan in the bottom foil line for easy clean up place dry wood around pan hickory pecan ect , place meat on rack or grate spray grate with cooking spray for easy clean up put lid on load charcoal in ring large bag of match light , light and leave it alone may have to add charcoal after 2.5 hours or so
Answer: The cooker came with a book if you brought it second hand Google it
Answer: Have only smoked a 5 lb chicken. Make sure you remove package with the heart and other parts from the neck cavity. I used a salt and brown sugar brine and left the chicken in the brine overnight. I then rinsed and dried the chicken then used a basic chicken rub. I got both recipes for the brine and rub off of the internet. Put apple chips around the drip pan, put the chicken on the frame and placed on the bottom rack. The frame goes in the large cavity opening and out the neck. I filled bottom and top with charcoal and smoked for 1 hr and 5 min. Chicken was great.
Q:
Does this come with a drip pan?
Answer: Yes this does come with a drip pan.
Answer: Mine did come with a drip pan and I believe all the models do. You can also use the pan to add water/moisture to the oven and keep the food moist. One of the things this cooker does best is to keep food moist and doesn't tend to dry it out like other cookers can.
Answer: Yes there is a drip pan in the bottom of the cooker
Answer: It does with a liquid pan in the bottom. It is not the easiest to remove but if you have a steady had you can make awesome gravy with the drippings.
Answer: Yes it does but put an aluminum pan inside it and you will save yourself some clean up time
Answer: No
Answer: Yes
Q:
Has anyone found a cover that works with this cooker / smoker? The Orion Website store is sold out.
Answer: you can order the cover from the Orion Cooker website http://www.theorioncooker.com/
Answer: I picked up a Webber cover that is a little large at the top, but nicely fitted at the bottom.
Answer: Sorry, mine is from Orion.
Answer: Unfortunately, no. We tried a Brinkman one but it was too big.
Q:
can you get away with using less than the full 15lbs of charcoal and still get good results?
Answer: yes- we use a small bag of charcoal about half and mix with wood chips, a 22.5 pound turkey in 2 hours 35 mins.... it literally fell of the bone!
Answer: I can usually get at least 2-3 uses out of a bag. A lot depends on what you are cooking, temperature, and wind conditions. I made a brisket and steak a week ago and I used about a third of a bag. Hope this helps.
Answer: Yes you can however adjust the cooking time. If you use small bag of match light, add regular to it to give it some hang time. I use 2 chimney 's of regular, that's it. That gives 2 hrs heat for full 6 racks. If I do a Turkey use all u can fit in the belt. 1/2 +12
Answer: You will really enjoy it- bought ours last Christmas and it has been one of the best gifts ever! Quicker than in the oven and in the summer- the house isn't heated up in contrast with AC..... because the roast, chicken, ribs, are all being cooked outside! :) Enjoy!
Q:
Is it 36" or 21"? It says 36" above
Answer: It depends on whIch size you actually order. I ordered the 36” and received a 36” Orion Cooker.
Answer: 36 I think. It's the Medium size model.
Q:
Can you use a wired meat temperature probe on this cooker?
Answer: I use my Orion Smoker to primarily cook thick rack of ribs (four racks) and check the temp with a hand held temp probe after cooking them about 1 hr 45 min.. Having said this, I am by NO means an expert on wired temp probes. However, I have read several forums where Orion owners have used a remote thermometer made by Thermaworks, with good success and I have also read where some have use wired meat temperature probes (with equal success) ... taking special care not to overly bend the wire as it comes out of the top of the smoker. I would recommend that you check Google for Orion forums on this question. Happy Cooking!!
Answer: I’ve never tried that, but I think it would work.
Answer: I dont know. I only used it twice & then gave it to Goodwill.
Answer: I used one with no issues.
Q:
can you hot dogs &hamburgs?
Answer: I would not recommend cooking hot dogs and/or hamburgers. This is a smoker, not a grill
Answer: You can but why? It would be a waste of charcoal. The orion is best suited for larger cuts of meat, pork shoulder, Boston butt, ribs etc.
Answer: Sure, and a lot of them too. I used my Orion to cook for a baseball team party and those smoked burgers turned out amazing. No one could stop talking about them. They cook fast, so use a strong wood like hickory or misquite.
Answer: My husband says that it can be done although he has never tried. He said that you won't get the grill marks on the meat when it is cooked in the smoker but it will dry out if overcooked.
Answer: It would be like cooking them in a Oven. I would not. But it could be done. Turkey and Prime Ribs. Are off the Hook.
Q:
I’ve had my orión for 5 yrs, it’s rusting at the base of the barrel. We live in coastal area but I keep it sealed in a heavy leaf bag. Anyone else?
Answer: I've had mine for over a year and it shows no sign of rust.
Q:
Has anyone purchased a rib rack for the orioncooker? If so, which brand works best?
Answer: We just use the rib hangers that came with the cooker and it works great!
Answer: It comes with rib holders and will handle 6 racks of ribs at one time.
Q:
Lost my rib hangers. Has anybody made a replacement or found where to buy?
Answer: You can go on Orion's website and order them. Just google Orion replacement parts. They offer the rib hangers. I hope this helps and happy smoking :)
Q:
Would like to know how to smoke country ribs in the Orion
Answer: Just lay 'em on the racks after rubbing with seasonings and cook by weight for pork. I have cooked them and baby backs and they came out tasting great. I now "finish" mine on my Weber grill 'cause I like a little char. I don't use the rib hangers anymore because the ribs tend to fall of making a mess of getting them out.
Answer: This is how I do it I add about 6 smoke chips 3 on each side of the drip pan. I use apple and I add a little beer to the drip pan. Add charcoal close it let me cook. Best of luck Geary
Q:
Has anyone made jerky with this? How did it come out?
Q:
If I wanted to cook both a ham and brisket at once, can you put the meat in a tin pan to keep the juices from dripping onto the other food.
Answer: I would put on meat on top and the other on the bottom grid. You could then put a shallow pan on the middle grid to catch the juices from above. I would not put any meat in a pan. I think it would interfere with the natural flow of the smoky heat and your meat would not cook as fast as the other piece in the cooker.
Q:
other than the price increase what is the difference between this cooker and the original one?
Answer: They are the same .
Q:
Its only 199 on their website why so expensive here
Answer: There are fees associated with doing business through Amazon. That is why there is a price difference. Hope this helps.
Q:
I just need drip pan
Answer: This did not "smoke" meat like you would expect. Hardly any flavor. You might ck yard sales, goodwill, restore (habitat for humanity),1 We only used ours 2 times & gave it to Goodwill,- they may hv just the pan.
Answer: you can buy one direct from Orion on the web
Q:
Will extreme cold temperatures affect your cooking time
Answer: Customers have successfully cooked in 20 degree temperatures. Wind has more of an impact on the cooker and cook times.
Answer: Yes some. Many of us take a galvanized garbage can and turn it upside down to help retain heat and protect from winds. Great FB group with tips and tricks.
Answer: I wouldn't think so. Not by much anyway.
Q:
Where can I get parts for my Orion convection cooker?
Answer: dmk,
Answer: On line direct from Orion http://www.theorioncooker.com/
Answer: Call manufacturer. They are great people.
Q:
Why isn’t it in stock anymore?
Answer: Go to bass pro. We bought one from there as well. The price is the same
Q:
How large a turkey can it cook?
Answer: I think it can take a 20lb turkey. The turkey I cooked was 12.5 lbs and there was plenty of room left.
Answer: it will cook a 20 lb turkey in two and half hours talk about smokin! Cook it and then invite us!
Answer: I don't know, but have decided not to worry about it this year. Someone else has volunteered to cook the turkey.
Answer: I believe 20 according to the book but I think it could hold a bigger one. Use the poultry stand.
Answer: 21 pounds
Q:
Is this a good size for cooking or a family of 5 and large gatherings as well? Looking to buy for my husband for Father's Day and want the right size
Answer: Yes we have a family of 11 and can fit lots of meat inside as well as many racks of ribs, roasts, etc... I think there are some user pictures that can best illustrate daily use.
Answer: Oh your husband will love it. It will handle 6 racks of ribs easy. Turkey's no problem and pork shoulders to. Everyone raves about it. I love mine, portable and dosent take up much space either.
Answer: Yes, a whole pork but would be ideal.
Q:
Can you start this with some charcoal and then keep it going with wood?
Answer: You can use wood but I don't know why you would bother. A 12-14 pound of even the cheapest self-lighting charcoal will last up to 4 and 1/2 hours, which is more than enough to cook even the largest butts or briskets you can fit inside it. I can imagine starting it with wood and adding the charcoal, but not the other way around as wood in the size you need to fit the Orion would burn down too quickly.
Answer: Sure, but the wood would have to somewhat conform to the shape of the container. That's why charcoal is the full of choice.
Answer: the wood chips would have to be small to fit around inside the ring. the best would be
Answer: I don't see why not. Just as long as it does not generate too much heat. You can check with the orion Web site forum section and ask them as well. Good luck and enjoy your cooker.
Answer: No must use nothing but coals
Q:
To do 6 racks of ribs do i need 6 hangers or can i just use the three it came with
Answer: Use the 3 rib hangers that come with the cooker. Hang 2 racks of ribs per hanger. Enjoy!
Answer: You will use the three included hangers with 2 racks of ribs for each hanger. Thank you for your question!
Answer: put up to three racks to a hanger
Q:
Is there room to put a full size turkey on the bottom rack and a full size ham on the top?
Answer: That depends if the turkey can lay flat on the cooking grate. If it can, than yes, you can cook both at the same time. If the turkey will not lay flat----you can't cook them at the same time.
Answer: Yes, it comes with a turkey frying rack to stand the turkey up but if your going to do a ham as well, I wouldn't use the turkey rack.
Answer: I never done it before but my guess would be yes so as long as it’s not a huge turkey. I love this cooker.
Answer: We always cook our turkey in the Orion cooker. It comes out perfect. I think our turkey takes up the entire cooker.
Answer: Yes
Q:
kooking turkey
Answer: It was great, for cooking a turkey. Be careful not to over cook, will fall off the bone.
Q:
I recently purchased this cooker. I have the recipes it come with. Is there a recipe book with more recipes or an alternate recipe book that I could purchase?
Answer: i have never used a recipe book. I use the cooker for beer-can chicken(2) or roasting a turkey.
Answer: You can go to the web site or make your own recipes cooking times are true for the wears of your choice
Answer: Not sure about a cookbook but you can find recipes and ideas on youtube and pinterest.
Q:
Should I season my new Orion before the first cook?
Answer: No. There is nothing you need to do before smoking. I found clean up to be easier by removing the rings on the drip pan and then double lining the drip pan with aluminum foil. I clean the smoker after every use. There is no need to season the smoker.
Answer: No need. Just start cooking.
Answer: I did not. It's stainless steel.
Answer: Good wash only!!!
Answer: Yes
Q:
Will I be able to use the Orioncooker in Chicago's weather? This is really a continuation of my previous question.
Answer: Can you use a outdoor grill? I wouldnt see why you couldnt. Just keep it out of the wind as much as possible. The heat is on the inside not the outside.
Answer: I have cooked a Turkey at 28 degrees. You will have you use more charcoal and give everything more cook time. I hope this helps.
Answer: As long as the charcoal will stay lite it should work just fine.
Q:
Does the center part lift out of the charcoal container for cleaning, or is it attached?
Answer: The large cylinder in the middle does not come apart. Just a tip, if you will take a bar of soap and coat the outside of the cooker before you light it. It will clean up much easier. I love mine.
Answer: Ora not come out but as was said below, easy to clean
Answer: Its attached, but is easy to clean and works great.
Answer: Yes , greats come out easy to clean
Answer: Attached
Q:
Can I do beef jerky in this cooker?
Answer: No, jerky normally cooks slow, you can smoke ribs in 2 hrs. So I would say no
Answer: I've never tried to make beef jerky. I haven't seen anything in the owner's manual about it.
Product reviews of Orion Cooker The Convection BBQ Smokers (Medium- 36" H)
Carolyn : Fast and easy outdoor cooking.
Does not require constant attention. Cooks quickly. Ribs cooked perfectly in less than an hour.
Melissa L. Faust : An Orion is a MUST for every home!
Our neighbors has had one for the past 10 years, and after borrowing theirs a couple times, we decided to buy one of our own. It was the best purchase we have made all year, as we use it almost daily because of how fast it is to cook anything we want! We have cooked ribs, turkey, brisket, pizza, and our next gilling will be a lasagna! Can't wait to keep trying all the new recipes, and we look forward to many years of enjoying this cooker.
Ivan : The best BBQ I've ever had has come from from the Orion Cooker
The Best BBQ ever was from this cooker. My cousin cooked a whole turkey on his and it was out of this world. In fact it made me purchase my own. I cook some smoked wings that were award winning. I highly recommend this cooker.
KNIGHT CRUSADER : Fabulous Smoker
I have had many smokers over the past 50 years and this is definitely one of the very best! The assembly is easy and the set up is simple. This system keeps your meats moist and the cook time is cut almost in half. I recommend this to anyone wanting a really good barbeque smoker.
Hope N. Griffin : Excellent product. Considering getting a second one due to ...
Got this for my husband for Christmas over a year ago now. Most used piece of equipment we have. He loves it and we all benefit greatly from it. Excellent product. Considering getting a second one due to the number of requests he gets to BBQ
Danielle : Set it and forget it
Fantastic smoker, referred this model from a family member, cooked ribs for 4 hours nice and slow. Completely fell off the bone. Peeled potatoes and placed it the pan, soaked up all the drippings, Easy to use set it and forget it. Great buy.
Steve : Bullet proof
All i can say is that i love this thing! Had it for about 5 years now. Everything i had cooked in it has been amazing. I even take it out to the desert and cook perfect smoked turkeys for Thanksgiving. Ribs are fall off the bone and tri-tip is amazing in 45 mins. Uses about 12-15 lbs bag of match light charcoal per use. Very light and portable. Stainless steel does change coler with heat but doesnt affect function. I keep mine outside without a cover and no rust yet.
David W : Great Smoker
Great smoker! I have used mine for three years and could not bd more pleased with the grill! Bought this one for my son.
Richard : Good product!
A wonderful and fast way to grill!
Myrel Short : It may be hard to clean up.
The cooker has done well. I cooks turkeys faster than in the oven and all you have to do is put your turkey in put charcoal in the outside tray and light , and forget it until time is up , that's all Great cooker.
workman482 : Best smoker ever!
Love, love, love my Orion! All my family and friends love the food it cooks! I've gotten some of the tastiest, juiciest meat I've ever tried. And it takes hardly any effort. Thanksgiving turkey and ham have now been delegated to the Orion as well as Christmas'. I can cook a 15lb turkey to falling off the bone in a little over 3hrs. That's with meat that is almost dripping with juice!
Mommajomma : But hubby had been turning out some pretty tastey stuff
I was skeptical. But hubby had been turning out some pretty tastey stuff. We are trying a turkey this year in it for Thanksgiving. I haven’t made turkey in at least 12 years because its so hit or miss. You literally load, light and walk away..
Kenan : If you don’t buy this you are missing out
Easy to cook on and has great recipes! I smoked 24 salmon filets in 40 min, great flavor, cooked all the way through and done in a short amount of time! I would suggest Orion products to anyone
Angel L. Rodriguez : Great smoker
I love this smoker
I love this smoker!!! The first thing I tried cooking in it was a pork butt along with some brined turkey legs. All of it turned out perfectly! Low and slow is the name of the game. The next thing I cooked was burgers and hot dogs which again, turned out perfect. Now, that isn't obviously the grills doing, but it was easier than other smoker/grills I have used in the past.
I love this smoker!!! The first thing I tried cooking in it was a pork butt along with some brined turkey legs. All of it turned out perfectly! Low and slow is the name of the game. The next thing I cooked was burgers and hot dogs which again, turned out perfect. Now, that isn't obviously the grills doing, but it was easier than other smoker/grills I have used in the past.
Amazon Customer : Great Product
I bought this for my husband for his birthday, and he has had nothing but praise for it. We've cooked chicken and a pork loin in it and both were done in a little more than an hour and were tender and juicy. He also took it to work with him and cooked 2 pork loins for the night crew, and they turned out fantastic. All you do is light the coals, put the meat on and forget it. You're not even supposed to open it and look at the meat until it's done...this is the hard part for my husband because he barbeques all the time and is used to checking on the meat periodically. You don't get the smoke flavor that you get on a pit, but you do get a charcoal grill flavor. My recommendation here is that you highly season whatever meat you're cooking, then you don't miss the smoke flavor.
I highly recommend this product for it's portability, ease of cooking and the great tasting finished product.
I highly recommend this product for it's portability, ease of cooking and the great tasting finished product.
Amazon Customer : Great quality you won’t be disappointed
This by far the best and quickest way to smoke a chicken or ribs or wings etc a little time consuming but well worth it
KMarDil : Easy to use, works great!
Hands down, the BEST smoker/convection cooker out there! Cooks food faster, and it's super easy to set up and use.
Quilter Kate : ORION 101 Convection Grill
I purchased the Orion 101 Convection Cooker for my husband for Christmas. It came highly recommended to him by a friend. My husband unpacked it and read through the information and instruction booklet that came with the grill. I was very skeptical that we could cook two racks of ribs and a 4 pound pork tenderloin in 1 hour and 15 minutes all at the same time. And our guests were equally skeptical when we told them that's what we were doing. We seasoned everything with Penzey's Mural of Flavor (Salt Free) and absolutely nothing else. Following the directions he put the meat into the grill and walked away. We had the grill set up just outside out patio doors and were able to look at it from time to time though we did not open it until one hour and 15 minutes later. The ribs and pork loin were delicious, tender and perfectly done. I was absolutely amazed! I have prepared ribs and pork tenderloin many times prior to this, but will never prepare them any other way again. We are anxious to try other meat cuts. I would highly recommend this product.
David W : Great Smoker
Great smoker! I have used mine for three years and could not bd more pleased with the grill! Bought this one for my son.
Fairyboots72 : Awesome Product and great Customer Service. The proof is in the food!
We have purchased 2 Orion cookers. The first one was after eating many awesome meals at a friends house that were cooked on his Orion. We had to have one of our own. Fast cooking times for a lot of meat that always comes out tender and juicy, you just can't beat the Orion. When we purchased the second at Christmas, the lid was just extremely tight. It made it difficult to get the lid off when the cooking time was done and the rig was hot. After 2 uses it was evident that this was going to be an issue and make the Orion unusable. I shot Orion Customer service an email about the problem, unsure if it was an issue with he lid or the body. By the next day, I had a very nice reply, and within 3 days I had a new lid, free of charge that fixed the issue! Even a follow up email to make sure I had received it and that we were happy. Talk about great customer service! Now I'm ready to cook 6 slabs of Baby backs in and hour and 15 that will be tender and delicious!
Gary Toups : Update: not so impressed.
Update:
I downgraded my rating to 2 stars. I originally had it at 4. Like I said below, pork butts came out OK, but not great. I have had no luck with ribs. If you're used to the texture and flavor of ribs cooked low and slow over wood or charcoal, this cooker is not for you. The ribs come out moist, but the meat is sort of grey and not very tender. The flavorful crust or bark you get with low and slow cooking does not happen. I don't see keeping this--I'll likely sell it.
Previous review:
I got the cooker in short order via Amazon. It is very sturdy, built from stainless steel. Assembly was easy. I decided to cook a pork butt for my first try on the Orion. I prepped it like I usually do. I brined it for 12 hours and covered it with my own rub prior to cooking. I used some apple wood pellets I had lying around as the source of smoke. Starting the cooker was easy using the matchlight charcoal as suggested. I waited the 3 1/2 hours and pulled the roast. Internal temp was 197 F. I wrapped the pork butt in foil and old towels and let it rest in a cooler for about an hour. The results were pretty good for a first attempt. The meat had a nice smokey flavor, but not overpowering. Much of the meat fell apart as you would expect from a long session in my WSM. Some of the meat deep inside was flavorful and tender, but not quite as tender as on a longer cooking session on the WSM. I was very pleased with the overall result in only 3 1/2 hours of cooking as opposed to 10+ hours on my other smoker, but I can't say it will replace the WSM. I can't wait to try in on chicken and ribs next.
Lesson learned: My rub has a good bit of brown sugar in it, and it think the temperature of the Orion is a bit high for this. Some places on the top of the butt had a bit of a bitter flavor from over-carmelization of the rub, but the bottom that was basted by the fat/juices flowing down did not. I'll simply leave the rub off or use one without brown sugar.
I downgraded my rating to 2 stars. I originally had it at 4. Like I said below, pork butts came out OK, but not great. I have had no luck with ribs. If you're used to the texture and flavor of ribs cooked low and slow over wood or charcoal, this cooker is not for you. The ribs come out moist, but the meat is sort of grey and not very tender. The flavorful crust or bark you get with low and slow cooking does not happen. I don't see keeping this--I'll likely sell it.
Previous review:
I got the cooker in short order via Amazon. It is very sturdy, built from stainless steel. Assembly was easy. I decided to cook a pork butt for my first try on the Orion. I prepped it like I usually do. I brined it for 12 hours and covered it with my own rub prior to cooking. I used some apple wood pellets I had lying around as the source of smoke. Starting the cooker was easy using the matchlight charcoal as suggested. I waited the 3 1/2 hours and pulled the roast. Internal temp was 197 F. I wrapped the pork butt in foil and old towels and let it rest in a cooler for about an hour. The results were pretty good for a first attempt. The meat had a nice smokey flavor, but not overpowering. Much of the meat fell apart as you would expect from a long session in my WSM. Some of the meat deep inside was flavorful and tender, but not quite as tender as on a longer cooking session on the WSM. I was very pleased with the overall result in only 3 1/2 hours of cooking as opposed to 10+ hours on my other smoker, but I can't say it will replace the WSM. I can't wait to try in on chicken and ribs next.
Lesson learned: My rub has a good bit of brown sugar in it, and it think the temperature of the Orion is a bit high for this. Some places on the top of the butt had a bit of a bitter flavor from over-carmelization of the rub, but the bottom that was basted by the fat/juices flowing down did not. I'll simply leave the rub off or use one without brown sugar.
Jamie : Fast! Easy! Delicious! Oh my!!
The Orion cooker has changed the way we cook and entertain. It has made smoking meat so easy and fast! We are very happy with the sturdy and smart design. Can’t wait to take this bad boy camping!
jaydubbya : Easily the best piece of cooking equipment I've ever used
I went back-and-forth between this inexpensive cooker and the Big Green Egg. While the egg gets incredible reviews, I simply could not justify spending that kind of money on an outdoor cooker. Several people recommended the Orion, and, for the price, I figured I'd give it a shot. I could not be happier with it.
The first meal we cooked on it was a six pound beef brisket. We marinated it overnight in a mixture of apple cider vinegar, Coca Cola, and various spices. We then pulled the meet out of the marinade, patted it dry with paper towels, brushed with yellow mustard, and liberally applied a homemade dry rub. We used a mixture of mesquite and hickory chips for smoke, and poured some of the remaining marinade into the drip pan. Then, we simply added charcoal, lighter fluid, and fire. We patiently waited the required time and checked the temperature. We had to cook for about 15 minutes more to get the internal temp up, and the we pulled out the beautiful brisket. After letting the meat rest for about an hour, we started carving. The meat was incredibly tasty and tender. I simply could not believe how easy it was.
Since that day, we've cooked a whole pork tenderloin (incredible), a whole turkey (awesome), baby back ribs twice(fantastic), three racks of spare ribs (very good but we should have cooked slightly longer), a nine-pound turkey breast (may be the best piece of meat to come off of the cooker... we used a creole butter injectable and 100% applewood chips... it was done in 60 minutes!), and another brisket (more deliciousness). Something to consider is we've cooked all of these things in the two months since we've owned it. I simply cannot express how much I love this cooker.
For charcoal, we use the cheapest available. Our local supermarket brand is approximately $8 for a 20 pound bag. If I am cooking ribs, turkey, or any other meat which doesn't require a long cooking time, I will use less than the recommended 15 pounds of charcoal.
The only downsides to the unit are:
1. it is difficult to remove the drip pan without spilling the drippings (the handles are worthless). We generally try to remove the drip pan immediately after the meat so they don't cook down into char... that makes it much easier to clean the drip pan)
2. The top of the unit should have some sort of reinforcement to keep the circular shape true. The very edges will curl in slightly, making it slightly difficult to get the unit together. This really becomes a problem when you need to open and re-close the unit.
3. If it starts raining, good luck. The flames are all open, meaning rain very possibly could shut down your cooking day. We've rigged up a cover to use in emergencies, and I am sure my neighbors just love to see that contraption.
Even with the above problems, I cannot recommend this unit enough.
The first meal we cooked on it was a six pound beef brisket. We marinated it overnight in a mixture of apple cider vinegar, Coca Cola, and various spices. We then pulled the meet out of the marinade, patted it dry with paper towels, brushed with yellow mustard, and liberally applied a homemade dry rub. We used a mixture of mesquite and hickory chips for smoke, and poured some of the remaining marinade into the drip pan. Then, we simply added charcoal, lighter fluid, and fire. We patiently waited the required time and checked the temperature. We had to cook for about 15 minutes more to get the internal temp up, and the we pulled out the beautiful brisket. After letting the meat rest for about an hour, we started carving. The meat was incredibly tasty and tender. I simply could not believe how easy it was.
Since that day, we've cooked a whole pork tenderloin (incredible), a whole turkey (awesome), baby back ribs twice(fantastic), three racks of spare ribs (very good but we should have cooked slightly longer), a nine-pound turkey breast (may be the best piece of meat to come off of the cooker... we used a creole butter injectable and 100% applewood chips... it was done in 60 minutes!), and another brisket (more deliciousness). Something to consider is we've cooked all of these things in the two months since we've owned it. I simply cannot express how much I love this cooker.
For charcoal, we use the cheapest available. Our local supermarket brand is approximately $8 for a 20 pound bag. If I am cooking ribs, turkey, or any other meat which doesn't require a long cooking time, I will use less than the recommended 15 pounds of charcoal.
The only downsides to the unit are:
1. it is difficult to remove the drip pan without spilling the drippings (the handles are worthless). We generally try to remove the drip pan immediately after the meat so they don't cook down into char... that makes it much easier to clean the drip pan)
2. The top of the unit should have some sort of reinforcement to keep the circular shape true. The very edges will curl in slightly, making it slightly difficult to get the unit together. This really becomes a problem when you need to open and re-close the unit.
3. If it starts raining, good luck. The flames are all open, meaning rain very possibly could shut down your cooking day. We've rigged up a cover to use in emergencies, and I am sure my neighbors just love to see that contraption.
Even with the above problems, I cannot recommend this unit enough.
kc5mso : best cooker i have ever used
i cooked a 5 lb trimmed brisket for 2 1/2 hours and it was tender and moist. i put a little water in the drip pan and used some oak wood chips for smoke. everyone loved the brisket. this cooker works great, put in your favorite meat, tight it , come back in the stated time and its done. i have several cookers but this one beats them all,i love it. if you are looking for a easy to use cooker ( 5 min setup ) no watching and turning meat then this is the one for you.
Mommajomma : But hubby had been turning out some pretty tastey stuff
I was skeptical. But hubby had been turning out some pretty tastey stuff. We are trying a turkey this year in it for Thanksgiving. I haven’t made turkey in at least 12 years because its so hit or miss. You literally load, light and walk away..
K. Murphy : Amazing Cooker
Bought this for my Texan husband who loves smoking briskets and pork shoulders. It works fast and makes tender, fall off the bone meats. All of our guests ask how we got it so tender. Small size so takes up a lot less space than a full size smoker and is so much easier to use. Only requires one bag of charcoal and wood chips to get the same effect as a stack of mesquite, hickory, or pecan.
Cory5129 : All have turned out wonderful. Friends and family have told me that the ...
There are many types of smokers out there and some will say this isn't a smoker at all. I'm here to tell you they're wrong. I've owned and used this smoker more times than I can count over the last six years. This is tired and true. I've smoked ribs, pork shoulder, chicken, turkey, ham and beef brisket. All have turned out wonderful. Friends and family have told me that the meat was the best they've eaten.
Some complain that it uses just about a whole bag of charcoal and they're right, but think about it. All smokers use some type of fuel that you'll be paying for. The cost associated with a traditional offset smoker using coals and large pieces of wood will cost more than a $10 bag of Matchlight and a bag of woodchips that will last several months.
A few tips to help you out. First, these Orion cookers can be hard to find in stock. By one as soon as you can! Second, remember the food is only as good as the recipe. Good BBQ rub and meat preparation is critical to any good tasting smoked meat. Third, for ribs you can smoke up to 6 racks at a time. Always place a cooking grate at the bottom level or on the drip pan when hanging ribs. If a rack happens to fall of the hanger, it will be safely caught on the grate and will cook just fine, instead of falling into the greasy drip pan. Don't sauce your ribs before smoking. Only use a dry rub while smoking. A little honey and mustard if desired is ok, just remember the ribs are hanging and sauce will run off. Wait until they are done. If you want that competition look, you can sauce, butter and brown sugar your ribs when they're done and then wrap them in tinfoil. Place them in your oven on 250 for 2 hours to caramelize the BBQ sauce and sugar. Finally, remove the wire handles on the drip pan and tinfoil the drip pan for easy clean up. I like to tinfoil the bottom of the smoker too, for ease of clean up.
I have looked at other smokers out there and for the cost I don't think you can beat this cooker. You can’t put a price on time and I don't have 10 hours to babysit an offset smoker while cooking brisket. I can fire off the Orion and come back 5 hours later to a perfect brisket. There is no electric heating element to burn out like some other smokers. I looked at several brands and they all had complaints of heating elements burning out or constantly blown GFI outlets.
One more thing to note. Complaints have been made that you don't get a red smoke ring with the Orion and for the most part they're right, but remember the smoke ring has nothing to do with taste. Without getting all technical, the smoke ring is caused by a chemical reaction in the meat and is affected by many variances such as how much myoglobin is left in the meat after slaughter, temperature spikes, cooking temperature, chemical reactions in the smoke, and humidity just to name a few. Don't be fooled that it's not smoked if there is no red ring.
This is truly a set and forget type of cooker/smoker. I don’t write many reviews, but I felt it was time to write one for the Orion. This is one of the best household purchases I’ve ever made and haven’t regretted it for a second.
Some complain that it uses just about a whole bag of charcoal and they're right, but think about it. All smokers use some type of fuel that you'll be paying for. The cost associated with a traditional offset smoker using coals and large pieces of wood will cost more than a $10 bag of Matchlight and a bag of woodchips that will last several months.
A few tips to help you out. First, these Orion cookers can be hard to find in stock. By one as soon as you can! Second, remember the food is only as good as the recipe. Good BBQ rub and meat preparation is critical to any good tasting smoked meat. Third, for ribs you can smoke up to 6 racks at a time. Always place a cooking grate at the bottom level or on the drip pan when hanging ribs. If a rack happens to fall of the hanger, it will be safely caught on the grate and will cook just fine, instead of falling into the greasy drip pan. Don't sauce your ribs before smoking. Only use a dry rub while smoking. A little honey and mustard if desired is ok, just remember the ribs are hanging and sauce will run off. Wait until they are done. If you want that competition look, you can sauce, butter and brown sugar your ribs when they're done and then wrap them in tinfoil. Place them in your oven on 250 for 2 hours to caramelize the BBQ sauce and sugar. Finally, remove the wire handles on the drip pan and tinfoil the drip pan for easy clean up. I like to tinfoil the bottom of the smoker too, for ease of clean up.
I have looked at other smokers out there and for the cost I don't think you can beat this cooker. You can’t put a price on time and I don't have 10 hours to babysit an offset smoker while cooking brisket. I can fire off the Orion and come back 5 hours later to a perfect brisket. There is no electric heating element to burn out like some other smokers. I looked at several brands and they all had complaints of heating elements burning out or constantly blown GFI outlets.
One more thing to note. Complaints have been made that you don't get a red smoke ring with the Orion and for the most part they're right, but remember the smoke ring has nothing to do with taste. Without getting all technical, the smoke ring is caused by a chemical reaction in the meat and is affected by many variances such as how much myoglobin is left in the meat after slaughter, temperature spikes, cooking temperature, chemical reactions in the smoke, and humidity just to name a few. Don't be fooled that it's not smoked if there is no red ring.
This is truly a set and forget type of cooker/smoker. I don’t write many reviews, but I felt it was time to write one for the Orion. This is one of the best household purchases I’ve ever made and haven’t regretted it for a second.
Chris Singleton : Best Smoker!
A friend recommended the Orion smoker because it is very easy to use even for a beginner like me. Other smokers require you to watch the temperature and add wood or pellets as needed to maintain an even temp...for hours! This smoker is incredibly simple to use. I smoked 2 beer butt chickens and they turned out perfect. I assembled the Orion smoker, fished my digital thermometer wire through the hole in the bottom, added apple wood chips around the outside of the drip pan, placed the 2 beer butt chickens on the center rack, put the top on, added charcoal around the outside ring and top, lit it, set my timer for 1.5 hours, came back later, and the internal temp was 172 degrees. The chicken tasted awesome! Very juicy! The smoke flavor was throughout the meat but not overwhelming. I highly recommend this smoker to novices and experienced Grill Masters.
Denise Moore : This Orion cooker is awesome
The Orion cooker is so easy to use. You put your meat in, light the charcoal and walk away for 3-4 hrs. It is awesome!!
Lindsey W. : Best Investment
We LOVE this!! First thing we cooked was a whole chicken, it was so tender it pure fell apart. Next we cooked ribs and they were delicious. Will be using this very often
Cheryl Davis : It's perfect.
My husband loves it. Easy assemble. So is it to use. The food comes out perfect every time. I'd highly recommend one for the family.
KMarDil : Easy to use, works great!
Hands down, the BEST smoker/convection cooker out there! Cooks food faster, and it's super easy to set up and use.
Smoker Cooker : OK Smoker, one way to save on charcoal
I've only used the Orion Smoker a few times and the initial results have been good. However, see my update below - results have been mixed, so I've changed my rating.
Reading the other reviews, the biggest complaint is the amount of charcoal recommended - a full 16 lb bag and the instant light version too. Expensive!
I noticed the Orion Smoker instructions say that if you use less charcoal you need to keep the coals up against the base of the smoker. What I did was to use copper sheathing and cut 2 pieces about 3" wide and just long enough to go 1/2 way around the cooker based where the charcoal sits and bent it to keep it so that I could use about 1/2 the space in the bottom of the smoker (a ring inside the smoker base ring) so that it keeps the charcoal pressed up against the base of the cooker.
Instead of using the instant light charcoal (which is more expensive), I used a bag of the regular charcoal and used a "Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter" to get it started. That Weber device is amazing - 2 sheets of newspaper and 1 match and fill the can up with charcoal right to the top and in 15-20 minutes the charcaol is ready to go! When the charcoal is hot, just dump it in the cavity between the copper sheathing and the base of the cooker which keeps it pressed up againest the smoker base and it turns out to stay PLENTY hot enough for the time it takes for ribs, chicken or turkey. Maybe for items that require more than 2 hours (like a brisket) you might need to add more charcoal, I haven't tried cooking anything more than 2 hours yet.
The bottom line is that I use lessed than 1/2 a bag of charcoal and getting it lit was really easy. One thing you have to remember is that you have to substract about 15 minutes from the recommended cooking times because the coals are already hot when you dump then in the smoker so there is little to no warm up time. You can see smoke coming from the cooker within 5 minutes.
As noted in the Orion manual, the amount of ambient Wind makes a big difference regarding the amount of Charcoal used. So if it's windy outside, you will need more charcoal.
Update: After a few months of usage. I've downgraded my rating to 3 stars (my original 5 stars) because I've had mixed results with the Smoker. For cooking Turkey, the result has been great. You do need to check the temperature with a Thermapen early to make sure it's not overcooked, or undercooked. However, we've had disappointing results with smoking chicken pieces and ribs racks. If your expecting "fall-off-the-bone" chicken and ribs - it's not happening. The chicken and ribs have a nice smokey flavor, but the meat is a bit tough. We also cooked a whole chicken to what we thought was the right amount of time, but it turned out to be overdone - the chicken had actually fallen apart off the holder - so you really need to check the food early, you can always recover and cook more if needed. So all I can say is that it does a great job with Turkey - but everything else we've tried is just average. So the reason for the 3-star rating.
Reading the other reviews, the biggest complaint is the amount of charcoal recommended - a full 16 lb bag and the instant light version too. Expensive!
I noticed the Orion Smoker instructions say that if you use less charcoal you need to keep the coals up against the base of the smoker. What I did was to use copper sheathing and cut 2 pieces about 3" wide and just long enough to go 1/2 way around the cooker based where the charcoal sits and bent it to keep it so that I could use about 1/2 the space in the bottom of the smoker (a ring inside the smoker base ring) so that it keeps the charcoal pressed up against the base of the cooker.
Instead of using the instant light charcoal (which is more expensive), I used a bag of the regular charcoal and used a "Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter" to get it started. That Weber device is amazing - 2 sheets of newspaper and 1 match and fill the can up with charcoal right to the top and in 15-20 minutes the charcaol is ready to go! When the charcoal is hot, just dump it in the cavity between the copper sheathing and the base of the cooker which keeps it pressed up againest the smoker base and it turns out to stay PLENTY hot enough for the time it takes for ribs, chicken or turkey. Maybe for items that require more than 2 hours (like a brisket) you might need to add more charcoal, I haven't tried cooking anything more than 2 hours yet.
The bottom line is that I use lessed than 1/2 a bag of charcoal and getting it lit was really easy. One thing you have to remember is that you have to substract about 15 minutes from the recommended cooking times because the coals are already hot when you dump then in the smoker so there is little to no warm up time. You can see smoke coming from the cooker within 5 minutes.
As noted in the Orion manual, the amount of ambient Wind makes a big difference regarding the amount of Charcoal used. So if it's windy outside, you will need more charcoal.
Update: After a few months of usage. I've downgraded my rating to 3 stars (my original 5 stars) because I've had mixed results with the Smoker. For cooking Turkey, the result has been great. You do need to check the temperature with a Thermapen early to make sure it's not overcooked, or undercooked. However, we've had disappointing results with smoking chicken pieces and ribs racks. If your expecting "fall-off-the-bone" chicken and ribs - it's not happening. The chicken and ribs have a nice smokey flavor, but the meat is a bit tough. We also cooked a whole chicken to what we thought was the right amount of time, but it turned out to be overdone - the chicken had actually fallen apart off the holder - so you really need to check the food early, you can always recover and cook more if needed. So all I can say is that it does a great job with Turkey - but everything else we've tried is just average. So the reason for the 3-star rating.
miricaniabesla : bought this for my boyfriend and he is over the ...
bought this for my boyfriend and he is over the moon about it. We have already had several racks of ribs, chicken wings, pork loin and all so delicious and moist!
LM : Cooks so quickly.
Cooks food in a fraction of the normal time. Ribs are fantastic this way! Soap and water cleans the inside pans. Great cooker/smoker!
Chance & Kaitlin Masoner : Great smoker.
Great smoker for a reasonable price, very easy to assemble.
workman482 : Best smoker ever!
Love, love, love my Orion! All my family and friends love the food it cooks! I've gotten some of the tastiest, juiciest meat I've ever tried. And it takes hardly any effort. Thanksgiving turkey and ham have now been delegated to the Orion as well as Christmas'. I can cook a 15lb turkey to falling off the bone in a little over 3hrs. That's with meat that is almost dripping with juice!
Dorena Mountain Man : Best all round cooker/smoker
I first became aware of the Orion Cooker/Smoker when I took advantage of a sale on the Holiday turkey cooker. I was amazed at the speed (14 lbs / 105 min) which this cooker cooked a turkey. Perfectly browned and moist through out.
I decided to give the original Orion cooker a try because it is taller and comes with 2 more shelves and rib holders as well as the turkey stand. I was not disappointed. It does an amazing job on ribs (dry rub), in an equally amazingly short time.
I can't wait to cook a prime rib or a leg of lamb or.... This is a great way to cook so many different items.
Another thing I like about these cookers is, once you fire it up, you don't have to fuss with it, until the timer goes off.
Way to go Orion
I decided to give the original Orion cooker a try because it is taller and comes with 2 more shelves and rib holders as well as the turkey stand. I was not disappointed. It does an amazing job on ribs (dry rub), in an equally amazingly short time.
I can't wait to cook a prime rib or a leg of lamb or.... This is a great way to cook so many different items.
Another thing I like about these cookers is, once you fire it up, you don't have to fuss with it, until the timer goes off.
Way to go Orion
ShamRocks : Awesome
Works as advertised.
Tony T. : a no brainer
I received my Orion cooker a day before my b-day. I had no idea what i was doing but decided to cook a 8 lb. boston butt and three racks of ribs for my party. They were a hit, everyone could not say enough about how tender & tastey everything was. Now im getting request to cook for other parties. Not bad for someone that had no clue!
Dorena Mountain Man : Best all round cooker/smoker
I first became aware of the Orion Cooker/Smoker when I took advantage of a sale on the Holiday turkey cooker. I was amazed at the speed (14 lbs / 105 min) which this cooker cooked a turkey. Perfectly browned and moist through out.
I decided to give the original Orion cooker a try because it is taller and comes with 2 more shelves and rib holders as well as the turkey stand. I was not disappointed. It does an amazing job on ribs (dry rub), in an equally amazingly short time.
I can't wait to cook a prime rib or a leg of lamb or.... This is a great way to cook so many different items.
Another thing I like about these cookers is, once you fire it up, you don't have to fuss with it, until the timer goes off.
Way to go Orion
I decided to give the original Orion cooker a try because it is taller and comes with 2 more shelves and rib holders as well as the turkey stand. I was not disappointed. It does an amazing job on ribs (dry rub), in an equally amazingly short time.
I can't wait to cook a prime rib or a leg of lamb or.... This is a great way to cook so many different items.
Another thing I like about these cookers is, once you fire it up, you don't have to fuss with it, until the timer goes off.
Way to go Orion
Smoker Cooker : OK Smoker, one way to save on charcoal
I've only used the Orion Smoker a few times and the initial results have been good. However, see my update below - results have been mixed, so I've changed my rating.
Reading the other reviews, the biggest complaint is the amount of charcoal recommended - a full 16 lb bag and the instant light version too. Expensive!
I noticed the Orion Smoker instructions say that if you use less charcoal you need to keep the coals up against the base of the smoker. What I did was to use copper sheathing and cut 2 pieces about 3" wide and just long enough to go 1/2 way around the cooker based where the charcoal sits and bent it to keep it so that I could use about 1/2 the space in the bottom of the smoker (a ring inside the smoker base ring) so that it keeps the charcoal pressed up against the base of the cooker.
Instead of using the instant light charcoal (which is more expensive), I used a bag of the regular charcoal and used a "Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter" to get it started. That Weber device is amazing - 2 sheets of newspaper and 1 match and fill the can up with charcoal right to the top and in 15-20 minutes the charcaol is ready to go! When the charcoal is hot, just dump it in the cavity between the copper sheathing and the base of the cooker which keeps it pressed up againest the smoker base and it turns out to stay PLENTY hot enough for the time it takes for ribs, chicken or turkey. Maybe for items that require more than 2 hours (like a brisket) you might need to add more charcoal, I haven't tried cooking anything more than 2 hours yet.
The bottom line is that I use lessed than 1/2 a bag of charcoal and getting it lit was really easy. One thing you have to remember is that you have to substract about 15 minutes from the recommended cooking times because the coals are already hot when you dump then in the smoker so there is little to no warm up time. You can see smoke coming from the cooker within 5 minutes.
As noted in the Orion manual, the amount of ambient Wind makes a big difference regarding the amount of Charcoal used. So if it's windy outside, you will need more charcoal.
Update: After a few months of usage. I've downgraded my rating to 3 stars (my original 5 stars) because I've had mixed results with the Smoker. For cooking Turkey, the result has been great. You do need to check the temperature with a Thermapen early to make sure it's not overcooked, or undercooked. However, we've had disappointing results with smoking chicken pieces and ribs racks. If your expecting "fall-off-the-bone" chicken and ribs - it's not happening. The chicken and ribs have a nice smokey flavor, but the meat is a bit tough. We also cooked a whole chicken to what we thought was the right amount of time, but it turned out to be overdone - the chicken had actually fallen apart off the holder - so you really need to check the food early, you can always recover and cook more if needed. So all I can say is that it does a great job with Turkey - but everything else we've tried is just average. So the reason for the 3-star rating.
Reading the other reviews, the biggest complaint is the amount of charcoal recommended - a full 16 lb bag and the instant light version too. Expensive!
I noticed the Orion Smoker instructions say that if you use less charcoal you need to keep the coals up against the base of the smoker. What I did was to use copper sheathing and cut 2 pieces about 3" wide and just long enough to go 1/2 way around the cooker based where the charcoal sits and bent it to keep it so that I could use about 1/2 the space in the bottom of the smoker (a ring inside the smoker base ring) so that it keeps the charcoal pressed up against the base of the cooker.
Instead of using the instant light charcoal (which is more expensive), I used a bag of the regular charcoal and used a "Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter" to get it started. That Weber device is amazing - 2 sheets of newspaper and 1 match and fill the can up with charcoal right to the top and in 15-20 minutes the charcaol is ready to go! When the charcoal is hot, just dump it in the cavity between the copper sheathing and the base of the cooker which keeps it pressed up againest the smoker base and it turns out to stay PLENTY hot enough for the time it takes for ribs, chicken or turkey. Maybe for items that require more than 2 hours (like a brisket) you might need to add more charcoal, I haven't tried cooking anything more than 2 hours yet.
The bottom line is that I use lessed than 1/2 a bag of charcoal and getting it lit was really easy. One thing you have to remember is that you have to substract about 15 minutes from the recommended cooking times because the coals are already hot when you dump then in the smoker so there is little to no warm up time. You can see smoke coming from the cooker within 5 minutes.
As noted in the Orion manual, the amount of ambient Wind makes a big difference regarding the amount of Charcoal used. So if it's windy outside, you will need more charcoal.
Update: After a few months of usage. I've downgraded my rating to 3 stars (my original 5 stars) because I've had mixed results with the Smoker. For cooking Turkey, the result has been great. You do need to check the temperature with a Thermapen early to make sure it's not overcooked, or undercooked. However, we've had disappointing results with smoking chicken pieces and ribs racks. If your expecting "fall-off-the-bone" chicken and ribs - it's not happening. The chicken and ribs have a nice smokey flavor, but the meat is a bit tough. We also cooked a whole chicken to what we thought was the right amount of time, but it turned out to be overdone - the chicken had actually fallen apart off the holder - so you really need to check the food early, you can always recover and cook more if needed. So all I can say is that it does a great job with Turkey - but everything else we've tried is just average. So the reason for the 3-star rating.
Chris Singleton : Best Smoker!
A friend recommended the Orion smoker because it is very easy to use even for a beginner like me. Other smokers require you to watch the temperature and add wood or pellets as needed to maintain an even temp...for hours! This smoker is incredibly simple to use. I smoked 2 beer butt chickens and they turned out perfect. I assembled the Orion smoker, fished my digital thermometer wire through the hole in the bottom, added apple wood chips around the outside of the drip pan, placed the 2 beer butt chickens on the center rack, put the top on, added charcoal around the outside ring and top, lit it, set my timer for 1.5 hours, came back later, and the internal temp was 172 degrees. The chicken tasted awesome! Very juicy! The smoke flavor was throughout the meat but not overwhelming. I highly recommend this smoker to novices and experienced Grill Masters.
Ben Pope : Everyone needs one
I have only used once but I can tell you it is as advertised. I am Impressed with quality and cook time. The hardest part was leaving the top on without checking the food for the duration of the cook time.
Ed S : Have already recommended it to about 4 other people
After 46 years on this planet I was finally able to make a beef brisket that was worth eating. 15lb brisket in 4.5hrs plus the 2 days of brining before hand. This cooker is a no brainer and it allowed me to finally get the beef brisket monkey off my back! Have already recommended it to about 4 other people. Great product!
ChulaVistan : One of my favorite BBQ toys
Bobby Flay used to have a BBQ series where he had a huge assortment of grills and smokers. My dream is to have a backyard like that, but currently I have two smokers, a grill, a griddle and the Orion, which is in a class all by itself. The Orion Cooker is a fancier and better version of an upside down trash can bbq (google it for some fun videos). It's a metal chamber with up to three levels for food. You add charcoal to the ring around the cooker and to the top- this makes for some concentric heat waves that cook the food quickly..and because it's contained, the food is juicy as well. This Orion is my "go to" when I need to make ribs in a hurry- i've fit as many as 6 slabs of ribs and they are ready (and falling off the bone tender) in a little over an hour. I gave one to my oldest friend as a wedding present and he makes his Thankgiving turkey in it every year. It is somewhat of a pain to clean- I recommend easy off oven cleaner and some steel wool (of course, watch for loose wool threads). Also, the cylinder that holds the food is sealed, with the heat on the outside- so it's tricky to get a smokey flavor, if that's what you're after. (btw, there is a way to do- you put smallish wood chips on the inner edge of the cylinder and rely on the overall heat to burn them). Overall, though, it's fun to cook with and is especially great for cooking ribs. When you start it up, you have a ring of flames around the Orion- almost a spectacle at my parties. And you have the benefit of having a gadget that almost no one will have (I've yet to meet a fellow Orion owner.)
Blake : AMAZING
Bought this cause my dad had one, wanted to try it for myself and was in no way disappointed, I love this smoker already, cooked a 9 pound pork butt in 3 and a half hours!
Smoker Cooker : OK Smoker, one way to save on charcoal
I've only used the Orion Smoker a few times and the initial results have been good. However, see my update below - results have been mixed, so I've changed my rating.
Reading the other reviews, the biggest complaint is the amount of charcoal recommended - a full 16 lb bag and the instant light version too. Expensive!
I noticed the Orion Smoker instructions say that if you use less charcoal you need to keep the coals up against the base of the smoker. What I did was to use copper sheathing and cut 2 pieces about 3" wide and just long enough to go 1/2 way around the cooker based where the charcoal sits and bent it to keep it so that I could use about 1/2 the space in the bottom of the smoker (a ring inside the smoker base ring) so that it keeps the charcoal pressed up against the base of the cooker.
Instead of using the instant light charcoal (which is more expensive), I used a bag of the regular charcoal and used a "Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter" to get it started. That Weber device is amazing - 2 sheets of newspaper and 1 match and fill the can up with charcoal right to the top and in 15-20 minutes the charcaol is ready to go! When the charcoal is hot, just dump it in the cavity between the copper sheathing and the base of the cooker which keeps it pressed up againest the smoker base and it turns out to stay PLENTY hot enough for the time it takes for ribs, chicken or turkey. Maybe for items that require more than 2 hours (like a brisket) you might need to add more charcoal, I haven't tried cooking anything more than 2 hours yet.
The bottom line is that I use lessed than 1/2 a bag of charcoal and getting it lit was really easy. One thing you have to remember is that you have to substract about 15 minutes from the recommended cooking times because the coals are already hot when you dump then in the smoker so there is little to no warm up time. You can see smoke coming from the cooker within 5 minutes.
As noted in the Orion manual, the amount of ambient Wind makes a big difference regarding the amount of Charcoal used. So if it's windy outside, you will need more charcoal.
Update: After a few months of usage. I've downgraded my rating to 3 stars (my original 5 stars) because I've had mixed results with the Smoker. For cooking Turkey, the result has been great. You do need to check the temperature with a Thermapen early to make sure it's not overcooked, or undercooked. However, we've had disappointing results with smoking chicken pieces and ribs racks. If your expecting "fall-off-the-bone" chicken and ribs - it's not happening. The chicken and ribs have a nice smokey flavor, but the meat is a bit tough. We also cooked a whole chicken to what we thought was the right amount of time, but it turned out to be overdone - the chicken had actually fallen apart off the holder - so you really need to check the food early, you can always recover and cook more if needed. So all I can say is that it does a great job with Turkey - but everything else we've tried is just average. So the reason for the 3-star rating.
Reading the other reviews, the biggest complaint is the amount of charcoal recommended - a full 16 lb bag and the instant light version too. Expensive!
I noticed the Orion Smoker instructions say that if you use less charcoal you need to keep the coals up against the base of the smoker. What I did was to use copper sheathing and cut 2 pieces about 3" wide and just long enough to go 1/2 way around the cooker based where the charcoal sits and bent it to keep it so that I could use about 1/2 the space in the bottom of the smoker (a ring inside the smoker base ring) so that it keeps the charcoal pressed up against the base of the cooker.
Instead of using the instant light charcoal (which is more expensive), I used a bag of the regular charcoal and used a "Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter" to get it started. That Weber device is amazing - 2 sheets of newspaper and 1 match and fill the can up with charcoal right to the top and in 15-20 minutes the charcaol is ready to go! When the charcoal is hot, just dump it in the cavity between the copper sheathing and the base of the cooker which keeps it pressed up againest the smoker base and it turns out to stay PLENTY hot enough for the time it takes for ribs, chicken or turkey. Maybe for items that require more than 2 hours (like a brisket) you might need to add more charcoal, I haven't tried cooking anything more than 2 hours yet.
The bottom line is that I use lessed than 1/2 a bag of charcoal and getting it lit was really easy. One thing you have to remember is that you have to substract about 15 minutes from the recommended cooking times because the coals are already hot when you dump then in the smoker so there is little to no warm up time. You can see smoke coming from the cooker within 5 minutes.
As noted in the Orion manual, the amount of ambient Wind makes a big difference regarding the amount of Charcoal used. So if it's windy outside, you will need more charcoal.
Update: After a few months of usage. I've downgraded my rating to 3 stars (my original 5 stars) because I've had mixed results with the Smoker. For cooking Turkey, the result has been great. You do need to check the temperature with a Thermapen early to make sure it's not overcooked, or undercooked. However, we've had disappointing results with smoking chicken pieces and ribs racks. If your expecting "fall-off-the-bone" chicken and ribs - it's not happening. The chicken and ribs have a nice smokey flavor, but the meat is a bit tough. We also cooked a whole chicken to what we thought was the right amount of time, but it turned out to be overdone - the chicken had actually fallen apart off the holder - so you really need to check the food early, you can always recover and cook more if needed. So all I can say is that it does a great job with Turkey - but everything else we've tried is just average. So the reason for the 3-star rating.
E. Neumeister : New Favorite Toy
Awesome cooker. I don't typically brag about items I buy, but this one I've told everyone about. I was impressed when I cooked ribs and a turkey both in one night and the turkey leg fell off as I was taking the bird out, it was just that tender. The next weekend I put in a beef brisket, and when it was fall apart tender, that just sealed the deal for me. This is my new favorite toy!!!
Janie A. : Works great!
Works great!
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