Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker, Charcoal Smoker review and price compare 2025
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Product overview
| Brand | Weber |
| Model Name | WEBER |
| Power Source | Charcoal |
| Color | Black |
| Item Weight | 39.1 Pounds |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 21 x 19 x 41 inches |
| Fuel Type | Charcoal |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- Material Type: Steel
- The Weber Smokey Mountain charcoal smoker helps you achieve an authentic smokehouse flavor at home
- It can accommodate a whole turkey and an entire ham at the same time. Item weight- 39.1 pounds
- Made of porcelain-enameled steel, this smoker comes with 2 nickel-plated 18-1/2-inch-wide cooking grates
- Includes a water pan, thermometer, individual vents on bowl and lid, and heat-resistant nylon handle
This fits your .
From the manufacturer
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 18 Inch Smoker
Do it for the love of classic barbecue. For tender meat falling off the bone and the first savory bite that makes taking it low- and-slow, in your Smokey Mountain Cooker smoker, worth every moment.
Features
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Plated steel cooking grates | Rust resistant metal legs | Built-in lid thermometer |
Capacity of the Smokey Mountain Cooker 18"
Taking it low-and-slow has never tasted so good. The big cooking area easily executes a large roast that'll feed the family for days.
product description
Size:18"
The first bite of tender, fall-off-the-bone meat makes taking it low-and-slow worth every moment. The Smokey Mountain Cooker™ smoker has two cooking grates for smoking multiple items at once, and easily adjustable dampers for precision heat control. There’s nothing quite like waiting all day for dinner.
product details
important information
Important information
Safety Information
• WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including nickel, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. • Combustion byproducts produced when using this product contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. • WARNING: This product can expose you to soot, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer, and carbon monoxide, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
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Questions about Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker, Charcoal Smoker
Q:
What is the country of orgin for this Smoker ?
Answer: 8th best country in the world! The United States.
Answer: best country in the world USA baby
Answer: Designed in the US,not made in the US.
Answer: Is it really made in USA? Can't find anything on Weber site about this.
Answer: Mani, where do you live?
Answer: Merica!!!
Q:
Am struggling with which size Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker to get - 18.5 inch or 22.5 inch. Can you tell me the advantages to both. Thank you.
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Answer: the 18.5 inch is great i have this one. i was going to buy the 22.5 inch one but i was told it is only good if you plan on having a large amount of food to smoke. i have smoked a 20 pound turkey and a 8 pound brisket at the same time. unless you plan on haveing a large amount of people to feed the 18.5 inch is the way to go.
Answer: I've had the 18.5 for a year and have had a dozen or more cooks on it. We've Cooked for 8 to 10 people and that's really pushing it. I'm considering buying the 22 inch model as you can't put full size ribs on the 18.5 - I have to cut them in half.
Answer: As others have said, it's all about what kind of cooking you do. I have an 18-inch and I'm fine, but if you get a 22 you just don't have to think about volume. Example: for Thanksgiving, I smoked a 15.5-lb bird on the 18-inch. It fit fine but would not hold another pound of turkey.
Answer: Remember, the 22.5 takes A LOT of fuel, everytime you cook. The 18.5 takes less. I've had both, and feel the 18.5 gets the job done 98% of the time.
Answer: I think it really depends on how much meat you want to cook, and your budget.I had an 18.5” one,and I loved it.I donated it to the church,and they are still using it.In fact the pastor is smoking ribs on it today.I only had a fewbtimes when I ran out of room for meat.They are both great cookers.I thinkif I ever replace mine'it will be with a 22” one.It uses more charcoal,but holds a lot more meat.I don’t think you can go wrong with either one.
Answer: 18.5" WSM
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How would you compare the performance between 14.5 an 18.5? same amount of charcoal? same amount of time to cook? any diff in temp control?
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Answer: Thus far I've found that the 14.5" model uses less charcoal (less volume) cook time remains the same. Something very important that I've learned - Wrap your wood chunks (2-3) in foil and cut several vent slits in the top to alot smoke to escape. Using this technique prevents the wood from catching on fire (increases the temperature which is a bad thing) and your chunks/smoke last much longer.
Answer: As good or better overall. I have the 14.5, two 18.5s and the 22.5. The 14 is nice for small cooks. I overloaded it once and had to add charcoal. If you stick to smaller cooks, you won't have that problem. I have had no issues with temp control on it. Either using water or without water. Have roasted chickens in the 320-335 range and have smoked fish at 200-225 and also have done ribs and butts in between.
Answer: Can't answer that I've never had an 18.5. I will say the 14.5 is excellent for my purposes, normally cooking for two but can cook enough meat for up to 8 folks. Great little smoker one of the best I have ever used.
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Answer: I can't directly compare, but can say that the smaller one didn't get hot enough and the cooking times had to be increased a lot because of this.
Answer: I bought it to use with our motorhome and unfortunately, have not had the opportunity to play with it much yet. The first time I was having a bit of trouble getting the temp where I wanted it but the second time I think I got a better feel and loved the result. I think it is a bit more efficient than the larger version. The size still shocks me every time I get it out. Really a convenient size for transporting or small spaces. Would buy it again in a minute.
Answer: How much heat goes out the bottom. I have a composite deck and am concerned about melting or distorting it.
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Will this cover fit? http://amzn.to/2sqpZnx
Answer: Hi! Our smoker's would all include a cover with the purchase of the grill. If you are having an issue with your current cover, please reach out to us at reviews@weberstephen.com and we would be happy to help find the replacement cover for your model. Thanks!
Answer: The smoker actually comes with its own cover. That was a nice surprise and it fits very well.
Answer: Yes. The cover will fit up to a 30 inch smoker and all the Weber ones here are shorter
Answer: It comes with a cover.
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In a power grid failure could you also bake breads?
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Answer: it's possible but the bread would be smokey. You can maintain a constant temperature for baking but it is designed for low temp (200-300) . For bread (350 & up) you would use a lot of charcoal .
Answer: You could probably bake bread in it when there is not a power grid failure. Not dependent on a failure
Answer: The smoker is capable of maintaining a constant temperature for hours, so yes you cook bread but I would not refer to it is baking.
Answer: Yes, there are folks that do it.. go to the "Virtual Weber Bullet" site (very good community reference on using these things, easily found in a web search), pick cooking topics, and scroll way down. Under guest features there's an article on baking with the bullet. They do pizza and bread, with suggested equipment setups to make it possible.
Answer: I'm not much of a baker, but when I left it unattended last weekend, the internal temp at grill level rose to well over 300 degrees. I usually keep it at 225 or so. I'm sure you could do it, but I would suggest moving the charcoal grate to the lower cooking grill to get a more direct/even heat.
Answer: I have not even tried to bake anything but I am sure you could. Check out http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/ for some really good info.
Answer: Cmon really?
Answer: Sure. Go for it.
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Cleaning the bullet...I have a build up of brown residue on the inside of the body and underneath the lid, what do I do? Grates, water bowl...?
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Answer: I used to take a soft brush and soap to the entire thing once a month or so. Now I use a pressure washer, it’s messy but effective. I clean the grates and bowl after every use. I guess some people thing that’s not necessary, but it grosses me out still.
Answer: I don't worry about the build-up inside the smoker since I don't do any fish in it...and if I did, the residue would have to be bad enough to drop onto my cooking foods before I'd clean it. The grates-I usually bring my smoker to a little higher temp than I'll cook at & let the grates get hot, then just clean them off with a grill brush.
Answer: We clean ours monthly during the summer. The residue makes it harder to maintain consistent temperature. Ours always struggles to get to temp when it's dirtier.
Answer: Have not used mine enough to have this problem. If build up includes grease, I.would clean. Otherwise,it's your
Answer: That's seasoning the grill, you leave it alone really. It forms a layer and helps stabilize the temps and create a seal
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Does this keeps all the geese in?
Answer: I am not sure about geese but the grease ends up in the water reservoir in the bottom.
Answer: Doesn't take all that long to clean. A few minutes to wipe down the grates and such. We use foil to make it easier to clean up the bottom.
Answer: Yes its sealed pretty good
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does smoker come with cover
Answer: Yes it does!
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes it does.
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can you use wood,as well as charcoal?
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Answer: I use wood from a worthless pear tree in my back yard. I used to start off with charcoal and add wood chips. Now I start off with charcoal and the add only wood chunks or logs. I say logs but they are 2-3" diameter and ~10" long. I could start off on wood but I want to use my bag of charcoal. I have smoked 24# turkeys and 16# briskets which have seen only 10 pieces of charcoal to start and then 12 hours of nothing but wood. You do not have to use charcoal and I won't when my bag is empty. I have had my smoker for 35 years.
Answer: Home Depot now sells wood in several different sizes, each larger than briquettes. You can buy bags w/ wood pieces the size of your fist, and you can also buy small, split logs. I use them all, starting w/ charcoal and then adding the larger sizes of wood as needed. It's wonderful to just throw on a couple of the split logs and then just walk away for hours.
Answer: I have not in my 18.5, as I only used charcoal. I do add small chunks of Apple, Hickory, etc. to add smoke flavor, but the main fuel is charcoal.
Answer: When in the smoking configuration, you have to cook with charcoal. Only charcoal will hold the fire long and cool enough to get the job done. Wood can be added to the coal fire for the sake of smoking the food and should be!. I have used mesquite, hickory, apple, cherry...etc. If you buy bags of wood for smoking, I recommend you use chunks instead of chips. You get a longer, smoldering, smoky burn that way. If you set the unit up in the grilling configuration, you can cook with wood if you prefer campfire type grilling, as I do.
Answer: Yes you can, I have used mainly charcoal and mix it with about 15% of flavored woods. Hope this helps
Answer: Never use charcoal or lighter fluid, use royal oak and a starter chimney. Buy the book "Low and Slow", follow the directions and your friends will think you have been smoking meat your whole life.
Answer: Yes... You can use wood... I use small logs. Obviously KB.. 1st answer doesn't know what he's talking about... You can use both.. Go with larger wood chunks or smaller logs..
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How do you season the smoker? And how do you start the charcoal?
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Answer: I seasoned mine with pork fat. I put strips of pork fat on the grate and cooked at 300 degrees for about 3 hours. I start my charcoal with a Weber chimney.
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Answer: 1. I do not season the smoker, but food: meat, chicken, fish, vegetables, even apples, bananas, etc. :-)
Answer: There is a good explanation on how to season the smoker by Slap Yo Daddy BBQ in the reviews. When I start charcoal I fill my chimney and put some newspaper underneath and light it. Then I pour the lit coals on top of unlit coals this is called the Minion Method (google it) ...I never use lighter fluid !! You can taste it in the meat. There is a wealth of information on the Internet on how use this grill for cooking all types of meats. Just do a little research and Enjoy !
Answer: To season it i just did acouple of cooks with some fatty foods. Bacon or meat that you do not wish to eat just to seal up all the holes. To start the charcoal I use a chimney starter with some newspaper under it which lights it up real quick!
Answer: does this smoker come with a cover?
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Does it come with a weather cover or do you need to purchase separate?
Answer: Comes with the cover
Answer: Does not come with a cover. Some people get a cover that can be used while cooking. I find that in cooler temps,it can be difficult to sustain even heat. A friend of mine swears by his cover. He says he always uses it, and that helps maintain even heat.
Answer: the cover came with it.
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14-incher: How much meat can it hold? A 10-pound turkey? Two 5-pound chickens? We're a family of six
Answer: Yes and yes. Two racks upper and lower
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Is this the new model with the silcone grommet ?
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Answer: do not purchase from the amazon store "aim to find" they just sent me the older model without the grommet, even though I asked them if they could send me a newer box
Answer: Just to confirm, I ordered a little over a week ago, and the model I received IS the new version with the silicon probe grommet. At first I thought I was shipped an old stock model, because it says "2011" for the copyright date on the box under the weber logo.
Answer: I ordered this last week and it arrived yesterday and mine DOES have the silicone grommet. Happy Smoking!
Answer: Yes it is.
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Does this work with kettle pizza ring?
Answer: I have not used it personally but I have talked to many people who have and they say it works wonderfully.
Answer: I've never tried it or heard of people trying it. I'd check weber.com they might have some guidance, but I got to think with some ingenuity it could be done.
Answer: I'm sorry. I don't know the answer to that question.
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Buying for BF as a gift, going to get some wood chips to go with it - anything else I need to start him off?
Answer: I also recommend chunks not chips. They last longer. Chips need to be soaked in water. Save yourself the headache. We like Apple wood for pork and Pecan wood for lamb
Answer: Wood chunks work better. A Weber potholder, A good SMOKING cookbook. My husband and I just got the Weber Smokey Mountain, and we love it. We bought lots of cheaper smokers, but none compare to this one!!!!! ENJOY!!!!!!!
Answer: You will need charcoal also.
Answer: Perhaps a rib rack, bags of kingsford charcoal, an instand read thermometer, tongs, oh and a Weber Chimney starter--thats the most important thing. Tell him about the weber virtual bullet forum as well. Its a great resource!! Happy smoking.
Answer: Spray bottle for the apple juice you use in smoking
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Is it possible to deliver to Russia? Perhaps through a transport company?
Answer: Anything is possible...just try.
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Where do you add tbe eood to smoke?
Answer: Assuming you are meaning wood. ....when I do ribs, I add three medium size chunks of apple wood directly on top of coals. I filled briquettes ring about 2/3 full and bunch them up to the sides with a low spot in middle. I start 20 briquettes in a chimney and place them in the middle. Then place whatever chunks of wood directly on top of briquests.
Answer: Chunks of wood are usually added when the charcoal is ready to start smoking. A good book on smoking on the Weber will contain some excellent guidelines. I use applewood chunks. Chips don't work as well.
Answer: The Weber Smokey Mountain smokers, often referred to as WSM's --are likely the finest we mere mortals can ever afford. Love mine. Your owner's manual will guide you on wood placement among the charcoal. But you will place it among the charcoal. I urge you to Google your WSM a lot -- there's great information awaiting you out there. I also urge you to heavy-duty foil, inside and out, your water pan. Even foil over the top so you can not add water. At least try it a few times. Most of all -- enjoy it. It's rather forgiving, easy to use, and produces great smoked meat. Good luck.
Answer: I have the large and the small model. i copy a local commercial BBQ operator and use chunks of red oak that I buy bythe board at a woodworking specialtyshop since it does not growwhere we live. Milder than hickory a little stronger than apple
Answer: You mix the wood in with the hot coals.
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I'm planning to put it on the balcony but the floor is made of wood. Would this get hot enough to burn the floor?
Answer: Our back porch is constructed of wood, and that is where we use the smoker. We have never had any issues with the wood getting too hot... the base of the smoker is high enough off the ground that it protects the structure the smoker is sitting on.
Answer: No we keep ours on a wood deck. The legs hop it up high enough to prevent the heat from reaching the wood.
Answer: It possibly could get to hot. I would put some type of heat resistant underneath it.
Answer: Probably not, because there is an air gap between the charcoal grate and the bottom of the smoker. But I'd still be nervous about the possibility. Perhaps you could put down some kind of fireproof pad beneath the smoker.
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Can you get the temperature down to near 100 for cold smoking? Will filling the water tray with ice do the trick?
Answer: Yea smoke something else days before to learn with your thermometer.awesome quality put 50.50.apple juice and water in moisture pan and keep it full.
Answer: Maybe, if the outside air temperature is below freezing, and you had ice in the water bowl, and use just a little bit of charcoal and one chunk of wood. I never tried it.
Answer: If you buy a Weber a great site for info on usage is virualweberbullet.com. They have a page on cold smoking. Looks like a bit of work but it can be done. See this link - http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/coldsmoker.html
Answer: Just fill with less less coal. And use more water not ice.
Answer: Just fill with less less coal. And use more water not ice.
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Are both the 18 or 22 heavy enough to not topple over with strong Kansas winds?
Answer: How can you answer that , don't you get tornado's that lift houses? Yes they're heavy & stable, but!!!
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1) Weber vs Traeger? which one is better 2) How many times do i have to change the coal/wood during an 8-12 hour cooking? Thx !
Answer: I have an 18” I have gone twenty hours on a basket of charcoal and 6-8 chunks of wood at 225- easy to control and maintain
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Answer: Traeger is pellet, not charcoal. So not fair to compare. As for time, if you're keeping it at 225ish (smoking range) I've just dumped a full starter of unlit coals in, then after getting another full load lit in the starter dumped them on top ( Minion Method) and had it go well over 8 hours no problem.
Answer: I can't really compare it to a Trae get since I have never cooked on one. I will say now that I have 3 WSM's and 6 other Weber's including one that is a 1984 model, I obviously love my weber's. The longest cook I gave done on my 22 is in the 10 hour range and I never added anymore charcoal. I use Stubbs briquettes by the way, low ash compared to some others. That said it depends on a number of variables including water or no water in the pan, outside temperature, wind and the amount of food you are smoking. There are some great online communities to help you, check out tvwbb.com
Answer: I usually start out with a whole bag of charcoal. You can really control the heat. I just made a pork butt and smoked it for 12 hours. I added more coals at about the 8 hour mark. It was so tender the fork I used to pick it up tore right through it. I had my wife hold the flashlight while I picked up the shredded pork with a pair of tongs. Best damn pulled pork I have made. I should have made more because my friends and family didn't leave any leftovers. My vote would be for Weber. After I first used my Weber smoker the temperature gauge had some moisture in it. I called and they sent me a new one no questions asked.
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Answer: Weber vs. Traeger? It depends on much work you are willing to do. They are both great quality but the Weber uses coals and your choice of wood for smoking. The Weber will require constant observation to assure that your temp. stays at the required level by adding smoke wood or charocal or spraying water on the coals if it gets too hot. The Trager is a hopper fed pellet unit that has a constant heat regulator that assures the temp stays at the proper setting, so you will not have to stand over it to adjust smoke or heat, just set and walk away. Hope this helps shed some light on the two units.
Answer: I own both the Traeger and this Smokey Mountain smoker. If your taste buds crave that good smoke taste in your meats that make it barbecue, the pellet grills such as the Traeger does not compare to a charcoal smoker where you can add some wood chunks. If your main interest is ease of use, and no worry monitoring of the fire and a light smoke taste is acceptable to you, then I highly recommend the Traeger brand grills.
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Do you need to soak the chunks of wood in water? I always did with my offset unit.
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Answer: Different folks do different things, and this one almost becomes a religious question. I say it's not needed, although it doesn't hurt anything... I suggest that sometime you soak a chunk of wood it water for as long as you normally do, then pull it out split it with an axe.... You'd be surprised at how little penetration there is. 1/16 of an inch is pretty typical, maybe 1/8".
Answer: No, but I do depending on what wood I'm using and what I am cooking
Answer: I don't. I always use chunks and burry 3 or 4 in the charcoal. Seems to do the job even on a long cook.
Answer: There is no set rule. Everybody has their own idea on how you smoke something. You do whatever works for you and the flavor you like.
Answer: I do and works well
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What kind of Charcoal? Should I use regular briquets or the wood type charcoal? I don't really care for the oder regular charcoal puts off. Thinking of getting one for sure just because of the 5 star rating!
Answer: I use briquets but I'm sure wood type charcoal would be fine.
Answer: I prefer lump charcoal such as Royal Oak. The larger pieces hold heat much better and break down slower than briquettes. Lump charcoal seems to burn the fresh wood I sometimes use at a slower rate as well. I love using my smoker and hope you have a similar experience.
Answer: I've only used regular briquets {Kingsford} and haven't noticed any odor.
Answer: You can use either. I prefer briquets as the heat is more consistent.
Answer: The best is hardwood lump charcoal .
Answer: From both a health standpoint and for improved flavor, you might use the hardwood briquettes. These are excellent for imparting that superior smoked flavor for which these Weber smokers are known.
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Is it too heavy for a woman to use?
Answer: No, not at all. My wife is a small woman, and she doesn't have a problem using it.
Answer: I don't think so since the smoker has 3 sections that fit together nicely. I have the 22 1/2 inch smoker which I believe most any lady could handle. These smokers also come in 18 1/2 and I believe 16 1/2. Keep in mind how much food you might be smoking at any one time as that will guide you on the appropriate size to buy.
Answer: It breaks apart into three sections. The middle being the most heaviest and awkward to carry. My wife can move with relatively ease. I think most women can move it. The 18.5 is also smaller and more easily transportable. The great thing about the 22.5 is you will have no problem smoking whole briskets. The 18.5 sacrifices smoking space.
Answer: No, this smoker is in three sections, the bottom, the lid, and the center section with the cooking racks. Once it's set up and the charcoal is lit only the lid needs to be removed to check / remove whatever you're cooking.
Answer: Not at all. It breaks down into 3 different sections, bottom fire pit, middle grates and water pan and the top. I move it back and forth from the front yard to the back. Hope this helps.
Answer: Not at all. Very easy to handle and my wife can remove the lid with one arm without trouble. You will love it.
Answer: I dont think so, I use it without a problem.
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Is the included thermometer accurate? If not, how do you gauge the temp? TIA
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Answer: Mine is very accurate. I also bought a wireless thermometer so I can check the temp anywhere near by. Highly recommend one.
Answer: Not accurate enough to trust a cook to, the food is placed quiet a distance between where thermometer is. I use dual digi thermometer like the Maverick Et-732 Remote Bbq Smoker Thermometer
Answer: Mine is not accurate, but I've always used a Maverick digital anyway, so I was never concerned about it.
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how large a turkey can I cook in this ?
Answer: I have not yet done a turkey, but the grate area is quite large with lots of space to the top of the grill. If you are going to be smoking the turkey at a low temperature it would be best to keep the size to 16 pounds or less, otherwise it will take a long, long time. There is also a danger of bacterial contamination if it takes too long to reach the safe temperature.
Answer: I've done turkeys up to 25 pounds and they come out great. Incredibly juicy. But you MUST use a meat thermometer to ensure that you get to the right temperature.
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what is the minion method
Answer: hi, karen. the minion method is a way of lighting your charcoal to extend the burn time. basically you leave a blank space in the middle of the grate and build a ring of charcoal around that blank space. then you would fill the open or blank space with lit coals. this will burn toward the outside and slowly ignite the other charcoal as the burn goes on. the basis of this is to control and to prolong the burn time.. its actullay very simple but highly effective .. give it a search on youtube and there will be dozens of videos showing the process...
Answer: Fill the charcoal chamber with unlit charcoal then place a small bit of lit charcoal on top of the unlit charcoal. The idea is that the lit charcoal will maintain a consistent heat and slowly light the charcoal on the bottom over the course of several hours giving you a long, consistent burn time.
Answer: I don't know if this will post: virtualweberbulletDOTcom/fireup2.html (replace the DOT with a .) but it explains it well and is a great site for the Webber Bullet.
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what type of temperature probe can be used
Answer: Hello, thank you for your question! We suggest using a meat temperature probe like our iGrill 2 series. Thanks!
Answer: There is a grommet to insert the probe and the wire associated with it. It should fit pretty much any standard probe. I use a ThermoWorks probe in mine. It works fine.
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Is the cooking surface wide enough to accomatr a large piece of brisket?
Answer: The cooking surface is BIG-- I think the width of a big brisket is no problem but I've seen some briskets that their length might have to be bent to form to the roundness of the grill--but overall the cooking area is Huge
Answer: Although I haven't done a brisket on mine yet, I would be pretty confident you could put a 15-16lb brisket on pretty easily. There's a lot of cooking surface. Hope that helps!!!
Answer: We just fixed a 12-13 lb brisket on ours yesterday just on one rack, and maybe could of put something else on there also.
Answer: I would say so haven't done a brisket yet but had 2 racks of baby backs on last week end with room for 2 more.
Answer: With 363 sq in top grate should be able to. The unit is 22 1/2 in round. There is another grate below for more meat.
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Did the smoker arrive undamaged? I was wondering if it came in the Weber box or an extra box on the outside.
Answer: The smoker arrived undamaged. It was only in the original Weber box. But there was plenty of cardboard inside to protect the pieces.
Answer: My smoker arrived in perfect condition. No damage whatsoever. It arrived in a Weber Box, there was no extra Amazon packaging. That Weber Box has very good protection though.
Answer: Dont remember but it was well packed and undamaged. It is the best smoker for the money hands down. It keeps a steady temp. And will run for 8 to 10 hours without a refill.
Answer: My first smoker was two weeks late (used prime) and was bashed in badly...Needed to send back.
Answer: Yes it came in a weber box and was undamaged.
Answer: The smoker came undamaged...was packaged very well.
Q:
I'd like to give smoked turkey a whirl this Thanksgiving. Has anyone used this unit to smoke a whole turkey? If so, how big of a bird?
Answer: Yes, and they are delicious. As others have mentioned, smaller birds are easier to do. Although it is not difficult, I would not recommend doing a Thanksgiving turkey as a first cook. There are a few things to learn. The virtual weber bullet site is a goldmine of information on turkeys and all other aspects of smoke BBQ.
Answer: No problem. I like to do 12-15 lb turkeys. Give yourself plenty of time though. Plan on 25 minutes per lb if you are cooking at 250 degrees. I like to run my smoker hotter around 350. If you want crispier skin, place the turkey on the lower cooking rack with no water in the pan. Just foil it. Please be sure to check the temp in each thigh not just one. I also like to cook the turkey breast down.
Answer: Yes, it can be done but I would not recommend smoking much more than a 10 lb. turkey as you want to be sure the turkey reaches the proper internal temp. without drying the bird. Good luck!
Answer: We bought ours for same purpose. We practiced with capon and the theory is to do a 12# whole turkey but if that is too small you do another cut up on the other grate. They seem to be exactly the same temperature as its all smokey steam. I don't know how folks get the high temperatures with water in the tray
Answer: This version does a pretty good job and you should stick to the 10 lb bird like others have said. You may want to google search the virtual weber bullet as they have awesome recipes on there.
Answer: Also try alder wood. It is nice for poultry
Q:
How easy is it cleaned out ash-wise? Thanks! (PS: what is the product issue that Amazon is currently dealing with?)
Answer: Very easy. It's takes one minute to take down (3 pieces), simply dump the ash and wipe down. As for the product issue, I have no idea. The WSM is the best investment I've made. There is nothing on the market that can touch it for temperature control.
Answer: If your conservative and wish to save unburned coal you will have to come up with some kind of process to "rake" out the cold coals to seperate them from the ash. Im thinking of the same process to clean a cats litter box. I use my gloved hands in my WSM but am looking for a better way. If your not worried about saving coal just dump the COLD coals into the garbage. I dump mine into our fire pit and clean that out with a shovel about once a month. Not sure about the product issue AMAZON is dealing with. I know not to what you refer.
Answer: Take out the grate and dump in an ash barrel/bucket. Wipe off any dusty residue. Done. Dont know about any other issue you are inquiring on
Answer: Very easy. After a smoke, I shut all vents and usually let the smoker sit overnight to be sure all fire is out. Then simply remove the lid and body, and it's simply a matter of dumping the ash in the bottom into a garbage bag or whatever container you prefer. No problem!
Answer: The best smaker I have had, as a small portable unit. Very easy to take apart and clean.
Answer: Order the "scoop" and it is very easy. Also not hard with any sand box shovel or just pick it up and dump it
Q:
does thsi have the silicone grommet
Answer: I got mine 9 months ago and it did have the grommet. I am almost positive all of the ones being sent out now have the grommet. By the way, the grommet in my mind is a necessity. If you by chance get one without it, return it and tell them to send you a current model.
Answer: no it does at least my don,t have silicone grommet. hope this helpful
Answer: Yes it did. I have not used it, but it does. || Just read the other answer...You mean the access to a thermameter? If so, yes. I assume it is silicone. Plastic like rubber substance.
Answer: yes. I have used it and ti works good.
Q:
Torn between a pellet grill (green mt., etc.) and this nice 22" weber. what advantage does this have over a pellet grill? thanks!
Answer:
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Answer: The advantages relative to an electronic-controlled pellet grill:
Answer: Thanks! Good points. I'm also noticing that this smoker has quite the following!
Answer: the food will also taste way better with charcoal than pellets. requires more work but worth it
Answer: Great answer Alan. I'm convinced now. Thanks!
Q:
Does it come with the cover?
Answer: I ordered 18.5; cavern came with it. Absolutely love it
Answer: Yes it did. This smoker is awesome. The best value in my opinion.
Answer: Yes mine did
Answer: Yes it do
Answer: Yes it does
Answer: Yes.
Answer: Yes, a pretty good one at that.
Q:
Can char oal grate be raised to grill bettef.?
Answer: The charcoal grate can not be raised. However, you have 2 grills to choose from, so you can decide if you want your meat close or further away from your charcoal.
Answer: Hi! We do not recommend modifying our grills. Check out our blogs on Smoking here: https://www.weber.com/US/en/blog/tags/smoker for some great tips! Thanks.
Answer: There are two levels to the smoker. You could buy separate a grate that has a raised grate.
Q:
Does the 18in come with a cover?
Answer: Hello! A cover is included with our 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker. Thanks!
Answer: If you asking if this 18in come with a protective cover, yes. It is a nice cover.
Answer: Yes it does every Weber Smokey mountain smoker comes with cover that says Weber on it
Answer: Yes it comes with a cover :)
Answer: No it does not. You have to purchase the cover separately
Answer: Mine did
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes
Q:
I love smoke northern Pike but cannot get that here in Indiana. Can anyone recommend a good whitefish or a fish that taste like pike?
Answer: try checking out fish suppliers in Oregon, they have some great places especially in Eugene, Oregon.
Q:
I have an order waiting but want to ensure the 22.5" weber smokey mountain is a 2014 model...is this the 2014 improved unit?
Answer: It's the 2009-2013, until Amazon runs out of old inventory, then it will be a 2014. The model number is unchanged, so the new ones will just work their way into the inventory stream over time.
Answer: This is the 2009-2013 WSM 22.5.
Answer: No, my husband said the 2014 will have a rubber grommet on the side to insert a temperature probe.
Q:
Can you get away with setting up the smoker and leaving it to cook over night while you sleep?
Answer:
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Answer: I would say No. The charcoal chamber holds enough for about 5 hours of heat. I guess only if the cook would allow the heat to dip to 200 than maybe.
Answer: How long do you sleep? Seriously, I have done an all-nigher smokin some butts, but woke up after 5 hours to check and add another chimney of lump coal. I do want to see what happens if you load the Weber to the gills and don't bother checking - it holds temp fine and might make it for 10ish hours for pork butts.
Answer: Using the half lit coals half new coals you could do that I think once vents are set right to keep it at 225 it should be good to go. I went 5 hours with no problem, but can't say for any more than that
Answer: You can, but I wouldn't recommend it. If you set up the coals perfectly in a pattern where they will gradually burn, you can get 4-5 hours of smoke time without adding coals. But if there's ever a need to adjust the Breathers for more/less air flow, you're a bit screwed. I'm guessing you're asking for a brisket. I've only done those all day for dinner.
Answer: I can't recommend leaving something burning unattendened but I have left mine for considerable amounts of time. I know people do leave them overnight but you still need to check and adjust the temp from time to time.
Answer: I don't think it is safe. We don't stand over the cooker, and leave it unattended for a a few hours if we need to. Still, overnight is a long time not to check on progress. If you follow the instructions and be sure that it is in a safe location, it could be okay. I would read everyrhing very carefully.
Answer: I would not recommend it. Better to have someone watch the coals and make sure your temp is consistent. We take turns sleeping
Answer: have not done that yet but i have got 4.5 hrs without doing anything i will try more coals next time maybe get more hrs
Q:
Which size (18.5 or 21.5)? - If I plan on using it mainly for gatherings of 12-15 people will the 18.5" work most of the time? Thoughts?
Answer: I would spend the extra $100 dollars or ao and go with the 21.5. I can easily do four full racks of spare ribs, could do six pork shoulders, four briskets, seven dozen wings etc. The 21.5" has about 1 1&2 times the cooking area of the 18.5".
Answer: I have had both sizes. If you are cooking for that large a crowd I would definitely recommend the 21.5 model. It is also much more durable than the 18.5 inch model and the aluminum door construction on the 21.5 inch is much superior.
Answer: I bought this for my son in law who lives in Virginia. We were visiting and ordered it while were there. He absolutely loves it. In conversations with his friends, everybody , everybody mentioned you should get the 21.5 inch if you are cooking for a group of 6 or more. He rants and raves about this smoker. He can't wait until Xmas when his family is coming for 4 days. He's practicing on it now so he will be ready for the visitors on Xmas. He loves the size of the door on the 21.5. He had a smaller smoker (another brand) and the door was small and it was a pain in the butt. The door on the 21.5 is pretty darn big.
Answer: That depends on what you are cooking for your guests. An 8 lb boneless pork butt yields about 5.5 lbs of pulled pork. I would serve 8 oz portions, so that would allow about 10 people per butt. I have smoked 6 such butts on my 21.5 inch WSM. I have also smoked 1 butt. Chickens are less efficient, servings to smoker space. Perhaps 2 people per chicken. I would cook no more than 8 chickens on my 21.5 inch WSM, thus 16 guests, more if some eat less than ½ of a chicken. I hope that helps.
Answer: 21.5 is the way to go
Answer: Go big. You won't regret it. Worth the additional cost. You'll never wonder if you'll have room for everything .
Q:
Does the 14 inch smoker come with a thermometer already installed? If so, why are they selling a thermometer? Maybe to check temp of the smoked meat??
Answer: The 14.5" Smokey Mountain is exactly like the 18 and 22 inch smokers, just smaller for smaller cuts of meat. It does have s thermometer as well. I have both 14.5 and 22! Love them!
Answer: Hello, Thanks for your question! Our 14" Smokey Mountain Cooker does feature a lid mounted thermometer. There is a small grommet in the side of the smoker that allows a probe style thermometer to be inserted in your food to check the internal temperature. Thanks!
Q:
Does this unit have the opening for temperature probe?
Answer: Yes, there is a round grey flexible plug just above and off to the right of the removable silver access door. It has two openings to accommodate temp probe cables. Take a look at an image of the WSM and Zoom on it. You should see it.
Answer: Hi! This model features a silicone grommet that you can slide a thermometer probe through to easily measure your temp. Thanks!
Answer: Not really, although you can probably fit a probe wire through the door on the side - it doesn't make a great seal so there is room at the edge. I just use the built in thermometer on the lid and have great results.
Answer: Yes, we have the 18" and it does
Answer: Yes
Q:
does this come with a water pan
Answer: Hello! Yes, this model does include a water pan. Thanks!
Answer: Yes it does
Answer: Yes
Q:
Is the charcoal pan fixed oe can it be separated from the body of the smoker?
Answer: Hi! Thank you for your interest in our Smokey Mountain Cooker! The section that holds the charcoal on this model is the bottom section and it can be separated from the other sections. Thanks!
Answer: The coal pan is in the lowest of the three sections that are all de-stackable. The middle section holds the water bowl and two grates.
Answer: It can be separated.
Q:
How difficult is the assembly. Should I pop for the expert assembly?
Answer: Hello! Our Smokey Mountain Cookers can typically be assembled in a very short amount of time, as there are very few components involved with their assembly. Thanks!
Answer: It was actually very easy to assemble. I wouldn't spend the extra money for expert assembly...it's not necessary.
Answer: assembly took less than 30 minutes
Answer: The assembly is very easy. I am not mechanically minded in the least, yet I had no problem doing it by myself. I have really enjoyed mine, and I know that you will enjoy yours as well for many years to come. Good luck!
Answer: No way!! Super easy! I bet there’s a YouTube video of how to - check it out, there’s one like 8 screws!! You can totally do it!
Answer: No. Is very easy. Screwdriver is about all you need I think.
Answer: It's easy !!!
Q:
who is selling the new 2014 model?
Q:
What is the size of the box this arrives in?
Answer: About 20x20x24"
Answer: No idea. Bought several years ago.
Q:
Any advice on getting the silicone thermometer port in place? I can't get it in.
Answer: I had to press it pretty hard through. Mine was closed upon getting it.
Answer: Yup, it's a pain to get in!! But it can be done - just keep at it - squeeze and compress - and try, try again. It took about 15 minutes, much complaining, but finally got it!!
Answer: I just compressed it and slip it in. It takes time to compress it to the right shape.
Answer: I soaked it in very warm water for a few minutes and it seemed to help
Q:
I'm having a hard time determined which size rib rack to buy for the model. Was hoping Amazon would suggest but it's not. Any owners out there with su
Answer: Hello, we currently do not manufacture a rib rack that is small enough to fit into our 14" Smokey Mountain Cooker models. Thanks.
Answer: I too am considering buying a rib rack but have not done so yet so I can't really help.
Product reviews of Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker, Charcoal Smoker
David W. : Smoke away!
I love this smoker. Yeah it's charcoal so it requires more hands on time than a gas smoker but it's worth it. I've loaded it up for 18 hour smokes in nice weather and 12 hour smokes (or longer) in cold or windy weather. It's a Weber so it has had no problems sitting out in the seasons that California brings me.
What's nice is it's forgiving. Fire it up, add water if you need to for temperature control, add meat. Do other things for a few hours. Check on it every now and then. Enjoy your food. I haven't had a bad meal on this. I've done cold smokes for fish and cheese and hot smokes for tri tips and ribs. As well as the normal 200-250 smokes for pork butts and briskets. There's no worry about flare ups because of the water bowl.
The new models have some nice things added that I don't have. For instance a place to add an additional thermometer and or a lid hook. I have no regrets with this purchase.
Get it and review the minion method for the long maintenance free smokes.
What's nice is it's forgiving. Fire it up, add water if you need to for temperature control, add meat. Do other things for a few hours. Check on it every now and then. Enjoy your food. I haven't had a bad meal on this. I've done cold smokes for fish and cheese and hot smokes for tri tips and ribs. As well as the normal 200-250 smokes for pork butts and briskets. There's no worry about flare ups because of the water bowl.
The new models have some nice things added that I don't have. For instance a place to add an additional thermometer and or a lid hook. I have no regrets with this purchase.
Get it and review the minion method for the long maintenance free smokes.
Amazon Customer : 14" WSM
I bought the 14" WSM. I heard good reviews from several bbq experts and it seems to be quite the little vessel for my purpose. I'm usually cooking for 2 so it's all I need. Easy to assemble although the manual only gives you an exploded view. A quick google search and you'll find 20 videos on WSM assembly. It's big enough for a smaller turkey or a full rack of ribs. My only real gripe is the door on the side is a turn style open/close that sometimes doesn't catch the lip to shut properly. I really like the cover it comes with, it has elastic straps to keep it snug. Overall good bang for your buck.
Kurt Stewart : Will make you a better person
Ok, maybe a better BBQ person. I bit the bullet and finally bought one. They are so worth the price. I had started with a cheap-o Home Depot smoker, used it two times and bought this. The medium has tons of room to smoke meats.
Comes with a nice cover, easy to clean the grates and water bowl. I use Kingsford charcoal, create a donut ring in the bottom, add the wood chunks of choice, use a charcoal started for the hot coals that get poured into the center of the donut ring and off you go. Just use the three vents on the bottom to regulate the temperature, it has a temperature gauge in the top and also a smoke range. Easy to use and you end up with amazing meats.
Head to Costco and buy one pork loin and one beef tenderloin, buy some rub and season those puppies. Put one on the lower grate and one up top. Invest in a probe thermometer and you are good to go.
Last piece of advice, buy a vacuum sealer for the left over meats. I usually smoke once every two weeks and vacuum seal and freeze the rest for lunches and dinners. I also have nice neighbors that ask if I have anything they can try, the smells on the weekends travel!!
Comes with a nice cover, easy to clean the grates and water bowl. I use Kingsford charcoal, create a donut ring in the bottom, add the wood chunks of choice, use a charcoal started for the hot coals that get poured into the center of the donut ring and off you go. Just use the three vents on the bottom to regulate the temperature, it has a temperature gauge in the top and also a smoke range. Easy to use and you end up with amazing meats.
Head to Costco and buy one pork loin and one beef tenderloin, buy some rub and season those puppies. Put one on the lower grate and one up top. Invest in a probe thermometer and you are good to go.
Last piece of advice, buy a vacuum sealer for the left over meats. I usually smoke once every two weeks and vacuum seal and freeze the rest for lunches and dinners. I also have nice neighbors that ask if I have anything they can try, the smells on the weekends travel!!
chris : Great Smoker for the Neighborhood Dad
I believe this was the First purchase off Amazon for me. I had been wanting a smoker for awhile but wasn't sure on spending the money for this thing, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered it, After 3 years I could not be more happy with my purchase. Holds temps very well, have cooked several 12-14 hour runs(1 20lb bag charcoal) and as long as you don't keep opening the lid, or door you will be fine.
The size of the smoker is big and a little heavy when all put together, don't think you can haul this around to the park or tailgating, it has 2, 22 1/2 grates. just see the measurements of it and use a tape measure to get an idea on how tall it stands when put together.
I have Smoked 8 pork butts at one time, 60 lbs. of meat! Turkeys up to 19 lbs. fit nicely on the top grate, I can only get 2 full racks of spare ribs per grate unless I cut them in half and then I can double that. all that is to let you know just how much food it holds. so if you don't think you will need this much there is always the 18, but if we are smoking we want big right?? and when I need extra grilling room I take the middle section out and use it as a nice charcoal grill. I would recommend keeping it in a spot out of the wind, because wind is the only thing I have found that can make the temps not stay steady. The coldest I have cooked on it is -8 one night, it did burn a little more charcoal but I never had big temp ranges. I ended up building a small outhouse type building that mine fits inside nicely only because I smoke year round and in all types of weather and I it holds all of my BBQ supplies very nicely.
Quality on it is outstanding, the box had a few dings but the packaging protected the merchandise inside. It was very easy for me to put together, and I am impatient (my wife has to put the kids toys together because I get to frustrated) I believe you get what you pay for. This isn't a cheap piece of metal that will rust out after a few years like smokers you can get at the box stores. This will last for years. It sits right next to my Weber Gas Grill I purchased 17 years ago. So even though it is a little pricey you are buying something that will Last.
I would recommend you visiting the virtual weber bulletin board web site. There is a wealth of information there on how to smoke everything you could possibly want on these things. It is by far the greatest asset to smoking/cooking with one. If you are wanting to get into good BBQ that you make yourself for years to come then I can recommend this product without any reservations. I have been very happy with this purchase.
The size of the smoker is big and a little heavy when all put together, don't think you can haul this around to the park or tailgating, it has 2, 22 1/2 grates. just see the measurements of it and use a tape measure to get an idea on how tall it stands when put together.
I have Smoked 8 pork butts at one time, 60 lbs. of meat! Turkeys up to 19 lbs. fit nicely on the top grate, I can only get 2 full racks of spare ribs per grate unless I cut them in half and then I can double that. all that is to let you know just how much food it holds. so if you don't think you will need this much there is always the 18, but if we are smoking we want big right?? and when I need extra grilling room I take the middle section out and use it as a nice charcoal grill. I would recommend keeping it in a spot out of the wind, because wind is the only thing I have found that can make the temps not stay steady. The coldest I have cooked on it is -8 one night, it did burn a little more charcoal but I never had big temp ranges. I ended up building a small outhouse type building that mine fits inside nicely only because I smoke year round and in all types of weather and I it holds all of my BBQ supplies very nicely.
Quality on it is outstanding, the box had a few dings but the packaging protected the merchandise inside. It was very easy for me to put together, and I am impatient (my wife has to put the kids toys together because I get to frustrated) I believe you get what you pay for. This isn't a cheap piece of metal that will rust out after a few years like smokers you can get at the box stores. This will last for years. It sits right next to my Weber Gas Grill I purchased 17 years ago. So even though it is a little pricey you are buying something that will Last.
I would recommend you visiting the virtual weber bulletin board web site. There is a wealth of information there on how to smoke everything you could possibly want on these things. It is by far the greatest asset to smoking/cooking with one. If you are wanting to get into good BBQ that you make yourself for years to come then I can recommend this product without any reservations. I have been very happy with this purchase.
Thomas N. Mackey : I love love love my WSM!!!!
This thing is wonderful. I watched a lot of YouTube videos before I chose and started using this system and I urge you to do the same. As expected, the first two or three times I used it, it was hard to maintain the temperature I wanted. After that it became easier, both because I got better at estimating how much the inlet vents needed to be open and how much to open the top exhaust vent, and because the door and rims seal better after they start to get a layer of combustion byproducts deposited there. My wife says it is one of the best investments we've made in outdoor cooking and she figures its paid for itself already. We never go out to eat as we like our own cooking better and the WSM has taken our meal prep in a whole new direction. So far I've learned to do smoked beef roasts, smoked round steaks, salmon "nuggets", and smoked pork loin roasts. The beef and pork are all done "low and slow" -- between 220F and 260F. The salmon required an ultra low temp of 120F, followed by increases to 140, 160, and finally 180F. That was pretty tough but I managed. With that success, I am going to try smoked beef jerky next. I especially recommend Harry Su (Slap Yo Daddy BBQ) and T Roy Cooks as YouTube inspiration. I used a mixture of water and apple juice in the water bowl for several cooks, but have since started using foil wrapped large smooth stones -- the water or stones act more as a temperature regulator than anything. You will find that spraying the cooking meat with a mist of water does more to set the crust and keep moisture in than water evaporating from the water pan. It is nice, however, to have the choice. I also recommend using high quality foil to wrap the pan and stones for easy clean up. Happy smoking!
Grizzly Bear : Purchased 14" version for smoking for 2-4 people. Excellent quality and price
Purchased the Weber 711001 14" Charcoal Smoker. It is built like all Weber products, quality and ready to start cooking on. No pre-seasoning required due to porcelain rather than the typical el' cheapo other products with black spray paint over metal. Weber's never paint peel either. The 14" model is perfect for my intended use. I only cook for 2 so it's usually 1 rack of ribs, which you cut into half. Two halves on upper and two on lower if you want to cook a lot of them. Most likely, I will only use upper rack. Already have a Traeger Pellet Smoker + Big Oklahoma Joe Highland for bigger cookouts. Only downfall is the limited size of the charcoal area for ashes. A trade off for the compact size. The 14" will be perfect for 4-6 hour slow cooks. Only wish they had though of putting a cleanout on bottom like the Webber Kettle series. Since ash buildup varies brand to brand, it will be interesting to see if the ash area is deep enough for my intended 7hr 225 degree rib smoking. I did one modification to the charcoal grate. Like I have read on the internet, the grate has large holes where when a piece of charcoal get small, could fall thru. I am also going to be using small amounts of Lump charcoal on top of a layer of typical charcoal for flavor. And add wood chunks for smoke effect. See attached photo for charcoal grate mod. Went to Home Depot, purchased aluminum gutter shield. Cut to fit under charcoal grate and attached to bottom with stainless wire. This will keep smaller pieces from falling thru into ash area. The aluminum will not restrict air flow due to the holes. I have used same material in my big wood smoker to keep ashes from falling out side vents. The aluminum has been subjected to 600 degrees several times and never warped or melted. Since this smoker does not get even close to that kind of heat, the gutter guard will work perfectly. Cooking a Pork Butt on it this weekend if weather clears up. The wire to attach the cut aluminum is for making necklaces, $2.00 at Walmart. The gutter guard was $2.50 for 4 feet. Placed it over grate and marked outline with perm marker. Then tin snips to cut into circle. Hoping to figure out something to attach to outside of main chamber for lifting middle section when needed. Would make things easier to tend to fuel source rather than large hands thru small door.
chris : Great Smoker for the Neighborhood Dad
I believe this was the First purchase off Amazon for me. I had been wanting a smoker for awhile but wasn't sure on spending the money for this thing, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered it, After 3 years I could not be more happy with my purchase. Holds temps very well, have cooked several 12-14 hour runs(1 20lb bag charcoal) and as long as you don't keep opening the lid, or door you will be fine.
The size of the smoker is big and a little heavy when all put together, don't think you can haul this around to the park or tailgating, it has 2, 22 1/2 grates. just see the measurements of it and use a tape measure to get an idea on how tall it stands when put together.
I have Smoked 8 pork butts at one time, 60 lbs. of meat! Turkeys up to 19 lbs. fit nicely on the top grate, I can only get 2 full racks of spare ribs per grate unless I cut them in half and then I can double that. all that is to let you know just how much food it holds. so if you don't think you will need this much there is always the 18, but if we are smoking we want big right?? and when I need extra grilling room I take the middle section out and use it as a nice charcoal grill. I would recommend keeping it in a spot out of the wind, because wind is the only thing I have found that can make the temps not stay steady. The coldest I have cooked on it is -8 one night, it did burn a little more charcoal but I never had big temp ranges. I ended up building a small outhouse type building that mine fits inside nicely only because I smoke year round and in all types of weather and I it holds all of my BBQ supplies very nicely.
Quality on it is outstanding, the box had a few dings but the packaging protected the merchandise inside. It was very easy for me to put together, and I am impatient (my wife has to put the kids toys together because I get to frustrated) I believe you get what you pay for. This isn't a cheap piece of metal that will rust out after a few years like smokers you can get at the box stores. This will last for years. It sits right next to my Weber Gas Grill I purchased 17 years ago. So even though it is a little pricey you are buying something that will Last.
I would recommend you visiting the virtual weber bulletin board web site. There is a wealth of information there on how to smoke everything you could possibly want on these things. It is by far the greatest asset to smoking/cooking with one. If you are wanting to get into good BBQ that you make yourself for years to come then I can recommend this product without any reservations. I have been very happy with this purchase.
The size of the smoker is big and a little heavy when all put together, don't think you can haul this around to the park or tailgating, it has 2, 22 1/2 grates. just see the measurements of it and use a tape measure to get an idea on how tall it stands when put together.
I have Smoked 8 pork butts at one time, 60 lbs. of meat! Turkeys up to 19 lbs. fit nicely on the top grate, I can only get 2 full racks of spare ribs per grate unless I cut them in half and then I can double that. all that is to let you know just how much food it holds. so if you don't think you will need this much there is always the 18, but if we are smoking we want big right?? and when I need extra grilling room I take the middle section out and use it as a nice charcoal grill. I would recommend keeping it in a spot out of the wind, because wind is the only thing I have found that can make the temps not stay steady. The coldest I have cooked on it is -8 one night, it did burn a little more charcoal but I never had big temp ranges. I ended up building a small outhouse type building that mine fits inside nicely only because I smoke year round and in all types of weather and I it holds all of my BBQ supplies very nicely.
Quality on it is outstanding, the box had a few dings but the packaging protected the merchandise inside. It was very easy for me to put together, and I am impatient (my wife has to put the kids toys together because I get to frustrated) I believe you get what you pay for. This isn't a cheap piece of metal that will rust out after a few years like smokers you can get at the box stores. This will last for years. It sits right next to my Weber Gas Grill I purchased 17 years ago. So even though it is a little pricey you are buying something that will Last.
I would recommend you visiting the virtual weber bulletin board web site. There is a wealth of information there on how to smoke everything you could possibly want on these things. It is by far the greatest asset to smoking/cooking with one. If you are wanting to get into good BBQ that you make yourself for years to come then I can recommend this product without any reservations. I have been very happy with this purchase.
Gregorus S. Davis : Works well, not bulky, and decently priced
I'm glad I didn't get a larger size. We can smoke two racks of ribs and a whole chicken at the same time. Anything larger would have been well beyond what we need. It works well and is simple to use. I would say the only difficulty with it is that the racks are stacked vertically on top of each other, and it's a bit tricky to get the lower rack out when while using hot pads/bulky gloves to avoid burning your hands. The trade off is that the unit doesn't take up a lot of space, and it's also a decent price.
Gunner McParson : Look no further
This thing is awesome. One of my better purchases through Amazon. If you're starting out in smoking, look no further. This is a high quality cooker that retains heat well, has plenty of space to cook two things at once and the thermometer works well and is accurate. Very easy to add wood chips or charcoal. I've had mine for a while now and it's still going strong. It's an excellent value.
C. Ravetta : Good quality smoker
This smoker was a Christmas gift for my boyfriend based on recommendations of Meathead Goldwyn and Amazon reviews. He had a small Brinkman smoker of similar design that he made a number of modifications to. This was a step up. He has been really happy with the smoker. It uses very little charcoal and the dampers work well to quickly adjust the temperature. He has smoked salmon, ribs, a couple of beef briskets, pork crown roast, pork chops, chickens and numerous pork shoulders. He is still getting used to how much charcoal to add to achieve his exact desired cooking temperature as the weather warms and is going to start keeping a log but other than that everything has been flawless. Even cooking in cold weather it required very little additional fuel to cook a 5 pound shoulder roast.
love2dive : OMG, I love it
This is such a great smoker. I put it to use the first week I got it and I love it. It is a truly great smoker for newbie as well as seasoned smoker. So far, I've smoked chicken, cornish hens, pork ribs and pork butt. Depending on the outside ambient temp and wind condition, it can cause the temp to fluctuate so it will require the user to monitor and adjust the air vents regularly to keep the temp constant. Otherwise, the temp remains close to where you want it and does not fluctuate wildly as it does on cheaper model. Cleaning the smoker after usage is a chore. That is to be said for pretty much every smokers out there. However, you can minimize it somewhat by covering the water bowl with heavy duty foils and spray down the grates with PAM cooking spray before hand so that burned on food or grease won't stuck on the grate and makes it much easier to clean.
If you're serious and intend on putting your smoker to use regularly and not once or twice a year, there is another item that I highly recommend and it will allow you to get some sleep instead of being up all night or constantly going out and check on smoker, that item is the temp controller made by BBQ guru. The model I recently bought is the DigiQ DX2. The controller along with the fan cost nearly as much as the WSM, but I personally feel that it is money well spent. Once I set the temp, I don't have to worry about checking up on it every 30 minutes like I used. BBQ Guru also have a wireless temp controller that you can monitor the temp through the internet. It costs a bit more, but for some, it might be worth the money.
If you want to smoke your own food, this WSM is great. You can't go wrong with it.
If you're serious and intend on putting your smoker to use regularly and not once or twice a year, there is another item that I highly recommend and it will allow you to get some sleep instead of being up all night or constantly going out and check on smoker, that item is the temp controller made by BBQ guru. The model I recently bought is the DigiQ DX2. The controller along with the fan cost nearly as much as the WSM, but I personally feel that it is money well spent. Once I set the temp, I don't have to worry about checking up on it every 30 minutes like I used. BBQ Guru also have a wireless temp controller that you can monitor the temp through the internet. It costs a bit more, but for some, it might be worth the money.
If you want to smoke your own food, this WSM is great. You can't go wrong with it.
Ronrude : Best smoker for the money - Ever! This thing will last Years! Just like my Weber Grill.
If you are in the market for a smoker, save your money up and buy a Weber Smokey Mountain. These smokers are durable and easy to use. First time out, I got it set to the sweet spot in no time. Best smoker for the money.
I retired an old side box smoker this year due to old age and rust and had my electric smoker fail in the middle of a smoke. I will never look back. The Weber Smoky mountain does it all.
Why 4 stars instead of 5? One minor design flaw. If it starts to rain before you can get your smoker covered up? You will have water in the bottom of your smoker, getting the ash wet. I had to leave it uncovered overnight to let it cool down before I could cover it. We had rain, the smoker filled up. If they had the lid fit OVER the middle section like on their normal grill instead of into the top section, that water would run off instead of run in. The same for the bottom connection, outside of the bottom instead of inside. It is an irritation, but not worth worrying about.
Update 7/12/17 In normal Weber quality, this thing is smoking along with no issues. The grill cover is starting to go bad, but it is the second longest lasting grill cover I have ever owned. Most don't last more than a year or two. This grill sits outside winter and summer and no issues with the unit.
Update 4/17/19. This grill is going strong. I bought a new Weber cover and it is still doing well. As with any smoker, I recommend a double remote thermometer to make sure your grill temp is right. Grill gauges are notoriously unreliable, but this is still the best value in smokers. Don t waste your money on the 18" the 22" is the way to go
I retired an old side box smoker this year due to old age and rust and had my electric smoker fail in the middle of a smoke. I will never look back. The Weber Smoky mountain does it all.
Why 4 stars instead of 5? One minor design flaw. If it starts to rain before you can get your smoker covered up? You will have water in the bottom of your smoker, getting the ash wet. I had to leave it uncovered overnight to let it cool down before I could cover it. We had rain, the smoker filled up. If they had the lid fit OVER the middle section like on their normal grill instead of into the top section, that water would run off instead of run in. The same for the bottom connection, outside of the bottom instead of inside. It is an irritation, but not worth worrying about.
Update 7/12/17 In normal Weber quality, this thing is smoking along with no issues. The grill cover is starting to go bad, but it is the second longest lasting grill cover I have ever owned. Most don't last more than a year or two. This grill sits outside winter and summer and no issues with the unit.
Update 4/17/19. This grill is going strong. I bought a new Weber cover and it is still doing well. As with any smoker, I recommend a double remote thermometer to make sure your grill temp is right. Grill gauges are notoriously unreliable, but this is still the best value in smokers. Don t waste your money on the 18" the 22" is the way to go
nelly md : The little smoker that could
I was on the fence between this and the 18 and after much back and forth finally pulled the trigger on the 14. No regrets! Cooking space is tight but perfect for my family of 4. Briskets and ribs need to get halved but no biggie. A slab wouldn’t of fit the 18 either. If I want to cook a packer or keep the ribs whole, then I bust out the slow and sear and smoke in the kettle. Ultimately I chose this over the 18 because the extra space didn’t justify the $110 jump in price for my cooks. The 22 WSM wasn’t an option cause that’s just too cavernous and a charcoal eater. I get about 7-8ish hours with a single chimney of Kingsford Blue before I need to add. The water dish prevents adding more up front. Money saved getting the 14 and fuel saved over the 18 goes to more food in my belly.
Pete in California. : Very Happy With Temperature Control
I purchased the Weber Smoker in May before Memorial day; I seasoned it, but 4th of July was the first time I used it for regular cooking. I have the 22 inch; some thought the 22 inch was way too big; I loved the size of it. I smoked a 14 oz brisket, 7 slabs of ribs and after the ribs were done, I put on a full rack of chicken. I did have some challenges with the temperature towards the last part of smoking my brisket, it took a bit; but I was able to get the heat under control. What have I learned from my first experience with this smoker: The 22 inch may be a bit challenging for the ladies to move a round; it will never be an issue for my wife, because she leaves all the outdoor cooking to me. The overheating towards the end was because I added to much fuel. Other than that the temperature control was almost flawless. I suggest filling the water pan to the max, the water will vaporize with all that heat. The door could be made better, but I will not reduce any stars because of it. I am thinking about purchasing a couple of more. 2 years ago, I purchased a custom built 1000lb smoker from Texas, this Weber smoker has better temp. control; lesson learned($$$)
Harry Soo : 28 Grand Championships on this smoker and counting
November 2017 Update:
All it takes is one WSM-18 to win a Rib Championship, even caveman pitmaster style when no foil or electricity is allowed. See pics.
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My BBQ team Slap Yo Daddy BBQ from Diamond Bar, California, has been competing using these smokers which I bought off Amazon with free Prime shipping. They work flawlessly and are easy to use and clean up. Our WSMs regularly allow us to win Grand Championships even when we go up against other smokers costing over $15,000.
The key step once your smoker arrives is to ensure you season it properly. New WSMs will tend to overheat until you are able to get grease and gunk on the inside and around the rim where the lid sits to ensure an air tight seal. The fastest way to season is to do the following: Phase One - cover the water pan completely with aluminum foil and run a full load of lit Kingsford briquettes and let it run as hot as it can with no water in the pan (over 350 degrees) to burn off any manufacturing residue. Clean out the ash and proceed to phase two.
Phase Two - fill the charcoal basket 1/2 full of unlit briquettes. Then put in a 1/2 chimney of lit Kingsford briquettes in the middle. This will allow a slow burn for 3-5 hours at 72 degrees outside temperature. Adjust the vents to get 275 degrees on the dome thermometer. Put bacon strips, chicken parts, pork fat, or any other scrap meat you don't plan to eat. The key is to get fatty meats to generate lots of grease. Toss in a couple of tennis-sized wood chunks to generate smoke. Repeat Phase Two at least twice before you cook meat that you want to eat.
Phase Three - When you cook meat you plan to eat, take a tip from me and don't use any water in the pan. When I cook, I just cover the water pan with foil top and bottom. I foil it twice so I can remove the second layer after the cook and refoil it. That way, I don't have to clean my pan. It works just as well, AFTER YOU SEASON YOUR WSM, when you cook without water in the pan. Dry heat allows the crust to form faster on the meat (called the bark). Once the crust forms on the meat, you can introduce moisture. I just spray water with a regular spray bottle to encourage bark formation after the initial crusting (Maillard reaction) has begun. To test for properly formed bark, use your finger nail and scrape the meat surface. If the crust has formed, it will not come off when you gently scrape it with your fingernail. If the crust comes off, the bark has not set (still wet) so don't spray until it sets. Let it cook longer and check back in 15 mins. You'll get much better results this way. We've won many awards with this technique.
When it comes to cleaning your WSM, never wash the insides. Get a good grill brush and scrape down the insides and dome. You need the "aroma" which takes several years to build up. I NEVER mix my meat WSMs from my seafood and hotdog WSMs. Nothing destroys the aroma faster than cooking fish/seafood/hotdogs in a WSM used to cook chicken, ribs, pork, brisket, and tri tip. That's why you should buy a pair if you plan to cook seafood/fish/hotdogs. Better yet, get a Weber Kettle for those meats. Remember to always empty the ash from the bottom and grease on the foiled water pan to avoid fires and any rancid old oil smell before you cook. When you need to clean the grates, put the grates in a big plastic trash bag, put on gloves, and spray oven cleaner on the grates while in the bag and let sit for 1/2 hour. Hose off the grates. It's as easy as that. To clean the outsides, I use Simple Green spray.
Enjoy your WSMs. They are awesome and built to last.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Updated March 18, 2014 - in response to questions on fire and temp management on the WSM-18, I added a link with more tips [...]
OK. A reader notified me that Amazon deleted my link to my bbq team website where I feature easy recipes of the backyard cook.
No worries, you can find it if you Google my team name. It's got pics and such. For the words, I cut and pasted the info for you as follows:
Fire Control
Before I describe how to season your new WSM, I want to explain the basics of fire control in a barbecue pit. Regardless of the pit you're using, they all have three major components that you'll need to learn to control to maintain proper cooking temperatures: 1) the air intake, 2) fuel you're using, and 3) the exhaust vent/chimney. I use Kingsford Blue briquettes so my description assumes you use the same fuel. If you use something else, your mileage will vary.
I've used KF Blue since I started competing in 2008 and with over two dozen Grand Championships and 80+ first places including a first place USA in chicken in the Kansas City Barbecue Society Team of the Year 2012; I know KF Blue works well. Besides, I buy them on sale in the summer months for half price and stockpile them for my classes and contest year where I use over a hundred 20-lb bags annually. Yes, I do use other types of fuel like lump charcoal and pellets but I like to compete using KF Blue (no, they are not my sponsor) because I can fly into any city in America and drive my rental car to Walmart to pick up one bag of KF Blue and win a Grand Championship.
In the WSM, there are three circular intake damper vents at the bottom that can be opened or closed as needed to allow more or less air to enter the pit. More air and the temperature goes up and less air causes the pit temperature to go down. The circular fire steel fire ring holds your charcoal and you can adjust the amount of charcoal depending on how long you need to run the pit.
If you run it for chicken (2 hours), you only need to fill the ring about 1/3 way. If you want to cook ribs (6 hours), you will fill it about 2/3 way. If you're cooking brisket and pork butt (> 12 hours), you want to fill it all the way going past the top of the charcoal ring until it is overflowing. Be sure to remove the excess briquettes that have fallen over the side of the charcoal ring. Do a bit of Jenga and create a volcano shaped crater at in the middle of the overflowing mound of charcoal by removing excess briquettes and returning them to the charcoal bag. When you're ready to start cooking, carefully dump a half charcoal chimney of lit briquettes into the crater. Over the next 12-16 hours, the briquettes will burn gradually outwards as the temperature stays constant. I cook my long haul meats at 250F and everything else (chicken, ribs, tri tip, beef ribs, etc) at 275F.
If you are using a full overflowing load of briquettes for a 12+ hour cook, the standard deep WSM water pan won't work because it sits too low and will bump up against the top of your briquettes. No worries. Just remove the deep water pan and use the silver aluminum heat shield instead. You need to unsnap the heat shield and wrap it in double layer of aluminum foil and use that ultra-light pan in place of the deep water pan. If you have access to a WSM circa 2008 and earlier, those older WSMs come with a shallow water pan that does not bump into the briquettes. Alternatively, you can go to Home Depot and get yourself a terra cotta planter base that's the same diameter as the WSM water pan. I don't like the terra cotta approach as it's added weight I have to carry when I transport my WSMs which have already accumulated over 100,000 miles of travel all over the US.
Of the three components I mentioned: intake, fuel choice and amount, and the exhaust, the most effective component to maintain constant temperature is not the intake nor the fuel. It's the exhaust. Many beginners I come across are not aware of that. All seasoned pitmasters know how to intuitively draft their pit using "clean" smoke to color and flavor their barbecue meats. The draft refers to the vacuum effect when you open or close the exhaust vent of your pit.
When you open the exhaust vent on the WSM, you allow hot air to leave the pit and this creates a vacuum suction to draw air in from the bottom intakes. Thus, by skillfully manipulating the top vent, you can control your WSM like a pro. Many beginners constantly fiddle with their intake dampers in hopes to maintain a constant temperature with less success than leaving the bottom vents untouched and fiddling with the top vent to control the draft within their WSM. In future articles, I'll address the mechanics of damper control on the WSM (e.g., old school versus automated blower systems) and the science on dirty smoke, white smoke, clean smoke, blue smoke, sour smoke, etc. For now, just give my technique a try and see if it works for you.
Once you have seasoned your WSM using the steps below, follow my technique to light your pit and leave one bottom vent open and the top vent half open. Allow your pit to come slowly up to temp (it may take 30-45 minutes). If the pit starts to over temp, gradually shut down the top vent and it will calm down. New WSMs invariably overheat until after half a dozen cooks so be prepared to cook with top and bottom vents all completely closed in your first few cooks. If you have the top vent completely open and one bottom vent completely open and your pit does not come up in temp, you can open a second bottom vent, followed by a third. Usually when you open the second or third, it means you're out of fuel. You can toss 20 briquettes through the fire door and be careful not to snuff out the fire. If your fire is already out, you have to light your briquettes before you toss them into the WSM.
Here's are a couple of tips if you need ramp up temps quickly. You can prop a ½ inch piece of wood to keep the WSM dome lid ajar. Alternatively, you can open the WSM fire door and let air in to crank up the temps. With both of these quick fix approaches, do not leave your WSM unattended as the temps could rise fast and you'll burn your meats.
All it takes is one WSM-18 to win a Rib Championship, even caveman pitmaster style when no foil or electricity is allowed. See pics.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
My BBQ team Slap Yo Daddy BBQ from Diamond Bar, California, has been competing using these smokers which I bought off Amazon with free Prime shipping. They work flawlessly and are easy to use and clean up. Our WSMs regularly allow us to win Grand Championships even when we go up against other smokers costing over $15,000.
The key step once your smoker arrives is to ensure you season it properly. New WSMs will tend to overheat until you are able to get grease and gunk on the inside and around the rim where the lid sits to ensure an air tight seal. The fastest way to season is to do the following: Phase One - cover the water pan completely with aluminum foil and run a full load of lit Kingsford briquettes and let it run as hot as it can with no water in the pan (over 350 degrees) to burn off any manufacturing residue. Clean out the ash and proceed to phase two.
Phase Two - fill the charcoal basket 1/2 full of unlit briquettes. Then put in a 1/2 chimney of lit Kingsford briquettes in the middle. This will allow a slow burn for 3-5 hours at 72 degrees outside temperature. Adjust the vents to get 275 degrees on the dome thermometer. Put bacon strips, chicken parts, pork fat, or any other scrap meat you don't plan to eat. The key is to get fatty meats to generate lots of grease. Toss in a couple of tennis-sized wood chunks to generate smoke. Repeat Phase Two at least twice before you cook meat that you want to eat.
Phase Three - When you cook meat you plan to eat, take a tip from me and don't use any water in the pan. When I cook, I just cover the water pan with foil top and bottom. I foil it twice so I can remove the second layer after the cook and refoil it. That way, I don't have to clean my pan. It works just as well, AFTER YOU SEASON YOUR WSM, when you cook without water in the pan. Dry heat allows the crust to form faster on the meat (called the bark). Once the crust forms on the meat, you can introduce moisture. I just spray water with a regular spray bottle to encourage bark formation after the initial crusting (Maillard reaction) has begun. To test for properly formed bark, use your finger nail and scrape the meat surface. If the crust has formed, it will not come off when you gently scrape it with your fingernail. If the crust comes off, the bark has not set (still wet) so don't spray until it sets. Let it cook longer and check back in 15 mins. You'll get much better results this way. We've won many awards with this technique.
When it comes to cleaning your WSM, never wash the insides. Get a good grill brush and scrape down the insides and dome. You need the "aroma" which takes several years to build up. I NEVER mix my meat WSMs from my seafood and hotdog WSMs. Nothing destroys the aroma faster than cooking fish/seafood/hotdogs in a WSM used to cook chicken, ribs, pork, brisket, and tri tip. That's why you should buy a pair if you plan to cook seafood/fish/hotdogs. Better yet, get a Weber Kettle for those meats. Remember to always empty the ash from the bottom and grease on the foiled water pan to avoid fires and any rancid old oil smell before you cook. When you need to clean the grates, put the grates in a big plastic trash bag, put on gloves, and spray oven cleaner on the grates while in the bag and let sit for 1/2 hour. Hose off the grates. It's as easy as that. To clean the outsides, I use Simple Green spray.
Enjoy your WSMs. They are awesome and built to last.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Updated March 18, 2014 - in response to questions on fire and temp management on the WSM-18, I added a link with more tips [...]
OK. A reader notified me that Amazon deleted my link to my bbq team website where I feature easy recipes of the backyard cook.
No worries, you can find it if you Google my team name. It's got pics and such. For the words, I cut and pasted the info for you as follows:
Fire Control
Before I describe how to season your new WSM, I want to explain the basics of fire control in a barbecue pit. Regardless of the pit you're using, they all have three major components that you'll need to learn to control to maintain proper cooking temperatures: 1) the air intake, 2) fuel you're using, and 3) the exhaust vent/chimney. I use Kingsford Blue briquettes so my description assumes you use the same fuel. If you use something else, your mileage will vary.
I've used KF Blue since I started competing in 2008 and with over two dozen Grand Championships and 80+ first places including a first place USA in chicken in the Kansas City Barbecue Society Team of the Year 2012; I know KF Blue works well. Besides, I buy them on sale in the summer months for half price and stockpile them for my classes and contest year where I use over a hundred 20-lb bags annually. Yes, I do use other types of fuel like lump charcoal and pellets but I like to compete using KF Blue (no, they are not my sponsor) because I can fly into any city in America and drive my rental car to Walmart to pick up one bag of KF Blue and win a Grand Championship.
In the WSM, there are three circular intake damper vents at the bottom that can be opened or closed as needed to allow more or less air to enter the pit. More air and the temperature goes up and less air causes the pit temperature to go down. The circular fire steel fire ring holds your charcoal and you can adjust the amount of charcoal depending on how long you need to run the pit.
If you run it for chicken (2 hours), you only need to fill the ring about 1/3 way. If you want to cook ribs (6 hours), you will fill it about 2/3 way. If you're cooking brisket and pork butt (> 12 hours), you want to fill it all the way going past the top of the charcoal ring until it is overflowing. Be sure to remove the excess briquettes that have fallen over the side of the charcoal ring. Do a bit of Jenga and create a volcano shaped crater at in the middle of the overflowing mound of charcoal by removing excess briquettes and returning them to the charcoal bag. When you're ready to start cooking, carefully dump a half charcoal chimney of lit briquettes into the crater. Over the next 12-16 hours, the briquettes will burn gradually outwards as the temperature stays constant. I cook my long haul meats at 250F and everything else (chicken, ribs, tri tip, beef ribs, etc) at 275F.
If you are using a full overflowing load of briquettes for a 12+ hour cook, the standard deep WSM water pan won't work because it sits too low and will bump up against the top of your briquettes. No worries. Just remove the deep water pan and use the silver aluminum heat shield instead. You need to unsnap the heat shield and wrap it in double layer of aluminum foil and use that ultra-light pan in place of the deep water pan. If you have access to a WSM circa 2008 and earlier, those older WSMs come with a shallow water pan that does not bump into the briquettes. Alternatively, you can go to Home Depot and get yourself a terra cotta planter base that's the same diameter as the WSM water pan. I don't like the terra cotta approach as it's added weight I have to carry when I transport my WSMs which have already accumulated over 100,000 miles of travel all over the US.
Of the three components I mentioned: intake, fuel choice and amount, and the exhaust, the most effective component to maintain constant temperature is not the intake nor the fuel. It's the exhaust. Many beginners I come across are not aware of that. All seasoned pitmasters know how to intuitively draft their pit using "clean" smoke to color and flavor their barbecue meats. The draft refers to the vacuum effect when you open or close the exhaust vent of your pit.
When you open the exhaust vent on the WSM, you allow hot air to leave the pit and this creates a vacuum suction to draw air in from the bottom intakes. Thus, by skillfully manipulating the top vent, you can control your WSM like a pro. Many beginners constantly fiddle with their intake dampers in hopes to maintain a constant temperature with less success than leaving the bottom vents untouched and fiddling with the top vent to control the draft within their WSM. In future articles, I'll address the mechanics of damper control on the WSM (e.g., old school versus automated blower systems) and the science on dirty smoke, white smoke, clean smoke, blue smoke, sour smoke, etc. For now, just give my technique a try and see if it works for you.
Once you have seasoned your WSM using the steps below, follow my technique to light your pit and leave one bottom vent open and the top vent half open. Allow your pit to come slowly up to temp (it may take 30-45 minutes). If the pit starts to over temp, gradually shut down the top vent and it will calm down. New WSMs invariably overheat until after half a dozen cooks so be prepared to cook with top and bottom vents all completely closed in your first few cooks. If you have the top vent completely open and one bottom vent completely open and your pit does not come up in temp, you can open a second bottom vent, followed by a third. Usually when you open the second or third, it means you're out of fuel. You can toss 20 briquettes through the fire door and be careful not to snuff out the fire. If your fire is already out, you have to light your briquettes before you toss them into the WSM.
Here's are a couple of tips if you need ramp up temps quickly. You can prop a ½ inch piece of wood to keep the WSM dome lid ajar. Alternatively, you can open the WSM fire door and let air in to crank up the temps. With both of these quick fix approaches, do not leave your WSM unattended as the temps could rise fast and you'll burn your meats.
Dennis Miller : Not the same quality as my performer series kettle
I am really disappointed in the design. First, the lid fits inside the 'barrel' of the smoker, allowing any rain water to that hits the lid to run down and seep inside. My performer series kettle lid fits on top of the kettle, keeping even the hardest rain out while cooking. Second, the ridiculous charcoal door is of such poor design, that I bought an aftermarket door assembly for an additional $100. I wanted to use my weber rotisserie with this as well, but the WSM lid will not fit on the rotisserie ring due to the design flaw I mentioned above. I am able to use the rotisserie ring on the WSM if I use my performer kettle lid with it. I really expected better from Weber designers on this, but this is what I get for not seeing this in person before buying. Also, I bought an aftermarket hinge ($50) for the lid as the only thing I could set my lid on while cooking is my wooden deck. After all the modifications and extra $150 on top of the sale price, I am getting better cooking results than my old brinkman offset smoker.
Jeff : Great smoker - perfect size for multiple racks of ribs.
Fantastic cooker I love it. This is my first smoker and I'm able to make some really good food. Haven't mastered ribs yet, they always turn out dry and don't pull away from the bone like when I cook them in the oven and finish on the grill.
Works great for pork butt and turkey and brisket, though! I place a large rock in the middle of the charcoal grate and another next to it, then arrange charcoal all around the outside of the charcoal grate in the shape of a C. This provides nice slow, steady heat and you can place your wood chunks around the edge so you get consistent smoke throughout the burn. I've gotten a good 10 hour smoke out of it this way with Kingsford Blue and some nice Mesquite chunks.
The door could use some enhancement - maybe a heat-proof seal to help hold the smoke in.
- this tent works perfectly to shield the smoker from the elements. High winds... rain... snow... freezing rain... whatever the weather, this tent is the perfect size (and price) to keep the elements away from the smoker and lets it maintain temperature without using excessive amounts of charcoal.
Works great for pork butt and turkey and brisket, though! I place a large rock in the middle of the charcoal grate and another next to it, then arrange charcoal all around the outside of the charcoal grate in the shape of a C. This provides nice slow, steady heat and you can place your wood chunks around the edge so you get consistent smoke throughout the burn. I've gotten a good 10 hour smoke out of it this way with Kingsford Blue and some nice Mesquite chunks.
The door could use some enhancement - maybe a heat-proof seal to help hold the smoke in.
- this tent works perfectly to shield the smoker from the elements. High winds... rain... snow... freezing rain... whatever the weather, this tent is the perfect size (and price) to keep the elements away from the smoker and lets it maintain temperature without using excessive amounts of charcoal.
Gunner McParson : Look no further
This thing is awesome. One of my better purchases through Amazon. If you're starting out in smoking, look no further. This is a high quality cooker that retains heat well, has plenty of space to cook two things at once and the thermometer works well and is accurate. Very easy to add wood chips or charcoal. I've had mine for a while now and it's still going strong. It's an excellent value.
Ray C : Happy, but.......
So, this review is in comparison to a $59 charcoal grill of the same configuration that I’ve used for the last 15 years, compared to this $460, Webber. I’m not sorry I bought it, but Webber would do well to make a couple inexpensive corrections. This first is that the center section has no handles, unlike my $59 grill. The center section is heavy and awkward. Two handles would solve this. The second issue is the supports for the top rack. The rack easily slides off the support and just now I narrowly saved a whole bunch of expensive meat down into the bbq fiery abyss. Come on Webber! another quarter inch of rack support would solve this. I really shouldn’t be having to tell Webber how to fix their expensive product!
Amazon Customer : Weber Smokey Mountain Rocks! Especially for bacon.
My wife bought me the 18-inch Smokey Mountain for Christmas 2 years ago. I also have a Traeger, a Weber Kettle, and a Weber gas BBQ. I have used the Smokey Mountain for ribs (St Louis and baby back), whole turkey, pork butt for pulled pork, and bacon. My 2-cents worth, the Smokey Mountain is a very capable smoker. Everything I have cooked in it has been delicious. It's simple to operate, doesn't take up much space, and in my opinion, a pretty cool shape. I did purchase a remote temperature monitor (I chose a Thermopro which comes with a lifetime probe replacement warranty, which I just recently had to take advantage of) which makes it a snap to keep an eye on the smoker temperature. The side door on the smoker makes it easy to add wood chunks or additional charcoal. There are 3 good size vents on the bottom and 1 on the lid for temp and smoke control. I have done a Traeger v Smokey Mountain taste test for bacon and ribs. The Smokey Mountain made good ribs, but the Traeger ribs were phenomenal! But for bacon, the Smokey Mountain was the winner. The bacon has a much more intense flavor when smoked in the Weber Smokey Mountain. And to be sure it was a fair contest I bought Traeger brand pellets in the same flavor as the wood chunks I was using in the Weber.
As far as cleanup, the Weber Smokey Mountain is fairly easy to maintain (and move when cool) because it is in three sections. I would recommend though that you spray or oil the grates (both sides) each time before smoking. It'll make clean up much easier.
OK, so why only 4 Stars? The one drawback I have noticed with my Weber Smokey Mountain is cold or wet weather smoking. Although the smoker is not thin, cheap metal, it's not super thick either, so during cool/cold weather you need to plan on slightly longer cooking times and more charcoal. Not a big deal but keeps it from being perfect.
As far as cleanup, the Weber Smokey Mountain is fairly easy to maintain (and move when cool) because it is in three sections. I would recommend though that you spray or oil the grates (both sides) each time before smoking. It'll make clean up much easier.
OK, so why only 4 Stars? The one drawback I have noticed with my Weber Smokey Mountain is cold or wet weather smoking. Although the smoker is not thin, cheap metal, it's not super thick either, so during cool/cold weather you need to plan on slightly longer cooking times and more charcoal. Not a big deal but keeps it from being perfect.
George Weber : A great smoker for two
I have had the 18” & 22” WSM and the 14” is a perfectly scaled down version of the larger model. It is as easy to adjust and holds temps just like the big boys. This is a great smoker for the two of us and I believe it would work really well for a family of four. If you are on the fence about the size don’t be worried and pull the trigger. This is a well built awesome little smoker
book buyer : Not what I expected of Weber
I was disappointed in this smoker. As an owner of a Weber Grill for over 20 years, I guess I expected the smoker to be of the same quality as their grills. It is too small and is not easy to add charcoal to. It does not maintain temperature required to smoke food for a long period (minimum 5 hours). I would not recommend this to anyone that is a serious smoker. It may be appropriate for the novice smoker.
Dima Oksenkrug : Love it!
I don’t think this product needs a review. It’s a Webber!!! I love it!!! Hold the temperature, fits 4 to 5 large rack of ribs at the time, very compact in size and super easy to clean. I mean, this is an amazing mid size smoker. Worth every penny!
Harry Soo : 28 Grand Championships on this smoker and counting
November 2017 Update:
All it takes is one WSM-18 to win a Rib Championship, even caveman pitmaster style when no foil or electricity is allowed. See pics.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
My BBQ team Slap Yo Daddy BBQ from Diamond Bar, California, has been competing using these smokers which I bought off Amazon with free Prime shipping. They work flawlessly and are easy to use and clean up. Our WSMs regularly allow us to win Grand Championships even when we go up against other smokers costing over $15,000.
The key step once your smoker arrives is to ensure you season it properly. New WSMs will tend to overheat until you are able to get grease and gunk on the inside and around the rim where the lid sits to ensure an air tight seal. The fastest way to season is to do the following: Phase One - cover the water pan completely with aluminum foil and run a full load of lit Kingsford briquettes and let it run as hot as it can with no water in the pan (over 350 degrees) to burn off any manufacturing residue. Clean out the ash and proceed to phase two.
Phase Two - fill the charcoal basket 1/2 full of unlit briquettes. Then put in a 1/2 chimney of lit Kingsford briquettes in the middle. This will allow a slow burn for 3-5 hours at 72 degrees outside temperature. Adjust the vents to get 275 degrees on the dome thermometer. Put bacon strips, chicken parts, pork fat, or any other scrap meat you don't plan to eat. The key is to get fatty meats to generate lots of grease. Toss in a couple of tennis-sized wood chunks to generate smoke. Repeat Phase Two at least twice before you cook meat that you want to eat.
Phase Three - When you cook meat you plan to eat, take a tip from me and don't use any water in the pan. When I cook, I just cover the water pan with foil top and bottom. I foil it twice so I can remove the second layer after the cook and refoil it. That way, I don't have to clean my pan. It works just as well, AFTER YOU SEASON YOUR WSM, when you cook without water in the pan. Dry heat allows the crust to form faster on the meat (called the bark). Once the crust forms on the meat, you can introduce moisture. I just spray water with a regular spray bottle to encourage bark formation after the initial crusting (Maillard reaction) has begun. To test for properly formed bark, use your finger nail and scrape the meat surface. If the crust has formed, it will not come off when you gently scrape it with your fingernail. If the crust comes off, the bark has not set (still wet) so don't spray until it sets. Let it cook longer and check back in 15 mins. You'll get much better results this way. We've won many awards with this technique.
When it comes to cleaning your WSM, never wash the insides. Get a good grill brush and scrape down the insides and dome. You need the "aroma" which takes several years to build up. I NEVER mix my meat WSMs from my seafood and hotdog WSMs. Nothing destroys the aroma faster than cooking fish/seafood/hotdogs in a WSM used to cook chicken, ribs, pork, brisket, and tri tip. That's why you should buy a pair if you plan to cook seafood/fish/hotdogs. Better yet, get a Weber Kettle for those meats. Remember to always empty the ash from the bottom and grease on the foiled water pan to avoid fires and any rancid old oil smell before you cook. When you need to clean the grates, put the grates in a big plastic trash bag, put on gloves, and spray oven cleaner on the grates while in the bag and let sit for 1/2 hour. Hose off the grates. It's as easy as that. To clean the outsides, I use Simple Green spray.
Enjoy your WSMs. They are awesome and built to last.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Updated March 18, 2014 - in response to questions on fire and temp management on the WSM-18, I added a link with more tips [...]
OK. A reader notified me that Amazon deleted my link to my bbq team website where I feature easy recipes of the backyard cook.
No worries, you can find it if you Google my team name. It's got pics and such. For the words, I cut and pasted the info for you as follows:
Fire Control
Before I describe how to season your new WSM, I want to explain the basics of fire control in a barbecue pit. Regardless of the pit you're using, they all have three major components that you'll need to learn to control to maintain proper cooking temperatures: 1) the air intake, 2) fuel you're using, and 3) the exhaust vent/chimney. I use Kingsford Blue briquettes so my description assumes you use the same fuel. If you use something else, your mileage will vary.
I've used KF Blue since I started competing in 2008 and with over two dozen Grand Championships and 80+ first places including a first place USA in chicken in the Kansas City Barbecue Society Team of the Year 2012; I know KF Blue works well. Besides, I buy them on sale in the summer months for half price and stockpile them for my classes and contest year where I use over a hundred 20-lb bags annually. Yes, I do use other types of fuel like lump charcoal and pellets but I like to compete using KF Blue (no, they are not my sponsor) because I can fly into any city in America and drive my rental car to Walmart to pick up one bag of KF Blue and win a Grand Championship.
In the WSM, there are three circular intake damper vents at the bottom that can be opened or closed as needed to allow more or less air to enter the pit. More air and the temperature goes up and less air causes the pit temperature to go down. The circular fire steel fire ring holds your charcoal and you can adjust the amount of charcoal depending on how long you need to run the pit.
If you run it for chicken (2 hours), you only need to fill the ring about 1/3 way. If you want to cook ribs (6 hours), you will fill it about 2/3 way. If you're cooking brisket and pork butt (> 12 hours), you want to fill it all the way going past the top of the charcoal ring until it is overflowing. Be sure to remove the excess briquettes that have fallen over the side of the charcoal ring. Do a bit of Jenga and create a volcano shaped crater at in the middle of the overflowing mound of charcoal by removing excess briquettes and returning them to the charcoal bag. When you're ready to start cooking, carefully dump a half charcoal chimney of lit briquettes into the crater. Over the next 12-16 hours, the briquettes will burn gradually outwards as the temperature stays constant. I cook my long haul meats at 250F and everything else (chicken, ribs, tri tip, beef ribs, etc) at 275F.
If you are using a full overflowing load of briquettes for a 12+ hour cook, the standard deep WSM water pan won't work because it sits too low and will bump up against the top of your briquettes. No worries. Just remove the deep water pan and use the silver aluminum heat shield instead. You need to unsnap the heat shield and wrap it in double layer of aluminum foil and use that ultra-light pan in place of the deep water pan. If you have access to a WSM circa 2008 and earlier, those older WSMs come with a shallow water pan that does not bump into the briquettes. Alternatively, you can go to Home Depot and get yourself a terra cotta planter base that's the same diameter as the WSM water pan. I don't like the terra cotta approach as it's added weight I have to carry when I transport my WSMs which have already accumulated over 100,000 miles of travel all over the US.
Of the three components I mentioned: intake, fuel choice and amount, and the exhaust, the most effective component to maintain constant temperature is not the intake nor the fuel. It's the exhaust. Many beginners I come across are not aware of that. All seasoned pitmasters know how to intuitively draft their pit using "clean" smoke to color and flavor their barbecue meats. The draft refers to the vacuum effect when you open or close the exhaust vent of your pit.
When you open the exhaust vent on the WSM, you allow hot air to leave the pit and this creates a vacuum suction to draw air in from the bottom intakes. Thus, by skillfully manipulating the top vent, you can control your WSM like a pro. Many beginners constantly fiddle with their intake dampers in hopes to maintain a constant temperature with less success than leaving the bottom vents untouched and fiddling with the top vent to control the draft within their WSM. In future articles, I'll address the mechanics of damper control on the WSM (e.g., old school versus automated blower systems) and the science on dirty smoke, white smoke, clean smoke, blue smoke, sour smoke, etc. For now, just give my technique a try and see if it works for you.
Once you have seasoned your WSM using the steps below, follow my technique to light your pit and leave one bottom vent open and the top vent half open. Allow your pit to come slowly up to temp (it may take 30-45 minutes). If the pit starts to over temp, gradually shut down the top vent and it will calm down. New WSMs invariably overheat until after half a dozen cooks so be prepared to cook with top and bottom vents all completely closed in your first few cooks. If you have the top vent completely open and one bottom vent completely open and your pit does not come up in temp, you can open a second bottom vent, followed by a third. Usually when you open the second or third, it means you're out of fuel. You can toss 20 briquettes through the fire door and be careful not to snuff out the fire. If your fire is already out, you have to light your briquettes before you toss them into the WSM.
Here's are a couple of tips if you need ramp up temps quickly. You can prop a ½ inch piece of wood to keep the WSM dome lid ajar. Alternatively, you can open the WSM fire door and let air in to crank up the temps. With both of these quick fix approaches, do not leave your WSM unattended as the temps could rise fast and you'll burn your meats.
All it takes is one WSM-18 to win a Rib Championship, even caveman pitmaster style when no foil or electricity is allowed. See pics.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
My BBQ team Slap Yo Daddy BBQ from Diamond Bar, California, has been competing using these smokers which I bought off Amazon with free Prime shipping. They work flawlessly and are easy to use and clean up. Our WSMs regularly allow us to win Grand Championships even when we go up against other smokers costing over $15,000.
The key step once your smoker arrives is to ensure you season it properly. New WSMs will tend to overheat until you are able to get grease and gunk on the inside and around the rim where the lid sits to ensure an air tight seal. The fastest way to season is to do the following: Phase One - cover the water pan completely with aluminum foil and run a full load of lit Kingsford briquettes and let it run as hot as it can with no water in the pan (over 350 degrees) to burn off any manufacturing residue. Clean out the ash and proceed to phase two.
Phase Two - fill the charcoal basket 1/2 full of unlit briquettes. Then put in a 1/2 chimney of lit Kingsford briquettes in the middle. This will allow a slow burn for 3-5 hours at 72 degrees outside temperature. Adjust the vents to get 275 degrees on the dome thermometer. Put bacon strips, chicken parts, pork fat, or any other scrap meat you don't plan to eat. The key is to get fatty meats to generate lots of grease. Toss in a couple of tennis-sized wood chunks to generate smoke. Repeat Phase Two at least twice before you cook meat that you want to eat.
Phase Three - When you cook meat you plan to eat, take a tip from me and don't use any water in the pan. When I cook, I just cover the water pan with foil top and bottom. I foil it twice so I can remove the second layer after the cook and refoil it. That way, I don't have to clean my pan. It works just as well, AFTER YOU SEASON YOUR WSM, when you cook without water in the pan. Dry heat allows the crust to form faster on the meat (called the bark). Once the crust forms on the meat, you can introduce moisture. I just spray water with a regular spray bottle to encourage bark formation after the initial crusting (Maillard reaction) has begun. To test for properly formed bark, use your finger nail and scrape the meat surface. If the crust has formed, it will not come off when you gently scrape it with your fingernail. If the crust comes off, the bark has not set (still wet) so don't spray until it sets. Let it cook longer and check back in 15 mins. You'll get much better results this way. We've won many awards with this technique.
When it comes to cleaning your WSM, never wash the insides. Get a good grill brush and scrape down the insides and dome. You need the "aroma" which takes several years to build up. I NEVER mix my meat WSMs from my seafood and hotdog WSMs. Nothing destroys the aroma faster than cooking fish/seafood/hotdogs in a WSM used to cook chicken, ribs, pork, brisket, and tri tip. That's why you should buy a pair if you plan to cook seafood/fish/hotdogs. Better yet, get a Weber Kettle for those meats. Remember to always empty the ash from the bottom and grease on the foiled water pan to avoid fires and any rancid old oil smell before you cook. When you need to clean the grates, put the grates in a big plastic trash bag, put on gloves, and spray oven cleaner on the grates while in the bag and let sit for 1/2 hour. Hose off the grates. It's as easy as that. To clean the outsides, I use Simple Green spray.
Enjoy your WSMs. They are awesome and built to last.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Updated March 18, 2014 - in response to questions on fire and temp management on the WSM-18, I added a link with more tips [...]
OK. A reader notified me that Amazon deleted my link to my bbq team website where I feature easy recipes of the backyard cook.
No worries, you can find it if you Google my team name. It's got pics and such. For the words, I cut and pasted the info for you as follows:
Fire Control
Before I describe how to season your new WSM, I want to explain the basics of fire control in a barbecue pit. Regardless of the pit you're using, they all have three major components that you'll need to learn to control to maintain proper cooking temperatures: 1) the air intake, 2) fuel you're using, and 3) the exhaust vent/chimney. I use Kingsford Blue briquettes so my description assumes you use the same fuel. If you use something else, your mileage will vary.
I've used KF Blue since I started competing in 2008 and with over two dozen Grand Championships and 80+ first places including a first place USA in chicken in the Kansas City Barbecue Society Team of the Year 2012; I know KF Blue works well. Besides, I buy them on sale in the summer months for half price and stockpile them for my classes and contest year where I use over a hundred 20-lb bags annually. Yes, I do use other types of fuel like lump charcoal and pellets but I like to compete using KF Blue (no, they are not my sponsor) because I can fly into any city in America and drive my rental car to Walmart to pick up one bag of KF Blue and win a Grand Championship.
In the WSM, there are three circular intake damper vents at the bottom that can be opened or closed as needed to allow more or less air to enter the pit. More air and the temperature goes up and less air causes the pit temperature to go down. The circular fire steel fire ring holds your charcoal and you can adjust the amount of charcoal depending on how long you need to run the pit.
If you run it for chicken (2 hours), you only need to fill the ring about 1/3 way. If you want to cook ribs (6 hours), you will fill it about 2/3 way. If you're cooking brisket and pork butt (> 12 hours), you want to fill it all the way going past the top of the charcoal ring until it is overflowing. Be sure to remove the excess briquettes that have fallen over the side of the charcoal ring. Do a bit of Jenga and create a volcano shaped crater at in the middle of the overflowing mound of charcoal by removing excess briquettes and returning them to the charcoal bag. When you're ready to start cooking, carefully dump a half charcoal chimney of lit briquettes into the crater. Over the next 12-16 hours, the briquettes will burn gradually outwards as the temperature stays constant. I cook my long haul meats at 250F and everything else (chicken, ribs, tri tip, beef ribs, etc) at 275F.
If you are using a full overflowing load of briquettes for a 12+ hour cook, the standard deep WSM water pan won't work because it sits too low and will bump up against the top of your briquettes. No worries. Just remove the deep water pan and use the silver aluminum heat shield instead. You need to unsnap the heat shield and wrap it in double layer of aluminum foil and use that ultra-light pan in place of the deep water pan. If you have access to a WSM circa 2008 and earlier, those older WSMs come with a shallow water pan that does not bump into the briquettes. Alternatively, you can go to Home Depot and get yourself a terra cotta planter base that's the same diameter as the WSM water pan. I don't like the terra cotta approach as it's added weight I have to carry when I transport my WSMs which have already accumulated over 100,000 miles of travel all over the US.
Of the three components I mentioned: intake, fuel choice and amount, and the exhaust, the most effective component to maintain constant temperature is not the intake nor the fuel. It's the exhaust. Many beginners I come across are not aware of that. All seasoned pitmasters know how to intuitively draft their pit using "clean" smoke to color and flavor their barbecue meats. The draft refers to the vacuum effect when you open or close the exhaust vent of your pit.
When you open the exhaust vent on the WSM, you allow hot air to leave the pit and this creates a vacuum suction to draw air in from the bottom intakes. Thus, by skillfully manipulating the top vent, you can control your WSM like a pro. Many beginners constantly fiddle with their intake dampers in hopes to maintain a constant temperature with less success than leaving the bottom vents untouched and fiddling with the top vent to control the draft within their WSM. In future articles, I'll address the mechanics of damper control on the WSM (e.g., old school versus automated blower systems) and the science on dirty smoke, white smoke, clean smoke, blue smoke, sour smoke, etc. For now, just give my technique a try and see if it works for you.
Once you have seasoned your WSM using the steps below, follow my technique to light your pit and leave one bottom vent open and the top vent half open. Allow your pit to come slowly up to temp (it may take 30-45 minutes). If the pit starts to over temp, gradually shut down the top vent and it will calm down. New WSMs invariably overheat until after half a dozen cooks so be prepared to cook with top and bottom vents all completely closed in your first few cooks. If you have the top vent completely open and one bottom vent completely open and your pit does not come up in temp, you can open a second bottom vent, followed by a third. Usually when you open the second or third, it means you're out of fuel. You can toss 20 briquettes through the fire door and be careful not to snuff out the fire. If your fire is already out, you have to light your briquettes before you toss them into the WSM.
Here's are a couple of tips if you need ramp up temps quickly. You can prop a ½ inch piece of wood to keep the WSM dome lid ajar. Alternatively, you can open the WSM fire door and let air in to crank up the temps. With both of these quick fix approaches, do not leave your WSM unattended as the temps could rise fast and you'll burn your meats.
C. Ravetta : Good quality smoker
This smoker was a Christmas gift for my boyfriend based on recommendations of Meathead Goldwyn and Amazon reviews. He had a small Brinkman smoker of similar design that he made a number of modifications to. This was a step up. He has been really happy with the smoker. It uses very little charcoal and the dampers work well to quickly adjust the temperature. He has smoked salmon, ribs, a couple of beef briskets, pork crown roast, pork chops, chickens and numerous pork shoulders. He is still getting used to how much charcoal to add to achieve his exact desired cooking temperature as the weather warms and is going to start keeping a log but other than that everything has been flawless. Even cooking in cold weather it required very little additional fuel to cook a 5 pound shoulder roast.
Zac Rich : This was a great buy. Assembly was a easy
This was a great buy. Assembly was a easy, but make sure you keep track of the smaller screws and bolts. The issue with the product is the the front door. The door does not have a tight fit which allows smoke and heat to escape. Additionally, although should be common knowledge be careful of the lower vents getting too hot during cooking! AND READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! Number #1 mistake I made was thinking having the vents open equals more air coming in which would mean less heat, oh boy was I wrong! I typically keep one vent closed one vent open and the third vent I play it to get my targeted heat level. I also leave the top vent wide open!
Enough room for 2 full racks of ribs, large briskets or a full turkey!
Enough room for 2 full racks of ribs, large briskets or a full turkey!
nelly md : The little smoker that could
I was on the fence between this and the 18 and after much back and forth finally pulled the trigger on the 14. No regrets! Cooking space is tight but perfect for my family of 4. Briskets and ribs need to get halved but no biggie. A slab wouldn’t of fit the 18 either. If I want to cook a packer or keep the ribs whole, then I bust out the slow and sear and smoke in the kettle. Ultimately I chose this over the 18 because the extra space didn’t justify the $110 jump in price for my cooks. The 22 WSM wasn’t an option cause that’s just too cavernous and a charcoal eater. I get about 7-8ish hours with a single chimney of Kingsford Blue before I need to add. The water dish prevents adding more up front. Money saved getting the 14 and fuel saved over the 18 goes to more food in my belly.
Harry Soo : 28 Grand Championships on this smoker and counting
November 2017 Update:
All it takes is one WSM-18 to win a Rib Championship, even caveman pitmaster style when no foil or electricity is allowed. See pics.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
My BBQ team Slap Yo Daddy BBQ from Diamond Bar, California, has been competing using these smokers which I bought off Amazon with free Prime shipping. They work flawlessly and are easy to use and clean up. Our WSMs regularly allow us to win Grand Championships even when we go up against other smokers costing over $15,000.
The key step once your smoker arrives is to ensure you season it properly. New WSMs will tend to overheat until you are able to get grease and gunk on the inside and around the rim where the lid sits to ensure an air tight seal. The fastest way to season is to do the following: Phase One - cover the water pan completely with aluminum foil and run a full load of lit Kingsford briquettes and let it run as hot as it can with no water in the pan (over 350 degrees) to burn off any manufacturing residue. Clean out the ash and proceed to phase two.
Phase Two - fill the charcoal basket 1/2 full of unlit briquettes. Then put in a 1/2 chimney of lit Kingsford briquettes in the middle. This will allow a slow burn for 3-5 hours at 72 degrees outside temperature. Adjust the vents to get 275 degrees on the dome thermometer. Put bacon strips, chicken parts, pork fat, or any other scrap meat you don't plan to eat. The key is to get fatty meats to generate lots of grease. Toss in a couple of tennis-sized wood chunks to generate smoke. Repeat Phase Two at least twice before you cook meat that you want to eat.
Phase Three - When you cook meat you plan to eat, take a tip from me and don't use any water in the pan. When I cook, I just cover the water pan with foil top and bottom. I foil it twice so I can remove the second layer after the cook and refoil it. That way, I don't have to clean my pan. It works just as well, AFTER YOU SEASON YOUR WSM, when you cook without water in the pan. Dry heat allows the crust to form faster on the meat (called the bark). Once the crust forms on the meat, you can introduce moisture. I just spray water with a regular spray bottle to encourage bark formation after the initial crusting (Maillard reaction) has begun. To test for properly formed bark, use your finger nail and scrape the meat surface. If the crust has formed, it will not come off when you gently scrape it with your fingernail. If the crust comes off, the bark has not set (still wet) so don't spray until it sets. Let it cook longer and check back in 15 mins. You'll get much better results this way. We've won many awards with this technique.
When it comes to cleaning your WSM, never wash the insides. Get a good grill brush and scrape down the insides and dome. You need the "aroma" which takes several years to build up. I NEVER mix my meat WSMs from my seafood and hotdog WSMs. Nothing destroys the aroma faster than cooking fish/seafood/hotdogs in a WSM used to cook chicken, ribs, pork, brisket, and tri tip. That's why you should buy a pair if you plan to cook seafood/fish/hotdogs. Better yet, get a Weber Kettle for those meats. Remember to always empty the ash from the bottom and grease on the foiled water pan to avoid fires and any rancid old oil smell before you cook. When you need to clean the grates, put the grates in a big plastic trash bag, put on gloves, and spray oven cleaner on the grates while in the bag and let sit for 1/2 hour. Hose off the grates. It's as easy as that. To clean the outsides, I use Simple Green spray.
Enjoy your WSMs. They are awesome and built to last.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Updated March 18, 2014 - in response to questions on fire and temp management on the WSM-18, I added a link with more tips [...]
OK. A reader notified me that Amazon deleted my link to my bbq team website where I feature easy recipes of the backyard cook.
No worries, you can find it if you Google my team name. It's got pics and such. For the words, I cut and pasted the info for you as follows:
Fire Control
Before I describe how to season your new WSM, I want to explain the basics of fire control in a barbecue pit. Regardless of the pit you're using, they all have three major components that you'll need to learn to control to maintain proper cooking temperatures: 1) the air intake, 2) fuel you're using, and 3) the exhaust vent/chimney. I use Kingsford Blue briquettes so my description assumes you use the same fuel. If you use something else, your mileage will vary.
I've used KF Blue since I started competing in 2008 and with over two dozen Grand Championships and 80+ first places including a first place USA in chicken in the Kansas City Barbecue Society Team of the Year 2012; I know KF Blue works well. Besides, I buy them on sale in the summer months for half price and stockpile them for my classes and contest year where I use over a hundred 20-lb bags annually. Yes, I do use other types of fuel like lump charcoal and pellets but I like to compete using KF Blue (no, they are not my sponsor) because I can fly into any city in America and drive my rental car to Walmart to pick up one bag of KF Blue and win a Grand Championship.
In the WSM, there are three circular intake damper vents at the bottom that can be opened or closed as needed to allow more or less air to enter the pit. More air and the temperature goes up and less air causes the pit temperature to go down. The circular fire steel fire ring holds your charcoal and you can adjust the amount of charcoal depending on how long you need to run the pit.
If you run it for chicken (2 hours), you only need to fill the ring about 1/3 way. If you want to cook ribs (6 hours), you will fill it about 2/3 way. If you're cooking brisket and pork butt (> 12 hours), you want to fill it all the way going past the top of the charcoal ring until it is overflowing. Be sure to remove the excess briquettes that have fallen over the side of the charcoal ring. Do a bit of Jenga and create a volcano shaped crater at in the middle of the overflowing mound of charcoal by removing excess briquettes and returning them to the charcoal bag. When you're ready to start cooking, carefully dump a half charcoal chimney of lit briquettes into the crater. Over the next 12-16 hours, the briquettes will burn gradually outwards as the temperature stays constant. I cook my long haul meats at 250F and everything else (chicken, ribs, tri tip, beef ribs, etc) at 275F.
If you are using a full overflowing load of briquettes for a 12+ hour cook, the standard deep WSM water pan won't work because it sits too low and will bump up against the top of your briquettes. No worries. Just remove the deep water pan and use the silver aluminum heat shield instead. You need to unsnap the heat shield and wrap it in double layer of aluminum foil and use that ultra-light pan in place of the deep water pan. If you have access to a WSM circa 2008 and earlier, those older WSMs come with a shallow water pan that does not bump into the briquettes. Alternatively, you can go to Home Depot and get yourself a terra cotta planter base that's the same diameter as the WSM water pan. I don't like the terra cotta approach as it's added weight I have to carry when I transport my WSMs which have already accumulated over 100,000 miles of travel all over the US.
Of the three components I mentioned: intake, fuel choice and amount, and the exhaust, the most effective component to maintain constant temperature is not the intake nor the fuel. It's the exhaust. Many beginners I come across are not aware of that. All seasoned pitmasters know how to intuitively draft their pit using "clean" smoke to color and flavor their barbecue meats. The draft refers to the vacuum effect when you open or close the exhaust vent of your pit.
When you open the exhaust vent on the WSM, you allow hot air to leave the pit and this creates a vacuum suction to draw air in from the bottom intakes. Thus, by skillfully manipulating the top vent, you can control your WSM like a pro. Many beginners constantly fiddle with their intake dampers in hopes to maintain a constant temperature with less success than leaving the bottom vents untouched and fiddling with the top vent to control the draft within their WSM. In future articles, I'll address the mechanics of damper control on the WSM (e.g., old school versus automated blower systems) and the science on dirty smoke, white smoke, clean smoke, blue smoke, sour smoke, etc. For now, just give my technique a try and see if it works for you.
Once you have seasoned your WSM using the steps below, follow my technique to light your pit and leave one bottom vent open and the top vent half open. Allow your pit to come slowly up to temp (it may take 30-45 minutes). If the pit starts to over temp, gradually shut down the top vent and it will calm down. New WSMs invariably overheat until after half a dozen cooks so be prepared to cook with top and bottom vents all completely closed in your first few cooks. If you have the top vent completely open and one bottom vent completely open and your pit does not come up in temp, you can open a second bottom vent, followed by a third. Usually when you open the second or third, it means you're out of fuel. You can toss 20 briquettes through the fire door and be careful not to snuff out the fire. If your fire is already out, you have to light your briquettes before you toss them into the WSM.
Here's are a couple of tips if you need ramp up temps quickly. You can prop a ½ inch piece of wood to keep the WSM dome lid ajar. Alternatively, you can open the WSM fire door and let air in to crank up the temps. With both of these quick fix approaches, do not leave your WSM unattended as the temps could rise fast and you'll burn your meats.
All it takes is one WSM-18 to win a Rib Championship, even caveman pitmaster style when no foil or electricity is allowed. See pics.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
My BBQ team Slap Yo Daddy BBQ from Diamond Bar, California, has been competing using these smokers which I bought off Amazon with free Prime shipping. They work flawlessly and are easy to use and clean up. Our WSMs regularly allow us to win Grand Championships even when we go up against other smokers costing over $15,000.
The key step once your smoker arrives is to ensure you season it properly. New WSMs will tend to overheat until you are able to get grease and gunk on the inside and around the rim where the lid sits to ensure an air tight seal. The fastest way to season is to do the following: Phase One - cover the water pan completely with aluminum foil and run a full load of lit Kingsford briquettes and let it run as hot as it can with no water in the pan (over 350 degrees) to burn off any manufacturing residue. Clean out the ash and proceed to phase two.
Phase Two - fill the charcoal basket 1/2 full of unlit briquettes. Then put in a 1/2 chimney of lit Kingsford briquettes in the middle. This will allow a slow burn for 3-5 hours at 72 degrees outside temperature. Adjust the vents to get 275 degrees on the dome thermometer. Put bacon strips, chicken parts, pork fat, or any other scrap meat you don't plan to eat. The key is to get fatty meats to generate lots of grease. Toss in a couple of tennis-sized wood chunks to generate smoke. Repeat Phase Two at least twice before you cook meat that you want to eat.
Phase Three - When you cook meat you plan to eat, take a tip from me and don't use any water in the pan. When I cook, I just cover the water pan with foil top and bottom. I foil it twice so I can remove the second layer after the cook and refoil it. That way, I don't have to clean my pan. It works just as well, AFTER YOU SEASON YOUR WSM, when you cook without water in the pan. Dry heat allows the crust to form faster on the meat (called the bark). Once the crust forms on the meat, you can introduce moisture. I just spray water with a regular spray bottle to encourage bark formation after the initial crusting (Maillard reaction) has begun. To test for properly formed bark, use your finger nail and scrape the meat surface. If the crust has formed, it will not come off when you gently scrape it with your fingernail. If the crust comes off, the bark has not set (still wet) so don't spray until it sets. Let it cook longer and check back in 15 mins. You'll get much better results this way. We've won many awards with this technique.
When it comes to cleaning your WSM, never wash the insides. Get a good grill brush and scrape down the insides and dome. You need the "aroma" which takes several years to build up. I NEVER mix my meat WSMs from my seafood and hotdog WSMs. Nothing destroys the aroma faster than cooking fish/seafood/hotdogs in a WSM used to cook chicken, ribs, pork, brisket, and tri tip. That's why you should buy a pair if you plan to cook seafood/fish/hotdogs. Better yet, get a Weber Kettle for those meats. Remember to always empty the ash from the bottom and grease on the foiled water pan to avoid fires and any rancid old oil smell before you cook. When you need to clean the grates, put the grates in a big plastic trash bag, put on gloves, and spray oven cleaner on the grates while in the bag and let sit for 1/2 hour. Hose off the grates. It's as easy as that. To clean the outsides, I use Simple Green spray.
Enjoy your WSMs. They are awesome and built to last.
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Updated March 18, 2014 - in response to questions on fire and temp management on the WSM-18, I added a link with more tips [...]
OK. A reader notified me that Amazon deleted my link to my bbq team website where I feature easy recipes of the backyard cook.
No worries, you can find it if you Google my team name. It's got pics and such. For the words, I cut and pasted the info for you as follows:
Fire Control
Before I describe how to season your new WSM, I want to explain the basics of fire control in a barbecue pit. Regardless of the pit you're using, they all have three major components that you'll need to learn to control to maintain proper cooking temperatures: 1) the air intake, 2) fuel you're using, and 3) the exhaust vent/chimney. I use Kingsford Blue briquettes so my description assumes you use the same fuel. If you use something else, your mileage will vary.
I've used KF Blue since I started competing in 2008 and with over two dozen Grand Championships and 80+ first places including a first place USA in chicken in the Kansas City Barbecue Society Team of the Year 2012; I know KF Blue works well. Besides, I buy them on sale in the summer months for half price and stockpile them for my classes and contest year where I use over a hundred 20-lb bags annually. Yes, I do use other types of fuel like lump charcoal and pellets but I like to compete using KF Blue (no, they are not my sponsor) because I can fly into any city in America and drive my rental car to Walmart to pick up one bag of KF Blue and win a Grand Championship.
In the WSM, there are three circular intake damper vents at the bottom that can be opened or closed as needed to allow more or less air to enter the pit. More air and the temperature goes up and less air causes the pit temperature to go down. The circular fire steel fire ring holds your charcoal and you can adjust the amount of charcoal depending on how long you need to run the pit.
If you run it for chicken (2 hours), you only need to fill the ring about 1/3 way. If you want to cook ribs (6 hours), you will fill it about 2/3 way. If you're cooking brisket and pork butt (> 12 hours), you want to fill it all the way going past the top of the charcoal ring until it is overflowing. Be sure to remove the excess briquettes that have fallen over the side of the charcoal ring. Do a bit of Jenga and create a volcano shaped crater at in the middle of the overflowing mound of charcoal by removing excess briquettes and returning them to the charcoal bag. When you're ready to start cooking, carefully dump a half charcoal chimney of lit briquettes into the crater. Over the next 12-16 hours, the briquettes will burn gradually outwards as the temperature stays constant. I cook my long haul meats at 250F and everything else (chicken, ribs, tri tip, beef ribs, etc) at 275F.
If you are using a full overflowing load of briquettes for a 12+ hour cook, the standard deep WSM water pan won't work because it sits too low and will bump up against the top of your briquettes. No worries. Just remove the deep water pan and use the silver aluminum heat shield instead. You need to unsnap the heat shield and wrap it in double layer of aluminum foil and use that ultra-light pan in place of the deep water pan. If you have access to a WSM circa 2008 and earlier, those older WSMs come with a shallow water pan that does not bump into the briquettes. Alternatively, you can go to Home Depot and get yourself a terra cotta planter base that's the same diameter as the WSM water pan. I don't like the terra cotta approach as it's added weight I have to carry when I transport my WSMs which have already accumulated over 100,000 miles of travel all over the US.
Of the three components I mentioned: intake, fuel choice and amount, and the exhaust, the most effective component to maintain constant temperature is not the intake nor the fuel. It's the exhaust. Many beginners I come across are not aware of that. All seasoned pitmasters know how to intuitively draft their pit using "clean" smoke to color and flavor their barbecue meats. The draft refers to the vacuum effect when you open or close the exhaust vent of your pit.
When you open the exhaust vent on the WSM, you allow hot air to leave the pit and this creates a vacuum suction to draw air in from the bottom intakes. Thus, by skillfully manipulating the top vent, you can control your WSM like a pro. Many beginners constantly fiddle with their intake dampers in hopes to maintain a constant temperature with less success than leaving the bottom vents untouched and fiddling with the top vent to control the draft within their WSM. In future articles, I'll address the mechanics of damper control on the WSM (e.g., old school versus automated blower systems) and the science on dirty smoke, white smoke, clean smoke, blue smoke, sour smoke, etc. For now, just give my technique a try and see if it works for you.
Once you have seasoned your WSM using the steps below, follow my technique to light your pit and leave one bottom vent open and the top vent half open. Allow your pit to come slowly up to temp (it may take 30-45 minutes). If the pit starts to over temp, gradually shut down the top vent and it will calm down. New WSMs invariably overheat until after half a dozen cooks so be prepared to cook with top and bottom vents all completely closed in your first few cooks. If you have the top vent completely open and one bottom vent completely open and your pit does not come up in temp, you can open a second bottom vent, followed by a third. Usually when you open the second or third, it means you're out of fuel. You can toss 20 briquettes through the fire door and be careful not to snuff out the fire. If your fire is already out, you have to light your briquettes before you toss them into the WSM.
Here's are a couple of tips if you need ramp up temps quickly. You can prop a ½ inch piece of wood to keep the WSM dome lid ajar. Alternatively, you can open the WSM fire door and let air in to crank up the temps. With both of these quick fix approaches, do not leave your WSM unattended as the temps could rise fast and you'll burn your meats.
chris : Great Smoker for the Neighborhood Dad
I believe this was the First purchase off Amazon for me. I had been wanting a smoker for awhile but wasn't sure on spending the money for this thing, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered it, After 3 years I could not be more happy with my purchase. Holds temps very well, have cooked several 12-14 hour runs(1 20lb bag charcoal) and as long as you don't keep opening the lid, or door you will be fine.
The size of the smoker is big and a little heavy when all put together, don't think you can haul this around to the park or tailgating, it has 2, 22 1/2 grates. just see the measurements of it and use a tape measure to get an idea on how tall it stands when put together.
I have Smoked 8 pork butts at one time, 60 lbs. of meat! Turkeys up to 19 lbs. fit nicely on the top grate, I can only get 2 full racks of spare ribs per grate unless I cut them in half and then I can double that. all that is to let you know just how much food it holds. so if you don't think you will need this much there is always the 18, but if we are smoking we want big right?? and when I need extra grilling room I take the middle section out and use it as a nice charcoal grill. I would recommend keeping it in a spot out of the wind, because wind is the only thing I have found that can make the temps not stay steady. The coldest I have cooked on it is -8 one night, it did burn a little more charcoal but I never had big temp ranges. I ended up building a small outhouse type building that mine fits inside nicely only because I smoke year round and in all types of weather and I it holds all of my BBQ supplies very nicely.
Quality on it is outstanding, the box had a few dings but the packaging protected the merchandise inside. It was very easy for me to put together, and I am impatient (my wife has to put the kids toys together because I get to frustrated) I believe you get what you pay for. This isn't a cheap piece of metal that will rust out after a few years like smokers you can get at the box stores. This will last for years. It sits right next to my Weber Gas Grill I purchased 17 years ago. So even though it is a little pricey you are buying something that will Last.
I would recommend you visiting the virtual weber bulletin board web site. There is a wealth of information there on how to smoke everything you could possibly want on these things. It is by far the greatest asset to smoking/cooking with one. If you are wanting to get into good BBQ that you make yourself for years to come then I can recommend this product without any reservations. I have been very happy with this purchase.
The size of the smoker is big and a little heavy when all put together, don't think you can haul this around to the park or tailgating, it has 2, 22 1/2 grates. just see the measurements of it and use a tape measure to get an idea on how tall it stands when put together.
I have Smoked 8 pork butts at one time, 60 lbs. of meat! Turkeys up to 19 lbs. fit nicely on the top grate, I can only get 2 full racks of spare ribs per grate unless I cut them in half and then I can double that. all that is to let you know just how much food it holds. so if you don't think you will need this much there is always the 18, but if we are smoking we want big right?? and when I need extra grilling room I take the middle section out and use it as a nice charcoal grill. I would recommend keeping it in a spot out of the wind, because wind is the only thing I have found that can make the temps not stay steady. The coldest I have cooked on it is -8 one night, it did burn a little more charcoal but I never had big temp ranges. I ended up building a small outhouse type building that mine fits inside nicely only because I smoke year round and in all types of weather and I it holds all of my BBQ supplies very nicely.
Quality on it is outstanding, the box had a few dings but the packaging protected the merchandise inside. It was very easy for me to put together, and I am impatient (my wife has to put the kids toys together because I get to frustrated) I believe you get what you pay for. This isn't a cheap piece of metal that will rust out after a few years like smokers you can get at the box stores. This will last for years. It sits right next to my Weber Gas Grill I purchased 17 years ago. So even though it is a little pricey you are buying something that will Last.
I would recommend you visiting the virtual weber bulletin board web site. There is a wealth of information there on how to smoke everything you could possibly want on these things. It is by far the greatest asset to smoking/cooking with one. If you are wanting to get into good BBQ that you make yourself for years to come then I can recommend this product without any reservations. I have been very happy with this purchase.
Kevin Amiri : Pretty Good Smoker
I have used it twice (1 1/2 really). First time I used it as a grill having removed the water bowl and the top grate. Had to reach into the smoker to get the meat I was grilling and definitely need gloves for it. I am using it to smoke pork ribs now and the temp control seems pretty good.
As another person reviewing it wrote, it would be good if it had handles. Also, accessing the lower grate is near impossible unless you remove the top grate. Getting to the meats through the front access would be very difficult. Also adding charcoal is tough since you cannot really see what is going on at the other side.
Overall, I like it so far.
As another person reviewing it wrote, it would be good if it had handles. Also, accessing the lower grate is near impossible unless you remove the top grate. Getting to the meats through the front access would be very difficult. Also adding charcoal is tough since you cannot really see what is going on at the other side.
Overall, I like it so far.
Pete in California. : Very Happy With Temperature Control
I purchased the Weber Smoker in May before Memorial day; I seasoned it, but 4th of July was the first time I used it for regular cooking. I have the 22 inch; some thought the 22 inch was way too big; I loved the size of it. I smoked a 14 oz brisket, 7 slabs of ribs and after the ribs were done, I put on a full rack of chicken. I did have some challenges with the temperature towards the last part of smoking my brisket, it took a bit; but I was able to get the heat under control. What have I learned from my first experience with this smoker: The 22 inch may be a bit challenging for the ladies to move a round; it will never be an issue for my wife, because she leaves all the outdoor cooking to me. The overheating towards the end was because I added to much fuel. Other than that the temperature control was almost flawless. I suggest filling the water pan to the max, the water will vaporize with all that heat. The door could be made better, but I will not reduce any stars because of it. I am thinking about purchasing a couple of more. 2 years ago, I purchased a custom built 1000lb smoker from Texas, this Weber smoker has better temp. control; lesson learned($$$)
John K. : Do Not Hesitate
If you've worked with cheapie smokers before, prepare to be blown away. A lot of thought went into this design, resulting in a drum smoker that gives consistent results with a minimum of fuss. Paired with a good thermometer, this is as close to set it and forget it as you'll get.
I've only used it twice, for two split chickens and 6 pounds of baby-backs. Chicken was amazing, my grandkids are now converts to REAL Bar-B-Que. The ribs were as good as anything I've tasted in Memphis - need I say more? The size is perfect for a family of six, with enough extra space to spread some neighborly goodwill. If you smoke it, they will come...
Though easy to set up out of the box, I have to mention that the 'instructions' are awfully lacking. All you get is an ambiguous pictogram, with no written instructions or notes to guide you. Took a lot longer than it should have to assemble, due to a couple mistakes I had to go back and re-do. Finally went to the web and found a step-by-step video that made it crystal clear. A bit surprising to report this deficiency about a Weber product.
Hefty weight without being cumbersome. Some handles on the outside of the smoke chamber would be convenient. There are times when I like to lift the entire middle off the fire, but it's easy enough to add handles later. Porcelain-coated interior and exterior means long life and easier cleanup. All parts fit together nicely, and the vent dampers work great. Less smoke leakage than I've come to expect from sportsman-type drums, and it's fuel-friendly as well. I'll be trying a brisket soon, and I figure I'll need to add wood chunks no more than 3 times during a 10-hour cook. Holds heat for a good long time with lump charcoal, you probably won't need to add charcoal for any session under 6 hours.
Can't find much to complain about at all. I'll probably make a couple of convenience mods later on, but it does a great job as-is. Be careful where you set it, though. The bottom heat shield only clears the surface by an inch or two. I wouldn't set this on wood or dry grass unless you have a fireproof platform underneath.
Easy enough for a newbie, powerful enough for a pro, and built to last. Typical Weber.
I've only used it twice, for two split chickens and 6 pounds of baby-backs. Chicken was amazing, my grandkids are now converts to REAL Bar-B-Que. The ribs were as good as anything I've tasted in Memphis - need I say more? The size is perfect for a family of six, with enough extra space to spread some neighborly goodwill. If you smoke it, they will come...
Though easy to set up out of the box, I have to mention that the 'instructions' are awfully lacking. All you get is an ambiguous pictogram, with no written instructions or notes to guide you. Took a lot longer than it should have to assemble, due to a couple mistakes I had to go back and re-do. Finally went to the web and found a step-by-step video that made it crystal clear. A bit surprising to report this deficiency about a Weber product.
Hefty weight without being cumbersome. Some handles on the outside of the smoke chamber would be convenient. There are times when I like to lift the entire middle off the fire, but it's easy enough to add handles later. Porcelain-coated interior and exterior means long life and easier cleanup. All parts fit together nicely, and the vent dampers work great. Less smoke leakage than I've come to expect from sportsman-type drums, and it's fuel-friendly as well. I'll be trying a brisket soon, and I figure I'll need to add wood chunks no more than 3 times during a 10-hour cook. Holds heat for a good long time with lump charcoal, you probably won't need to add charcoal for any session under 6 hours.
Can't find much to complain about at all. I'll probably make a couple of convenience mods later on, but it does a great job as-is. Be careful where you set it, though. The bottom heat shield only clears the surface by an inch or two. I wouldn't set this on wood or dry grass unless you have a fireproof platform underneath.
Easy enough for a newbie, powerful enough for a pro, and built to last. Typical Weber.
George Weber : A great smoker for two
I have had the 18” & 22” WSM and the 14” is a perfectly scaled down version of the larger model. It is as easy to adjust and holds temps just like the big boys. This is a great smoker for the two of us and I believe it would work really well for a family of four. If you are on the fence about the size don’t be worried and pull the trigger. This is a well built awesome little smoker
Eric : Fantastic Smoker. . . with a few easy modifications
I have owned my 18" WSM for about 11 months now. In that time, I have probably done about 30 cooks on it. So, I feel I can speak pretty well on my experiences.
First off, when I bought this, I had zero experience smoking. I grilled all the time, but never smoked. I was debating on getting a pellet grill, but held back because I feel that the "set it and forget it" really doesn't allow you to learn how to smoke. As a former beginner this is a great smoker to learn on.
The build quality is excellent and I believe that as long as it is kept out of the rain, it will last a very long time.
I did make a few modifications. Firstly, when I first got it, I couldn't control my temps. Yes, I know everyone says how great the temperature control on this is, but honestly, it is not out of the box. It definitely needs to be seasoned quite a bit. But more than that, it needs to be sealed up. I spent $15 on a gasket kit and sealed up the door and the lid. That was an immediate help. However, even with the gasket, I still think it needs 10 good long cooks to really seal it up and control temperature better. The other modification I made was to the charcoal grate. If you are using lump coal, the grate it comes with is fine. But, if you are using briquettes, the coals will fall through the grate. I had some wire mesh in my garage that I attached to the grate and the problem was eliminated. Eventually, I plan on installing a lid hinge, because it is a pain to figure out what to do with the lid when you are trying to remove your meat.
Anyway, after those two mods, the temperature control is great. It's possibly too good. With the water pan filled, the smoker will keep an even 225 for hours. Even with no water pan, it will be stable at 250-275. After about 20 cooks and with the gasket material, I did find it a bit more difficult to do hot and fast, even with the vents fully open. I've tried hotter charcoal, but, I find it very difficult now to maintain a long cook at 300 plus, unless the ambient temperature is over 80. I will probably need to get one of those temperature control fans.
As to size, I have an 18". The size is just fine for most of my cooks. But, if you are trying to do a full size packer brisket, it is not big enough. If you look at the picture, I believe that was a 12 pound brisket (pre-trimmed) which didn't fit. I ended up having to cut a portion of the flat off to make it fit in the WSM. For everything else, the size has been fine. The top grate will fit two racks of baby backs. I have cooked 5 chuck roasts at one time (to make 50 pulled beef sandwiches) with no problem on size. I smoked a 12 pound turkey for Thanksgiving. It may be big enough to do a 15 pounder, but not much more than that.
Overall, this is a great smoker. I have truly enjoyed learning to smoke on this. There are so many resources on how to improve your cooks either through forums or on YouTube. I highly recommend this to any beginner or even a seasoned bbqer.
First off, when I bought this, I had zero experience smoking. I grilled all the time, but never smoked. I was debating on getting a pellet grill, but held back because I feel that the "set it and forget it" really doesn't allow you to learn how to smoke. As a former beginner this is a great smoker to learn on.
The build quality is excellent and I believe that as long as it is kept out of the rain, it will last a very long time.
I did make a few modifications. Firstly, when I first got it, I couldn't control my temps. Yes, I know everyone says how great the temperature control on this is, but honestly, it is not out of the box. It definitely needs to be seasoned quite a bit. But more than that, it needs to be sealed up. I spent $15 on a gasket kit and sealed up the door and the lid. That was an immediate help. However, even with the gasket, I still think it needs 10 good long cooks to really seal it up and control temperature better. The other modification I made was to the charcoal grate. If you are using lump coal, the grate it comes with is fine. But, if you are using briquettes, the coals will fall through the grate. I had some wire mesh in my garage that I attached to the grate and the problem was eliminated. Eventually, I plan on installing a lid hinge, because it is a pain to figure out what to do with the lid when you are trying to remove your meat.
Anyway, after those two mods, the temperature control is great. It's possibly too good. With the water pan filled, the smoker will keep an even 225 for hours. Even with no water pan, it will be stable at 250-275. After about 20 cooks and with the gasket material, I did find it a bit more difficult to do hot and fast, even with the vents fully open. I've tried hotter charcoal, but, I find it very difficult now to maintain a long cook at 300 plus, unless the ambient temperature is over 80. I will probably need to get one of those temperature control fans.
As to size, I have an 18". The size is just fine for most of my cooks. But, if you are trying to do a full size packer brisket, it is not big enough. If you look at the picture, I believe that was a 12 pound brisket (pre-trimmed) which didn't fit. I ended up having to cut a portion of the flat off to make it fit in the WSM. For everything else, the size has been fine. The top grate will fit two racks of baby backs. I have cooked 5 chuck roasts at one time (to make 50 pulled beef sandwiches) with no problem on size. I smoked a 12 pound turkey for Thanksgiving. It may be big enough to do a 15 pounder, but not much more than that.
Overall, this is a great smoker. I have truly enjoyed learning to smoke on this. There are so many resources on how to improve your cooks either through forums or on YouTube. I highly recommend this to any beginner or even a seasoned bbqer.
Bdawg : I am amazed at how well this thing regulates temperature.
First off if you are debating on getting the 22 or 18 inch smoker just get the big one. Ribs fit perfectly on this smoker without any issue. Rib are doable on the 18 but fit VERY tight.
I was hesitant to buy a charcoal smoker because I had an electric and it regulated temperature perfectly, but I was missing the charcoal flavor. To my surprise this smoker holds temp BETTER than my old electric. When set properly this smoker can hold a temperature within a 10 degree window for 10 hours (possibly more). I use about 10 to 12 pounds of charcoal set up in the minion method.
As far as the hardware on the cooker. The only complain I have is the charcoal door on the smoker was not tight fitting at all when I got it. I simply had to bend it a bit and it was fine. Some smoke escapes the cooker but there is no need to buy the kits to seal the lid and door.
If you are debating on buying an IQ, DigiQ or some other form of fan controller I would not recommend it. Granted I have not cooked in weather extremes, but this smoker does not need these to regulate temperature. I almost bought one with the smoker and I am glad I didn't.
If there was one thing I would add to this smoker it would be some sort of wheels or an easier way to move it around.
Overall this smoker has impressed the heck out of me. It doesn't take nearly the amount of charcoal I thought it would need and it regulates temperature better than expected.
Also a side note the top vent should always be wide open when cooking. For me general settings in around 70 degree ambient temperature I open all 3 bottom vents about 20% and it gives me a temp of 250.
I was hesitant to buy a charcoal smoker because I had an electric and it regulated temperature perfectly, but I was missing the charcoal flavor. To my surprise this smoker holds temp BETTER than my old electric. When set properly this smoker can hold a temperature within a 10 degree window for 10 hours (possibly more). I use about 10 to 12 pounds of charcoal set up in the minion method.
As far as the hardware on the cooker. The only complain I have is the charcoal door on the smoker was not tight fitting at all when I got it. I simply had to bend it a bit and it was fine. Some smoke escapes the cooker but there is no need to buy the kits to seal the lid and door.
If you are debating on buying an IQ, DigiQ or some other form of fan controller I would not recommend it. Granted I have not cooked in weather extremes, but this smoker does not need these to regulate temperature. I almost bought one with the smoker and I am glad I didn't.
If there was one thing I would add to this smoker it would be some sort of wheels or an easier way to move it around.
Overall this smoker has impressed the heck out of me. It doesn't take nearly the amount of charcoal I thought it would need and it regulates temperature better than expected.
Also a side note the top vent should always be wide open when cooking. For me general settings in around 70 degree ambient temperature I open all 3 bottom vents about 20% and it gives me a temp of 250.
R C : Good WSM smoker....except the lid cover
Had a very good cook out with this Weber smoker. Its a bite expensive but you get what you paid for. The overall assembly of the smoker is OK. The only tricky part is inserting the silicon insert onto the smoker. Took a good 10 minutes and hard pressure on my thumb for the insert. Use it 3 times for pork butts and beef brisket. Came out fairly good but you do have to pay attention to the temperature so your meat does not dry out. My only complain is the cover is very tight once it heat up. I figure the metal expended and it gotten very tight to open. It will take some force to hold the edge down while you pull out the cover. Maybe a manufacture defect but I will live with it since it does a good job.
Simon : Greatest smoking grill out there with a few upgrades
This is such an amazing grilling tool! Make sure to check out Slap Yo Daddy BBQ for info on how to season it and for tons of great recipes. Also, make sure to buy the Party Q temperature controller. Once you get your grill to about the right temp, turn it on and you won't have to check, adjust or do anything to keep the temperature constant. I also bought the Tappecue four probe remote sensors. These are very accurate temperature probes that hook into your house wifi. I can leave the house, visit friends, buy groceries and can keep an eye on my temp. One temp measures the ambient temp of the grill and the other three can be in the different types of meat that I am smoking. Lastly, I upgraded the door from Cajun Bandit. The door that came with my WSM was pretty flimsy and smoke poured out. The new stainless steel doors looks much better and locks the smoke and heat in.
chris : Great Smoker for the Neighborhood Dad
I believe this was the First purchase off Amazon for me. I had been wanting a smoker for awhile but wasn't sure on spending the money for this thing, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered it, After 3 years I could not be more happy with my purchase. Holds temps very well, have cooked several 12-14 hour runs(1 20lb bag charcoal) and as long as you don't keep opening the lid, or door you will be fine.
The size of the smoker is big and a little heavy when all put together, don't think you can haul this around to the park or tailgating, it has 2, 22 1/2 grates. just see the measurements of it and use a tape measure to get an idea on how tall it stands when put together.
I have Smoked 8 pork butts at one time, 60 lbs. of meat! Turkeys up to 19 lbs. fit nicely on the top grate, I can only get 2 full racks of spare ribs per grate unless I cut them in half and then I can double that. all that is to let you know just how much food it holds. so if you don't think you will need this much there is always the 18, but if we are smoking we want big right?? and when I need extra grilling room I take the middle section out and use it as a nice charcoal grill. I would recommend keeping it in a spot out of the wind, because wind is the only thing I have found that can make the temps not stay steady. The coldest I have cooked on it is -8 one night, it did burn a little more charcoal but I never had big temp ranges. I ended up building a small outhouse type building that mine fits inside nicely only because I smoke year round and in all types of weather and I it holds all of my BBQ supplies very nicely.
Quality on it is outstanding, the box had a few dings but the packaging protected the merchandise inside. It was very easy for me to put together, and I am impatient (my wife has to put the kids toys together because I get to frustrated) I believe you get what you pay for. This isn't a cheap piece of metal that will rust out after a few years like smokers you can get at the box stores. This will last for years. It sits right next to my Weber Gas Grill I purchased 17 years ago. So even though it is a little pricey you are buying something that will Last.
I would recommend you visiting the virtual weber bulletin board web site. There is a wealth of information there on how to smoke everything you could possibly want on these things. It is by far the greatest asset to smoking/cooking with one. If you are wanting to get into good BBQ that you make yourself for years to come then I can recommend this product without any reservations. I have been very happy with this purchase.
The size of the smoker is big and a little heavy when all put together, don't think you can haul this around to the park or tailgating, it has 2, 22 1/2 grates. just see the measurements of it and use a tape measure to get an idea on how tall it stands when put together.
I have Smoked 8 pork butts at one time, 60 lbs. of meat! Turkeys up to 19 lbs. fit nicely on the top grate, I can only get 2 full racks of spare ribs per grate unless I cut them in half and then I can double that. all that is to let you know just how much food it holds. so if you don't think you will need this much there is always the 18, but if we are smoking we want big right?? and when I need extra grilling room I take the middle section out and use it as a nice charcoal grill. I would recommend keeping it in a spot out of the wind, because wind is the only thing I have found that can make the temps not stay steady. The coldest I have cooked on it is -8 one night, it did burn a little more charcoal but I never had big temp ranges. I ended up building a small outhouse type building that mine fits inside nicely only because I smoke year round and in all types of weather and I it holds all of my BBQ supplies very nicely.
Quality on it is outstanding, the box had a few dings but the packaging protected the merchandise inside. It was very easy for me to put together, and I am impatient (my wife has to put the kids toys together because I get to frustrated) I believe you get what you pay for. This isn't a cheap piece of metal that will rust out after a few years like smokers you can get at the box stores. This will last for years. It sits right next to my Weber Gas Grill I purchased 17 years ago. So even though it is a little pricey you are buying something that will Last.
I would recommend you visiting the virtual weber bulletin board web site. There is a wealth of information there on how to smoke everything you could possibly want on these things. It is by far the greatest asset to smoking/cooking with one. If you are wanting to get into good BBQ that you make yourself for years to come then I can recommend this product without any reservations. I have been very happy with this purchase.
shaun : It's A Weber
I spent a long time considering all the different options, Masterbuilt Gravity was a main candidate for a long time. At the end of the day I went with the WSM and could not be happier. All the things I wanted in the other smokers is really there but with none of the drawbacks. My main concern was being able to setup the smoker and not have to babysit it all day. My offset smoker drove me crazy. Once you decide to be patient, setup your coal correctly (little bit of pre-lit briquettes in the center) and a good thermometer, you can safely hold temp 8-10 hours no problem. I did decide to upgrade the door and add a coal basket from the Cajun bandit. Other than that great unit and perfect performance.
Ray C : Happy, but.......
So, this review is in comparison to a $59 charcoal grill of the same configuration that I’ve used for the last 15 years, compared to this $460, Webber. I’m not sorry I bought it, but Webber would do well to make a couple inexpensive corrections. This first is that the center section has no handles, unlike my $59 grill. The center section is heavy and awkward. Two handles would solve this. The second issue is the supports for the top rack. The rack easily slides off the support and just now I narrowly saved a whole bunch of expensive meat down into the bbq fiery abyss. Come on Webber! another quarter inch of rack support would solve this. I really shouldn’t be having to tell Webber how to fix their expensive product!
Ringer127 : WSM is amazing and great!
So this package is definitely a two man carry. The box was delivered and I had to open it up at my door and bring the parts to the garage piece by piece. Its not that the smoker is crazy heavy but the box is huge. Assembly is straight forward but can get tricky putting the heat guard on and the legs at the same time. Everything else is very straight forward. However, when I finally assembled the Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM) it was a little off. Found out the legs were not evenly bent. I contacted Weber and within an overnight (Two days) they had supplied me with three brand new legs which solved the problem.
Kurt Stewart : Will make you a better person
Ok, maybe a better BBQ person. I bit the bullet and finally bought one. They are so worth the price. I had started with a cheap-o Home Depot smoker, used it two times and bought this. The medium has tons of room to smoke meats.
Comes with a nice cover, easy to clean the grates and water bowl. I use Kingsford charcoal, create a donut ring in the bottom, add the wood chunks of choice, use a charcoal started for the hot coals that get poured into the center of the donut ring and off you go. Just use the three vents on the bottom to regulate the temperature, it has a temperature gauge in the top and also a smoke range. Easy to use and you end up with amazing meats.
Head to Costco and buy one pork loin and one beef tenderloin, buy some rub and season those puppies. Put one on the lower grate and one up top. Invest in a probe thermometer and you are good to go.
Last piece of advice, buy a vacuum sealer for the left over meats. I usually smoke once every two weeks and vacuum seal and freeze the rest for lunches and dinners. I also have nice neighbors that ask if I have anything they can try, the smells on the weekends travel!!
Comes with a nice cover, easy to clean the grates and water bowl. I use Kingsford charcoal, create a donut ring in the bottom, add the wood chunks of choice, use a charcoal started for the hot coals that get poured into the center of the donut ring and off you go. Just use the three vents on the bottom to regulate the temperature, it has a temperature gauge in the top and also a smoke range. Easy to use and you end up with amazing meats.
Head to Costco and buy one pork loin and one beef tenderloin, buy some rub and season those puppies. Put one on the lower grate and one up top. Invest in a probe thermometer and you are good to go.
Last piece of advice, buy a vacuum sealer for the left over meats. I usually smoke once every two weeks and vacuum seal and freeze the rest for lunches and dinners. I also have nice neighbors that ask if I have anything they can try, the smells on the weekends travel!!
Steve B : A great little smoker but what do you do with the lid when working with the meat?
The Smokey Mountain Cooker (SMC) is great except: 1) it doesn't seal real well at the access door or around the lid without some help; and, 2) it's a pain to find a good place for the lid when removed to work with the meat. It'll stain whatever you put it on, so I am now setting it on a full-sheet aluminum pan. At $400 weber should have included some way to hang the lid, or a hinge on the back (you can add your own hinge if you don't mind drilling: .
I have smoked 3 items so far with great reviews from the family: brisket flat, BB Ribs, and Pork Butt, but I made a few mistakes along the way.
The only issues I've had revolve around incorrect usage and minor air leaks. It turns out that I was using too many lit coals so with the minor air leaks it was difficult to get and keep the temp down. On my last cook, I used fewer charcoals and lit only part of them so I was able to keep the temp down to 215-225 for the brisket.
If you're a pro at smoking, the SMC is a simple to use, relatively inexpensive, and yet a very effective smoker. If you're new like me, there is a learning curve, but worth it.
If you're trying to decide between the Weber SMC and the Big Green Egg style, remember that access to the coals with meat on the grill is quite difficult with the Egg. The Weber is easy to use all through the cook and costs a lot less to buy (the Egg is cheaper to run since it uses less fuel). The SMC will never cook pizza at 700° like the egg, but for smoking things, it's just as good or better. The water pan in the SMC stabilizes temperature for even cooking yet can be removed for higher heat smoking of fowl, rib roast, etc. It just isn't designed to handle really high heat.
If you're trying to decide which size SMC, this is what I recommend (check Weber's site for capacities):
--22" is for big items (full rib racks laying down, etc) or lots of items at once. It requires the most charcoal (Brisket: 150 briquettes). I like my 22" because I like to smoke six racks at once so I have some to share with friends. But cooking a small 5 lb brisket flat was a waste of fuel so I'll cook more items next time.
--18" is great for almost all types of smoking and will even fit large butts, but the rib racks will likely need to be cut to size. Less charcoal (Brisket: 100 briquettes). If you don't care about shortening the rib racks and don't need to cook huge amounts at once, the 18" is your prime candidate since it uses less fuel than the 22" while still fitting lots of meat inside.
--14" is for those who don't have much room at the house but still want the flavor. Least fuel required (Brisket: 75 briquettes). Some limits on how much it will hold.
Hope this helps a little. If the lid was easier to handle (like a hinge) the SMC would easily deserve 5-stars.
I have smoked 3 items so far with great reviews from the family: brisket flat, BB Ribs, and Pork Butt, but I made a few mistakes along the way.
The only issues I've had revolve around incorrect usage and minor air leaks. It turns out that I was using too many lit coals so with the minor air leaks it was difficult to get and keep the temp down. On my last cook, I used fewer charcoals and lit only part of them so I was able to keep the temp down to 215-225 for the brisket.
If you're a pro at smoking, the SMC is a simple to use, relatively inexpensive, and yet a very effective smoker. If you're new like me, there is a learning curve, but worth it.
If you're trying to decide between the Weber SMC and the Big Green Egg style, remember that access to the coals with meat on the grill is quite difficult with the Egg. The Weber is easy to use all through the cook and costs a lot less to buy (the Egg is cheaper to run since it uses less fuel). The SMC will never cook pizza at 700° like the egg, but for smoking things, it's just as good or better. The water pan in the SMC stabilizes temperature for even cooking yet can be removed for higher heat smoking of fowl, rib roast, etc. It just isn't designed to handle really high heat.
If you're trying to decide which size SMC, this is what I recommend (check Weber's site for capacities):
--22" is for big items (full rib racks laying down, etc) or lots of items at once. It requires the most charcoal (Brisket: 150 briquettes). I like my 22" because I like to smoke six racks at once so I have some to share with friends. But cooking a small 5 lb brisket flat was a waste of fuel so I'll cook more items next time.
--18" is great for almost all types of smoking and will even fit large butts, but the rib racks will likely need to be cut to size. Less charcoal (Brisket: 100 briquettes). If you don't care about shortening the rib racks and don't need to cook huge amounts at once, the 18" is your prime candidate since it uses less fuel than the 22" while still fitting lots of meat inside.
--14" is for those who don't have much room at the house but still want the flavor. Least fuel required (Brisket: 75 briquettes). Some limits on how much it will hold.
Hope this helps a little. If the lid was easier to handle (like a hinge) the SMC would easily deserve 5-stars.
Jim Van Vleck : You ain’t gonna believe this!!
The thermometer that came with my 14.5 shows the temp at the grill grate inside, I swear. I had my oven thermometer sitting on the grill grate. I had my ThermPro at the grill height. And could not believe my eyes that when all my thermometers read 225 degrees at the top grill grate, the thermometer on the lid read 225. So , I’m thinking, without researching it, that Weber calibrated them that way. I could be wrong and I just got lucky. I have no idea. Having a riot trying to wire this smokin thing. Solid unit. So far, I’m all in.
Moe Rubenzahl : Easy, reliable, and works perfectly, every time
If you get a Weber Smoky Mountain, join the Facebook "Fans of the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker" group and/or the Virtual Weber Bullet group at virtualweberbullet.com. Not associated with Weber, both are populated by enthusiasts.
What I love about my WSM 18:
- Excellent temp control. The water bowl inside makes it easy to maintain 225-250°F all day with very little fuss.
- Air control is awesome. One load of charcoal can smoke for 6 hours without reloading.
- Quality is excellent. As with all Weber products I have owned, everything fits perfectly and will last for years.
- If it ever does need maintenance, Weber stocks parts for decades.
- Easy to get great results.
- Double-decker racks mean you can do a lot of food. The 18-inch is perfect for me -- I can make 3 racks of ribs (using a rack rib that stands them up vertically) and a shoulder, a couple of potatoes, and maybe a turkey leg.
What I love about my WSM 18:
- Excellent temp control. The water bowl inside makes it easy to maintain 225-250°F all day with very little fuss.
- Air control is awesome. One load of charcoal can smoke for 6 hours without reloading.
- Quality is excellent. As with all Weber products I have owned, everything fits perfectly and will last for years.
- If it ever does need maintenance, Weber stocks parts for decades.
- Easy to get great results.
- Double-decker racks mean you can do a lot of food. The 18-inch is perfect for me -- I can make 3 racks of ribs (using a rack rib that stands them up vertically) and a shoulder, a couple of potatoes, and maybe a turkey leg.
Trend : So Pleased
Champion Pit Master Harry Soo said it all in his review. This smoker is unlike any other I've owned. It will hold steady temp. I smoked ribs and chicken yesterday, and using the Minion method(see youtube) for lighting the charcoal, this smoker held temp steady at 225 for 10 hours. No additional charcoal needed. I'm so impressed. It's like an oven and built like a tank. It's airtight, too. After a short while, you don't even see smoke leaking out. This was the first time I've smoked chicken breast that were not somewhat dried out; they were tender, flavorful and juicy, without injecting or marinating.
I didn't even use water in the pan, but like Harry said, "wrap the pan in heavy duty foil" and still place it into the smoker, even if not filling with water. In place, the foil wrapped pan will eliminate any hot spots on the grates. Also this gives even cooking on the lower grate, too. My old smoker would char and sometimes burn my food on the lower grate if I didn't monitor it closely. I highly recommend the Smokey Mountain.
For those that BBQ regularly, this is well worth the price. It is so great to not have to keep checking on the meat. I smoked my ribs for 3 hours, without opening the lid. You can on go and do other things, while this Weber takes good care of your meat. If purchasing, make sure to get a chimney starter in lieu of using lighter fluid. I purchased the Weber Rapid Fire chimney. I'm not sure why, but even using good quality Kingsford lighter fluid will leave your meat with a bad taste. I found that out the hard way. Further, the manufacturer's included operational pamplet strongly warns against using Matchlight or any lighter fluid infused charcoal with this smoker.
Before using, I recommend going to the "virtual weber bullet" website. You'll find many tips, recipes, cooking times, venting procedures, and step by step instructions on how to operate this smoker and step by step instruction for smoking different meats, woods types, the flavors they produce and amounts of wood to use. This 18 1/2" smoker holds a lot of meat. I've decided to smoke a turkey and a ham...something I've never done before.
I didn't even use water in the pan, but like Harry said, "wrap the pan in heavy duty foil" and still place it into the smoker, even if not filling with water. In place, the foil wrapped pan will eliminate any hot spots on the grates. Also this gives even cooking on the lower grate, too. My old smoker would char and sometimes burn my food on the lower grate if I didn't monitor it closely. I highly recommend the Smokey Mountain.
For those that BBQ regularly, this is well worth the price. It is so great to not have to keep checking on the meat. I smoked my ribs for 3 hours, without opening the lid. You can on go and do other things, while this Weber takes good care of your meat. If purchasing, make sure to get a chimney starter in lieu of using lighter fluid. I purchased the Weber Rapid Fire chimney. I'm not sure why, but even using good quality Kingsford lighter fluid will leave your meat with a bad taste. I found that out the hard way. Further, the manufacturer's included operational pamplet strongly warns against using Matchlight or any lighter fluid infused charcoal with this smoker.
Before using, I recommend going to the "virtual weber bullet" website. You'll find many tips, recipes, cooking times, venting procedures, and step by step instructions on how to operate this smoker and step by step instruction for smoking different meats, woods types, the flavors they produce and amounts of wood to use. This 18 1/2" smoker holds a lot of meat. I've decided to smoke a turkey and a ham...something I've never done before.
Yvette Ortega : Smokem!
This item is amazing for anyone who loves to bbq and wants to start their smoking meat hobby! Beware the box is very large and heavy, and need a good amount of space to put together. Assembly was easy for one person to do, but the bottom legs you may ask for help, it does go by easier with help. The only major flaw with this item is with the door. It doesn't fit securely, and like others have suggested, you have to do some tweaking with it to fit more snuggly, otherwise you loose smoke and accurate steady temperature. This item is very easy to use, easy to clean and would recommend it from beginners to experts. Just beware that too much smoke is very bad for meat! I did this mistake on my first go around on some ribs. However, now that I feel comfortable with it, I have made ribs, chicken, links, burgers and tri-tip using this item and most of the time it is "set it and forget it" for the amount of time expected to cook.
book buyer : Not what I expected of Weber
I was disappointed in this smoker. As an owner of a Weber Grill for over 20 years, I guess I expected the smoker to be of the same quality as their grills. It is too small and is not easy to add charcoal to. It does not maintain temperature required to smoke food for a long period (minimum 5 hours). I would not recommend this to anyone that is a serious smoker. It may be appropriate for the novice smoker.
Reviewer : Fun, affordable smoker, good quality from Weber
I’ve been working with this for about 3-4 months. I’ve smoked maybe 5-6 meals ranging from bacon, pork and beef ribs, chicken wings, and pork tenderloin. I really enjoy it. I’ve been a big backyard grill fan for decades, and everyone loves my cooking, but I wanted to expand my skill set to smoking. I followed the advice of another reviewer and bought some cheap bacon to smoke my first batch and “season” the grill. I’m not sure if this was necessary but I do recommend wiping it down with alcohol to remove and manufacturing oils, then doing at least one burn to cook off any residues and convert them to carbon. I threw some bacon in there to add grease and smoke. I did find that the side door is cheap and has a poor fit, I bought an aftermarket stainless steel door. As I get more experienced with it I find that the aftermarket support for these smokers is great. This is kind of the “small block Chevy” of smokers. Lots to tweak and play with and customize. I would like a hinge for the lid eventually (also an aftermarket piece). I recommend getting a cover - my 18” came with a Weber cover in the box. One challenge is that you need a place to set down the lid, barrel, and grate as you set it up and light the fire. It’s kind of a clutter during setup. If you have lots of prep area in an outdoor kitchen you’ll be fine, but I’m basically stringing stuff out all over my deck when I start up. I use my gas grill to place the grates during setup, turning my gas grill into a work/prep surface for the smoker. This works fine for now, but someday it would be helpful to add a cart our countertop to place everything and keep it tidy/clean. If I open the smoker during the cook to check the meet or spray it with cider or vinegar, I have to set the lid somewhere. A hinge would be better and there are several aftermarket options. Also if you have two levels of meat on each grate, and if you have to take them out or readjust them during the cook, you’ll be looking for a place to set them. But these are not the fault of the grill. It’s great, glad I bought it. Looking forward to smoking some ham or turkey for the holidays.
Yvette Ortega : Smokem!
This item is amazing for anyone who loves to bbq and wants to start their smoking meat hobby! Beware the box is very large and heavy, and need a good amount of space to put together. Assembly was easy for one person to do, but the bottom legs you may ask for help, it does go by easier with help. The only major flaw with this item is with the door. It doesn't fit securely, and like others have suggested, you have to do some tweaking with it to fit more snuggly, otherwise you loose smoke and accurate steady temperature. This item is very easy to use, easy to clean and would recommend it from beginners to experts. Just beware that too much smoke is very bad for meat! I did this mistake on my first go around on some ribs. However, now that I feel comfortable with it, I have made ribs, chicken, links, burgers and tri-tip using this item and most of the time it is "set it and forget it" for the amount of time expected to cook.
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
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