you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Product overview
Brand
Smokehouse
Model Name
9500-000-0000
Color
Black
Item Weight
7 Pounds
Item Dimensions LxWxH
9.5 x 4 x 12.13 inches
product features
This fits your .
by entering your model number.
Made in United States
Operates on 110VAC or 12Vdc power
Smokehouse Products is committed to supplying our customers with the very best smokers and accessories on the market today and will continue to look for ways to enhance your experience making your favorites recipes in the comfort of your own home.
Easily connects to any grill or smoker
From the manufacturer
How it works
The Smoke Chief works by simply filling up the tube with BBQ pellets then plug it in and you’re ready to go. On most grills it sits next to the grill and pipes the smoke in through the rotisserie hole that is already available.
Hours of operation
Smoke Chief smokes for up to 3 hours on just one cup of BBQ pellets and operates on 12VDC or 110AC power.
Easy to use on any appliance
The Smoke Chief has been used with gas grills, pellet grills, charcoal grills, smokers and numerous other outdoor cooking devices. It is easy to attach the Smoke Chief to any of these devices and sets up with little effort.
Smoking all meats made easy
The Smoke Chief is a ‘cold smoke’ generator you can smoke a range of new foods such as cheeses, eggs, beans, salts and much more in addition to the normal meats, ribs, fish, pork, beef, ham and others.
Smoke Chief in depth
Smoke Chief is an amazing way to smoke all of your favorite foods. This unit produces 'cold smoke' and can be easily connected to any grill or outdoor cooking device to quickly produce delicious smoked foods. This product is unique in that it will turn a barbeque grill that most families already have into a smoker in a matter of seconds, and it produces a ‘cold smoke’ that allows for consistency in making your favorite recipe.
Hanger mount for easy application
Clean out tool
BBQ pellets with measuring cup
Instruction manual
110AC to 12VDC power adapter
Plunger to help keep move down
Smokehouse Products
A behind the scenes look
We have been making everything Smokehouse since 1968 when we introduced the first Electric Smoker with the Little Chief. Today, we offer a full line of electric smokers, gas smokers, wood chips & chunks, BBQ pellets, wood grilling planks, jerky & sausage supplies, brines & mixes, and a variety of parts & accessories.
product description
Today Smokehouse Products offers a full line of smoker accessories, including six flavors of chips and chunks and BBQ pellets, sausage making kits, meat grinders, sausage mixes, seasonings, jerky and dry rub mixes, drying screens, jerky guns, smoker insulation blankets, and other replacement parts and accessories. Smokehouse Products is committed to supplying our customers with the very best smokers and accessories on the market today and will continue to look for ways to enhance your experience making your favorites recipes in the comfort of your own home.
product details
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
Product Dimensions : 9.5 x 4 x 12.13 inches; 7 Pounds
Item model number : 9500-000-0000
Department : Unisex-Adult
Date First Available : October 8, 2013
Manufacturer : Smokehouse Products
ASIN : B00FPQPWMK
Country of Origin : USA
Domestic Shipping: Item can be shipped within U.S.
International Shipping: This item can be shipped to select countries outside of the U.S.
important information
Important information
Legal Disclaimer
WARNING: This product contains wood dust, a substance known to the State of California to cause cancer. In addition, combustion of wood chips (or pellets), like all wood products, results in the emission of carbon monoxide, soot and other combustion by-products which are known by the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Use safeguards to avoid inhaling wood dust or wood combustion by-products. For more information go to www.p65warnings.ca.gov
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Questions about Smokehouse Products 9500-000-0000 Smoke Chief Cold Smoke Generator
Q:
Heater failure occurred. I want to buy parts. How can I buy?
Answer: The heater is a GM glow plug
Answer: The wire is very light and probably just broke off. Mine broke off. Probably when I flipped it over and wacked the sides to get the ash out. I don't do that anymore. Go in there and repair. Anything you need can probably be found at an auto part house or on-line.
Answer: Contact manufacturer
Answer: If you registered your new smoke chief smoker on the smokehouse products website they will replace the whole unit ... if not and your past warranty They still have parts more than likely that will be the only place you can find them
Answer: I have the same probleb. The igniter inside the pellet cylinder broke off. Im quite sure Smokehouse can repair it or send you the part if your mechanicaly inclined
Answer: You can't. Sorry.
Q:
i have to locate the smoke generator 2 ft from the smoker box. can i attach a 1/2" OD hose to the outlet to connect to the smoker box?
Answer: Not advisable. The smoke generator clogs up fairly often (15-30 minutes of run time). Unless you have something 2' long to clean the hose out with you will have nothing but trouble as the smoke generator puts out a lot of creosote and your hose will clog quickly. Best advise, as I said, don't do it.
Answer: I tied the generator into the smoker using 1/2 in. Copper fittings. It works well, but there isn't much distance between the generator and the smoker. Try it, what can you lose.. If it doesn't work, try something else. Doug
Answer: You can but needs to be heat resistant. Also unit needs to be higher than smoker or hose will fill with condensation and block the smoke. I do this when cold smoking cheese.
Answer: You probably can. But just know that the soot builds quickly and has to be cleaned out or the smoke will diminish and stop. I use mine on the side of my Weber. I clean the tube about every 20-30 minutes. But its a great smoker.
Answer: I don’t think it will work The discharge pipe on the smoke generator plugs off and has to be cleaned all the time
Answer: i think it would plug up to easy give it a try keep a eye on it mine plugged up in the first half hour
Answer: Don’t buy it !!! It is pure junk it’s a big waste of time you will return it
Q:
Does this work with a big green egg or do you have to buy the adapter kit?
Answer: It will mount any where you have about a 3/8 hole to stick about a 2 inch pipe through and can hold it in place with a lock nut on the other side. The wood pellets you fill it with create to much tar and plug it up. It does not create enough smoke to give a good smoke flavor. NOT WORTH THE MONEY.
Answer: From what I saw in the video, it gives off too much smoke. It would probably over saturate your food with smoke. And a lot of people are complaining that it gets plugged up.
Q:
How has this model inproved over the old smoke house version?
Answer: It can be used in any enclosed space. Simple to operate and convenient. Generates LOTS of cold smoke.
Q:
Hi, is your smoke generator ce/ul/etl certified?
Answer: strange question.
Answer: First off the unit is a simple yet effective design, it's constructed very well and works as intended. When I purchase the device certifications weren't a consideration, even to this day it's something that's never been an issue. The unit has operated as designed even after having sat in the weather since the day I've received it, which has been well over a year. I feel it's a solid robust little unit and I still don't know if it has the certs your asking about, it's not a concern of mine as the unit is ment for outdoor use.
Answer: No
Q:
Can the smoke chief also be used with a hot grill (200-350, Weber in particular)?
Answer: yes, I have used it as a cold and a hot smoker, it has not failed me yet. Most of my smoking is done at 250 and have gone as high as 325.
Answer: I'm assuming you mean 200 to 350 Degrees. Yes it can. I use mine at about 225 degrees to slow smoke and then turn it up to finish at 350.
Answer: I am not familiar with the Weber that you mention. If the Weber is a gas grill with a shelf then the Smoke Chief is a must. Most gas grills have a hole for the rotisserie which often works with the Smoke Chief. It may be necessary to drill 1/2 hole which is easy to do. If your Weber is a charcoal grill the Smoke Chief comes with an adapter plate which is easy to install.. As of yet I have not seen a grill, gas or charcoal that does not benefit from flexibility and ease of use of a Smoke Chief.. Once it's set up your making smoke in 3minutes without a mess.
Answer: yes, I use my smokehouse on a charbroil 4 burner gas grill. I just drilled a small hole in the side for the smoke to pumkp into the BBQ. cold smoke with burners off, cook and smoke with burners on. works excellent. all my freinds bought one too.
Answer: I have never used it above 300 but I am sure it could be,
Answer: Stay away from this product, you are better off buying a smoker outright. Take a look at Bradleys, much more reliable than this brand. Mine melted on the 2nd use, so, I would say, no, not a good choice to use with a grill.
Answer: Yep; it mounts outboard of the enclosure so the temp inside doesn't really matter to the smoke generator.
Q:
What are the threads on the smoke nozzle?
Answer: The smoke tube is threaded full length. It screws into the pot, then is secured with a jam nut. You possibly could take advantage of the threads to secure it to whatever you will be smoking on. Would be harder to clean without a vacuum.
Q:
Will this work on mes smokers?
Answer: You have to drill a hole to allow the pipe from the smoke generator to blow smoke into your smoker. Put the hole low in the smoker. This works well because you can control the heat in the smoker. Just make sure to clean the smoke generator well after you use it. They have a tendency to plug up with tar. Doug
Answer: This thing is junk don't buy it it's a waste of money if it does work it's only for a short time
Answer: It's a great smoke generator. You can put it in a Buick and smoke your meat in there if you choose, especially with the handy cigar lighter adapter . That's how we do it in Alaska. Cheers, Trig
Q:
Heater failure occurred. I want to buy parts. How can I buy?
Answer: The heater is a GM glow plug
Answer: The wire is very light and probably just broke off. Mine broke off. Probably when I flipped it over and wacked the sides to get the ash out. I don't do that anymore. Go in there and repair. Anything you need can probably be found at an auto part house or on-line.
Answer: Contact manufacturer
Answer: If you registered your new smoke chief smoker on the smokehouse products website they will replace the whole unit ... if not and your past warranty They still have parts more than likely that will be the only place you can find them
Answer: I have the same probleb. The igniter inside the pellet cylinder broke off. Im quite sure Smokehouse can repair it or send you the part if your mechanicaly inclined
Answer: You can't. Sorry.
Q:
How far from the bottom of the unit is the top of the smoke tube?
Answer: Mine measures ~2.65" from the center of the smoke exhaust hole to the bottom of the unit's feet, or 2.25" to the bottom of the unit.
Answer: Sorry to take so long to answer. When the "Smoke Chief" is sitting on a flat surface the height to the top of the smoke tube is 3 inches. Keep in mind that it is pretty simple to drill a 1/2 inch hole any where you want on, your grill or BBQ. I have a lynx Grill and have drilled 3 holes so that I can place the Smoke Chief on
Answer: I just reread your question and went out and remeasured. It's about 3" from the bottom of the feet to the top of the smoke tube
Answer: About 3 inches
Q:
what size is the outflow tube?
Answer: Jennie, the outflow tube is 1/2" dia. It is not that much of a problem to drill a 1/2" hole or enlarge a existing hole on on your grill or BBQ. When I first got my first Smoke Chief I used the rotisserie hole but found that drilling 1/2" gave me me much more flexibility. Hope this helps...
Answer: About 1/4" inside diameter.
Answer: 1/2 inch outside diameter.
Answer: IIRC 1/2 threaded conduit
Answer: Approximately 3/8 inch inside diameter
Q:
Does this work on traeger? I know it's an already a smoker but i want more smoke.
Answer: I'm sure it could be adapted to the Traeger. Not sure why you would.
Answer: I can’t imagine it wouldn’t work. You would have decide where the best place to drill the hole for the discharge pipe.
Answer: All you need is a 1/2 in holes and an place to sit the Smoke Chief and you have more smoke.
Q:
can be used wood dust for smoking?
Answer: No.
Q:
How do you empty the ash? Is there a removable ash tray? I have watched videos on the product, but no one has demonstrated ash removal.
Answer: It produces very little ash but when you need to just turn it upside down.
Q:
Anybody have problems with smoke tube getting continuously clogged? Had to clean mine about half dozen times for 12 hour smoke??
Answer: Yes. That's just part of the gig. I clean it with the tool about every 20-30 minutes. At first I wondered about that. But I get it and it's just part of the process. With my old smoker, I could never get very far away from it either.
Answer: Yes, I’ve had to clean this thing pretty regularly. I found that different pellets and different types of wood change how often I have to clean it, but it’s still pretty often. I don’t use this device for long smokes. I wouldn’t advise it. I use it smoke cheese and fish for maybe up to 2 hours. I wouldn’t use this on a brisket for the entire time.
Answer: I have to clean mine every 10 minutes or so. It is a piece of junk. The unit is on but no smoke. I have to unplug it and let it rest for 10 minutes, then clean the hold, the it would start producing smoke. I am sending this piece of s*#t back today. I would love to meet the engineer that created it. DON’t WASTE YOUR MONEY…
Answer: Hi - this is quite normal. The unit should be checked at a minimum nourly (1/2 hour works better) and cleaned. If you will review the instructions it says check regularly and clean. I have had my unit for a few years now and it does require constant maintenance, however, it works really well but must be kept clean. The carbon,m creosote, and soot stop it up very easily, other than that a very good product. Hope this helps.
Answer: yes, same here it said you would need to clean but not that often it is a pain but when clean lots of smoke
Answer: Yes I have the same problem , didn’t know how to solve the problem so just clean it regularly
Answer: That thing is Junk, hopefully you have your receipt so you can send that piece of junk back. Amazon should quit selling that
Answer: Pellets only
Q:
I misplaced my ac/dc converter. Can you recommend a replacement?
Answer: Call smoke house and get replacement. Remember to keep power supply dry as it is not intended for out door use.
Q:
Do you think this would work on a masterbuilt digital electric smoker?
Answer: You have to plumb the smoker in to the electric smoker. Using 3/8 brass you need a close nipple, 2 onions , a plug.,2 3/ nuts. Drill a hole in the electric smoker, install the nipple using the nuts on both sides of the smoker wall ,now install the union. On the cold smoker install the other union . By having 2 unions you can remove the cold smoker and plug the union,good lock.
Answer: Yes. It would work on any box type BBQ. Simple installation (drill a hole) and it really works for cold smoking. Be sure to ream out the creosote from the smoke tube because it will build up and get clogged.
Answer: Yes, as long as there is a hole in one side or you are willing to make a hole and attach the smoke chief
Answer: Pretty sure it will. All you have to do is drill a hole to stick the small smoke pipe through.
Answer: Yeah, but you'd be better off with a smoke tube or smoke A-Maze
Q:
what is warranty for this generator?
Answer: I do not know I've had mine about a year the fan stopped working. I called the company talked about my problem, they sent me a new fan express mail no chg. Great company great service enough said
Q:
How long does a cup of pellets really smoke for?
Answer: You really do get about three hours but every so often you need to push down on the tamper and give it a couple twists. I've been very happy with mine. Best thing I did so far was cold smoke some salmon
Answer: Have never been able to smoke a whole cup because it soots up before the cup is empty and guits smoking
Answer: If you fill it full, 2 to 3 hrs
Answer: Five hours
Answer: At least 3 hours
Q:
Does this have a air pump?
Answer: It's equipped with a small fan that drives cool smoke and air into the box of your smoker . Creosote must be reamed out of the tube regularly or it will clog.
Answer: It is either a air pump or fan but it does draw in fresh air and pushes out the smoke
Answer: No, but is not necessary. Smokes goes very easy to the smooker chamber. Works perfect
Q:
I need Parts for a smoke chief
Answer: 10 seconds on Google I found "Parts and Accessories" for smoke products this link https://www.smokehouseproducts.com/collections/parts-accessories
Q:
is the amount of smoke adjustable?
Answer: No. It creates lots of smoke. To adjust requires turning it off and on. Be sure to keep the tube leading from the generator to the smoke box clear of creosote, which builds up rapidly and will clog the tube. Use the reaming device provided with the equipment.
Answer: It is not adjustable.
Answer: Nope it just smokes till it runs out of chips
Answer: No it is not.
Answer: No
Answer: no
Q:
Will this unit work with wood chips?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: I haven’t tried wood chips but do not believe they would work near as well as pellets due to the spacing inside the heat cylinder. Pellets fill in better leaving less air space which prevents flaming of the wood. If the plunger is not pushed down even with pellets will allow wood to flame up. Hope this helps
Answer: If they were small, possibly.
Answer: No, it uses pellets only.
Answer: No it will not
Q:
Many cold smoke recipes require 2-3 days of smoking. How do you deal with that? Any way to at least keep it making smoke overnight?
Answer: This is a smoke generator that is designed for shorter time smoking jobs. By that I mean anywhere from 1/2 hr. to 8 hrs. A cup of fuel depending on the wood pellets last 2 to 3 hrs. The " Smoke Chief " is the best friend to the home gas grill ever to hit the market. It's simple, efficient and it works but it does have it's limitations. Those limitations would be long unattended smoking. Hope this helps.
Answer: You have to tend to it as the pellets burn off I check it every 30 min and you have to add more pellets every 2 to 3 hours
Answer: No way....Pellets last about 2-3hrs and plug the tube up so it has to be cleaned.
Answer: Only lasts about 3-4 hours before needing pellet refill.
Q:
can saw dust or wood dust be used instead of wood pellets?
Answer: I did not find any indications in the owner's manual that would allow the use of saw dust or wood dust and only advises smoke producing food safe wood pellets. It would also be inadvisable because many commercial produced woods and thus the saw dust have chemical compounds that would produce contaminated smoke that would be absorbed in the food. My advise is buy the wood pellets for grilling, they are inexpensive especially on Amazon's website, just enter "wood pellets for grilling" in the search parameter box.
Answer: Needs to be pellets to work.
Answer: I haven’t tried it but I think it would clog the burner pot
Q:
I've only seen videos on loading and running this smoker generator. How do you empty out the left over ash?
Answer: Flip it over, or a small vacuum attachment. Don't hit it though to get the ash to fall. Wiring is very light stuff. Can break.
Q:
I have a smoke cheif,it smokes for 2 min.and stops smoking
Answer: The tube leading into the smoker from the smoke generator MUST be reamed out about every two hours. Another possibility is that your pellets are damp and do not feed or ignite properly. I dry my pellets in the microwave to drive out moisture.
Answer: Make sure the chamber is full,and the plunger is pushed down. You should get about three hours of smoke on a full cylinder. The smoker must be cleaned of tar after each use. Good luck.
Answer: Mine made it for a couple of weeks the first time before it stopped working (fan overheated), they replaced it, then the rod stopped heating up. I round-filed it. I use a non-electrical version now (Amazin) and it works great.
Answer: Try drying your pellets in a toaster oven before putting in the smoke generator, fixed the clogging issue on mine.
Answer: You have to use the pellets,and keep the discharge toob clear with the tool provided. Otherwise, make sure that the cheap computer fan is still operating. I had to replace mine. It is what it is, and for the price it's great.
Answer: Try using compressed air to clean the fan, check the plugs and make sure they are secured properly. When mine did this the air did the trick
Answer: Clean the tube; the tube must be kept clean, that's the key to proper operation.
Q:
The device is also suitable for 220v?
Answer: That should make some good smoke
Answer: No, don't do it.
Q:
Heater failure occurred. I want to buy parts. How can I buy?
Answer: The heater is a GM glow plug
Answer: The wire is very light and probably just broke off. Mine broke off. Probably when I flipped it over and wacked the sides to get the ash out. I don't do that anymore. Go in there and repair. Anything you need can probably be found at an auto part house or on-line.
Answer: Contact manufacturer
Answer: If you registered your new smoke chief smoker on the smokehouse products website they will replace the whole unit ... if not and your past warranty They still have parts more than likely that will be the only place you can find them
Answer: I have the same probleb. The igniter inside the pellet cylinder broke off. Im quite sure Smokehouse can repair it or send you the part if your mechanicaly inclined
Answer: You can't. Sorry.
Q:
I need a fan for a smoke chief
Answer: The Smoke Chief Cold Smoke Generator has a fan built into the system. I have one but you can mount any small fan on a flat board and put it in the bottom of the Smoker to dry stuff before smoking it.
Answer: Computer cooling fan is what you need,any electronics store
Answer: No. The smoker plugs up if it's not kept clean of tar. I use a plumbers propane torch to carefully heat around the exhaust pipe, to allow the tars to liquefy and clean with pipe cleaners or rags. Smoke flow depends on intake air and outlet air adjustments, and whether you are hot or cold smoking. Hope this helps. Doug
Answer: I think you might be "out of luck" on this one.
Q:
Will this work with other brands of pellets such as traeger ?
Answer: Yes this works well with other brands of pellets. I use pellets from Ace hardware. I’m have not researched for low resin pellets but the only issue I’ Had is the smoke tube clogged up with resin fairly quick (5 or 10 min.) so I clean as soon as I see the smoke slow down. Other than that I love the product.
Answer: It will work with any small wood pellets. Check Amazon they have an assortment of pellets that come form Smoke House Products. Look at the photo and you can see what
Answer: Works with pretty much any wood that is not to large
Answer: Yes I have used several kinds of pellets including Traeger with no problems
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes
Q:
what is the minimum temperature you can get with this smoker. I really need low temperature smoke to do a traditional eastern european pork belly for
Answer: There is no heat. This is a " smoke generator". It can be used with any heat source that you can think of. All you need is a 1/2" hole for the Smoke Chief to plug into to.
Answer: This smoker does not heat the food, it heats the pellets. You can use it as a cold smoker. Your bbq does the heating.
Answer: No temp adjustment. Just cool smoke. Heat would come from the unit you smoke with.
Answer: It produces very little heat. A lot would depend on how big your smoker is.
Answer: Cold smoke only,
Answer: The heat produced is very minimal.
Answer: Around 90*F
Q:
Is there a way to modify the smoke tube or smoke orafice to prevent clogging? I'm not opposed to a permanent mod if it helps prevent problems.
Answer: The smoker must be well cleaned with each use. I use a propane torch to just heat the smoke tar enough to make it easy to clean.hope this helps. Doug
Answer: You may be using fuel that is not completely dry. Try driving moisture out by warming it in the oven or microwave. Moist fuel creates creosote, which will clog, smolder and produce foul smoke.
Answer: Buy a smoke daddy cold smoker you will enjoy Usage and easy clean in 2 minutes or less. Powerful smoker nice air line easy to clean
Q:
Pregunta a 220v no hay
Q:
I need my outflow tube to be longer to fit into my grills hole any suggestions (i am not drilling into my treager timberline 1300) is there a tubing?
Answer: The outflow tube is3/8 in. Male tubing. An adapter 3/8 female to 1/2 in. copper pipe ,you can cut the pipe to any length. I capped the end and drilled a series of holes along the pipe to release the smoke. No need to solder, makes it easier to clean.
Answer: The out flow tube is threaded. Either connect some soft copper tubing with a compression fitting. Or use a union and thread in a hollow threaded tube similar to what light fixtures use. I'm sure your local hardware store can hook you up.
Answer: Lowes or Home Depot and fit an extension as long as you need. Shouldn't be hard. But don't forget that you will need a longer tool to clear the soot while smoking.
Answer: I just drilled a hole and mounted it to the right side.
Answer: I use 1/2 rigid copper tubing fits perfect
Q:
does it have a pump so when it's cold it pushes the smoke?
Answer: Yes it has a fan that pushes the smoke through the tube. It does require cleaning after each use. I have nothing but good things to say about this product. Depending on how much you load it it furnishes about 1.5 to 3.0 hours of smoke. Personally I love it and would recommend this product.
Answer: This thing is junk. Works for about one day and starts giving you problems. do not purchase this item as I have returned mine. Read all of the reviews about it , they are all mostly bad
Answer: Yes it does
Q:
Do all of the units come in a box with plain cardboard taped to the bottom, no items in plastic, and the mailing label of prior purchaser? Mine did.
Answer: No mine was in its original box and all chords in a sealed bag. Great product been using mine all summer!
Answer: The Smoke Chief will usually come in the box similar to the one you see on the Amazon web site. It is possible that this was returned to Amazon then reshipped. Believe me when I say the box will not effect the performance of this amazing machine or the manufactures warranty. They are over built and work well....enjoy!
Answer: No not mine, it came in a manufactures box
Q:
Any one try any other type of wood like chips, chunks or small rounds or will it just use pellets??
Answer: This Smoke Chief is the answer to every person who owns a gas grill and wants to add smoke to their cooking. Truly Amazing ! But to answer your question you need to use pellets. They are simple to use, no mess, no soaking, and come in many flavors. When I make Jerk Chicken I use Cherry pellets and add All Spice berries which is from the Pimento Tree used in Jamaica. Hope this helps. I can only add that the Smoke Chief works...PNB
Answer: SMALL CHIPS WORK JUST FINE
Q:
If this were connected to an older working refriderator would it make enough smoke to cold smoke bacon or cheese in it?
Answer: This thing makes enough smoke to fill a warehouse. Just got to keep the nozzle clean. No need for the fridge to be working, it's already cold smoke.
Answer: As the other gentleman said; during proper operation with clean pipe work and dry pellets, this thing cranks. You can practically slice the smoke with a butter knife.
Answer: You can hook it up to any closed container. Garbage can, cardboard box and old ice box. It will do just what you want it to do... create lots of flavorful smoke
Answer: I think it would if the fridge were well-sealed. You would want the smoker to be on the outside so you'll need to drill into the fridge.
Q:
Can I power on 220 volt I'm in Australia
Answer: Not set up for 220 but will work on 12 v. Comes with an inverter that goes from 110 to 12 v...pnb
Q:
Can it be plugin ro 220
Answer: I cannot tell what you are asking.
Answer: No. It has a 120 volt converter that plugs into a 12 volt connector (just like an automobile power accessory plug).
Answer: I see no reason to even think about using 220ac. Use only 110 until you consult with an electrician!
Highly recommended for the novice to the professional pit masters. This little smoke generator is very efficient and burns a consistent 3 hours per filling as advertised. I was able to use the included bracket to mount this to the side of my propane smoker for both cold and hot smoke applications. The volume of smoke is more than enough for the large interior of the smoker and gives off a rich flavor to all meats test thus far. There isn't much I haven't smoked food on and this little gem bests all of them in versatility and smoke volume. As some of the reviews here confirm, this unit should be cleaned after each use. I do not like the power adapter as others have indicated and it would be nice if there were a way to vary the smoke output. Given these trivial matters, I absolutely love this product. I coupled this product with a propane smoker, 1100W heating element and the Inkbird Itc-308 Digital Temperature Controller for cold smoking salmon and various other foods.
Amazon Customer : Motor Issues
The air pump motor does not last very long, after 1 year it does not work, disappointing for the Money that was spent.
John Porten : One Star
Tried this on many things just cant stop it from plugin up waist of time
Jnacrawford : Doesn’t work
This product worked great the first time and we tried to use it the second time and it didn’t produce any smoke at all
Barry N. Witt : Greatest cold smoke generator out there!
For years I have been trying to master the art of getting good smoke for a long enough time to really flavor the meat I cook. Wetting chips, not wetting chips, changing out smoker boxes several times during a slow cooking smoking session and I have never been able to get consistent smoke for a long period of time. Then I started researching cold smoke generators. Proprietary biscuit smokers, DIY builds with aquarium pumps, and even ready made units that look like they were assembled in a high school machine shop. Then I found the Smokehouse products Smoke Chief. The reviews were all good except for one person who complained about difficulty mounting the unit which I really don't understand as that part is really easy. So I bought the Smoke Chief here on Amazon and brother it is incredible. Load in the pellets, flip the switch and within seconds huge amounts of continuous smoke pours into my vertical water smoker. Last week we smoked chicken, this week we smoked pork loin chops and corn on the cob. Tomorrow it will be a tri tip roast and then on to some ribs. So far the results have been incredible!! We can now produce deep smoke rings in our meat an the flavor is phenomenal. Just as good as any Texas BBQ house I've ever tried growing up the Lone star state. I just hope this unit lasts for a long time as it delivers the goods. Worth every dime. Barry Witt
Jimmy Darmody : Get this to make a Traeger into a reasonably good BBQ smoker.
Almost hesitate to mention, but the first one didn’t work....or did for a brief trial run and then quit. But, I sent it back and re-ordered because it produced great smoke and lots of it. My Traeger doesn’t produce enough smoke to get the smoke ring pictured. But with this smoke generator, I finally get the quality and volume of smoke needed to get the flavor and appearance that I want. If you have a Traeger, you probably know what I am talking about. Traeger loves to say that it doesn’t take too much smoke to make food taste smoky, but that is not how pit BBQ works in reality. This smoke generator is the only way to make a Traeger produce a smoke ring like this.
Real Reviewer : Awesome. Better than Bradley Biscuit unit.
Smokes a massive amount so you should shorten you smoking time from whatever you used to use. Must dump and clean between refills. Also requires using the reeming tool often as soot buildup in smoke tube. Well worth the money.
Al in SoCal : A Valient Effort and a solid 3-Stars... with room for engineering improvements...
UPDATE Feb. 2021: I've had this unit now for going on 4 years. Still use it, and even self-repaired the failed mini-computer-fan. But continues to crank out tons of smoke when properly maintained. Just got compact charcoal BBQ, and found a way to use it as a BBQ & smoker. I'll be posting that review soon and will edit my review to include the new found Smokehouse cold smoker application.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: I purchased this unit in August 2017 using my Amazon Prime account, based on looking at all the other generators out there. I'm now writing this review in May 2018. Up to this point, I've used the smoker sparingly with my Fire Magic BBQ unit. It was mostly because of the constant monitoring required, and also because I do a number of cooking methods in my outdoor kitchen; not just BBQ'ing. But aside from all that, I was surprised to realize that I hadn't written a review earlier. Yet frankly I'm glad I waited, as this has been a bit of a learning experience. And I would say that with all my reservations and opinions regarding improvements, I still perceive it as "Best in Class" for a small smoke generator/cold type smoker.
My setup..... You can see from my photos that I run a small, compact, outdoor kitchen. And I use my Fire Magic natural gas BBQ for everything from grilling, rotisserie, cast skillet cooking, baking and even teppanyaki style cooking with a commerical-grade hottop-grill that fits inside of the BBQ; also purchased on Amazon. Smoking is accomplished by placing the Smokechief next to one of the rotisserie access holes on the BBQ. It works perfectly, as the hole is already perfectly aligned with the smoke tube from the SmokeChief. And about the pellets...? I bought my first 20 lb bag of Mesquite from Home Depot. And yes, there are certainly many wood-type pellets out there to try on your various proteins.
About the finished product, and it's "build-quality"..... I bought the Smokechief because I didn't want to "reinvent the wheel." And while I still feel it was the right move, I realized early on that Smokechief had probably "done the best they could..." But their product wasn't the "best solution." Overall, and with a manufacturing and electro-mechanical background, I'd say this is a "valient effort", but could be improved upon greatly. and I humbly say that, as I can tell that just to get to the current model, and from looking at the selection of components, I'll bet the inventor/s had a decent number of prototypes built and modified before they finally came up with what I found in my delivered unit. So 3-Stars for "essentially" doing what it promises, but also "only 3-Stars" for lacking the refinements. And these are refinements that would have kept me from "re-engineering" this unit to get where I am today. And to be fair with the manufacturer, I'll also add that there are engineering and production variables that have to coordinate with one's "cost of manufacturing." Ideally, we want to hit what is perceived as that "optimal engineered product-price" point. So I'll figure they've trimmed the retail price as much as they can, and may have stopped with the design changes-improvements, needing to get what they had to market. I'll also wager that they've either gone as far as they feel necessary, or are contemplating, or may have, a "near ready for retail" updated model. Or... like many, they're just tired, and for now, are doing something else with their time. (I've been there too.)
How much "watching and tending..." do you have to do...? The answer is, "way more than you'd expect." There are four issues I have with the unit. Issue #1... the short threaded smoke-exit-tube puts the unit, in my opinion, is too close to the "fire-unit/BBQ/heat." That's why I played around with an equal I.D. extension tube setup. (see my photos) With my 6" extension tube, I was able to more remote locate the smoke away from "the fire/heat." And this is important why...? Because of "Issue #2", which is the heat generated by the smoke itself, and its' "thermal cutoff switch." The unit, if run for quite a while, and then without fresh pellets, does physically get very hot to the touch. In fact, I've burned myself trying to hold and rotate the unit to shake out the ash. And when I've shut down the unit for a quick maintenance cycle, I've found I couldn't just turn it back on and continue smoking. THE THERMAL SENSOR and the unit itself have to cool off before you can expect the little "glow-plug" igniter to reheat. For safer handling, heat insulation techniques would be a good idea. And a cooling fan, obviously separate from the smoke-distribution fan, might be employed. But certainly a physical outer cool-to-the-touch shell of some sort would be nice. Issue #3 is, as many have shared, the build-up of CREOSOTE, that black-tar build-up, that will clog the short exit tube on the unit. Without any extension tube in place, I have to clear that tube about every 15 minutes if I want optimal smoke transfers from the chamber to the BBQ. A note about using an "extension tube." The small distribution fan inside the unit has enough "umph" to push copious amounts of smoke from the chamber to your BBQ. But adding an extension also adds backpressure which effects the smoke-flow. So when I'm using the extension tube, I have to regularly, everly 10 minutes or so, clear the entire extention and OEM tube-length with the Smokechief "auger." Even if you're not using an extension, augering the tubes for creosote is very important. You'll begin to realize just how important when you clear the pipes, and all of a sudden see the unit go from little smoke back to white billowing amounts. Another comment about modifying the OEM smoke-exit tube.... I'm making a metal pipe attachment for my rotisserie hole that will start where the little tube ends, thus creating minimal if no backpressure. I may have to also add a little indirect booster fan to help move the smoke through the larger tube. (?) Item #4 is ironic... The unit does issue "copius amounts" of smoke... but that's somewhat of an issue, as it's better described as "uncontrolled copious amounts..." Someone else, last year, mentioned this issue, and the possible inclusion of a timer. That might be an issue, as once you turn off the unit, the thermal sensor may have to cool off to its' reset point. So controllable smoke; I'd like that, and may have to work on it. But unless I am missing something, this unit is an "all or nothing" kinda' setup.
What about technique...? Take it from someone who hadn't ever run smokers. I didn't understand "cold smoke" from "low and slow BBQ/smoking." In my opinion, this is more a "cold smoke unit." Traeger type units use heat and smoke that's "homogenized" or mixed, to cook. This unit, in my opinion, may generate the smoke, but isn't custom engineered to mix with the heat. It's not a team player in that sense. So for my gas BBQ kitchen setup, I've finally found the "sweet spot" for results. I par-cook/sear my meats, and then put them on my upper rack and run the smoker. And I do this with just my back-wall rotisserie burner running on low. The smoke sinks into the food, and the low heat continues the browning and cooking, but at a very safe rate. I just last night reheated chicken thighs that were BBQ'd two days earlier. I did a rub and grill, but hadn't smoked them. So for recooking/smoking dry meats like chicken, I sometimes use a hand-spray plastic bottle to keep my meats moist; a mix of 20%-80% liquid smoke and water mixture.
Summary Opinion..... After going on one year of use, I do believe that there's a place for Smokechief's smoke generator. If you have a BBQ unit, and are not planning or don't have room to add a Traeger style or better smoker, using this smoke generator is a decent way to add that "smoke flavor" that you want. It will never be equal to a commericial BBQ smoker. And you won't ever get to the level of "Salt Lick BBQ" in Austin. But it's certainly a much more efficient method of adding "smoke" to your fire. I say yes, get one, if you want an intro' into smoking... BBQ style, that is.
Paammy singh : Good product good price reached at time thanks Amazon
Good product I like it I want smoke chef wooden packets give me rates please thanks Amazon
Amazon Customer : Spend more time messing with the plugged up unit than the unit does smoking.
Nice idea but its not with the time to keep it from plugging up. I tried their brand of pellets and also traggers. It plugs up to much, I would never suggest anyone to purchase it, its more of a gimmick. Bummer.
Jeremy Barron : Easy-to-use cold smoker
So simple to use,and just works perfectly,also customer service is outstanding same family as the little chef smokers
David Lusby : Five Stars
I really enjoy smoking foods and this has been a great addition to my collection of toys.
Redacted : Works ok. But the power supply is worthless, be ready to buy a new one
The generator works fine. But the power supply is worthless. Do they even read what it says on the power supply? The power supply says indoor use only. The smoke generator says outdoor use only. The power supply stopped working after one use, so right now I jury rigged it to run off of my car battery charger until I get a new quality power supply
Galen W : The smoker works very good for 3 minuets lots of smoke
The smoker works very good for 3 minuets lots of smoke. then the amount of smoke diminishes to almost nothing. I had to keep poking at the pellets to keep it smoking. I tried different amounts of pellets in the hopper, but same results.
Rich V. : It puts out a good amount of smoke but it's a pain to maintain. The cord will give you problems
This smoker requires a lot of looking after while it's running. You have to clean the smoke pipe about every 15 minutes and be careful not to fill it to full. I fill it about 2/3. It's not the type of thing that you can fill, smoke and walk away from. From that aspect I would rate it 1 star. It works good when the pipe is clean and free of creosote. It puts out a good amount of smoke but it's a pain to maintain. Way to time consuming. Also the cord is not very well engineered.. It has a cigarette type plug in the cord that can give you trouble with the connection. Sorry can't recommend this product.
Bigjmac : MUST CLEAN,CLEAN,CLEAN THIS UNIT OR IT WILL STOP WORKING.
So I loved the first time I used the smoke generator. It worked as advertised. Then second time not so much. The third time the fan stopped working and I had been following the instructions but couldn’t get the fan to work. I have received a replacement unit and it is working better. To get the most out of this product follow these rules: 1 clean, clean, clean the smoke tube every hour. 2 only put 1/3 the recommended pellets 3 when the pellets are done remove the ash and clean, clean, clean everything. This is the only way to keep this unit working. If you are not up for that much maintenance do not buy. I will say that I love the cold smoke flavor. Hate the hassle.
J. Simpson : Fast delivery
Fast delivery, item as described
Real Reviewer : Awesome. Better than Bradley Biscuit unit.
Smokes a massive amount so you should shorten you smoking time from whatever you used to use. Must dump and clean between refills. Also requires using the reeming tool often as soot buildup in smoke tube. Well worth the money.
Cliff L : Great little smoker, easy to use, LOTS of smoke
I bought this smoker specifically to cold smoke salmon. I'm sure I will use it for other things, because it works great.
I have it sitting on the shelf connected to the side of my grill and had to set it on about an inch and a half of dunnage to get it to the right height for my grill, but that's OK.
Pros This smoker is EASY to set up and use. This thing puts out some serious cold smoke!
It only works when the nozzle is clear. You'll have to check on it, or peak out the window, and if it's not billowing some serious smoke then the jet needs to be cleared. It only takes a second with the tool they provide, and you dont have to do it often (like once/twice an hour maybe). It's not a big deal, but it's NOT a "set it and forget it for 3 hours" type appliance. It needs to be baby sat if you want it working well. You may also need to press down on the tamp once or twice per fill.
My salmon came out excellent the first time I used it. I put 2 cured filets in the grill for 6 hours total (2 fills). I took the temperature at the end and found it to be 95*F. Ambient temperature was about 70-75. Maybe a little cooler. At first I was worried I over smoked them (and I like stuff smokey!!) But after a night in the fridge I decided it was about right. You may prefer less.
Cons. I really hate the power cord. It's got an inverter half way up it. I hate it, hate it, hate it.
The output jet is a bit short for my needs, but atleast it is threaded if I can find a way to rig an extension.
Overall I love it.. there are cheaper cold smokers but I am very happy with this one. So easy to use.
I honestly don't know how much I will be using my big chief now..
Firehouse Meats : Puts out great smoke!
I used it to build a cold smoker and so far I love it! It puts out a ton of smoke with very few pellets. I’ll likely be purchasing another one to create a second cold smoker!
baxkr : Lots of smoke from a little pot
I love little generator. It turns my grill into a smoker purely by poking the smoke pipe through the rotisserie hole. It throws out lots of smoke, considering its small size, and keeps going for a decent amount of time. The cleanout tool looks a little hokey but works like a champ.
Henry Haan : save your money
I bought this product about a month ago. I installed it onto an old refrigerator that I converted into a smoker. I just use it for the first time yesterday and it does not produce very much smoke the food had absolutely no Smoky flavor to it. It was a waste of time and money, now I got to find another alternative for a cold smoke
carolandtom : Great smoker.
Great smoker. Works cold or with as much heat as you want. Short learning curve to get it just right.
Paammy singh : Good product good price reached at time thanks Amazon
Good product I like it I want smoke chef wooden packets give me rates please thanks Amazon
Galen W : The smoker works very good for 3 minuets lots of smoke
The smoker works very good for 3 minuets lots of smoke. then the amount of smoke diminishes to almost nothing. I had to keep poking at the pellets to keep it smoking. I tried different amounts of pellets in the hopper, but same results.
John LaCourse : This little smoker is awesome.
Smoker does exactly what you want it to do...produce smoke, and lots of it. I sell alot of smoked cheese and this machine combined with my homemade smoker box makes producing delicious smoked cheese a breeze. Wish I could give it 10 stars! I've called Customer Service twice with questions about operating the smoker in cold climates. Both times my call was picked up after only a few rings and I spoke with friendly, knowledgeable, helpful young ladies in Oregon, USA. Today's call was picked up by Amy. Kudos to you, Amy!!
Amazon Customer : Motor Issues
The air pump motor does not last very long, after 1 year it does not work, disappointing for the Money that was spent.
John Gambill : Great product but the cord on the unit its self ...
Great product but the cord on the unit its self should be longer so you could plug it into a power port on car. See it has a DC plug on the unit that you plug into a AC adpater
greg : junk
Junk worked for 2 minuets screws were to small DO not buy
John Porten : One Star
Tried this on many things just cant stop it from plugin up waist of time
Rich V. : It puts out a good amount of smoke but it's a pain to maintain. The cord will give you problems
This smoker requires a lot of looking after while it's running. You have to clean the smoke pipe about every 15 minutes and be careful not to fill it to full. I fill it about 2/3. It's not the type of thing that you can fill, smoke and walk away from. From that aspect I would rate it 1 star. It works good when the pipe is clean and free of creosote. It puts out a good amount of smoke but it's a pain to maintain. Way to time consuming. Also the cord is not very well engineered.. It has a cigarette type plug in the cord that can give you trouble with the connection. Sorry can't recommend this product.
Coety Law : Smokes good after my fabrication
This thing is a piece of crap very poorly designed, first off the tube that goes into your smoking chamber is to small it clogs with tar very quickly ,a half cup of pellets is all you can put in it because after that you must take the generator off dump the ash and start over. Update: I instead a bigger 5/8" treaded pipe to it and now it smokes for up to 10 hours with refills , Smoke House take lesson here and install a bigger transfer tube.
S.H. : Too many problems.
On the first one, the fan quit working. The second one, the smoke pipe is too small, so it plugs up within an hour. The biggest complaint is that there are no replacement parts. Quit working after three months.
Patrik Landolt : Geiles Teil
Cooles Teil. Raucht gut, schmeckt gut, einfach zu bedienen und passt überall!
greg : junk
Junk worked for 2 minuets screws were to small DO not buy
Nali Iwanaga : Awesome smoke generator!
Much enough smoke are easily generated.
Tousg : Good product
Excellent, glad i purchased this product
chris valentine : 5 STARS SUPER COLD SMOKE UNIT.
Nice unit. Easy installation, self contained igniter and fan. Puts out great smoke smoke supply tube sometimes clogs during use but a simple twist off of the side of your smoker it cleans right outwit tool supplied with the unit. I would highly recommend to anybody. Nice compact unit that works great.
Patrik Landolt : Geiles Teil
Cooles Teil. Raucht gut, schmeckt gut, einfach zu bedienen und passt überall!
Thomas Borski : Works pretty good. Seem to lose a lot of smoke ...
Works pretty good. Seem to lose a lot of smoke out of the top, even though I’ve got it sealed tight. A lot of gunk builds up on the wing nut. But a lot of fun to play around with!
Paammy singh : Good product good price reached at time thanks Amazon
Good product I like it I want smoke chef wooden packets give me rates please thanks Amazon
David Lusby : Five Stars
I really enjoy smoking foods and this has been a great addition to my collection of toys.
Jnacrawford : Doesn’t work
This product worked great the first time and we tried to use it the second time and it didn’t produce any smoke at all
A Friend : My husband LOVES this smoker
Hub asked me to purchase it for him, because he loves to barbeque and smoke foods. We've had it a week and so far he has smoked several items. Fish, hamburger, cheddar cheese, buffalo brisket. It makes smoking food SO easy and works really well. Since it is a cold smoker, you can just impart the smoke flavor without heating up the food much. Definitely recommend...this would be a great Father's Day gift.
Al in SoCal : A Valient Effort and a solid 3-Stars... with room for engineering improvements...
UPDATE Feb. 2021: I've had this unit now for going on 4 years. Still use it, and even self-repaired the failed mini-computer-fan. But continues to crank out tons of smoke when properly maintained. Just got compact charcoal BBQ, and found a way to use it as a BBQ & smoker. I'll be posting that review soon and will edit my review to include the new found Smokehouse cold smoker application.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: I purchased this unit in August 2017 using my Amazon Prime account, based on looking at all the other generators out there. I'm now writing this review in May 2018. Up to this point, I've used the smoker sparingly with my Fire Magic BBQ unit. It was mostly because of the constant monitoring required, and also because I do a number of cooking methods in my outdoor kitchen; not just BBQ'ing. But aside from all that, I was surprised to realize that I hadn't written a review earlier. Yet frankly I'm glad I waited, as this has been a bit of a learning experience. And I would say that with all my reservations and opinions regarding improvements, I still perceive it as "Best in Class" for a small smoke generator/cold type smoker.
My setup..... You can see from my photos that I run a small, compact, outdoor kitchen. And I use my Fire Magic natural gas BBQ for everything from grilling, rotisserie, cast skillet cooking, baking and even teppanyaki style cooking with a commerical-grade hottop-grill that fits inside of the BBQ; also purchased on Amazon. Smoking is accomplished by placing the Smokechief next to one of the rotisserie access holes on the BBQ. It works perfectly, as the hole is already perfectly aligned with the smoke tube from the SmokeChief. And about the pellets...? I bought my first 20 lb bag of Mesquite from Home Depot. And yes, there are certainly many wood-type pellets out there to try on your various proteins.
About the finished product, and it's "build-quality"..... I bought the Smokechief because I didn't want to "reinvent the wheel." And while I still feel it was the right move, I realized early on that Smokechief had probably "done the best they could..." But their product wasn't the "best solution." Overall, and with a manufacturing and electro-mechanical background, I'd say this is a "valient effort", but could be improved upon greatly. and I humbly say that, as I can tell that just to get to the current model, and from looking at the selection of components, I'll bet the inventor/s had a decent number of prototypes built and modified before they finally came up with what I found in my delivered unit. So 3-Stars for "essentially" doing what it promises, but also "only 3-Stars" for lacking the refinements. And these are refinements that would have kept me from "re-engineering" this unit to get where I am today. And to be fair with the manufacturer, I'll also add that there are engineering and production variables that have to coordinate with one's "cost of manufacturing." Ideally, we want to hit what is perceived as that "optimal engineered product-price" point. So I'll figure they've trimmed the retail price as much as they can, and may have stopped with the design changes-improvements, needing to get what they had to market. I'll also wager that they've either gone as far as they feel necessary, or are contemplating, or may have, a "near ready for retail" updated model. Or... like many, they're just tired, and for now, are doing something else with their time. (I've been there too.)
How much "watching and tending..." do you have to do...? The answer is, "way more than you'd expect." There are four issues I have with the unit. Issue #1... the short threaded smoke-exit-tube puts the unit, in my opinion, is too close to the "fire-unit/BBQ/heat." That's why I played around with an equal I.D. extension tube setup. (see my photos) With my 6" extension tube, I was able to more remote locate the smoke away from "the fire/heat." And this is important why...? Because of "Issue #2", which is the heat generated by the smoke itself, and its' "thermal cutoff switch." The unit, if run for quite a while, and then without fresh pellets, does physically get very hot to the touch. In fact, I've burned myself trying to hold and rotate the unit to shake out the ash. And when I've shut down the unit for a quick maintenance cycle, I've found I couldn't just turn it back on and continue smoking. THE THERMAL SENSOR and the unit itself have to cool off before you can expect the little "glow-plug" igniter to reheat. For safer handling, heat insulation techniques would be a good idea. And a cooling fan, obviously separate from the smoke-distribution fan, might be employed. But certainly a physical outer cool-to-the-touch shell of some sort would be nice. Issue #3 is, as many have shared, the build-up of CREOSOTE, that black-tar build-up, that will clog the short exit tube on the unit. Without any extension tube in place, I have to clear that tube about every 15 minutes if I want optimal smoke transfers from the chamber to the BBQ. A note about using an "extension tube." The small distribution fan inside the unit has enough "umph" to push copious amounts of smoke from the chamber to your BBQ. But adding an extension also adds backpressure which effects the smoke-flow. So when I'm using the extension tube, I have to regularly, everly 10 minutes or so, clear the entire extention and OEM tube-length with the Smokechief "auger." Even if you're not using an extension, augering the tubes for creosote is very important. You'll begin to realize just how important when you clear the pipes, and all of a sudden see the unit go from little smoke back to white billowing amounts. Another comment about modifying the OEM smoke-exit tube.... I'm making a metal pipe attachment for my rotisserie hole that will start where the little tube ends, thus creating minimal if no backpressure. I may have to also add a little indirect booster fan to help move the smoke through the larger tube. (?) Item #4 is ironic... The unit does issue "copius amounts" of smoke... but that's somewhat of an issue, as it's better described as "uncontrolled copious amounts..." Someone else, last year, mentioned this issue, and the possible inclusion of a timer. That might be an issue, as once you turn off the unit, the thermal sensor may have to cool off to its' reset point. So controllable smoke; I'd like that, and may have to work on it. But unless I am missing something, this unit is an "all or nothing" kinda' setup.
What about technique...? Take it from someone who hadn't ever run smokers. I didn't understand "cold smoke" from "low and slow BBQ/smoking." In my opinion, this is more a "cold smoke unit." Traeger type units use heat and smoke that's "homogenized" or mixed, to cook. This unit, in my opinion, may generate the smoke, but isn't custom engineered to mix with the heat. It's not a team player in that sense. So for my gas BBQ kitchen setup, I've finally found the "sweet spot" for results. I par-cook/sear my meats, and then put them on my upper rack and run the smoker. And I do this with just my back-wall rotisserie burner running on low. The smoke sinks into the food, and the low heat continues the browning and cooking, but at a very safe rate. I just last night reheated chicken thighs that were BBQ'd two days earlier. I did a rub and grill, but hadn't smoked them. So for recooking/smoking dry meats like chicken, I sometimes use a hand-spray plastic bottle to keep my meats moist; a mix of 20%-80% liquid smoke and water mixture.
Summary Opinion..... After going on one year of use, I do believe that there's a place for Smokechief's smoke generator. If you have a BBQ unit, and are not planning or don't have room to add a Traeger style or better smoker, using this smoke generator is a decent way to add that "smoke flavor" that you want. It will never be equal to a commericial BBQ smoker. And you won't ever get to the level of "Salt Lick BBQ" in Austin. But it's certainly a much more efficient method of adding "smoke" to your fire. I say yes, get one, if you want an intro' into smoking... BBQ style, that is.
jim : Total junk.
Total piece of crap. Built crappy worked once and fan gave out. Smoke tube is so small it plugs up with creosote in 20 minutes. Tossed it out. Got a smoke daddy. 100 times better and WAY better built. Same price also. DONT WASTE YOU MONEY LIKE I DID. Get a smoke daddy.
Michael : Great smoke producer, high maintenance
used this to attach to my gas grill. initially it produced lots of smoke but then the tube clogged. had to clean the smoke tube every 30 minutes it seemed. also I only got maybe an hour out of a full cup of pellets, sometimes 90 minutes, but nowhere near 3 hours of smoke. but I like it, its better than wrapping chips in foil or using an A-maz-n pellet tube in the gas grill.
Justin S. Gant : Works, but high maint, and poor design.
Worked great for about 3 times, then creasote stopped the fan and blocked the tube from the fan to the chamber. Called them and they offered to repair it if i sent it back. Too much wasted time, bought a 3 pack of fans and foil tape from amazon and swapped it myself. Also cleaned out the chambar with a drill bit.
Don : Four Stars
Works great for some added smoke on my BBQ
Galen W : The smoker works very good for 3 minuets lots of smoke
The smoker works very good for 3 minuets lots of smoke. then the amount of smoke diminishes to almost nothing. I had to keep poking at the pellets to keep it smoking. I tried different amounts of pellets in the hopper, but same results.
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