Dyna-Glo Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill review and price compare 2025
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
Dyna-Glo
Power Source
Charcoal
Color
Black
Item Weight
124.3 Pounds
Item Dimensions LxWxH
45.5 x 24.9 x 58.8 inches
Fuel Type
Charcoal
product features
This fits your .
by entering your model number.
Features five chrome-plated cooking grates and a total cooking space of 1382 square inches
Heavy-Gauge Steel Body Construction. The temperature gauge features a smoke zone which indicates the ideal temperatures for infusing the perfect amount for smoking flavor. Also, the cool to touch handles, allow you to access fuel and food safely.
Cool-touch spring lid grip provides safer access to food
Stainless temperature gauge with "Smoke Zone" indicates the ideal temperature for infusing smoke flavor
Oversized steel wheels for mobility before and after use
From the manufacturer
Barbecue with the best of them
Get that classic smokehouse flavor
Cook meats low and slow in the smoker body, from brisket to ribs to anything you can imagine.
Tame the flame at the backyard BBQ
Grill burgers or brats for the whole crew.
Expand your culinary horizons
Open the door to a whole new world of BBQ with this large capacity, multi-functional BBQ machine.
Cool-Touch Spring Handle
Provides safer access to food.
Sausage Hooks
Pre-installed sausage hooks give you additional cooking flexibility.
Removable Offset Charcoal Grate and Ash Pan
Offers easy access to fuel and quick disposal of ash.
Analog Temperature Gauge
'Grill Zone' and 'Smoke Zone' indicators for ideal cooking temperature.
Assembled Dimensions
58" H x 45.5" W x 24.9" D
59.8" H x 33.9" W x 37" D
59.8" H x 33.9" W x 52" D
Weight (net)
124.3
89.1 lbs
123.2 lbs
Total Cooking Area (sq. in.)
1,382 sq. in.
443 sq. in.
730 sq. in.
Fuel Type
Charcoal/Wood
Charcoal/Wood
Charcoal/Wood
Body Construction
Heavy-Gauge Steel
Heavy-Gauge Steel
Heavy-Gauge Steel
Cooking Grate Material
Chrome-Plated
Porcelain-Coated
Porcelain-Coated
Folding Side Shelf
✓
✓
Temperature Gauge
✓
✓
✓
product description
Style:Signature Smoker
Get the best of both worlds with the Signature Series Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill from Dyna-Glo. This multifunctional smoker lets you have it all with both grilling and offset smoking capacity. Smoke your pork shoulder low and slow or grill up burgers for the crew. For additional cooking space, simply use the offset for grilling sides or foods that require different temperatures. The smoker and offset cooking grates allow for maximum heat transfer and searing, and the professional-grade, stainless steel temperature gauge features "Grill Zone" and "Smoke Zone" indicators for maintaining an ideal cooking temperature. Become the envy of the neighborhood and upgrade your backyard with this Signature Series Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill from Dyna-Glo. Do not use this smoker and grill as a heater
product details
important information
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 Dyna-Glo Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill
Q:
Can you get special financing on this bbq pit?
Answer: how can i get special financing?
Answer: Yes 5 monthly payments
Q:
What size are the cooking racks?
Answer: This smoker comes with 5 Chrome-plated Steel Cooking Grates that are 17 inches in diameter each. - GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: Are you looking at the picture on Amazon. First feature about grill says 5 grates totaling 1382 sq. Inches. So each one is about 276 sq. Inches.. Now we all know pi r-squared is the area of circle so the radius would be about 9 inches so the diameter is about 18 inches. Maybe a little bigger as I'm not that good at math, been out of school for 60 years.
Q:
what is the main difference between the signature series and wide body other than shape/style/Cooking space. Is the smoking performance the same?
Answer: You can add more charcoal to the side box, I was able to put an 18lb bag and cooked way past 5 hrs
Q:
can you use wood chunks or chips or just charcoal /
Answer: For this Smoker you can use wood chunks, charcoal or wood chips.- GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: I use charcoal for the heat and add wood chunks/chips for the smoke.
Answer: I use soaked chips, without smoke it just convection heat but it would work like a regular grill.
Answer: Yes, all three, Great smoker easy to control temp, but you have to babysit it
Q:
Can i smoke a 25lb Turkey? How wide are the racks?
Answer: Hello Jimmy, the racks in this smoker are 16.5" in diameter and are removable so the height is adjustable. This should accommodate a 25 lb. turkey. -GHP Group Customer Support
Q:
Is there a purpose built cover for this specific smoker?
Answer: i tore mine accidentally and for awhile couldn't find a replacement. i'm actually ordering the cover.
Answer: Theres a specific made cover offered by Dyna-Glo that fits perfect.
Answer: Yes, and it's very well made.
Q:
can you purchase spare racks?
Answer: Yes but only so many hangers in cooker for racks
Answer: Probably from Lowes or Home Depot or a local hardware store.
Answer: Yes I believe Home Depot carries the same size
Q:
where does the grease and other liquids go?
Answer: The grease and other drippings run down to be held in the grease cup. - GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: It has an external drip pan (about 6") that juices/grease go into (if they don't drip into the water pan).
Q:
What is the dimensions of feet and wheels? Are they smaller than the total width dimentiona
Answer: Not able to measure right now, but the feet and wheels are within the total width dimensions. There is a handle opposite the firebox side that is the widest point. Not sure if they included that in the measurements.
Answer: 1 foot and wheels are pretty much under the smoker. I sat mine on cement blocks to raise it some and the holes in the blocks make a very good brake.
Answer: No... Its a very stable smoker.. I love mine!
Q:
Is the 45”w with the smoke box extended or closed?
Answer: Overall
Q:
How much space is there between each grate in the cooking chamber?
Answer: About 18 inches or so but you can remove the middle one if you need too for a tall cook/smoke.
Answer: you can adjust to any level notches are spaced along the main chamber i've done a turkey rib rack sausages and brisket at same time with plenty of space
Answer: The space between each grate is approximately 5”. - GHP
Q:
How much lava lock is needed to completely seal everything? It usually comes in 15 ft. Is that enough or should i get more?
Answer: I didn't need LavaLock, after putting the smoker together. It held the smoke just fine. If you want to use lavalock 15ft should be fine.
Q:
Is there a cover available on the market for this model smoker?
Answer: Yes, made just for this exact smoker. Fits perfect!
Q:
How can i add a cover for the dyna glo model dgss1382vcd- d i just ordered on amazon
Answer: The cover that is compatible with the model DGSS1382VCS-D is model DG1382CSC.
Answer: I ordered the cover on Amazon, it arrived before the smoker.
Answer: They offered a cover. I purchased the cover through Amazon
Answer: Easy to do just scroll down to items related too
Q:
Can you remove the grates after the unit is built?
Answer: The grates go in last, they're removal!
Answer: we received this grill so badly damaged that it was not usable. The grates will come out, but they are so close together, if we were able to smoke with it, we would have needed to remove every other just to fit in larger pieces of meat. really best if only doing flat pieces like for jerky etc. Small strips of ribs might fit.
Answer: Yes, you can remove them.
Answer: Yes but you must tip them to about 45 degree angle. What ever you have in them will fall off, like bowls or jerky.
Answer: Yes, they all come out of the smoker & the heat box side. I have been happy with this smoker!
Answer: Yes
Q:
What is the spacing between racks?
Answer: Hello Mark, there is 5" of space between each rack and they are removable so that space can be increased! -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: The shelves are about 5 inches apart.
Q:
Is there suppose to be any space between where the firebox connects to the chamber? After connecting the two ive noticed gaps where air could get out
Answer: when assembling mine I used LavaLock Silicone gasket seal on any surfaces that would/could have gaps. I also used LavaLock gasket on the smoking chamber door. All is working very well.
Answer: No it should not be a space if you have a space make sure you don’t have the piece that hooks to the fire box and chamber on wrong because when I put mine together I had to take it apart because I had it on wrong
Q:
What is the thickness of the steel?
Answer: Hello T., The body of this smoker is 1.5mm steel and the door is 2.5mm. -GHP Group Customer Support
Q:
How deep is the smoking chamber
Answer: The smoking chamber is 17.5 inches in diameter.
Answer: The smoking chamber is the vertical cylinder , I believe is some 4 ft. deep or so, enough to put a lot of stuff in it.
Answer: Thomas,
Q:
What size firebox could I put in the side part?
Answer: I think they tell you that in the description. That is the fire box, I suppose it is about 10-12” in diameter and maybe 16-18” long.
Q:
do I see meat hooks in the roof of the cook chamber?
Answer: Yes there are hooks installed in the top of the smoker. You will need to get some stainless steel meat hooks. Put your ribs on the meat hooks and hang them over the hooks in the unit. I have used them to hang both beef and pork ribs and it gives you a great EVEN smoke. I a good horizontal smoker/griller that I have used and loved for 10 years. I also have an EGG. However the Dyna-Glo out performs both for smoking ribs. For the 4th I hung both beef and pork ribs and still had plenty of room to smoke big turkey legs on shelves below.
Answer: Yes those are sausage hooks at the top of the smoker. -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: What size temp gauge would I need to replace the one on the unit?
Answer: Yes there sure is!!!! Great for sausage!!
Answer: Yes, there are hooks on the roof of the cooking chamber.
Answer: There are hooks in their to hold the grills not to hang meat.
Answer: yes it has sausage hooks on the top.. very nice smoker
Answer: It did not come with them, we had to buy them
Answer: Yes 6 of them
Answer: There are about 8 or so
Q:
Does sausage rack rotate?
Answer: Hi Eddie,
Answer: Yes you can pivot it by hand to rotate the sausage or to add sausage or take out sausage
Q:
Do you offer an insulated blanket for the main smoke chamber?
Answer: You can pick up a high temp blanket relatively cheap, but you may fair better just moving your smoker to a more shielded area. One thing I always have in the yard is a pallet to use as a windbreaker. If you have your smoker sealed with lavalock I was able to keep 225 for hours with 5lbs of applewood coals and throwing a few chunks in the firebox every half hour or so in 33° with 30mph winds
Answer: Came with rain cover no insulated blanket don't know if they offer one or not I feeling
Answer: Negative, but great smoker.
Q:
Can the wheels be reversed with the legs? It looks awkward to move.
Answer: No, you can't reverse then but it isn't hard to move (I was surprised too). The problem I had is that the bottom weld on the smoke chamber leaks liquid all over my deck.
Answer: No they cannot. I must say this smoker is the best I’ve ever owned. This set up is user friendly and moving the smoker is easy. You’ll love it!
Answer: It is very easy to move just as it is. We love this pit!
Answer: I don't think so. While moving it is quite balanced.
Q:
How thick is the steel on this smoker?
Answer: Hello Keith. The cook grids are Steel A3 dia= 5mm/ 3.5mm. The charcoal grate is A3 5.5mm. The doors are 2.5mm steel. The back, sides, top, and bottom are 1.5mm spcc. The offset firebox 1.2mm steel/SPCC but the door is 2.55mm spcc. We hope this answers your question! -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: The fire box and ash pan are roughly a 1/16th of an inch thick, can't see it lasting very long, but it Cooks great right now
Q:
How much room is between each rack?
Answer: 5 inches. Remove a rack and then you would have 10 or 15 or 20. There are also hooks at the top for hanging sausages or meats that are suitable for being strung up.
Answer: 4 1/2 inches, but the racks are removable. Shouldn't be a problem unless feeding an Army.
Answer: There's just a little bit over 5" between each rack.
Answer: I was able to fit 12lb briskets with ease. But you can also remove to put bigger things in it
Q:
How do you control the temp?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Temperature is controlled by the size of the fire and how much air is taken in, and how much is exhausted. There are vents in the firebox that control air intake, and a valved chimney to control exhaust. I usually had the chimney open, and the air intake at approximately 1/4. This was with a relatively small fire.
Answer: By how much fuel/ wood you put in, how big is your fire. Then how much air you give it. Ya have to pay attention.
Answer: By air flow via vent and chimney flew.
Q:
Does anyone know what diameter the support legs are and the diameter of tubing used for main support that has the wheels and axle attached?
Answer: The support legs are 76mm in diameter and the wheels are 10mm in diameter. -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: Wouldn't know the measurements but it is more than sufficient to support the fire box and smoker. Just don't try to pull it across uneven terrain without help because the whole assembly is top heavy though very well constructed with heavy gauge steel. Not designed for towing behind a pickup. Nor would I try to move it while the firebox is going and the smoking chamber is loaded with cooking food. Same holds true with most any smoker.
Q:
How many average size pork butts would it hold ?
Answer: You can put 2 per shelf without a problem. I have hung 5 slabs of ribs and put 2 butts on the bottom shelf.. You can only use 3 shelves because of the height of the butts so the real number is 6.
Answer: If you want you can do 5. The lower rack gets kind of hot however. I can do 2 butts and 3 racks of ribs no problem. I did 4 racks last weekend using the bottom rack for liquid. I really like the smoke for the price
Answer: There are six racks so six large butts will easily fit. I would want to have some room for hot air and smoke to move around meat. If for some reason more roasts need to be cooked I,m sure more could fit in. Depends on size as I recently bought a twin pack that weighed over 20 pounds.
Answer: I’ve put 8 on mine and still had room for two racks of baby back ribs. One thing about this is you will have to rotate the butts a few times to get an even bark all the way around. If you don’t want to do the work -4 butts and 4 tenderloins - 1 each on each rack.
Answer: 3....4
Answer: 5 or 6
Q:
Why does it say free shipping then get to checkout it adds shipping cost?
Answer: If u look closer it will have the shipping deduction right below charge. They want to show u how much u saved
Q:
Will an entire 10-15lb brisket flat fit on one grate without having to cut it?
Answer: The grate dimensions on this smoker are 16.75" x 16.75" and can hold up to 25 lbs. The average full brisket weighs in at 8-12 pounds and is about 12-20 inches long and about 12 inches wide. It depends on how large your brisket is but in most cases it should fit in this smoker. -GHP Group Customer Support
Q:
How many briskets can I smoke at a time?
Answer: Each grate can hold roughly two 5 lbs briskets (10 total @ 5 lbs each). Anything larger will require 1 per grate (5 total) for proper air flow. - GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: If you have one per rack- 6, if you have 2 per rack -12 or more, depends on the size of the briskets though.
Answer: I am able to do two medium sized briskets at a time.
Answer: Whole briskets will be a problem but flats or points 1 per shelf.
Answer: One rack holds one 10 lb butt, or 3/4 loin nicely x 5 racks
Answer: 5 big ones or 10 small ones
Q:
I have to cook for an upcoming wedding. I need it prior to the wedding. How long will it take to get to the Boston area from the time i order it?
Answer: That a good question
Q:
What is the gauge of steel?
Answer: I'm not sure what gauge, but it's heavy, it's not cheap thin metal.
Q:
Does anyone know what diameter the support legs are and the diameter of tubing used for main support that has the wheels and axle attached?
Answer: The support legs are 76mm in diameter and the wheels are 10mm in diameter. -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: Wouldn't know the measurements but it is more than sufficient to support the fire box and smoker. Just don't try to pull it across uneven terrain without help because the whole assembly is top heavy though very well constructed with heavy gauge steel. Not designed for towing behind a pickup. Nor would I try to move it while the firebox is going and the smoking chamber is loaded with cooking food. Same holds true with most any smoker.
Q:
How well does this smoker work with just wood splits instead of charcoal?
Answer: I use a combination of coal and wet wood to regulate heat and smoke. While I bought the smoker for logs instead of chips, I have not had the opportunity to try any splits. However, based on my experience with the unit to date, I don’t think splits should be a problem once you get experience with the vents.
Q:
Is there a water bowl in this smoker?
Answer: Hello, this smoker does come with a water bowl. -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: No, but there is plenty of space to put a water pan on one of the shelves. I usually fill the pan with fruit juice for extra flavor.
Answer: Yes, pan on bottom shelf hold about a gallon of water.
Answer: Yes, it goes on the bottom. My husband usually fills it with fruit juice for more flavorful meat.
Answer: Yes there is one that goes in the bottom
Answer: Yes
Q:
It was working fine for about 5-6 hours, with briquettes. But then I couldn't get temp in main area over 220 used whole bag of charcoal? Ideas?
Answer: A. The general temp for 'smoking' is 220°. So if your looking for hotter temps, I would recommend using a griil.
Answer: You need to keep it clean underneath. Get ash out. It needs air to draft. Or try lump charcoal. Works well.
Answer: Hi Dan, we are so sorry to hear about your experience! Our customer service team would be more than happy to help provide you with technical assistance regarding this smoker! Just reach out by phone at 877-447-4768 or email at http://www.ghpgroupinc.com/CTUS.html - GHP Group
Answer: you are venting the grill to much it has a great flow threw close your vents on the charcoal side and just the top vent to half open use a few pieses of oak of wood to help with the temp to get steady and hotter.
Answer: You may want to try lump charcoal. I had that issue and lump solved the problem
Answer: I would increase the air flow at the fire box for large temperature increases
Q:
How long does it maintain temperature without interference?
Answer: Once I got it dialed in, I'd check on it every 3-4 hours (monitoring temp probes from inside the whole time tho) but this smoker has been pretty rock solid on temps for me. Would suggest getting gaskets for the door, tho.
Q:
can I cold smoke
Answer: Hello Bill, since this smoker is powered by charcoal, if you used the right amount of coals and maintained it properly, you could cold smoke with this! -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: as far as cold smoking in the big dyna glo signature eeries it would be very hard to maintain temps under 80*- 100* deg.necessary for proper cold smoking, what I have used is placing an a-mazn-n smoker cold smoker , (under $30) in the cooking chamber and it will cold smoke for 8-10 hrs. your best alternative.Many members of Smoking meat forum.com use this method w/great results.
Answer: Definitely. It is very good at that.
Q:
Can I hang kabob skewers from the top area that's made to hang sausages? how many do you think?
Answer: You could. They will definitely fit. The lower chunks will get more heat, so I'm not sure how you will compensate for the heat differential. Maybe put larger chucks lower? But then, kabobs aren't meant for low and slow smoking.
Answer: Hello Marty, we hope Sepp's answer was helpful! Although this would be doable with the 6 hooks, you may want to consider the cooking technique! -GHP Group Customer Support
Q:
Whats the temp range? I would like to be able to cook at high temps as well as smoke
Answer: This is an offset vertical smoker. NOT A GRILL. Look into a kamado if you want the versatility of smoking and grilling.
Answer: Hello John., the temperatures this smoker is capable of reaching are completely dependent on the ambient temperatures, amount of food and amount of fuel used. If you are interested in a grill/smoker combo, check out our Signature Series such as model # DGSS730CBO-D. -GHP Group Customer Support
Q:
My shipment is missing the access door. how can i get a replacement? amazon wants to replace the entire unit!!
Answer: The instruction booklet lists a support email you can contact.
Q:
Will this fit a whole brisket?
Answer: It fit a 22 lb turmkey
Answer: You have to hang it, I bought a few S meat hooks
Q:
do I see meat hooks in the roof of the cook chamber?
Answer: Yes there are hooks installed in the top of the smoker. You will need to get some stainless steel meat hooks. Put your ribs on the meat hooks and hang them over the hooks in the unit. I have used them to hang both beef and pork ribs and it gives you a great EVEN smoke. I a good horizontal smoker/griller that I have used and loved for 10 years. I also have an EGG. However the Dyna-Glo out performs both for smoking ribs. For the 4th I hung both beef and pork ribs and still had plenty of room to smoke big turkey legs on shelves below.
Answer: Yes those are sausage hooks at the top of the smoker. -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: What size temp gauge would I need to replace the one on the unit?
Answer: Yes there sure is!!!! Great for sausage!!
Answer: Yes, there are hooks on the roof of the cooking chamber.
Answer: There are hooks in their to hold the grills not to hang meat.
Answer: yes it has sausage hooks on the top.. very nice smoker
Answer: It did not come with them, we had to buy them
Answer: Yes 6 of them
Answer: There are about 8 or so
Q:
Can i cold smoke with this? and if i need something additional can you please post me the link of what else i need to get?
Answer: Google cold smoke processing the process is a 90 degree temp diverting heat n allowing mostly smoke and take multiple days i wld refer to someone who does old school smoked jerky
Q:
What is the temp guage size how many inches is the item
Answer: 2" W x 3" D
Q:
does this smoker come assembled?
Answer: It does not come assembled, but I believe you can pay extra to have it pre-assembled. Not too difficult, took less that 2 hours to put it together.
Answer: Unfortunately this smoker does not come assembled but it only took me about 45 minutes to fully assemble this product. Instructions were easy and amazingly all the hardware for this smoker was all there.
Answer: No it does not - assembly required.
Answer: Nope
Answer: No.
Answer: No it doesn’t
Q:
Do you need to use high temp paint to maintain the heat? or just use the high temp sealer and gaskets?
Answer: I bought the high temp sealer ...looks like a rope
Answer: Yes you do.
Q:
Can I remove the grate where the fire source is so that I put wood splits to burn over the charcoal?
Answer: Absolutely! I’ve had many smokers...this beauty is absolutely the most versatile smoker ever! Hoping you love yours as much as I do!
Answer: Yes..it's exactly what I do.
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes
Product reviews of Dyna-Glo Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill
Alex : Delivery
Delivered to the neighbors door and damaged on two places and bends on few , not happy with handling and delivery Only good for trash
Brent ledbetter : Bang for the buck is amazing
Soo, here's the thing, I got this bad boy delived and all for $265. Buy some heat rated sealer for around the edges, as this smoker does leak heat in spots. The tray for the fuel could be bigger and better designed. Do not use the gas chamber for direct grill unless it's a quick sear your looking for. The trays are close together but you have to understand this vertical stack allows up to 1100" of smoking ???????????????? the trays shouldn't have been stainless. Black would've been better but whatever, it makes you clean them a little more. I've made some killer ribs, salmon, and even a brisket on this guy and it was worth every penny. Put it together by myself in 40 min
Kelly M. : Great unit if you do the mods.
This unit arrived in a reasonable time frame and was undamaged. The build quality is quite good and relatively heavy duty. Assembly was a breeze by myself. I used the lavalock gasket tape and silicone to seal it up where user feedback in these reviews indicated. I also added a stainless steel charcoal basket.
It doesn't leak smoke or heat and is pretty miserly on the charcoal and wood with the added basket. I've seen some minor issues develop with the paint around the firebox. Based on other reviewers I did expect this and it's been nothing a wire brush and some high temp paint hasn't taken care of.
I've had outstanding results with it each time I've used it to this point and not had to break the bank on fuel usage.
My only knock would be that the thermometer on the door is about 40 degrees off from what my digital thermometers report.
My Bro-in-Law has one of those custom built $5000 smokers. This is not that. It is a really good smoker for about $270 plus the cost of the mods though.
freddy sandoval : A must have!
Since I purchased my smoker and definitely have a new hobby! I’m still experimenting with rubs and have a long way to go but my family, friends and I really enjoy smoking new recipes!
christina mcdade : Don’t buy
I gave this grill a long time before I reviewed. I bought in March. Firebox started rusting after 3 uses. The grill has never been in the rain(even now). 5 months later and firebox is almost gone. No where to order another because I’ve looked. Don’t sell a grill for this high of a price. Especially,’if it is just going to start rustOmg after a couple uses. Will never buy this brand again. I will go with one that actually cares about the customers and offers to replace or cares.
y : Junk
Metal is too thin to regulate temperature. If you have all day to dick with this thing and thrive on mediocre performance...by all means...waste you time and money. Mine is going to the scrap yard
Trevor : Bark me Bad
From an arrival perspective, yeah, I had to bang out some dents just like the other reviews. If you think a smoker is a set and forget, you’re delusional. There are other products that you can set and forget, but they are not true smokers. I purchased the lava felt and the grill caulk...not a single leak. Just smoked 16lbs of butt and nothing butt beautiful. As long as this can hold to weather, I’m all in on this smoker.
Mike B. : Not happy at all with the sub-par Powder Coating.....
I just received the smoker yesterday and got it put together (by myself) in about 1.5hrs. Assembly was straightforward and over-all easy. After assembly, I did what anyone should do with a new cooker of any type. I got my firebox going (I used paper and small twigs of hickory, and then small chunks of hickory) in order to burn off anything that might have been left on the smoker from the factory and to get the first seasoning on it. After about 2hrs and the temp gauge (yes, I know they suck) never going over 250degrees, I opened the main door to cool it some, so that I could wipe the inside with some peanut oil. THAT is when I saw the bottom that is shown in the picture. The powder-coat was obviously done wrong and has bubbled and separated from the metal. My biggest concern is that this obviously had a reaction to the heat, and am worried this is releasing toxic fumes into the chamber? I'm not inclined to dis-assemble this 200lb beast and send it back. I guess I will scrape the area, and prep it for some high-temp paint to hopefully repair it. Other than this major concern (for me). The smoker is nice. I like that they took the time to fabricate steel wheels for it that I think will last a long time. The overall design was well done I think. Just not happy about something as simple as proper powder-coating...
Amazon Customer : Excelleny Value
Product arrived extremely well packaged. Not a dent or ding anywhere. The fastening hardware was sorted and packaged in a 'blister' pack. Nothing missing and no extras. I added heaver split lock washers, but really couldn't say if they will make a difference. Instructions were well written and easy to follow. I followed the advice of other reviewers and sealed all the joints with either 3M Fire Block FB136 sealant or high temp RTV. If you are using only high temp RTV, plan on using at least two tubes. Also as recommended, I added rockwool tape to the firebox lid, main front door and little back door. One roll did all three with about 4 inched to spare...whew. Test fired the unit right after assemble. Between the firebox vent and top vent I had no trouble regulating the temperature between 200º and 225º. Granted I did need to mind the fuel, but that and a cold one is what it is all about. For under $300, I don't think you beat this smoker. California friends all have the $600+ electric plug-in, pellet fired cooking appliances. Sorry boyz, but that just ain't BBQ'n. -Satisfied Texas Native
Paolo Roma : Bent pieces, broken welding
Not happy at all as this looks like a 2nd or floor model that has been moved several times. Likely a return as the box was double tapped back up, as i should have done. Dents in many pieces. Welding is very poor quality as some pieces are broke or non existent. The cylindrical axle on 1 wheel was completely missing. Bends in screws on front prevent closing and locking. I would not recommend this product. Nervous to fire up as the pieces don't align and it's clear their are gaps that will cause heat lose. Worst purchase to date.
Tim Raffety : Easy to assemble and works very well. Impressive for the price point for an offset.
I'm actually very impressed that every part was included. Nothing was missing. Packed very well. I was worried about damage due to a few on here having received damaged goods. But mine arrived flawless. And every part was included. For the price and ease of assembly I gave this high marks. Impressive. Yes. During construction I performed all the "upgrades" that are recommended. But overall I will say this is a great first smoker to start with. UPDATE: The next day I performed a breakin smoke. With all the upgrades done I see very little in the way of leakage but there is some around seams that are from the manufacture of the smoker. The top dome will bleed smoke. It seems if you own a mig and know what you are doing you probably could remove the paint with a grinder and wield it together. Since I don't have access to this the upgrade did fine. The temps were surprisingly easy to control. I did start out with charcoal and tossed on hickory. I had to almost totally close the inlet damper on the firebox but this isn't uncommon with stick smokers. All in all for the price I give this 5 stars. I already cooked on it and things come out very good. If you are wanting to test your hand at offset smoking without a big investment this is the one for you. I am so surprised every part sent to me was there and was used. And nothing was damaged in shipment.
riobravo : Not too bad
This is a good smoker... eats a bit of wood and is temperamental. If ya don't mind babysitting the smoker for sudden temp changes this one does do a decent job. I would recommend getting this cover for it -
Fit my Dyna-Glo perfectly !!! is much cheaper and better than the 80 dollar ones !!!
y : Junk
Metal is too thin to regulate temperature. If you have all day to dick with this thing and thrive on mediocre performance...by all means...waste you time and money. Mine is going to the scrap yard
Concerned : Great Grill Smoker
Like the quantity of meat that can be cooked at one time. I can grill-smoke a weeks worth of food for the family in one cook. Also was able to grill-smoke a whole small turkey for Thanksgiving. I say grill-smoke as I am not truly "Smoking" the food but grilling at a lower temp and adding the smoky flavor. I cooked a 10lb turkey for 4 hours and the smoker held a consistent range of 230-250 above the turkey and 200-220 below (drip pan was deflecting the heat). I was monitoring and documenting every 5 minutes so I could give the wife a heads up when it would be done. I do suggest getting a digital multiple probe Bluetooth thermometer for accuracy and ability to cook several types and cuts of meet at a time. Also make sure to seal all the gaps and holes during construction as this helps with keeping the temp consistent and achieving lower temps.
Kelly M. : Great unit if you do the mods.
This unit arrived in a reasonable time frame and was undamaged. The build quality is quite good and relatively heavy duty. Assembly was a breeze by myself. I used the lavalock gasket tape and silicone to seal it up where user feedback in these reviews indicated. I also added a stainless steel charcoal basket.
It doesn't leak smoke or heat and is pretty miserly on the charcoal and wood with the added basket. I've seen some minor issues develop with the paint around the firebox. Based on other reviewers I did expect this and it's been nothing a wire brush and some high temp paint hasn't taken care of.
I've had outstanding results with it each time I've used it to this point and not had to break the bank on fuel usage.
My only knock would be that the thermometer on the door is about 40 degrees off from what my digital thermometers report.
My Bro-in-Law has one of those custom built $5000 smokers. This is not that. It is a really good smoker for about $270 plus the cost of the mods though.
adam johnson : Seems to be a nice smoker
I think I'm going to like this unit I ordered some lava lock tape to put around the doors and on the firebox because it leaks really bad and assembly was a chore it took me about 3 hours firebox was bent a little so I had to beat on it with a hammer to get the screws to line up correct Instructions were not very detailed so it took some guess I probably wouldn't have bought it if I had known how hard it was to assemble but with a few mods I think it will work for me
CKP : Dyna-glo smoker
I was very pleased with my smoker. It was easy to put together with the help from my wife. The 2 screws that people talk about was no problem for me. The only thing I see wrong with it and it doesn't effect the smoker is they put the model # plate upside down. Will season tomorrow after lavalock dries.
Greg Morse : $50 and some elbow grease makes this a very good smoker...
Plan on spending another $50 and several hours of your time after purchasing.
The smoker leaks, it leaks everywhere. If it is so difficult to build something with better tolerances at this price point, why not just include the necessary high temp gasket materials needed?
The paint quality is just poor. It “burned” off in many places after a single use. It then began to rust over the next two days from the overnight dew. Not rain, dew!
The assembly took a little over an hour. The placement for some of the fastening points could have been better, but it was not too bad or too complicated.
Ordering the gasket material, going to purchase the hi-temp paint, and prepping the smoker to be painted properly took several days.
The thermometer is not great.
I like the overall design and performance once the leaks were fixed. Still looking for a better thermometer.
For the price, they should be able to upgrade the paint quality, include a gasket kit, and provide a more accurate thermometer that is weather proof . If that would have been the case, this would be a 4-5 star product.
Badbullgator : Poor craftsmanship
I can’t say if I like the smoker or not yet because two of the screws that attach the legs and wheels to the unit will not thread into the pre-threaded hole. Both will go in about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch and stop. Tried using the other bolts that went into the other holes and the same thing. The hole is not properly drilled and threaded. Very disappointed in the quality. For the price I expect more.
john stuart : Excellent smoker
This is the best smoker that I have used. Temperature was kept low with water for an excellent smokey flavor. This is constructed with heavier gauge steel that will last longer. When assemblying use high temp sealer or you will have leaks and a hard time maintaining temperature. Can easily hold 3 full pork loins - smoked for 10 hours. As others have indicated, removing ashes while smoking is difficult - but can be done.
EvlWaz : Great smoker !
Had it together and working in a couple hours. I used lavalock on all seams and bolt holes. I used oven gasket around the doors. After a good seasoning only place it leaked smoke was the factory seam at the dome to barrel area on top. It sealed up perfect with a bead around it after cooling off. Holds temp great with all the leaks stopped up.
Devin Turner : For the price it's pretty good
I watched a couple of reviews that seemed needlessly critical about this smoker and while I do have some complaints I'd still recommend it. Definitely get the lavalock strip stuff and the silicone, smoke loved to leak out the door and even the top of it, but that's an easy fix and good luck buying a smoker at this price that DOESN'T leak. The price difference between this and a smoker that won't leak is significantly more than it costs to fix it. My only real complaint is the firebox design. It's super easy to clean out when you're done of course, but I'm still trying to come up with an easy way to take care of ash build up mid cook. I've seen many smoker designs that feature a latching door on the side of the firebox and I feel that would be the best way around this. To better explain the issue, it's important to mention that your charcoal grate is right on the part that slides out. So no, you can't just slide it out mid cook, remove your ash, and then slide it back in. You MIGHT be able to play around and separate the grate from the slide out piece, but I feel that really shouldn't be necessary and adds a bit of risk. This thing loves to eat fuel, and I find ash builds up super fast even on shorter smokes that only last 4-5 hours. As it is, I wouldn't even attempt something long like a brisket on here, because I can already say with certainty that the ash build up would be too much. Having the vent be part of a door that latches closed would be the perfect solution for fitting some sort of tool to scoop your ash out mid cook, and a modification I'm considering as a fix. Also worth mentioning, the grates are semi awkward to get in and out of the cook chamber, as there isn't much space for them. It's not unbearable but definitely worth mentioning.
Brent ledbetter : Bang for the buck is amazing
Soo, here's the thing, I got this bad boy delived and all for $265. Buy some heat rated sealer for around the edges, as this smoker does leak heat in spots. The tray for the fuel could be bigger and better designed. Do not use the gas chamber for direct grill unless it's a quick sear your looking for. The trays are close together but you have to understand this vertical stack allows up to 1100" of smoking ???????????????? the trays shouldn't have been stainless. Black would've been better but whatever, it makes you clean them a little more. I've made some killer ribs, salmon, and even a brisket on this guy and it was worth every penny. Put it together by myself in 40 min
Bill Culbreath : 2x and damaged both times
Really don't know how this product works. The 1st attempt, I spent about 20 mins out of box and separated. I start to assemble and notice a huge dent in barrel. I had to tape box back up and pack everything back. That was an hour and half of my life that I would like back. On the 2nd attempt the smoker was damaged when I open the box. I will return it again. This is a big problem as the box weighs over 120 pounds and I have to take it back to the UPS center. The time and effort for this smoker is really not worth it and trying to contact amazon is virtually impossible.
Collin N. : An excellent offset vertical smoker!
This is a great product and so far, I've only assembled it and seasoned it. The packaging was fantastic and the product arrived in great shape. The hardware for assembly was all kept in a nicely designed laminated paper storage system. I should state that I did a couple modifications right of the bat. I added gasket tape to the doors of the vertical smoke chamber and also applied a moderate amount of high temp food-rated silicon to welded edges and connecting pieces. I can't wait until Saturday! We'll be doing buffalo burgers and brisket!
EvlWaz : Great smoker !
Had it together and working in a couple hours. I used lavalock on all seams and bolt holes. I used oven gasket around the doors. After a good seasoning only place it leaked smoke was the factory seam at the dome to barrel area on top. It sealed up perfect with a bead around it after cooling off. Holds temp great with all the leaks stopped up.
Amazon Customer : Excelleny Value
Product arrived extremely well packaged. Not a dent or ding anywhere. The fastening hardware was sorted and packaged in a 'blister' pack. Nothing missing and no extras. I added heaver split lock washers, but really couldn't say if they will make a difference. Instructions were well written and easy to follow. I followed the advice of other reviewers and sealed all the joints with either 3M Fire Block FB136 sealant or high temp RTV. If you are using only high temp RTV, plan on using at least two tubes. Also as recommended, I added rockwool tape to the firebox lid, main front door and little back door. One roll did all three with about 4 inched to spare...whew. Test fired the unit right after assemble. Between the firebox vent and top vent I had no trouble regulating the temperature between 200º and 225º. Granted I did need to mind the fuel, but that and a cold one is what it is all about. For under $300, I don't think you beat this smoker. California friends all have the $600+ electric plug-in, pellet fired cooking appliances. Sorry boyz, but that just ain't BBQ'n. -Satisfied Texas Native
SpedTeach : Arrived damaged and poor customer service
I spent ALOT of money on this for my husband as a 25th anniversary present and he was so disappointed when he opened it and found many pieces badly scratched down to bare metal. I contacted the manufacture directly and after a week, they finally responded and wanted pictures which I sent. It took several more weeks for a response that said they would ship me replacements for those parts. That was early August. I followed up several times, with no response. When we finally got in touch with someone, we were told they did not have the parts and did not ship them to us like they said (they had even provided us with a tracking id) - it would be several months before they would have them. At that point, we had the grill several months already and were unable to use it and it was past the return date. When we mentioned that to the manufacturer, they basically said, oh well. It has been several more months, still no parts and no responses back. We ended up getting high heat paint and putting the grill together and it does work well, but I paid ALOT of money for this for and should of at least gotten some money back if they were not going to replace the parts that arrived damaged.
OZ : Good quality.
Wanted a nice smoker and after reading reviews and tons of research I heard this brand was top of line. So I gave it a try, easy to assemble (depending if your handy), after firing it up first time and doing a dry run through then u can use it. I can cook so many things at once with all the shelving, and it holds heat well. Very pleased. Would recommend.
Roush0521 : Amazon should double check the products before sending it to costumers.
Broken door, broken heart. This was my husband’s Christmas gift. So, no gift from Santa to him for now.
Tim Raffety : Easy to assemble and works very well. Impressive for the price point for an offset.
I'm actually very impressed that every part was included. Nothing was missing. Packed very well. I was worried about damage due to a few on here having received damaged goods. But mine arrived flawless. And every part was included. For the price and ease of assembly I gave this high marks. Impressive. Yes. During construction I performed all the "upgrades" that are recommended. But overall I will say this is a great first smoker to start with. UPDATE: The next day I performed a breakin smoke. With all the upgrades done I see very little in the way of leakage but there is some around seams that are from the manufacture of the smoker. The top dome will bleed smoke. It seems if you own a mig and know what you are doing you probably could remove the paint with a grinder and wield it together. Since I don't have access to this the upgrade did fine. The temps were surprisingly easy to control. I did start out with charcoal and tossed on hickory. I had to almost totally close the inlet damper on the firebox but this isn't uncommon with stick smokers. All in all for the price I give this 5 stars. I already cooked on it and things come out very good. If you are wanting to test your hand at offset smoking without a big investment this is the one for you. I am so surprised every part sent to me was there and was used. And nothing was damaged in shipment.
Amazon Customer : Make sure to get some heat resistant gaskets and sealant bc you will need it
The smoker was somewhat easy to put together but some of the places where a wrench was needed was hard to get to because the area was small and tight. As you can see in the first picture the hole where the temp gauge goes was a little warped and as you can see in video, it leaked alot of smoke out of numerous places which made it really hard to keep the temp up past 200 degrees. I had to keep loading it up with charcoal to make the temp stay up bc of all of the smoke that was seeping out. I will get some lavalock high temp gaskets and sealant to try and seal up all the spots where the smoke seeps out. I'm quite sure once I do that it will perform perfectly.
Collin N. : An excellent offset vertical smoker!
This is a great product and so far, I've only assembled it and seasoned it. The packaging was fantastic and the product arrived in great shape. The hardware for assembly was all kept in a nicely designed laminated paper storage system. I should state that I did a couple modifications right of the bat. I added gasket tape to the doors of the vertical smoke chamber and also applied a moderate amount of high temp food-rated silicon to welded edges and connecting pieces. I can't wait until Saturday! We'll be doing buffalo burgers and brisket!
g c : Very happy with this smoker.
I switched from a horizontal cross flow to this vertical smoker. Three smoke sessions later and I wonder why I didn’t do this sooner. I had 70 pounds of pork shoulder on this and there was still one shelf empty. This is easy to assemble but heavy. The style of door latch could be a little better, but overall this seems to be a great smoker.
Michael A. Wendorff : This looks like a winner for the money
I only gave this four stars overall simply because I haven't been able to use it yet. The first time I fired it up to season it, I was very impressed with how well the smoke and air flowed from fire box to the smoke racks with minimal loss of either. What smoke escape there is I've added lava tape around doors of both box and smoke tower to reduce further any loss. I've put together a number of grills and smokers over the years so this was not difficult to assemble. READ THE DIRECTIONS! It is quite heavy. My wife said it looks like the Tin Man from Oz so the Tin Man it has been dubbed. I may update this review after Tin Man gets some real use.
mark westerfield : Top damaged!
I unloaded the box and when I pulled out the vertical barrel the top was dented in where the smoke stack attaches (see photos). The box was not damaged, so in my opinion someone loaded a damaged product in the box. Needless to say, I'm mad! If this happens from the factory, I can only imagine that their Quality Control and Product Support is very poor! Pissed!!
Jimmy Flow : Trash Made in China
I'm not going to sugarcoat this review. The product took awhile to assemble. More than an Ikea masterpiece. During assembly, multiple bolts were stripped, making them difficult to use. Not all components aligned, which made putting this product together more difficult. Additionally, the bolt for the firebox lid was / is missing. It slides into the pre-built brackets but are not held in place.
I've used this smoker several times, with a constant trend: below optimal heat. Its really made for low and slow. If you want to smoke poultry, you more than likely will have to finish in the oven to ensure the meat is fully cooked. Chicken is one of those meats I won't play with. The smoker simply doesn't retain high enough heat for enough time.
Overall, it works but is below quality standards. It's cheap for a reason. I wouldn't recommend unless you need something short-term and cheap. Because that's what you'll get.
Derek bennett : Buy this grill your NOT wasting your money.
FIRST of all this box was a little heavy and was impressed how thick every piece of the grill was. It's not that thin cheap grill metal built for one season. This grill was built to last as long as you as the product owner clean it and maintain it as you use it.
So on to my likes: I like that it's heaven and durable. The pictures do not do it any justice on how big it is. There is plenty of smokeing/cooking area for sure. And the hanging racks are super sturdy and can hold some weight ....wink wink. And also it was very straight forward and easy to put together I completed the build in a half hour. So if your worried about the door having a seal it has adjustable latches to seal the door super tight. My grill came Un damaged so that's a plus.
Dislikes:
Absolutely no dislikes. It's what I hoped it to be and wanted.
P.S. I have a gas grill, and a offset smoker grill and now this vertical offset smoker. I assure you your not wasting you money. I'm just a regular guy that loves grilling 365 days a year snow storm or not. This grill has everything you would need to make those delicious ribs, pork butts, roast etc. Just buy it you will not regret.
Amazon Customer : Nice smoker with a potentially fatal flaw
I recently purchased this smoker. It seems to be a nice smoker. I sealed up the doors on the smoke chamber with lavalock gasket material, and I used silicone sealer on the smoke chamber side of the transfer box, as well as around the chimney and the joint where the upper cap joins the smoke chamber. Easy to set up, easy to use, but there is one problem I've encountered - on a long smoke, there is no easy way to clear the ashes. After about 12 hours, the fire started to die down because the ashes were choking it. It's great for short smoke times, and I bet it'll be great for cold smoking, but for a long job like a brisket, ash buildup could be a problem for you.
William Bass : Fuel Hog
For the money, I believe the smoker is well built. The problem I am having is that it does not hold a consistent temperature and I have to add a whole lot of fuel to keep it going. I have found on a long smoke, for example, I cannot simply load up the charcoal box and forget it. It takes constant monitoring and requires continuous additions of fuel. Not very user friendly. Also, on a long cook, there is really no way to empty the ash from the fire box. I have relegated this thing to a cold smoker for my country hams. It works pretty good for that.
Jay : Great for Price
I was in the market for an offset smoker. Did not want an electric or pellet smoker because those take little to no skill to use. Old school charcoal / Chunk wood smoking is a craft and takes a lot of practice and patience to do right.
I came across this upright/offset smoker and really liked the look and quality. The packaging wasn’t exactly “new and exiting” the box was beat to s**t and looked “returned”. But, I waited forever to get this thing and didn’t want to go through the process of return/ exchange.
It was fairly easy to put together. I added LavaLock to seal the doors/ openings to prevent heat loss/ smoke loss. I recommend removing the grates that are used to “grill” in the side cart. You can add more charcoal or wood this way, just leave the bottom grate that holds your heating element, or eventually your ash will choke it out.
You will use a lot of charcoal, I usually go through a bag in a 6 - 8 hr smoke session. I recommend chunk wood. It burns fairly slow and actually turns into “charcoal” once burned. You can simply place new wood in on top of it to continue smoking. No wood chips needed in this case. Food comes out nice and juicy, with a great skin on the outside. This smoker is definitely worth the money.
4 stars due to the rusting here and there around the wheels, also I had to seal some welding gaps in the body, as smoke was seeping out. Otherwise, no issues.
Mindy B : Not good at all
Was purchased for my husband's birthday. All the holes and clips are misaligned. We had to redrill holes and cut off areas just to mount the door properly. It is still off. We bought in April 2019 and keep it clean and covered but it is already rusting and chipping. The temp gauge has stopped working and has water in it. The misaligned door has to be lifted before clamped which is difficult when it is hot. The door clamps are hard to adjust.
Update 9/2020. Already complete rust and falling apart. Even using a cover to protect it from elements. The smoker door fell off and crumbled. Handles falling off and rusted out. Don’t waste your money!
Rosa : Smoker leaks out smoke through the door
When this product arrived I was afraid of missing parts and damaged parts. Because all the bad reviews mention that. All in all it came with all the parts needed and it was easy to assemble between me and my dad. I don’t know how people can miss parts it’s in a box labeled, i think they just don't put the bolts in the right locations. The instructions was readable but I found it to be annoying that it was out of order. For instance when you work on the smaller body the legs on the bigger body should be on according to the picture but that instruction doesn’t come until later on my advice is switch the instruction manual for step by step on what should be put together first. I have one complaint on the smoker. It loses a lot of heat and we have to replace a whole bag of coal. I don’t understand how something is made specifically to keep the smoke inside with letting us have the option to release it but there is no proper sealer for it to keep the smoke from coming out and it’s not just this particular item I did a lot of research on many smokers and that seems to always be a big issue. With ours so much smoke leaks from out the big body’s door. I just don’t understand why this is such a big issue for item that has only one purpose. Other than than that it looks nice and it was an easy build. It was scuffed up only a little on the smaller body but my dad thinks it adds character. All in all the product gets the job done, looks nice, and an easy build.
Amazon Customer : Make sure to get some heat resistant gaskets and sealant bc you will need it
The smoker was somewhat easy to put together but some of the places where a wrench was needed was hard to get to because the area was small and tight. As you can see in the first picture the hole where the temp gauge goes was a little warped and as you can see in video, it leaked alot of smoke out of numerous places which made it really hard to keep the temp up past 200 degrees. I had to keep loading it up with charcoal to make the temp stay up bc of all of the smoke that was seeping out. I will get some lavalock high temp gaskets and sealant to try and seal up all the spots where the smoke seeps out. I'm quite sure once I do that it will perform perfectly.
sue : Great Value
This is the first smoker I have bought. I got it 3 months ago and have used it on occasional weekends. I have mostly cooked pork shoulder for pulling and whole chickens.
Pros: Assembly was as others have described. There are a lot of steps and that is time consuming, but nothing was difficult except for when you are joining the fire box and cooking compartment. That took 2 people, by my estimation.
It is a heavy smoker, but I like the mobility. I only use it on my property, but I roll it into a large, airy, barn for cooking when it is raining.
I use charcoal and wood in the firebox. I find I only have to re-stoke the fuel 2-3 times over 8 hours.
I did seal the communication between the firebox and cooking chamber. There was a large gap that you could see. Otherwise, this unit holds the heat well.
It contains a large area for cooking. I never use all that space.
It is fairly easy to figure out the vents. I recommend leaving the bottom grate in the firebox to allow air movement. This heats up the unit quickly. I usually cook at 250 degrees F, and it is not hard to maintain this over hours. I have not used the grilling area, as I already have another grill.
I like that it is all enclosed. I bought a remote thermometer, so I don't have to sit next to this all day while it burns.
Cons: there is a small area of rust starting on the roof of the fire box already. I may need to sand and repaint this at some point.
The lower grate of the firebox is fairly cheaply made and it bent right after the first "seasoning" burn due to the heat. I may need a replacement for that soon.
SUMMARY: Overall, I thought this is a great value. I had to buy it sight-unseen, and I wasn't too comfortable with that. I am very happy with the purchase. I got it for a very reasonable price ($250).
Caitie Reisinger : Smokin’ smoker
Got this for my Husband’s birthday after we’d purchased one for his brother for his birthday. This guy is relatively easy to assemble (with 2 people) and I like that the heat source is separate from where the meat is cooking. It’s spacious and has more than enough room to roast several racks of ribs.
Ms. L : Excellent charcoal smoker
I debated for a long time between this smoker and several other options that included pellet smokers. I made the decision to go with this smoker because I wanted to get the true, pure smoke flavor and wanted to be able to smoke at very low temperatures. I love using this smoker. It is easy to control the temperatures and I have had no problems smoking at low temperatures down to 140 degrees and have kept it at 225 degrees consistently for as long as 12 hours.
The modifications I did include sealing the fire box with a special fire-proof product and lining the door openings with LavaLock. I have not used it in cold temperatures yet, but don't anticipate a big problem regulating temperatures. This is just a great design that lets you smoke lots of food at once with relative ease.
Devin Turner : For the price it's pretty good
I watched a couple of reviews that seemed needlessly critical about this smoker and while I do have some complaints I'd still recommend it. Definitely get the lavalock strip stuff and the silicone, smoke loved to leak out the door and even the top of it, but that's an easy fix and good luck buying a smoker at this price that DOESN'T leak. The price difference between this and a smoker that won't leak is significantly more than it costs to fix it. My only real complaint is the firebox design. It's super easy to clean out when you're done of course, but I'm still trying to come up with an easy way to take care of ash build up mid cook. I've seen many smoker designs that feature a latching door on the side of the firebox and I feel that would be the best way around this. To better explain the issue, it's important to mention that your charcoal grate is right on the part that slides out. So no, you can't just slide it out mid cook, remove your ash, and then slide it back in. You MIGHT be able to play around and separate the grate from the slide out piece, but I feel that really shouldn't be necessary and adds a bit of risk. This thing loves to eat fuel, and I find ash builds up super fast even on shorter smokes that only last 4-5 hours. As it is, I wouldn't even attempt something long like a brisket on here, because I can already say with certainty that the ash build up would be too much. Having the vent be part of a door that latches closed would be the perfect solution for fitting some sort of tool to scoop your ash out mid cook, and a modification I'm considering as a fix. Also worth mentioning, the grates are semi awkward to get in and out of the cook chamber, as there isn't much space for them. It's not unbearable but definitely worth mentioning.
Charles Chaffee : Solidly Built, Learn To Use
It wasn’t too terribly hard to assemble, but time consuming, which is fine. Have tools. Strictly as a long smoker, I’m sure it is great. But if you use lump charcoal like I do, I would highly recommend using standard briquettes to get those started, as the fire box isn’t vented perfectly to get the amount of air necessary to get the entire coal bed going with lump charcoal. Moreover, you will struggle to get the vertical chamber hot enough to do anything besides slow smoking. So definitely trial and error and patience are required if you are not familiar with vertical offset charcoal smokers as I wasn’t). Possibly too you could look into ways to better seal the seam between firebox and smoking chamber. All things considered though, for just under $300, and for what it is intended for, you his is a very solidly built unit that works as intended with the proper knowledge and process.
James R Williams : Heavy duty and durable.
I give Dyna-Glo Smokers 5 Stars because of their customer service. This is my 2nd Dyna-Glo smoker and I got the damaged parts I needed quickly. They are a little hard to get a hold of but if you leave a call back number, they will get back to you. As far as the Signature Series Smoker I bought, I think that it smokes great. Temperature is easy to control and maintain. It has steel wheels. So as one review of my old smoker wrote, it’s the Customer Service that gets them 5 Stars. Also the smoker is really good. Just have a hand truck available when it’s delivered.
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you