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
- 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
This fits your .
From the manufacturer
Barbecue with the best of them
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Get that classic smokehouse flavorCook meats low and slow in the smoker body, from brisket to ribs to anything you can imagine. | Tame the flame at the backyard BBQGrill burgers or brats for the whole crew. | Expand your culinary horizonsOpen the door to a whole new world of BBQ with this large capacity, multi-functional BBQ machine. |
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Cool-Touch Spring HandleProvides safer access to food. | Sausage HooksPre-installed sausage hooks give you additional cooking flexibility. | Removable Offset Charcoal Grate and Ash PanOffers 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 |
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| 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
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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Matthew : Great smoker for the price.
This is my first offset smoker. I want to be able to smoke barbecue with the stick burner before moving on to more expensive smokers. I wanted something for reasonable price, but I did not want a smoker constructed of thin steel. I got this on sale for half the retail price on Amazon. The smoker is made of heavy duty steel. If feels sturdy wheeling it around to my back yard.
I sealed it up with red RTV and lava lock just to make sure I had a good seal with no leaks.
I’ve used it 5 times since I bought it. Temps are easy to maintain if you know what you’re doing. Easy to move around the yard because it has wheels. It was difficult to fit large racks of ribs on the grates, which requires my to trim a bone or three off my baby back prior to smoking them.
The only recommendation I have for somebody looking into this is to purchase a digital thermometer with two probes. One probe reads the ambient temperature inside the smoker and the other can be used as the meat probe. The temperature gage that came with the smoker wasn’t accurate but it was better than nothing.
I sealed it up with red RTV and lava lock just to make sure I had a good seal with no leaks.
I’ve used it 5 times since I bought it. Temps are easy to maintain if you know what you’re doing. Easy to move around the yard because it has wheels. It was difficult to fit large racks of ribs on the grates, which requires my to trim a bone or three off my baby back prior to smoking them.
The only recommendation I have for somebody looking into this is to purchase a digital thermometer with two probes. One probe reads the ambient temperature inside the smoker and the other can be used as the meat probe. The temperature gage that came with the smoker wasn’t accurate but it was better than nothing.
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
L French : Nice smoker, bad rust problem
We purchased 2 of these. The first, we received on April 16th, the 2nd arrived on April 29th. It was "easy enough" to assemble, and there was a small learning curve to figure out how to get the best cook out of them. However, we've only had them operating about a month and the 2nd one is rusting pretty badly already (the first photo is the first one which looks much better than the 2nd). We'll have to remedy this, of course, but will definitely not be purchasing any more of these - not at that price, for something that rusts immediately!
Karl R : Satisfied
The only reason I only gave it three stars is because of the dents that it arrive where. Other wise I am very satisfied and enjoying it.
Larry : I should have known better
Im going try and be fair with my review. Its not bad for the price. But being used to a UDS this smoker is disappointing. I can get the consistently where i want them. And when I do get it there it won't stay there but for a few minutes before the tenps start dropping. This thing also consumes a lot of charcoal.
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.
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.
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.
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!!
Mccafn : To make the other men jealous
I bought this for my husband for fathers day. Its huge, the other guys and neighbors ate jealous and always commenting to their wives about how they want one lol. We use it all the time and it fits our cast iron pots perfectly. I highly recommend it.
KC : Sucky sellers, great looking product!
Ordered this smoker for 2021 Father's day, received a day after, the box came wi tree h a hole in it the size of a softball. My husband opened box 4 days later and sure enough, the item was bent, sent item back for a replacement, I'm starting to wonder if that was a mistake. After reading some comments, it seems that this seller sends known damage items to customers. FIY, if you receive a taped up box, it's most likely damaged, don't waste your time, just send it back. SMH, such a great looking product
Wesley R. Rock : Husband likes his grill
My husband bought this and it came all banged up. The package seemed to be drug. It says assembly in 30 minutes but that is with 3 people. He was able to bang most of the dents out except the one on the door handle. He called the company and they don't sell replacement handles. They do sell replacement doors. They did offer a partial refund which was nice of them. Even so, the pit still holds heat really well. He loves it, which is why it is a 4 not a 3 star!
T. Panek : Excellent Value
I think it’s important to give ratings that are relative to the price of a product, so keep in my mind the low price tag of this smoker as you read this. If I had paid $1000 my review would be quite different, but I paid $300. And for $300 this smoker is an excellent deal.
The packaging was irritating. I spent at least 15 minutes just vacuuming the styrofoam balls that snowed from the box as I pulled the parts free. But everything was in good condition, for the most part. There were a few rub marks and scratched to the enamel, but after a few times using it who will notice?
The design is great. The handles, thermometer, latches and wheels are just as good as any high-end smoker, and the smoke flows through perfectly. The racks are plentiful and the sausage hooks are well designed.
The only thing that keeps the price tag reasonable and the product transportable is the gauge of the steel. It’s thin. You won’t maintain temperatures quite as well as well as with a heavy duty smoker, but I assure you it’s not a deal breaker. It works great, and I don’t mind paying a bit more attention to the temp.
In summary, you should definitely buy this. You’ll get the look and feel of a $1200 smoker with more mobility and a lot of money left over to buy huge slabs of cows and pigs.
5 stars.
The packaging was irritating. I spent at least 15 minutes just vacuuming the styrofoam balls that snowed from the box as I pulled the parts free. But everything was in good condition, for the most part. There were a few rub marks and scratched to the enamel, but after a few times using it who will notice?
The design is great. The handles, thermometer, latches and wheels are just as good as any high-end smoker, and the smoke flows through perfectly. The racks are plentiful and the sausage hooks are well designed.
The only thing that keeps the price tag reasonable and the product transportable is the gauge of the steel. It’s thin. You won’t maintain temperatures quite as well as well as with a heavy duty smoker, but I assure you it’s not a deal breaker. It works great, and I don’t mind paying a bit more attention to the temp.
In summary, you should definitely buy this. You’ll get the look and feel of a $1200 smoker with more mobility and a lot of money left over to buy huge slabs of cows and pigs.
5 stars.
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.
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.
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.
Mccafn : To make the other men jealous
I bought this for my husband for fathers day. Its huge, the other guys and neighbors ate jealous and always commenting to their wives about how they want one lol. We use it all the time and it fits our cast iron pots perfectly. I highly recommend it.
Wesley R. Rock : Husband likes his grill
My husband bought this and it came all banged up. The package seemed to be drug. It says assembly in 30 minutes but that is with 3 people. He was able to bang most of the dents out except the one on the door handle. He called the company and they don't sell replacement handles. They do sell replacement doors. They did offer a partial refund which was nice of them. Even so, the pit still holds heat really well. He loves it, which is why it is a 4 not a 3 star!
Amazon Customer : Smoking sitting and beer
Let me be Very clear this product was extremely easy to assemble however you have to watch it while you're smoking anything. It is a b**** to get up to temperature but if you have a charcoal flute or chimney that's not an issue. I will say they did take me about three or four times to master how to get my temperature settings right but for the damnedest I can't get it over 250 degrees but that's perfectly fine cuz I still have my propane for anytime I need to grill. I will say that the low temperature in the main cooking area is non-issue. In fact it's extremely a positive because this allows me to do exactly what I need to do as you can see it holds too large racks of ribs vertically in addition to all the several trays that it has. You just have to buy those extra hooks and I highly recommend them. Long story short I love this product I've recommended it to all my friends the only downside is that you have to sit with it but with an ice chest and enough beer that's not an issue!
Amazon Customer : Take time to figure this out--3 updates
Arrived in pristine condition. Assembly was straight forward. I was in no hurry to get this thing up and running. Reading thru the instructions, test-fitting the screws, cleaning up junk, cleaning surfaces, using Lava-lock on all doors, I enjoyed the experience. I added two lever clamps to the firebox door to pull it down to seal against the gasket. I added a 3" rain cap to the stack. (toss that rotating flat damper; you Absolutely Do Not want to use it!) Built a charcoal basket of expanded 3/4" #9 steel and 1/2" angle. 12 x 10 x 6. With the fire grate in the firebox and the basket on top, opening and dumping the ash drawer is a snap. I burn lump and natural charcoal, and pecan chunks. Seasoning is easily done, AFTER thoroughly cleaning Everything inside.
True BBQ is an exercise in patience. And that patience begins with putting this thing together; doing that right gets you acquainted with this unit, gives you the awareness of its qualities, and an appreciation of how it does what it does. Take your time....
Update: charcoal basket in the firebox, lava-lock gaskets around all doors, filled the gaps with rtv450 silicone, washed inside twice and dried, sprayed Pam on walls, doors,shelves....lit up a chimney of royal oak briquettes, half open damper. Heated right up to 300°, running well.....smoke only where I want it.
No leaks around doors or firebox/smoker body joint.
Ribs, sausage, and beans ready to go in tomorrow.....
Update; 06/13/2020....unit did it's job Very Well...
Everything done in less time than my old horizontal smoker.
Temp was steady for long periods. Six hours running and no issues.
Could not be happier with the performance. Baby backs fit across a shelf--tight fit, but they went in. As did the beans and sausages, all at the same time. Impossible on my horizontal...
As others have cited, be prepared to make some mods, be ready to spend some time with assembly. If you do, you can have a smoker that is efficient with fuel, produces excellent results, and is easy to use. In 20 years of smoking, this is the best and most versatile smoker of the 4 I have had.
07/22/20...final update. Added 2 more clamps--on the ash tray, to pull it toward the the barrel and sealed just the top edge of the ash drawer with LavaLock gasket. This sealed the final air leak. Now I can run temps between 225° and 235° for hours. With the gaskets in place there are ZERO leaks of heat or smoke.
I am loving the way this smoker works now. Took some time to 'tune' it, but well worth it.
"If there ain't no smoke, there ain't no bbq"
True BBQ is an exercise in patience. And that patience begins with putting this thing together; doing that right gets you acquainted with this unit, gives you the awareness of its qualities, and an appreciation of how it does what it does. Take your time....
Update: charcoal basket in the firebox, lava-lock gaskets around all doors, filled the gaps with rtv450 silicone, washed inside twice and dried, sprayed Pam on walls, doors,shelves....lit up a chimney of royal oak briquettes, half open damper. Heated right up to 300°, running well.....smoke only where I want it.
No leaks around doors or firebox/smoker body joint.
Ribs, sausage, and beans ready to go in tomorrow.....
Update; 06/13/2020....unit did it's job Very Well...
Everything done in less time than my old horizontal smoker.
Temp was steady for long periods. Six hours running and no issues.
Could not be happier with the performance. Baby backs fit across a shelf--tight fit, but they went in. As did the beans and sausages, all at the same time. Impossible on my horizontal...
As others have cited, be prepared to make some mods, be ready to spend some time with assembly. If you do, you can have a smoker that is efficient with fuel, produces excellent results, and is easy to use. In 20 years of smoking, this is the best and most versatile smoker of the 4 I have had.
07/22/20...final update. Added 2 more clamps--on the ash tray, to pull it toward the the barrel and sealed just the top edge of the ash drawer with LavaLock gasket. This sealed the final air leak. Now I can run temps between 225° and 235° for hours. With the gaskets in place there are ZERO leaks of heat or smoke.
I am loving the way this smoker works now. Took some time to 'tune' it, but well worth it.
"If there ain't no smoke, there ain't no bbq"
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.
MH Monroe : Great smoker for the price
Super thrilled with this smoker for the price. It does have some issues retaining heat around the seals but nothing a little easy and cheap seal tape can’t fix. I was disappointed with my ashtray as the welds have failed at the back of it. But that may just be my product issue. Looks easy enough to fix. Be sure to get the cover for it as it does rust fairly quickly as I have learned. But with steel wool in a cover it’s fine
Eric Nolan : complete mess.
The product was scratched, dented, and the box was in shambles. Looks like a return that was resold. Not unusable but not worth the hassle to repack and return because the styrofoam inserts for packing were pulverized. Haven’t used it yet, so can’t review on that yet but if you buy it beware, if you get the box and it’s torn up just return it or better yet buy it from Home Depot. I read other reviews saying that theirs was messed up upon unboxing but I figured it was a one off thing. Lots of gaps where the firebox meets the barrel, but I planned on sealing it anyways so it’s not too bad of an issue. A little tinkering and this thing could be a champ.
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.
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 -
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HK2Q9Q2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fit my Dyna-Glo perfectly !!! is much cheaper and better than the 80 dollar ones !!!
I would recommend getting this cover for it -
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HK2Q9Q2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fit my Dyna-Glo perfectly !!! is much cheaper and better than the 80 dollar ones !!!
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.
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.
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.
Robert & Linda Restivo : Yum!
I've always wanted to make brisket at home, but have never had the right equipment. I've been a griller, which isn't suited to a proper brisket. Strictly steaks, chops, and burgers. So I finally decided to upgrade to a smoker. In preparation, I read Smoky Hale's book, which I recommend. (https://smile.amazon.com/American-Barbecue-Grilling-Manual-2000-05-01/dp/B01K3JC5KU/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=great+american+manual+hale&qid=1592756378&sr=8-1) (I got mine at the local Goodwill!)
I bought the combination smoker & cover. Covers are necessities for any grill, and the Dyna-Glo cover fits this smoker like a glove. I had read all the previous reviews and also bought the LavaLock gasket seal (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F9FE60K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
Previous reviews mentioned that the unit arrives damaged, and mine was no exception. There were a couple of dents and scratches to the vertical smoking chamber. One dent was such that the smoker could not be assembled without repair. Amazon was kind enough to offer a 35% discount instead of a replacement, which was quite acceptable.
I pounded out the dent, and then assembled the unit. I used the LavaLock seal between the two halves of the offset chamber, on the connection pipe between the offset and smoking chambers, and at the joint of smokestack and vertical chamber. I also sealed the doors to the offset chamber and the main smoker door, and the charcoal tray. (I still have to seal the small access door on the smoker chamber.) It takes 2 15' rolls of LavaLock to seal the entire unit. The only tools required were a screwdriver, a combination wrench, and a socket/ratchet. I was able to put it together by myself, and it took as long to apply the gasket seal as to tighten the bolts.
I hadn't sealed the main smoker door when I seasoned it, and without the gasket seal the main smoker door leaks smoke and heat like a chimney. Sealed, it doesn't leak at all.
The first time smoking, I didn't have an internal thermometer and had to rely on the clock. I was smoking a 17 pound brisket, an whole spatchcocked chicken, and 2 pounds of sausage. I ran the brisket for about 10 hours and it hadn't converted the collagen to gelatin. It was still good, just not as tender as it should've been. The chicken was in the smoker for about 4 hours and came out great. Oh, also grill pineapple. I didn't skin or core it, just sliced into 1" slabs and threw it on the grate. Highly recommended.
I purchased the Enzoo wireless thermometer (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y385YR3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) prior to my second attempt. This is an absolute necessity. I was able to monitor the temperatures throughout the cooking process without opening the main chamber. I think I took my first brisket out while it was still in the meat stall. I started the second brisket at about 9:30 a.m. and finally took it out at 1:30 in the morning ... 16 hours. But it came out great.
When cooking, the fire initially burns evenly throughout the offset chamber. (I take the grills out because they just get in the way.) As the cooking continues, the offset chamber fills with ash, which affects the burn. I noticed that the fire was primarily on the air intake side of the chamber. I tried moving coals and creating channels to get more air throughout the chamber, but the temperature would stay stubbornly around 205 for hours. Finally, I piled all the charcoal against the air intake side of the chamber, and in no time the temperature was back in the 230 range. This becomes necessary after 6-8 hours. I think if I figured that out sooner, I could've shortened my 16 hour marathon.
As mentioned in previous reviews, this is a fine grill for the money. But sealing all the joints and doors with the gasket seal is absolutely necessary. Also, be sure to have a remote thermometer system. Happy barbecuing.
I bought the combination smoker & cover. Covers are necessities for any grill, and the Dyna-Glo cover fits this smoker like a glove. I had read all the previous reviews and also bought the LavaLock gasket seal (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F9FE60K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
Previous reviews mentioned that the unit arrives damaged, and mine was no exception. There were a couple of dents and scratches to the vertical smoking chamber. One dent was such that the smoker could not be assembled without repair. Amazon was kind enough to offer a 35% discount instead of a replacement, which was quite acceptable.
I pounded out the dent, and then assembled the unit. I used the LavaLock seal between the two halves of the offset chamber, on the connection pipe between the offset and smoking chambers, and at the joint of smokestack and vertical chamber. I also sealed the doors to the offset chamber and the main smoker door, and the charcoal tray. (I still have to seal the small access door on the smoker chamber.) It takes 2 15' rolls of LavaLock to seal the entire unit. The only tools required were a screwdriver, a combination wrench, and a socket/ratchet. I was able to put it together by myself, and it took as long to apply the gasket seal as to tighten the bolts.
I hadn't sealed the main smoker door when I seasoned it, and without the gasket seal the main smoker door leaks smoke and heat like a chimney. Sealed, it doesn't leak at all.
The first time smoking, I didn't have an internal thermometer and had to rely on the clock. I was smoking a 17 pound brisket, an whole spatchcocked chicken, and 2 pounds of sausage. I ran the brisket for about 10 hours and it hadn't converted the collagen to gelatin. It was still good, just not as tender as it should've been. The chicken was in the smoker for about 4 hours and came out great. Oh, also grill pineapple. I didn't skin or core it, just sliced into 1" slabs and threw it on the grate. Highly recommended.
I purchased the Enzoo wireless thermometer (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y385YR3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) prior to my second attempt. This is an absolute necessity. I was able to monitor the temperatures throughout the cooking process without opening the main chamber. I think I took my first brisket out while it was still in the meat stall. I started the second brisket at about 9:30 a.m. and finally took it out at 1:30 in the morning ... 16 hours. But it came out great.
When cooking, the fire initially burns evenly throughout the offset chamber. (I take the grills out because they just get in the way.) As the cooking continues, the offset chamber fills with ash, which affects the burn. I noticed that the fire was primarily on the air intake side of the chamber. I tried moving coals and creating channels to get more air throughout the chamber, but the temperature would stay stubbornly around 205 for hours. Finally, I piled all the charcoal against the air intake side of the chamber, and in no time the temperature was back in the 230 range. This becomes necessary after 6-8 hours. I think if I figured that out sooner, I could've shortened my 16 hour marathon.
As mentioned in previous reviews, this is a fine grill for the money. But sealing all the joints and doors with the gasket seal is absolutely necessary. Also, be sure to have a remote thermometer system. Happy barbecuing.
Karl R : Satisfied
The only reason I only gave it three stars is because of the dents that it arrive where. Other wise I am very satisfied and enjoying it.
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.
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
Robert & Linda Restivo : Yum!
I've always wanted to make brisket at home, but have never had the right equipment. I've been a griller, which isn't suited to a proper brisket. Strictly steaks, chops, and burgers. So I finally decided to upgrade to a smoker. In preparation, I read Smoky Hale's book, which I recommend. (https://smile.amazon.com/American-Barbecue-Grilling-Manual-2000-05-01/dp/B01K3JC5KU/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=great+american+manual+hale&qid=1592756378&sr=8-1) (I got mine at the local Goodwill!)
I bought the combination smoker & cover. Covers are necessities for any grill, and the Dyna-Glo cover fits this smoker like a glove. I had read all the previous reviews and also bought the LavaLock gasket seal (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F9FE60K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
Previous reviews mentioned that the unit arrives damaged, and mine was no exception. There were a couple of dents and scratches to the vertical smoking chamber. One dent was such that the smoker could not be assembled without repair. Amazon was kind enough to offer a 35% discount instead of a replacement, which was quite acceptable.
I pounded out the dent, and then assembled the unit. I used the LavaLock seal between the two halves of the offset chamber, on the connection pipe between the offset and smoking chambers, and at the joint of smokestack and vertical chamber. I also sealed the doors to the offset chamber and the main smoker door, and the charcoal tray. (I still have to seal the small access door on the smoker chamber.) It takes 2 15' rolls of LavaLock to seal the entire unit. The only tools required were a screwdriver, a combination wrench, and a socket/ratchet. I was able to put it together by myself, and it took as long to apply the gasket seal as to tighten the bolts.
I hadn't sealed the main smoker door when I seasoned it, and without the gasket seal the main smoker door leaks smoke and heat like a chimney. Sealed, it doesn't leak at all.
The first time smoking, I didn't have an internal thermometer and had to rely on the clock. I was smoking a 17 pound brisket, an whole spatchcocked chicken, and 2 pounds of sausage. I ran the brisket for about 10 hours and it hadn't converted the collagen to gelatin. It was still good, just not as tender as it should've been. The chicken was in the smoker for about 4 hours and came out great. Oh, also grill pineapple. I didn't skin or core it, just sliced into 1" slabs and threw it on the grate. Highly recommended.
I purchased the Enzoo wireless thermometer (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y385YR3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) prior to my second attempt. This is an absolute necessity. I was able to monitor the temperatures throughout the cooking process without opening the main chamber. I think I took my first brisket out while it was still in the meat stall. I started the second brisket at about 9:30 a.m. and finally took it out at 1:30 in the morning ... 16 hours. But it came out great.
When cooking, the fire initially burns evenly throughout the offset chamber. (I take the grills out because they just get in the way.) As the cooking continues, the offset chamber fills with ash, which affects the burn. I noticed that the fire was primarily on the air intake side of the chamber. I tried moving coals and creating channels to get more air throughout the chamber, but the temperature would stay stubbornly around 205 for hours. Finally, I piled all the charcoal against the air intake side of the chamber, and in no time the temperature was back in the 230 range. This becomes necessary after 6-8 hours. I think if I figured that out sooner, I could've shortened my 16 hour marathon.
As mentioned in previous reviews, this is a fine grill for the money. But sealing all the joints and doors with the gasket seal is absolutely necessary. Also, be sure to have a remote thermometer system. Happy barbecuing.
I bought the combination smoker & cover. Covers are necessities for any grill, and the Dyna-Glo cover fits this smoker like a glove. I had read all the previous reviews and also bought the LavaLock gasket seal (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F9FE60K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1).
Previous reviews mentioned that the unit arrives damaged, and mine was no exception. There were a couple of dents and scratches to the vertical smoking chamber. One dent was such that the smoker could not be assembled without repair. Amazon was kind enough to offer a 35% discount instead of a replacement, which was quite acceptable.
I pounded out the dent, and then assembled the unit. I used the LavaLock seal between the two halves of the offset chamber, on the connection pipe between the offset and smoking chambers, and at the joint of smokestack and vertical chamber. I also sealed the doors to the offset chamber and the main smoker door, and the charcoal tray. (I still have to seal the small access door on the smoker chamber.) It takes 2 15' rolls of LavaLock to seal the entire unit. The only tools required were a screwdriver, a combination wrench, and a socket/ratchet. I was able to put it together by myself, and it took as long to apply the gasket seal as to tighten the bolts.
I hadn't sealed the main smoker door when I seasoned it, and without the gasket seal the main smoker door leaks smoke and heat like a chimney. Sealed, it doesn't leak at all.
The first time smoking, I didn't have an internal thermometer and had to rely on the clock. I was smoking a 17 pound brisket, an whole spatchcocked chicken, and 2 pounds of sausage. I ran the brisket for about 10 hours and it hadn't converted the collagen to gelatin. It was still good, just not as tender as it should've been. The chicken was in the smoker for about 4 hours and came out great. Oh, also grill pineapple. I didn't skin or core it, just sliced into 1" slabs and threw it on the grate. Highly recommended.
I purchased the Enzoo wireless thermometer (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Y385YR3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) prior to my second attempt. This is an absolute necessity. I was able to monitor the temperatures throughout the cooking process without opening the main chamber. I think I took my first brisket out while it was still in the meat stall. I started the second brisket at about 9:30 a.m. and finally took it out at 1:30 in the morning ... 16 hours. But it came out great.
When cooking, the fire initially burns evenly throughout the offset chamber. (I take the grills out because they just get in the way.) As the cooking continues, the offset chamber fills with ash, which affects the burn. I noticed that the fire was primarily on the air intake side of the chamber. I tried moving coals and creating channels to get more air throughout the chamber, but the temperature would stay stubbornly around 205 for hours. Finally, I piled all the charcoal against the air intake side of the chamber, and in no time the temperature was back in the 230 range. This becomes necessary after 6-8 hours. I think if I figured that out sooner, I could've shortened my 16 hour marathon.
As mentioned in previous reviews, this is a fine grill for the money. But sealing all the joints and doors with the gasket seal is absolutely necessary. Also, be sure to have a remote thermometer system. Happy barbecuing.
Rumpir8 : Damaged
After putting together which took 3 hours. It was damaged and would not shut. So absolutely useless.
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.
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.
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.
Joe B. : Perfect smoker for the money!!
I originally was looking to purchase a horizontal smoker, but was unable to find one without spending a lot of money. I was very happy when opened the box & saw the thickness of the steel. This is a very well made smoker. The parts are much thicker steel than I expected, which makes the smoker heavy once fully assembled.
I am 2 months out of Rotator Cuff Surgery, and was able to assemble the smoke by myself in approx. 1 hour. I probably take a little extra "OCD" in doing things, so with 2 people or someone with 2 good arms, it could be accomplished in less time.
I plan on "seasoning" the smoker as soon as I can so I can start to make some great meat!!
I am 2 months out of Rotator Cuff Surgery, and was able to assemble the smoke by myself in approx. 1 hour. I probably take a little extra "OCD" in doing things, so with 2 people or someone with 2 good arms, it could be accomplished in less time.
I plan on "seasoning" the smoker as soon as I can so I can start to make some great meat!!
Marshall G Bartlett : Decent smoker / Good performance at this price-point
Workable smoker. For the money, it does a very respectable job. Took about 2 hours to put together. Went smoothly except for a mis-cut thread on one of the exhaust support mounting holes. A little make-shift engineering later and it was all set to go. I installed plenty of RTV to keep it from leaking (it needs a lot!). Results are very good.
I have smoked in it about a half-dizen times since. Great results on everything, including brisket. Mine had large temperature variations right-to-left and top-to-bottom (about 100 deg F) initially. I put a fire brick bridging between the firebox exhaust and the water pan to force the head towards the pan. That reduced the temperature variations to about 25 degrees. Acceptable.
Lots of sq. internally, but they are spread between fine racks that are fairly tightly spaced. The racks are not removable individually - you have to remove the bottom rack to remove the one above and so on. Not convenient when smoking, but for me it is a minor annoyance. An average sized full brisket will just fit on one of the racks. The supplied temperature gauge has proven accurate on mine.
My only complaint is that there is no real ash clearance mechanism and the design makes clearing ash during a smoke challenging. This is not a problem for short smokes, but can be an issue if you are doing something in the 12+ hour range as the ash chokes the air intake. I'm thinking of installing a blower to address the issue. The good thing is that at this price I don't mind cutting holes, etc. to try to hack things a bit.
Again, not the world's best smoker but very useable, turns out great tasting Q, and a great value proposition.
I have smoked in it about a half-dizen times since. Great results on everything, including brisket. Mine had large temperature variations right-to-left and top-to-bottom (about 100 deg F) initially. I put a fire brick bridging between the firebox exhaust and the water pan to force the head towards the pan. That reduced the temperature variations to about 25 degrees. Acceptable.
Lots of sq. internally, but they are spread between fine racks that are fairly tightly spaced. The racks are not removable individually - you have to remove the bottom rack to remove the one above and so on. Not convenient when smoking, but for me it is a minor annoyance. An average sized full brisket will just fit on one of the racks. The supplied temperature gauge has proven accurate on mine.
My only complaint is that there is no real ash clearance mechanism and the design makes clearing ash during a smoke challenging. This is not a problem for short smokes, but can be an issue if you are doing something in the 12+ hour range as the ash chokes the air intake. I'm thinking of installing a blower to address the issue. The good thing is that at this price I don't mind cutting holes, etc. to try to hack things a bit.
Again, not the world's best smoker but very useable, turns out great tasting Q, and a great value proposition.
juliana martin : Great value. Great bbq. Be ready for some mods
I’ve been happy with this smoker. Does need some mods. I installed 2 more thermometers so I can get temps from bottom shelf to top. About 50 degrees variance. Don’t mind that too much. If I want to slowly smoke a butt I can put in the top or I can really push one thru on the bottom if we are in a hurry.
Definitely needs the heat seal tape and rtv caulk around the doors and welds. I also used expanded metal to make a charcoal basket to help with the minion method. I use a little less fuel and it helps it burn a little more efficiently.
I’ve done ribs, butts, chickens, beef, homemade sausages, and pork belly burnt ends. Everything has turned out great.
For the price it’s a great entry level smoker. Only reason I’m giving it 4 stars is that the ash isn’t easy to clean out during a cook and shelves not easy to move. All in all I’ve had fun with it and it’s performed.
Definitely needs the heat seal tape and rtv caulk around the doors and welds. I also used expanded metal to make a charcoal basket to help with the minion method. I use a little less fuel and it helps it burn a little more efficiently.
I’ve done ribs, butts, chickens, beef, homemade sausages, and pork belly burnt ends. Everything has turned out great.
For the price it’s a great entry level smoker. Only reason I’m giving it 4 stars is that the ash isn’t easy to clean out during a cook and shelves not easy to move. All in all I’ve had fun with it and it’s performed.
D. Marx : Smoked 60lbs of pork for a party for the first use - PERFECT
No assembly instructions enclosed so assembly took a little longer using the photo. First time out of the barrel, it worked just as advertised, and the pulled pork was great after 12 hours of smoking. This is a real value for the money. Guests thought it cost 3 times as much.
Seamus : Brilliant. This thing works perfectly.
My Son and I put this together in about an hour, everything fit perfectly.
Way better than I expected, the wheels are large and steel not plastic. The whole unit is sturdy and the steel is heavier gauge than I thought it would be.
Ran it all day yesterday to season it, get it to a temperature and it holds very well.
Get 2 rolls of the lava lock gasket and do the doors and the firebox connection.
I went with a tel-true temp gauge...
Running it this morning for Chuck, ribeyes, chicken and smoked jalapeños, it holds 225 without a problem. For the price I'm more than satisfied, hell, I'd have been happy paying double what I did.
Way better than I expected, the wheels are large and steel not plastic. The whole unit is sturdy and the steel is heavier gauge than I thought it would be.
Ran it all day yesterday to season it, get it to a temperature and it holds very well.
Get 2 rolls of the lava lock gasket and do the doors and the firebox connection.
I went with a tel-true temp gauge...
Running it this morning for Chuck, ribeyes, chicken and smoked jalapeños, it holds 225 without a problem. For the price I'm more than satisfied, hell, I'd have been happy paying double what I did.
Tony Fontenot : Great product, I have no regrets on purchasing this ...
Great product, I have no regrets on purchasing this smoker. I did use it the first weekend after receiving it, real easy to control heat and smoke.. Very simple to put together "only a 2 adult beverage project"... Recommend to anyone interested....
Bryan Sikes : Good smoker, takes time to get to know it
Everything was easy enough to assemble, and it does look good. It takes some time trying different things to get a good smoke, but thats for anything.
The only real con I have is cleaning it, maybe I havent found the best way but other than that its great.
The only real con I have is cleaning it, maybe I havent found the best way but other than that its great.
Allen R : Very solidly built.
After it was assembled, I just stood back and admired the design of it. I adjusted the door clamps, and the door closes tight. I fired up a full load of lump charcoal (and added some chunks of mesquite) then put it in the firebox to run it in. I intend to do the "run-in" twice before actually cooking in it. It does leak a bit, but every smoker I have ever bought did too when right "out of the box." I will likely do some sealing and call it good. Doing those type of mods is part of the fun. Before it arrived, I do admit that I was worried about broken or distorted parts. Everything was just perject when it was unboxed. I am looking forward to smoking a turkey or a brisket in this.
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
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).
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).
Marshall G Bartlett : Decent smoker / Good performance at this price-point
Workable smoker. For the money, it does a very respectable job. Took about 2 hours to put together. Went smoothly except for a mis-cut thread on one of the exhaust support mounting holes. A little make-shift engineering later and it was all set to go. I installed plenty of RTV to keep it from leaking (it needs a lot!). Results are very good.
I have smoked in it about a half-dizen times since. Great results on everything, including brisket. Mine had large temperature variations right-to-left and top-to-bottom (about 100 deg F) initially. I put a fire brick bridging between the firebox exhaust and the water pan to force the head towards the pan. That reduced the temperature variations to about 25 degrees. Acceptable.
Lots of sq. internally, but they are spread between fine racks that are fairly tightly spaced. The racks are not removable individually - you have to remove the bottom rack to remove the one above and so on. Not convenient when smoking, but for me it is a minor annoyance. An average sized full brisket will just fit on one of the racks. The supplied temperature gauge has proven accurate on mine.
My only complaint is that there is no real ash clearance mechanism and the design makes clearing ash during a smoke challenging. This is not a problem for short smokes, but can be an issue if you are doing something in the 12+ hour range as the ash chokes the air intake. I'm thinking of installing a blower to address the issue. The good thing is that at this price I don't mind cutting holes, etc. to try to hack things a bit.
Again, not the world's best smoker but very useable, turns out great tasting Q, and a great value proposition.
I have smoked in it about a half-dizen times since. Great results on everything, including brisket. Mine had large temperature variations right-to-left and top-to-bottom (about 100 deg F) initially. I put a fire brick bridging between the firebox exhaust and the water pan to force the head towards the pan. That reduced the temperature variations to about 25 degrees. Acceptable.
Lots of sq. internally, but they are spread between fine racks that are fairly tightly spaced. The racks are not removable individually - you have to remove the bottom rack to remove the one above and so on. Not convenient when smoking, but for me it is a minor annoyance. An average sized full brisket will just fit on one of the racks. The supplied temperature gauge has proven accurate on mine.
My only complaint is that there is no real ash clearance mechanism and the design makes clearing ash during a smoke challenging. This is not a problem for short smokes, but can be an issue if you are doing something in the 12+ hour range as the ash chokes the air intake. I'm thinking of installing a blower to address the issue. The good thing is that at this price I don't mind cutting holes, etc. to try to hack things a bit.
Again, not the world's best smoker but very useable, turns out great tasting Q, and a great value proposition.
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.
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.
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.
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
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Vacuum Sealer Machine, OZIO -75kPa 5-In-1 Full Automatic Food Saver with High Air Suction Sealing System, indvidual LED Indicator, Touch Control, Modern Compact Design, 2-Year Manufacturer Warranty Included review and price compare
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SINCHI Vacuum Sealer Starter Kit has 1 vacuum pump, 3 reusable vacuum zipper bags, 1 vacuum food storage container, and 1 silicone vacuum wine saver stopper review and price compare
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VG 10 Flex Fillet Knife (Hunter Green) review and price compare
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Vacuum Sealer Containers review and price compare
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KitchenBoss Vacuum Sealer Machine for Foods Preservation Automatic Vacuum Sealing System, with Starter Kit Include 20 Pcs food Vacuum Bags(Coral) review and price compare
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Fishing Fighting Belt Adjustable Stand Up Waist Rod Pole Holder With Plastic Buckle ( Color : Yellow ) review and price compare
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FoodSaver 4840 2-in-1 Vacuum Sealing System and 11" Roll Bundle review and price compare
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Beckman Net BN3244C-6 Coated Net Green/Silver, 32" x 44", 6' Handle review and price compare
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mecen 100Mx3M 7x7cm Mesh Hole Fishing Nets Fish Gill Net with Float Fish Trap review and price compare
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Mini Crane Scale,Klau Portable 200 kg / 400 lb Heavy Duty Digital Scales LCD Display with Backlight for Home Farm Market Fishing Hunting Black and Red review and price compare
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Pellet Grill Folding Front Shelf Compatiable with Traeger Series Pro 780/Ironwood 885 Pellet Grill, Black BAC442 review and price compare
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ATSAMFR 200 Pint Size 6x10Inch Vacuum Sealer Food Saver Bags with BPA Free,Heavy Duty,Great for Vac storage or Sous Vide Cooking review and price compare
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