Bought a cheap offset smoker that was a total waste of money

I saw a new offset smoker online for only $200 and thought it was a great deal. The metal was so thin you could bend it with your hand, and the firebox door warped on the first cook. I tried to smoke a pork shoulder for a family get together, but I spent more time fighting the temperature than actually cooking. The thin metal couldn't hold heat, so I burned through a whole bag of charcoal in just five hours trying to keep it at 225 degrees. In the end, the meat was undercooked and we had to order pizza. I'm out the $200 for the smoker plus about $40 for the meat and fuel. Has anyone found a decent budget offset that actually works, or should I just save up for a better brand?

2 comments

2 Comments

lisa6716d ago

Yeah the part about burning through a whole bag of charcoal in five hours is the real killer. Those thin walls just bleed heat and money. I learned the hard way too, a cheap offset is basically a charcoal furnace that sometimes smokes meat. Honestly, saving up for a heavier used one from a decent brand is the move, even if it takes a while.

robin6586d ago

My first offset was a cheap one from a big box store, and I was going through a 20 pound bag of Kingsford every four hours. It felt like I was just feeding a fire pit. You're totally right about the heavy used ones, my old Oklahoma Joe holds heat so much better.