Skeptical New Owner

mjack1957 · December 28, 2008, 05:58:34 PM

Man, after reading the forum, I'm almost ready to call Bradley CS and tell then not to ship my unit. I recently purchased the DBS 4 rack and am waiting on delivery. It seems to me for the price, buyers would not have so many problems with the unit. I was happy at first anticipating painless smoking. I'm really tired of dealing with my Weber Bullet although it produces a superior results. But the coals and maintaining the temp, clean up and all that gets old after a while. Please, can someone assure me that I haven't made a $500 mistake. I try to read as much as possible before making a purchase, but now I'm having serious reservations. ::)

By the way, can anyone tell me what a PID is and how it's installed. How will it enhance the DBS in doing it's job?

KyNola · December 28, 2008, 06:21:17 PM

MJack,
Welcome to the forum. I too have a BDS 4 rack and love it. Yep, the Bradleys have some issues from time to time that you may or may not have to deal with. Let me assure you that once you get used to using your BDS, the superior results of your Weber bullet will be inferior. Everything new you buy has a learning curve. The plus is you found the forum. There are many of us here who are ready to help you with any questions or issues you may have.

You do what you feel like you need to do but I'll promise you that you won't be disappointed with your BDS, especially with us to help you.

KyNola

JNB · December 28, 2008, 06:25:34 PM

Regardless of the model, I think you'll be quite impressed with what you can do with a BS that you frankly can't do with nearly any other consumer "smoker."

A PID lets you predetermine a temperature (or temps and times) without having to manage it manually.
http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=72&zenid=db2625035664ebc7b1defca7e187bb5e

Smoking Duck · December 28, 2008, 06:31:42 PM

For what it's worth, I've had a Bradley now for 3 years. I've had it out in horrible weather conditions (even smoked during a 19" snowstorm with nothing covering the Bradley except a little lean-to that I made to try and keep the snow off). I have yet to have a problem with the Bradley and I do a lot of smokes with it. But, I rest assured that if I ever did have a problem, Bradley Customer Service is outstanding and it'd get taken care of with no problems.

I'm not saying that there aren't problems that come up, but tell me an electrical product that doesn't have issues?

It's your call obviously, but there have been a lot of people who have produced some excellent results with the Bradley and if "set it and forget it" is what you're looking for, the Bradley is the smoking unit for you.

A PID, as can be found on the forum as well, is an electrical unit that allows a more exact temperature with the Bradley. For most items smoked (pork butt, brisket, etc), temp swings are not as critical; for sausage, the PID allows one to control the temp swings to +/- 1 or 2 degrees or whatever the tolerance is for that particular PID.

Again, there are folks who've had problems, but read a little further down in there posts and they always say that Customer Service has taken caqre of them very well. Of course, there are a lot more folks who extoll the virtue of their Bradley as well.

SD

mjack1957 · December 28, 2008, 06:33:48 PM

Quote from: KyNola on December 28, 2008, 06:21:17 PM
MJack,
Welcome to the forum. I too have a BDS 4 rack and love it. Yep, the Bradleys have some issues from time to time that you may or may not have to deal with. Let me assure you that once you get used to using your BDS, the superior results of your Weber bullet will be inferior. Everything new you buy has a learning curve. The plus is you found the forum. There are many of us here who are ready to help you with any questions or issues you may have.

You do what you feel like you need to do but I'll promise you that you won't be disappointed with your BDS, especially with us to help you.

KyNola

Thanks so much for the reply. I think I just need some reassuring. There's nothing like that sinking feeling you get when you've made a bad purchase. I've been smoking meats for a while now. I had an off-set fire box smoker that was great. But you still had the wood storage, charcoals and all that stuff to deal with. Plus the thing was huge. Get use to hearing from me on the forum as I know I'm going to need a good support system. ;D

mjack1957 · December 28, 2008, 06:36:37 PM

Quote from: JNB on December 28, 2008, 06:25:34 PM
Regardless of the model, I think you'll be quite impressed with what you can do with a BS that you frankly can't do with nearly any other consumer "smoker."

A PID lets you predetermine a temperature (or temps and times) without having to manage it manually.
http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=72&zenid=db2625035664ebc7b1defca7e187bb5e

Thanks for the reply. Since I've ordered the DBS, will a PID still be needed? I thought the DBS controlled the cooking temps. And what in the world is a "bubba puck"?

Smoking Duck · December 28, 2008, 06:41:03 PM

A PID isn't essential for either model, actually, if you're not going to be doing sausage as pinpoint accuracy isn't essential. However, I would highly recommend getting a Maverick ET-73 remote thermometer. My chief complaint with the Bradley is that I don't think the the thermometer in the Bradley is as precise. Plus, with a remote thermometer you can do overnight smokes and set your thermometer to alarm if the meat comes to temp or the smoker goes above or below your set temp points.

SD

mjack1957 · December 28, 2008, 06:44:49 PM

Quote from: Smoking Duck on December 28, 2008, 06:41:03 PM
A PID isn't essential for either model, actually, if you're not going to be doing sausage as pinpoint accuracy isn't essential. However, I would highly recommend getting a Maverick ET-73 remote thermometer. My chief complaint with the Bradley is that I don't think the the thermometer in the Bradley is as precise. Plus, with a remote thermometer you can do overnight smokes and set your thermometer to alarm if the meat comes to temp or the smoker goes above or below your set temp points.

SD

I was reading on the forum about Maverick owners who were having interference problems with the transmitter. I have a wireless router in my home that handles all my laptops. Will that cause a problem with the Maverick units properly communicating with each other?

KyNola · December 28, 2008, 06:46:18 PM

MJ,
I too had an offset smoker that was so large they loaded it in my Jeep with a forklift. I have considered a PID even though I have the BDS just like yours but so far haven't gone to that extreme. First thing you should buy is a Maverick ET-73 dual probe thermometer. You can monitor the temp inside the "oven" as well as monitor the temp of what you are cooking. It has a remote receiver so you can sit inside and monitor the temps. The Bradley doesn't do a good job of accurate temp monitoring until the food in the "oven" begins to come up to temp. Then the BDS and the Maverick temp readings get very close.

Trust me, once you become accustomed to your BDS, you will wonder how you ever made it with that Weber bullet. BTW, I gave my heavy offset smoker away. :D

KyNola

mjack1957 · December 28, 2008, 06:51:25 PM

Quote from: KyNola on December 28, 2008, 06:46:18 PM
MJ,
I too had an offset smoker that was so large they loaded it in my Jeep with a forklift. I have considered a PID even though I have the BDS just like yours but so far haven't gone to that extreme. First thing you should buy is a Maverick ET-73 dual probe thermometer. You can monitor the temp inside the "oven" as well as monitor the temp of what you are cooking. It has a remote receiver so you can sit inside and monitor the temps. The Bradley doesn't do a good job of accurate temp monitoring until the food in the "oven" begins to come up to temp. Then the BDS and the Maverick temp readings get very close.

Trust me, once you become accustomed to your BDS, you will wonder how you ever made it with that Weber bullet. BTW, I gave my heavy offset smoker away. :D

KyNola

From prior experience, I've always found it helpful to let the meat sit awhile before putting it into the smoker. Letting your meat get to room temp normally keeps the smoking chamber from dipping too much when you start. How do you pre-heat the DBS without generating smoke; thus wasting pellets?

KyNola · December 28, 2008, 06:52:58 PM

MJ,
I have a wireless router in my house as well. No problems at all with that. Relax and anticipate a great experience. Bubba pucks are aluminum disks that are used to push the last wood puck off of the heat plate. You will need 3 of them or at least 2 and one more wood puck behind them. You will set your wood burner timer for 20 minutes more than the amount of smoke you want in order to have the bubba puck push the last wood puck into the water pan.

By the way, did you notice how many folks have already responded to you to calm your apprehension? I'm telling you, we're all here for you and you ain't seen nothing yet! :D

KyNola

mjack1957 · December 28, 2008, 06:55:19 PM

Quote from: KyNola on December 28, 2008, 06:52:58 PM
MJ,
I have a wireless router in my house as well. No problems at all with that. Relax and anticipate a great experience. Bubba pucks are aluminum disks that are used to push the last wood puck off of the heat plate. You will need 3 of them or at least 2 and one more wood puck behind them. You will set your wood burner timer for 20 minutes more than the amount of smoke you want in order to have the bubba puck push the last wood puck into the water pan.

By the way, did you notice how many folks have already responded to you to calm your apprehension? I'm telling you, we're all here for you and you ain't seen nothing yet! :D

KyNola

Man this is great. I feel more confident already. This is a great support group...DBS Anonymous. :)

mjack1957 · December 28, 2008, 06:58:00 PM

One more thing. I've always had a problem doing briskets... the low and slow thing has always been a problem. Have you done briskets on the DBS? What technique did you use, i.e. wrapping in foil to finish etc.

KyNola · December 28, 2008, 06:58:21 PM

MJ,
Preheating is simple, turn on the puck burner as well as the "oven" burner. Don't load any pucks in the burner until you're ready to go. Then, reset the wood burner timer. You used the term pellets. The wood supply is not a pellet like a Traeger smoker uses. The BDS uses a round disk of compressed wood. You can purchase them from several different sources in many different woods.

KyNola

Smokin Soon · December 28, 2008, 07:03:08 PM

Mjack, if my Bradley exploded or vaporized into thin air, I would be on the web to order another. I did the Bullitt, and the large offset and gave them away. It does exactly what it was designed for.