Ok I know this has been said a 1000 times but it is between the WSM and the Bradley. I am swayed much towards the Bradley so far. Smoke ring means nothing to me as long as the product TASTES GOOD!!! I have a few questions, 1. What is the advantage of the Stainless version other than looks? 2. Will the bradley last years if left outside, under a cover of course. 3. Does the OBS come with a cover? Should I buy a digital or the original (is it worth the extra $$) or just invest in a PID eventually? I am currently doing Weight Watchers (too much BBQ I guess) and would like to smoke mostly turkey, fish, chicken and maybe some pork, How is chicken and Turkey? Skin doesn't matter because I would remove it anyway, please don't judge I am losing weight for health and family.
Feinhorn,
First...., and foremost, welcome to the forum. I'm relatively new to the smoking world, but have found my DBS6 to be my favorite "kitchen" appliance.
I would strongly suggest the Bradley. I bought an off-brand from Dick's sporting goods about two years ago, and after my second smoke, the residue ate through the interior of the smoker. Not much good if your new smoker is in the local landfill.
Secondly, I don't have any experience with the original, but I do know that even a newbie can smoke the heck out of foods with the digital variety. I have not had a bad experience yet, and keep getting requests to smoke something else.
The folks here will keep you informed, pointed in the right direction, and laughing until you split. There are no stupid questions, no unanswered questions, and lots of advice. As far as your endeavours with WW..., if you choose the right foods, you will continue on the path to your own personal goals. I've smoked pork loins, half chickens, and am about to embark upon salmon. I'm sure that those will meet with the approval of WW.
Check this forum often, and my own personal advice is to go with the digital variety. Stainless is nice, but I've not heard of anyone that has had a problem with a Bradley if they just keep it protected from the weather.
Again..., welcome to the forum :)
Jeff
Feinhorn,
First of all, thanks for checking with us. Don't want to sway your choice between the different Bradley smokers. It's a matter of personal choice. I personally have a Bradley digital 4 rack. It has been outside on a screened in porch for well over a year with 6 inches of blowing snow to 100+ degree heat with no ill effects. Other posts reflect the same. I would highly advise the cover.
Poultry is one of the best and most consistent things the Bradley can do in my opinion. Your Weight Watcher friends are going to love you should you choose to share the goods out of your smoker. Trust me, none of us on this forum will judge you for any health issues, just the opposite. Want encouragement? You came to the right place. I personally am not familiar with the WSM. However, I have owned about every kind of smoker there is, from little to HUGE. The Bradley is the best, most consistent and easiest I have ever owned. Besides, you get all of us!! :D
Let us know what you decide,
KyNola
Welcome,
I havent bought a Bradley "yet" but plan to be ready to buy before the end of this year. Mainly because I am gearing up to move and rather wait until I move into my new place and get it.
However, I have been researching like a mad scientist over and over, living on the fourm here reading as much as I can.
Right now I use a bullet style H2O electric which at least allows me to smoke meats.
What I have learned from just reading and hard study is the many things a bradley can do that others can't.
Prefect cold smoking to a science, Cost effeciancy of using Pucks for auto-feed over loose wood chips/chunks or sawdust, ease of cleaning when done, easier to regulate your heat and smoke and apparently have a superb help line unmatched by other companies.
I heard otherts on amazon.com complain in reviews about having to be stuck with using pucks; however I like the idea for these reasons...
Most of your high dollar $$$ professional smokers like treager for example are auto feed and their style is using pellets to give a better, more controled and even smoke. Bradley does the same thing with pucks, but at a fraction of the cost, keeping people like us in mind. Not to mention, the pucks burn much cleaner unlike wood chunks with that bark on them. My bullet smokers is so gunked up with post smoke its not funny... after every smoke... whereas the pucks I am to understand are VERY clean burning.
The price of pucks are actually cheaper then loose wood in the long run, whereas not all the loose wood burns and just wasted money when the pucks uniformly burn. And you can easily mathematically calculate how many pucks per weight of meat for your smoke time. "I belive its one puck for every 20 minutes of smoke; versus a guess of how many handfuls of loose wood".
Also, do a search on pucks and you will find some of the members here actually are very creative doing the coolest things; such as make their own pucks. Nothing would be better then buying a used Jim Beam or Wild Turkey bourbon barrle, chop it up and make pucks out of them "I'm 100% Kentuckian" :)
I never in my life thought of cold smoking as I only seen hard core elaborate schematics for the set ups in sausage books. Take a look at some of the pictures posted in the cold smoking section sometime. That will be the second thing I do when I get my Bradley. Some of the members here have very simple, but ever so cool cold smoking set ups that now make it a reality to do with just a few simple modifications.
I also found out very quickly that Bradley has a very tight network of friends who are willing to go the extra mile to help others out, just like a family. How many other smoker companies can make a claim to that?
The smokers I narrowed down to get is the BDS4 being to my understanding the 6 rack can have alot of heat variance being the size it takes to fill. I have my father, uncle and best friend who I feed and all have big appetites, but I belive the 4 rack will be more then enough, being I do fine with my 2 rack bullet H2O now. I like the idea of the digital, but to be honest, I havent ruled out the original with a pid instead.
One thing I do plan is making a table to stand mine up on. But I figure that will also help with schematics for setting up a cold smoking setup.
Enjoy :)
Hi feinhorn;
Welcome to the forum.
I can help you with a few questions.
The Bradley does not come with a cover or bisquettes, but many dealers offer packages and discounts if you buy all three together.
The OBS stainless steel I believe also has a stainless steel interior, therer is no other difference between that an the oringinal. I'm not sure about the digital that has a stainless steel door.
I've had mine for more then four years on an unprotected deck with just the cover. The only problem I've had was a cracked face plate that wasn't weather related.
Good luck with your choice.
Welcome to the forum feinhorn! I have the original in stainless. I bought the stainless primarily for looks. If you are planning to eventually get a PID (which is a nice accessory), then from a cost savings advantage I would recommend the original. The original works just fine without the PID. You really can't go wrong with any of the Bradley's.
W E L C O M E to the Forum feinhorn!
We originally purchased our OBS to make jerky, since that was the snack of choice on the low-carb diet we are on. Since then, We have made (in addition to a ton of jerky) pulled pork, beef brisket, beef pastrami, belly and Canadian bacon, smoked turkeys, chicken... you name it. All whilst the Mrs. and I have lost a significant amount of weight.
Our Bradley has not added to our waistlines.
:) :) :)
Welcome to the forum feinhorn!
Can't add to much to whats already be said! I bought my OBS just this past spring because our county had been under a burn ban for many months. I've used it every weekend since, and had I known about the BS I would have bought one along time ago! You can't go wrong with whatever model you decide to go with. Good luck and keep us posted!
C
Ok I am sold, next question where do I get the best deal? Amazon has it for 288.......I would rather support a small business if i can. Ideas? I believe I will get the OBS in black for my first. Anyone have rust problems with the black one even while using a cover?
Quote from: feinhorn on September 18, 2008, 07:05:17 AM
Anyone have rust problems with the black one even while using a cover?
Mine is has been on my screened patio (in South Florida) under the cover for a year now. No problems yet.
Quote from: feinhorn on September 18, 2008, 07:05:17 AM
Ok I am sold, next question where do I get the best deal? Amazon has it for 288.......I would rather support a small business if i can. Ideas? I believe I will get the OBS in black for my first. Anyone have rust problems with the black one even while using a cover?
Check with Bryan at Yard and Pool, he's a member here and they have outstanding service! I'm with FL mines be on the back porch with a cover most of its life, although I have since moved it inside of my well house...neither rain or snow I'm gonna be smoking!
C
Bryan and Tiny Tim are dealers and both are members of this forum.
Yard and Pool Company
(http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/bradley.jpg) (http://www.yardandpool.com/home.php?cat=0)
This is the place to purchase your Bradley Supplies. Just click on the image above.
(http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/flame.gif)Yard and Pool Company is a member of the Bradley Forums(http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/flame.gif)
I suggest the original Bradley with a PID controller. I have both SS and Standard finished models. They smoke the same.
Olds
fienhorn,
welcome to the forum
go to yard and pool there great and have great customer service as well as being a member on this forum, i wish i knew about yard and pool when i boufht mine .. would have saved money... wait.. that means extra pucks.... hehehe
yard and pool are good to deal with and well worth dealing with
any concerns.. just ask
beefmann
Hey feinhorn...here is my take...the stainless means poopy other then the look...that being said...I have a black OBS that sits outside...covered by the Bradley cover only...and I live in a blowing sand desert that gets to say 110 degrees avg. in the summer. I cannot speak to the digital (as my ambient temps would not take likely to digital components)...but...that being said...I do have Bradley friends who love the digital...it really doesn't matter...you can get some really good product out of this smoker...chicken, (yum) turkey (yum)...fish...YUMMO...really easy to use and a "friendly" device...meaning...it doesn't take a lot of monitoring. Get a few accessories (but you don't really have to...until you get used to the unit) and just experiment...have fun...You're gonna be really pleased at what you can make in this smoker!!
PS..love the Weight Watchers thing...you can get alot of flavor from smoke with NO calories!!!
I think LQ nailed it...................
But use mesquite ;D No really... :D Well maybe not....................................wrong!!
C
I'm a first time buyer looking to buy one for my dad for his birthday. Is it worth the extra money to go ahead and buy the digital smoker? I've noticed alot of you are using PID's. Does buying the digital eliminate the need to buy that? Thanks. My only concerns about the digital would be he would probably keep outdoors (I will add a cover) and the durability of the digital vs. the original smoker. Thanks.
Hi jmc and welcome to the forum.
You really can't go wrong with either one. I have the digital (DBS) but I have added a PID for tighter control for doing things like sausage. The DBS on it's own works fine for things like ribs & butts, etc. Most of the people here who have added a PID, do so for tighter control. Both the DBS and the OBS will produce some fine product right out of the box. If you see your dad doing things like sausage with requires a little tighter temp control you might want to save a few bucks and go with the OBS that way he could add a PID to it later. Not that you can't do the same thing with the DBS but it would save a few bucks.
By the way, great gift for your Dad! ;)
Mike
I have done pretty much the same thing you are doing. I couldn't justify the price for something I will only use maybe once a week. If you have a Cabelea's in your area check the bargain cave I picked mine up Last Saturday with a 2 day return policy. It didn't look that great but works perfectly and after cleaning the stainles steel exterior and vacuuming out the loose wood chips and cob webs this thing looks and works like it was brand new out of the box, Just my two cents. I firmly believe this product stands up to anything out there in quality and function plus you get this website as a great undispensable tool to get questions answered and wonderful recipies. Treager doesn't do that.
I've had the standard for a while.
If it were me and I lived in the states then I'd get a digital - no question.
The whole 'set and forget' aspect really appeals to me.
But as I live in the uk where bradlesy are 2-3 times the cost they are in the states, no way could I afford the digital.
I like my bradley. But the added controllable thermostat of the digital would have been great.