Help for a beginner

[db14]

I'm new  at this and looking to get a Bradley smoker as they seem to be the best for the money.  I have a couple questions that I hope aren't dumb.
1. What are the advantages of the digital vs. the original?  I know you can set time and smoke, but what do you really gain?  Is the temp control easier/more accurate?
2. When smoking, let's say I like to smoke my ribs in 3 hours at 225.  If I wanted to do 2 racks of ribs instead of one at the same temp it would still only take about 3 hours right?  I would possibly have to slide the dial farther (on the OBS) to get the desired heat with a higher volume of meat present, but the cooking time shouldn't change based on volume.  Is this assumption sound?

[KevinG]

The digital is better if you like to know what temp you have the cooker set at. You can always buy a PID later if you don't want to spend the extra cash for the digital.

As for the temp problem, you are better off leaving it in longer rather than up the temp.

[FLBentRider]

I'm new  at this and looking to get a Bradley smoker as they seem to be the best for the money.  I have a couple questions that I hope aren't dumb.
1. What are the advantages of the digital vs. the original?  I know you can set time and smoke, but what do you really gain?  Is the temp control easier/more accurate?

I have an Original. There is an  analog slider control for temp. For most smokes, you will have it all the way to the right (max) and backed off a little. It takes a little to get used to where the slider needs to be for a specific temp. The good news is that the stuff that people smoke most (pork butt, brisket, ribs) are not (IMHO) sensitive to temperature swings. As long as you are in the ballpark, you're OK.

Having said that, adding an add-on device called a PID to an OBS gives you +-2F control over temps.

The digital smoker allows you to set a specific temp (in 5 degree increments) and will hold that temp +-15F most of the time, or so I am told.

If you are going to make your own sausage and smoke it, or smoke salmon, these are items where tighter control of the temperature is desired.

2. When smoking, let's say I like to smoke my ribs in 3 hours at 225.  If I wanted to do 2 racks of ribs instead of one at the same temp it would still only take about 3 hours right?  I would possibly have to slide the dial farther (on the OBS) to get the desired heat with a higher volume of meat present, but the cooking time shouldn't change based on volume.  Is this assumption sound?

Not exactly - since a Bradley smoker has a 500W heating element, additional time would probably be required - not a lot, probably 30 minutes or so.

Having said that, most of us use internal temperature, or in the case of ribs, visual cues to determine when they are done. When the ribs start to pull back from the end of the bones, they're done. Time does not have a large bearing on smoking.

[GusRobin]

I bought the OBS and a PID for $145 and in total paid roughly what I would have paid for the Digital. I get better temp control but don't have automatic shutoff of the smoke generator. To e the tighter control is the better deal. I added the second element mod for about $25 and don't have to worry about cook times with more meat since the cabinet gets up to temp quickly. Its all a matter of preference.

[bpnclark]

db14 – I'm a new owner. I was going back and forth for about 3 months on which one to buy. My decision was made when I saw the BDS for sale at Costco. For $400 you get the smoker, cover, cookbook and some pucks. The digital controls are worth the extra $. 

[KevinG]

You'll be happy you took the plunge, I'm sure you'll get many good smokes out of it.

[Roadking]

Get the original smoker and purchase a PID. I went for the Digital and later bought the PID. The built in PID on the Digital is not that actuate. Too much of a swing +/- 15 degrees.