I need an OBS

zzzippper · June 07, 2009, 02:25:08 PM

I smoked (or tried to smoke) a rack of ribs in my little Weber today. The temperature is impossible to control with adjustable air vents that you have to crawl on the ground to see. The temps porposed from 140 to over 300. Then of course the non-predicted, end-of-the-world, biblical proportion thunder storm blew through. In the end after hours of sweat and smoke-cured eyeballs the ribs turned out...well, to be ribs. Nothing special but not bad. I had hoped for better from "Last Meal Ribs" from amazingribs.com. Their sauce recipe is great though.

My only concern with the OBS is all the problems people talk about here.

kaz · June 07, 2009, 02:58:13 PM

Problems? I bought my first OBS a couple weeks ago (Amazon.com) and couldn't be happier with my decision. Remember that people will complain louder than they compliment!!!
I previously had a CharBroil and enjoyed it ...... but I couldn't trust the temperature ....... I burned up more than I care to admit. For me, thanks to this forum, I purchased the OBS at a great price, bought a PID for it ..... that I had no idea even existed ........ and I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER!!!!
Everything has a few that have issues and I understand Bradley does a great job with service.
You wont regret your decision!!!

Ka Honu · June 07, 2009, 04:17:14 PM

Quote from: zzzippper on June 07, 2009, 02:25:08 PMMy only concern with the OBS is all the problems people talk about here.

Remember a couple of things. The active forum members are a very small percentage of Bradley users in the world and probably the ones who use them more than the rest of the customer population combined (and, in some cases, "stretch the envelope" quite a bit). Of the relatively few "problems" raised, I haven't seen one yet that wasn't solved fairly easily through some combination of good advice, common sense, and excellent customer service.

Buy it, use it, enjoy it, and in the unlikely event you run into problems, someone here will help you through them.

Stargazer · June 07, 2009, 05:09:48 PM

I used a bullet smoker that was given to me at first.

I ended up doing some pretty tasty meats with it in time, but wow, alot of work setting it up and monitoring it.

So I ended up investigating smokers. I knew I wanted a vault type because I makes sausages and this would allow me to hang the ropes, plus its SO much easier to get in and out of. I have a pretty bad back and hard of walking so this would make it much easier.

I narrowed down between Bradley and two others.

I was concerned myself about some of the things. I was even concerned about being dependent on the wood pucks. But realized, it costs me MORE money to buy hickory in chip or sawdust form then the pucks cost. Not to mention I would be able to actually calculate my smoke time. A hand full of wood is sort of kind of an hour maybe all depending... but a Bradley puck is 20 minutes. This way I knew I could literally narrow down how many hours of smoke instead of rough guessing. Not to mention I can find Bradley pucks anywhere on line, I go through Yard and Pool because that's where I ended up buying mine from and they are the best, and fast delivery too. Not to mention, the hard woods with loose wood, you didn't have much of a choice. Hickory, Apple, Cherry and Mesquite. Bradley allows a much bigger variety at all times.

When I finally decided on my Bradley and ordered through Yard and Pool, I did get alittle nervous... such as... will the bad weater damage my heat chamber? what if this or that happens?

My Bradley came and was the best piece of equipment I have ever seen. So well built.

As for the trouble shooting, I thought I had a problem with it after my 4th or 5th smoke hanging bacon. The heat chamber wasn't firing up. I called Bradley on their toll free 800 number and Wow, their customer service is unbeatable... Come to find out, it wasn't the Bradley at all... I was being stupid and didn't plug the back of the Heat chamber in all the way... However they were still more then happy to send me a new fuse to see if that was the problem and go from there... I didn't need it after finding out it was the power cord though. But all I'm saying is, if you do have a problem, they are very fast and the most friendliest of people ever to talk with, just in case you do decide on a Bradley and something was to happen.

Just as a note, I don't work or have any affiliation with Yard and Pool, but if you call, they will help you on any order and any additions you may need such as a type of thermometer that best suits you, to other additions you might need or would enjoy. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Maybe other smoker companies are as good with customer support too, I'm not sure, but I can say because of this, and the results I been getting each time, I'm totally sold and will never part with mine :D

Smoking a roast beef with Jim Beam pucks right now as I post this.

Hope this helps

jeff_smoke · June 07, 2009, 05:26:09 PM

Hey zzzippper,
The bottom line for me is that I bought the OBS in Dec 08 and I've easily done more smoking in that time than with my other two smokers combined. The OBS is so easy that I smoke stuff nearly once a week. Can't go wrong.

Wildcat · June 07, 2009, 07:40:33 PM

I have an original in stainless that I purchased about 2.5 years ago and the ONLY problem I have had with it (other than rushing the meals in the beginning) is a small crack in the plastic panel that the slider is on. It developed within a couple of months of purchase. Since that time I have been careful not to damage it any further, slightly elevate the front to make sure that no liquid can get to the crack. Never bothered to replace it. Eventually got a PID for tighter control on temp fluctuations.

Gizmo · June 07, 2009, 09:28:32 PM

Quote from: zzzippper on June 07, 2009, 02:25:08 PM
I smoked (or tried to smoke) a rack of ribs in my little Weber today. The temperature is impossible to control with adjustable air vents that you have to crawl on the ground to see. The temps porposed from 140 to over 300. Then of course the non-predicted, end-of-the-world, biblical proportion thunder storm blew through. In the end after hours of sweat and smoke-cured eyeballs the ribs turned out...well, to be ribs. Nothing special but not bad. I had hoped for better from "Last Meal Ribs" from amazingribs.com. Their sauce recipe is great though.

My only concern with the OBS is all the problems people talk about here.

Do you have enough room in the little Weber to use indirect heating? That will help you with the huge heat swings.

Buck36 · June 08, 2009, 01:07:43 AM

I have had my OBS for several years and haven't had any problems with it. If I had to do it all over again I would get the the exact same smoker again.

The OBS has very few parts to break and is incredibly reliable. I used to use a cheap Brinkman water smoker that produced good results but the OBS makes it look like you are a pro.

jha1223 · June 08, 2009, 06:59:51 AM

Quote from: Buck36 on June 08, 2009, 01:07:43 AM
but the OBS makes it look like you are a pro.

This.

I have only had my smoker for a few months, but it's already been worth the money we spent on it. Baby back ribs, St. Louis ribs and brisket so far. When someone asked, "Who catered in the bbq?" that pretty much made my day.

I know people who have worked quite a long time to get barrel smokers to turn out good bbq. Even then they require a LOT of attention until you are a seasoned pro with it. A few months into owning my Bradley and I know I can turn out good BBQ.

And not the least of the benefits - you have already found the BEST support you could have. A forum with some of the nicest and most knowledgeable people about the product you are going to buy. People who won't "lol" at you for putting the v-tray in upside down or somehow catching your smoker on fire. With so many rude and crude people on the internet these days, it's a diamond in the rough to find a site where you still get treated like a human being.

Not to mention that there is a rep from Bradley that likes to "troll" the forums :)

Do it, you won't be sorry.