Original vs. Digital

[samtc]

Hi All,

I have been using a Cajun Cooker for several years and literally wore it out.  My wife gave me the Original Bradley Smoker for Christmas.  Not being familiar with the Bradley, I have spent a couple of days reading and it seems the biggest issue is temperature control. Before I commit to the OBS, I have a few questions.

1. Has anyone out there moved from the OBS to the DBS and found the Digital worth the difference?
2. Is an external temperature controller and the OSB a better solution?
3. I have been intrigued by those making sausage and would like to give it a try.  Is OBS a good starter unit?

Thanks,
Newbie

[NePaSmoKer]

Hi All,

I have been using a Cajun Cooker for several years and literally wore it out.  My wife gave me the Original Bradley Smoker for Christmas.  Not being familiar with the Bradley, I have spent a couple of days reading and it seems the biggest issue is temperature control. Before I commit to the OBS, I have a few questions.

1. Has anyone out there moved from the OBS to the DBS and found the Digital worth the difference?
2. Is an external temperature controller and the OSB a better solution?
3. I have been intrigued by those making sausage and would like to give it a try.  Is OBS a good starter unit?

Thanks,
Newbie

I have both the OBS with a PID and a 6 rack DBS that can use the PID. If your going to do sausage the Auber PID is a must.

The OBS is a great starter, you will love it. You can hang or rack the sausage.

nepas

[FLBentRider]

W E L C O M E  to the Forum samtc!

I have the OBS and it has been great for me.

You can make great food with the OBS without a PID, getting the hang of temp control has a slight learning curve.

If you are going to do Sausage - when smoking sausage you typically "ramp" the temp in stages, and If you get it too hot you will "Fat out" your sausage effectively ruining it.

The PID adds tight temperature control to the OBS, much more accurate than the DBS.

Pork butts, ribs and brisket do not mind the temperature swings.

Smoking Salmon and other fish is like sausage.

I made a lot of great food in my OBS before the PID - now with the PID it is easier.

[MPTubbs]

I have a 6 rack DBS and my PID came in yesterday.
Need to hook it up and for this weekend am going to do 2, 8 pound butts

It's going to be interesting to see how the PID works.

[standles]

I started with the digital.  As I have gotten more adventurous abd moved into other areas such as sausage I would have been better off with the Original and an Auber PID.    I am currently purchasing the PID for my digital.

Steven

[GusRobin]

I did a lot of research between the two before I bought. It seems that with either one you should get a PIDs. Since I was buying a 4 rack, I didn't see any advantage with buying the DBS if I was buying the PIDs. So I bought the OBS with the Auber PID and a Maverick et 73. I am cooking a 5 # brisket and with the PID it has automatically controller the temp within +-2 degrees. I have also done the mod adding the second heating element and not sure if that makes the difference in controlling the temp. But I do know that with the mod after opening the door I am able to recover temps quickly. Went from cooking at 220, opening the door, closing the door and temp dropped to 183 and recovered to 220 in about 9 minutes. ( with an outside temp ranging from 35 to 42 during the day). So based upon my experience ii would go with the OBS, Auber PIDs and make the mod adding the second heating element.

[classicrockgriller]

samtc, welcome to the forum and I think you answered your own question when you said sausage.

Although the pid is not a must for sausage, it is a big help in making great sausage.

If you weren't got to make sausage, then The digital would be the way to go.

[samtc]

Thanks for the insight....!  I am going to keep the OBS and order a PID.

Thanks again, Sam

[drano]

samtc,

Congrats on the smoker.  Obviously you were good this year. ;D  And welcome to the forum.
You can smoke just fine w/out a PID, you just need to grab a cold one, stay close by and adjust the slider as needed to keep your target temp. 

When the bank account allows, the OBS w/ a PID is awesome.  You set the temp you want and walk away, knowing its at the temp you set (or climbing back up because you couldn't resist a peak inside--but keep that to a minimum to prevent increasing your smoke time). 

One advantage of the DBS is its available in a 6 rack if you decide you'll be smoking lots of food, especially sausage.  If they made an OBS 6 rack, I'd buy one now that I make sausage. 

Enjoy
get smokin
drano

[Quarlow]

samtc,
One advantage of the DBS is its available in a 6 rack if you decide you'll be smoking lots of food, especially sausage.  If they made an OBS 6 rack, I'd buy one now that I make sausage. 
Enjoy get smokin drano

I have too agree with this statment. Someone should talk to Bradley. ;D ;D

[MPTubbs]

I now have a 6 rack DBS with a PID on it set up in my garage. It will be moved to the backyard when all this white sh*t (28" so far) is gone. I will set it up in a Suncast.  I see some of you do that and I think it's a great idea!

In the near future I will buy an OBS and put my PID on it and set the unit up in the garage. It will be my winter smoker ( I'm thinking the smaller unit will heat up better than the 6 racker) while the DBS will be my summer smoker. It seems more people show up in the summer to have great smoked food (lol). Therefor I will need the bigger smoker in the backyard next to the firepit.  ;D

[classicrockgriller]

mptubbs, I like your thinkin. ;D