Digital or Original Smoker - Which to Buy

[illusion8055]

Hi,

I am on the verge of making the jump to smoking. I have always wanted in on this delicious cooking method. This week I noticed that a store in my neighborhood is putting the Original smoker at 25% off and the digital at 20% off. I am just about ready to make the leap.

Now my question is about reliability. I'm sure the digital box is easier to use, I'm just concerned about how long it will last, especially considering the cooooooooold Canadian winters. Is the box usable in winter here in Canada or do owners generally store them inside?

How much easier is smoking when stepping up from a regular smoker box to a Bradley original to a Bradley digital? ie worth the price difference: $179 for a regular smoker.. $199 for a competitors electric smoker... $289 for a Bradley original ... $399 for a Bradley digital (4-shelf).

Thanks for your help with a per-n00b!

[ilwaldens]

Hi - I can tell you that I bought a BDS 4 rack about a month ago and I love it.  Had a little hiccup with the first smoke due to operator error (plugs were not hooked up securely), but I smoked a fatty and it came out great.  Haven't had time lately to smoke much of anything due to work.  I live in Illinois...while my winters are not any where near as cold as yours, we still get pretty cold and have a lot of snow.  I plan on putting my smoker in the garage for the winter and take it out if I should decide to smoke.  I did buy a cover, but I am uncomfortable with leaving it on the deck through the whole winter.

I choose the BDS because of the digital display and timer options.

Hope this helps.

Happy smoking!

[KevinG]

Welcome to the forum illusion8055. I've had my bradley digital 6 rack for about a year now and have had no issues with it. Many good smokes. I think it's one of the easiest smokers to work with, and excellent customer service - you won't get that with the competitors. You also have all the help you need with this forum. Living in Az, I won't be much help on the cold aspect, but I'm sure many of our northern friends will chime in here soon.

[GusRobin]

There are a lot of Canadians on the forum so I am sure that some will jump in soon regarding the climate question.
As far as which one to buy, depends what you are going to use it for. First question is how much will you smoke at once. That will determine which size, 4 or 6 rack. The OBS only comes in 4 so if you want 6, that settles that decision.
I have a OBS and it suffices for me. If I ever want to cook more I would stagger it and put the first load in the oven after it smokes, and start the next load. So far I have not had to do that.
I don't have the digital so I can't speak to it in detail, but it does have temperature swings of up to 15-20*. Some buy a PID (the Auber model is around $150-$180 depending on which one you get and is plug and play) which can control the temp within 2-3*. Now most of the time if you are doing ribs, butts, briskets, you probably don't care about the swing. If you are doing sausage you probably do (maybe fish also).
Since I was okay with the 4 rack, I bought the OBS and the dual PID (controls by cabinet temp or meat IT) which came out to about what the digital would have cost me. (give or take a few bucks).
Also, some people have issues with the ability of the Bradley to recover temp after you open the door or first put a lot of meat in it. Others don't seem to have an issue. Those that do have an issue overcome by making sure any water in the bowl is hot/boiling when added, put heated foiled brick(s), avoid opening the door. Others have added a second heating element ( easy mod costs about $25-$30 in parts). It is strongly recommended by most that if you add the element, you should use a PID.
So with all that said, I opted for the OBS with the PID to better control temp, safety precaution since I was going to add the second element, and with the dual pid I think I get most if not all of the benefits of the digital at about the same price. As stated I would have wanted to buy the PID anyway. So my decision was easy.
Hope this helps.

[beefmann]

all good advice, it all depends on volume of food being  done in the   smoker,  i have  done whole meals in my  4 rack, and  at times  wished i had a  6  rack, just for a  little  extra room... if you are going to  have friends over for a bbq / smoke  for a football  game,  holiday,  even just for a  visit, go  with the  6 rack, some people on this forum have a number of bradley smokers

beef

[DarqMan]

Whatever you get, if it has the Bradley name on it then it will be a great product.  Personally, I went with the original 4 rack (OBS) with Auber dual PID.  I love it, you will too.

[classicrockgriller]

I have a 6rk digital (dual elements) and PID and a OBS (single element) and a pid.

I love smokin out of both of them.

And sometimes at the same time.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=15586.0

[DarqMan]

I have a 6rk digital (dual elements) and PID and a OBS (single element) and a pid.

I love smokin out of both of them.

And sometimes at the same time.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=15586.0

I'm sure the Traeger is fired up somewhere in the background... we just can't see it. ;D

[unclebuck]

I live in northeast Alberta, where winter temps are known to hit the -40'sC.  I have a BDS6 for two years now, and use it winter & summer.  It is outside, on the south side of my house, under the eaves, covered up when not in use.  I have smoked meat & sausage  winter temps of  -25C and it worked flawlessly.  You might want to install a PID unit for accuracy.

[illusion8055]

Wow you really are an active community! Thanks for all the great responses.

I don't think I will need a 6-racker... it's only me and the g/f... Though something tells me I'll be enjoying the fruits of the smoker's labour more when I invite the boys over hahahaha.

OK, so Bradley it is for sure then... now the question is digital or OBS. I gather a PID is another temperature controller that works like the digital one on the DBS.

Easy to get the PID parts (at a good price) in Canada?

I'm so jealous of US mail order systems... we're like 10 years behind the curve here

[Jim O]

Welcome aboard !

I have a BDS 4 shelf and  live in Ontario.

I do my winter smokin' in the garage. I just leave the garage door open about half way and open a rear window,which creates a cross draft. It's also good to have a CO2 detector in the garage,just in case.

Winter is a great time for cheese and other cold smoke things.

Any questions or problems you may have,just post them.

The knowledge and willingness to help on the forum is unbelieveable !

Jim O

[RAF128]

I've got both an OBS and 6 rack digital.   I bought the 6 rack for the extra height for hanging sausages.   I also bought a PID for tighter temp control.    Mine is set up in the heated garage and use it winter and summer, probably more in the winter 'cause summer is often spent at the cabin.