Looking Into Buying My First Smoker

[JDGUY]

I have been given the go ahead by the better half to buy a smoker.  I have had my eye on a Bradley Digital (also the Smart Smoker) for awhile, but not sure if I want to go that route after reading all the reviews that I can.  I like the idea of auto smoke and not really needing to sit there and watch it for the most part.  I have also been looking at the Masterbuilt MES 340.  The Masterbuilt unit can be had for around $200-250 (MSRP is $500.)  The Bradley Digital is around $400-500 (4 rack).  For that kind of price difference, is the Bradley worth it?  I am new to smoking, although I love to eat smoked foods, and will start slow.  I am not looking to smoke everyday and am only feeding 3 people normally.

This is the link to the masterbuilt unit: https://www.masterbuilt.com/collections/smokers/products/mes-340-g-bluetooth-digital-electric-smoker

Please let me know your thoughts.  Thank you!

Andy

[cathouse willy]

As a long time owner of the original bradley and a "pid" in my opinion the digital and the smart smoker are the basic smoker with added gimmicks.To me they're not worth the extra money. All you get are lots of buttons to push, both the digital and the smarty have the same 500 watt oven heater as the original and neither has a built in pid.If close temp control is important and in some foods it is you'll need to add an outboard temp controller (pid). So IMHO neither the digital or the smart smoker are worth the extra cost.Others I'm sure will disagree.

[JDGUY]

As a long time owner of the original bradley and a "pid" in my opinion the digital and the smart smoker are the basic smoker with added gimmicks.To me they're not worth the extra money. All you get are lots of buttons to push, both the digital and the smarty have the same 500 watt oven heater as the original and neither has a built in pid.If close temp control is important and in some foods it is you'll need to add an outboard temp controller (pid). So IMHO neither the digital or the smart smoker are worth the extra cost.Others I'm sure will disagree.

Thank you for the input.  After looking at some PIDs, I would go without one for a while.  I do like the idea of being able to smoke without heat and cook without smoke.

[zueth]

Yeah that, original with PID. I have a digital with PID and wish I would of saved money on Bradley with original and used that towards the PID. Bite the bullet and get the PID with purchase. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk