I live on the west coast in Canada and the winter temps here while mostly mild will be much cooler than the southern US. I've cooked lots of large cuts of meat and never felt the need to upgrade the element. Keep in mind the Bradleys are a low and SLOW cooker, a large piece of meat can take 12 or more hours to cook. Keep the vent open and don't open the door, keep the smoker out of the wind and rain. Try it out a few times before deciding.Keep in mind that the mods will void any warranty and there have been a few posts from people looking for help with a botched upgrade