Smokers, Grills, Pitts & More > Pro Q's

Pro-Q versus Weber Smoke Mountain

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catfish charlie:
Sorry if this topic has been discussed before.  For those who have experience with both, how do they compare?  I own an Pro-Q Excel 20 and overall not greatly satisfied.  Seemed like it was nearly impossibly to get temperature up to 225, and to maintain for any length of time.  Constant adding of new hot coals and stirring the basket to keep the heat.  Ash buildup restricted airflow after only a few hours - mod to raise basket helped somewhat but not hugely.

I read posts every day claiming WSM can hold temp for hours and hours unattended.  Makes me think that not everything that looks the same is created equal.

Appreciate any and all feedback

RudedoggAZ:
I own a ProQ and use it for my part of comp cooks. It's been a great cooker but is getting a little beat down so my next one will be a 22 WSM.I load a FULL basket of coals minus the middle and dump a full chimney of hot coals in the middle. Then I usually close the vents to half way.  I haven't had much success getting it past 250 but once I get it to temp it holds for 6+ hours. Anyway, as I said it's been a great cooker but it's not built as well as the WSM.

AZWildcat:
The problems you mentioned wont happen with a wsm. No experience with a Pro Q tho..

G$:
I have used both extensively  and have a strong personal preference toward the WSM.  In terms of temp stability, it is simply far more reliable.

Now, as you said, we can get 6-8 hours from a PRO-Q with no problem, by making tweaks (some of which you listed like rasing the basket an inch).  Frankly, that aint bad unattended time for an affordable cooker!    The point is, (again, personal opinion here)  a PRO Q is way more stable than a horizontal charbroil .... but a WSM is way more stable than a proQ.

By the way ... I also have plenty of experience with the 18 vs 22 WSM.  You could continue down the continuum and say the 18 is more "stable" than the 22.      Would I trade make an even trade of my 22 for an 18, not a chance - it is the perfect compromise IMO!

Mike P in Tucson:
I have an Excel 20 and I love it.  I have cooked on a WSM and would stick with the ProQ anyway.  The WSM is a bit stingier with charcoal, but I love the flexibility of the ProQ stackers, with their thermometer eyelets.

I have had no problem at all getting the Excel 20 up to 250 to 260, using one stacker.  And, unattended, it holds that temperature for over 8 hours with a fully loaded charcoal basket.  Also have had no problems with ash buildup and I have not raised the charcoal basket.  I have run it at 280, using a BBQ Guru pit minder, and it still burns for over 6 hours on one charcoal load.

How are you measuring the temperature?  Not with the lid thermometer, I hope. 

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