[shortbus_35]

Hey Everyone,

My Brinkman Gourmet Electric finally kicked the bucket this weekend.  It died a horrible death, the heating element ruptured and split down one side.  The good news is now I can buy another smoker. 

As much as I would like to spend upwards of $500 on a smoker that is not a realistic option. 

I have already researched a few options and read as many reviews as I can find - two finalists.

King Kooker 2607/ GOSM 24"

or

Cabela's / Masterbuilt 7-IN-1 Premium Cooker/Smoker

Are there any drawbacks moving to a gas fired vertical "cabinet" type smoker?
Are there other options in this price range ($150 - $225) that I may not have considered?

Any horror stories??

[Flagstaff BBQ & Catering]

Look seriously at the Weber Smokey Mountain. Great unit and easy to master. Lots of championships have been won with this cooker.

[KidCurry]

Yes I would look at the 18" WSM, or maybe look at building a UDS.  The WSM is littler, maybe easier to move and clean but the UDS can be built pretty cheaply. 

[shortbus_35]

Thanks for the input guys.  I see there is a UDS kit for sale in the Classifieds, so that seems like the most straight forward.

The small WSM is still bigger than my previous Brinkman so it would be an upgrade.

[tbonejc]

Any particular reason you'd do propane or electric instead of charcoal?  Besides ease of use of course.   

[shortbus_35]

Any particular reason you'd do propane or electric instead of charcoal?  Besides ease of use of course.   

It was mostly ease of use.  I fell in love with how easy the Brinkman was to use and the success I had with it.  The "Made in China" entry level Traeger had me intrigued but wasn't sure how much fun I would have actually cooking.  I was a little hesitant to jump right into charcoal because I was worried about how much babysitting would be in order. 

Now that I think about it a UDS or a WSM should really be my next step up. 

[Otis857]

I got a Masterbuilt XL from Bass Pro Shops for Christmas. It took some modifications to make it work good, but its there now and it was cheap. The nice thing about Propane, besides ease of use, is that the temps stay consistant. If you want a good and cheap turn key verticle Propane smoker, try the GOSM Big Block over the Masterbuilt. Both are built decent with tube steel frames, but the Masterbuilt needs more tweaking than the GOSM. If that had been available locally at the time, I'd a chose that one.

[KidCurry]

Any charcoal cooker will need more "sitting" than elec or propane for sure. 

[shortbus_35]

**** UPDATE ****

Purchased a UDS kit from Josh Dae (Joshd52) yesterday and now look forward to the build and customize portion.

I may end up buying a large WSM just so I can have the lid handy for turkey and beer can chicken.

Once I start the project, I'll be sure to post pictures.

[azkitch]

You can get used 22" weber grills from craigslist all day long for $20 or less. And there's no guarantee that the lid will fit.

[BigKen]

I'm in the market myself.  I am looking at the Masterbuilts.  My question to everyone is gas vs. electric smokers.  Any pro's and cons' from the forum?  Anyone have any experience with the Masterbuilts?