The little tray thing? I would be concerned about getting enough heat out of the heating element to heat the tray to a temp that will burn the pellets. If you try it, please report back with your experience.

I'd probably just roll with the briquettes. I don't think the pellets aren't going to be a whole lot cheaper and you know the briquettes work.

Yes. It can also be used for cold smokes like cheese.

Looks like you light the pellets and let them burn to get going for a few minutes. I might have to do some comparisons on the pellets vs pucks I may get one and give it a try.

You ignite the pellets with a torch. Then the maze controls the rate at which it burns. It's like the cherry of a cigar.

The biggest thing with the AMPS is getting airflow dialed in for the burn rate you want. The first time I used it, I had too much airflow and burned 4 hours worth of pellets in about an hour. Conversely, not enough air and it will starve and die out.

Some electric smokers struggle to burn chips well enough to give a good smoke ring. My Masterbuilt, for example. Thats where the AMPS comes in handy (and cold smokes).

So no heating element needed. Interesting.

Do you have to fill the whole thing every time? Looks like that'd be about $15 in pellets every time you smoke. The bisquettes are cheaper than that.

No. I only fill half of it. I also use dust instead of the pellets, but that's just because it's what I ordered when I got it.

I really can't comment on the economics of it. I bought it to improve smoke output, which it does a good job of. If you're already smoking with fire, I doubt it's necessary. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to your current pellet/puck system, I would checking out the smoking meat forums and ask around. A lot of people there use the AMPS and can probably comment on cost.

Yeah and the price of the pellets is significantly cheaper than the pucks. Just gotta figure out how to fit it in there, may have to get the cold smoke adapter for the bradley.

OK, I misunderstood what you were trying to get at. I really don't know.

You light the pellets with a torch and the burn themselves

Is It in its own box or does it go in the smoker because it's only smoldering?

I apologize, I completely misunderstood the concept of what you were explaining.

Update on this.

Less than 2 years purchased and less than 10 smokes and my Bradley smoker has cracked lower paneling that makes me lift the door with two hands to close it, bubbled plastic sealing around entire door, a busted door hinge and barely pushes 225 degrees in the blazing sun with temperatures over 100 degrees here in Phoenix.

This things is a piece of shit.

Not been my experience with the Bradley smoker or the Masterpiece smoker for that matter.

Sorry about your experience.

Contact them and send them a picture, their support is very good, they will most likely send you replacement parts.

Just did. 4 pictures and a video showing how it doesn't close properly. Not sure it's really fixable with replacement parts. It would be quite the chore with all its issues.

Mine neither.

I was surprised when it arrived with how much thin plastic the unit contains. The whole unit feels super chincy to me.

I assume you meant Masterbuilt smoker? If so, are those more metal parts?

Mine's a Bradley. I've used it maybe a dozen times over a couple years, no problems like you've mentioned.

I have MB. The door top and bottom trim is plastic, as is the trim across the bottom of the front. The door and unit itsself is sheetmetal.

Maybe you guys received a well built American made Bradley while they shipped me the version made in Canada by hockey loving, weak handed, tit sucking Canadians made of inferior material and no quality control from simple minded ****s?

have a Bradley with probably 50-100 smokes through it. Still works great, just have to make sure door is completely closed/sealed

Yes, smoker. I'm on my 3rd smoker and I've not seen a difference in quality between the two companies. I've had an entry level, high end and now a medium market smoker.

Sure you didn't buy a bricksmann smoker?

ROFL

I see what you did there.

Bricks was probably involved. I'm blaming that ****ing dipshit anyway.

Go **** your self bricks!

$169 my friend...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/2319943...&ul_noapp=true


http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pro...fe6244_400.jpg

I questioned my BBQ side when this was given to me, but nowadays it's my go-to smoker...

And they are ****ers.

Said I am out of warranty and I must pay for the parts. $60 for a new door.

Yea, no thanks.

Leaving a 1 star Amazon review with pictures and video for these queers.

Those electric brinkmans work pretty damn good. I have one I smoke on when I dont feel like tending coals their great for turkey breasts and sausage. Limitation is getting them to smoking range in the winter but plenty of hacks if you google them. Kmart closed these out in early spring for 50 bucks I picked up a spare as Brinkmen went tits up.

I missed a hell of a deal on a big green egg today at Sams Club in the clearance. I spotted it with no yellow markdown sticker and waited for employee to breeze by but to no avail so I went on a search. Found a guy with radio asked him what were asking he called manager and he radioed back 840.00 reg price was 1200.00 it was on a metal stand the worker wrote the price on a pad and signed and I headed to wheel to cashier just as a neck beard was wheeling it out. Hope that bastard busts it in a 100 pieces loading it in his truck. It was the big egg like 34" dia.

This... And there's nothing I don't smoke on mine. The constant 220-225 temp is almost like cheating. Actually it is! And it's very simple to get the smoke right by using different chucks or chips that can be wet or dry. If they made a larger model, I'd buy it.

Bitch aboit them allover social media. That will typically get a company to cave.

I once considered a Bradley, but I heard the discs are pretty expensive and a lot of horror stories about the smokers themselves.

I went with a Masterbuilt with the cold smoke kit. Been great for overnight smokes.

Buy a pellet smoker like a Treager and be a winner the rest of your life.:D

I love mine.

I was given an electric smoker several years ago and I have now perfected my use of it and produce incredible smoked pork shoulders.

It took a lot of trial and but eventually I got that stupid electric element pulled out and cut the cord off. Now I can put plenty of wood in it to get the right amount of smoke.

Works way better now.

I had an entry level Bradley as my first smoker. Wasn't sure I'd like it and want to "hassle" with it on a regular basis. So those stupid discs wernt an issue. I ended up wearing it out and upgraded to another high end version. It allowed me to time how many discs went into the smoker and increase my smoke times without any action from me. Easy peasy.
I have the Masterbuilt now after wearing out my 2nd smoker. The cold smoke is just an add on right?

So you took the electric out of your electric smoker?

Also how I read it... confused.

Yeah. The directions had me put a few soaked wood chips in a tray and fill another tray with water.

The meat would cook and the box filled with steam but the wood chips just got darker and never ignited. Seemed like we were just cooking it with heat and steam instead of smoke.

It has a pull out tray in the bottom where I pile the lit charcoal and wood underneath where the cooking element used to be. (It actually broke off fairly easily with a little effort)

I know it's not the conventional way of using it - certainly not what it was designed for, but I always wanted a wood smoker so I just modified it.

Bottom line is, in my family everyone loves grampa's pulled pork sandwiches. Most of my grandkids demand it for their birthday gatherings.

Interesting. The element of the Brinkmann electric smoker is somewhat of a serpentine shape that sits in red lava rocks. The upper parts of the smoker lifts off easily which gives easy access to the element. For heavy smoke and a short boost in temp you can place a single chunk of wood on the element, and the rest of the evolution can be super-soaked chips slow-burning because you don't place them on the element (as they instruct).

I've also found that after a period of not using it (a couple of weeks) and some rain, the lava rocks have some amount of water in them. While water won't rise to the level of the actual element because the hole where the element/power cord penetrate the housing acts as a drain that keeps the element dry, leaving that water in there does create steam/high moisture.

I'm telling ya, the Brinkmann was very inexpensive, but it's amazing too. Knowing you can put a brisket on in the morning with ample soaked chips and chunks (chunks away from the element) then leave for 6 hours is freakin nice!

The one I was given wasn't that nice. And for me, part of the fun is ****ing with it. Adding wood, monitoring the heat and smoke, etc. I make a day of it. And, I think the part I like the best is in the afternoon when my recipe calls for the cook (me) to add several whiskey / coke's to my belly.

Then it just gets to be more fun.

For some reason.

:D

Mine would be rum-and-diet, chilled Merlot, beers, or martinis (OK, almost any ****ing drink!!), but I'm with you....

How long does it take an Amazon review with pictures/video to post?

I wrote a 1 star review for those queers at Bradley but nothing has shown up and I submitted it last night.

Yeah it's an add on.

I've heard BQ on Traegers have gone down a lot in the last few years.

Been looking at the GMG with wifi for ultra lazy mode.

You got banned from reviews on Amazon!!!! LMAO

Actually, some times they take a few days...

They have you on ignore.

You can now get cheaper ones that are just as nice, not neccesary to go Treager.

Thinking about pulling the trigger on a 30" Masterbuilt. Love my WSM but getting lazy in my old age and love the idea of a set-and-forget cheater.

My only hold up is, how much of a flavor loss is there using an electric? Is it going to be very noticeable? Barely noticeable? I love the charcoal/wood taste my WSM gives, if its going to be a big difference with the Masterbuilt I may just scrap the idea.

You could always grill your meat on a charcoal grill for a little bit than place into smoker. I am fine without it and I'm not sure about this flavor loss thing.

The only downside I think would be that I don't get that picture perfect bark.

There's no flavor loss. Do it. You'll get over the "I'm cheating" bullshit in no time.

Truth be told, your food might even improve. But even if it just stays the same, the set-it-and-forget-it is awesome.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk (so spelling be damned!!!)

I do it the other way. Smoker first then the grill.

This is how to do it. You dont want to burn a crust on the steak before smoking it or it wont take the smoke.

Its called a reverse sear. Smoke it to internal temp of about 105 then basically sear the shit out of it to get temp up and the sear on the outside.

If you put the steak on the smoker when its still good and cold you will get more smoke before hitting the internal temp.

My $.02

You shouldn't have issue with smoke penetration if you do it early on, but it really doesn't matter when you do it. I don't give a shit, so I don't bother with it.

Whatever, get the electric smoker. 2-3 burns into it and you'll be getting head form the wife like never before.

Wait.....what?

I trust you're at Amazon.com by now?

I'm going to disagree with a few of the recent comments. I have a Masterbuilt and I love it for the ease and consistency, but I think the smoke flavor is not as good as a charcoal smoker. I stopped using the built in chip tray and now use an aftermarket dust/pellet tray and feel like I get better smoke.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/A-MAZ...Q&gclsrc=aw.ds

How is that possible?

Yeah, I dont see how it could possibly produce as much smoke flavor from chips as my WSM does from wood chunks and charcoal. I just really want to know how noticeable it will be. Like will my amazing ribs be just "OK" from the Masterbuilt? Will my mouth watering brisket/burnt ends be just decent from the MB?

The more I think about it I should probably just stop being lazy and stick with what's proven.

Do you have to light the pellets with a torch or something or does the smoker ignite them just the same as it does the wood chips?

Yes you light the pellets with a torch. I bought the product from the manufacturer back before he started selling them in retail stores and it was a kit that included the torch and several pounds of dust. I haven't used all the dust yet so haven't switched to pellets yet. With my maze fully loaded, I get 3-4 hours of smoke. I leave the chip loader on the smoker slightly open for necessary air flow and there's a bit of a learning curve to get it right. Too open will burn too fast.

You won't get a visible smoke ring as much as you do with charcoal but you get much better smoke flavor than you would from just using the built in chip tray. I don't dispute that I lose some flavor vs charcoal but being able to throw a butt in before bed and pulling it in the morning is a great convenience and everyone still raves about my bbq.

Ya know, I'm beginning to warm up to the idea of an electric smoker.

Alright, I think Im gonna get a MB. Now, the 30" or the 40"? Decisions.

From this.....


.......to this in under 2 hours.


Are you Hootie's uncle and bipolar?

ROFL

Ive been researching and weighing pros and cons for the last two hours.

Anyone that has the 30" MB, will it fit a full packer brisket?

Not sure which size I have but large briskets are a tight fit. Probably the only complaint I have with my smoker.

Went ahead and ordered the 30" along with the AMNPS/hickory, apple, cherry, maple pellet mix. Do you use the water pan on yours? I was kind of surprised it comes with one, I didn't think an electric smoker would need one. Also where do you put your pellet smoker?

I rarely use my water pan. I place the maze on top of the chip box that's over the heating element and use a foil roof to keep juices from dripping on it and extinguishing it.

If you have my kind of electric smoker you still use wood chips, and can burn the chips fro as long as you like.

I wondered the same thing, and my first experience was OK, but not awesome, but by the the 3rd and 4th burns, knowing how to start with wet chips, then, go with dry wood chunks to bark the meat, then either wet chips for the duration, or none at all.

Love my 40" MB with the glass door

I would have gone with the 40.

Couldn't have been much difference in price?

Prolly, because the size of your grill should be in proportion to your dick. :thumb:

All fun aside, one of the reasons I don't use my offset grill very often is because I've found that you need to have a lot of meat in the smoker to get good consistency. So one flat, or one set of ribs, aren't a good idea for a large offset. Others might have it perfected, but I sure don't.

Yeah...

30" $189

40" $395

40" has a lot more bells and whistles along with a glass door. Bunch of shit I can live without for an extra $200.

I did spend an extra $100 on a rolling cart, pellet burner and stuff needed for the "mailbox mod" though.

That's the one the neighbor has, you're going to love it.



Sent from my phone using Tapatalk (so spelling be damned!!!)

Probably depends on the size. Worst case scenario, cut it into two parts.

No. Just no. You're better off curling it up the sides than cutting a brisket.

Why? It was cut by the butcher before and plenty folks cut a brisket to fit a 22" WSM.

Cutting the length? **** that. Food poisoning risk and drying it out.

I have always kicked myself for not getting the large WSM so I have cut plenty brisket to fit the grill grids never a problem at all and the came out excellent. Don't see the food poisoning risk at all sorry.

What in the good **** are you talking about? Cutting it isn't going to get you ebola and you don't run any risk of dry out unless you're an idiot.

I do it with packers all the time as I couldn't eat 18 pounds of brisket before it went bad. Turns out just fine, I'm still alive and it's moist.

Oh and if you're thinking I am saying to split the cap from flat before smoke, I am not. Cut it so you have 2 parts with flats and caps.

Uhhhhh.... No.