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-   -   Food and Drink Electric Bradley or Master built verticle smokers? (https://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=266787)

Kerberos 11-18-2012 10:36 PM

Electric Bradley or Master built verticle smokers?
 
Anyone own either of these and how do you like them??? My wife and my mom are collaborating on buying me one for Christmas. I wanted a Green Mountain Grill but I guess I can walk before I run....especially since my wife put her foot down on a 1K+ price on a good electric pelet smoker.

http://www.basspro.com/Bradley-Smoke...product/81946/


http://www.basspro.com/Masterbuilt-3...1090613460022/

Thanks for any insight.

Buehler445 11-18-2012 11:18 PM

I have one. I really like it. It puts out damn good Q. But in the end it is cheater Q and just a notch below the fire guys. But it is really easy and quite frankly difficult to fugg up.

I bought it because I like the eats more than the fire tending.

Buehler445 11-18-2012 11:18 PM

Oh. And buy it from Cabela's not Bass Pro.

jspchief 11-19-2012 12:28 AM

I'm happy with my Masterbuilt.

As for electric, IMO if you're just starting out it's the way to go. There's enough things to learn without having to deal with temps too.

Trivers 11-19-2012 07:36 AM

I've done both fire and electric.

Been a judge in numerous BBQ contests. Used to be a BBQ snob, and looked down at electric until a friend showed me a Masterbuilt electric.

For 99.97% of the population who doesn't do BBQ in competitions, electric is the way to go.

Prepare your BBQ, load the electric smoker with disks or pellets, set the temp, DONE.

No worshiping the fire smoker every couple of hours with new fuel, or worrying about weather vs. smoker temp.

I have the larger Bradley and LOVE it. Looked at the Traeger and Green Mountain. The additional price vs. features was not worth it to me.

Bought it online at Home Depot. It was cheaper at Walmart Online and Home Depot matched. Disks I order from Amazon.

Just noticed you were looking at the 4 rack Bradley. Wait for the 6 rack to go on sale and you can get the 50% increase in volume for the same price. I use all 6 racks all the time as a single brisket won't fit on one rack and has to be cut in two to fit on two racks.

Kerberos 11-19-2012 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trivers (Post 9132584)
I've done both fire and electric.

Been a judge in numerous BBQ contests. Used to be a BBQ snob, and looked down at electric until a friend showed me a Masterbuilt electric.

For 99.97% of the population who doesn't do BBQ in competitions, electric is the way to go.

Prepare your BBQ, load the electric smoker with disks or pellets, set the temp, DONE.

No worshiping the fire smoker every couple of hours with new fuel, or worrying about weather vs. smoker temp.

I have the larger Bradley and LOVE it. Looked at the Traeger and Green Mountain. The additional price vs. features was not worth it to me.

Bought it online at Home Depot. It was cheaper at Walmart Online and Home Depot matched. Disks I order from Amazon.

Just noticed you were looking at the 4 rack Bradley. Wait for the 6 rack to go on sale and you can get the 50% increase in volume for the same price. I use all 6 racks all the time as a single brisket won't fit on one rack and has to be cut in two to fit on two racks.

Thanks for input Trivers... one question.... do you buy the Bradley branded smoker briquets or do you buy generic equivelants?

Kerberos 11-19-2012 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buehler445 (Post 9132243)
Oh. And buy it from Cabela's not Bass Pro.

We were looking at buying one local and we don't have a Cabela's here... but I found it on Home Depot at a pretty good price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspchief (Post 9132382)
I'm happy with my Masterbuilt.

As for electric, IMO if you're just starting out it's the way to go. There's enough things to learn without having to deal with temps too.

I'm leaning towards the Bradley .... But BassProShop is selling the Masterbuilt unit they have for $180 on Black Friday. Either one I'm sure it'll smoke some good eats. :)

Mojo Rising 11-19-2012 03:00 PM

I had a Masterbuilt and didn't care for it. I just replaced it with a Traeger and couldn't be happier. I like the pellets. I also like having the firebox on the side. I don't like the vertical because heat rises so the internal temperature varied too much.

Gonzo 11-19-2012 03:53 PM

Love my Bradley... Works great and it's real difficult to **** up. I smoked a 13 lb turkey last week for my office and it stayed at a steady 225 in 30 degree weather.
The only bitch I have about it is it's size.

Trivers 11-19-2012 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerberos (Post 9133743)
Thanks for input Trivers... one question.... do you buy the Bradley branded smoker briquets or do you buy generic equivelants?

I buy the Bradley brand. I did not know there were generic. Thanks for sharing that fact!

Kerberos 11-20-2012 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trivers (Post 9134342)
I buy the Bradley brand. I did not know there were generic. Thanks for sharing that fact!

I guess I should have worded that differently and asked if there WAS a generic alternative. I have found no off brands Only the Jack Daniels labeled Bradley bisquettes.

Thanks for the input though.

You too Gonzo...It looks to be a Bradley in my future. PBJ PBJ PBJ

BigRedChief 11-20-2012 05:01 PM

I've had both. First one was Bradley. Used it for 3 years and wore it out. Very easy to use. It was the best cheater smoker I've ever had. Very even heat and smoke flavor.

The masterbuilt that I got was a major upgrade. Automatically feed briquets, set timers on the smoker heat, the feed of the briquets. Seems to use a lot more briquets and I can't seem to get the automatic feed down. But it is a really good smoker too. People from blocks away come to visit and talk BBQ when I fire it up.

Wal-Mart had the best prices on both models when I decided to pull the trigger on the smoker purchase. You really can't go wrong with either model. They are both in the same price range and capabilities. Go with the one with best price.

GloryDayz 11-20-2012 07:43 PM

My neighbor has the Bradley, he loves it.. I know this, compared to the meat he jacked-up before, this a welcome addition the the neighborhood.

Kerberos 12-01-2012 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trivers (Post 9132584)
I've done both fire and electric.

Been a judge in numerous BBQ contests. Used to be a BBQ snob, and looked down at electric until a friend showed me a Masterbuilt electric.

For 99.97% of the population who doesn't do BBQ in competitions, electric is the way to go.

Prepare your BBQ, load the electric smoker with disks or pellets, set the temp, DONE.

No worshiping the fire smoker every couple of hours with new fuel, or worrying about weather vs. smoker temp.

I have the larger Bradley and LOVE it. Looked at the Traeger and Green Mountain. The additional price vs. features was not worth it to me.

Bought it online at Home Depot. It was cheaper at Walmart Online and Home Depot matched. Disks I order from Amazon.

Just noticed you were looking at the 4 rack Bradley. Wait for the 6 rack to go on sale and you can get the 50% increase in volume for the same price. I use all 6 racks all the time as a single brisket won't fit on one rack and has to be cut in two to fit on two racks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gonzo (Post 9134202)
Love my Bradley... Works great and it's real difficult to **** up. I smoked a 13 lb turkey last week for my office and it stayed at a steady 225 in 30 degree weather.
The only bitch I have about it is it's size.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedChief (Post 9137323)
I've had both. First one was Bradley. Used it for 3 years and wore it out. Very easy to use. It was the best cheater smoker I've ever had. Very even heat and smoke flavor.

The masterbuilt that I got was a major upgrade. Automatically feed briquets, set timers on the smoker heat, the feed of the briquets. Seems to use a lot more briquets and I can't seem to get the automatic feed down. But it is a really good smoker too. People from blocks away come to visit and talk BBQ when I fire it up.

Wal-Mart had the best prices on both models when I decided to pull the trigger on the smoker purchase. You really can't go wrong with either model. They are both in the same price range and capabilities. Go with the one with best price.

1st off the WU bought me the 6 rack Bradley.... I told her it was a guy thing and it would be worth buying the bigger one NOW and not wanting a bigger smoker later after she got the 4 rack unit...she agreed.

Question for everyone here that wants to put in their .02:


I have heard that you should "Season" your smoker?? What exactly does this entail....

I have not opened the smoker yet as I was going to wait until Christmas....but if work needs to be done ahead of time I will take it out and get things prepared so I can make some ribs for Christmas dinner. (We are cooking a prime rib in the oven but I want to smoke some pork ribs too with the new smoker.)

Buehler445 12-01-2012 09:00 PM

Read the instructions. I'm pretty sure you have to run it a few hours.


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