Quote:
Originally Posted by tooge
I've got the WSM and Performer. Quite frankly, the WSM will be a better smoker than the Summit, I would imagine. This is simply because it was designed as such, and has more room, a water pan, and easier access through a side door for adding fuel or wood for smoke. The Performer should do just as well as a grill since you generally aren't grilling for super long periods of time.
In other words, I think I'll just keep the two I have and have two specialty tools that do what they do very well, rather than one replacement that does well, but perhaps not quite as good as the two alone. Some solid ideas though.
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The double-wall design on this Summit should give it some pretty decided advantages with smoking, especially when you're looking at longer cooks. You should have to use much MUCH less fuel and less fuel means fewer re-loads. It should also be far less prone to external factors; wind, low temps, etc... All of that should give you far steadier temperatures and thus better cooks as the proteins don't have to take on the temperature spikes. They appear to have put quite a bit of engineering into the radiant heat plate as well; sure looks like they've got it dialed in for 225 pretty easily and at 24'' (vs. the big WSM at 22''), the capacity should be as good or even better.
As for the grilling aspect, the adjustable great should allow you a lot more flexibility in searing, etc...
I dunno...it almost looks to me like it would replace the Performer and the WSM while doing both jobs BETTER than the specialty item. It's counter-intuitive, but it's also a much better engineered piece of equipment than either of those.
Still more than I'm gonna spend because in the end, barbecue chicken is barbecue chicken, despite what Myron Mixon (and Stewie) will tell you. For 95% of the things I make, I don't expect this would make a difference.
But still, when some distant relative of mine dies and leaves me money that I had otherwise not expected, I'm buying one of these and I'll salute dear old Aunt Dorris (Ed. note: I do not have an Aunt Dorris) every time I fire it up...