Hi,

I'm novice to cook with smokers, so it is hard to buy which one is better for me between AmeriQ SM066 and Bradley 6-rack Digital Smoker.
I will open samll sandwhich shop & cafe. I have plan to make sandwhiches that are made by smokeitems like real bacon, corned beef, duck, salmon, and so on. My shop will be not a big size.
I think Bradley system is easy to use on the other hand, AmerQ have better reputation than the Bradley.
Would you which one is better for me~?

Thanks for any opinions

CrazyRed, I would stay away from the Bradley and I'll tell you why. First of all the wood bisquettes they make you use in that thing are VERY expensive. Its $20 for 24 of them and thats not enough to smoke one pork butt. If you read the article that Dave Naas wrote at "The Charcoal Store" about the Bradley smoker you will see he went through $400 worth of wood bisquettes in no time at all. If your going to be cooking commercially you would go bankrupt trying to keep the thing in bisquettes.

https://www.charcoalstore.com/kb/article.php?id=008

He also describes mechanisms that run the thing and look at the pics he put up. Do yourself a favor and stick with CookShack. Their products are higher quality, in my opinion, their customer service is the best, Period. The only thing you might do is maybe consider one of CookShack's commercial models rather than a residential, may fit your needs better.

* I edited this down a bit cause I dont want to be considered a Bradley basher, or a basher of anything really. I just get emotional when people compare products cause I love my AmeriQue, and CookShack, so much. Sorry guys if I came off a bit strong.


-Sravaka

Congrats on your sandwich shop! Your doing what I intend to do. I did the research on smokers and was leaning towards a water smoker untill I came across Cookshack. The more I learned the more serious I became on getting a Cookshack smoker...so serious that I now own a FEC100. I cured it 2 days ago and am getting ready to smoke pork lions and ribs this weekend...realized I probably don't have enough pellets and ordered more. Do the research on an FEC100...it does ALL the work and for a small sandwich shop it should work well for you.

Without bashing the Bradley,they have a design that lends themselves to coldsmoking,somewhat more than traditional hotsmoking IMO.

You may want to determine the volume of product you will use,and how often.

Will you be the only operator,what are your space considerations, exhaust venting?

How much of your product will be cold smoked,and how much hotsmoked.

Will you choose to buy some of the products from outside sources?

What is your cooker and fuel budget?

There are strong considerations to select an FEC,or the traditional Cookshack restaurant cookers.

When you have some of these answers in mind,you may want to call Cookshack sales and let some of them help you pick the best fit for your needs..

They do this all the time.

Tom's got some good question, and we're really not about bashing other smokers here. I know the B owners love 'em. Look at maintenance and cost of ownership. The charcoal store post is a good one.

I also ask, what's the Health Dept rules in your area? If they require NSF/UL listed smokers that will affect what you can do.

If you're doing this commercial, try to figure out your "costs" of doing work and what' you'll have to charge.

We've got a Pros forum and there's some good people there if you have questions.

thanks for ur answer also the article ^^

Cook shack simply makes the best smokers I have experiance with both plastic gears and parts wear quickly but good idea overall.