Dr. Mac here. Don't know if anybody will read this since I didn't see the post until there were already three pages of posts. I'm a lurker on the forum & I'm somewhat of a newbie to using a cookshack smokette. I've smoked & barbequed food for several years, but only recently invested in a smokette. I've done canadian bacon, four racks of ribs, a couple chickens, & some deer jerky in my smokette. I've had it for less than a year. I've always used an old refrigerator with a hot plate as a smoker before I got the smokette. Still use my refrigerator smoker for large batches, but the thermostat on the smokette sure is handy!!