Bradley or Cookshack?

Question was asked just a few days ago. Do a "search" on Bradley and you'll come up with plenty of feedback.

I'm a little biased as far as the cookshack goes. No moving parts in a CS but there are in a Bradley. CS has 900 degree insulation so the outside doesn't get hot, something to think about if there are young children around. Also, with the CS being well insulated, ambient air temps. are unlikely to affect your cook times. The Bradley isn't really set it and forget it since the wood discs only last about 8 hours and some smokes can go double that time. With Bradley Bisquettes going for about $24.00 for a 48 pack using 3 per hour for a 16 hour smoke would consume all 48 bisquettes plus the electricity to run the burner and the smoker. You can't use anything but the bisquettes in the Bradley but the CS lets you use any wood that is available. You also have to deal with the water bath in the Bradley. The CS costs a little more but comes with a great warranty and excellant customer service. Advice from Cookshack is a phone call or email away with overnight shipping should you need replacement parts and you have this great forum for advice with recipes, cooktimes and any questions you may have. Not to say if you decide on a Bradley you wouldn't be welcome in the forum. Some on the forum own both or have had a Bradley in the past and would be happy to offer advice. Hope this helps.

I have used a Cookshack for more than 15 years with consistantly good results. In 15 years I have only had one problem with my smoker. The problem occured on a holiday weekend. They were closed, so I posted my problem on this forum, and within the hour Stuart with Cookshack responded and had me up and going again. Cookshack is second to none!!!!
Go with the Cookshack!!!!!!

wow that's unbelievable, BigN'

One suggestion might be to google and find anyone ,anywhere, that could recommend a Bradley.

You might also get some real good offers to sell theirs.

I own and use both Bradley and a Cookshack and I'd suggest the Bradley is probably not worth the total costs involved over the long term. Here's the math.

Their proprietary "biscuits" will cost you roughly a dollar per hour of run time. If you use your unit an average of 20 hours per week you'll be spending over $1000 per year to use it. That's more than twice the original cost of the unit, every year, forever. Ouch.

Add to that the fact that if the company goes under and no longer produces the biscuits the unit is useless, except maybe as a holding oven.

What the Bradley does make sense for, IMO, is cold smoking. I bought the smoke generator (not the entire unit, just the generator), built some custom cabinets, and with a few other mods I'm now able to cold smoke for 16 hours of 100% hands-off operation. Since cold smoking is a big part of my operation, and since the costs are more than offset by labor savings, it makes sense for me in this very limited role only.

Hope this helps.

PS - Get a cookshack

Joseph has touched on the one place that bradley has targeted.

Little Chief,for virtually no money,targeted the same market.

If that is your only use,and you live in a temperate climate,you might consider the Little chief.

Hope this helps a little.

Thanks for all the info. Sounds like cookshack is the way to go. Looking at smokin tex as they are sold in a sporting goods store 5 miles from where I live and they look like the same thing. Any opinions?