Buying sight-unseen ...

Welcome to the Forum.

I understand about the return policy. All I'd say is give CS a call and discuss it with them, they'll try whatever it takes to help you with an informed decision.

Temp control, there's only one thermometer, the oven temp. Many use an External Thermometer to monitor the temp of the meat (that's the "Polder" you hear mentioned).

Well, I'm sure Stuart (the President of CS) will stop by and he'll give the technical answer, but it's a simple dial control. Set your temp (and forget it). The heating element works to keep the temp control within a few degrees of that temp BUT it will vary +/- 20 to 30 degrees as it cycles. On "average" it will hold the temp at what you set it. It is not a problem in the CS and as we've discussed in this forum many times, not really an issue (unless you're trying to scientifically plot the heat curve of a CS). No worries.

1. Buying site unseen? Ever travel to the states? We can find one for you to look at.

2. Any advise for someone who is upgrading? Depends. What are you wanting to move up to and do with it? If you're just cooking for yourself and your family -- buy a CS. Your biggest issue might be which one to buy. You won't waste your time with trying to learn temp control in an offset smoker (nor burn the amount of wood they do). You'll spend your time trying to find the right butcher and then eating some great Q.

....and the #1 reasons to buy a CS?This forum. Really. No self plug. Name another smoker with this great a forum for support. (yes there are others and they're good, just not as fun as this one).

And Q'n of the North. I'm not an employee of CS. I just do this for free because I believe in their products that much and believe that we should share our Q knowledge (not hide it).

Any more questions? Just ask.

What Smokin' said!

Buy one, you won't be sorry.

I saw the Smokette 2 in both the new Northern and Cabelas catalogs. You get those in Canada?

44, a smokette can't be beat..I've had mine for almost a year and use it weekly. You get the best Q and it is so easy to use. Make your family happy and buy one today!

Jimbo

Dear SmokinOkie, Topchef, Andi and Jimbo:

Thanks for your prompt encouragement. I think you've answered the heat question beyond my satisfaction.

Why do I need to move from my Meco to Cookshack? Well, I was reasonably satisfied with my Meco, until I visited my parents who live in NC and visiting them (and the Lexington BBQ) awakened my senses to this higher calling. I then started looking for better smokers and ran into your Forum and found everyone waxing lyrical about Smoking with a Cookshack .. as if it was a religious communal experience. So, its not as if I "need" a better Smoker, it just that exchanges in your Forum have convinced me to "want" one.

Will look up Cabelas .. thanks for your help. Now, got to make it happen.

And yes, a special thanks to SmokinOkie .. you seem to be the thread that binds together this excited community.

Regards

Hey 44,

Don't know what part of you are from, but we have a representative in Mississauga. They warehouse and ship our product throughout Canada. They are KGB Marketing and you can contact them at (800) 263-0842.

Tracked them on the web. Will follow up with them. Mississuaga is a suburb of Toronto, so its next door. Great luck here.

44,

I too wanted to upgrade and did the net research same as you. Bought my cookshack smokette sight unseen and have to say it was money very well spent. makes great q and couldn't be easier! Go for it! You'll be hooked!

hey 44... i bought my model 55 sight unseen and i have not one regret, it was all i expected it to be and more. because i live in the east ( ny ) i wanted the stainless steel model for the winters. i think it will hold up better in the bad weather. take the plundge and join the family, you will not be sorry ! sfent

SFENT: I live in Alaska where the weather is beautiful! LOL! I have my Smokette in my garage with the smoke vent plumbed to the outside. I can smoke all winter in my heated garage! The fitting is easy and I have the hole to the outside lined with sheetmetal.

Hey 44 - I bought mine sight unseen and it's been the best food thing investment i've ever made. It's been soooo much fun trying out all the different meats fish etc.
OH YES Have some fun and good eats SPLURGE

Ditto to the "sight unseen", for whatever it's worth. We popped for a M50 after reading the Forum for a few days, and have since stepped it up to a M150.

Double Lazy

I love my smokette! You will be very happy to own one, they are so Easy to use. The results are fantastic!

Just a minor technical clarification.
Several of you have described that CS has a temperature control with a thermostat.
I am still wondering whether the temperature control has a feedback mechanism, whereby the thermostat autoadjusts to mantain a certain internal temperature.

Or, is that the temperature dial is linked to a thermostat, so that by adjusting the temperature you are adjusting the amount of heat provided.

Perhaps makes no big difference to the meat how the heat gets there, but, would be nice to know nonetheless.

When Stuart checks in tomorrow, he can give you the "technical" specs if that will help (I leave that stuff up to him, hurts my head)

The thermostat is a simple designed couple to the heating element. It adjusts to trying to maintain whatever temp you have set.

There is no relationship to the temp of the meat (if that's what you meant by "internal")

Similar to an oven (it's called a Smoker Oven by the way). Just set the temp and the Smoker attempts to maintain it. It will fluctuate for a lot of reasons (size of the meat, the absorption of heat by the meat, etc) but it will always come back to your set temp. No comparison with any other smoker out there (except maybe a Traeger, but that's another story).

Is that your answer?

Yes, that is the functional answer. I am not an engineer so don't need to know how the system achieves this. And now that you brought it up .. what is this Traeger business ...

Mornin',Q'n North of 44.....Smokin' is probably on the way to work,so I'll give you a couple of sites.

Traeger pellet cookers

Fast Eddy's pellet cookers

Now if this doesn't work,Smokin' will come in and fix it.

North,

All Cookshack Smokers are thermostatically controlled. They have a temperature senor mounted in the back middle of the oven that sends a signal to a thermostat telling it to either turn the heating elements on or off.

So, if you set the oven at 200 degrees the heating elements will stay on till the sensor reaches 200 and then the heating elements kick off till the temperature goes below 200 degrees.

None of our ovens have probes to put in the meat to allow you to set an internal temperature of the meat as the temperture setting.

Hope this helps.