All,
How does a 55 stack up to a Bradley smoker? Anyone have experience with both?
My major concerns are keeping the temp up in freezing temps (I'm in MN), and reliable temp controls.
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I am a former Bradley owner. The Bradley I had was not a digital model, and I had enough problem keeping the temp steady that I built a PID controller for it. Without it, I was afraid to smoke overnight for fear the temp would get away from me, especially during the winter here in Wisconsin.
I don't have a 55, but instead have an AmeriQue. There is a world of difference in the build of Cookshack smokers vs Bradleys. The CS weigh more then twice the Bradley, and are seriously insulated. The Cookshack will likely last your lifetime, where I did not feel the same could be said for the Bradley. While I didn't experience any problems with the smoke generator on the Bradley, I always felt it was a weak link, and eventually it would fail.
Both units put out great food, but the Cookshack is built to last.
I hope this helps.
Matt
I don't have a 55, but instead have an AmeriQue. There is a world of difference in the build of Cookshack smokers vs Bradleys. The CS weigh more then twice the Bradley, and are seriously insulated. The Cookshack will likely last your lifetime, where I did not feel the same could be said for the Bradley. While I didn't experience any problems with the smoke generator on the Bradley, I always felt it was a weak link, and eventually it would fail.
Both units put out great food, but the Cookshack is built to last.
I hope this helps.
Matt
The Bradley is a good smoker. It has a max temp of 320 degrees. The issue for me was dollars per hr for operating costs. My smokette pulls 500 watts, @ 10 cents per killowatt it costs me 5 cents per hr to operate my smokkete. For a 10 hr smoke, a butt for example, thats 50 cents of power. I seem to remember the Bradley consumes 3 bisquettes per hr. If you buy by the 120 pack at Cabela's they are 33 cents a piece (39.99/120) Therefore, a 10 hr smoke costs almost 10 dollars in bisquettes. They cost 42 cents a piece for the 48 pack or 12.60 for a 10 hr smoke. Even at 1 bisquette per hr, a 10 hr smoke is at least 3.30 compared to 50 cents for my smokette. Some butts go 16-20 hrs, that gets expensive.
If I am right about 3 bisquettes per hr; 12 hrs of smoking per week (thats not much) for a year cost over 600 dollars at the 33 cents a piece rate. My smokette will only use 32 dollars worth of electric for the same amount of smoke time. A smokette will actually pay for itself, using my fuzzy math. If I am wrong about bisquette consumption, no offense intended to the bradley owners, just adjust my math to the real numbers.
If I am right about 3 bisquettes per hr; 12 hrs of smoking per week (thats not much) for a year cost over 600 dollars at the 33 cents a piece rate. My smokette will only use 32 dollars worth of electric for the same amount of smoke time. A smokette will actually pay for itself, using my fuzzy math. If I am wrong about bisquette consumption, no offense intended to the bradley owners, just adjust my math to the real numbers.
I've never owned a Bradley but did look into them while shopping for a smoker. Didn't like the idea of being stuck, confined, snookered - whatever you want to call it - into using strictly "Bradley biscuits" as fuel. With the Cookshack you can get wood from whereever you want, even your backyard or nearby park or forrest.
Go to the top of this page or the main page and click on "Find" and type in "Bradley." There have been several discussions over the years re Bradley vs Cookshack. May be worth the read.
You will not go wrong with a Cookshack. If for some reason you don't like it send it back within 30 days and get your money back.
Good luck in whatever choice you make!
Go to the top of this page or the main page and click on "Find" and type in "Bradley." There have been several discussions over the years re Bradley vs Cookshack. May be worth the read.
You will not go wrong with a Cookshack. If for some reason you don't like it send it back within 30 days and get your money back.
Good luck in whatever choice you make!
great info - thanks guys!
Before I purchased my Amerique, I also had been looking into getting a Bradley. What bothered me the most about the Bradley was the puck cost and the lack of durablity due to all the plastic parts.
CS really makes a heavy duty product. The fact that their commercial product is so similar to their consumer product is a big plus. If a unit can hold up in a commercial kitchen, then you know it will last.
CS really makes a heavy duty product. The fact that their commercial product is so similar to their consumer product is a big plus. If a unit can hold up in a commercial kitchen, then you know it will last.
sounds like the build quality & nonproprietary chips make this a smoking deal. (no pun intended).
Anyone have issues with keeping the temp up in the cold? I know it is well insulated, but I really want to be able to smoke year round in MN.
Anyone have issues with keeping the temp up in the cold? I know it is well insulated, but I really want to be able to smoke year round in MN.
wind and cold are no problem for these cookshack smokers, You will be amazed.
For an eye-witness account of a Bradley smoker, go to the Charcoal Store website and check out his experience. It may not be common to everybody's experience, but it was plenty scary for me!
I have owned a Bradley for several years, and will speak to my experience. Just for the record, I'm going to purchase a Cookshack this year (after having done my research) so I have nothing to gain one way or the other. I actually trolled these boards way back when before I purchased my Bradley. Funny how things come full circle!
My Bradley has had some great smokes, and has turned out some outstanding meals. No doubt about it. I have several friends with them and they love theirs. If you don't mind the cons that go with the pros of this machine, you'll love it.
Now, with that said, the cons finally have caught up to me. As has been mentioned, the cost of the Bradley Bisquettes adds up over time. For me, it's been more about making sure I have them on hand than anything. You may buy boxes in all the flavors, but if you primarily use Hickory or Mesquite, it is not uncommon to find you reach for a box and you find that you used most of them the last smoke, meant to buy more, but forgot and now you are facing the day of the smoke deciding to go ahead and mix other woods just to have enough.
But let's say the cost and managment of the wood is not an issue. For me, it has really gotten down to the fact that a) it is not a very sturdy machine and b) unlike the Cookshack, it does not (or at least my model doesn't) a drain hole with a pan underneath so you can keep things as clean as possible. The result? I have a smoker that over the years has started to break down AND leaks grease during each smoke. I spend more time trying to figure out what to put underneath it to catch the grease than almost any other part of the process.
Now, I'm sure there are ways to help make sure leaks are less of a problem. And I'm sure the newer models are probably a little more solid. But when I go into stores and see all the new competitors who are making models that more or less look like a Bradley (though with different functions), I have to ask myself which one is really best in this style anymore.
The Cookshack seems sturdy and simple. Now, I would probably want the Amerique, and I've been keeping up with the issues associated with it. I'm hopeful that Cookshack is working out the kinks before I make that plunge, and I'm sure they have already made a lot of improvements.
Anyway, that's my story. Hope it helps.
My Bradley has had some great smokes, and has turned out some outstanding meals. No doubt about it. I have several friends with them and they love theirs. If you don't mind the cons that go with the pros of this machine, you'll love it.
Now, with that said, the cons finally have caught up to me. As has been mentioned, the cost of the Bradley Bisquettes adds up over time. For me, it's been more about making sure I have them on hand than anything. You may buy boxes in all the flavors, but if you primarily use Hickory or Mesquite, it is not uncommon to find you reach for a box and you find that you used most of them the last smoke, meant to buy more, but forgot and now you are facing the day of the smoke deciding to go ahead and mix other woods just to have enough.
But let's say the cost and managment of the wood is not an issue. For me, it has really gotten down to the fact that a) it is not a very sturdy machine and b) unlike the Cookshack, it does not (or at least my model doesn't) a drain hole with a pan underneath so you can keep things as clean as possible. The result? I have a smoker that over the years has started to break down AND leaks grease during each smoke. I spend more time trying to figure out what to put underneath it to catch the grease than almost any other part of the process.
Now, I'm sure there are ways to help make sure leaks are less of a problem. And I'm sure the newer models are probably a little more solid. But when I go into stores and see all the new competitors who are making models that more or less look like a Bradley (though with different functions), I have to ask myself which one is really best in this style anymore.
The Cookshack seems sturdy and simple. Now, I would probably want the Amerique, and I've been keeping up with the issues associated with it. I'm hopeful that Cookshack is working out the kinks before I make that plunge, and I'm sure they have already made a lot of improvements.
Anyway, that's my story. Hope it helps.
If you look thru the archieves you will find CS owners from Alaska to Maine and all points between in the northern US along with CS owners in Canada. No problem smoking in cold, sub-zero weather. The CS is so well insulated that these conditions have little to no effect on cooking times & temps. They just keep chugging along tru all four seasons.
My coldest cook was 14˚ with a stiff breeze and my cooking time and temp inside the unit did not vary.
Just for grins, you need to check out Mainely Dave's website, as CS owner from Maine. Scroll down to the "Sub-Zero picnic shoulder."
My coldest cook was 14˚ with a stiff breeze and my cooking time and temp inside the unit did not vary.
Just for grins, you need to check out Mainely Dave's website, as CS owner from Maine. Scroll down to the "Sub-Zero picnic shoulder."
If you are interested in a Bradley, then I would get the current military version and it will smoke...any other version, see above comments!
NuffSaid
NuffSaid
Before I purchased my 55 I bought a bradley digital it was bad two weeks later they sent me a new one it had a bad feeder not good. The quality of the unit looked good but all of the electronic and wearable parts make the unit a pain and if you go to the web site they have alot of quality issues. I took the unit back and spent more money and purchased the 55 excellent.
Here's a picture of my 055 doing a cook during the winter. The temp was 16 degrees as shown by the upper left number in the weather board. Wouldn't matter if it was colder... the CS will do the job. This was in northern MI, much the same weather I am sure as MN.
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Here's the link to the article that Dave Naas at The Charcoal Store wrote. It was enough for me to NOT choose a Bradley!
https://www.charcoalstore.com/kb/article.php?id=008
https://www.charcoalstore.com/kb/article.php?id=008
Whew! That's a horror story Oakie! Thanks for posting the link. Poor guy kept his cool a LOT longer than I ever could have.
I used to own a Bradley. When it worked right
it produced some awesome food. However, I had
just about the same experience as Dave at the Charcoal Store. When I read his experience w/the Bradley I thought someone interviewed me and wrote it all down somewhere. I now have an AQ. Absolutely no comparisom to the Bradley. Not to mention way cheaper to use, constant predictable results and built like a tank.
Fishslayer
it produced some awesome food. However, I had
just about the same experience as Dave at the Charcoal Store. When I read his experience w/the Bradley I thought someone interviewed me and wrote it all down somewhere. I now have an AQ. Absolutely no comparisom to the Bradley. Not to mention way cheaper to use, constant predictable results and built like a tank.
Fishslayer