Going From Amerique To FEC 100 What Do I Need To Know

In no particular order...

Depending on how much wood you use in the AQ, you might find the smoke profile of the FEC a bit lighter. If you now use 2-3 oz of wood in the AQ the difference will be minimal. There are way of boosting smoke using a 2 stage approach to large meats.

The FEC will produce a dryer cooking environment due to increased air circulation. I'll spritz ribs in my FEC whereas I don't when cooked in the AQ. Not a big issue.

The bottom and top shelves of the FEC are hotter vs middle, especially when the cabinet is only partially loaded. You might find it useful to rotate product occasionally.

Higher temps...the FEC will easily exceed 300o if you so desire. I find this beneficial when cooking chicken. I prefer chicken on the lowest shelf position and foil the next shelf up. This creates an intense heat zone between the firepot and the 2nd shelf.

I find that most things finish a bit quicker in the FEC...maybe 5% less time.

You're going to love the FEC.

Like the good presentation by Max,who has done this,I'll add one thought.

I came out of traditional Cookshacks,and have kept them,also.My CS 160 might be somewhere between them.

Max is a great cook and produces product that suits his needs,but in the same vein-many of us do not spritz in the FEC,because it suits our needs.

Both Max and Tom have pretty much summed up the the differences. I too have gone from the AQ to the FEC. I REALLY prefer the flavor profile of the products that come out of the FEC. I found that you CAN put too much smoke on product with the AQ. My chicken is much better out of the FEC than the AQ (BTW Max THANKS for the idea of the foil on the rack above!!!!). Just about every one of the methods that I used in the AQ are better in FEC. I find that while is smoke profile of the FEC is lighter, it seems to permeate the product better than the AQ. As Max said there are ways to get a heavier smoke profile in the FEC, but I think you will be VERY pleased with the FEC as your smoke/cooker and use the AQ as a holding oven.

The ONLY downside to the FEC is that while the grills of the AQ will fit into the dishwasher for cleanup, the FEC grills will not.

MaxQue, Tom & Mike. Thanks for the quick, and informative response. I guessed the big difference would be the fan moving the air around. I was concerned about the possibility of drying the meat. The Amerique keeps the product so moist. That is biggest compliment I get is the meat is so moist and tender. I finally figured out Brisket. Have done 5 packers in the last two weeks. They all came out perfect.
I haven't ordered my FEC yet, but will soon. The CFO(My Wife)hasn't given me the go ahead yet.
Thanks again guys for the great info.
Gary I.