Help, I want to buy but see smoking issues

Well, all it took was an additional $30 that I saw from Donna's post and I couldn't resist. If that problem happens to mine, I will call the customer service. All I read is how great they are. Time to join the family of CS owners. Man, can't way. Ships to Portsmouth, NH on Tuesday(tomorrow). I hope it gets here by Sat. Anyone have any shipping stories? How long? To where?


I can't stand the waiting. I need it nowwwwwwwwww

You know, like my dad used to say, "in Iraq you could never post on a barbecue manufacturer's site about how you have problems with their smokers..."

But here in AMERICA!!!

Listen, people get the smoker, they are new to it, they ask questions about smoke generation, smoke leaks, temp swings. Much of this is normal and you'll notice that almost everyone catches on after a couple of smokes and talking to us owners or Stuart's team.

I've had a smokette for about 3 years and it is built like an Abrams tank. It is, as GM likes to say, Professional Grade.

Go for it.

I can't work anymore today.. All I am doing is going through the forum and learning as much as I can before it comes. I am getting soooo hungry. How is the jerkey? I hike alot and want to make it. how long does it keep?

Well,I guess I been around here long enough to hear a bunch o' them stories.

We've all seen Cookshack fix things we didn't know was wrong,
'cause they thought it was a good idea.

Stuart sent me a CS160 and it traveled by itself for 80 miles in a box trailer.

It was late evenin' and the trucker wanted to get it off and get back to Orlando.

It was obvious that it had slid end to end in the trailer.

The great job Cookshack did packing it,with a wood base that would have handled a tank was filthy and the exterior cardboard was shredded.

It was seasoned 2X4s and 1x 4s,and plywood, that I still haven't been able to disassemble.

The locking caster was forced through the bottom of the wood frame,the driver was ready to drop it to the concrete and drag it up to the garage.

He couldn't care less that it was something special.

I have dealt with a lot of this in my business,but I was quite concerned with my new project.

We got it off and the packing was wasted,but the Cookshack was unscathed.

I had confidence that if I called and complained,Cookshack would make it right.

Not hard to believe,the Cookshack was spotless-I'll be dipped.

I guess one of my recent posts were one that you might be referring to. I have had my smoker for just over a week now and yes, I have posted concerns from my first three smokes.

However, I can assure you that most of my concerns, temp swings mainly, were just as described by others on the forum...don't worry about it! They were right. I don't know why but even with the swings, the ribs came out just fine. As with any new "toy", you have to experiment and if necessary, take notes and make adjustments for future cooks. It only took three smokes and I was cookin like a pro! The first two were just okay...my fault, not the CS. I guess I had put too much into this (meaning, worring about it too much)in the beginning and finally relaxed and let her rip...or should I say, smoke.

As far a shipping, mine (smokette) arrived via UPS here in Chicago in perfect condition.

Good Smokin' to ya!

You asked about jerky - I think it's excellent, the same style as what's sold at fine butcher counters in the midwest. Keep in mind it's cooked and not quite the same as what's made in a dehydrator. To me, it seems a safer method. Plus, you get a great natural smoke flavor.

I store jerky in the fridge for the long term, but I've certainly dragged little sacks of it around for a few days in the car with no problem. If you keep it way too long, it eventually gets sort of moldy. But it's usually all gone long before that.

dma,

There are no smoking or thermostat issues with the CS's.

I've cooked on them for years and it's been around for over 35 and usually it's a learning curve. Usually. There are the occassional issue with a new one that CS always fixes, broken this or that during shipment, etc. There were one redesign that I've seen mentioned, about an updated smoke box. But I've got the old smokebox and I've got all the Smoke I can handle.

If I need to, I just add more wood.

These comments about lack of smoke are recent. Usually, for the last 3 years, it's been comments about too MUCH smoke. The CS is very efficient with it's smoke and it has such a small vent, the smoke tends to hang around inside a while before it vents.

Smokin'

Thanks guys for all the information. I can't wait. I e-mailes CS to get the tracking number so I can watch my new life partner come ome to papa. I am all set to smoke ribs as soon as I can. Man...the time....I can hear it just tick..tock...tick...tock...hurry....huRRY...