Ready to buy: Discontinued from Cabela's or New from CS?

Yep you've analized the problem exactly right. And we've all been faced with approximately the same decision. And nobody will have THE answer for you.

Compare features and 'guess' what those features might be worth to you. But the good news is you will love whichever smoker you buy, though I think you'd find most buy the most smoker they can afford.

If you check some of the old posts everybody seems to love THEIR smoker, no matter which one they've purchased. Those that have an AQ with the hold feature seem to love it, those who don't, haven't seen much need for it. People put out tons of Q with their 020s and are happy, and similarly a larger unit will still effectively cook smaller amounts, too.

By the way, warranties are the same whether purchased from Cabela's or CS directly, older stock or brand new.

Good luck! I KNOW this isn't the answer you're looking for, and others may provide direction you like better, but keep in mind we've all felt your same pain!

Yep,

TO has said it as well as any of us can. I'm glad that you, like many of us, did the research on the different brands of smokers and happyly decided to join the CS nation. It will be the one of the BEST investments that you have ever made.

Now, I have one of those little cs020 and with the help of this forum have learned that I can feed many, many folks without warming up the meal,REALLY! I just did a cook for 40 folks and had plenty of meat left.

Oh, by the way, your menu will change after you try a PB(pork butt) or brisket in your new CS.

Good luck on you decision, your gonna love a CS!

Thanks to all who chimed in.

I placed my order with Karen today for the SM045. Couldn't talk myself into making the jump the the Amerique...although I love the 'hold temp' feature, I likely would rarely need it.

So, I passed on the discontinued unit at Cabella's...but I took advantage of the 10% off from Cookshack on accessories and loaded up...saved on both the price and future shipping...so I closed the price gap between the CS and Cabella units by spending more with CS!

Plus, it just felt right to work directly with CS. The company lived up to it's reputation in regards to customer service - the amount of time Karen spent patiently walking thru my questions and then taking my order was uncommon in today's world.

Thanks again....

Congrats on the purchase and welcome to the forum.

Ditto pn what Smokin' said.

You willl love your new unit. Read, learn and enjoy.

Congrats RB and welcome. And now that you've MADE your decision... I have two SM055s and LOVE THEM. (I'll show you the secret handshake later on.)

A newbie on the block, fear not we will help as much as possible, for we know what you discover in your smoking will also help us in our smoking. And the circle never ends.
(Hey TO, what is the secret handshake, someone forgot to tell me)

RBfromCa
I went through the same process over analizing exactly how you did. I have been trying for sometime to get the right bbq to come out like the pictures I see on the net but did know which way to go until I went to a customers house who had about 10 different smokers all over his yard and one big cast iron giant and we started taking about smoking. He used to own a bbq resturant and he know I was shopping for a smoker for several years I was looking at the bradley which 2 friend own, one loves it the other hates it so what to do, then my customer took me out and showed me his. I thought we would go to the giant cast iron smoker but know he took me to 2 small stainless steel smokers and told me this is what we used in the resturant and this is what i need. He then told me about the web site which I read all weekend and looked for other reviews on other sites, which confirmed this was the smoker for me. On monday 2 of my worker showed up and we were talking about the cookshack smokers when on of the guys said his uncle has a bbq resturant and they use the cookshack commercial smokers and I knw I had to get one. Not I needed to find the right model number to get after analizing for 2 more weeks as you did I ordered the SM025 as I thought its a starter unit and if I get it dialed in and it performs like everyone on this forum says and I find it too small I can still upgrade to the AQ and give this unit to my brother-inlaw. by the way I did order from Cabelas and used some of my Cabela point and the sale price made me pull the trigger but they are B/O'd so now I wait hopefull not too long. Thanks for everyones input on this forum.

I just purchased a SM020 from Cabelas for $525 and never looked back. I have used it 4 times so far and have been very happy with the results.

Well, here is an update!

My SM045 arrived on Wed. The Fed-ex LTL delivery was right on time. Had my brother meet the driver at my house in the afternoon to accept delivery and move my unit to the backyard.

I got home from work around 7pm, assembled the unit, and immmediately started the seasoning process with hickory wood. When the unit turned off a few minutes later, I didn't panic. I remembered from somewhere in the forum that this might happen if plugged into an outside outlet. I ran the cord (no extension needed) to the outlet right inside our back door and we were off the races again. A few hours later I turned the unit off and headed to bed.

Visions of ribs danced in my head all day today. So I headed to the store on my way home, grabbed two racks of St Louis style porks ribs and one rack of beef. Rubbed with my Cookshack seasoning, and placed them in the smoker. Set for 225, let smoke for 3.5 hours. Removed all three racks, cut a taster portion of both beef and pork, then placed the remainders in foil and back in the Cookshack for another 40 minutes.

The result? Wow. You guys/gals weren't kidding when you said not to worry with a Cookshack. Even without letting the rub settle in for awhile, the ribs were excellent. Even if I never made any improvements, I would be satisfied with this quality level forever. But knowing this forum is here with all the years of experience, I can only imagine how good things will get with more practice and more reading!

Again, thanks to all for their input, not only on this thread, but all the wealth of knowledge shared in all the forums. I can feel the obsession taking hold of me..can't wait for the weekend to smoke some more meat! I think there is a brisket of a PB with my family's name on it somewhere.....!

Take care.....

Ro

Congrats! Another one bitten by the BBQ bug. It seems to happen more often to CS owners, whats up with that?

I was looking through some 'older' posts and found yours. Hope to hear good news from you on an update.

As I read of your pleasure on your initial rib adventure it struck me that I can't get ribs where I want them in 3.5 hours...usually it takes 5 for me. Have you continued with ribs, and what have you discovered?

You talking to me TO? Don't think so, but my last 2.8lb LBs took 4hrs 10 minutes on 250* opening the door twice. I just love cooking these, hope Sam's get them back on sale. The last I paid 2.47/lb, sure wish I had gotten a case, guess I'm just lazy, because I don't have to get one of those scary knives out of the drawer to do these?

TO,you must cook your ribs at a lower temp?

Sorry Cal...I need to be more clear. My thoughts were to RB who smoked his St. Louie rack at 225 for 3.5 hours.

Nothing is ever for sure/for sure, but I tend to go 4 hours at 220-225 and then a final hour(hour 5) at 250. This is all depending upon a cooperative pig, of course!

I was only offering the thought to RB that maybe he'd want to try a little longer cook next time....as "I" find that a better product.

But, I do think ribs, above most all other Q, is a matter of choice and opinion. I'll often times throw them on a hot grill once they are done smokin so as to get a bit more crunch to the exterior. ...and yeah, I sometimes like overcaramelized sweet sauce on 'em too... heresy, huh?

Thanks for questioning.

Not heresy Thousand Oakie. Changing things up once in awhile adds interest to our smokes. Going back to the ribs with a simple rub makes those taste better also cause of the variety IMHO.

Thanks TO! I did seem to think that was a little short on the time for spares, but hey all I get is the tuff old sows for spares,oh well!

Your right about kc masterpiece and honey, it sure will turn caramelized fast, almost to fast, on the grill. Just can't get away from KISS and plastic wrap, after I found it.Oh well, to each his own.

It's been awhile since I have been on the forum, noticed new posts on this thread.

Oakie - thanks for touching base! You are absolutely right...my first venture at 3.5 hours came out good - for that point in time of my q'ing hobby development! Nowadays, no ribs come out of my cookshack before 4.5 hours. At 4 hours I check'em and toothpick'em just to see where they are at...then close up the cookshack for either another 30 minutes or an hour based on what I see at that point.

Good think my family likes to eat, cause I have been experimenting with everything - baby backs, st louis, spare ribs, pork butts, brisket, chicken wings, salmon, and tuna. My ribs get major thumbs up, but oddly enough it was the smoked tuna I did a couple of weeks ago that still have folks raving and asking for more - go figure!

Thanks to all....

.... Ro

Please share the smoked tuna with us.

Yeah, would love to learn your smoked tuna technique. I've been seeing some great looking tuna steaks at Costco lately. But make sure you start a tuna topic down in the Seafood forum.