SM025 / SM045 - does anyone have a chart of the cabinet temperature during a cook?

I haven't done a chart, but my SM066 holds the set temp to within +/-  2 - 3 degrees pretty much independent of outside temp 32F - 90F.

Thank you!  That is welcome news. I am considering purchasing a CS unit.  Your response helps push me closer to the purchase.  For what it is worth, I ran my current electric smoker for the other day from 9AM to 12:30 PM.  The  temps are all over the place.  This is one of the main reasons I am thinking of replacing it.  The target temp was set to 250 degrees. 

Thanks again! Very helpful.

TIME          TEMP

I should have mentioned that there is a definite overshoot on startup because of the controller programming that heats on high for the first 20 minutes or so. But once it stabilizes, it is rock solid. I can't say enough good about CS electric smokers. Set it and forget it.

Set it and forget it - that is a goal!

The temps where taken with nothing in the smoker.   I also did a test at 225 degrees.  A little less swing in the temp.  However, on one reading it hit 204.  I recognize this was not a rigerous test as I recorded the tempatures at random intervals.  

The only othe issue is spending the $'s and having a smallish cabinet.  However, it is mainly for my wife and I so capacity is about right.  I do wish the cabinet was, say, 2 inches wider.  Yeah, but I have read numous post of people saying the same thing and happy with the unit anyway.  SO  -  I think I'll order one up! 

Thank you again for your response.

Also - yes, I am aware of the 20 minute warm up when you turn the unit on.  Makes sense to me!

If your existing electric smoker has an analog controller, you will get temp swings in the 15 to 25 degree range. In the long run those swings average out to your set temp.  But it is concerning to many who see the swings. The average house furnace does much the same. If you set the temp to 75 degrees, the temp measured at the register is much hotter than that and it runs till the room reaches pretty much what you desire.  Then it sits down till the room temp dips to a certain level and the furnace cycles back on. Primitive but effective.  A digital or PID holds things much tighter and there is less owner worry.  Regarding cost:  Pay once, Cry once.  Check with Stuart and see if they have a refurbed unit in a larger size and also check the warranty.

The few times that I looked at the temperature swings in my various Cookshack smokers I found that the swing was much less when the smoker had a load in it.

But over the years I've learned it is all about the taste and not the temperature swing.

The answer provided by oldsarge is right on....

The current smoker is digital.  I certainly agree with "it is all about the taste." One option is to just keep what I have and set the target temp a little higher.  I did note the average temp was 241 for the readings I took with a target of 250.  I'd have to do a few cooks at, say, 10 degrees high and see how that goes.  It's not that the smoker has failed to produce good food.  It has.  But - the current smoker has blue tooth.  That failed after 6 months.  It was nice while it worked but I do not really have a need for it.  There is some plastic on the outside around that temp control.  That has cracked. It has a tube you can use to insert additional wood chips during the cook.  A nice feature but the flanges (correct word?) on the tube that are used to secure it when inserted have bent.  I had cut them off.  Some smoke now escapes from the tube.  Not much mind you but enough.   Time is taking it's toll on the unit. 

By the way, the current unit is 11 years old.  Lot's of use.

I have been using the Cookshack smokers for a good 20 years now.  I live in Idaho and have used them when I had to chip ice off of the front door just to open it.  I have used them when the temps were over 100 degrees.  I have used them when the wind was blowing both hot and cold.  Once these units come up to temp they are very stable.  The other thing about these smokers is they use very little wood.  4 to 6 oz of wood will give you all the smoke you will want.  I have done 4 whole packer briskets with 6 to 8 oz of wood in my 066.

HI all.  I finally ordered the SM025.  That was on the 5/21/2022.  Today it is 5/28/2022 and the unit has yet to arrive.  The latest story from the shipping comany is it was put on the wrong truck for the final leg of delivery.  It is scheduled to be here on 5/31/2022.  Very disappointed in the delivery, very disappointed the unit was on a truck for additional miles getting bounced around.  Hoping it is packaged well and will be in good shape when it arrives. 

Wish me luck!

My SM066 was delivered Fedex in about a week after ordering, almost 9 years ago (wow!). I had no problem with packaging and I've found overall that Fedex is very careful with very heavy items that they can't just toss around. Just my $.02.

The unit was finally delivered.  No damage to the box. The packaging is great. My  complements CookShack.  I put the casters on and attached the control box. Easy. Now it was time to plug it and 'season' the unit.  I followed the instructions. Put a chunk of wood in, turn the unit on to 275, wait four hours - yep, I can do that.  Problem was it tripped the 20 amp CFI breaker time and again. I then put the unit on my garden trailer, got on my lawn tractor and towed it over to my shop where I have 50 amp lines.  Worked with out issue.  After four hours I turned it off and let it cool off.  I then did another four hours at 300 degrees to see if it would cause the breaker to trip. It did not.

The next morning I took the unit back to bbq patio and plugged it in. No problems. What!? Turns out this is very common and caused by humitity in the unit.  What do you do if you do not have a line with out the breaker? Thank goodness I do.  I emailed CookShack asking about this and they confirmed the issue was common and due to humitity.  Had me a little worried for short while.

I still have not cooked on the unit.  That will be this Saturday.  Looking forward to that!

By the way, I live in the Pacific Northwest.  Very little humitity. My guess, and truely a guess, is the moisture gets in the unit due to some step in the manufacturing process.

First cook is done!  Did a single rack of BB ribs.  Turned out great. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Second cook done! Did a single rack of beef back ribs.  Once again turned out great. I did a one hour wrap in paper towards the end.  First time doing that.  I can't quantify this but it seems the unit cooks a little faster than more prior smoker and resulting product is definitely more moist.  Yum!

Next up is a chicken and I'll follow that with a pork shoulder.   

Zero regrets on spending the $'s.  Zero regrets on getting the SM025 and not the SM045.  So far this is a perfect size for my household.  If I need to do more than the unit can handle I can fire up the Big Green Egg XL.

Whole 3.5 lb chicken in the smoker.  3 hours at 225, 30 minutes at 250.  This was a wonderful meal although, as expected, the skin was 'ok' and bit rubbery.  Very moist

By the way, I have been doing beer can chicken for years.  You cannot do a beer can chicken in the SM025. There is not enough clearance to fit the bird in the cabinet when sitting on the 'throne.'  I just put the bird on the lower rack and removed the top rack. Happily the smoker did the job as expected.