Smoker Buying Decision

I'm like you - I bought the 55 for those occasions where I might need to cater for 40 people at a time.

Once I got it and saw the size I was glad I went with the bigger unit. It seems a lot smaller in real life than in the pictures.

No regrets so far - and once your friends get a taste it'll be hard to keep the number of guests down .

I bought my smokette from a guy who wanted to go bigger and now I am thinking about a 55 or even a second smokette. Buying two is about the same price as the 55 and you can put different cuts of meat in each and set each at different temps. it may cost more for electricity though, but I am not sure about that yet.
Let us know what you decided on.

I bought the smokette and wanted to upgrade to a larger model after the first use or two, but the problem is I can cook more than the family can eat, I can cook more than the guys at work will eat and there is 14 of them, so I suppose the smokette will serve me just fine, I owned mine since about June or so..

Robbi, Todd and Vernon,
Thanks for the replies. Think I'll likely go for the big 'un. However, Todd makes sense with the idea of 2 Smokettes for different eats at the same time. I want to make a decision by the end of the month to take advantage of the current sale prices.

As an aside, my father-in-law is an accomplished smoker (was featured in an article in Southern Living many years ago). Only charcoal and fresh hickory for him. No fancy equipment (just the opposite, really), but he takes the time to carefully tend his fire and meat and does a very good job with pork butts. I've had a number of grills and smokers over the years and just don't have the passion to spend the kind of time he does in making good Q. Therefore, my results have been underwhelming, at best. But, I think my passion for eating good Q exceeds his. This is why I have become intrigued with the Cookshack units.

If I have been reading this forum correctly, it seems to me that with a little practice and taking good notes from you experts who so generously share your secrets on this forum, using a CS smoker should allow me to (1) predictably make good BBQ that I enjoy and (2) predictably make BBQ that my father-in-law will enjoy.
Furthermore, it excites me to think that even I may be able to do ribs, briskets, salmon, etc that are moist and flavorful time after time. Am I expecting too much from the CS? I know my wife will be concerned about another outdoor cooker on my deck (I currently have 3 - used to be 4)that is underused. Can the CS smoker help or do I suffer from terminal BBQ Deficiency Disorder?

Thanks again for the replies.

I think the CS is the perfect remedy for BBQ Deficiency Disorder . And perhaps even your father-in-law might have to give a nod of appreciation.

I will say this, though, there will be a time or two when things don't come out like you expected. With a CS you have eliminated many of the variables that can make Q'ing unpredictable, but it is still an art, just one with a higher base success rate.

So when things don't seem right, just come back here and ask the forum. Ribs, salmon, chicken, briskets - they're all easily within your reach with a little patience, a little practise and a little help from your friends.

With all of that there's little chance the cooker will be sitting idle

Although I am very satisfied with my smokette and only 3 under my roof, I wish I had the next size bigger for family get togethers. I got mine in late september and just this week fixed a pork shoulder that I had to vainly call perfect! I now know what a smoke ring and a bark is! Yee-Haw! Go for it dude.