smokette SM009

Stoneweed:

I used an SM009 for 9 years, and I did everything from smoked cheese to Prime Rib in it. I have done 15 to 20 pound turkey in it. The bigger ones are a tight fit, and yes, they will properly cook a turkey (you may have to finish them in the oven if you want crispy skin). I bought extra grills and side racks, and a cold smoke shelf. I did the same thing that you are looking at doing. I bought the smallest Cookshack smoker because it was less money layed out for something I had never seen or used. About 2 years into having the SM009, I realized that I should have spent the extra for the bigger smoker. I finally hit the getting the bigger smoker wall last year. I looked at the SM025, and the SM045 (same footprint, just taller). I got the SM045. The problem is that all of the extra stuff I had bought that were SM009 spacific, did not fit the SM045. The cost of the SM009 extras would have more then covered the extra that an SM025 would have cost. Go with the SM025. This stuff is adicting, and in the end you will save money when you upgrade. By the way, I did 2 20 pound turkeys in the SM045. These would have also fit into the SM025.

one can smoke/cook two 20lb turkeys at once on the SM025?

Dilemma is i can get the SM09 for almost 1/2 the cost of the SM025. Maybe I can learn on the SM09 and then upgrade later. It seems addicting.

I read on the forums that due to the temp of the SM009 only reaching 250 deg, smoking turkey/chicken isn't favorable. Any advice?

Stoneweed. Yes, you can fit 2 20 pound turkeys in the SM025. It will be close, but they will fit side by side. I know this isn't recommended because I think they are rated for 20 to 25 pounds. The problem with both of these smokers is they don't get hot enough to crisp the skin on turkeys. I used a mix of orange bloosom honey and butter to rub the turkeys I did in the 009. The honey and butter would crisp and burn. The skin still wasn't crispy, but I never had a complaint. Smokin Okie turned me on to using Cheese cloth soaked in butter to cover the turkey in the 045. The thing I noticed was the cheese cloth worked as a wick and baisted the bird while it was smoking. Do a search on this site for turkey, and you will have a lot to read. I can only tell you that you can not go wrong with a Cookshack smoker. I woud tell you from experiance to go to the 025 just because it is larger, and if you are going to learn, why pay for something you may outgrow, and then spend years trying to justify the expense of a larger smoker, and getting used to the new unit. Here is a picture of one the first turkeys I did in the 045:

I smoke turkeys in my 009. Last one I smoked was about 15 pounds. It was great.

i smoked several 20 lb turkeys in my 009 before I moved into a 066

Go as big as you can possibly afford. Even consider looking at used larger units like a used SM160. eBay or your local Craigslist is a good place to hunt for used units.

Good luck and whatever you buy, make sure it's a Cookshack, they are really very good units.