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17 replies

Which Cookshack to buy?

FM Former Member
Howdy all, first timer here. Love the site, lots of great info!
I have been smoking on a Chargriller for a couple of years with very, very good results. I have done a bunch of butts, a few briskets, tons of ribs, and some fish. I enjoy the challenge of maintaining the heat and smoke and believe me, in that cheap leaky smoker it is a challenge, but I think I would make a lot more Q if I didn't have to commit so much time to it. (Part of me worries, however, that BBQing may lose some of its fun with a Cookshack)
That being said, which Cookshack would you all recommend I purchase?
Money is not an issue, I can buy whichever one I decide, I just don't want to waste money and heat with too big a unit.
I usually try to fill the Chargriller when cooking on it simply because I know how much time I am going to spend and I want the most yield for my investment. I am usually only cooking for 2-4 people and vacuum bagging the rest. I will generally be doing maybe either 4=-5 racks, 2 butts or 1 packer brisket. From what I have read it sounds like the smokette will be all I need but I love the features of the Amerique. What should I do?
I also have some reservations about the quality of Q coming off an electric VS a traditional smoker. Anybody here accomplished at smoking on a traditional that has switched to electric that can give me their two cents on the taste differences?

John
Original Post

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T tomMember
Yep,you are correct that the Cookshack will produce better quality Q,much easier and more cost effective than a chargriller.

If you really need the feel of a chargriller,you can always open the door every 1/2 hr to extend the cook,sit out in your lawn chair when it is rainy,or drops into the 40's and has 20 mph winds,go out every hr during the night and bond with the Cookshack.

It won't be easy ,but you can replicate the feeling. Wink
R ribdogMember
I would not worry too much about the pellets. A number of us here in FL go in together on pallets of pellets every so often. Doing so helps to lower the cost on them. Plus when you figure a new IQ4 FEC 100 runs on about a half a pound of pellets per hour, you won't need as much as you think.

And you are not that far from me.
D dlsMember
Captainkidd - The volume of meat smoked that I do pretty much matches what you do. My recommendation would be the Smokette 008 or it's stainless sibling, the 009. I have one of each - the 008 at a house in Chicago and the 009 at a house in Sarasota. The units more than serve our purposes.

From time to time, I'll smoke more than I normally for something such as a party. The last time I did so, I smoked around 25 lbs of butts.

When I first got the Smokette 3+ years ago, I looked at it as a good way to start and, if I wanted to, I could always graduate to something larger or fancier. So far, based upon my needs, I'm happy as is.
T tomMember
You asked" can I get better q with electric than fire "is a lot of different questions.

A traditional Cookshack is an electric heating unit that starts wood on fire.

Temp and air control,gives a clean smoke..etc.



You are cooking low and slow with smoke,which can be a definition of bbq.

Cooking with fire,could be hotdogs,marshmellows,hamburgers,etc.

I've cooked a lot on the smallest traditional CS,and now cook on a restaurant size CS 160.

I also cook competitions on FEC s.

I feel I can cook comparable bbq on either.

Each has it's different strengths.
FM Former Member
Well, I recently had the same decision. I have had charcoal units for many years. They made great product, but were a real pain to use. Add more charcoal, add more wood, check the water pan ect, ect, ect. I did butts for last Christmas(2006) and got up at 1 am to get them on, then stayed up all night tending the smoker to be sure the product was great for out guest the next evening. My sweety said she didn't like me staying up all night, and she would get me a better smoker. At first she saw the "texas" smoker and then the masterbuilt smokers. After a lot of reading, I showed her the Cookshacks and she said "pick the one you want". We went for the 050. It's a great size, not small but not giant either. And even though I haven't had it that long, I love it.
In case anyone is wondering, I am no way affiliated with Cookshack, I am just a happy customer.
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by Captainkidd:
...It seems kind of like the Bradley concept where you need to buy their product to use their equipment.


No, it's not. You can use any wood you would use in a stickburner, you just need to cut it into smaller pieces. You don't have to buy the wood from CS.

The bradley will ONLY run on pucks.

Do a lengthy read through the owners forum. There are plenty of new owners commenting about their purchase, they'll give you feedback in those posts.

Is it exactly like a stick burner? No. It's a more humid cook because of design (I just open the door and let the humidity out, helps get more bark..for me).

It's a different cooker.

Need to find one if you're really wanting to try it.

Keep in mind, CS has a money back guarantee, 30 days. Not many others will let you return it once you buy it.
FM Former Member
quote:
Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
quote:
Originally posted by Captainkidd:
...It seems kind of like the Bradley concept where you need to buy their product to use their equipment.


No, it's not. You can use any wood you would use in a stickburner, you just need to cut it into smaller pieces. You don't have to buy the wood from CS.

The bradley will ONLY run on pucks.

Do a lengthy read through the owners forum. There are plenty of new owners commenting about their purchase, they'll give you feedback in those posts.

Is it exactly like a stick burner? No. It's a more humid cook because of design (I just open the door and let the humidity out, helps get more bark..for me).

It's a different cooker.

Need to find one if you're really wanting to try it.

Keep in mind, CS has a money back guarantee, 30 days. Not many others will let you return it once you buy it.


Thanks for all of the opinions so far, as I said earlier I just want to make the right decision considering the cost involved. The old chargriller with SFB was about $150 so it was an easy decision, not much to lose. (gotta say, that sold stick burner doesn't owe me anything)

I was referring to the FEC needing pellets, not the SM or AQ. I was concerned about the cost and availability of pellets.
O olysmokesMember
After BBQ'ing on several charcoal units, I got tired of constant tending to the fires. I liked the idea of the electric "set & forget" CS units, but thought I needed 'real fire' for real taste. After calling local BBQ restraurants and finding many cooked with electric, I bought a CS. I bought an Amerique because of its larger gill size (than the smokette or the 055), its cooking probe, and its "cook & hold" feature. Yes it cost more than I wanted to spend, but I have not been sorry with my choice. I can set it & forget it till food is done.

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