This is my review on the Weber Smokey Mountain 18.5 inch smoker. This smoker has totally changed the way I look at long cooks. I mean any cook over 6 hours. If I were doing a brisket previously, I would get up at 5am to start the cook. With this Weber Smokey Mountain, I do it a whole different way. Now I will start my brisket (for example) at 8PM, go to bed, and wake up to an almost completely done brisket. I have used this smoker with and without water. If you add water, you will probably cut about 4 hours off of the max time the smoker will go. I have gone 11 hours at 225 without water. When I added water, it began needing more charcoal around 7 hours or so. I have also found that charcoal will extend your cook more so than lump charcoal.
I love this Weber Smokey Mountain, and highly recommend it to anyone looking into smokers. The Weber Smokey Mountain is especially good for beginners to smoking, or those not accustomed to using offset smokers. Using the Weber Smokey Mountain almost feels like cheating. In a way, I almost don’t feel like I am BBQing. This wont generally give you the strong smoke flavor that an offset will give you, but it will give you lots more than the electric or pellet smokers. The price new on the 18.5 inch is around $300. I got mine used on craigslist for $50. They are widely available on craigslist.org for anywhere between $50 on the low end to $250 on the high end. If you are considering one, stop considering and start buying.
After using my WSM on several cooks, I’m extremely impressed
My First Brisket Cook : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlhb-XJPO_8
What other people are saying
For the last couple of decades the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker (WSM) has revolutionized backyard barbecue by making the smoking of meats and pretty much anything easier and more reliable. While relying on a real fire and good smoke production, this smoker has been one of the most popular of its type, generating fan sites on the internet and barbecue groups dedicated to its use. Simply put, this is the best charcoal powered vertical water smoker on the market.
Pros
•Superior airflow design holds even, constant temperatures
•Multiple vents allow you to compensate for wind
•Sealed design lets you shut this smoker down, saving charcoal for next time
Cons
•Front access door is a little flimsy
The Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker has been a mainstay of barbecue since it was introduced. Easy to use, able to maintain temperatures for many, many hours, and capable of producing great barbecue the Weber Smokey Mountain has been a regular on the barbecue competition circuit and so popular it has fan pages on the internet. Weber’s slight modifications to this unit in no way affect how it cooks, but gives you the features most requested. The lid mounted thermometer, larger, more intuitive front door handle and bottom heat shield make this a better WSM for the same price (lists for $349 but can be found for $299).
My Amazon Affiliate Links:
Info on the Weber Smokey Mountain: http://amzn.to/2yctt2e
One of the things that make this a great smoker is the durability of the construction. I know people who travel the competition circuit with these smokers and unload, smoke and pack them up once or twice a week and you wouldn’t think they had seen any more action than sitting covered on your patio.
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Weber Grills: http://www.weber.com/grills
craigslist: craigslist.org
How To Cook On Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM)
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This man is the Ray Rice of smoking briskets.
very helpful. thanks.
Who cares about the grill….tell me more about that armchair!
You got a great deal on that grill man.
Hey guys come checkout my new blog about the best meat smokers of 2017!
venisonmeatsmokers.com
thanks for the input. I’m from Canada. how does cold weather affect these smokers?
If i need to cook 2 full rack of ribs, how much coals do i need?
JUST BOUGHT 2 UNITS TODAY
thanks for the review I needed this to make a dission on my first outdor smoker grill
Instructions unclear, penis stuck in webber door. Send help.
Awesome video man. Very informative. Thanks a lot!!
Picking one of these up in a half hour!! Can’t wait to try it out
Thanks guy!
I bought my first smoker today. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. Mine is similar to this one but it doesn’t have bottom vents. I don’t know how big a deal that is but I’m a machinist so I can just make bottom vents if need be
made a very good point on a wide door
Mother in law is buying me a new 22 for my house warming gift!
Thanks for posting – super useful!
I like the video thanks for the review I was thinking about buying one I think that’s a big go ahead now! just what I needed to make my choice
You have no fucking idea how to use that bullet cooker
ive had alot of water smokers and have wore out a couple of the webers, up until i got my first weber water smoker they have all had handles on the middle section, even the cheapest ones. why does weber not put handles on the middle section? the only handle is on the lid, and some models have more than one handle on the lid, why? sometimes when its reall hot and you gotta put more coals in or take ashes out its really not conveinant to grab on to both sides, put 50 pounds of meat on there and try that, its not easy. im lucky i still had parts and lids from old smokers, cause on my webers i drilled holes and put handles on them from other smokers, trust me if you put handles on the middle section it will make your life so much easier. i do not know why they do not have handles on them., other than that i would recomment the 22 inch all day long.
Hello! Great videos! Do you recomend the 18″ or the 22″? Thank you!
Great smoker for sure, but I have to disagree with on the vents. I’ve watched probably 10-15 different people some that do competition cooking, and all of them say.. TOP VENT WIDE OPEN.. you control your temp by the bottom vents. If you close down the top, you retain to much smoke, and you cut the air flow going through the smoker. I usually close down my vents when I hit 225-250 to about the width of a #2 pencil and make adjustments from there. As someone pointed out.. too much wood my friend… you only need 2-3 fist size piece and that is it. You’re only smoking for a few hours, the rest of the cook is without smoke, you’ve built up a nice bark and no more smoke is going to penetrate it after that.
$50, probably stolen
I learned so much. What is ur dogs name? I liked your recliner u were sitting on. Can I buy your Rams sweatshirt?
Does it Run the Same when Cooking a Brisket on Each Rack or have the 2 Racks Full of Meats..???
OK, so since this video have you learned how to use the lower air control ? If I don’t run my thermo gadget air machine, I just set all lowers at 1/4 open and top WIDE open. Seems to hold 220—225. anyways good to look back at peoples beginning videos. Cant wait till spring.
Hey everyone hope all are having a good day whatever time of the day it is please check out my vlog channel where you will learn all about cooking smoked foods sauces and my very own weekly vlog peace Big G from London
Thanks for doing the review. Hi from Australia
I have not used mine yet. I just bought one at a yard sale for $3.00 Yes that is not a miss print. It was $3.00 so I hope it really works as good as you say. Thanks
I added (and had to modify) a rotisserie and can cook whole chickens on smoke and water…or lift out and use two levels to smoke on two racks without rotisserie…couldn’t be happier now with just one unit. And i’m a Hippie!
southern country smoker
This looks like the perfect smoker for someone who has a “grill problem” like me. I can’t wait to try one of these babies out!
I had a wsm a few years ago and it cooked like a champ. I still smoke on a kettle. Weber makes a really nice product. I also love the assassin smokers and the grills they have. Thanks for the video and really enjoying the channel
When cooking briskets on this smoker, do you have to turn the meat or check on it? Does the meat cook evenly?
whose eating brisket for breakfast tho!?
Hey Lyle I just go me a 18.5″ WSM today. I cant wait to use it. good tips
I have an 18 inch and just put it together – I noticed that “door” on the side has significant gaps (not air tight), do you lose allot of smoke with that?
Awesome solutions for wooden project is woodprix.
Damn. this video makes me want to buy one so badly.
U used too much cherry wood, u do get some good smoke from the lump and briquette mix but only put 4 to 5 chunks of cherry wood where they wont all start at the same time and youll get good thin smoke for a long time, too much smoke makes it bitter, ive made that mistake before too, ive got the 14.5 version of this grill and your right its great, and accurate temp gauge too, also have pellet grill but u get more smoke from a weber but its just more work and cleanup than a pellet grill is
nice video. I’m thinking about purchasing one this weekend. I seen a few your videos I think I also saw a green chili video. are you in Colorado? I saw that sweatshirt LOL