felixlee•22d agoMost Upvoted

PSA: Don't buy a cheap offset smoker from a big box store

I picked up a $250 offset smoker from Home Depot last spring because I wanted to get into brisket without breaking the bank. The metal was so thin you could see light through the firebox seams on day one. After three cooks the paint started peeling and the temp swings were wild, like 50 degrees every time I added wood. I ended up spending another $180 on gasket tape and a better thermometer just to make it usable. That cheap smoker cost me more in frustration and add-ons than just saving for a proper one. Has anyone else wasted money on a thin metal offset and regretted it?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_joel22d ago

@the_matthew's right, I patched three pinholes my first week with that thing.

the_matthew22d agoTop Commenter

Some of those cheap smokers literally come with holes in the firebox from the factory.