Nonnymus wrote:

> Reg wrote:
>
>> 2> His assertion that it's not more expensive to run than other
>> units is wrong on it's face. It is. Cooking large quantities
>> doesn't change that, either. It reminds me of the old joke: "Yes
>> we're losing money, but we'll make it up on volume".
>>
>
> The cost of pucks is not a driving force with me. I'm not into wasting
> money, but I appreciate the convenience of 'set and forget.' I don't
> think you'll find an argument about which is cheaper, but I also don't
> drive a car with the highest gas mileage, keep my house at a comfortable
> temp year round, eat where I like and order what I want, and pay to
> have the cable channels I enjoy.
>
> With my use of the Bradley, I'd guess I might spend $100 a year on
> pucks, compared to, say $20 a year on wood chips. For the additional
> money, i can load in a smooth feeding supply when I put in the meat and
> never have to fiddle with adding more. The smoke is controlled and has
> less creosote than you'd get from smoking with non-preburned wood chips.
> The convenience and results of the Bradley smoker is more important to
> me than the minor cost of the pucks.

There you have it. Everyone has to evaluate the value proposition
for themselves. For me, the sheer volume of hot smoking that I
do puts it in the unnecessarily expensive category. I'd end up
spending enough on supplies to buy several new smokers every
year for little added benefit. Other units can do the same
thing much cheaper.

Cold smoking is a different story, mostly because it's so labor
intensive. The extra expense for the supplies is more than made
up for in labor savings. I just deal with the downside of it. I
won't haul the Bradley to onsite catering events because it's so
cheaply built. I'm very careful with the smoke generator because,
among other things, it's fragile. It has plastic gears so it
needs to be kept scrupulously clean, etc.

I'm not as down on the Bradley as it may seem, I just don't
impart benefits on it that it doesn't really have. My hardcore
bbq friends would never touch the thing, but I've recommended
it to my more casual bbq pals who find the convenience worth
the added expense. It's a matter of truth in advertising.
I tell them what it can/can't do, how much the actual costs
are, and they make the decision for themselves.

--
Reg