Does anybody have any experience with http://smokintex.com/p_smokers.html
these professional Stainless Steel exectric smokers.

Bill wrote:

> Does anybody have any experience with http://smokintex.com/p_smokers.html
> these professional Stainless Steel exectric smokers.
>

Yes. Try some specific questions and I'll see if I can help.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

I had someone reccomend this smoker.

Was just wondering if anybody had any positive or negative experiences with
these units.

They look very efficient and well built, direct experience would help out.


"Reg" > wrote in message
y.com...
> Bill wrote:
>
> > Does anybody have any experience with
http://smokintex.com/p_smokers.html
> > these professional Stainless Steel exectric smokers.
> >
>
> Yes. Try some specific questions and I'll see if I can help.
>
> --
> Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com
>

Bill wrote:

> I had someone reccomend this smoker.
>
> Was just wondering if anybody had any positive or negative experiences with
> these units.
>
> They look very efficient and well built, direct experience would help out.

Insulated electric smokers have both advantages and disadvantages,
and the smokintex is a fairly good one. Another unit you should
probably consider is made by cookshack.

They're very convenient obviously. You can load it, fire it up,
and walk away from it for the day with confidence that the product
will come out ok and you won't burn down the house.

Because it's so easy to use and makes so few demands on your time
you'll probably end up using it more than a regular pit. It has an
insulated cooking chamber which means it's temperature stable even
in very cold weather. If you take some minor precautions with the
power cord you can even use it in the rain.

They're also very versatile. You'll find the smokintex has a
stable temperature range of about 150 - 250 F allowing you make
a wide variety of products. Everything from smoking your own
jalapenos to your standard brisket, butt, poultry, etc.

On the downside, many people claim the product won't have the
same flavor and texture of a "real" wood fired pit. There
is some truth to this, IMO. Since the chamber has a fairly tight
seal it creates a high humidity environment which makes for
less of a crust on the meat. The humidity also is a problem
when trying to cook things like sausage where a dry environment
is required. There are tricks to getting around this but it's
definitely an issue.

Another complaint I have is that they're not temperature stable
below about 150 F even though they are advertised to be.
They are also not very good for cold smoking, even though they
sell an accessory that's supposed to help make it easier.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

"Reg" > wrote in message
y.com...
> Bill wrote:
>
> > I had someone reccomend this smoker.
> >
> > Was just wondering if anybody had any positive or negative experiences
with
> > these units.
> >
> > They look very efficient and well built, direct experience would help
out.
>
> Insulated electric smokers have both advantages and disadvantages,
> and the smokintex is a fairly good one. Another unit you should
> probably consider is made by cookshack.
>

<snipped and saved>

Reg, would you say that the disadvantages you cited were limited to this
brand or to that type of smoker in general?

Jack

"Jack Schidt®" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> "Reg" > wrote in message
> y.com...
> > Bill wrote:
> >
> > > I had someone reccomend this smoker.
> > >
> > > Was just wondering if anybody had any positive or negative experiences
> with
> > > these units.
> > >
> > > They look very efficient and well built, direct experience would help
> out.
> >
> > Insulated electric smokers have both advantages and disadvantages,
> > and the smokintex is a fairly good one. Another unit you should
> > probably consider is made by cookshack.
> >
>
> <snipped and saved>
>
> Reg, would you say that the disadvantages you cited were limited to this
> brand or to that type of smoker in general?
>
> Jack
>
It's the type. You have to get into the $4000 range for a
vortex type smoker with a smoke stack and fresh air heating.
We bought a couple of old porcelain on steel refrigerators with the
locking doors and modified them into smokers.
I stripped the works and racks out of them, welded new racks
from angle iron and expanded steel, made a small fire box and cut
a hole through the top and fitted a smoke stack out of 2" pipe.
There is already a drain hole in the bottom but I increased
it to 1.5" and fitted a galvanized pipe there. The hard part was
replacing the rubber door seal with braided stainless steel rope.
The electric part was easy with a thermocouple and controller
from an old oven and heating element from Sears. I fashioned
a cover for the element to keep drippings from fouling it.
They still work after thirty+ years.

HTH
Wiz




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"Mr. Wizard" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Jack Schidt®" > wrote in message
> . com...
> >
> > "Reg" > wrote in message
> > y.com...
> > > Bill wrote:
> > >
> > > > I had someone reccomend this smoker.
> > > >
> > > > Was just wondering if anybody had any positive or negative
experiences
> > with
> > > > these units.
> > > >
> > > > They look very efficient and well built, direct experience would
help
> > out.
> > >
> > > Insulated electric smokers have both advantages and disadvantages,
> > > and the smokintex is a fairly good one. Another unit you should
> > > probably consider is made by cookshack.
> > >
> >
> > <snipped and saved>
> >
> > Reg, would you say that the disadvantages you cited were limited to this
> > brand or to that type of smoker in general?
> >
> > Jack
> >
> It's the type. You have to get into the $4000 range for a
> vortex type smoker with a smoke stack and fresh air heating.
> We bought a couple of old porcelain on steel refrigerators with the
> locking doors and modified them into smokers.
> I stripped the works and racks out of them, welded new racks
> from angle iron and expanded steel, made a small fire box and cut
> a hole through the top and fitted a smoke stack out of 2" pipe.
> There is already a drain hole in the bottom but I increased
> it to 1.5" and fitted a galvanized pipe there. The hard part was
> replacing the rubber door seal with braided stainless steel rope.
> The electric part was easy with a thermocouple and controller
> from an old oven and heating element from Sears. I fashioned
> a cover for the element to keep drippings from fouling it.
> They still work after thirty+ years.
>
> HTH
> Wiz
>
>

Thanks, it does help as does the info on refrigerator conversion. Bonus!

Jack

> It's the type. You have to get into the $4000 range for a
> vortex type smoker with a smoke stack and fresh air heating.
> We bought a couple of old porcelain on steel refrigerators with the
> locking doors and modified them into smokers.
> I stripped the works and racks out of them, welded new racks
> from angle iron and expanded steel, made a small fire box and cut
> a hole through the top and fitted a smoke stack out of 2" pipe.
> There is already a drain hole in the bottom but I increased
> it to 1.5" and fitted a galvanized pipe there. The hard part was
> replacing the rubber door seal with braided stainless steel rope.
> The electric part was easy with a thermocouple and controller
> from an old oven and heating element from Sears. I fashioned
> a cover for the element to keep drippings from fouling it.
> They still work after thirty+ years.
>
> HTH
> Wiz

If you have a digital camera would you mind taking a pic of this cooker and
posting it over on AFB? It sounds like a project for me.
Jack

"Reg" > wrote in message
. com...
> Jack Schidt® wrote:
>
> > "Reg" > wrote in message
> > y.com...
>
> >>Insulated electric smokers have both advantages and disadvantages,
> >>and the smokintex is a fairly good one. Another unit you should
> >>probably consider is made by cookshack.
> >>
> >
> >
> > <snipped and saved>
> >
> > Reg, would you say that the disadvantages you cited were limited to this
> > brand or to that type of smoker in general?
> >
> > Jack
>
> Jack,
>
> The disadvantages apply to this general category of smokers, what
> was referred to as insulated electric smokers. They are characterized by
> well insulated cooking chambers (1000 degrees F generally) which are
> tightly sealed, and they use electric coils as a heat source. Brands in
> this category would be Cookshack, Smokintex, and Bradley, et al.
>
> Main disadvantages:
>
> - They produce a slightly different texture in the product
> - They are advertised as good for cold smoking when they are in fact weak
in
> this area (although Bradley in an exception for various reasons)
> - They have poor temperature stability below a certain point (< 150 F)
>
> All of these disadvantages have workarounds, BTW.
>
> One advantage I neglected to mention is that their high insulation and
tiny
> smoke output makes them a great choice for people who live in condos or
> other locations that restrict open flame rigs. For the folks who have
> posted questions like "What do I buy if I live in a condo and/or my
neighbors
> don't like smoke", these are perfect. Your neighbors (and your condo
association)
> won't even know it's there.
>


Thanks, Reg, I saved this good advice.

Jack