conclusions

[grampy39]

after several cooks and trial runs I have come to some conclusions about the Smokenator 1000. there are no variables, the ambient temp. was above 50, wind calm, and cooking in a shaded area. My leakage was minimal, using 6 binder clips. Full open bottom vents

1. If you set the vent at 5/16" to start, you will die of old age before the meat is done. The dome temp never goes above 195. I use 1/2 to full open to keep it at 235-250
2. recommended cooking times is a myth: It takes 7-1/2 hrs. or more to finish St. louis, 6-1/2 for babies
3. The advertised burn rate for charcoal is pure BS. I went through 60 extra briquettes (Kingsford Original) in a 6 hour cook recently.

I'm retiring the Smokenator to the scrap iron heap. The old fashioned two zone method is superior. temp control is much easier. Using the Smokenator ties you up 8, 10, hours or more. Overall, I would give this product a "D".

[jsperk]

Grampy,

I never had issues hitting 240 at the dome.I guess you tried it several times and played with the vents for different setting?

[ecripps]

Sorry to hear you are having these problems. Some things that can cause longer cook times are the temperature of the meat (cold vs. room temp), the altitude where you are located, and not stiring the coals/cleaning the ash. The lid on my weber is warped, but I only use the binder clips if the dome temp goes above 250 otherwise I have had issues getting the temps uo and keeping them up without really opening the upper vent. The reason for using so much charcoal is the upper vents were open so much. Going above 7/16" will cause the charcoal to burn fast. If you would like to talk about the problems you are having please email me your phone number to [e-mail] - please put attention Ed or PM it to me.

Regards,

Ed

[bigsteve]

I'm guessing there must be some variable here that isn't apparent. This accounting certainly seems to be well out of the ordinary.

[edallsails]

We have had the Smokenator for 2 weeks. Like it so much that we have cooked with it for 10 days straight. We are using LESS charcoal than ever before. Using Less Wood chunks to impart the flavor we were hoping for. My only negitive is "Why didn't I hear about the Smokenator before?" Best accessory for the Weber for smoking. From reading web site comments I think many people are making work out of this. Don't make it Complicated, have FUN!

[paulw]

Yesterday I loaded my Smokenator with briquettes and some hickory, lit some of the briquettes through a round hole using a weed burner, turned on the PartyQ, and left ribs on for five hours without adding any briquettes or even stirring the briquettes, for that matter, and the temperature held steady at the grill at 225 the whole five hours. I did have to add water a few times. It was a warm, calm day. At the end of the five hours, the briquettes were close to consumed. My conclusion: the Smokenator does not normally go through twice as many briquettes as the manual says. (That said, I know from experience that in the wintertime it will burn through briquettes at a ferocious rate.)

[edallsails]

After cooking on Webers for over 30 years we ordered a Smokenator. WOW! Love it and wouldn't consider cooking withOut it. Using less charcoal, much longer cooking times. And Better flavor and more consistent!