# about to pull trigger on new cooker



## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

Finally decided to get a new smoker to take the place of my UDS, which will retire to the farm. I am limited on space and want something that is more "set it and forget it", so stickburner isn't feasible. After researching, I decided that a vertical insulated smoker is what I want.

There are plenty of vertical smokers on the market, like Humphries, Stubbs, Spicewine, etc, but don't see the point of paying the expense of shipping when we have so many quality local manufacturers. Everybody around here loves Pitmaker safes and vaults so that is where I started. Until I came across Lone Star Grillz. A newer builder, but a great reputation.

http://www.lonestargrillz.com/Insulated-Smokers.html

I am going with the mini. Almost 300 square inches more cooking space than the Pitmaker safe and 6" clearance between cooking racks, where the safe only has 4.5". It has a water fill feature where you can fill and drain water pan without opening door. It is also about $700 cheaper. Both are really good pits and we are lucky to have so many good builders in the area.

Hope to have order placed by end of the week. Check out the site if you are looking for an insulated vertical.


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## bowmansdad (Nov 29, 2011)

Nice!


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

Did you get it? I looked at these a few months ago but couldn't find anyone I knew with personal experience. I bought a smokin tex electric version of that smoker. Love the smokin tex, but still interested in how this does.


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## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

placed the order yesterday. Will be a 9 week or so wait until I get it though. I will post up pics when I get it.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

How do you regulate the temp on one of those boxes? Seems it would be way hotter at the bottom than the top always... I'm assuming it is chambered or something, but the radiant heat from the coals is still there???


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## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

It is regulated with air flow to the cooking chamber, just as you would do with a ceramic cooker, USD or WSM. There is a water pan and diffuser pan between the fire box and cooking chamber. As advertised cooking temperature is consistent throughout the cooking chamber. In practice, the highest rack will be a little hotter, but not by much. There is a huge thread on BBQ Brethren on these cookers and one guy did the biscuit test and the temps were consistent throughout. 

The concept on this cooker is similar to other insulated cookers, but it is not a reverse flow like Stubbs or Pitmaker.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

So is it pretty much a one fire, one cook? Or do you have to keep adding/stoking coals for say a 14 hour smoke? I have never seen one of these in actual use.


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## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

You load fuel once and go from there. Should be no need to add fuel unless you are going longer than 20 hours or so. But if you need to add fuel, the set up looks like it is relatively easy to do so. Not so much with my Kamado.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Just guessing here, but I bet if you learn that smoker well you can make killer 'que every time.


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## Haute Pursuit (Jun 26, 2006)

manintheboat said:


> You load fuel once and go from there. Should be no need to add fuel unless you are going longer than 20 hours or so. But if you need to add fuel, the set up looks like it is relatively easy to do so. Not so much with my Kamado.


Kewl, thanks!


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## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

Whitebassfisher said:


> Just guessing here, but I bet if you learn that smoker well you can make killer 'que every time.


At worst I can certainly make more of it, killer or not


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## Dale Nichols (Feb 13, 2014)

I know several people who have Chris's insulated smokers the slightly bigger one and after the learning curve they flat out love them. You will be happy.


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

If it works as advertised, I may regret not getting one.


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## berto (Oct 14, 2004)

Nice! I have a stumps on my wish list.


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## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

Stumps are awesome cookers. So are Humphries. With LSG and Pitmaker in our back yards it is hard to justify leaving the state. Either way you can't go wrong with any of them. All good.


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## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

Gottagofishin said:


> If it works as advertised, I may regret not getting one.


What did you get instead?


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

Thanks MITB, I got one ordered myself. My waiting time is only two weeks.


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## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

bigfishtx said:


> Thanks MITB, I got one ordered myself. My waiting time is only two weeks.


awesome!! Did you get the mini or regular size?


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

I went with the regular, they are too heavy to move around much, and it opens up quite a bit more cooking area for not too much more money Looks like a great smoker. 

I am an old stick burner guy, but, I will really enjoy being able to put stuff on and go do my own thing while it cooks. Are you putting a Guru on it?


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## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

I am limited in space on my patio, so I really have little choice other than the mini. For just a small bit of extra cash, the bigger one would be well worth it, otherwise. I love the idea of being able to fit 2 hotel pans side by side on each rack. That is a ton of capacity. 

I was stongly considering the upright stickburner model, but I am sure I like the idea of tending fire all day way more than I like the actual activity. Being able to walk away or go to bed when a brisket is cooking is always good. 

Yes, i will get a guru with 25CFM fan, but will probably only use it on overnight cooks.


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## berto (Oct 14, 2004)

manintheboat said:


> Stumps are awesome cookers. So are Humphries. With LSG and Pitmaker in our back yards it is hard to justify leaving the state. Either way you can't go wrong with any of them. All good.


One of the main reasons I don't have one. They they were in Texas I'd already have one. I'll check humphries out too.


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## Gottagofishin (Dec 17, 2005)

manintheboat said:


> What did you get instead?


I got the Smokin Tex electric. About the same size as the mini. I to was looking for set it and forget it.

The food tastes great and dropping a couple of chunks of charcoal in the wood.box will create a smoke ring but there is something about electric that seems wrong.

But I love.it


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## Blakj5 (Sep 17, 2015)

i want one as well


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## DeepRiver (Oct 2, 2014)

manintheboat said:


> Finally decided to get a new smoker to take the place of my UDS, which will retire to the farm. I am limited on space and want something that is more "set it and forget it", so stickburner isn't feasible. After researching, I decided that a vertical insulated smoker is what I want.
> 
> There are plenty of vertical smokers on the market, like Humphries, Stubbs, Spicewine, etc, but don't see the point of paying the expense of shipping when we have so many quality local manufacturers. Everybody around here loves Pitmaker safes and vaults so that is where I started. Until I came across Lone Star Grillz. A newer builder, but a great reputation.
> 
> ...


 MITB, thanks for this post. I'm in the market for a new smoker and will definitely check them out.


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## manintheboat (Jun 1, 2004)

It is a really good one and highly recommended by many. Unfortunately, I had to cancel my order because of some other pressing financial issues that popped up, but I plan on starting over with a new order this time next year.


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