Smokin-It User Forum!
Upgrades and Suggestions! => Suggestions => Topic started by: DivotMaker on July 11, 2013, 08:15:45 PM
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I think user-input on how we came upon Smokin-It could really help Steve grow his great company. I researched smokers for about the last year, and finally just "happened" upon these! I'm not even sure how I found the website now - I was on one of those manic Google/Bing trips, going from link to link, and literally just stumbled upon it!
Hopefully, we can get lots of users to chime-in on how they found Smokin-It, and hopefully this will help these guys get more exposure and feedback on what's working, and what's not with their advertising.
Any marketing ideas out there?
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I was searching google for electric smokers. Found a bunch of electric smoker reviews. Saw the cast of characters you know who they are. I kept see smokin-it. I searched amazon, good reviews, found the smokin-it web site around super bowl sunday. I then started reading as much info on smokin-it. I ended up emailing Steve about some extra goodies (missed the valentine's day sale), he told me to sit tight for a while. I kept reading this forum and then I read a post on smokingmeatforums from old sarge, who indicated Steve was giving away a free cover, rib hooks, and cord holder with the purchase of a #3. I also asked a bunch of questions of your guys, and finally in early May pulled the trigger.
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Good info, Ed! Thanks for the input. I don't know how I missed it for so long. I was probably just "looking past" it because it was such an unknown, and different from all the "usual suspects" on Amazon and the like. When I finally did research it, I ended up ordering direct - much better price than Amazon. It's great they're on Amazon, but it'd be great to see a lot more traffic driven straight to their website!
I just did a quick search on Bing for "electric smokers," and Smokin-It.com isn't ranking anywhere on the first 2 pages! Some SEO is definitely needed. I think they could build their rankings fast with just a little more effort.
Hope Ben and Steve aren't offended by my analysis - just trying to help! I know how it is to get your site ranked - it requires lots of little content changes, and good SEO to drive it to the top (or at least first page). This forum needs to be searchable; tons of keywords in here that would help rankings. Just my 2 cents...
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Funny I was dead set against electric smokers until maybe 4-5 months ago. I know a few people who have them like the MES and the BRadley. POS both i`m sorry to say. They always seem to have something broken or out of pucks or needing 90 minutes to reach temperature etc....
I was ready to buy a Kamado style smoker when i read a post about the Smokin-It on the smokingmeatforums
Intrigued, i read every last word ever posted on it ::)
then decided that it was actually good quality and I would be happy with it.....
Tomorrow my second attempt !!!
I got 2 shoulders , both 3.5lbs. just in case ;D
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Good info, Zed! Hope your shoulders go as planned! Hmmm...so cross-posting on other forums got you here? Ben, you getting this? :D
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The best way to spread the word is to join many forums not specific to a particular brand, and give your honest opinion to those with questions on what to buy or problems with what they already have. The important thing to remember is we all had questions and doubts in the beginning so never make anyone feel foolish. Maybe even PM a few folks. It is sort of like going to work, with this site being your home. You go out, answer a few posts, make a few comments, come home at the end of the day. It helps to keep the same name on all sites so folks can follow you if they so desire.
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Maybe I should tell everyone about http://www.letstalkbbq.com
This forum is dedicated to outdoor cooking on all types of equipment. I am a global moderator over there and would love to see you hang out. Very friendly non-combative atmosphere....kinda like here :D We even post about our bad cooks :o
There is a thread dedicated to electric smokers...so come on over.....spread the news about your Smokin-It smoker.
Just be sure to come home at the end of the day ;)
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I have used the same moniker of that site as well as smoking meats. Before this year, Smokin-it did not have a forum so spreading the word was pretty much "missionary work" in that one had to go forth. It still works but with Smokin-it having their very own forum, life is good. It would be good to see some nice videos from those with the talent and equipment posted on youtube. There are a few but they are somewhat dated. Me? I am sort of crippled in the camera area.
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I will freely (and gratefully) admit that posters on other sites, Old Sarge and Chef Willie chief among them, were a definite influence on my purchase and Sarge's point on spreading the word in a grassroots manner is spot on.
I was down between the Cookshack SM009-2 and the SmokinTex 1400 when I saw a lot of chatter about the Smokin-It models. Since I'm an analog smoker living in a digital world, and since the #3 was at a better price point than the others with increased capacity it was a no-brainer.
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I did a lot of research toggling between charcoal, propane, and electric. My research was mostly through watching a lot of youtube videos. I wanted a smoker that I could use on my deck and I felt that charcoal (Weber SM) was too risky, and I could not get definitive answer on whether propane would be too hot on a wooden deck, so I decided to go electric. I saw a lot of electric smoker youtube videos on products other than smokin-it, but the reviews on those products were less than stellar. Literally at the last minute, and I don't know how it happened, I found references to smokin-it. Every review that I found on the product raved about the units, so a quick call to Steve to confirm that the unit would work on a wood deck, and then I placed the order. And I could not b happier with the result!
I think Steve et al would do well to have a few folks put up some youtube videos using the smokin-it..I did see a couple that were pretty good, but the other electric smoker companies have dominated the youtube scene.
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This is great stuff, guys! Exactly what I had in mind when I started this thread! ;D I appreciate everyone's participation in how the "moment" happened! Like swthorpe, I don't know how it happened, either. I was literally days away from ordering a different brand when I found Smokin-It! So glad I did, but sure wish I could remember exactly where I found out about it!
Thanks again, and keep it coming!! :D
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Maybe I should tell everyone about http://www.letstalkbbq.com (http://www.letstalkbbq.com)
This forum is dedicated to outdoor cooking on all types of equipment. I am a global moderator over there and would love to see you hang out. Very friendly non-combative atmosphere....kinda like here :D We even post about our bad cooks :o
There is a thread dedicated to electric smokers...so come on over.....spread the news about your Smokin-It smoker.
Just be sure to come home at the end of the day ;)
Hey Smoke - just registered! How's about greasing that "approval" email! ;)
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Maybe I should tell everyone about http://www.letstalkbbq.com (http://www.letstalkbbq.com)
This forum is dedicated to outdoor cooking on all types of equipment. I am a global moderator over there and would love to see you hang out. Very friendly non-combative atmosphere....kinda like here :D We even post about our bad cooks :o
There is a thread dedicated to electric smokers...so come on over.....spread the news about your Smokin-It smoker.
Just be sure to come home at the end of the day ;)
Hey Smoke - just registered! How's about greasing that "approval" email! ;)
Did you sign up as divotmaker??
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Ditto here ... I submitted as "UWFSAE" a bit after noon CST today if you're going to be greasing the wheels of progress, Smoke. ;)
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I tipped off the admin's that we got some folk coming aboard ;)
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I am glad you asked. I never thought (nor did my family or friends) or even think I would own or use an electric smoker. I bad-mouthed anything that did not use charcoal and/or wood. It was my CB stick burner that made me feel like hey I could become a BBQ chef. I am not sure what sparked my interest (fathers day maybe), but when something does I love nothing more than researching the heck out of it on the internet. I read all about electric smokers. I ran across the Smokin-it on Amazon and checked out their web site. It looked good, but not many reviews on the net. It came down to the Cookshack, Smokin-it and Smoken-Tex. I went as far as ordering the Smoken-Tex 1400 and paid for it using PayPal. It was due to ship the next morning. That night I was watching YouTube videos on electric smokers and saw an out of box review of the model #2 by garygardens and a first smoke of the Smokin-it model #3 by Daniel Slagle. I also saw several other Smokin-it videos. I did a little more searching and found Smokeasaurus's out of the box review of the Smokin-it # 3 on the LetsTalkbbq.com. Oh man! I had buyers remorse in a bad way! I got up the next morning (at 5 AM) and started calling the company I bought the Smoken-Tex from. No one answered the phone so I left a couple messages and sent an email. Well, about two hours later the owner of the store (MyRubberNeck.com) called me. I explained I made a mistake purchasing his smoker and wanted to cancel. He understood and refunded my PayPal account with-in a half an hour. I have had my Smokin-it smoker a couple of weeks now and never looked back.
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Yep, I'm DivotMaker there, too, Smoke! ;)
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I am glad you asked. I never thought (nor did my family or friends) or even think I would own or use an electric smoker. I bad-mouthed anything that did not use charcoal and/or wood. It was my CB stick burner that made me feel like hey I could become a BBQ chef. I am not sure what sparked my interest (fathers day maybe), but when something does I love nothing more than researching the heck out of it on the internet. I read all about electric smokers. I ran across the Smokin-it on Amazon and checked out their web site. It looked good, but not many reviews on the net. It came down to the Cookshack, Smokin-it and Smoken-Tex. I went as far as ordering the Smoken-Tex 1400 and paid for it using PayPal. It was due to ship the next morning. That night I was watching YouTube videos on electric smokers and saw an out of box review of the model #2 by garygardens and a first smoke of the Smokin-it model #3 by Daniel Slagle. I also saw several other Smokin-it videos. I did a little more searching and found Smokeasaurus's out of the box review of the Smokin-it # 3 on the LetsTalkbbq.com. Oh man! I had buyers remorse in a bad way! I got up the next morning (at 5 AM) and started calling the company I bought the Smoken-Tex from. No one answered the phone so I left a couple messages and sent an email. Well, about two hours later the owner of the store (MyRubberNeck.com) called me. I explained I made a mistake purchasing his smoker and wanted to cancel. He understood and refunded my PayPal account with-in a half an hour. I have had my Smokin-it smoker a couple of weeks now and never looked back.
That's a great testimonial, Daddyo! My hope is that all these great ideas will help Steve and Ben really grow their company! They definitely beat-out some of the "big boys" in your case!
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This one's kinda gone cold... Anyone else out there want to share their story of how they found the best smokers on the market today??
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I found out about Smokin-It after researching smokers on the internet to replace my old Brinkman charcoal smoker (which was always a hassle to use). I was trying to make up my mind whether to go with a gas or electric smoker. After reading dozens of reviews on both I decided to look for an electric smoker due to the ease of use and not having to worry about running out of propane or stoking a fire. I stumbled on a link to a video on YouTube of a guy unboxing a Smokin-It model #2, seasoning the unit and doing his first smoke. I was really impressed with the way the unit looked. I decided to investigate further and found several other videos which demonstrated the ease of use and quality construction of the unit. After a visit to the Smokin-It website and reading several posts on the forum I decided to pull the trigger and order a Model #2.
I am happy I did. Not only do I feel that I found a quality product but also have found a community of fellow Smokin-It owners for support along with a company that cares about it’s customers.
Happy Smokin'
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Thanks for sharing, Steve!
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I thought I would revive a good thread since I'm a brand new Model 3 owner.
Like several others, I never thought I would go Electric. It wasn't "natural". I love cooking and my family loves BBQ. But I just didn't have time to do it and didn't. My neighbor bought a MES and I helped him with his first two cooks. The food turned out good and I was amazed how simple it was. I decided I had to have electric so that I could cook more often. Thus, the search started. It quickly came down to CS, ST, and SI through internet research. I entertained a Blazin Grill Works Pellet cooker for a while. It's a really nice unit. But I didn't think I would get the smoke that I wanted from it and it was pricey. I have a grill and didn't need another one.
I chose the Smokin-it for four reasons: Size/value = larger cooking area for the money, double latched door, 12 foot cord, and couldn't find a negative review.
I almost went Smokin Tex 1400 because I could pick one up for the same price locally. But I decided I would be "settling". I wanted the extra capacity and the double latch door.
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Glad you went SI, Rick! Thanks for the info!
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I just registered, thanks for the tipoff. Now we can start spreading the news on the Smokin-It product line, help Steve grow his business. He will have to start some kind of smokin point system that we can use to get discounts on future purchases..... Kidding of course, anything to help Steve out.
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I just registered, thanks for the tipoff. Now we can start spreading the news on the Smokin-It product line, help Steve grow his business. He will have to start some kind of smokin point system that we can use to get discounts on future purchases..... Kidding of course, anything to help Steve out.
Hehe...I'm all about the "point system," T! I'm wanting to upgrade to a #3 next spring! ;)
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In regards to my purchase, I spent many hours researching and I really liked what I saw about the Smokin-It smoker, but with very little information, I was hesitant. I kept learning towards cooks hack, but the price and size where a sticking point, but then I started looking at replacement parts and the electronic temp control was a steep $225 large ones. At the same time, time I couldn't get the Smokin-It out of my mind. Then I started looking at the smokin text as an alternative to the cookshack, but the features on the Smokin-It were just to good to be true and a comparable product. Well, needless to say, my heart was set on the #3 and I never looked back and absolutely no regrets. It is the. Best bang for the buck, great quality, customer service and Steve stands behind his product. I love my smoker.
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I have never owned a smioker, so I researched a lot of reviews, almost bought a MES, my buddy has a MES Xl propane, and I knew it was a lot of babysitting, and strangely, one day... Smokin-it review came across the screen, - i was intrigued, all reviews were great for the most part. BUT.... the true selling point for me was this forum. I know that I could ask questions, share ideas, etc with others who have the same smoker as me. That is what sealed the deal.
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Good info, guys! Thanks for the input!
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My son and I were at the Ohio Deer and Turkey Expo last March and saw t the Smokin-it display I talked to whom ever was working the booth. He was very knowledgeable , I liked what i saw.They had a deal on a scratch and dent #2........ We wandered around the show for a while..... I then went back to pull the trigger but all the smokers they had on hand were spoken for. So 8 months later I had to have one(#2) when my POS smoker crapped out on a brisket I was doing for a neighborhood party. My neighbors tend to collect on my back porch when there's smoke in the air ;)
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I had gone through a lot of smokers from the big box guys and a unit from the local BBQ shop. I went online to search for something better. Glad that I found Smokin-It, never been happier.
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Found this post and as a new recruit to the forum I thought I'd add my short, simple story.
For decades I'd been a dedicated 'griller'....certainly not a week would pass without something coming from the grill, and most weeks, several 'cookouts' per week.
Maybe 7-8 years ago my youngest daughter (bless her soul!!) bought me a small electric smoker that looked like one of those old-timey electric 'roasters'. Well it was love at first smoke, and over a period of years, despite caring for my baby with religious fervor, it finally rusted-out. Replacement parts weren't to be found, and the unit was no longer sold.
I was BUMMED.... so began my search (Internet of course given the age) for a new one. Stainless steel was my first priority, and fitting the designated space on my porch/deck (wife calls it my outdoor kitchen...but not fancy enough to deserve such a name) was second.
I examined closely the offerings of several makers, reading reviews about them, checking out their forums if they had one, etc. It pretty easily narrowed down to Smokin-it and now I have a new 'love at first smoke'. Despite living on the water (salt that is), I'm thinking the cabinet will still be in bristol shape when it becomes an inventory item in my 'estate'. I stocked up on several temperature controllers and heating elements, so I should be good to go for as long as I'm good to go.
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Sounds like you're set, George! Pretty smart thinking, buying elements and controllers ahead of time! You never know what the future holds, so good to be prepared! ;)
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For me it was some intense web searching. I had my eye on one of the competitors for a couple years, then this fall I began my search again on web, amazon, etc. I think Amazon probably was probably my first hit on this smoker along with another similar brand. I basically sat down and compared models / sizes / features. Granted I knew I wanted a "hold" feature, but it was just too expensive on all the competitors. Then I seen Smokin-it with its analog version and on the same site the Auber PID if I wanted to add that type of feature. It still seemed like a better value than all the competition.
So the only thing that I was caught up on is made in USA or not. To be honest I have some Beer Brewing equipment from overseas from Stout Tanks and by far it was the best value out there, so I decided to let go made in the USA factor and pull the trigger on a Smokin-it #3. Shipping was prompt and I was impressed with the quality and sturdiness of the smoker. Needless to say I only waited a couple weeks to order the Auber PID from right here as well. Again shipping was very quick.
Lastly I had one small issue and when I reached out (on Christmas Eve since it was front of mind during my smoke that day). I really didn't think I would have anyone contact me until later that day or after the 1st of the year for that matter, but within a hour or two I got a response back and resolution was already planned. I about fell out of my chair when I saw the email that day.
Needless to say I'm TOTALLY impressed with the product, customer service, and all the great people contributing and helping others out on this forum. I sound like a salesperson, but this is definitely one purchase I will never 2nd guess.
Happy new year everyone,
Wik
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I love the fargo/mordhead area! Miss going up there cor the big squirt tournament.
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This is a Copy of my Email to SI that I sent with my order:
Smokin-it,
I stopped at a friends house last night for a few beers and to admire their new baby boy. While visiting I mentioned that I was getting a Bradley Smoker. I had borrowed a Bradley in the past and had good results. At that time , my friend looked at me like I had just dropped his child and stated "Oh……K"
A few later beers into the evening he put his hand on my shoulder and with a grave look on his face, and said "I know you may have your heart set on that Bradley, but let me show you what you need."
I then received a demo and testamonial on his Smokin-it Model #2. He is thrilled with it and loves the food he can produce. I admired the quality of construction and the ability to use multiple wood types. While the Bradley does make tasty food I had always been slightly turned off by it's Refurbished Dorm-Frige appearance, and frustrated by being limited to the hockey pucks for smoke.
I thought your prices were reasonable for what I am receiving and I appreciate the gift of the chip tray and rib hooks. However I was shocked by the obscene shipping costs. I guess that is the negative aspect of All Stainless Steel Construction.
If you would like to include a thank-you note or small gift as commission to your Michigan Sales Representative, Detective Adam (Name and Dept. included on original) PD with my order I would be happy to deliver it to him.
I look forward to using my #3,
Brian
*Update SI sent my buddy a Flavorsavor and Seafood Rack, so get out there and refer some new owners!
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I was researching pellet grills because of the auto feed system and realized I wanted one mostly for smoking.
One internet link led to another and I found electric smokers. The competitors all seemed to have major flaws in the $300 - $500 price range. It is almost like Steve looked at the more expensive smokers and thought he could make one just as good for less money. Positive reviews on customer service, replaceable inexpensive heating elements, and comments on this forum made my decision easy.
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Thanks for the comments, Jackie!
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Still waiting on the 4 the specials. No newsletter yet. Waiting to order a #2.
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Seriously? You could be smoking right now. Your only talking about a few dollars worth of stuff. It would be nice but dont let it get in the way of good food.
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Order today and you'll get a free cover! It's on the website.
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Been in hay field all day and just checked web site and ordered #2.
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Been in hay field all day and just checked web site and ordered #2.
Congrats! Oh, on the hay, too! ;) Looking forward to having you around!
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From the looks of this thread I was in the same boat as many others. Not sure about electric smokers, my only experience was a friend's MES and he was hot/cold with how it performed. Another friend got a Traeger for Father's day and raves about it. The food was good, but not really "smoked" if you know what I mean. And I wasn't keen on the combo grill/smoker idea. I already have a well broken in Weber for my grilling, so I really wanted a good smoker.
My brother is into smoking anything, and he knows his way around a charcoal/wood smoker. But quite frankly, while I was learning how to use it, I became frustrated because I'd have to hang around and tend the smoker for 6-10 hours straight. The idea of being able to "set and forget" using the #3 with the Auber PID really got me shifting my preference from wood to electric smokers.
My first real exposure to Smokin-It was like this:
- I googled "Traeger alternative" and found some sites for other grills/smokers
- I visited those sites and they pointed me to smoker specific forums
- Cookshack got my attention first, but soon I found Smokin-Tex
- Searching for reviews on that company, I found Smokin-It and liked what I saw
It sounds like a lot of steps, but in reality, it maybe took me 2 search sessions to find this place. That said, I'm a much more patient and determined searcher than the typical consumer.
If Steve is looking to grow the company, my suggestion would be to invest in organic search and not do pay-per-click. PPC is very expensive and can erode cash flow quickly. Organic means getting more videos on YT, doing some site work to get better rankings for keyword searches, maybe even being more visible on some other forums. Maybe even a referral program for existing customers? (hint, hint...)
Not knowing his growth tolerance, he would definitely need to research the options to determine the best option, as nothing would be worse than for him to get a ton of great visibility and not be able to deliver.
For the record, I'm not a web guy, but I do consult with companies on sales, marketing and customer service operations. Also for the record, I'm gonna be on top of the watch tower telling everyone I can about Steve's support, responsiveness, and of course, his product quality (as soon as I get it next Monday! ;D)
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it... Have a great weekend!
Rick
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Thanks for the comments, Rick! Those are things we're actually working on. As you know, it takes a little time in a competitive market to get good ranking. Ben, the IT Guy, is heading that way. One thing that really builds organic results is good content! We're fortunate to be ranking pretty well in searches for recipes and smoking techniques. But yes, I agree that the product website is a little more difficult to find than it should be. Bear with us, and keep those suggestions coming!
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Really interesting to see how others made their decision on Smokin-it. For me it wasn't too different. I have been smoking using the Weber 22 inch kettle for a long time. I would throw in the charcoal briquettes a bunch of wood and smoke. Lots of billowing white smoke. It always tasted good, but not like real smoking. It was always a hot smoke, fast. Had to watch it at all times.
Then I got a Landmann vertical propane smoker. This changed everything for me. I was able to maintain a reasonably good and consistent temperature while using my Maverick. But, I had to watch things constantly. A pork butt took all day of watching and tending to the wood box and water pan. Here in South Florida that meant sitting by the pool all day, going in the water when it got too hot and having a few beers. Too tiring for me. Life is tough.
I recently saw an infomercial for the Masterbuilt MES that looked like it was real easy to use. I went online and found Sam's sells the 40 inch for $300 + shipping. I bought it. After trying it a few times and not liking the way the chips burned, I bought the Amazen pellet box. Smoke was better, but I did not like the machine and returned it.
Then I researched and was going to get a pellet smoker like the Rec Tec because it was the cheapest of the better machines, but not really what I wanted. Strictly a price consideration. More than $1000 was too much. I really did not want to spend more than $500. That led me to the Cookshack, high priced, and the SmokinTex a real consideration. Further research came up with the Smokin-it. I liked the price (shipping sucks), the size, the great reviews and the large racks for ribs so I purchased it.
That's my story.
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Thanks for your story, Arnie! Let me address the shipping, just so you know: SI packages the units well for shipping, but does not "upcharge" for the FedEx shipping. They set the rates, based on weight and distance. These are heavy, over-size packages, and FedEx does a good job getting them across the country undamaged. When you consider the cost savings of going SI over the 2 main competitors, you are still money ahead, even considering the shipping cost. Just my 2¢!
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Tony, that was just my editorial comment on shipping...lol I don't like to paying shipping on anything. It didn't stop me or the rest of us from buying this great product. I really did appreciate getting it in less than a week and yes it was packed great. Good thing too because you could see that the box got beat up on the outside and even bent the metal supports inside the box.
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I found Smokin-It via user reviews on several different sites for the Masterbuilt smokers. I decided I wanted an electric smoker since I was sick of trying to smoke in my grill and I wanted something that wasn't going to take a lot of hands on during the smoking process. I looked quite a few different ways, from charcoal to propane to pellet and finally electric. After decided I was going to go the electric route, I was getting ready to pull the trigger on an MES, but started more reviews and one common thing I started noticing. Many folks made comments that they wish they had spent the little extra and got a Smokin-It. At that time I had never heard of SI, so I looked them up and liked what I saw. Looks like a solid construction, nice design and reasonable price. So I pulled the trigger a few days later and now I am a happy owner of a #2.
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BTW, Tony, Rubberneck sells the SmokinTex 1400, $600 list, for $515 and free shipping. This was very attractive to me when I was looking and would have saved me $175 in shipping. Almost bought that, then at the last moment changed to the Smokin-It.
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Tony, that was just my editorial comment on shipping...lol I don't like to paying shipping on anything. It didn't stop me or the rest of us from buying this great product. I really did appreciate getting it in less than a week and yes it was packed great. Good thing too because you could see that the box got beat up on the outside and even bent the metal supports inside the box.
No worries, Arnie! I didn't see it as complaining, but as an opportunity to clarify, for others, the shipping policy. The question does come up about marking-up shipping and handling.
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BTW, Tony, Rubberneck sells the SmokinTex 1400, $600 list, for $515 and free shipping. This was very attractive to me when I was looking and would have saved me $175 in shipping. Almost bought that, then at the last moment changed to the Smokin-It.
Not a bad deal on a 1400, but it's about half the capacity of your #3! It's much more comparable to the #2. You made a great decision in the #3, Arnie!
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I agree Tony. Great smoker and I love the capacity. That's what made my decision final.
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I just want to give a shout-out to the mystery writer Lee Goldberg who said his Smokin-It #1 was the best birthday present he ever received. He said he would never have to go to a Los Angeles BBQ restaurant again. 8) That got me thinking that maybe I could try this way of cooking even though it looked so complicated and time consuming. Well, the Smokin-It made it a lot easier for a newbie like me and I've really enjoyed having a new appliance that reliably gives delicious results.
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Great to hear, Suzie! Amazing how easy it really is!
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I wore out a smoke hollow smoker. It was a good smoker however; it was hard to clean and I thought it would be nice to find one built with stainless steel. I was ready to buy a Bradley and then I did a search on SS Smokers.
That’s when I found the Smokin-It smokers. I compared the other two brands and I liked the size of the number 3. Like others I thought the shipping was overboard. Then with the weight and over size I decided to pull the trigger. I understand the shipping on the smoker however; it seems like all the shipping is high. Shipping for the Maverick was twice the price as Amazon.
Bottom line, I am only three smokes into this #3 and I would do the same thing again. I think this is what I was looking for. I was going to build one out of stainless and was drawing up plans, now I don’t have to. I will be buying the Auber soon to complete the deal.
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Google was my friend. I was researching electric because I already knew that Lazy Q was the way for me. I'd never use a stick burner, especially for long smokes because of the fire maintenance required (I live alone) so I wanted to go electric. It quickly got down to Smokin Tex and SI after I read a few MES reviews. Though I couldn't with 100% certainty, I think it was these boards that tipped me towards SI rather than smokin tex.
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You found the right place, Steven! Welcome aboard, and happy smok'in!
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Steven, glad to have you with us!! Google has definitely found us; hard not to, when we have such an incredibly active forum! I firmly believe you made the right decision, and it's great to have you in the family!
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I'm on a motorcycle forum, where I've been a member for the better part of a decade. Our "Off Topic" section of the forum is one of the most active parts on the forum, and since many of us have been on the forum for quite a long time, we go there to pick "the collective's brain" on thing we're looking to purchase.
When I was moving into a new house earlier this month, I was looking to buy a smoker, and was actually about sold on a XL Big Green Egg. After talking with the guys on the motorcycle forum, a few members recommended going electric, and a couple members have the SI smokers. After hearing their first hand accounts, and seeing that I could get some awesome freebies for being a veteran, it was a no brainer. I liked the build quality and the community here (even though the forum isn't hugely active compared to many other smoking forums).
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(even though the forum isn't hugely active compared to many other smoking forums).
Glad you're here, Aaron! I beg to differ, about "hugely active," though! Yes, there are other smoking forums that have more members and posts, but they tend to be "one size fits all" forums - not "one smoker fits all" forums. We are a manufacturer's forum, dedicated to promoting the SI brand of smokers. I challenge you to find another manufacturer's forum that is more active! As you can see, we don't have dozens of boards devoted to charcoal, stick burners, reverse-flow, blah, blah, blah. This is the Smokin-It forum, and we're pretty proud of how fast we've grown.
2 years ago, when I joined, we had 158 members with just over 600 posts. Today, we have 1600 members with almost 29,000 posts! Hang with us, as we grow, and you'll see why we're going to be THE premier upper-end electric smoker forum anyone has ever seen!
Let me just also add that I don't think you'll ever see a closer community of friends, than you will here. As you see, we all post our names and towns, and the discussions are civil and friendly. I spend time on some of the forums you are referring to, and get tired of the fighting and personal attacks. We don't have that here - fortunately! Family atmosphere, and folks that are like family! Stick around, and you'll see what I'm talking about!
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+1 :)
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+2. A lot due to you Tony, thanks.
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Thanks, guys, but it's really do to you all! We're a great community, and I'm proud to be a part of it! :D
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I'm on a motorcycle forum, where I've been a member for the better part of a decade. Our "Off Topic" section of the forum is one of the most active parts on the forum, and since many of us have been on the forum for quite a long time, we go there to pick "the collective's brain" on thing we're looking to purchase.
When I was moving into a new house earlier this month, I was looking to buy a smoker, and was actually about sold on a XL Big Green Egg. After talking with the guys on the motorcycle forum, a few members recommended going electric, and a couple members have the SI smokers. After hearing their first hand accounts, and seeing that I could get some awesome freebies for being a veteran, it was a no brainer. I liked the build quality and the community here (even though the forum isn't hugely active compared to many other smoking forums).
What bike do you ride and what forum is this? lol
I'm a recovering former dragon local, ride a 1200GS.
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Yamaha Fz1, on the FZ1OA.
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Tell PJ that he sucks for me, lol