I'm pondering the purchase of a Smokin-It 3D this season, but the price differential seems to have faded away over the past two years. The 3D is $900 and the 3D-WiFi is $1035 - and of course you need to spend additional dollars on the covers, etc. Do folks still feel that Smokin-It is the best value?
I have owned all 3 brands, several models of each as well. Concerning Cookshack: Quality of the Smokers is Topnotch, Price is highest of the Three Players, Parts over the top high of the three players. American Made yes. Also electronic controls are not as flexible as with the SI. SmokinTex: Customer Service Good. Smoker quality Good. Pricing higher than SI. The equal to the 4D is almost $1000 higher. Does not believe anything should be smoked above 225 so no electronic controls. (Now don't misunderstand me, there is nothing, absolutely nothing wrong with analog controls. Hey, kitchen ovens have used them forever. It's just a personal preference for me to want electronic controls) Forum group with Smoking-it is the best and most active of all three players, Customer support from Steve and company is so over the top, Period! So in my onion, you can not go wrong with a SI, so yes I still feel SI is the best choice of the three. I would only recommend you get as much real estate as you can possibly afford, i.e. bigger is better and it only hurts once. In the end model you choose, and whichever method you use to smoke with as long as it passes your and your loved one's taste test, you are successful! Happy Smokin'!
Oh yeah, if WiFi "Control of smoker" is important to you go for it, if "WiFi Control of Smoker" is not so important to you, go with the straight 3D model and use a Tappecue, Fireboard, or Thermoworks product to monitor you temps.
