Similar taste in smoke, and the "little goes a long ways" does not cut it for me, especially not on the 4D. I came from a WSM using the Minion method, which layers wood chunks in the largely unlit charcoal pile to allow continuous unattended smoking as the bed burns down. However, I moved into a new place without a backyard, so I went with the 4D for its 300 series grade of steel. Considering the additional volume of the 4D and larger heating element, more wood is needed, which is also consumed at a faster rate than the smaller models. Factoring in personal preferences, this means a considerable amount of wood at the beginning, and the requirement to add the same amount in fresh wood at 1.5 or 2 hour intervals. That is how long it takes the 4D to incinerate the each batch and require another load. As wood is used for flavor in the 4D rather than required energy source, replenishment is the most neglected factor if one is used to continuous smoking results. Also, there are a few things that can help to round out and deepen the electric smoker taste.
For more smoke flavor that is reminiscent of charcoal:
-Multiple types of wood in each smoke. For instance, oak, hickory, and apple.
-Discard ash but retain the wood that has turned charcoal from the previous day's/week's smoke.
Example amount for a 4 hour smoke at 225 degrees constant:
-7 to 7.5 ounces of wood to start, plus whatever wood remains from the previous smoke. Disregard the initial 30 minutes it takes to get up to temp and start smoking. Add another load of 7 to 7.5 ounces of wood at the 2 hour mark. This is around 7-8 blocks of bark-free wood per load, from various smoking wood brands. Using tongs, pull the wood box forward enough to lift its lid. Then, drop the the fresh wood toward the center and shift the blackened wood to the sides, but do not remove anything.
I shift wood that I want burned to the center of the tray, because if your 4D is like mine the tray has become heat curved and sits higher off the heat at the outward edges.
For smoking wood brands that do not provide neatly pre-cubed wood, I recommend a bandsaw to cut them to size most efficiently.