At the time I made a purchase (SI3), there was no forum. There were a few testimonials on the site, and the FAQs. There were other bbq/smoking sites with forums, but little to nothing on the Smokin-it units. I joined all the forums I found (and I am banned for life on one of them), and realized early on that no matter the manufacturer or cost, these were good units with very few problems. Emails to Steve were answered promptly, and he even took the time to return a couple of phone calls, as did another well known site.
It came down to comparing size, features, warranty and price. And in the end, the Smokin-it came out on top, in all categories. A real no-brainer.
And now there is the forum, and an entire cadre of enthusiastic users, spreading the word and sharing the experience.
To Steve and Rebecca, Ben and Tony, as well as every one else, Happy New Year.
Dave