Smokin It #2 or #2D?

[Lonzinomaker]

I may be reading the brochure wrong, but here are a couple of points I see on a quick read.

The brochure indicates you will have to add a relay, so that means an additional enclosure to house the relay.  Also the operating temp appears to be 0C to 70C.  It may or may not work in freezing weather.  I do a lot of smoking when it is below freezing in my area.

 

[cantonn11]

I may be reading the brochure wrong, but here are a couple of points I see on a quick read.

The brochure indicates you will have to add a relay, so that means an additional enclosure to house the relay.  Also the operating temp appears to be 0C to 70C.  It may or may not work in freezing weather.  I do a lot of smoking when it is below freezing in my area.

Would the electronics in the digital Smokin It units have issues in freezing weather?

 

[OldeSmoker]

I use my 3DW in sub freezing temperatures regularly. I’ve not had any problems with it in low outdoor temperatures.

 

[cantonn11]

I use my 3DW in sub freezing temperatures regularly. I’ve not had any problems with it in low outdoor temperatures.

Would the LCD display have problems working in freezing temperatures?

 

[old sarge]

Send Steve an email with your question.  Living in Michegan and being the owner I am sure he can put your mind at ease. 

 

[cantonn11]

I may be reading the brochure wrong, but here are a couple of points I see on a quick read.

The brochure indicates you will have to add a relay, so that means an additional enclosure to house the relay.  Also the operating temp appears to be 0C to 70C.  It may or may not work in freezing weather.  I do a lot of smoking when it is below freezing in my area.

The Pakstat I thermostat in the brochure has a built in relay that can be connected to the heating element.  But there are a couple unanswered questions.

1. Will the Pakstat I be able to fit and mounted in the Smokin It smoker unit after the existing analog controller is removed?
2. Will the Pakstat I work in freezing temperatures?

 

[old sarge]

1. Whether it fits or not will be up to your skills and ingenuity.
2.Contact the manufacturer of the Paksat and ask them about it working in freezing weather.

 

[cantonn11]

I just bought an almost new model 2 Wi-Fi and it's a learning curve.  I had the same issues with my Model 1 that I bought new.  You have to learn your smoker.  I've been doing some test burns with no meat just to learn things.  To my surprise, the 2 Wi-Fi is a much different smoker.  The wood makes a big difference too.  Different woods don't burn the same on model 2.  I don't find that on the model 1.  Maybe that's the analog control.  Chip screens, etc. don't work the same either.  That said, the first test cook was a half chicken with some maple that came with the smoker that turned out great.  250 degrees start to finish with a nice crisp skin.  Like I said before, you have to learn your smoker.

Would smaller pieces of wood would need to be used in the digital Smokin It smokers since the heating element is not at full blast at set temperature?

 

[old sarge]

No.

 

[cantonn11]

From this posting in the Cookshack forum, it seems to me that wider temperature swings result in longer cook times let’s say for pork butts or briskets.

Cookshack posting from https://forum.cookshack.com/topic/accuracy-of-thermostat.
“ My smokette consistently runs cold, adjusting for temperature swings with the dial set at 250, it probably averages about 225, set a 225 it probably averages 200.  Mad

I just did a ham and monitored it relatively close over the 12 hour cook. I had an digital probe in the oven and stemmed oven thermometer in the smoke hole they were as close has you could see.

At an average temperature of 225 with swings of plus or minus 30 degrees it takes pretty much forever to get to an internal temperature of 190. Personally, I think something in my Smokette is defective, but I don't know if it is the setting dial pot, or the actual thermostat in the oven, but this problem does limit my enjoyment of my CS. I suppose I should call customer service, but I normally forget until I have something in the smoker.  Confused

On the other hand with the digital controls on my old restaurant 105 once it comes to temperature and evens out it probably holds within plus or minus 5-10 degrees, during the whole cook and hold cycle.”

Does wider temperature swings result in longer cook times?

 

[LarryD]

>From this posting in the Cookshack forum, it seems to me that wider temperature swings result in longer cook times let’s say for pork butts or briskets.

I had a #2 for a couple years that had a +/- 40 degree swing and I smoked butts and briskets in the same amount of time as everyone else.  I don't think it ever mattered in the slightest.  I have the 3DW now and it's no faster.  There's actually a small part of me that thinks the results (quality, not time) are better _with_ the temperature swings.

What gets people in trouble is opening the door.  Ideally, the door should only be opened twice...  once to put stuff in and once to take stuff out.  Don't wrap.  Don't add water.  Don't add wood.  Just leave it alone and let the smoker do its job.

 

[lcdearman]

I looked back over my logs and see that the cook times in my #2 were about the same before and after I added the Auber, so temp swings didn't seem to make a difference.

 

[barelfly]

They are great cookers.

I really think you should get one. You won’t regret it. Plenty of people on here that have them and have truly enjoyed the end product. I’ve used both analog and digital - they are both great. My dad’s #2 cooked multiple pork butts in the same time my #3D has done when I used it. Either one, you set the temp and go on about your business.

 

[Ken]

Mine is in the open with a SI cover and it’s showing some moisture in the control window.  It’s a small amount but I’ll keep an eye on it.

 

[cantonn11]

I started with the #2 (analog) and later got a great deal on a barely used 3DW (digital wi-fi).

The analogs have a stated temperature swing of ~20 degrees and I'm pretty sure mine was higher than that.  The reality is that it never once mattered.  The person who wrote the review was making something out of nothing.  If their brisket came out 'dry', it was much more probable that they took it out long before it was done.  Anyone who smokes brisket based strictly on time is doing it wrong.

As barelfly mentioned, the digitals can be set to a higher temperature which is nice for poultry where there is no need to go 'low and slow'.  Sadly, the software for the digital and digital wifi is really poorly designed and the wifi is outdated and finicky.  I hear things suggesting that's being looked into.

I miss the simplicity of the analog and if I were starting with nothing today, I'd get the #3 (analog).  With the analog you just set it and walk away.  There's no mis-programming it or having a probe get a faulty reading and stopping the smoker prematurely.

While not strictly required, the extra depth of the 3 series is really nice as you don't have to cut ribs or briskets to fit them and it gives you that extra capacity if you like to make mass quantities and seal/freeze portions as I do.

I believe the convenience of digital Smokin It smokers would benefit more frequent users.  For less frequent users, they would be better off saving money with an analog Smokin It smoker.

 

[LarryD]

I believe the convenience of digital Smokin It smokers would benefit more frequent users.

What would you define as frequent?

 

[old sarge]

"I believe the convenience of digital Smokin It smokers would benefit more frequent users.  For less frequent users, they would be better off saving money with an analog Smokin It smoker."
So, which model are you going to purchase?

 

[LarryD]

I might describe my usage as "infrequently frequent".    I commonly go for a spell with not a lot of use and then I'll smoke mass quantities of many things.  I do a lot of vacuum packing and storage in my deep freeze.  I might only smoke pork butts once a year, but when I do I smoke 6 of them.  I also do special occasions such as turkey for thanksgiving and ham for xmas.

 

[gsurko]

For me, I enjoy smoking my meat not just eating it. By that I mean set it and forget it smokers aren’t allot different then buying your meal, load it up and walk away. I enjoy, checking the temps, making adjustments, becoming intimate with your machine, knowing how much change is necessary to get the results you’re looking for. In other words I like doing it myself.

 

[old sarge]

Welcome back Gary.  Been a couple of years.  How's the #2 doing?