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Oklahoma Joe Bronco Drum Smoker vs Weber Smokey Mountain Charcoal Grill

Oklahoma Joe Bronco Drum Smoker

Oklahoma Joe Bronco Drum Smoker

116 reviews

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Weber Smokey Mountain Charcoal Grill

Weber Smokey Mountain Charcoal Grill

50 reviews

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Great design with hinged lid, indexed air intake and exhaust, and built-in hangers for ribs or sausage

Holds a steady temperature throughout long cooks

Versatile and affordable option for charcoal smoking

Great smoke flavor

Quality construction

Recommended by BBQ competition experts

Effective for long smokes

Easy to use with some practice

Not always accurate temperature gauge

Small charcoal basket for cooks over 8 hours

Can be a pain to add charcoal during a cook

Not as set it and forget it as some users claim

Design issues with lid and access door

Temperature control can be difficult to maintain

Verdict

Overall, the Oklahoma Joe Bronco Drum Smoker receives positive reviews for its design, ease of use, and versatility. Many reviewers compare it favorably to the Weber Smokey Mountain and appreciate its hinged lid, indexed air intake and exhaust, and built-in hangers for ribs or sausage. The smoker holds a steady temperature throughout long cooks, but some reviewers note that the temperature gauge is not always accurate. The smoker is a good value for the price, but some reviewers mention that the charcoal basket is too small for cooks over 8 hours and that it can be a pain to add charcoal during a cook. Additionally, some reviewers mention that customer service is nonexistent. Overall, the Oklahoma Joe Bronco Drum Smoker is a great option for those looking for a versatile and affordable charcoal smoker.

Verdict

Overall, the Weber Smokey Mountain Charcoal Grill receives mixed reviews. Some users love it and find it easy to use, while others have issues with the design and temperature control. The 18-inch model seems to be more popular than the 14-inch model, and many users recommend watching YouTube videos or reading blogs for tips on how to use it effectively. The quality of the product is generally praised, but some users feel that it is overpriced for what it offers.

Reviews by Topic

Our analysis shows how reviewers feel about different topics. Please note these are not full reviews.

Ease Of Use

If your friend really wanted to get into bbq/smoking what would be your honest opinion

Drum smoker . The oklahoma joe bronco is cheap but extremely easy to use and very good quality for the price

Positive

reddit.com/r/BBQ

Cheapo BBQ smokers v. WSM -- NO COMPARISON!

I'm not going to go into all the technical aspects of this smoker, but I will say this -- set up (excluding the silicone temp probe grommet) took me about 30 minutes. The silicone grommet took far longer. The trick -- use some silicone spray around the opening. Fold the one edge over the through the hole, starting the lip on both sides

Charcoal

Disappointing as a smoker.

The first thing I noticed was there was no opening to add more charcoal to retain and keep a consistent heat. So moving along I filled the charcoal box let it heat up. Putting in my pork butt and keeping a close eye on the temp gage.

Happy, but.......

So, this review is in comparison to a $59 charcoal grill of the same configuration that I’ve used for the last 15 years, compared to this $460, Webber. I’m not sorry I bought it, but Webber would do well to make a couple inexpensive corrections. This first is that the center section has no handles, unlike my $59 grill. The center section is heavy and awkward

Features

Superb Cooker at a Superb Price!

The features that you get in this cooker for the price are simply unmatched. Hinged lid with kevlar gasket, ash pan setup, porcelain-coated cooking grate, and the diffuser plate give you a LOT of bang for your buck. Add to that the 12 gauge cold rolled steel construction and you've got a major winner! You really don't have to do a thing to this cooker and that the thicker construction means more stable temps in cold or windy weather.

Weber 4 Life but slightly disappointed...

That said, it definitely veered me towards the Weber 22" smoker. I liked the size to price ratio compared to the eggs and I really loved the idea of a side hatch to keep the fire tended to. Also, don't listen to the bone heads on this review panel and think you shouldn't get the 22". In my experiences, you always end up wanting the upgrade

Temperature Control

Disappointing as a smoker.

Personally I think keeping a consistent heat is key. In this situation your meat is heating and cooling and reheating again loosing moisture and flavor. I honestly feel like I just bought another BBQ’er that I didn’t need.

Great cooker with a lot of buts

If temps run away on you, just adjust the vents, and if it really gets out of control, add some cool water to the water pan. I can dial the smoker within 20 degrees of anywhere from 170-300. If temps drop on you, just give the fire a bit more air. Very small changes make big differences so you can really finesse it

Materials

I bought this product a month ago and it cooks great and holds temperature very well but I took it to a competition after only using it twice and the lid gasket ripped and the thermometer would not go above 225 and when I put my digital thermometer in the temperature was over 300 it’s a great smoker I just wish quality was a little better

I love love love my WSM!!!!

It is nice, however, to have the choice. I also recommend using high quality foil to wrap the pan and stones for easy clean up. Happy smoking!

Cooking Time

Wow, impressive!

I have smoked and grilled chicken legs, wings, whole chickens, burgers, short ribs and today 2 briskets. Everything has come out amazing! What has really impressed me is the cooking time you can get from this tank. I started my cook at 2:00am, 21 hours later it was still burning hot and consistent. I would have kept it going to see how long it would burn, but I was done! Impressive!

This smoker is worth all the hype.

The day I got it I decided to test it out on a 14lb brisket that would require a 14-16 hour cook time. I'm aware that this isn't exactly a beginner cut and it was a risk. I highly recommend youtubing a few videos on how to use this smoker or browsing some of the online forums dedicated to it. There is apparently a huge community of wsm users and the resources you can find online about it are invaluable

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Oklahoma Joe Bronco Drum Smoker

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