The Weber Smokey Mountain 18-Inch Cooker (ASIN: B00004RACS) is the most iconic charcoal smoker in the consumer market, available on Amazon.ca for $449 CAD. With two cooking grates providing 481 sq in, a built-in water pan, and Weber's 10-year warranty, it's the starting point for anyone serious about learning authentic charcoal smoking.
7 mentions · 5 threadslast mention Sep 2023
Real comments from Reddit, linked to the original thread. Nothing paraphrased.
MY sister bought this used last year, she's used it a few times, I set it up in the dark and ran a long overnight cook with temps running higher than anticipated. Here we are a few days later and I'm setting it up in daylight and I noticed a little more daylight than I should! Doesn't look like there's any rust anywhere around it, what could have happened here and how can I try to fix it?
Benefits of the 18: lower price, lower coal costs, and less storage space. Benefit of the 22: more grill / interior space. I don't know whether or the extent to which any of these matter to you. I have a 22. The price difference didn't matter to me. The amount I spend on coal (a normal smoke is a third to half a bag of kingsford) doesn't matter to me. I have lots of outside space. And on Thanksgiving I do two large turkeys on vertical stands, which barely fit in the 22.
Don't get the 18 get the 22. I have a kettle and at one point both the larger wsms. I got rid of the 18.
Ribs will fit just fine on the 18. Sometimes a packer is about an inch or two too long to fit, but if you grab a chunk of Mesquite and put it under the middle of the brisket, it'll fit just fine.
People always say an 18" because of fuel efficiency and ease of controlling temps, but there are easy mods that will help with that on a 22", like lid/door gaskets and a better charcoal grate. The extra space is worth it and you won't have to stress about whether stuff will fit.
I have an 18 and can make a lot of food. There are creative ways to add additional racks using wingnuts, washers and carriage bolts (make sure stainless steel only). If you are only cooking primary for 2 and only sometimes more ppl then an 18 is where you want to be. www.virtualweberbullet.com is an excellent resource. WSM 18 owner 13+ years
If you can get a WSM for $200, Bronco doesn't really make sense at $450. Your food won't taste $200 better. They are very similar products really.
Owner opinion is genuinely split here rather than one-sided (2 positive, 3 mixed, 2 negative), and most of the tension is about the 18-inch size, not smoker quality. Fans praise fuel efficiency and easier temperature control at this size, with one 13-year owner calling it the right pick for cooking for two; critics counter that briskets and large cuts sometimes need workarounds ("grab a chunk of Mesquite and put it under the middle") and several recommend sizing up to the 22-inch instead. A separate, less common complaint involves surface rust developing into small holes after a single hard overnight cook, which is worth watching for on used units. Value is consistently rated well against pricier alternatives like the Bronco. This is a strong pick if you're cooking for a small household and want proven fuel efficiency, but size up to the 22 if you regularly smoke full packers or cook for a crowd.
