new offset
Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 7:51 pm
so i've narrowed my choices down to 2 pits
1) yoder wichita - i really like the old school aesthetics of the round firebox, chamber, and exhaust. it's a very simple and clean look, and i like the minimalist appearance. the welds look super precise in all the pictures i've seen...the chimney exhaust is located at the top of the chamber, but they said that it can be moved down towards the center in between the grates for little cost, which i hear keeps heat distributed more evenly. some of the videos i've seen on youtube show that the differentials from one end to the other could be up to 50 degrees, so maybe having it lower would help that a bit. the firebox door does not look flanged, so in one video, i could see light peeking through the door when looking inside out. the heat plate is one single, heavy piece, therefore it is not adjustable. however, very tight look, lots of cooking space with two levels, 75 year warranty, and many positive reviews (altho i've not read negative reviews when it comes to cookers at these price points)
2) lone star grillz - if it looked like the wichita, i'd have jumped on this immediately. it's a larger smoker at 24" vs. 20", so the top cooking grate is larger. there is adjustability when it comes to the heat plates, so there can be variability in temps as each plate is adjusted. the welds don't look as clean as the yoder, but i'm just going by pictures. however, there are very many pros about this offset - the large, flanged firebox appears to very solid, and you can cook on the skillet without fear of losing too much heat (based on their sales pitch), it is a 24" diameter chamber, so there is a lot of cooking real estate on 2 levels, and the entire cooking chamber can have water added to the bottom to allow for moisture and is closed off with a valve. i can also add temp probes as well as a handle for only 10 bucks, so small customizations are not very pricey
when it comes to price, the yoder costs a bit more since it has to be shipped and the lone star can be picked up locally...i'll also be wanting to add a charcoal basket and a second thermometer on whatever i choose
i have a feeling i'll be picking myself up a lone star, but wait time is 3 months; 5 weeks for a yoder
i may drive out there one day soon so i can see this cooker up close
1) yoder wichita - i really like the old school aesthetics of the round firebox, chamber, and exhaust. it's a very simple and clean look, and i like the minimalist appearance. the welds look super precise in all the pictures i've seen...the chimney exhaust is located at the top of the chamber, but they said that it can be moved down towards the center in between the grates for little cost, which i hear keeps heat distributed more evenly. some of the videos i've seen on youtube show that the differentials from one end to the other could be up to 50 degrees, so maybe having it lower would help that a bit. the firebox door does not look flanged, so in one video, i could see light peeking through the door when looking inside out. the heat plate is one single, heavy piece, therefore it is not adjustable. however, very tight look, lots of cooking space with two levels, 75 year warranty, and many positive reviews (altho i've not read negative reviews when it comes to cookers at these price points)
2) lone star grillz - if it looked like the wichita, i'd have jumped on this immediately. it's a larger smoker at 24" vs. 20", so the top cooking grate is larger. there is adjustability when it comes to the heat plates, so there can be variability in temps as each plate is adjusted. the welds don't look as clean as the yoder, but i'm just going by pictures. however, there are very many pros about this offset - the large, flanged firebox appears to very solid, and you can cook on the skillet without fear of losing too much heat (based on their sales pitch), it is a 24" diameter chamber, so there is a lot of cooking real estate on 2 levels, and the entire cooking chamber can have water added to the bottom to allow for moisture and is closed off with a valve. i can also add temp probes as well as a handle for only 10 bucks, so small customizations are not very pricey
when it comes to price, the yoder costs a bit more since it has to be shipped and the lone star can be picked up locally...i'll also be wanting to add a charcoal basket and a second thermometer on whatever i choose
i have a feeling i'll be picking myself up a lone star, but wait time is 3 months; 5 weeks for a yoder
i may drive out there one day soon so i can see this cooker up close