Hi folks, I want to get a Weber smokey mountain smoker. I've never owned a smoker, but I've always wanted to do it and now have the space to keep one.

My main plan is to smoke pulled pork. It seems to me that a 14.5'' weber smokey mountain will do two boston butts and the same time, which seems like plenty to me. Given this is all I really plan on doing with a smoker, is the 14.5'' WSM a good option, or should I still consider the 18''?

Get a Pellet grill, Thank me later

I run a 18 and do pork butts, vertical chickens and turkey, and prime ribs in the 8-13 lb range.  I don't really do long cuts like full racks of ribs or a whole brisket so a 22 wasn't needed. I could get by with a 14 but I went with a 18 and would do it all over again. Having all of your food over the water bowl helps keep the temp more even.  Where as if its almost to the outside edge, that area is going to see a little more heat as it hangs over the diameter of the water bowl.

I  normally cook on the top rack. The vertical turkey, and chickens I cook on the bottom rack  with the top one left out.  With chicken and turkey i do at a higher temp with the door propped open. (300-350 deg range)


The weber is easy to run once you get the hang of it.

For smoking, I would get an electric smoker before I'd get a pellet grill.  

I'd go for the larger one myself. I got back into smoking 4 yrs ago and thought I'd just be doing pork butts, ribs, jerky,etc and bought what I thought was
the right size, in effect small. Since, I've branched out into sausage, snack stix, etc and find myself limited to how much I can do in a smoke without being
able to hang them.

I'll be buying a bigger smoker at 1st opportunity.

I have an 18.  Unless I'm taking it with me someplace, I'd get the 18.  

I've got the 14.5, it was a gift from the wife. It's just my wife and I and our daughter, so for the three of us it handles what I need it to.

I love smoking butts, to your point I can do two at a time, but it's a TIGHT fit with a big 9-10 lb piece of meat. And your charcoal basket is pretty small, so those big cooks can be a little challenging as far as managing fuel. I have to cut down racks of ribs or use a vertical 'snake' rack, and I've managed to do a 'small' Thanksgiving turkey on the bottom rack two years in a row. I will say, with some insulation added to the edge of the door, the thing will hold temperature like a champ

I love my bullet, but I wouldn't hesitate to get a bigger one.

ALWAYS go for the bigger option when it comes to grills or smokers.

You will 100% regret getting the small model.

Even if you almost never need the extra space, times will come that you do.

Definitely the 18.  I have an 18 and wish I had a 22.

I'd pass on the 14.5 to avoid NFA issues.  

:)

Me bought the 18" and love it! Never to big as I have smoked turkey to prime rib on it.

Also let me say when can extra room for stuff be bad? Smoke two butts how about four? Two butts and a few ribs or a brisket.

18" for sure.  You want room, when a smoker is jam packed full, it doesn't run as easily or turn out taste as good as it could.  

I do full racks of ribs on mine, but they're tight lengthwise.  Same with full packer briskets.  Pork butts I can do two on top without issue.  Believe me, getting at meat on the bottom rack sucks.  I rarely use it.

If I was ONLY going to do pulled pork, I would probably just get a smoke and sear for my kettle and use that.  Ribs are so easy and fast, they're probably my favorite thing to smoke.  Brisket is second because it's just so damn delicious.  Pork butts always take quite a while and pulled pork is just not my favorite.



Also, don't get pulled into the electronic devices that claim to hold temps better on the WSM.  WSM's hold temp so well with only the provided intake/exhaust that it's just not necessary.  In good weather, I can get 14-18hrs on one full load of Kingsford in my 18" WSM and only touch the vents once.  I run them wide open till I start getting towards my target temp, and then move them down so they're all about 2/3 open and it holds 250 beautifully.

I want a 22" now.

Buy the biggest you can afford.

I opted for the pellet grill first and I'm glad I did.  I used it for 10 years to start getting into the bbq world because there are a lot of variables and I wanted to simplify the process as much as I could and just focus on the meat.  Once I got all my recipes dialed in where I wanted, then I bought a 14.5 WSM about 2 years ago.  Honestly I've only used it a handful of times.  I have a 6 year old who keeps me pretty busy on the weekends and there are not a lot of days when I can be available to frequently check on the WSM temps and make minor adjustments.  With the pellet grill I know that as long as the hopper is full of pellets, it's holding the right temp.

I do prefer the smoke flavor on the WSM over a pellet grill though.  The 14.5 WSM is more than big enough for our family of three, but I've also got the pellet grill if I need more cooking space.

Notice no address!!!!

Get the larger smoker in the end your going to want to get a bigger one! I have had mine now for 10+ years love it! Yet I have asked about pellet smokers.

Yet can get any larger! Of your new buy a electric smoker had to use one after I had my Webber because the apartments I was on did not allowed charcoal grill/smoker.

I learned a lot from that smoker!! Looking at getting another one just because how easy it is to smoke with it and it's a lot of set and forget! Also does not cost $$$$ like pellet smoker that's not including the pellets!

Just my $0.02!

go big or go home. the 18 IS the small one. 22 is the big one. and even that isnt that big.

I bought the 18. This is about the perfect size for me. Just smoked my first pork shoulder. It turned out great.

As many say on youtube, the Weber smokey mountain is actually really easy to set the temp on. I got it started, and fiddled with the vents for about an hour (first use), and once set, the temperature stayed perfectly steady until the heat of the day. One more adjustment, and it stayed perfect for the rest of the cook. I'm quite impressed.

While not perfect, I've never had a first attempt at cooking anything turn out so good.

Congrats.  

I've been very happy with mine.  Stock up on charcoal.

Good choice.

WSM is fantastic.  Turns out great tasting food, does not require electricity, will not have a computer board failure on you, you know before hand if you have enough charcoal for a cook, you can make your own charcoal if necessary unlike pellets.  

Like you saw, it will hold temps super easy.  That gets easier as the inside of it becomes sooty/smoky and less reflective.  I've had my 18 for years now, might get a 22" soon.  I'm looking into a big offset too.