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  #31  
Old 05-13-2018, 03:40 PM
gtr gtr is offline
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Originally Posted by bat119 View Post
I rarely use pucks anymore, I use the A-maze-n -smoker tube with True North Wood Bits the 12" unit burns for at least 6 hours.

Applewood smoked bacon anyone?

[IMG][/IMG]
The tubes are considerably more cost effective than the pucks. Once other smokers are used, its pretty tough to go back to a Bradley puck system.
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  #32  
Old 05-13-2018, 03:53 PM
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Originally Posted by 223MB View Post
what makes Bradley’s so special? I was in store today and nearly crapped myself when I seen the price they want for pucks.
From my experience, its not the smoker that's special, rather the owner thinks they are.
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  #33  
Old 05-13-2018, 04:31 PM
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In my opinion i think charcoal is better
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  #34  
Old 05-13-2018, 05:42 PM
223MB 223MB is offline
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Originally Posted by gtr View Post
From my experience, its not the smoker that's special, rather the owner thinks they are.
Fair enough, I’ve had trouble pulling the trigger on either a masterbuilt 40” or a cheaper Bradley. I would definitely get a Bradley if they didn’t run off those stupid pucks.
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  #35  
Old 05-14-2018, 08:44 AM
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Originally Posted by 223MB View Post
Which model in particular did you pick up?
I checked mine for a model number but it has none. It's digital and is about 30" tall.
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  #36  
Old 05-14-2018, 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by silver View Post
I checked mine for a model number but it has none. It's digital and is about 30" tall.
Does it have the separate door for accessing the burner/chip pan?
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  #37  
Old 05-14-2018, 09:44 AM
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Originally Posted by gtr View Post
From my experience, its not the smoker that's special, rather the owner thinks they are.
I've had a 6 rack digital bradley for years.....and I would tend to agree with you (this thread kinda proves your point )
It's a decent smoker, but has both it's pros and cons. I do agree with whoever said it, you shouldn't have to modify a $600 smoker to make it work properly. If I had to do it again, I would build my own, and run both electric and propane. (thought about drilling a hole in the side of this one and running a pipe thru it for piping in extra heat with propane when needed.

I've had issues with mine for years now with the smoke generator feeding pucks inconsistently. Figured it was maybe a one of problem, but know someone else who bought a brand new one 2 years ago and now having the same issue. Gotta say their customer service is sub par.
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  #38  
Old 05-14-2018, 11:43 AM
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Originally Posted by 223MB View Post
Does it have the separate door for accessing the burner/chip pan?
There is an access port on the right hand side. grab the handle and pull it out. It is a section of half round, load it with chips, push it in and turn it to dump.

Edit. I am eyeballing this port for cold smoking. If a person had a small stove or a smoker and rigged it up so the chimney ran into the chip port, you could smoke cheese or other product without raising the temp too much.

Last edited by silver; 05-14-2018 at 11:53 AM.
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  #39  
Old 05-14-2018, 02:54 PM
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I've had a 6 rack digital bradley for years.....and I would tend to agree with you (this thread kinda proves your point )
It's a decent smoker, but has both it's pros and cons. I do agree with whoever said it, you shouldn't have to modify a $600 smoker to make it work properly. If I had to do it again, I would build my own, and run both electric and propane. (thought about drilling a hole in the side of this one and running a pipe thru it for piping in extra heat with propane when needed.

I've had issues with mine for years now with the smoke generator feeding pucks inconsistently. Figured it was maybe a one of problem, but know someone else who bought a brand new one 2 years ago and now having the same issue. Gotta say their customer service is sub par.
Seems it's not hard to find people who have had issues with Bradley smokers. If you have spent five or six hundred on something, its maybe hard to admit there are better options for the job.
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  #40  
Old 05-14-2018, 03:56 PM
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Charcoal/wood is vastly superior to both.
X2
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  #41  
Old 05-14-2018, 04:07 PM
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Masterbuilt electric. Was on sale and used a gift card so practically free.
Auburn controller (maybe this one https://www.auberins.com/index.php?m...roducts_id=381 but I don't remember paying that much).
A-maze-n Pellet Tray.

I like the set up.
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  #42  
Old 05-14-2018, 04:13 PM
javlin101 javlin101 is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Xbolt7mm View Post
For you!!!!
You may like them, others want to do more than baby sit a smoker all day and night in some cases. To each their own but vastly superior is simple not true. Vastly different is more like it. Exactly the same differences between a wood burning cook stove and an electric and we all know why there is no wood burning stoves in homes anymore.
I do not understand the "babysit it day and night" I usually get my Weber setup and do not even have to look at it for hours." There are ways to setup the coals for long burns. It takes a little more effort but you also get the addition to a hint of that charcoal taste.

Also Webers are on the lower cost level and still rated as one of the top smokers out there.
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  #43  
Old 05-14-2018, 04:50 PM
pikeman06 pikeman06 is offline
 
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All a smoker really is is a chamber that holds smoke guys. Make one and put your own twist on it. Electric burners are cheap and adjustable or if you want propane just take an old tiger torch and choke off the orifice a bit or get a pilot light fitting. Go to the dump and grab some oven racks or buy some from cabelas and build off the rack dimensions...tin is cheap and bricks are too. Cinder blocks work good. Thermometer to see where you stand temperature wise and angle iron to support the racks. Cut up some little willow and that's your wood source. This blue tooth and digital this and that and wood pucks is not what smoking is all about...it's pretty simple and centuries old way of preserving and adding smoke flavour to food. I think that's getting lost in the smoke pardon the pun. Alberta outdoorsmen forum not Canadian tire shopping junkies forum. Bahaha.
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  #44  
Old 05-14-2018, 06:15 PM
Duramaximos Duramaximos is offline
 
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I have owned a 4 rack digital Bradley for 8 years. These days I only use it for cold smoking salmon and cheese. It is cobbled together with bondo, screws, and duct tape. I hope I can keep it going because im not likely to replace it...

I prefer charcoal and wood for all my hot smoking.

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  #45  
Old 05-17-2018, 05:35 PM
flydad&son flydad&son is offline
 
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Default Bradley four rack on sale

Cabelas has the Bradley 4 rack on sale until Monday at $50 bucks off. Currently $349.
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  #46  
Old 05-17-2018, 06:06 PM
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Originally Posted by MountainTi View Post
I've had issues with mine for years now with the smoke generator feeding pucks inconsistently. Figured it was maybe a one of problem, but know someone else who bought a brand new one 2 years ago and now having the same issue. Gotta say their customer service is sub par.
You need to replace the micro switches in the feeder $3 + 17 shipping or buy an Amaz-n smoker tube.
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  #47  
Old 05-17-2018, 06:25 PM
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Originally Posted by bat119 View Post
You need to replace the micro switches in the feeder $3 + 17 shipping or buy an Amaz-n smoker tube.
Or shim. Because the mounting design does not have adjustability-I build up the arm to bring it closer to the switch
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  #48  
Old 05-17-2018, 06:56 PM
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Originally Posted by omega50 View Post
Or shim. Because the mounting design does not have adjustability-I build up the arm to bring it closer to the switch
I wonder if you can buy Bradley duct tape?
After building numerous smokers over the last 40 years I decided I would buy a small automatic trouble free feed and forget smoker. Hah! buy a Bradley they said, it would be fun they said.
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  #49  
Old 05-17-2018, 07:27 PM
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Originally Posted by bat119 View Post
I wonder if you can buy Bradley duct tape?
After building numerous smokers over the last 40 years I decided I would buy a small automatic trouble free feed and forget smoker. Hah! buy a Bradley they said, it would be fun they said.
I learned my lesson early to never keep water in the ash bowl. First micro switch malfunction filled the bowl with unburnt soggy pucks
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  #50  
Old 05-17-2018, 08:08 PM
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I’m heading down to Texas for work next week, Gona try to see if there are any decent deals on smokers.
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  #51  
Old 05-17-2018, 08:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bat119 View Post
You need to replace the micro switches in the feeder $3 + 17 shipping or buy an Amaz-n smoker tube.
Quote:
Originally Posted by omega50 View Post
Or shim. Because the mounting design does not have adjustability-I build up the arm to bring it closer to the switch
Thanks for the info. I'll rip it apart one day and see what I can figure it out. I'll shoot a PM if I have any questions.
Customer service still won't get back to me, been trying for a while now

Be nice to get it fixed, having to set a timer for every 20 minutes and 75% of the time having to slide a puck forward manually and usually frying a finger on burner isn't very convenient anymore
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  #52  
Old 05-17-2018, 09:01 PM
jcrayford jcrayford is offline
 
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Bass Pro in Cross Iron had Masterbuilt 30" electric smokers on last weekend for $209. I love mine and got it at a steal. I'm no expert, but I've done a few batches of pepperoni, some bacon and some very excellent bacon wrapped stuffed burgers in March. Holds the heat fine down in temperatures that makes me want to stay inside to keep warm.

I do have an older home-built tin smoker that I use as a wind block though, as our back deck takes quite the hit from North winds.

I'm gonna try and find wood pellets to smoke with though; the loose wood chips seem to be hit and miss with me (especially when there's a Rum involved and I can't seem to fill the tube with enough chips?) ha ha ha....

J.
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  #53  
Old 05-17-2018, 11:34 PM
Etownpaul Etownpaul is offline
 
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Originally Posted by javlin101 View Post
I do not understand the "babysit it day and night" I usually get my Weber setup and do not even have to look at it for hours." There are ways to setup the coals for long burns. It takes a little more effort but you also get the addition to a hint of that charcoal taste.

Also Webers are on the lower cost level and still rated as one of the top smokers out there.
Agreed. There is a reason all the famous bbq joints down south don’t use electric smokers. The flavour just isn’t there.

I’ve got a pit boss kamado from Costco and a couple offset smokers I welded up from scrap pipe. I can set the pit boss to run 8+ hours without attention. I smoked a brisket on my deck over Xmas this year for 14 hours @220°F. The outside temp was -27°C.

Electric smokers are great for fish and cheese, but I’m more into smoking beef and pork, so they are not for me.
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  #54  
Old 05-18-2018, 08:32 AM
Moe.JKU Moe.JKU is offline
 
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What ever you do buy a larger one than what you originally think you want. I got gifted a 4 rack bradley, and wish i would have returned it and paid a little extra for the 6 rack.
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  #55  
Old 05-18-2018, 09:24 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pikeman06 View Post
All a smoker really is is a chamber that holds smoke guys. Make one and put your own twist on it. Electric burners are cheap and adjustable or if you want propane just take an old tiger torch and choke off the orifice a bit or get a pilot light fitting. Go to the dump and grab some oven racks or buy some from cabelas and build off the rack dimensions...tin is cheap and bricks are too. Cinder blocks work good. Thermometer to see where you stand temperature wise and angle iron to support the racks. Cut up some little willow and that's your wood source. This blue tooth and digital this and that and wood pucks is not what smoking is all about...it's pretty simple and centuries old way of preserving and adding smoke flavour to food. I think that's getting lost in the smoke pardon the pun. Alberta outdoorsmen forum not Canadian tire shopping junkies forum. Bahaha.


I hear ya. Made this one 25 yrs ago. An old 50’s fridge and an old indoor bbq element for heat. An old steel strainer for wood chips. $0 maintenance.



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  #56  
Old 05-18-2018, 11:05 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Etownpaul View Post
Agreed. There is a reason all the famous bbq joints down south don’t use electric smokers. The flavour just isn’t there.

I’ve got a pit boss kamado from Costco and a couple offset smokers I welded up from scrap pipe. I can set the pit boss to run 8+ hours without attention. I smoked a brisket on my deck over Xmas this year for 14 hours @220°F. The outside temp was -27°C.

Electric smokers are great for fish and cheese, but I’m more into smoking beef and pork, so they are not for me.
100%! I feel that the electric and gas smokers really shine for smoking hams, bacon, cheese etc. My dad uses electric smokers exclusively and always complains how he can’t get the same flavour I do using wood and charcoal. He’s been doing this for 40+ years and finally broke down and bought a Kamado last fall.
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  #57  
Old 05-19-2018, 11:30 AM
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CX Shooters supply in Morinville has the 6 rack Bradly on sale for just of $400 if anyone is looking.
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  #58  
Old 05-19-2018, 12:51 PM
Weedy1 Weedy1 is offline
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Home Depot Bradley Original 4-Rack Insulated Automatic Smoker

$299.00

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.o...000775770.html
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  #59  
Old 05-20-2018, 09:55 AM
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Originally Posted by omega50 View Post
I learned my lesson early to never keep water in the ash bowl. First micro switch malfunction filled the bowl with unburnt soggy pucks
You cook anything wrapped in bacon with a dry bowl I’d strongly suggest you keep the smoker away from your house, garage or fence. Place it somewhere where you can grab a beer and watch the smoke and fire engulf the smoker. Voice of experience talking here lol
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  #60  
Old 05-20-2018, 10:08 AM
Xbolt7mm Xbolt7mm is offline
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Originally Posted by Etownpaul View Post
Agreed. There is a reason all the famous bbq joints down south don’t use electric smokers. The flavour just isn’t there.

I’ve got a pit boss kamado from Costco and a couple offset smokers I welded up from scrap pipe. I can set the pit boss to run 8+ hours without attention. I smoked a brisket on my deck over Xmas this year for 14 hours @220°F. The outside temp was -27°C.

Electric smokers are great for fish and cheese, but I’m more into smoking beef and pork, so they are not for me.
Like gtr said, the owners always say theirs is the best. One could also say the big restaurants would need a 480 volt electric supply to create 225 degrees in a smoker that large for that amount of time. The smoke is easy to make.consistent heat is tougher. BTW most of the large commercial smokers use Uber type controls to keep the heat consistent which essentially makes them controlled exactly the same as a pellet grill. Look at the competitive bbq circuit. There are stick burners but way more pellet but I have no idea if you lump those as electric as they do plug in. Not saying one is better just pointing out a few things
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