The best barbeque smoker for your home should be user friendly and safe. An excellent example is the Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM). Throughout the years, Weber never stops innovating. You can count on them for overall reliable grilling products that are so easy to use, no matter your skill level.
Asides from barbequing over your ordinary charcoal grills, you can also make your meals special with this iconic water smoker. Barbeque and grill your meat for over a few hours to give it a rich and satisfying flavor. The process also tenderizes the meat.
There are so many things you can do with the beautiful Smokey Mountain! Let’s check the Weber Smokey Mountain overview below.
Weber Smokey Mountain Overview
Weber smokers have been around for years, and one thing’s for sure: they would never let you down with their excellent quality electric smoker. That is what they have provided throughout the years.
With that, Weber grills and smokers have successfully satisfied many who love outdoor cooking. They influenced others to fall in love with the heat and smoke that BBQ brings.
The brand has introduced different kinds of high-quality Smokey Mountains available in its market. All come with excellent built and design, only differing in their sizes.
Each size has its pros and cons, especially for beginner smokers. With that said, choosing one is easier said than done.
So whether you’re deciding which smoker to get, or if you should even consider buying one, read on to compare them. Then, you can find out what you like.
Weber Smokey Mountain Size Options
The Weber Smokey Mountain cooker comes in three different diameters: 14.5, 18.5, and 22.5 inches.
Having different built sizes mean they have different cooking areas. Sometimes, the small difference in square inches is essential to a cook.
Before deciding on the size of a smoker- some things you need to think about: How much cooking space do you have available in your house? What do you plan on cooking with a smoker? Do you often need to move the smoker around? How much are you willing to spend?
The 14.5 inches model is the smallest and also the cheapest. This model is the best choice if you only plan on cooking small amounts of meat. With this model, you will not be able to cook a whole chicken or a whole turkey without cutting the meat. It is the best choice for beginner smokers.
Given its size and weight, the 14.5-inch model is small and easy to pick up by a single person, making it effortless to move from one place to another. It is also easy to bring when traveling in a small vehicle.
The bigger size is the 18.5-inch model. Most people find this size just right. You can cook good enough quantities of meat and still be able to lift the smoker. Even though it may take up more space in a vehicle, this model is always easy to travel with because it is not too big.
Lastly, the 22.5-inch model isn’t travel-friendly. You may need to disassemble the pieces before transportation, then reassemble them when you arrive at your destination. The bulkiness causes some inconvenience, but it’s not impossible to do.
It is the biggest and heaviest among the three and the most expensive. Along with its significant size, the good thing is that it has a big cooking surface. This model size is best for cooking a lot of meat, a lot of the time. This smoker is also known for being better than other large, commercial cookers.
What’s Good About the Weber Smokey Mountain (The Pros)
There is no denying that this cooker from Weber is an excellent choice for both beginner smokers and barbeque experts. It is easy to use, and it produces a tasty barbeque.
It is also easy to assemble, needing a straight blade screwdriver and an adjustable wrench. You shouldn’t need more than an hour for this procedure after unboxing your new smoker.
One good thing about the WSM is that it is low maintenance in terms of cooking. You only need to slow cook meat in it, leaving less maintenance. It’s unlike an offset smoker where you to tend to the fire set under the flesh.
Aside from that, setting your WSM desired temperature becomes comfortable with its built-in thermometer. This feature makes temperature control effortless. It is so easy to monitor the internal temperature of your smoker.
You can also opt to get the wireless thermometer from the same brand. You will spend more money, but some people prefer this to make smoking a more straightforward job. With the wireless meat thermometer, you could multitask and prepare your sauce while waiting for your meat to cook.
Another good thing about it is that it can also work for cold smoking certain foods – even work like a grill, which will be discussed further down the article.
Nonetheless, the Weber Smokey Mountain is worth every penny.
WSM Build Quality and Design
One look is all it takes to see the Weber Smokey Mountain’s excellent build quality. The smoker’s legs are sturdy enough, and Weber has provided a secure access door to load your charcoal or wood chunks.
The quality, charcoal-fueled, bullet-shaped smokers come in a uniformed black color. They have long-lasting porcelain, and there are chrome coatings for the bowl, lid, center section, and water pan.
Other main features of each Smokey Mountain are the plated steel cooking grates and the heavy-gauge steel charcoal grates. Meanwhile, there’s also the built-in lid smoker thermometers, the charcoal chamber, silicone temperature grommet, a rust-resistant aluminum fuel door, and a rust-resistant bowl-shaped aluminum heat shield.
One thing to note is a common rookie mistake due to its metal built and design. Many tend to forgo common sense and forget that everything on the smoker is hot when used. Therefore, you must have gloves on whether you are opening or closing the vent, taking off the lid, or adding some charcoal or wood pellets.
Weber Smokey Mountain Warranty
Warranties are something every buyer looks into, especially when spending a lot. Many people prefer more extended warranties as it gives them peace of mind in case anything needs to be returned, replaced, or repaired.
It’s a good thing that Weber offers not only high-quality products but also an exceptional warranty that is worth every penny. The company offers its buyers up to 10 years guaranteed warranty for every WSM purchase.
However, only the bowl, lid, and center ring that have no signs of rust or burn troughs can avail the ten years warranty. For plastic components that don’t show any visible fading or discoloration, you get five years warranty for those parts. The other remaining parts of the smoker only get two years.
It stresses cleaning and maintaining your smoker to keep it good shape so you can avail of the warranty in case of emergencies.
What’s Not So Nice About Smokey Mountain (The Cons)
With every good point comes a lousy point. Even though there is so much to love about Weber’s bullet smoker, it does have some cons. To understand, you need to think about competition.
There is another known smoker called the kamado style smoker. Although this costs more than a Smokey Mountain, it has better heat retention. How does it do that? Because kamado smokers have something special called ceramics. This material is so good at sealing in the heat.
Despite that, it is not a good idea to cook both meat and seafood in the same smoker. The smell of seafood is more potent than that of beef or pork. It would penetrate the other food, changing their taste.
Another downside to this well-loved bullet smoker is that many users find its access door a little flimsy, which leads to heat leak. Therefore, temperature control is tricky, especially for beginners.
However, the WSM has been around for many years now. It still proves efficiency as they keep on improving. They treat the customer reviews as constructive criticism. There is no doubt that a better access door will soon be in the making.
Can You Use Your Smokey Mountain as a Grill?
There is another way to use your Smokey Mountain at home. Aside from being a smoker, it can turn into a small regular grill.
You can do it quickly because the WSM only has three major parts: the top lid, the middle cooking section, and the bottom charcoal bowl.
To make a griller out of your friendly smoker, all you have to do is remove the water pan and the bottom cooking grate, as you won’t need these parts. You can place the charcoal grate there instead.
If you usually travel, the benefit you get from converting this bullet smoker into a grill is a larger cooking area than most portable grills. So, bringing this to your camping or picnic is more convenient.
So instead of a griller and a separate smoker, getting a Weber Smokey Mountain is much better. It’s a great steal, as you can use it as a smoker and a griller combo, saving you money.
How Do You Clean the WSM Grill?
Like any cooking equipment, cleaning is essential for clean and safe food. Asides from the cooked food, proper cleaning will keep your Weber Smokey Mountain in good working condition for many years.
We all know that bacteria are everywhere. Even air exposure poses a risk. So, a crucial thing to do before using your smoker is to clean it thoroughly. It also doesn’t hurt to tidy it up after every use.
First, you can clean the grates by soaking it in hot soapy water before washing it with a scrubbing sponge. You must also brush the cooking area to get rid of built-up flakes since you don’t want them on your barbeque. Wipe with a clean cloth after brushing.
You should also dispose of the water in the water bowl. Then, soak it in hot soapy water, but instead of a scrubbing sponge, use a soft sponge to avoid scratches that may make your warranty voided.
After disposing of the water, you should also take out the ashes safely. Although they seem cold, you never know how hot some of the ash is. Avoid getting yourself burned.
You should also inspect your Smokey Mountain from time to time. Look for any reason to send the smoker back to the manufacturer. Weber offers a premium warranty to their buyers, so you have the right to use it whenever you need it. Make it a habit to regularly clean your special vertical smoker.
Which Weber Smokey Mountain for You?
Since they mainly differ in size, all three Weber Smokey Mountains make great smokers for anyone. They are also easy to assemble and clean. Additionally, its design is sleek and convenient to place in the backyard or keep in any garage or storage rooms.
But out of the three charcoal smoker models available, I would put my money on the 18-inch model. It is not too small yet, not too big!
You can cook enough meat for yourself. You can also cook a lot of meat for your whole family. Best of all, you can single-handedly move the smoker or load it in the back of your vehicle without having to dismantle it first.
In the end, it depends on your needs and preferences on size. Go back to the questions above, and you can have an answer.
I spent most of my life fascinated by food, and the outdoors. I can’t think of a more fitting combo that leads to mastering the art of BBQ one day. I ended up decent enough to grill the perfect burger and choose the best equipment after years of improvement. I create this website for outdoor cooking enthusiasts, who are fueled by interest but lacking in help, feel educated when they leave because I see my past clueless self in them.
