Weber 731001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 22-1/2-Inch Smoker

Product Description

Weber, 22-1/2", Black, Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker, Includes Thermometer, Improved Heat Resistant Nylon Handle, Porcelain On Steel Smoker Has 2 Heavy, Bright Nickel Plated 22-1/2" Cooking Grates, Porcelain On Steel Water Pan With Increased Capacity, Rus

Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #6784 in Lawn & Patio
* Size: 22-1/2-Inch
* Brand: Weber
* Model: 731001
* Dimensions: 26.50" h x 26.50" w x 36.00" l, 75.50 pounds

Features

* Charcoal smoker for authentic smokehouse flavor at home
* Can accommodate a whole turkey and an entire ham at the same time
* Made of porcelain-enameled steel; 2 nickel-plated 22-1/2-inch-wide cooking grates
* Water pan; thermometer; individual vents on bowl and lid; heat-resistant nylon handle
* Measures approximately 23 by 23 by 42 inches; 10-year limited warranty

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
There's nothing better than slow-cooked barbecue, and there's no better way to get authentic smokehouse flavor at home than with this charcoal smoker. An updated version of the Weber 2820, the smoker provides a spacious interior, which makes it possible to cook a whole turkey and an entire ham at the same time--perfect for large gatherings. Made of porcelain-enameled premium-grade steel, the smoker provides two, heavy, nickel-plated cooking grates that measure 22-1/2 inches in diameter--plenty of room for larger birds. A porcelain-enameled steel water pan adds steam to the cooking process, so meats stay moist and juicy. Even more, individual vents on the bowl and lid offer optimal air-flow control for tender meats and longer-burning charcoal, the heat-resistant nylon handle on the lid stays cool to the touch, and a handy thermometer makes it simple to check internal temperatures at a glance. The charcoal smoker measures approximately 23 by 23 by 42 inches and carries a 10-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews

Excellent, but a little pricey4
I am cooking ribs on my 22" WSM as I type this. This will be my third time cooking since I received it a few weeks ago and the results I've been getting have been some of the tastiest barbeque I've ever had. The design is excellent, the build quality is excellent, the instructions and support from Weber - all excellent. But after all this "hype" the reason I only gave it 4 stars out of 5 is because, as good as it is, I believe Weber has over-priced it somewhat. I would have expected something of this size and quality to be priced closer to $350 or so.

Anyway, the good news is, the key to successful barbeque is temperature control. I threw away money a few years ago on a cheaper smoker in which it was almost impossible to control and ruined several dollars worth of meat trying. But temperature control is what makes this unit great. The WSM almost feels like cheating. Once you get it set, it just seems to stay locked into a very narrow temperature range requiring very little adjustment as it cooks. It's as easy to keep it "locked in" at 200 degrees as it is to keep it at 325. However, there are a few little tips and tricks of the trade to cooking on a smoker and barbeque in general that require a little research, trial and error, and discussion with experienced "pit masters." For this I highly recommend The Virtual Weber Bullet website and The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board. There is a wealth of knowledge there and you can get questions answered by professionals as well as pit master wannabes who are just starting out and learning too.

I would recommend starting with a Weber Smokey Mountain, a high-quality, easy to use smoker, rather than wasting money on a cheaper one only to realize later that it's too frustrating to use and then have to break down and buy the good one later. That would be the MOST expensive way to get into barbeque at home.

Great cooker/Bad Thermometer4
Cooker holds temps for long cooks, but you will need to purchase an additional thermometer. The one in the lid runs actually lower than temps taken at the grate (it should be higher). Remote thermometers like the Maverick ET-73 will give you accurate temperature readings and you won't have to use the one in the lid. This cooker will hold a lot of food and is good if you do competition BBQ.

Excellent smoker - Hard to keep temperature low4
Really like the smoker. Two issues: 1) The door doesn't seal tight and lets smoke out and air in. 2) Hard a tough time keeping the temperature in the 200-250 degree range. I suspect that the "leaky" door may be the problem by letting air in even when the other vents are closed.

One suggestion also, the owner's manual says you need about 300 brickquets to cook a rack of ribs. I've only cooked ribs once, but I suspect you could get by with 1/2 that amount.

Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 18-1/2-Inch Smoker

Product Description

Weber, 18-1/2", Black, Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker, Includes Thermometer, Improved Heat Resistant Nylon Handle, Porcelain On Steel Smoker Has 2 Heavy, Bright Nickel Plated 18-1/2" Cooking Grates, Porcelain On Steel Water Pan With Increased Capacity, Rus

Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #427 in Lawn & Patio
* Size: 18-1/2-Inch
* Brand: Weber
* Model: 721001
* Dimensions: 21.50" h x 22.00" w x 30.00" l, 52.00 pounds

Features

* Charcoal smoker for authentic smokehouse flavor at home
* Can accommodate a whole turkey and an entire ham at the same time
* Made of porcelain-enameled steel; 2 nickel-plated 18-1/2-inch-wide cooking grates
* Water pan; thermometer; individual vents on bowl and lid; heat-resistant nylon handle
* Measures approximately 19 by 19 by 41 inches; 10-year limited warranty

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Product Description
There's nothing better than slow-cooked barbecue, and there's no better way to get authentic smokehouse flavor at home than with this charcoal smoker. An updated version of the Weber 2820, the smoker provides a spacious interior, which makes it possible to cook a whole turkey and an entire ham at the same time--perfect for large gatherings. Made of porcelain-enameled premium-grade steel, the smoker provides two, heavy, nickel-plated cooking grates that measure 18-1/2 inches in diameter--plenty of room for larger birds. A porcelain-enameled steel water pan adds steam to the cooking process, so meats stay moist and juicy. Even more, individual vents on the bowl and lid offer optimal air-flow control for tender meats and longer-burning charcoal, the heat-resistant nylon handle on the lid stays cool to the touch, and a handy thermometer makes it simple to check internal temperatures at a glance. The charcoal smoker measures approximately 19 by 19 by 41 inches and carries a 10-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews

Great improvement of a great product!5
As a fan of the earlier Smokey Mountain Cooker, I'm surprised and gratified with the changes they made to the smoker.

The previous smoker was an easy 5 stars in my book. I guess I'd have to give this one 6 stars, because it's better!

After using my old smoker for some time, I began finding ways to improve it. It seems that Weber thought so too, and their changes include all of mine plus a few more.

Here are some important improvements:

Wider door for adding charcoal & such. This is NOT a small detail but rather a much appreciated design change. The older model's smaller door made it more difficult to place wood chunks or new charcoal where I wanted them and once upon a time I knocked the water pan down into the coals trying to put a wood chunk toward the back of the smoker.

The door latch is spring loaded and features a lever type handle. The previous door latch is not spring loaded and had a featureless round knob. It was less secure and not always easy to tell if the latch was fully closed. Now it's obvious -- for those of us who need things to be obvious. :)

Built-in thermometer! To think I paid more than Amazon's current price on the smoker and then another $50 on a thermometer. Mine is even in the same place on the lid. Great minds think alike, I guess... and Weber added this useful feature while keeping the price under control.

Bottom ash catch pan. I never thought of that one but then again I have a concrete pad set up and it was never a big deal to sweep up a few stray ashes.

Overall, the smoker performs as well as the older model but is much easier to use. With the thermometer, it will be much easier to maintain temperature and smoke up some great grub right out of the box.

I am by no means an expert, but here are a few quick tips for using this smoker.

0. If you are interested in instant gratification, get a gas grill or go out for dinner. It takes some work, time and patience to use and maintain this smoker.
1. Keep the temperature as stable as you can.
2. Don't lift the lid any more than you have to (for mopping, adding charcoal, etc.
3. Use briquets, at least at first. It's much easier to work with compared to lump charcoal. If you do choose to use lump charcoal, don't add any extra wood chips or would chunks! You'll oversmoke the food and that's bad!
4. Start early. Give the charcoal time to start up, and the liquid in the water pan to get up to temperature before you put on the food.
5. Line the water pan with aluminum foil. Trust me; it will be much easier to clean later if you do!
6. Make small changes to the vents when you need to adjust the temperature. Give it some time to work.
7. Get a good book on smoking. I think we all know a good place to look for one...
8. The internet is your friend. Check out Weber's site, some of the bbq forums and most definitely Virtual Weber Bullet.

Better than previous Weber model5
Purchased this smoker to replace the previous Weber version (model 2820), which I enjoyed for several years. Used the new one on arrival to smoke the Christmas turkey, and it worked like a champion. Two major improvements I noticed were increased water pan capacity, and the new, larger door, which makes adding charcoal and water easier. I recommend this smoker.

Great Smoker- even for Newbies!5
I bought this smoker after extensive research. I have always been the "grill master" in my family, but never invested in a smoker. After using the Weber website and a few other websites dedicated to smoker cooking, I was able to successfully smoke 2 whole chickens the first time! The chickens were moist and had the most delicious, delicate, smoky favor!

I was so confident in my skills that a few weeks later ( and after much research) I had a BBQ at my house and smoked 15 lbs of chicken, 4 slabs of ribs, and 2 pork shoulders! I had to stay awake most of the night before (off & on), but the thermometer and the ease of use in adding charcoal made it very easy... I received rave reviews for my meat at the BBQ the next day!

If you're in the market for a smoker- this is it! It's great for everyone- experienced or newbie- it's worth the money 2x over!!!

P.S.- I didn't bother with a lot of the extras but the following items were invaluable. I used paraffin cubes that worked wonders!!! (non-toxic/no taste- found at Lowes) Also, If you're planning on ribs- invest $15 in a standing rib rack- you can stand 4 slabs up at a time- conserving space while not compromising on taste...
Happy Smoking!