38 in. Vertical Propane Gas Smoker with 2 Drawer Access

The Smoky Mountain 38 in. Vertical Smoker smoker could, with a little effort by the manufacturer, be a five star except for a few drawbacks. I've had it a few weeks and used it twice since the seasoning. Drawbacks for this unit are: (1) Installing the burner assembly I discovered that the burner tube from the back of the control panel did not make it into the brass valve stem as shown in the manual. It was about 3/8" short. The pre-drilled holes were simply in the wrong place and I had to re-drill them and re-position the control panel to get a proper fit. 2) Door does not hang square with the cabinet...it is misaligned and can't be adjusted. 3) There are two magnets which hold the main door closed but only the top magnet makes contact with the door. This results in smoke escaping through the gaps. I will eventually install latches to secure the door. 4) The igniter does not work. After 5 or 6 clicks it might work but you'll get a BOOM. Yes, you're supposed to STOP, if it doesn't work after a few clicks, turn everything OFF, open the cabinet and WAIT five minutes. But who wants to go through that every time? I use a striker to ignite the flame...much safer. 5) The plastic door / drawer handles get very hot. I don't see the handles lasting very long...they're loose on the metal brackets. I will eventually retrofit this with aftermarket spring handles. All that being said, the Smoky Mountain does a pretty decent job of cooking. The water pan is good size as is the sturdy wood chip box. I got good smoke using oak and hickory cut on my property, and put fresh chips in at about 45 min. to keep the smoke rolling. The unit was easy to maintain at 240 degrees throughout the smoke. I checked the temp against a digital thermometer and it was spot on. The Landmann / Smokey Mountain people could make this an outstanding, still-affordable smoker with a little more attention to quality control / fit and finish, and decent handles and latches. I give 3 stars for the reasons listed, but I plan to enjoy what I have with a few modifications (after warranty period ends of course!).

This is my first smoker and its worth the coin. I've worked with smokers owned by friends (cheaper models) and they don't even compare in quality. The ignition and burner control work excellent and the unit holds desired temperature with ease. The primary selling feature for me was the two drawer access which allows the user to add/change water or wood chips without sacrificing all of that good smoke in the main chamber. There is a fair amount of assembly time but its not difficult. So far I have smoked spare ribs, venison tenderloin, cornish hens and baked beans and my family/friends have enjoyed them all.

The door is warped and will not close tightly. The temperature gage does not work At all. The chimney is very tight and difficult to adjust.

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

My last review got rejected because it was thought to be a shipping problem. What I can say is the sheet metal on this smoker is very low quality and thin. The drawer handles feel cheap and flex easily The magnetic doors do not work as many others have pointed out. They definitely will not work with a probe wire. I would spend a $100 more and get something that will last much longer.

Arrived early. Seamless transaction

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

Rating provided by a verified purchaser

I just got this smoker and while I look forward to trying it out this Spring, I recommend picking up in the store instead of shipping. Mine had a dent on one of the corners and some other minor damage. Outside of that, this appears to be a nice product

Burner assembly failed. Gas is leaking everywhere. No parts are available. Going to the dump where it belongs.