ProQ E20 vs WSM

[Mike_P_in_Tucson]

With all due respect, I have never experienced a problem like vigorous boiling in my Excel 20. Perhaps with the ones you have seen the person had the coals way too hot to begin with. It is common occurrence, when someone is just learning water smokers, to get the coals going way too hot in an effort to get the smoker up to temp. It is a particular problem if starting with cold water.

I have cooked on WSMs with water and Excel 20 with water, and they operate virtually identically, except with the WSM it is somewhat easier to control temperature when using water. Water in a pan will react the same way to heat below, whether that water is in an Excel 20 water pan or a WSM water pan. It all depends on the temperature of the heat being applied.

[bencops]

I'm sure you both get good results from them. Out of interest, how do you two get them up to temperature, with cold water in them then, if you don't open the vents and hence get the coals too hot? Just so someone reading this thread in the future and having this issue will know.

[Mike_P_in_Tucson]

First off, we never start with cold water, at least I don't. I always start with hot water, not yet boiling.

Second, I leave vents open only for a bit, maybe until the smoker gets to around 175F. Then I shut two all the way and the third about half way. When it gets close to the desired temperature, the last vent is shut down to 1/4 open or less. That usually keeps it at the desired temperature. Of course, various weather conditions require adjustment.

[dronfield BBQ Ranch]

That's exactly what I do and have given others the same advice.

Now I have boiled water in the kettle before then added it to my cookers but that's only for scientific reasons, see water once boiled will heat up faster than from straight tap water because of less dissolved oxygen. This isn't something that must be done but it's something I remember from sixth grade science. Why I remembered I don't know but I did.

No longer using water though I'm more of a sand guy these days.

PLease explain your last comment as this is very interesting to those who may say " whats with the clay tray/ sorcer or whats he on about remove the water and use sand!!!!

I would like to understand this please and in lay man terms.

[bencops]

Clay saucer or sand is just a heat shield. Water is a heat shield plus it evaporates, removing heat from the system. The specific heat of water is about 6 times that of sand, so it is a significantly better thermal buffer than sand - plus it evaporates.

I can't see any benefit to using sand over the clay tray - a double walled metal plate would be better than the clay tray as it would be a better insulator to radiant heat - once it all comes up to temperature there can be no difference anyway. The only question is do you want to remove heat via steam or not.

[bencops]

sorry, in other words, sand is the same as clay saucer.

[BBQFanatic]

Dr S, I agree. I have owned both the ProQ and WSM. My experiences have been slightly different to Ed's - To be fair I have not used a stoker with my units (and unless my beer addled brain is missing a trick) I think Ed does which is going to control your temps more consistently.

The ProQ I found to be a very inconsistent as the stackers swell differently each time you use the unit, as a result I cannot guarantee the same heat profile/shape cook after cook. In addittion once they have cooled they take on a differernt shape so when re-stacking them sometimes they fit nicely and sometimes they dont. The normal resolution to this problem is to add a bit of tin foil to the leaky section. Once I moved from water to clay (cheers Adie) on the ProQ, my cooking consistency improved dramatically. I believe this was due largely (and I realise this is only my experience) to the way in which energy was being used in the ProQ (ie less energy boiling water, and more warming the smoker).

After the trip to the US and observing/chatting to the competing teams, the defacto std is the WSM for bullet style smokers. Almost all of them gave the exact same answer when quizzed, the WSM is more consistent. I purchased my WSM at the beginning of the year, did a few smokes with water, but got irritated with having to top up so moved to a clay saucer. However, I noticed on all occasions, the temperature shape was more consistent, even with different weather conditions and quantities of meat. I have noticed however, that my WSM likes to run a little hot, largely due to the smaller clay saucer I have, which I have now remedied by buying a bigger one.

In short, I loved my ProQ, but it was too inconsistent for competition cooking. This can largely be remedied by using a clay saucer and even more so if you use temp control fans. Generally I still believe this is the best value for money bullet style unit in the UK and for home cooking its ideal, especially when only using one stacker. (And yes I have owned a Brinkman, see my review http://www.bbbqs.com/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=997&start=10#p7546 - its too much trouble, but fun).

I am still learning the WSM but I have been impressed by its performance. Both Ben and myself were gobsmacked when we tested to see how economical it could be, doing a 14hr smoke on one charcoal starter load of lit coals - thats 14hrs with 3kg of charcoal sitting @ 225f. I was using a clay saucer and the outside conditions were perfect. So for the time being its the WSM, untill I get forced to take the next step in the Bbq Equipment Escalation waR (BEER ). I am still a fan of keeping it real - ie Charcoal, attention and nothing else - for my money the WSM is the best of the bunch (albeit more expensive - but prices are circa £250 now so not that far off the ProQ's).