by YetiDave » 16 Jan 2015, 22:39
I wouldn't buy one just for cold smoking as it's not the best shape to allow proper airflow. Cheap offsets are generally not a great way to go as the metal's so thin and (although I've no experience using them) I believe the general consensus is to use nothing but wood for fuel. Great if you've got access to a large, large amount of firewood, but to get it to cook right may end up costing you far more money and time than it's worth
If you're on a budget I'd recommend building an ugly drum smoker. There are tons of guides out there and from my own experience they're actually much better than cookers in a higher price range (Pro Q for example) The fuel consumption and temperature stability is unbelievable
If you've after nothing but cold smoke though, then a wooden box with bars for hanging meat may be a better option. All you need is the Pro Q cold smoke generator and sufficient airflow to make it work well. Cookers-wise though, UDS wins in my books