Selling WSM to buy a GMG, am I mad?

[Mj2k]

Hi,

Had my WSM 18.5 for a couple of years now & getting interested in a GMG JB or DB.

Personally blame the threads talking about the more portable unit, which got me thinking about changing.

I've got an IQ110 controller for the WSM, but love the thought of how easy a pellet smoker is. I've often wondered if I should have gone for the larger WSM, and having similar thoughts now on which GMG as given the price will only be buying once.

It is not necessarily capacity drive, but ease of use, without trying to fit things in / manoeuvre about. In theory having the mid sized GMG should work, as have removed the middle rack WSM equivalent, and then still can buy an extra shelf...or do I just go for the biggest from to start?!

Also as a guide, if I sold the WSM, is there a default price for them second hand in perfect condition? Or do I just keep it, just in case? (Alongside the
OTG 22.5, the smokey Joe & the Sprit 310....)

Thanks

Matt

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[Tiny]

Well old chap I see it like this,
For me if you are in the world of pit controllers then for me you are regulating the temp using electronic wizadry, so to persevere with charcoal seems like madness to me as you are just adding in a variable that can knacker your cook. Apart from self lighting is straight out of Satans own store then all discussions on charcoal seem to centre around burn time or heat or piece size. All these factors apply to either cost or repeatability/duration of cook. Never seen a discussion thread "which charcoal gives the tastiest result".

So next decision is smoke flavour. The GMG can run on pre mixed pellets like the GMG ones or "single malt" woods. I concede there is less variety in this world, eg you cant get silver birch or Juniper pellets, but is this an issue? I don't think so, although because we are mostly all BBQ nerds then the thought of using sapient pearwood excites us most go back to Oak, hickory, apple , cheery and other mainstream woods. So it is an narrow win for the WSM here.

I don't think the price differential is as much as you would think. The GMG comes with temp control, a meat probe so you could argue that this means you have to add a pit controller and a maverick to be like for like. I have run my GMG for a year and it is tons cheaper than running charcoal and wood....I think if you are a regular griller than you will be level on cost after a couple of years.

So which to buy, for me if you are in friends and family bbq then the DB will do it all, I have done 4 large chickens, or a 15lb packer brisket with plenty room to spare, and grilling 20 Quarter pounders in a oner......so plenty.

I absolutely love my GMG, the fact I can drive it from my phone makes it the only truly accessable BBQ for an blind man, but this aside I would say you are making an excellent decision, GMG is the future I have tasted it.....
Cheers
Tiny

[Mj2k]

Thanks Tiny, it sounds like you much have also saved me the extra few hundred pounds on the bigger unit. Although I do wonder if bigger make more sense having gone for the smaller one on the WSM, although no need to mess about with 2 grill levels.

Like your description on minimising variables and that appeals a great deal.

Regarding the wifi, is it something I could control from my office be being at home? Not seen a reference to this, so assuming it is only local control?

Cheers

Matt

[Tiny]

Currently it is local based on you logging on to the wifi of the unit, but there is talk of the "control from office2" option
Cheers
Tiny

[Mj2k]

Currently it is local based on you logging on to the wifi of the unit, but there is talk of the "control from office2" option
Cheers
Tiny

The control from office sounds perfect, I'm getting more and more sold on this - thanks Tiny

[JBBQ]

Also... you could add a second tier...
https://twitter.com/daft_pork/status/637766415584489472

if 10 butts aint enough then get the bigger one

[Mj2k]

Also... you could add a second tier...
https://twitter.com/daft_pork/status/637766415584489472

if 10 butts aint enough then get the bigger one

Think that gives me enough confidence that maybe the larger one isn't required!


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[JBBQ]

its a home made job but not that skilful a task - maybe one spanner in Haynes?

[lakemirror]

With my Jim Bowie, the additional shelf is nice for expanded space but it takes up space on the main rack. The factory expansion shelf is not full sized, but more like 2/3 the size of the bottom rack. The legs that it sits on usually fall in just the wrong place to allow me to fill the bottom rack....for instance, I can get 6 slabs of baby backs on the bottom rack easily, but to add the top rack and get four more slabs means sacrificing two slabs from the bottom. Therefore the expansion rack only gives me net two slabs additional.

Here, though, is a fantastic idea. A fellow BBQer on another board designed secondary racks for the JB (or any other size) by getting replacement main racks and adding legs to them. The support legs impede lower rack filling very little, and the upper rack is a full 100% increase in space.

This is my next project.

http://pelletheads.com/index.php?topic=14660.0

[Mj2k]

I'd seen that on a quick Google search for images & liked it a lot.

Realistically, I hated using the bottom shelf in my WSM due to the hassle of taking the top shelf out to access, having the same space horizontally on the smaller GMG should give enough space to begin with & can then do this extra shelf if required.

I'm assuming stainless is the way to go grill wise, and is anyone using the GMG remote? Seems expensive vs my Maverick & can use the iPhone to change temp & see food temp. Does the app signal low pellet warnings?