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[RalphH]

I smoke only salmon no more than 3 times a year. I make one style which is a hot smoke recipe. The big chief is the one I use and the results are very good.

[BNF861]

I had a big chief smoker for years. Simple, works fine, all you need for occasionally smoking fish a few times a year. 

That being, said I got a Bradley smoker last year and wish I had years ago.

The Cheif has a simple on or off element, so the temperature is what it is. This makes smoking a little more weather dependant. The Bradley has an adjustable element and a thermometer built into the door so you can control the temp based on what you are doing. You can even crank the heat up enough to cook things. The Cheif is simply an aluminium box while the Bradley is insulated and seals well which keep the smoke and heat in better. The Chief requires you to take the front off to change chips (or at least open the trap door in some models) losing the smoke you have built up. The Bradley has a stack you fill with pucks that then self loads automatically every 20 minutes a new puck onto the element and then pushes the spent one off and into a bowl of water to extinguish it. You never need to open the door and lose you smoke and heat to change chips, it's a pretty slick setup. With the Chief you can use whatever wood chips you want to fill the pan with, but the Bradley requires specific pucks. The pucks are more expensive than a bag of chips, but they smoke quick and extremely well and are available in pretty much any flavor that you would want.

There is nothing wrong with the Chiefs, they are good for the occasional smoker and mine served me well for many years and fish. The Bradley is definitely a very nice unit and a step up. The only cons are the initial price and slightly higher expense for the chips.

[Fish Assassin]

I had a big chief smoker for years. Simple, works fine, all you need for occasionally smoking fish a few times a year. 

That being, said I got a Bradley smoker last year and wish I had years ago.

The Cheif has a simple on or off element, so the temperature is what it is. This makes smoking a little more weather dependant. The Bradley has an adjustable element and a thermometer built into the door so you can control the temp based on what you are doing. You can even crank the heat up enough to cook things. The Cheif is simply an aluminium box while the Bradley is insulated and seals well which keep the smoke and heat in better. The Chief requires you to take the front off to change chips (or at least open the trap door in some models) losing the smoke you have built up. The Bradley has a stack you fill with pucks that then self loads automatically every 20 minutes a new puck onto the element and then pushes the spent one off and into a bowl of water to extinguish it. You never need to open the door and lose you smoke and heat to change chips, it's a pretty slick setup. With the Chief you can use whatever wood chips you want to fill the pan with, but the Bradley requires specific pucks. The pucks are more expensive than a bag of chips, but they smoke quick and extremely well and are available in pretty much any flavor that you would want.

There is nothing wrong with the Chiefs, they are good for the occasional smoker and mine served me well for many years and fish. The Bradley is definitely a very nice unit and a step up. The only cons are the initial price and slightly higher expense for the chips.

Excellent comparison

[Bently]

Couple ideas for the guys looking to make their own smoker.

[Kenwee]

If you are cold smoking, nothing I know beats the bradley. It has a cold smoke adaptor and a digital temperature controller that keeps the temperature consistent. I bought it after much thinking about the cost but it was a wise decision, you get what you pay for.

[NiceFish]

Couple ideas for the guys looking to make their own smoker.

That top one with the propane hooked up to a burner is a big fire hazard just waiting for an un-educated owner. Those things can pump out 60,000BTU. Never leave it unattended; even for a minute.

[Bently]

That top one with the propane hooked up to a burner is a big fire hazard just waiting for an un-educated owner. Those things can pump out 60,000BTU. Never leave it unattended; even for a minute.

IMO only paranoid people would think like that. Tons of fire hazards out there, Bradley's, Little Chiefs, Portable Campfires, Deep Frying a Turkey, the list is endless, some people need to live in a bubble and not smoke fish.

[jacked55]

Here is another option for you.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Masterbuilt-Electric-Window-Smokers/1322261.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dmasterbuilt%2Bsmoker%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26x%3D11%26y%3D11&Ntt=masterbuilt+smoker&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products
I have had this for about 2 years and love it. It has almost all the same features as the bradley at a fraction of the price. And I find that Cabelas always has them in store, if not you can order online for free in store pickup. The only thing it does not do that the bradley does it there is no cold smoking option. So if that feature is important for you then you have to figure something out, ie using the ice option as previously explained. But i cant say enough good things about this product and the price.