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[ICA]

Fellas,
I'm looking for a smoker and wondering if you guys could give me your opinion on which brand and style is in your opinion better than the rest. I realize we're not going to be able to get a consensus, but your honest opinions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[anorden]

Fellas,
I'm looking for a smoker and wondering if you guys could give me your opinion on which brand and style is in your opinion better than the rest. I realize we're not going to be able to get a consensus, but your honest opinions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Do you have a budget in mind? I bought a little chief and for what it's worth wish I stumped up the $$ for a Bradley...

[milo]

It's hard to find anything better than a Bradley, but it sure is $$$.

Due to space restrictions, I use the Little Chief, which despite being limited in size and applications is quite enough for my family's needs, but cold-smoking in it is a PITA.

[Fish Assassin]

How do you cold smoke using a Little Chief ?

[Ambassador]

If you have the room and access to someone else's junk, they are pretty easy to make by gutting and modifying an old fridge. My dad has been using his for years and it is incredible. Beats my Little Chief by miles, though it is fine for my needs/quantities (just swap out the crap pan they include for a cast iron one).
If you have no room and are worried about the fire department storming your gate, you can make stellar jerky and Indian candy in a dehydrator adding liquid smoke to your marinade. I use my dehydrator more than my smoker with great results from both.

[Funeral Of Hearts]

Had a little chief for years,  it worked well.
LOVE my bradley smoker.

Depends on how often you think you will use it or how much money you are willing to invest. The little chief does a good job and won't break the bank as much as a  bradley.

[Ian Forbes]

The dehydrator is an excellent suggestion, Ambassador. I use liquid smoke all the time and it seems to do the same job with much less effort.

[BigFisher]

Is the little and big chief the same, just different sizes?
Whats the difference between the chiefs and the bradlys?

[Fish Assassin]

Is the little and big chief the same, just different sizes?

Yes

[milo]

How do you cold smoke using a Little Chief ?

By using only the two upper racks for the product, while reserving the bottom two for aluminum or stainless steel containers filled with ice. The ice will keep the temperature of the smoke and the interior of the Chief cool. Temperature control is achieved by adding or removing ice (or icy water) from the containers. More ice = colder smoker.
If you are smoking a wheel of gouda or a brick of cheddar, you want ice on both bottom grills. For lox I find that one container of ice is enough. It helps to have a thermometer handy...the one used for roasts and turkey works just fine.
You can just leave it hanging in a corner of the top rack. Temperature control is a bit of a pain, but after a while you figure it out and the results are equal to those obtained in much more expensive smokers at a fraction of the price.

[yoda]

Have used a true north smoker and the chiefs for years and did well with them. However, upon purchasing a bradlley i
have found  it to be much more consistent with end product.
It  all depends on how much smoking you are doing. The little chief would be a great one for less smoking.
I just love the temp controls, stainles steel construction and the wood wafers that drop into a pan of water to alleviate carcinogens
from burning wood. Bradley does all that and more. Considering how they were over 400$ only a few years ago they are not too badly priced now. Keep your eyes open for a sale. Think i saw them at Canadian Tire for 299$ lately. Make sure you get at least a  four rack smoker. They also have accesories for it including cold smoking parts.

[robbyvanz]

I second the Little Chief.  I always use Alder chips when I smoke fish.  Both Walmart and Army Navy carry the Little Chief. 

[firstlight]

The Chief smokers are basically a tin box with some racks and a small heating element.
The Bradley has an auto feed system for the wood chip pucks that you have to buy and they aren't cheap if you smoke a lot.
On the Chief you can use any wood you would you chop up yourself.

The Bradley has a control for the heat and a thermostat on the fancier digital model.
You can smoke in pretty much any weather with a Bradley but the Chief only puts out minimal heat and is more difficult to smoke in very cold weather.

Bradley also has options and accessories for cold smoking etc.

I have owned both and have enjoyed both but of course they are worlds apart in the cost dept.

If you plan on doing any amount of smoking over the years I would highly recommend the Bradley but for the occasional smoker the Chiefs are certainly worth it.

[IronNoggin]

If you have the room and access to someone else's junk, they are pretty easy to make by gutting and modifying an old fridge. My dad has been using his for years and it is incredible.

Yes, they ARE! I've been using these for 3 decades and more, they Work & Work WELL! 
You MUST however find one of the older model GLASS Insulated versions. The newer ones are Foam insulated, and will leach FORMALDEHYDE when heated!! 

Here's a picture of the one I've used for the past 6 or 7 years:



Literally Hundreds of pounds of fish, sausage and so much more run through this one.
The unit on the left is a Centro model, which I use for a firebox when cold smoking. Smoke passes through the flex tube to the main fridge unit and can be operated when ambient temperatures are not all that favorable by running the flex tube through a tub of salt ice. The Centro works FINE as a stand-alone smoker, and uses regular chips rather than expensive pucks. The fridge of course is Deadly as a hot-smoker as well.

Recently gave the fridge to a Buddy as I have acquired a new unit to work with. It is one of the old-style hospital food warmers, 3" of insulation, all stainless, 400 pounds on wheels. Will put a picture or two of the latest up once I've got her running...

Cheers,
Nog

[BigFisher]

The Chief smokers are basically a tin box with some racks and a small heating element.
The Bradley has an auto feed system for the wood chip pucks that you have to buy and they aren't cheap if you smoke a lot.
On the Chief you can use any wood you would you chop up yourself.

The Bradley has a control for the heat and a thermostat on the fancier digital model.
You can smoke in pretty much any weather with a Bradley but the Chief only puts out minimal heat and is more difficult to smoke in very cold weather.

Bradley also has options and accessories for cold smoking etc.

I have owned both and have enjoyed both but of course they are worlds apart in the cost dept.

If you plan on doing any amount of smoking over the years I would highly recommend the Bradley but for the occasional smoker the Chiefs are certainly worth it.

Thank you