Do you enjoy the art of barbecue and wish to have a smoker that you can use for cooking large quantities of meat? You are looking in the right place. The Weber Smokey Mountain and the Traeger are both tried-and-true outdoor cookers that allow you to make delicious tasting smoked meat.
Many people are wondering which of these cookers they should get. Without having tried them, the only thing they have to go by is their specifications. If you have read the product descriptions for each of these smokers, you already know that you will never be able to guess which one is best.
That’s why we have created our Weber Smokey Mountain vs Traeger article for those who don’t have any experience using either of these cookers.
Looking for the best outdoor cooker? Check out our comparison review of the Pit Barrel vs Barrelhouse cooker.
Weber Smokey Mountain vs Traeger
Weber Smokey Mountain vs Traeger: What Is Great About These Cookers
Before we get into the nitty-gritty details about which of these might be best for you, we want to point out what benefits they have in common. We have made a small list of the reasons why these cookers are just awesome.
- Cook for large parties: The reason why people get large cookers such as these is for BBQ’ing for large parties. You will get large racks on which you can put your ribs and your roasts. You can cook large volumes at a time. With regular BBQs, you constantly need to watch the food as it is cooking and replace the food with more so that you have enough for your party. With these cookers, you only need to put the meat in once.
- Get a smoky taste: Both of these cookers use fuel that produces smoke. The smoke produced by these cookers penetrates into the meat and gives it that smoky taste. You will not get as much of a smoky taste as with an offset cooker, but you definitely save on costs by going with one of these. You will get smoked meat that is cooked through and through while getting a tender taste.
- They will last a long time: Both of these cookers are built to last a very long time. They are made from very durable materials that will not break, even when dropped. You can expect both of these cookers to last a lifetime if you take good care of them.
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Our Weber Smokey Mountain vs Traeger Comparison
In comparing these cookers, we have taken into account the most important parts of cooking for the BBQ enthusiast. After we have outlined all of these features, there should be no guesswork as to which of these smokers is the best for you.
It is important to point out that one is not better than the other. It is simply a matter of which of the features you enjoy the most.
How Much Meat You Can Cook
Both of these cookers are made to hold plenty of meat for a party. But in comparing the volume capacity of these two cookers, we see that one is larger than the other.
The Weber Smokey Mountain can hold more meat on their racks. So if cooking for plenty of people is important to you, you may want to go with that one.
Types Of Fuel And Its Effects
The Weber Smokey Mountain is fueled by charcoal. If you wish, you can also add wood to that fuel. It’s all a matter of personal preference. In contrast, the Traeger comes with applewood pellets. It cannot be fueled any other way.
With this in mind, understand that you will need to clean the charcoal dust from the Weber Smokey Mountain after use. It is the only way that you will be able to refill it for further use. With the Traeger, there is no cleanup involved when it comes to the fuel tray. You simply need to turn off the Traeger after use. With the Weber Smokey Mountain, you first need to wait until the charcoal is cool before removing it.
Another important consideration is that you can get the Traeger going and ready with the temperature in about 10 minutes. But it will take about 30 mins to get the Weber Smokey Mountain going.
Because the Traeger uses pellets, the taste of the meat that comes out of it is a little bit less smokey than that of the Weber Smokey Mountain. But there is only a very marginal difference.
Temperature Settings
You may already know that the Traeger is run by an electronic mechanism. This makes setting the temperature a bit more precise. You can set the temperature on the Traeger and forget it for hours.
With the Weber Smokey Mountain, you will need to check on your meat at least once every hour. The temperature may not remain consistent, which will force you to adjust the amount of wood or charcoal you have in it. Or, adjust the vents for the larger flame.
Comparing The Cost
The cost of fuel for the Weber Smokey Mountain is a little bit less than that of the Traeger. This is because it uses coal instead of pellets. The difference in the cost is only marginal for the fuel. There is not much of a difference in price when it comes to purchasing these cookers. In order to see current prices on Amazon for the Weber Smokey Mountain and the Traeger, please see below:
Weber Smokey Mountain vs Traeger: The Verdict
It really is a toss-up between these cookers. On the one hand, no skill is needed to use the Traeger. But you will need to practice a little if you want to use the Weber Smokey Mountain. That being said, if you like the art of barbecuing, you will get more out of the Weber Smokey Mountain. This is because it allows you to add fuel, and mix and match with coal or wood. You also need to keep an eye on it like you would with a BBQ.
We like the fact that the Weber Smokey Mountain allows you to cook more meat, as it has more volume capacity. It also may be more durable because it does not come with any electronics. But the choice is a very individual one that involves your particular tastes.
I agree with you on your comparisons. Sometimes its not where you end up but the journey to get there. I love my WSM and enjoy the art of smoking. My only down fall about my WSM is i bought the 18″ instead of the 22″, but am thinking of stepping up to the big boy.