Few companies have ventured into manufacturing vertical smokers, as Weber has dominated this market for several years. The Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM, Bullet Smoker or R2-D2 for short) is the best vertical smoker. With its durable enameled steel construction, it stands out for its waterproofness which is far superior to other BBQs of the same type. It is available in three sizes: 14'', 18.5'' and 22.5''. The advantage of this type of smoker is its simplicity of manufacture and the few parts used. This allows Weber to focus on their quality and create grills that sell for between $299 and $499 and that last more than 10 years.
It is composed of 3 floors: the bottom is the firepit , this floor contains a grid to raise the coal from the bottom to allow it to breathe well using the three air inlets distributed around the base; the center floor includes a door which is used to add coal with a chimney or chips , the center floor also includes a bowl. This bowl has several uses, it serves as a liquid container in order to add moisture to your meat which will evaporate during cooking. You can put water, apple juice, orange juice, wine, beer and even bourbon. Its second use is to be a heat diffuser, which blocks the coal from the meat and prevents it from grilling and its last use is to have an "air circulation regulator". The bowl leaves a clearance of two centimeters all around which prevents too much air from going upwards and increasing its circulation; The top tier has 2 stacked racks and also includes the lid with an air vent that helps regulate your temperature and the amount of humidity you want to keep.
When you walk around an international BBQ competition, you notice that WSMs rub shoulders with the more expensive high-end smokers, and often even win the competition. Yes, the "PitMaster" has a lot to do with the final result, but the fact remains that they work on this type of BBQ, because they are inexpensive, because they are very easy to transport from one competition to another and because they are very easy to maintain. In fact, you only have to rinse them with water after use for 5 minutes and they are as good as new!
So if you're a smoker at heart with a budget under $500 and you're craving ribs, chicken, pork shoulders, brisket, pies, cakes, baked beans and even smoked chili, WSM is for you!