British BBQ Society Forums

It's coming up to my 40th and the wife is looking for present ideas. I have a Brinkman Gourmet Smoke & Grill but fancy a new one where it is more controllable.

I am toying between the idea of a ProQ Frontier and the WSM.

Obviously the cost of the Frontier is about 50% of the WSM but was wondering if the extra money is really worth spending.

Does anyone have any opinion on how each one fair in comparison to the other?

How controllable are each one?

I have looked at a youtube video "The battle for Bullet Supremacy" but they only cooked wings and small stuff on there and rated them about the same.

Has anyone had good and bad experience with them?

Obviously either one would be better than the Brinkmann I currently have.

Thanks guys

I've got an Excel 20...it's a bit less than the WSM and I'm happy with it (only done cold smoking in it so far 'cos of the weather)

I also have an Excel 20, which I think you should look at as an alternative to a WSM.

I have cooked on both. The WSM is a bit better built and is easier on charcoal, allowing somewhat longer cook times before reloading, in my experience. But I like the flexibility of the Excel, having removable stackers and having eyelets for thermometer probes at each grill level. With the WSM, to access the meat on the lower rack, the lid needs to be off while you remove the upper rack, then the lower one. With the Excel Stackers, you remover the whole top stacker with the lid still on (helps keep the heat inside), then replace it after taking the lower one off.

Having owned both an Excel (formerly 2 Excels) and a Frontier I would say spend the pennies on a WSM. That's what I'm about to do.

Personally I prefer the Frontier to the Excel. It's easier on charcoal and more stable during our wonderful British Summer The Excel has great capacity and it works well but temperatures have more of a tendency to wander. Having spent some time using WSM's I honestly think they perform much better, it's true that the Pro Q's have a number of nice bells and whistles on them, the stackers for instance are great for useability. I do think that you pay the price with cooking performance though.

If you want to spend the least get the Forntier, if you need the extra capacity Excel is an option, if you want the best cooker buy a WSM. Just my 2p

I purchased a PRO Q just before christmas and I think its FAB. I've done about 30 racks of ribs since, always trying different sauces, rubs, and mops stil trying to find that perfect rib. After I changed to the clay saucer method it works like a dream. I purchased mine from Toby, it was a great price ( much ceeper than other web sites ) and considering that I purchased it when the snow was at its worst, he still got it to me. I dont know if he has any left, but if you dicide on a PRO Q its worth giving him a bell first.

Eddie

Hi, i have just used my proq 20 for the first time, and i was really impressed, i used sand instead of the clay saucer, I started at seven reched temp by 7.30 and when i went to bed at 0030 it was still going at same temp.
needless to say I was mightly impressed.
I can't compare it to the wsm but for the money I paid(£250) I am very happy so far

Thanks guys for all of your posts.
I think that based on my past experience with my Weber one touch and the Go anywhere charcoal I think that I am going to go for the wsm.

I think you'll be very happy with your choice. Remember, when you're good to go there's plenty of people on here always willing to offer advice and lend a hand.

Cheers!!

That's very much apreciated

And for all your Weber Smokey Mountain needs this site is great (if a little anal)
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/