Let's Talk BBQ
Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Grills & Smokers => Electric Smokers => Topic started by: slrpro02 on July 29, 2017, 12:29:59 AM
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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001LK7916?tag=slicinc-20&ascsubtag=11e65230741411e7bb6246a353a836490INT&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
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It is certainly cheap to buy....But expensive to own......
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It is certainly cheap to buy....But expensive to own......
X2
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Just curious.
Why is the Bradley considered so expensive to own?
And compared to what?
I have never used any other smoker & love my Bradley, but would consider changing teams if had good reason. :-\ :) :-\
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Just curious.
Why is the Bradley considered so expensive to own?
And compared to what?
I have never used any other smoker & love my Bradley, but would consider changing teams if had good reason. :-\ :) :-\
Pucks cost to much. I use mine for a dehydrater and use Amazing tubes instead of pucks
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Showing $450 to $600 for me at the link now.....
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Just curious.
Why is the Bradley considered so expensive to own?
And compared to what?
I have never used any other smoker & love my Bradley, but would consider changing teams if had good reason. :-\ :) :-\
As Tommy pointed out, the pucks are pricey, and not available in many places. As well...The reliability issues of the "digital" Bradleys is well known. And they have have a tendency to jump off of decks and attempt to fly after failing to many times when people are depending on them for dinner.... ;) :D :D :D
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Pucks are from $20 to $40 a box depending on the puck count. I went with my Amazn years back. Then you will need 4 aluminum puck pushers, another $ then you need a PID $160 to 200. I had my PID rebuilt 6 times at the tune of $85 ea time and that did not include all the shipping.
Side puck burner is prone to stop working (Bradley is good for replacing them at 0 cost) Elements went out.
With all the $$$ i spent on them over the years i could have bought a TSM 30 lb digital which i finally did at the tune of $1000, well worth every penny.
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I wish mine would fly away. It's waiting for the next junk pickup day. Too many problems.
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My analysis of my entire "Bradley Experience" is this:
Bradley, to their credit, sought to give us as many technological advantages as they could - but at a price point most of us would find justifiable. The problem is - that there was need to make compromises in order to keep such a device at a price point that was very appealing for such a cooker. Reliability suffered. When you couple that with a proprietary fuel source - their "pucks"...that are not as available as wood chips - or even wood pellets nowadays - it just became too much of a task to keep it fed and functioning - only for it to crap out ONLY when I had it loaded with food to feed a number of guests....
I do not mean sound like I feel any animosity toward Bradley, I do not. I do believe that they attempted to deliver great value to the consumer. But, I also believe that they missed the mark - as far as the durability/reliability. This is an opinion shared by many but there are many that have had no problems with their Bradleys...So, perhaps the most fair thing to surmise is that the Bradley digital units - because of the complexity of their design and attempts to keep the costs down - were the problem. Most of the folks I know that have the Bradleys with simpler models - without the digital displays and such...find them pretty reliable. Aside form the issues common to both styles - those being the puck feeder gaming or having issues and that the heating elements going out or being weak/under powered by some folks estimation....
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Just to make it clear mine is th OBS non digital version. Works well but I burned out my element one year after I bought it. They did replace it under warranty thank goodness but I just don't trust it as far as long low and slow cooks.
I also use it as a non heated smoker box for seeds
But I do not buy pucks I only use the smoker tube
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I guess I have just been lucky with mine.
I am going on my ninth year with no real problems.
Haven't had to replace anything yet (knock on wood). :) :)