Have you considered the RecTec 680 or 700 with a 2nd shelf?  The main cooking area is 702 sq in.  The optional second shelf adds 352 sq in.

does it hit a low temp of 150?

Good point - I just looked, and it quotes its temperature range at 200-500 degrees.  That's not necessarily a deal-breaker, but I'm going to keep looking for now for sure.

Jamey

It goes below 200.  The Lo setting is 200 and lower.  I'm just not sure how low that is.

Have you tried pans of ice to drop the temps? Or would that technique enter too much humidity for jerky? I’ve never made it myself just buy it, but I have used pans with ice for smoking cheese.

Have you tried pans of ice to drop the temps?

I don't think that will work for an extended period of time over direct heat.  It seems to work for some in an indirect heat area where there is some sort of separate chamber from the heat source.

Welcome to the forum!

Like you, I started on a Masterbuilt electric smoker with an Amazen pellet maze/tube. It made good food and allowed me to find a new hobby.

I jumped into the pellet game last summer with a Blaz'n Grillworks Grand Slam. It does everything the MEB did, only better!

One advantage of a horizontal type smoker geometry that I didn't realize until I got the GS is the ease of accessing the meat.  It is much easier to open a lid and have full access to the meat. You just can't get that with a vertical type smoker. Makes loading, turning, spritzing, and saucing things much easier.

I only have experience with my GS pellet grill, so I can't compare it to any others. It's in your price range and can be equipped with an insulated lid and additional shelves. But there are many grills on the market that have the features you want. So the research you are doing will pay dividends.

Good luck and be sure to let us know what you decided on.

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Not trying to be funny here...what am I missing?

One advantage of a horizontal type smoker geometry that I didn't realize until I got the GS is the ease of accessing the meat.  It is much easier to open a lid and have full access to the meat. You just can't get that with a vertical type smoker. Makes loading, turning, spritzing, and saucing things much easier.

I think the Pit Boss Copperhead 7 is just about exactly what the OP is looking for in a smoker. Over 2000 sq inches and double walled. Goes from 150-450.

Best part... I see it's $699 with free shipping.

Not trying to be funny here...what am I missing?

One advantage of a horizontal type smoker geometry that I didn't realize until I got the GS is the ease of accessing the meat.  It is much easier to open a lid and have full access to the meat. You just can't get that with a vertical type smoker. Makes loading, turning, spritzing, and saucing things much easier.

In a vertical smoker with meat on all the racks (which often happens because of the small rack size) you can only see the front edge of the meat when you open the door. To check for even cooking, to spritz it or sauce it you have to pull the racks out. Then you are spritzing or saucing with nothing under the meat to catch the overspray and drips.

Not to mention the possibility of pulling a rack out too far and have meat on my deck. Yes, I've done that

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OK.

In a vertical smoker with meat on all the racks (which often happens because of the small rack size) you can only see the front edge of the meat when you open the door. To check for even cooking, to spritz it or sauce it you have to pull the racks out. Then you are spritzing or saucing with nothing under the meat to catch the overspray and drips.

Sorry if I missed this in one of the replies, but if you really want a vertical smoker, have you looked at the Masterbuilt XL / Elite  pellet smoker?

Sorry if I missed this in one of the replies, but if you really want a vertical smoker, have you looked at the Masterbuilt XL / Elite  pellet smoker?

I did - the ease of use and build quality issues I'm seeing reported by multiple users have turned me off, otherwise it was on the short-list.  It looks like there aren't a ton of manufacturers making vertical pellet smokers, especially sizable ones.  For now I'm leaning towards waiting for the SmokePro XXL to return to the market or going with the Copperhead, slight edge (mainly related to temperature range) going to the XXL.

Jamey

Sorry if I missed this in one of the replies, but if you really want a vertical smoker, have you looked at the Masterbuilt XL / Elite  pellet smoker?

I did - the ease of use and build quality issues I'm seeing reported by multiple users have turned me off, otherwise it was on the short-list.  It looks like there aren't a ton of manufacturers making vertical pellet smokers, especially sizable ones.  For now I'm leaning towards waiting for the SmokePro XXL to return to the market or going with the Copperhead, slight edge (mainly related to temperature range) going to the XXL.

Jamey

I think you are spot on for your needs based on what we know so far about those grills.  You should consider going in the $10 raffle for the Copperhead that starts soon here.

Raffle you say... Where would I find such a thing?

Jamey

It is coming.

raffle starts on St Pat's day