New SS was delivered to me at work today.    When I got home, I installed it and ran it for a bit at 200 to test it.   Settled down to 203 and was steady.  I'll take it.   

(The only mod I have is firebricks in the belly of the smoker)






Are any of the other mods really worth it, or things are working now should I leave well enough alone?

Other than the front shelf, I’d say replace parts with better as they wear out and save the money. Only things I put on my Texas were the shelf and insulation blanket, but it’s colder here. GrillGrates maybe if you want to sear, but I see those more as an accessory than a mod.

When it was steady at 200, what was the smoke like? I worry that these extra-precise controllers will burn so clean that there's no smoke.

When I run my SS at 150° there is lots of smoke.   

When it was steady at 200, what was the smoke like? I worry that these extra-precise controllers will burn so clean that there's no smoke.

Not much at 200... that pic was early on when it was really puffing.

I’d say replace parts with better as they wear out and save the money.

when the time comes, stainless steel burn pot.  No need to be proactive about it, but when the current one fails, it's one less thing to worry about.

Thanks for the input!

Got the parts to convert my old Weber gasser to Natural, so I'll try to figure out what order all those fittings go in this weekend...