Do you want to make old-fashioned, slow-smoked barbecue, right in your own backyard? Are you looking for an affordable, easy-to-use, high-quality cooker for use in barbecue competitions? If so, the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker should be at the top of your list.
The Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker (Weber Bullet or WSM for short) is a specialty grill made by Weber-Stephen Products LLC. It comes in three sizes:
- 14.5″ diameter, 276 sq. in. total cooking area
- 18.5″ diameter, 468 sq. in. total cooking area
- 22.5″ diameter, 701 sq. in. total cooking area
The WSM is specifically designed to produce barbecued meats cooked “low and slow” over charcoal and smoke wood.
The cooker is comprised of three sections—a charcoal bowl, where the charcoal briquettes and smoke wood reside; a cooking section containing a water pan, two cooking grates, and an access door; and a classic Weber domed lid.
Two cooking grates provide plenty of space to cook large quantities of barbecue. For example, the popular 18.5″ model can easily accommodate two large briskets, or four pork butts, or six whole chickens, or eight slabs of baby back ribs. The water pan shields the meat from the coals, creating an indirect heat source that’s essential when cooking barbecue. The water in the pan also moderates the cooker temperature and provides a moist cooking environment which benefits certain cuts of meat.
Temperature control is one of the most important aspects of making great barbecue, and the near air-tight design of the WSM allows you to maintain the perfect 225-275°F temperature for eight to twelve hours or longer with minimal effort. Four adjustable vents give precise control over fuel combustion. With other competitive products, poor fitting parts and leaky designs have you constantly “babysitting” the fire to make sure it’s not too hot or too cold. With the WSM, you can cook for many hours without making any adjustments at all.
Each WSM comes with a built-in lid thermometer for monitoring cooker temperature. In addition, a silicone grommet allows you to pass probes into the cooker to measure temperatures in the meat or on the cooking surface.
A convenient access door is mounted in the side of the cooking section so you can add water or smoke wood during cooking without disassembling the cooker. Three sturdy legs attached to the bottom of the charcoal bowl provide stable support for the unit.
Like all Weber products, the WSM is built to Weber’s high standards of quality. Porcelain enamel on heavy-gauge steel construction gives the unit substance—22 pounds for the 14.5″ model, 37 pounds for the 18.5″ model, and 52 pounds for the 22.5″ model. Vents, legs, and access door are made of rust-resistant aluminum. The durable lid handle will provide years of reliable service, and a premium-grade vinyl cover is included to help protect your investment in Weber quality.
The WSM is also backed by a 10-year limited warranty and Weber’s excellent customer service and toll-free telephone support.
Assembly takes only a few minutes…just attach the three legs to the charcoal bowl and four support brackets in the cooking section using the screws, washers, and nuts provided. The only tools needed are a straight-blade screwdriver and a small adjustable wrench. Easy to follow assembly instructions are provided, and an informative Owner’s Manual and recipe book is included.
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker Features & Construction
More Videos: Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker Product Information
- WSM 14.5″ Out of Box Experience
- WSM 18.5″ Out of Box Experience
- WSM 22.5″ Out of Box Experience
- WSM 22.5″ Assembly
“Save for its lack of handles, (the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker) literally smoked the competition: Plenty of cooking space, a water pan, and multiple vents that allowed for precise temperature control added up to meat that came off the fire consistently moist and smoky with little tending necessary.”
– Cook’s Illustrated magazine, July/August 2010
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14.5″ Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Features & Specifications
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18.5″ Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Features & Specifications
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22.5″ Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Features & Specifications
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| Model 711001 14.5″ | Model 721001 18.5″ | Model 731001 22.5″ | |
| Height | 31″ | 41-1/2″ | 48-1/2″ |
| Width | 15″ | 18-7/8″ | 22-7/8″ |
| Weight | 22 pounds | 37 pounds | 52 pounds |
| Top cooking grate | 13-1/2″ 143 sq. in. |
17-1/2″ 240-1/2 sq. in. |
21-1/2″ 363 sq. in. |
| Bottom cooking grate | 13″ 133 sq. in. |
17″ 227 sq. in. |
20-3/4″ 338 sq. in. |
| Distance between cooking grates | 5-1/2″ | 7-1/2″ | 9″ |
| Water pan | 11-1/2″ x 4-1/8″ 11 cups (0.6875 gallons) |
14-3/8″ x 7″ 2.5 gallons |
18-3/4″ x 4-1/4″ 3 gallons |
| Distance between water pan and charcoal grate | 6-1/2″ | 5-3/4″ | 12-1/2″ |
| Charcoal chamber | 10″ x 4-3/4″ | 14-1/2″ x 4-3/4″ | 17″ x 4-3/4″ |
| Charcoal grate | 10-1/2″ | 15-1/4″ | 17-3/4″ |
| Distance between charcoal grate and bottom of charcoal bowl | 2-1/2″ | 4-1/2″ | 5-1/4″ |
| Lid | 14-1/2″ OD x 8-3/4″ (including handle) 7″ between inside top of lid and top cooking grate |
18-1/2″ OD x 13″ (including handle) 10-1/2″ between inside top of lid and top cooking grate |
22-1/2″ OD x 14-5/16″ (including handle) 11-13/16″ between inside top of lid and top cooking grate |
| Lid damper | One 3″ damper with three 3/4″ holes | One 3″ damper with three 3/4″ holes | One 4-1/4″ damper with four 3/4″ holes |
| Thermometer | 100-350°F, 5°F increments 1-1/2″ stem |
100-350°F, 5°F increments 1-1/2″ stem |
100-350°F, 5°F increments 1-1/2″ stem |
| Thermometer hole in lid | 3/8″ | 3/8″ | 3/8″ |
| Middle cooking section | 14-3/4″ OD / 13-1/2″ ID x 13-1/2″ 3-1/2″ between screw holes |
18-3/4″ OD / 17-5/8″ ID x 17-1/2″ 6″ between screw holes |
22-7/8″ OD / 21-3/4″ ID x 21-1/2″ 7-1/4″ between screw holes |
| Access opening | 5-1/4″ x 8-1/2″ | 7-1/4″ x 10″ | 12-3/4″ x 13-7/8″ |
| Access door | 6″ x 10″ | 8″ x 11-3/4″ | 14″ x 16-1/4″ |
| Access door knob | 3″ long | 3″ long | 3″ long |
| Grommet hole | 1-1/4″ | 1-1/4″ | 1-1/4″ |
| Silicone grommet | 1-5/8″ x 0.3125″ | 1-5/8″ x 0.3125″ | 1-5/8″ x 0.3125″ |
| Charcoal bowl | 14-1/2″ OD x 7″ (without legs), 9″ (with legs) | 18-1/2″ OD x 10″ (without legs), 12-3/8″ (with legs) | 22-5/8″ OD x 12″ (without legs), 14-1/4″ (with legs) |
| Charcoal bowl dampers | Three 3″ dampers with three 3/4″ holes | Three 3″ dampers with three 3/4″ holes | Three 4-1/4″ dampers with four 3/4″ holes |
| Legs | Three, 8-3/8″ x 1″ | Three, 11-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ | Three, 13-1/4″ x 2″ |
The 14.5″ WSM is usually purchased online for about $279. The 18.5″ WSM is usually purchased online for about $419. The 22.5″ WSM is usually purchased online for about $549.
These three cookers cost several times more than competitive models, but as they say, “Buy the best, and only cry once.”
Purchase the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker from Amazon.com!
Photos of Weber Smokey Mountain Cookers: 2013 by Weber-Stephen Products LLC
