1 month / 2 cook review of Pitboss vertical smoker,,couple of upgrades

Рет қаралды 38,956

5 жыл бұрын

Review with tips and upgrades to the Pitboss Copperhead vertical smoker
Music credits:
free copyright music at: www.bensound.com
Copyright music at : danosongs.com/
Dangerous country
Craig Austin,,Grass Roots
• Dangerous Country
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Пікірлер: 79

@meamcgillicuddy4712 3 жыл бұрын

*So I have waited about 30 days and 2 dozen uses before I thought I would write this review **do7.pl/Smoker** I Alway have been a traditionalist, especially when it comes to smoking. Food that is. When it can time to replace my Oklahoma Joe that I had for over a decade I knew I needed to down size since I wanted a smoker that would fit in my outdoor kitchen area as well as I wanted a vertical smoker this time around too. I started looking at vertical smokers with fireboxes and talked to some custom cooker builde...*

@LouisatRshackBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching- I enjoy using this smoker but I wouldn’t leave it unattended over night

@1984BBQ 5 жыл бұрын

Great video Louis ... Very informative and deffently like the mods you did ... I have been pondering on getting one these units ... Can't wait to see your brisket cook and others on it

@dcooke1974 5 жыл бұрын

Found your video looking at Pitboss Verticals videos. Good stuff and definitely subscribing. Looking forward to watching your other vids!

@daddydutchbbq 5 жыл бұрын

Great review and mods LT ! I’m considering a pellet cooker again . I’m torn between GMG and Pit Boss but I think you and Paul might have convinced me on what to get !

@gtsbarbecueandcuisine4837 5 жыл бұрын

Nice review Louis. Simple mods that I’ll bet make a big difference in performance. Nice little cooker.

@BBQPITDOG 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the review Louis. I like the door lock mod a lot....also the fact that the company will sell you individual parts. Seems like pellet anything is all the rage now. Fill that beast with ribs!!!

@progers5019 5 жыл бұрын

Very impressive cooker. I've looked at them but can't remember where. Very nice cooker for a good price too. I like the mods. Love the idea of sliding food in set it forget it. Great video Louis.

@PicklesBBQandCooking 5 жыл бұрын

It looks pretty cool and the mods make sense. I’ve never tried a pellet smoker before but curious to see what ya cook on it. Brisket sounds great! :)

@LassesFoodAndBarbecue 5 жыл бұрын

Nice review. And nice mods :)

@lives4trauma 5 жыл бұрын

great stuff

@BBQJOE 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome mods.. Love the meat hanger mod you added. Did that thing leak with just the 1 latch ? I would've add to extra like you did anyways cause I like mods lol.. Can't wait to see some hanging meats and that brisket cook. Thx for sharing

@thegrumpyolgringo 5 жыл бұрын

Good looking smoker, I like the mods, especially the hanging setup. What did you do to level it?? Nicely Done. Thanks for sharing. 😎.

@kenmolica6746 4 жыл бұрын

To help prevent a mess in the bottom, if you care. Use a 2 in deep tin with cooling grate that fits on top of the tin. Still get smoke all around, save drippings and clean up/mess.

@chargriller6547 5 жыл бұрын

Not much to say that hasn’t already been said. Very interested in your jerky cook.

@bobbyd79903ify 4 жыл бұрын

Had my Series 5 for 7 mos. Orange acid cleaner fr $Tree cuts cabinet and glass grease super EZ. Looks like new after 12 big smoke offs so far. V happy overall. Extra shelves make food prep EZ when smoking different meats and times. "Clean smoke" and stable temps. I add perforated foil tray above highest food tray to trap smoke (for stronger flavor). So EZ and efficient to use pellets.

@LouisatRshackBBQ 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. I agree with you- I really like this style of pellet smoker

@johnmanthey2683 5 жыл бұрын

Louis. Just wanted to do a follow up with you. Took your advice and loosened the hinge screws and realigned the door. It fits much better now. Think I’ll do like you and add the two latches to the door. I don’t know if it’s my unit or a common issue. I’ve done 3 cooks on it so far. I set the temp at 220 last time. It went as low as 190 and as high as 300. It constantly fluctuates. It really doesn’ hold steady. Do you experience the same issue? I wild say it sure makes good smoked pork however. I still think it was a good investment.

@sniping12 4 жыл бұрын

i bought a masterbuilt and based on your videos i returned it (new as soon as it arrived) and bought a pitboss, should be here monday, i can't wait to start smoking

@LouisatRshackBBQ 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. I don’t have much experience with the electric smokers like the master built but I am sure they do the job. I would think you will enjoy the Pitboss smoker and how Easy pellet grills are to learn. Please let me know what you think of it and if you have any questions

@robboswell6922 4 жыл бұрын

Just did my second cook on the Pit Boss. I'm definitely going to line the grease pan. I jerked some chicken and made a mess. Going to try hanging some ribs too. Thanks

@LouisatRshackBBQ 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. I found a different way of putting a shelf over the grease tray a getting a shallow disposable foil pan to set on the shelf to catch the grease. Let me know how them ribs turn out for you

@johnmanthey2683 5 жыл бұрын

Based on your videos I got one of these Pitboss Copperheads. Had it in the back of my van for about a month as was not sure if I was going to switch apartments or not. Got it all put together today. Not being mechanically inclined it took me a bit of time. The one thing I learned is not to tighten all the screws when installing the legs, panels and supports. You need a little gimme room to properly get all the screws lined up right. I really like the mods you did to hang meat. Also the extra door catches. When you got the from Pit Boss did they include the screws you needed or did you get sheet metal screws? Looking forward to the initial startup, burn in and my first smoke tomorrow. Thanks for the videos.

@georgecutting4265 5 жыл бұрын

New to your Channel found it looking at Pit boss grills how I do have a question since you have all that extra space in there can you put like a smoke tube filled on the bottom grate and without turning on the machine kind of turn that into a cold smoker I guess what I'm trying to ask is this will it smoke raw meat and get good penetration with a tube smoker on the bottom rack and your steaks and stuff being inside there without the machine being turned on

@ABM261-zi2gl 5 жыл бұрын

Nice!!! Where can i find a cook book for smoking meats for this smoker? I can’t find any.

@dandixon4034 4 жыл бұрын

Mean green ,or purple, just rinse well, no scrubbing

@kevinwhitted2147 4 жыл бұрын

Bug and tar remover takes that smoke off the glass then use vinegar and water to rinse

@coalcrackeroutdoors3632 4 жыл бұрын

I’m enjoying your videos I have a question about the copperhead, will it produce good smoke at low cooking temperature? Like if it’s set at 160 or 180? I like to make smoked cured meats that require low cook temps. Thanks in advance

@bobbyd79903ify 4 жыл бұрын

Yes. So long as fire pit is empty and not overloaded at startup. Less is better. Dense smoke clears up soon after preheat step is over. On my 2nd cook, i primed too much. Resulted in a steam locomotive. Yuk. User friendly and reliable since then.

@DanielDiaz-ng5wb 3 жыл бұрын

**BEWARE FIRE HAZARD** I have been a firm believer and user of this product for some time now. I have done many smokes almost weekly. I maintain and clean my smoker after every use. I have recently found an issue that is concerning and could cause a fire on long smokes. Under the unit were the thermometer line comes through, there is a big hole that allows the grease to run down onto the electrical wires and connectors. It has the potential to cause a fire.

@LouisatRshackBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. I was not aware of this- I will have to check mine out.

@kevinwhitted2147 4 жыл бұрын

I have one door latch no problems . When you put it together let the cabnet settle on a level service and adjust the hinges properly 2 years no problem with door. My biggest complaint is the electronic controls going into error after about 5hrs cook time have to reset unit by unplugging and restarting .

@fazzfoodjoint5380 3 жыл бұрын

Me too

@gilmo1938 5 жыл бұрын

have you emptied or changed out pellets yet?

@keithshedron4351 5 жыл бұрын

When the door is cold, a razor blade cleans the glass very quickly. ZEP oven and grill cleaner works great on the racks.

@bobbyd79903ify 4 жыл бұрын

Try spraying the orange acid degreaser from $Tree. Readily available, cheap and works like a charm. Spray, wait 10m and wipe.

@jeffplanck755 3 жыл бұрын

Simple green

@brnwlls1518 Жыл бұрын

Is this a series 3 that you have

@johnmanthey2683 5 жыл бұрын

I can’t remember if it was on this video or not but, you said you had to level the smoker. I noted on mine, after my first smoke the door is not square. It droops right about an eighth inch. On the top hinge there is about an eighth inch gap between the top and bottom of the hinge. Would this be a leveling problem or a manufacturing defect in your opinion?

@christianbgraham531 5 жыл бұрын

John I have had the same issue, bottom hinge is not plumb with door hinge. Have you had any issues with the door randomly popping open or smoke leak in the corners?

@LouisatRshackBBQ 5 жыл бұрын

John Mantheyjl hey John -my door was not totally even with the top of the cabinet. You do have a little adjustment with the actual hinges but not much. The uneven-ness I was referring to was after 2 cooks I noticed the the fire soot or creosote that is created inside of the cabinet was all on one side and I noticed that I had the smoker sitting 2 inches higher on the other side due to uneven ground- once I moved it to my patio where it was more level- I didn’t have that problem.

@JustlikeEric 4 жыл бұрын

You added a shelf to cook 12 racks of ribs, I've heard it's not always a great idea to pack the smokers as full as you can due to the more mass of meat, the harder it is to control temperature. Have you had any difficulty with that?

@LouisatRshackBBQ 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. This day was a nice hot day so I new the cooker wouldn’t need a lot of extra pellets to maintain temp. Other than the auger being clogged - it had no problem during this cook.

@stokerboiler 4 жыл бұрын

Are the door hinges and latches fastened with sheet metal screws or machine screws?

@LouisatRshackBBQ 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. When I ordered the extra brackets- it didn’t come with any screws so I just used sheet metal screws

@michaelg6808 3 жыл бұрын

Has anyone tried moving the control panel to the top of the smoker to avoid the extra heat and drippings?

@LouisatRshackBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching

@johnmanthey2683 5 жыл бұрын

When you installed the extra latches what screws did you use?

@LouisatRshackBBQ 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you John,,, I used 1/2” long sheet metal screws. I predrilled a pilot hole but be careful as there is insulation between the inner wall and outer wall and you can get that wrapped around the drill bit.

@johnmanthey2683 5 жыл бұрын

Louis at R shack BBQ thank you. I’ll see how it goes first

@johnmanthey2683 5 жыл бұрын

Christian Graham. My door doesn’t pop open. There is some smoke leakage but not much.

@airtexaco 4 жыл бұрын

There’s an adjustment nut on that latch, you should be able to make it fit more snuggly.

@olevetsbbq3118 5 жыл бұрын

HEY LOUIS , HOW UNIFORM IS THE HEAT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM ?

@NASTYNEMOONE 4 жыл бұрын

I notice a 100° difference between the top and bottom rack of mine

@JuJuBee223 5 жыл бұрын

We use Vinegar in a spray bottle to clean the glass door. It works great with hardly any scrubbing then we rinse with water. We cant figure out why the top wont spin down to close to keep more smoke in. Do you have any suggestions for that? I thought of covering the top with foil or something but maybe that's dangerous? I know you can close the vent with electric smokers we've had but this one has an actual flame.

@keithshedron4351 5 жыл бұрын

You need to maintain air flow through the unit in order to support combustion, so closing the top down too far is not a good idea. I dont know about it being dangerous but closing down the air flow too much can produce very sooty tasting meat. Will try the vinegar, hadn't thought of that.

@kenbeichler8766 3 жыл бұрын

Foil will melt I vented mine to get the smoke away. Being that it’s on my porch. Used a drier vent it melted

@Mutch820 5 жыл бұрын

So did the 40lb bag of pellets only last you through 2 cooks?

@LouisatRshackBBQ 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. I would say I only used about 10 pounds of pellets for the 1st 2 cooks. I have done 10 cooks on it and would say I have used up 40 pounds now. I will monitor that more closely.

@jimmutchler99 5 жыл бұрын

@@LouisatRshackBBQ Oh that's better! LOL Thanks for the quick reply!!

@dirtylu79 5 жыл бұрын

Any issues with it shutting off erL code?

@LouisatRshackBBQ 5 жыл бұрын

I have gotten the erl code 3 times now and each time I noticed it was producing a lot of smoke - so what I did was turn the dial down to 150 degrees and unplugged it. Let it sit for 5 minutes-plugged it back in and powered it back on- waited 5 minutes and turned the temp dial back up to my desired temperature and did not have any more issues during the cooks. I had one other time that I noticed a lot of smoke and I did not have the code - so that time I turned it down to the lowest setting above the smoke setting and left it there for 5 minutes ( thinking there was it would stop feeding the fire pot and shut off the fan yet still burn out anything that was causing the smoke) which it did and then I turned it back up to 250 degrees and it ran fine. I think sometime I will upgrade the controller as I think this is the biggest issue with the erl code errors. I may get ahold of Pitboss and see if they will send me a new controller. Overall I am happy with the cooker just do not feel comfortable letting it run without some kind of monitoring system. Thank you for watching

@RicsBBQSpecialties 4 жыл бұрын

Hello, very nice review. Would you happen to have the phone number to customer service? I found this same smoker but it has a missing handle and the controller knob is broke off. It’s a new cooker at wall mart they are selling at a discount. I just wanna see if it’s worth it. Vs buying a new one. Thanks!

@LouisatRshackBBQ 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching and commenting. I would call Pitboss customer service at 1-877-303-3134. They should be able to get you to their parts dept. I really like the Copperhead and have a major mod. Video coming out in the next couple weeks

@mikehelton3564 4 жыл бұрын

meangreen cleans smoke off glass

@mikehelton3564 4 жыл бұрын

no need for scrubbing

@keithshedron4351 5 жыл бұрын

My meat probe failed almost immediately, which didn't matter as I tend to use an instant read. The cabinet probe failed and the unit caught on fire, which was a problem. Getting a probe took months. While the unit holds a large amount of pellets, I now only put in about 2 gallons at a time, and empty the unit after each use, allowing all of the pellets in the auger tube to be run out and burned. This is because I had the pellets swell up after a period of damp weather and jam the auger, which is no small feat to clear. The pellets in the auger tube essentially turned into particle board. This happened even though the smoker is covered with a tarp when not in use. Easier to empty the unit after each use than to clear the jam. Overall, I like this smoker but it has it's issues to be aware of.

@efegichris 4 жыл бұрын

Have you had any issues with the ERH error code? Mine is only thee weeks old and I cannot go above 300F without getting the ERH code... I clean after each use and I'm using pit boss brand pellets so I'm not sure why the unit can't handle a temp that isn't even close to it's max.

@waynecabrera1881 4 жыл бұрын

Take out the rebars and just use one of the racks to hang the meat !,

@pldavenport 3 жыл бұрын

Those are latches, not hinges.

@LouisatRshackBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching- sometimes my mouth speaks before my Brian does- oh well it happens

@jmudd5449 4 жыл бұрын

Not hinges, they are latches

@LouisatRshackBBQ 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching.

@andrew.triggs 4 жыл бұрын

Intro way too long and too loud.

@LouisatRshackBBQ 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching and your feed back - if you watch my latest videos - I have shortened up the intro.

@Genesis.1-1 3 жыл бұрын

Windex? Why on earth would you spray Windex inside your smoker. 50/50 vinegar and water is all you need to clean the window and inside of your smoker (temperature probe). I stopped watching when I heard Windex.

@LouisatRshackBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching- nothing wrong with windex as long as you properly wipe off and air dry - but you do you.

@adamlee3789 3 жыл бұрын

Good video, AWFUL music!

@LouisatRshackBBQ 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. I will have to go back and listen to it again before I respond to the music- I know my early video’s the music was a bit to loud