For cheap have gone up as more people get into it, but I think it’s a cool hobby for a lot of guys instead of just being inside on their phones or video games, a lot of men cook now who otherwise would not. Those of us who backyard BBQ should encourage each other more regardless of our options on the type of smoke, and not feel either side needs to defend themselves. If you food sucks like many stick burner restaurants and home cooks food does, it’s the same as if a pellet guys food sucks. Good BBQ has more to do with the meat and technique than the mechanism used to generate smoke.

But everyone’s taste is different and the guy who fed us his stick BBQ brisket and chicken at our elders quorum social telling us how much better it would be over pellet smoked stuff convinced all of us there that there is no substitute for high quality meat, good technique with preparation, proper seasoning, and of course finishing the end the results. You can’t throw crap into any smoker and have it taste great. You can throw great product into just about any type of smoker and have it come out fantastic if you know that smoker well.