This is a great device. Very simple to assemble and use. Maintains consistent heat for what seems like ever. I had a fifteen hour cook without adding more charcoal (using method described at www.virtualbullet.com) Also, don't judge smoked food by what you buy in the supermarket, it does not compare.

If you are looking at this grill to compare to others at this price range, don't bother. Stop here and buy now. The only negative I see is being able to find smoking wood other that hickory or mesquite locally. It galls me that I had to buy wood online and have it delivered. Also, get the charcoal starter by Weber, it is a necessity.

I have grilled and smoked meat for many years using just run of the mill charcoal grills and a Brinkmann smoker. Through much trial and error, and a lot of babysitting, I could use the Brinkmann. I recieved the Weber smokey mountain grill as a birthday present and gave it a shot. This product is by far the best I have ever tried, you cannot screw it up.
Temperature control is the key with a water smoker and it is so easy with the Weber. With 4 vents, you can easily keep the temperature between 180 and 375, whatever you need. I have done four sessions so far with ribs, wings and cornish hens. All turned out great with very little effort. With a little research at virtualweberbullet.com, even the novice smoker can turn out high quality stuff.
The only drawback, although minor is the lack of a thermometer. I purchased a small one at Lowe's for about ten bucks, and attached it by drilling a small hole in the lid. It works like a charm but be advised, this voids your warranty!!!

It comes complete with a cover, so there is no need to order that as an extra. I do recommend the weber chimney starter as an accessory. All in all, I give this smoker 10 gold stars and if you can get it at $179 with free shipping, I don't see how this deal can be beat!

For the money, the WSM is an excellent smoker. It's definitely better than the cheaper bullet models made by other manufacturers. The only reason it doesn't get a 5 is that it is not insulated (holds heat well, but could do better) and does not have a built in thermometer.

I had to return the one I bought at Amazon because it arrived damaged. I've purchased a lot through Amazon and this is the first thing that did not arrive in perfect condition.

This thing is just about foolproof. I just finished my first season with the "Bullet" and had rave reviews all season long from family and friends. The hardest thing about using this smoker was finding the full cuts of beef and pork that cook best on it! Full briskets (point and flat together) and whole pork shoulder are a little tough to find up north! But never ever tough coming off the smoker! Fish, chicken and the BEST jerky I have ever had were part of the highlights.

I recently purchased one of these from Amazon and have just made the best turkey ever on it for Thanksgiving.

I've tried smoking before using a cheap Brinkmann, and the results were not good. I couldn't get the fire hot enough for long enough to cook a turkey breast. Well for 2004 Thanksgiving, we invited 9 people over. (This was my first time using this smoker and my second time ever using a smoker. I smoked a 13 lb turkey on the Weber using the recipe on www.virtualweberbullet.com. Everyone agreed it was the best turkey ever and the grill paid for itself already.

Myself being cheap, I found it hard to hand over $180 for a smoker when I could buy El Brinkmann at Walmart for $28. Well, this is one of those cases where you spend a little extra now and reap the rewards later. It is a very solid (48 lbs heavy) smoker, make with Weber craftsmanship so I am fully confident it will last 20+ years. The fire burns well and it is very easy to control the heat, unlike the cheaper ones.

If you are in the market for a smoker, let this be the one. I could go on and on about how excellent Weber products are, but buy one and find out for yourself.

Good luck and happy smoking!