List Price: $219.00
Sale Price: $199.00
Today's Bonus: 9% Off
I just received my 14.5 WSM a week ago and I've already cooked on it 5 times including a KCBS sanctioned BBQ competition in SoCal with over 40 teams. This new WSM looks like they shot the 18.5 model with a shrink ray! It works just as well as its larger brothers with the convenience of a smaller tailgating-sized Smokey Joe. With a single load of charcoal filled just above the charcoal ring (about 1/3 of a 20lbs bag), I was able to maintain 225ยบ for 16 hours using the Minion method! Of course, your mileage may vary.
This model also has some of the new improvements that Weber has added to the larger models. They include a silicone temperature grommet and handles on the lower food grate. The grommet, which is located between the food grates, is for food probes, pit probes and stick thermometers. This location is ideal so that a stick thermometer can give a better temperature reading on the lower food grate. Handles on the lower food grate is something that we've been asking for for years. There are several mods found on the internet on how to make your own; however, now Weber has listened to their fans and have included this essential feature.
Thus far, I've cooked rib tips, chicken thighs, tri tip and one overnight cook of bone-in pork shoulder. The 10lbs. shoulders barely fit (as I expected); one on each food grate. They both turned out just as excellent as they would have on the larger models. You can also fit a whole chicken fryer on each grate as well a trimmed brisket flat or point (or a whole 12lbs. packer with the point & flat separated and placed on different food grates). Three whole racks of St. Louis Style spare ribs can be cooked on a single food grate with a stand-up rib rack by trimming to 6-8 bones or you can roll/coil the ribs as well. Simply stated, this cooker puts out excellent BBQ.
This WSM is definitely more practical for everyday home cooking for the modern family. You can cook more reasonable amounts of food without using all the charcoal and wasted space that you would encounter with the larger WSMs. The unit comes up to temp faster than the larger models and snuffs out quite easily by closing all the vent dampers.
The price point on this unit may be seem a bit high, but it is what it is and we pretty much expected the price as it falls in line with what the MSRP is for the the larger units.
Weber used to make a WSM similar in size to the this model over 30 years ago, but discontinued the model after 1-2 years due to poor sales. That particular unit is now considered a collectors item for many Weber fans today. Now everyone can enjoy this awesome little unit, at last.
I highly recommend this WSM for Weber fans and owners of the larger WSM units. For those who have hesitated in purchasing a WSM because of its size and charcoal and food requirements, they can finally make the plunge and acquire this reasonably sized unit to begin their epic BBQ journey.
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