Landmann Black Dog 42XT Charcoal Grill & Smoker Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $599.99
Sale Price: Price Unavailable
Today's Bonus: 13% Off

I've had this smoker for about four years now. Mine is a slightly older model without the lower storage doors. It's been a great smoker, and it's a fantastic value in this size range. It's solidly built, and I haven't had any problems with it. The only criticism I have is that the built in thermometer doesn't seem to be all that accurate. I'd recommend using a digital probe thermometer instead.

The vent doors make it easy enough to control the heat. I usually load the fire box with two Weber chimneys worth of Kingsford charcoal. Start with the fire box vent closed, and you'll get about 250F in the smoke chamber. As the coals begin to fade, open the vents to maintain the temp. I make a lot of ribs, pulled pork, chicken, and salmon. They all come out great.

This unit works great as a grill too. The crank works well to adjust the height of the coals, which is a nice feature.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I purchased this grill just before the Memorial Day weekend and have used it several times a week all summer through the Labor Day weekend. My old Brinkman of similar design finally rusted out after 4 years of constant use. Although the new Landmann was more than twice the cost of the old Brinkman, I wanted to have a little larger grill with the attached smoker box. The Landmann is certainly more sturdy than the Brinkman, although I liked the adjustable grate design on the Brinkman much better. The adjustable grate system seems a bit flimsy on the Landmann (as compared to the Brinkman design) and tilts when brought all the way to the top of the grill. I have grown tired of trying to readjust the cables so I will learn to live with it.

Overall, I have cooked some of the best food ever on the Landmann over the course of this past summer. I have grilled and smoked just about every form of meat and vegetable imaginable, and even some pizza. The large size, sturdy construction, and attached smoker made it a perfect choice for my needs. I am very happy with this grill/smoker.

Just as a note, here are a few minor considerations when purchasing this grill:

(1) Assembly bring a friend. This is a large heavy grill and will require two people for assembling many of the parts. I took it on by myself and was regretting the choice after the 4th hour of wrestling parts. This thing is a bear.

(2) Gloves buy some. There is absolutely nothing on this grill that you can touch with bare hands once it gets fired up. Unlike other grills with insulated or heat resistant handles, the handles on this grill will conduct the same temperature as on the body of the grill. You certainly do not want to touch those nice-looking and inviting front doors without gloves. Ouch!

(3) The large size of the grill makes otherwise simple operations a bit formidable if you want to avoid being burned. I managed to find a decent fireplace kit on sale and use the poker and shovel almost every time I cook. The long stems on the fireplace hardware help to keep arms and hands from having to reach over or into the fire.

(4) There are no "wings" or other areas on this grill for setting anything down or keeping tools, sauces, etc handy. You may want to consider getting a cart.

(5) Plan on low and slow smoking at an average of 250 degrees. Even when the smoker box gets heated to 700 degrees, the temperature in the main compartment rarely exceeds 275 degrees. But it does a great job of sustaining a fixed temperature over a period of time.

(6) Minor rust developed almost immediately although it is stored under a carport roof and under my old Brinkman PVC cover when not in use it NEVER gets wet. This is easily addressed with some sandpaper and some high-temperature black rustoleum; certainly not a deal breaker.

Best Deals for Landmann Black Dog 42XT Charcoal Grill & Smoker

Spent some time shopping for an offset smoker in the price range of $500-$600 which many will find out is at the low end. This unit seemed to be a good fit for value and performance. Assembly took 2 guys about an hour and a half, not bad at all. One issue is the fact that the packaging material is adhered to most of the parts with some sort of glue, that just doesn't come off. One hopes it not giving off some toxic fumes when it burns. Biggest issue with this grill/smoker is the inferior quality of the body and grill grates. The side box warps about an inch or two when fire gets to 700 and the side access door won't close, consequently the fire burns hot and fast, temp in big box gets to about 250 but soon after begins to dwindle. After my first long smoke the smoker box door is so warped it won't even close. The grill's grates are cheap and ineffective, will probably have some new ones custom made. As to using as a direct heat grill, this is not your unit. The grill grate at the lower level of the big box is the same cheap grill grate as the others. Consequently the burning charcoal quickly slips to the bottom of the box. The adjustable height of this is a nice option, but the design is poor. As for me, this unit with some modifications will make an OK smoker, but for direct grilling, I will use my Brinkmann. As pointed out in other reviews, invest in some gloves, the handles, also lacking is heft, quickly become very hot to the touch. For those with kids, you will always need to be on the lookout when this is cooking.

My review is based on someone who cooks slow and low at least once a week, use all natural hardwood charcoal and hardwood chunks.

Honest reviews on Landmann Black Dog 42XT Charcoal Grill & Smoker

I have owned this grill for about 2 months. So far, I would have to say I am pleased with this product. The construction for the most part seems solid and sturdy. The charcoal box is easily accessible via both the lid and the side door. The handy double doors in the front make it easy to add charcoal if used for direct grilling. The slide out ash tray is also a huge asset. This is a large grill allowing lots of space for preparing meals. I have performed a few modifications such as adding a heat deflector to even the heat distribution and a charcoal basket to hold the coals in place. This grill is able to maintain steady temperatures in excess of 6 hours easily and the firebox responds well to intake vent changes. My only real concern is rust. Although I have seasoned the grill twice, it appears I already have a small amount of rust starting to form both in the cooking chamber and in the firebox. I keep the grill covered while not in use using the Landmann cover designed for this grill, but it is outdoors. It appears that the rust spots are on located in the pullout charcoal tray in the smoking chamber and the bottom of the firebox. A few times, I have noticed water in these areas after a heavy rain. I believe the lids on both sides are the culprit because they are only tack welded in some places where the metal joins. I believe this is allowing water to enter the grill. Right now this has not been a large issue becase I usually sand out the rust spots and coat with oil after heavy rains. I am concerned however of how many seasons this grill will endure before one of these spots begin to rust through.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Landmann Black Dog 42XT Charcoal Grill & Smoker

Plus side

1. Nice offset box with large door for loading wood or coal.

2. Vent on side is wide so air distributes easy.

3. Smoker has a charcoal tray that elevates with a nice heat-diffused handle.

4. Mobility of this smoker is great.

5. Highly modifiable.

6. Porcelain coated/covered grates

7. 2 fairly nice large thermometers

Minus side

1. Thin walls.

2. Assembly takes forever. Screw heads shred easily.

3. Got all the way to installing handles and realized the left door pilot holes were on the hinge side of the door.

4. Getting a response from Landmann corp (Georgia) frustrating.

5. Handles should all be made with heat springs.

6. Hard to keep temperature even in smoker.

7. Offset hood dented and out of alignment

8. No upper or lower shelf

9. Front castors won't last long if exposed to elements

I really wish I had a chance to look at this thing prior to purchase. One must question why put in over $500 on something that doesn't have features that make more sense. A heat distribution shield on the bottom from where the firebox meets the main smoker would help. Wouldn't cost that much to make the walls a couple of microns thicker and please supply handles that can be used when the thing is hot! Consider going to eBay and getting 4 6" handle springs, 2 thermal gaskets to seal the hoods and some thermal sealant to plug up all the little holes.

This really is a great design, but fabricated in China. My verdict is I will use it until it crumbles like my Char-Griller Smokin' Pro, then save my money and get one that will take me through retirement.