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Offset Smoker "I'm CREOSOTING IT!!"

Anyone have any experience with an offset smoker. I've been fighting mine for years. When I got it I noticed that one side cooked, the other side got creosoted. Then I put some flashing inside and ran a pipe down the length with tons of 1.5" holes down the length in an attempt to even out the smoke and heat distribution. THAT just creosoted everything.

So has anyone had any success with an offset smoker? I feel like...no, I AM always fighting the heat level (too hot/too cold) and having to reposition things only to fight it all over again no longer than 15 min later.

Thanks all!

Couple questions. Cheap off set smoker from Home Depot. Or heavy gauge steel one and expensive. Second question. Are you burning wood in it or just buying the chips or chunks from Home Depot and are you soaking your wood

It was $450 on sale, the steel is pretty heavy. I burn lump charcoal and throw chunks on it if it's like apple, cherry or whatever. Sometimes I will also throw hunks of red oak on the coal. I don't soak the wood.

The problem with any offset smoker you buy except custom made real ones is the opening to the rack area is too big for the amount of circulation you get. The amount of heat and smoke can be staggering right next to the offset firebox the further away you keep the food the cooler it gets. Get rid of the pipe and go back to original. Try a different lump charcoal and use chunks and not chips. For the majority of the time I will end up just tossing a piece of big charcoal or two every hour on the fire but maintain it with the chunk wood. Out of all the offset smoker I ever had. I got a home depot cheapo. Oklahoma Joe grill/ offset smoker and it was the best I have ever had. Even better that the $1200 one from bass pro. It held temp well that is the key. If you have to keep adding charcoal and opening vents then your smoker isn’t efficient. Cut your losses and get a new one. Or just get a pellet grill. Easiest smoker I have ever had

Gotcha. Oof! Thanks man.

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