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All reviews for Build Your Own Barrel Smoker

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    5.0
    Joe Callahan
    Jan 28th 2023
    Good Investment, Seeking Replacement Parts after 2 Years

    Great little smoker, it was fun putting it together and experimenting with it over the last couple years. However, the clasp on the ring that seals the lid has worn out and I don't know how to find a replacement. Can we order replacement parts somehow?

    5.0
    Joe Callahan
    Jan 28th 2023
    Good Investment, Seeking Replacement Parts after 2 Years

    Great little smoker, it was fun putting it together and experimenting with it over the last couple years. However, the clasp on the ring that seals the lid has worn out and I don't know how to find a replacement. Can we order replacement parts somehow?

    Man Crates Response: Hey there Joe, Glad to hear you are enjoying the smoker! Reaching out to you to get some replacement parts sent out :)

    5.0
    Christopher Jean
    Nov 19th 2022
    Great bang for the buck!

    I bought this smoker about a year ago, mainly due to the price but also because it has more features than several more expensive barrel smokers. I used to build race cars so assembly was not difficult. A centerpunch is a must for locating your drilling points. All the parts were included and fit as designed. Although the smaller barrel size could limit how much you can cook with this smoker, it has handled everything I have tried. Chuck roasts, pork shoulders, whole chickens, racks of ribs, etc. It probably can't handle a whole brisket but you could always cut one in two and cook it on the two included grill grates. I especially like that this smoker includes a thermometer and the spring-coil handles stay cool and safe to use without gloves. As the bottom lid is not welded onto the barrel, tending your fire is a breeze, even when the barrel is full of food. Just lift the barrel off the base, tend your fire, then set the barrel back on the base. This also makes cleaning out the ashes easy. Would I recommend this smoker? Heck yes! Especially when a Pit Barrel Junior is $100 more and does not include all the features of the Man Crates barrel smoker!

    5.0
    Shannon S
    Oct 24th 2022
    Best Smoker ever!

    My husband has used grills, and an electric smoker to smoke meats and he said this is the best smoker he has ever owned. He wants me to order another one in case anything happens to the one we have. We Unfortunately, it has been out of stock. We have had it for over a year and have had no problems. He said he will never go back to an electric smoker.

    5.0
    Shannon
    Sep 21st 2022
    Love this smoker!

    We have had electric smokers but none gave us the flavor this one does and it's much easier to clean. My only issue is I would like to be able to get replacement parts as I can see wear on some of the baskets. My husband actually wanted me to buy another just so we would have parts to replace but it would be nice to buy just what we needed to replace. Our favorite to cook with though.

    5.0
    Bruce
    Apr 25th 2022
    Impressed

    It took about 4 hours to assemble but I was not in a hurry. I applied sealant to the holes drilled for handles, hooks etc. to button it up. After seasoning I smoked a brisket. I had to separate the point from the flat to allow it to fit. The temperature was easy to maintain. I thought it would be harder to control but once you get the hang of it, it is easy to keep it at 220, 250, 275.
    Quality so far is top notch. Time will tell for how long it will last but for the price I think it was a nice gift to myself.

    5.0
    Michael Parsons
    Dec 28th 2021
    Awesome Christmas Gift.

    My wife surprised me with this for Christmas. The important tools are included. You just need a drill and phillips screwdriver. Once i finished building it took close to 3 hr with a couple beer breaks.. I seasoned it with canola oil. First run I made outstanding smoked wings. It's easy to maintain the temp and has plenty of room. I have a larger smoker however this unit functions much better! Excellent product! Thank you for providing quality materials for this project!

    5.0
    Michael king
    Dec 26th 2021
    Christmas

    Got this for Christmas from my wife it is amazing.. fun to build. And Christmas dinner came out amazing... love this

    5.0
    Gary Lutz
    May 25th 2021
    Great!

    Me wife bought me this as a Christmas gift and I couldn't be happier. Easy to build and use. I have smoked ribs, fish, chicken and pork shoulder and can honestly say better or as good as the local bbq joint. Trust me this works just as good as the overpriced smokers. Buy it you won't be disappointed.

    5.0
    angela nicholas
    Apr 29th 2021
    my husbands favorite smoker

    I bought this for my husband to give him something to do. He has used it a few times with wood chips we made from a storm damaged tree. The last time we used it I asked him which one he liked best. We have 2 electric smokers that we have used for years and he said "The barrel smoker!" He likes it best because we get the "Fire" that we don't get with the other smokers. So far the best thing we've made is smoked chicken tinga tacos . Thank you

    5.0
    Mark H
    Jan 2nd 2021
    Highly recommended project

    I received the barrel smoker as a Christmas gift. I make my own beef jerky & bacon, so this was a perfect way to add extra smoking capacity to my existing setup.
    The parts kits were easy to identify, and the included tools made for easy assembly. I especially enjoyed working with the step drill bit.
    The drill templates are sturdy; I recommend retaining them in case you want to make modifications later.
    I spaced the assembly over 3 separate days & was very pleased with the result.
    Hints: a workbench with some scrap wood helps to "block" the barrel in place during drilling. A strong magnet helps to pick up tiny bits of metal left over from drilling. Keep charged batteries handy, especially when drilling the lower vent holes. An angled power drill is easier to balance when drilling on the barrel surface. Finally, an application of high-temp paint will cover any small exterior chips that occur when working with the upper & lower lids.
    Recommendation to Mancrates: offer a second vent door parts kit as an option to add a small access point for placing more wood chips during the smoking process.
    Thanks Mancrates!

    5.0
    Javonn Musgrove
    Dec 30th 2020
    Christmas gift

    This was one of the best gifts Ive ever received. My girlfriend hunted this down as I have wanted to start smoking meats for a new hobby. Built it the same day. Used it the next day. Works great!

    5.0
    Marcy Merrill
    Dec 28th 2020
    Great fun!

    Got this for my husband who dreams of being a smoker (never done it). Thought this would be fun for him...a beginner smoker - I’ll get him a fancy one if he uses the home-built one! We built it together in about 3 hrs. Instructions need an update, but we didn’t encounter any problems. He smoked a rack of ribs for dinner and they were pretty darn good (we are in Alaska and this worked at 25F, kept the temp pretty constant).

    Good find, good buy! (We got a puzzle box too and that was super fun!)

    5.0
    Victor marin
    Dec 27th 2020
    Highly recommended

    Got his as a Christmas gift. It was easy and fund to build. We smoked ribs the same day and they were phenomenal! Best gift to provide someone.

    5.0
    Joe Callahan
    Dec 19th 2020
    Better than expected!

    Wife got this for me and it sat in the box for longer than I care to admit, but after we spent a fun evening together building it, then my wife taught me how to brine a roast, and we smoked some of the best meat we've ever eaten the next day. 1st time smokers, but die hard fans from here on out. Thanks Man Crates!

    5.0
    Angela
    Jul 28th 2020
    So cool!

    Bought this nifty little guy for my husband for his birthday. He put it together and we’re smoking some meat right now! Too bad we can’t post pictures because this smoker works great! Awesome gift for the guy who has everything.

    5.0
    Kyle
    Jul 2nd 2020
    Awesome lil smoker!!

    My wife surprised me with this and it has been awesome! The build was easy and fun. Even one my first use, it was easy to dial the temp I wanted and it stayed consistent for hours! It’s smaller size is way more portable than the full 55gal drums, so it’s great even for travel or tailgating. It also just looks smooth. I highly recommend!

    5.0
    Greg
    Jun 22nd 2020
    Awesome

    I was given this smoker as a gift for Father's Day. We built it as a family project and it was so much fun. The build is not difficult at all and the instructions are very easy to follow. Our first cook on it was super easy and the food came out amazing. I would recommend getting a remote meat thermometer as it makes the smoking process easier. Definitely recommend it!!

    4.0
    Lisa
    Jun 16th 2023
    Overall Fun Project

    Got this for a Father’s Day gift. It came in a discreet cardboard box. We decided to put this together early so we could smoke some meat for Sunday. Everything was packed nicely inside the drum. It took us about 3 hours to put this together. The instructions were a little confusing as the diameters in the instruction manual did not match the diameters on the cutout blueprint. We ended up following the cutout out diameters, the screws didn’t fit following the manual. The drill bit piece we received also did not look like the instructions. We received this two-side piece to puncture the holes. Both sides ended up breaking from use. We were really struggling puncturing the last holes for the bottle opener. There were also some nuts that were warped so we we unable to secure them on a few bolts. The ventilation plate only had one bolt instead of 2 in the instructions. We also didn’t receive the right nuts for the vent on the top lid. All in all it was a fun experience for us. The final product looks great. I didn’t see a place for me to order parts but would be great if I could get some replacement pieces. Is there a place I can order some additional hardware?

    Man Crates Response: Hi Lisa,

    Thank you for this feedback!

    For replacements and other info about the item, you may send us an email at guys@mancrates.com and our lovely Customer Champions will be happy to assist you.

    Have an awesome day!

    Man Crates Team Champion

    4.0
    David Stewart Jr
    Mar 7th 2021
    Ehh

    It’s really nice but the lack of instructions ruined the experience. I thank you folks for the product but 4 stars until you guys include better instructions

    3.0
    Kit
    Jan 14th 2023
    Used

    I got this for a gift for my husband. Putting together was pretty easy and fun although some of the instructions in the book didn’t match the sizing indications on the stencil which could completely ruin it if you don’t go slowly and test the smallest option first. I was more disappointed that the main grate was used, it was covered in soot. I contacted customer service and while very nice weren’t helpful at all. I would have expected a…we will get a new grate shipped to you right away and when you receive please put the used one in and send it back. They instead wanted the used part back first then they would send out the new one. Just bad service when you as a company send out something used/broken and then leave the customer waiting for your part back resulting in a long delay before the customer can use the product they paid for.

    Man Crates Response: Oh no, I'm so sorry you received something that appears to be used. We are sending out a brand new Main Grate for that Barrel Smoker to get that smoker smokin' in tip top shape!

    3.0
    Mason
    Jul 5th 2021
    Great but need to make changes

    My wife bought it for me for Valentine’s Day. It was put together in roughly one hour and was immediately used. Works great vents are awesome, but within the second cook my paint was pealing even though it’s never reached temp over 350. Going to sand and repaint with a 2,000 degree paint

    2.0
    Dave Campbell
    Jan 2nd 2021
    Gift was a hit but the barrel wasn't seasoned- rusted out inside

    My step dad loved this gift initially but when he went to put it together he found that it hadn't been seasoned. Because of this a thin layer of rust formed on the inside of the barrel. Very disappointed

    Man Crates Response: Hey there, thank you for your feedback! Apologies that you were disappointed in the product you received! We do our best to offer a great experience and value for the price and we're sad to hear we missed that mark for you. Give us a call at 866-902-7260 and we'd be happy to work with you to make this right.

    -Team Man Crates

    1.0
    One Very Pissed Wife
    Dec 24th 2020
    Shipping Box

    Super pissed that I bought this for My Husband for Christmas and the side of the shipping box says, " Barrel Smoker." Thanks Man Crate for ruining my Christmas gifts. Because I work everyday including Christmas Eve, and guess who brought the delivery inside, low and behold my husband. Super pissed off but maybe change the box so you don't ruin some other wife, mother, daughter, or sister's surprise.

    Man Crates Response: Thanks for your feedback, I’m so sorry to hear you were disappointed in the product you received. We do our best to offer a great value for the price and I’m sorry to hear we missed that mark for you!

    We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our products, so when you're not happy, we're not happy! We'd be glad for the opportunity to work with you to make this right by offering a product replacement, discount, or we can arrange a cost free and hassle free return pick-up at the location of your choice if you just want a full refund. Please reach out to our awesome customer service team by giving us a call at 866-902-7260 or sending over an email to guys@mancrates.com and we’d be happy for the opportunity to make this right ASAP!

    -Team Man Crates

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