Bradley Digital Smoker
4.3
5
11
11
DBS4 is awesome!
Great smoker! Digital interface is a great enhancement to the original smoker, and audible beeps help. It's great to set smoker timer, oven timer and temperature all at once. Unlike a BBQ, it needs minimal supervision.
A slight learning curve as you learn to use it properly, but after that: Smoked/BBQ flavoured bliss!
Also, the posted internal cooking volume of 572 sq. in. is misleading. Cubic inches would be more appropriate for a smoker, since you can stack four 572 sq. in. spaced surfaces together (stainless steel wire racks), for a total of 2288 cubic inches! That's quite a large cooking capacity.
July 10, 2009
Life Isn't Right Without Smoked Meat
It took a lot of convincing and saving up for this. I love smoked foods. Ever since I bought it I actually starting saving a lot of money. I love smoked Sockeye Salmon and buying it at a grocery store cost me way more money per gram then just smoking meats myself. The freshness and type of smoke is all up to you, there are so many option's. The flavor and quality is almost 100% guarantee with this digital Smoker.
May 13, 2013
A great smoke
I have had mine now for over five years. It still works great. I mostly do rainbow and salmon with it but have had other great meals. The fish is always a party favorite. The digital is worth the extra few dollars as it easy to set up and then i can take off fishing!
May 10, 2013
Get it right the first time.
Smoking is a craft that can take time to perfect. Bradley gets you as close to perfection as your going to get without a lot of trial and error. Is it the cheapest, no. Is it the most efficient, no. Do you get great results every time, yes. If you want to start smoking today, get this.
May 10, 2013
BEST GIFT I EVER RECIEVED!!!
Recieved this as a house warming gift, and let me say my butcher loved me immediately...lol..but now winter is upon us here in the unemployment capital of Canada,..WINDSOR..so I am gonna go buy a electric range hood and make my very own cabinet vented for garage use in winter time....love my wings smoked.....the ribs,..oh so yummy. and pulled pork to die for...thanks JOEY!!
December 26, 2012
Great Smoker!
Couldn't ask for a better product. Has worked great with easy functionality and control. Makes succulent tasty and tender meat, that receives rave reviews at dinner parties and backyard BBQ's. Was a little intimidated by smoking but with the pucks and easy to use system I'm now as comfortable with it as BBQing.
November 5, 2012
Disapointed, but hopeful
I can't tell you if it is good or not, it was defective right out of the box, the bisquette advancer never worked, Error code "E". Going to exchange it tomorrow, but they are out of stock. I will have to wait a few weeks to give an honest review.
July 27, 2012
Good when working
I first purchased the smoker when on sale at Canadian Tire and it broke after maybe it's forth or fifth use 6 months after purchase. The smoker was still making smoke but no longer making heat and cooking food.
Since it was still on warranty I brought it back to CT and they exchanged it with a new one.
The new smoker broke after a very similar use as the second unit but is now without warranty. I contacted bradley and we figured out that it was the heating element that was no longer working. I had to order a new element for 45$ from bradley.
If they continue to brake at this rate it will become a very expensive smoker!
When working, the smoker is somewhat satisfying. The one big issue is again with the 500W heating element which is underpowered when outside conditions are not optimal. With a little wind and/or temperature of under 15 celcius it can be challenge to keep the smoker at a temperature of 215F. I often smoked food in the smoker for awhile and then transferred the food to the oven to complete cooking because I wasn't able to get the smoker to 215F.
I have seen on the web that a lot of people are converting their unit to either dual 500W elements or to a single 900W element but that will void the warranty and takes some know how.
I regret my purchase.
July 15, 2012
Great smoker!
The other reviews are accurate.
Pros:
Easy to use
food tastes great
set it and "walk away"
Cons:
Cost is a little high ($399 on sale)
Element in the smoker could use a little more power (the unit does not like wind)
Overall, I would buy it again and do not regret a thing. Takes a few trys to learn the "tricks" , but once you learn what wood type (pucks), you like and how long to cook etc, its GREAT!
April 13, 2012
I love my Bradley!
When I first bought my DBS on sale at Canadian Tire, little did I know that it marked the beginning of a hobby I wish I had started years ago. I remember my very first "ham" I ever cured myself and smoked in the Bradley. It was one of those cheap quarter leg pieces on sale for 79 cents a pound at the grocery store. It was the best ham my family ever tasted. Then we realized we had probably never had "real" ham before. The fluid filled package of ham bought at the grocery for five times the price cannot compare. Then I made bacon from fresh pork belly and we had the same experience. With practice, you'll soon know exactly how long to cure and smoke to get exactly what you want to get a result that you just can't buy in a store for any price.
The great thing about the Bradley is that cold smoking is possible in colder weather. Cold smoking is essential if you want to smoke salmon (lox) or cheese - both of which I love and otherwise cost a fortune if you bought them in the store. For warmer weather, Bradley also sells a "Cold Smoke Adaptor" that places the smoke generator outside of the smoker itself. It works pretty good to keep temperatures down to near ambient. Keep in mind that the smoker can cook as well as smoke. The cooking element can be turned on independently of the smoke generator, but it has difficulty reaching set cooking temperatures in colder weather, especially when windy. A nice sheltered location (outdoors) for your smoker is ideal. While perhaps not necessary, I keep the digital smoke generator itself indoors when not in use.
Some folks may be concerned that you can only use Bradley wood "bisquettes" in this smoker. Since the Bradley is so popular, availability isn't a problem and there are places where you can buy them in bulk quantities for cheaper prices. The nice thing about them is that you can load up several hours worth of bisquettes and just walk away and not fuss with it. Plus the system works by burning each bisquette for only 20 minutes, thereby preventing acrid smoke filled with creosote from contaminating your food. You get consistent smoke at a rate and intensity that is completely under your control. And it's also fun to experiment with all the different smoke flavours of the bisquettes that are available.
The 4 rack is a good size and can easily handle a 25 pound full leg of ham as my pictures show.
I strongly suggest that potential owners of this smoker join the Bradley forum where literally 1000's of recipes, techniques, tips, and technical help are available 24-7.
January 28, 2012
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