While many people believe smoking and grilling to be essentially the same and use them interchangeably, but that’s not the truth.
Smoking food is more of a pro-cooking move that really brings out the flavor in your food.
And that’s why smokers are in so much demand and in more popular.
Two of the most popular names in the smoker business at present are Assassin Smoker and Stumps Smoker.
Several grillers have tried for years comparing both of these great smokers, but they are still bit of confused about which one to choose.
If you are wondering which smoker to use to make your next bbq party a great success, then today you are at the right place.
I am going to compare Assassin smoker vs Stumps smoker in terms of their features and overall performance.
While both Assassin as well as Stumps smokers are well known for their quality features and efficiency, my personal favourite is the Assassin smoker.
The quality and performance of both the smokers are almost the same.
But some of the Assassin smoker models provide larger cooking space than the Stumps smokers at the same price.
The best thing is you also get a slam latch and BBQ Guru, which is a multi-probe barbeque thermometer and controller, absolutely free with the Assassin smokers.
However, you will have to pay extra for these accessories if you plan to go with a Stumps smoker.
Hence, Assassin smokers prove to be a better value for money invested, I would prefer this smoker over Stumps smoker.
Another feature of Assassin smoker that I really liked is that the charcoal chute is at the back instead of the side as found in Stumps smokers.
This allows the front door of the smokers to open more widely than the Stumps smokers.
Due to these benefits and unique features, I would rate Assassin smokers a bit higher than the Stumps smokers.
Anyways, I will provide my own comparison of features and benefits of these two smokers in this article ahead.
So, I recommend you to keep reading this article till the end to get the real gist and understanding of both the smoker models.
How Does a Stumps Smoker Work?
There are different types of Stumps smokers available in the market with different features, but all of them are quite similar in operation.
They are simple to handle and anyone can use them without much hassles.
Below, I have provided step-by-step instructions that you can follow for easy operation of Stumps smokers.
1. Preheat your Stumps smoker for around 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Set the temperature according to the food you are going to smoke.
This can be done by adjusting the ball valve, and the ideal temperature is usually around 250 degrees F.
3. Now add wood chunks or charcoal to the firebox of the smoker to get the fire started.
4. Spray the inside of the smoker with oil, put the meat on it, and let the Stumps smoker to do its magic by letting it cook for around 3 hours.
Smokers take a long time to cook the meat but the end result is fantastic and more flavourful.
5. Once the meat is smoked, shut down the smoker by closing the ball valve.
Source: Stumpssmokers.com
How Does an Assassin Smoker Work?
Just like Stumps smokers, Assassin smokers also come in different varieties.
There are wood smokers, charcoal smoker, gravity fed insulated smokers, and so on.
Let’s find out how normally Assassin smokers work.
1. First, you have preheat your smoker for around 15 minutes.
2. Then add charcoal to the chute and start the fire.
3. In the ash pan, add wood chunks to add flavour to the meat.
4. Set the temperature according to the food you are cooking.
Usually, people set temperature to around 250 to 300 degrees F.
5. Once the food is smoked after 3-4 hours, shut the smoker and let it cool down for few minutes.
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6 Main Features of Stumps Smoker
1. Stumps smokers are available in different shapes and sizes, so you can choose one according to your backyard size and budget.
2. They come with Guru Ball valve adapter.
3. These smokers do come with hydraulic door assist for easy opening and closing of doors.
4. Also comes with gravity fed charcoal system that allows long burn time for proper charcoal consumption.
5. They are equipped with pneumatic wheels so you can move the smoker easily.
6. Comes with 16-gauge metal construction to increase the smoker’s longevity.
5 Main Features of Assassin Smoker
1. This smoker comes with a slam latch door for ease of use.
2. The smoker is equipped with heat diffusers.
3. Raised charcoal chute to avoid water entering the smoker.
4. It has a compressed mineral wool for maximum insulation.
5. Also comes with a removable water pan and front panel grease guard for comfortable usage.
Pros and Cons of Stumps Smoker
Here are the good and bad things about Stumps smoker that I feel must be mentioned for the potential users to know.
Pros:
1. Different varieties of smokers available with premium quality.
2. Made of durable and heavy-duty material for longevity.
3. Easy to operate
4. Gravity fed smokers use sealed environment principle to maintain temperature automatically without your intervention.
5. Budget friendly smokers.
Cons:
1. You have to pay extra for some of the vital accessories in the basic models.
2. If not cleaned properly, it leads to flare ups. So, always clean the smoker on a regular basis.
Pros and Cons of Assassin Smoker
And below are some of advantages and disadvantages of using Assassin smoker that I feel must be mentioned too.
Pros:
1. It is extremely fuel efficient by design.
2. Easy and comfortable cooking experience for around 12 hours without adding charcoal.
3. Comes with Tapered charcoal chute to avoid charcoal bridging.
4. It is also very easy to operate without much manual intervention.
5. It is well equipped with handles that are provided in the back for the ease of carrying around.
Cons:
1. Only one problem that I find in this smoker which is it overall size and weight.
It is a bit heavy and takes more space for storage as compared to the Stump smokers.
5 Comparison Factors for Assassin Smoker vs Stumps Smoker
| Features | Assassin Smoker | Stumps Smoker |
| BBQ Guru | Available for free with all models | Not available for standard models |
| Slam Latch Doors | Available with Assassin smokers | Not available |
| Quantity of Charcoal | Standard models can hold 20 to 22 lbs of charcoal | Standard models can hold 16 lbs of charcoal |
| Colours Availability | Custom colors available | Only available in black colour |
| Number of Cooking Racks | 4 | 7 |
My Verdict
I feel that both Assassin smokers as well as Stumps smokers are great in terms of quality and overall performance.
Both smokers do provide flavourful cooked food their overall design and construction is durable.
However, I would definitely go with the Assasin smokers due more features and benefits as compared to the Stomps smokers.
Assassin smokers are great value for money.
Even though the price of both the smokers is almost the same, Assassin smokers provide more features than Stumps smokers.
That being said, both the smokers come with a good number of features and are definitely a true delight to cook with.
References:
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=172281
https://www.assassin-smokers.com/gravity-fed-insulated-smokers/
https://stumpssmokers.com/the-stumpster/
