This is the Hunsaker Vortex Smoker right
out of the box and I'm Max Good.
I test and review grills and smokers full time for AmazingRibs.com
I'll be putting it through the paces shortly, so let's take a quick look before I start to cook.
This Virtual Showroom video is part 1 for
part 2 click on the link to my
full, detailed review right below this screen. Welcome to our Virtual Showroom.
The Hunsaker Vortex Smoker it's an
upright barrel smoker aka ugly drum smoker,
55-gallon drum and it has a few
very unique features that you will not
find on other drum smokers. There's this
nice stay cool handle so you don't burn
your fingers. The exhaust damper is
located on a chimney on top
and a thermometer is popped into the chimney. Hunsaker believes if the thermometer is
located in the side of the barrel the
probe is more subject to damage.
They think it's safer up here. And this
thermometer may be calibrated with a screwdriver
They call this their floating hinge
Keeps that lid out of your way and
there's a lock here to stop it from
flopping back down on you. The air intake
has a rather clever design located at
the bottom and it can be operated with
your foot. See how that works?
Now we're going to see where this smoker gets the vortex name. There's a conical
heat shield at the bottom. It's flared out.
Hunsaker claims this reduces heat stress
on the sides of the drum and prevents
damage to the paint. And it's the resting place
for the Vortex Charcoal Basket. Here
is the Vortex Charcoal Basket itself.
Flop that handle down. This vortex heat
plate is supposed to even out heat and
reduce hot spots. There's the charcoal
basket and a removable ashtray on the bottom.
Just set it into that conical
heat shield and start smoking.
What are those rails over there? Well
I'll tell you what they are that's where
you rest your cooking grate. It has five
different levels. Here's the expanded
metal cooking grate all the way at the
top level. Instead of pins attached to
the inside of the barrel the pins are
sticking out of the grate and they fit
into these notched slots at five levels.
Here's the grate all the way at the bottom.
We'll shut this lid down.
Come around to the back again by that
floating hinge and you'll see there's
also a handle. Those big old wheels at
the bottom are meant to get you around
any kind of terrain for competing,
tailgating, you name it.
And there it is - The Hunsacker Vortex! Very curious to see what this unusual design is capable
of accomplishing. I thoroughly tested
this model if you're watching on YouTube
scroll down right under the little piggy
with the Red Hat and click on the link
to my full detailed review. For more
about this and hundreds of other grills
and smokers visit AmazingRibs.com
where you'll also get tested recipes,
tips and techniques, and everything you
need to know about outdoor cooking
AmazingRibs.com - the biggest baddest
barbecue website
in the world.
