Hi
I am wondering, if a Dadant Stainless Steel Smoker is worth purchasing. I ask as they are not available normally here in the United Kingdom so would have to order from USA. Is there a sale on at Dadant at any point online during the year?
Thanks in advance
Karl
They are a great smoker and what I use, but I'm sure you can find an equally as good smoker closer to you.
I'll second that, besides I just piggybacked a Kelley cloud on my order for a bk bud and it was the same as my Dadant, except for the brand on the bellows. So much for the hype in the catalogs lol
I have two large dadants. Like stated above they are all about the same. A couple of things I would recommend is get a large one. You can always put less fuel in it and they stay lit better. A guard is a must and a heat shield is nice
I thought Dadant supplied a few of the other suppliers.
I have a few of the 4x10, they do stay lit better than the short one.
They are tuff and can take a beating.
I'm forever knocking them off something or kicking it down the stairs.
The Dadant smokers are more pleasant to operate because the bellows spring is not ridiculously strong as those in many cheap smokers. I don't use a huge amount of smoke when working bees and the small smoker gets me thru a yard of 25 very well. The shields and guards I have found just give me a false sense of security and I burn myself when using them.
I have tried the cheap smokers and I don't like it near as much as I do my Dadant smoker. I keep the cheap smoker in the truck as a back up just in case something happens to my Dadant but, I will never use any other smoker as my primary smoker.
in my area the bees get pissy some times and when I reach for it, its gona have dadant on it some where
Several people have told me to get the bigger smoker, but I had already got the smaller Dadant. I have from five to seven hives and the small one will still be going when I finish them. If I didn't have one I would probably get the bigger one any how. Good luck to you Karl.
Joe