Introduction
The Smokehouse Little Chef is a front loading smoker that can slow cook up to 25 pounds of food. It is electrically powered and preset to operate at 165 degree Fahrenheit. It has four chrome plated grills that can be loaded and unloaded easily like any standard oven. A drip tray at the bottom makes cleaning up afterward easy. It comes fully assembled and includes a bag of hickory flavor wood chips so that it can be unpacked and used immediately. It stands at 24.5 inches high and is 11.5 x 11.5 in depth and length.
So who does it suit?
The Little Chef as its name implies is targeted at small families and occasional BBQ chefs. It is very simple to use – no assembly is required and there are no controls as the temperature is pre-set. Because of it non-adjustable temperature setting it is only suited for long slow cooking and smoking. This ensures that the smoke penetrates the meat and even though it takes a long time it produced great results. However the little chef is not designed for large cuts or barbeques. It is suited for smoking all the low temperature products like fish, jerky, sausages and cheeses. It is also great for preserving foods due to its low temperatures setting as it is primarily a smoker rather than a cooker.
How does it work?
The Little Chef is electrically powered by a 450 watt heating element. It has a 576 sq inch rack space on which to load the food to be smoked. It is made on lightweight aluminum which makes it easy to transport.
Great for smoking
The product is designed for smoking not for barbeques hence its low power and operating temperatures.
Easy operation
It is very easy to operate and clean, the drip tray is even dishwater safe making cleaning up afterwards very straightforward.
Lightweight
The aluminum build means it can be very easily transported as it is slightly over 15 pounds.
No temperature controls
The appliance operates at a pre-set 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Unsuitable for barbeques or large cuts
The appliance is too low powered to handle barbeque cooking.
Effected by the weather
The light weight design and aluminum construction makes it very vulnerable to the outside air temperature. This makes it difficult to keep the temperature up during cold or windy days.
Conclusion
The Little Chef is a great appliance – as its popularity shows – so long as you realize its limitations. It is popular for being inexpensive, lightweight and easy to use – as a smoker and a low temperature cooker. If you understand that then it will not disappoint but buyers must be aware of those limitations. Indeed sometimes those flaws can be benefits an example being that the lightweight design has such poor insulating qualities that the temperature is unable to be maintained during winter months. This however makes it a poor cooker but a great cold smoker for cheeses and things you want to smoke but not cook.
