Is this a good deal?

[Zante]

.. or is it too good to be true?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Large-Sta...ld-/171609124276?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

 

[Bee Bumble]

No, I bought some £2 cheaper than that and they are the same as the T's ones which were £13:50 in their sale.

 

[snelgrove]

I bought one , ok for the price, but don't expect years of service

 

[chrisb]

they are on there for less look around, from china so not quick delivery.
they work, they break, chuck it
if you get a season or two out of one you had moneys worth

 

[Zante]

I bought one , ok for the price, but don't expect years of service

they are on there for less look around, from china so not quick delivery.
they work, they break, chuck it
if you get a season or two out of one you had moneys worth

<shrug>
Good enough as a first smoker, I guess. Then I can see whether to continue using cheap ones for two or three seasons each or get a good one.

 

[Eyeman]

Was just about to recommend SimontheBeekeeper as I bought 3 smokers last month for £5.99 each- excellent value and reasonably robust if you look after them.
Just noticed the price has gone up to £16.99, only difference appears to be a roll of lighter fuel and instructions on how to light it.

 

[chrisb]

that would have been sell off
big big from china dirt cheap, sell initial quantity off cheap to scrape back % of outlay then up price when stocks are at decent level
in meantime shows xxx sold so looks good and people dont notice price has doubled.

best price on there at moment £8.30 and actually same smoker as some we know sell for £20

 

[deanrpwaacs]

Do people really worry about a £7.99 smoker ? Fml .

 

[chrisb]

at that price they should not but believe me you would be amazed how many would complain for there £7.99
" O " and that includes £2.40 worth of postage

 

[Eyeman]

Do people really worry about a £7.99 smoker ? Fml .

Sleepless nights mate!
I'm still scraping the lasts bits of propolis from my £1 frames where each of the 6 components work out at 16p each!

 

[thenovice]

I bought the £5 one on ebay a couple of weeks back. exactly the same as the one from thornes in the starter pack. the smoke is the same as in the other one .

 

[Itchy]

I've had that very same one, lasted ages and I got 30+ hives

 

[Nige.Coll]

Where that was made 50p is a weeks wage.

 

[pargyle]

I think the only downside to this one is that it just has a disc at the bottom of the smoker to keep the fuel above the air supply - the better ones have a removable canister inside - but you can solve it very easily with an old tin with some holes punched in the bottom. The stainless is often very thin so the hinges tend to go if you force them so keep it reasonably clean and not gummed up - fuel that doesn't have resins in it will help so avoid pine shavings and cardboard rolls which seem to produce more deposits than fuels such as rotten wood, hardwood shavings (oak/ash etc.) or hessian sacking.

There's always going to be debate about smoker fuel - all down to personal preference

I got mine about four years ago from eastern europe - nicely made and it has stood up quite well - about £8 as I recall.

Bottom line is at £8 or thereabouts it's almost a consumable - you will probably lose it, stand on it or run the car over it before it wears out ... better that than destroying a £30 that would last a lifetime ...

 

[chrisb]

Bottom line is at £8 or thereabouts it's almost a consumable - you will probably lose it, stand on it or run the car over it before it wears out ... better that than destroying a £30 that would last a lifetime ...

 

[Jowlpost]

Yes

The bellows fabric will give up after two or three years but i just replaced mine with a bit of 1.5mm leather i got off ebay for £4 . The stainless will last OK.

 

[REDWOOD]

I bought two ebay smokers 7 years ago and I'm still on my first although when they say large they are more like medium.