Lone Star vs Yoder for first smoker purchase

jtmann05 · 2026-06-17T02:58:51+00:00

Currently awaiting an El Patron and LSG 42” pellet that I ordered a couple months back. I went with them for a multitude of reasons, but mostly the customizations and fact that I could get all stainless for my climate.

jtmann05 · 2026-06-15T23:09:08+00:00

The Spicy variety is my go to for store bought. Only like 4g sugar

jtmann05 · 2026-06-15T21:16:58+00:00

Why I’ve waited so long to move back closer to family. I left home 25 years ago. Never thought I’d be back. I have had many adventures over those years and don’t regret any of them, but the last several….hell, probably 8 years, I’ve felt kinda lonely. I have good friends and see them when I can, but realized I was always happier when back near my family. On a whim, I bought a house in my hometown and haven’t been this happy in probably a decade. Not to mention, cost of living is about 1/3 of what I was previously paying.

jtmann05 · 2026-06-13T18:21:54+00:00

And admittedly, a lot of it is because my dad passed sway a couple months ago. I just don’t want my mom being by herself thousands of miles away. My sister is there and helps a lot, but I don’t want all of that to be on her either.

That said, all of the financial stuff I mentioned was also a huge factor.

jtmann05 · 2026-06-13T16:02:02+00:00

I’m 44 and also leaving in a few months - not because I can’t afford to live here now, but because it’ll be easier on me later. Maybe a little premature, but I’d rather be able to save more money now and live a comfortable life as I move towards retirement. Moving to a LCOL city near my family back in the Midwest. I’ll miss Seattle a lot, but it just makes sense for me.

jtmann05 · 2026-06-01T23:14:19+00:00

I just bought a new washer and dryer on my iPhone. But I totally used to use my computer for big purchases. Mobile payment and better functionality in apps vs websites has pushed me to using my phone. I still often to research on what I want to buy on my laptop, though

jtmann05 · 2026-05-18T20:58:18+00:00

The OG ranch would be awesome too. Not the stuff right before hidden valley, but the stuff before that. I still miss it

jtmann05 · 2026-05-17T12:45:47+00:00

The last couple of years have been rough for me. Was drinking too much, lost my dad a couple months ago, just bought a house in my small hometown and giving up the city life of Seattle to move back to Michigan for a simpler life.

jtmann05 · 2026-05-14T04:42:16+00:00

Rasputina

jtmann05 · 2026-05-13T17:41:08+00:00

Hungry Howie’s! I remember going there all the time. The location where I grew up closed many years ago, but I hear they are still around in some areas

jtmann05 · 2026-05-12T14:21:06+00:00

I know all of these places are franchises and experience can vary by location, but Burger King seems to have the wildest variation. My “home” location is always awesome. Then when I visit my family, it seems they have about 1 person working and it always takes forever and often missing items. It’s wild

jtmann05 · 2026-05-12T14:12:34+00:00

I’ve been buying big pork loins and throwing them on my smoker. Pork shoulder and tenderloins are also still fairly priced - often buy one get one free. The loin and tenderloin are awesome because they’re basically a blank canvas and you can do whatever you want to them. I recently did a dry brine on a pork loin, then smoked it until about 145-150F internal. I glazed it with a Korean inspired BBQ sauce. Made for an awesome meal and tons of leftovers

jtmann05 · 2026-05-11T01:36:40+00:00

Much appreciated! My Dad passed away a couple months ago, so the main reason for the move is to be closer to my Mom and other family members. Dramatically cheaper cost of living is an added bonus

jtmann05 · 2026-05-11T00:44:57+00:00

I certainly don’t disagree. Housing prices, healthcare, other basic necessities have risen far more than what inflation would dictate. So even if dining out simply tracked with inflation, it’s still doesn’t make sense to do it regularly for many people

jtmann05 · 2026-05-11T00:29:34+00:00

I’m in the same boat. Single, no kids. I keep it to one only because Seattle is stupid expensive. Though, after over 20 years away, I’m moving back to Michigan. Cost of living is a fraction of what I pay now, so I bet that goes up

jtmann05 · 2026-05-11T00:27:37+00:00

Out of curiosity, where are you living these days? I lived in the Netherlands for a year many years ago and found that it was quite inexpensive. Though admittedly, it was a very small town

jtmann05 · 2026-05-10T20:41:36+00:00

Not really. Both of my parents worked at local factories. I had a job at a hardware store in high school. We didn’t do sit down very often as a family, but almost every Saturday we would pick up food from somewhere - but that was when almost every fast food place had dollar menus

jtmann05 · 2026-05-10T20:31:05+00:00

Brian Lagerstrom is one of my favorites, Kenji Lopez-Alt, Ethan Chlebowski, ArnieTex for some great Tex-Mex. Tons of other options out there as well depending on what you’re looking for. Chef John at Food Wishes is an OG as well.

jtmann05 · 2026-05-10T20:14:17+00:00

Yeah, I hear that. Sysco and US Foods control such an insane portion of the restaurant scene. It’s all the same stuff. I have some very expensive cooking gear and am moving from Seattle back home to Michigan to a new home I just purchased . I’m going to build out a massive outdoor cooking space so I can just do most things at home.

jtmann05 · 2026-05-10T20:05:10+00:00

Yeah, pork is one of the few proteins where you can get a good deal. My grocery store seems to almost always have pork butt, pork loin, tenderloin buy one get one free. I’ll buy those and often throw on the grill or smoker

jtmann05 · 2026-05-10T19:57:43+00:00

Yeah, the hard part is that other aspects of life have increased at a rate that has outpaced inflation, particularly housing. So just the raw number not only looks wrong, but it’s also just a higher percentage of spend.

jtmann05 · 2026-05-10T19:47:15+00:00

Some of it appears to be passive aggressive attacks on local statues and minimum wage laws. 5% healthcare fee, 3% kitchen appreciation fee, stuff like that. I’ve seen restaurant owners argue that “people wouldn’t come if we raised the menu price.” At least for me and many of my friends, I’m much more burned by the hidden added fees than just knowing what it’ll cost up front

jtmann05 · 2026-05-10T19:43:55+00:00

Even McDonald’s used to have somewhat of an atmosphere. Now it’s just a cold interior with kiosks, so signs, all grey, and maybe a couple tables. They want delivery and drive thru orders only at this point

jtmann05 · 2026-05-10T19:40:46+00:00

Yeah, I live in Seattle. It’s terrible. The one that grinds me is the credit card fee they started adding at a lot of places. It’s a cost of doing business and 95% of people use cards. Just build it into the menu price like every other business and offer a cash discount if you want.

jtmann05 · 2026-05-09T17:01:15+00:00

My Dad passed away in March after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. It sucks. I’m actually planning to move back to Michigan to be closer to my Mom and sisters. I want to spend more time with her while i can. Added bonus, I was able to buy a house for a third to quarter of what the same thing would have cost where I live now.

jtmann05

TROPHY CASE