I am struggling to visualise the size of the smoker and how much food I can smoke ?

Although the dimensions are listed on the product page , I know what you mean. Well a picture is worth a thousand words . Very shortly you will see here a picture of a person stood next to the smoker, and one of someone carrying a smoker so you can assess the size and weight.

How long does it take to smoke food in the Bradley Smoker ?

Obviously the times vary with the size of the cuts or portions of food, and with whether you are cold or hot smoking. Well you knew that, but to give a simple answer - hot smoked chicken in the time it takes to cook, say 90 minutes - 2 hrs, cold smoked salmon in 4 to 5 hours, bacon (cold smoked) in 6 hours, cheese in say 3 hours, mackerel in say 45 minutes.  The  answer is probably a lot quicker than you imagined.

So is this a barbecue or is it a real smoker ?

An odd question you may ask but many people have experience of other brands of smoker which are used in a bbq setting to create smoky barbecue food. In fact there is a whole tradition of smoke barbecuing and roasting in N America complete with 'barbecue championships'. Originating in Canada, it is easy to see why the Bradley Smoker is generally presented in that way.  In the UK, our tradition in smoking food is as a lone activity, where careful attention to detail, and an understanding of smoking techniques goes together to create smoked salmon, venison, duck, and other gourmet delights. Through its design, the Bradley Smoker is more than a match for these tasks, although without much of the hassle. It is a real smoker as we understand it. It will produce delicatessen quality results and we have many users in the UK using it just for this purpose.

Where must I put the smoker and can it be used indoors?

The Bradley Smoker is a natural draft smoker which means that smoke rises through the cabinet and exits through the vent in the top. It would normally be used outdoors and  is light enough to lift and carry easily from a place of permanent storage into the open air.

That said, it would be perfectly possible to use the smoker indoors have arranged a method of smoke extraction. A normal extractor fan, above the smoker would cope easily.

How Much Smoke does it make ?

Too much to use indoors in a confined space without specific ventilation - see above. But outside in the open , or under a lean to, the smoke rapidly dissipates . It does not make bonfires full of smoke. It will not disturb the neighbours !

Why is cold smoke so important?

Creating smoke without heat is the best way to control the flavour of any food being smoked. In most food smokers heat is generated by burning wood, as the wood burns from ignition to complete ash the wood generates heat. At the point where wood is self-consuming (burns without any heat source) it produces a lot of heat. At this point there is very little smoke produced and the temperature within the smoker is out of control. A food smoker will produce a far superior tasting food if the temperature and smoke remain at a constant and controlled level. See also our page on cold smoking in our recipes section. For best results when cold smoking see also the advice on adapting the Bradley Smoker from Arden Smoker Supplies.

What is the difference between a cold or hot smoked product?

Most smoked foods that are produced for resale are first cured and then cold smoked. Cold smoking is usually done below 100 degrees F. or below a temperature that burns or liquefies fat. Heat is added at the end of the smoking process for appearance and flavour. A hot smoked food needs very little curing and has the appearance, taste, and texture of fully cooked foods. See also our page on hot smoking in our recipes section.

How does Bradley make the flavour bisquettes?

That's a secret. However we will tell you that the bisquettes are made with all natural products and the wood we use is clean and kiln dried and has not been used for some other purpose before we made it into a bisquette. Collagen is used to bind the wood chippings. The bisquettes are in all respects 'organic' .

How long has Bradley been making smokers and bisquettes?

Bradley Technologies have been making food smokers for the restaurant and hotel industry for over 20 years. Many of the finest hotels and restaurants around the world smoke their own foods using a Bradley Smoker. Some of these chefs we hope will be willing to share their culinary secrets with you on this web site.

How much does it cost to operate the Bradley Smoker ?

The price of the Flavour bisquette consumables, burning approximately one every 20 minutes, is under one uk pound per hour.

Can I be sure of a supply of bisquettes in the UK ?

Absolutely yes. We import by the container. If there is no stockist in your area, or if bisquettes are unavailable, please use shop.bradleysmoker.co.uk

What about Spare Parts in the UK ?

We hold spare parts in the UK . We also sell spare parts at shop.bradleysmoker.co.uk

Why is the Bradley Smoker more expensive in Europe than in N America ?

As with the vast majority of other products that are imported, in Europe, there is an additional link in the supply chain where a distributor makes a bulk purchase from the manufacturer, stores the products and supplies retail outlets for sale to the public. The distributor, Grakka Limited also provides UK marketing, local product expertise and warranty support.

Bradley Smokers are now also made to a different specification for the European market, in order to conform to regulations regarding the disposal of hazardous substances.

Be aware also that N. America prices are usually quoted without the addition of local taxes whereas European prices are usually quoted inclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) .  An item privately imported from outside the European Union attracts both import duty and VAT on both the item and the freight costs.