I bought a Smokin-It 3D (
https://www.smokin-it.com/Smoker-p/smkmdl3d-gen2.htm ) a few years ago after joining some church buddies to help with a large smoke. At the time I knew absolutely NOTHING about smoking meat. They used the big offset box smokers for a large crowd. I enjoyed helping and learning but did not want the complexity or the time involvement of a large smoker. If I had gotten one I probably would not have used it that much.
My criteria was I wanted it to be as foolproof and Ron Popeil worthy as possible ("Set it and forget it."). I also wanted to be able to use whatever smoking wood I could get and not be forced to use proprietary pellets. I looked at Cook$hack and Smokin Tex but settled on the Smokin-It when they popped up with a sale (From my link above looks like they have free shipping again until the end of December).
I picked the 3D because it was:
- a digital controller that controls temps within a couple degrees,
- programmable with multiple stages of cooking at varying temps based on either time or food temps (ie, Cook my Boston Butt at 225 until internal temp is 195, then drop temp to 150 to hold)
- The smallest model with 15x22 shelf instead of 15x15 shelf. I don't have to hang ribs, can lay them flat 2 per shelf.
- Uses chunks of smoking wood the size of alphabet blocks instead of pellets. I like the smokilicous woods and use mostly cherry and hickory so far.
Have gotten a lot of use out of it over the last few years. I use it at least once a month. started with Boston Butts, chicken, and ribs but branched out into Briskets and this year smoked my first Turkey. If you don't want the commitment of staying up all night to watch a smoke, I really like the electric smokers as an option. I know it is not the purist way, but I would rather spend my free time doing other things and have the food cooking itself in the background.
Smokin-it website also has a forum with some pretty good advice for beginners. Stick with some of the more popular recipes and you won't go wrong.
Just my opinion....worth what you paid for it and not a penny more. Good luck and let us know what you try.