re: Which smokers are the best?

I have the 18". And perfectly fine with it.. But who wouldn't want bigger every now and then

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Thanks, any advantage to an Offset smoker?

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Not a pit master by any means, but you don't have fire directly under your food. You also will have much more cooking surface, can add wood, lump, etc..., much easier than on a Kamado or other smoker where the fuel source is under the food. Again, I have used both and find the Kamado (eggs) are fine for family / small groups. If you're looking to cook for large groups, often, you want the offset firebox to obtain the largest cooking surface you can get.

The Smokey Mountain is considered top of the line. There are many websites dedicated to them, including The Virtual Weber Bullet and the Virtual Weber Bulletin Board. The former provides all the info you could ever need on one, including tips and recipes. The latter is a forum where people swap recipes, techniques, modification ideas, pictures, and anything relating to Weber. With your budget, I recommend the larger model. Significantly higher capacity, and will still stay $100 under budget. It is very easy to operate and maintain temperature, which is the major concern when smoking. The cooker holds more than enough to cook for a decent crowd, and is designed specifically for smoking purposes, as compared to many other hybrid grill/smoker models. The sites I mentioned offer different perspectives for cooking and can provide help in cooking any type of meat. Take a look at the first one and read why it is so highly rated and recommended. I just bought the 18.5" and have been absolutely pleased with everything about it.

I hate to be that guy but why not find a used bge or something similar on craigslist.