Originally posted: 08/01/2001
Last updated: 07/19/2008

"There's an old Smokey Mountain tradition: when you build something, you build it to last. Now there's a smoke cooker worthy of that timeless tradition. You'll love what it does to fish, meat and game...season after season, year after year."

- Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Owner's Manual, 1981.

In 1981, Weber introduced the Smokey Mountain Cooker Model 1880. It had all the features of today's cooker, but was smaller in size and used different materials for some parts.

Weber discontinued the Model 1880 sometime in 1983. We know from a 1983 Washington Post article about smokers that the Model 1880 sold for about $100 in those days.

Picture 1 shows the 1880 standing next to the current WSM.

Picture 2 shows the top cooking grate. Note that it does not have handles like today's grate.

Picture 3 shows the 1880's water pan. Notice the wide, flat rim, followed by near-vertical walls, then a gently sloping bottom that terminates in a flat, 3" circle at the center of the bottom of the pan. The flat rim and tight fit against the grill straps results in a much more stable water pan than the one we experience in today's WSM.

Picture 4 shows the charcoal chamber and charcoal grate. The chamber is made of the same material as today's cooker, but is smaller in diameter. The charcoal grate is not only smaller in diameter, but made of smaller gauge metal stock than the current grate. It is nickel plated, unlike today's grate.

Picture 5 shows the teak wood lid handle--a classy touch. The Weber logo is stamped into the wood.

Picture 6 shows the letter "C" on the charcoal bowl damper, indicating that this bowl was manufactured in 1981. Picture 7 shows the letter "E" on the lid damper, indicating that this lid was manufactured in 1983. See Determining The Age Of Your WSM for more information on Weber's lettering scheme.

The dampers on the 1880 are made of aluminum and are stamped with a series of lines between the vent holes. These lines make the damper more rigid, and I assume this was done to help the damper retain its curved shape better. The dampers are attached using the same tubular aluminum rivets as in today's WSM.

Picture 8 shows the access door. It is made of nickel-chromium plated steel and is much heavier than today's aluminum door. The door has a smooth finish, unlike current WSM doors that come with either a diamond pattern or pebbled pattern stamped into the surface. However, it does sport the same "H" pattern stamped into the door like today's door, which helps the door retain its shape.

The 1880's legs are similar in design to today's legs, but are made of the same nickel-chromium plated steel as the access door. Although these legs are much sturdier than today's legs, they apparently had a tendency, like the access door, to develop rust, and were thus replaced by aluminum in later years.

Picture 1 show the 1880's top cooking grate placed over the current top grate.

Pictures 2 and 3 compare the 1880's water pan with the current pan.

Picture 4 show the difference in size between the 1880's charcoal chamber and the current chamber.

Picture 5 shows the 1880's charcoal grate placed over the current charcoal grate.

Here are the detailed measurements comparing the 1880 to today's WSM:

A copy of the Model 1880 assembly instructions and parts list can be downloaded from the Owner's Manuals page.

If you have additional information about the Model 1880 (for example, the original retail price, interesting stories, etc.), please send it in and I'll consider including it here.

I want to extend a special thanks to Brad Nielsen of Monrovia, CA for making this Model 1880 available to The Virtual Weber Bullet. Brad found it at an estate sale in Pasadena, CA, and given its pristine condition, it  appears that it was never used by its original owner.

Sometime during 1982-1983, Weber introduced the Smokey Mountain Cooker Model 2880, the larger model that we know and love today. Improvements included larger cooking grates, more space between cooking grates, a larger capacity water pan, larger charcoal grate and charcoal chamber, and rust-resistant aluminum access door and legs.

We know from a 1983 Washington Post article about smokers that the Model 2880 sold for about $120 in those days.

At some point the cooker was renamed Model 2890 and was known by this model number as recently as 1999. In 2000 the cooker was renamed Model 2820, coinciding with the lid handle change described below.

One way of differentiating older WSMs from newer ones is by the lid handle. The Model 1880s and the early Model 2880s had teak lid handles with the Weber logo stamped into the wood. Some years later, Weber switched to an unknown species of wood that was stained to resemble teak, and they continued to stamp the Weber logo into the handle.

In 2000, Weber discontinued wooden handles and began using gray, heat-resistant nylon handles with the Weber logo stenciled on it.

One last item: I heard about a man that had an accident with his WSM and bent the legs on the charcoal bowl. He called Weber for replacements and received a set of black steel legs! No one knows why these legs were manufactured or if they were ever "original equipment" on a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker.

Smokey Mountain Cooker logo: Copyright 1981, Weber-Stephen Products Company.