Slingshot vs. Mini: Which Compact Direct Heat Cooker Fits You?

The Slingshot and the Mini are the two compact direct heat cookers we build in Kaufman, Texas. They look alike from across the yard, and both will smoke low and slow or grill over live fire. But they handle the fire differently, and that changes how each one cooks. Here's how to tell which one fits the way you cook.

The short answer

Pick the Slingshot if you want offset-style smoking and two-zone grilling with nothing extra to buy, a lighter pit that's easier to move around, and the lower price.

Pick the Mini if high-heat searing matters to you, you want all seven cooking modes out of the box, and you want the heavier ¼" steel build with four grates included.

Side by side

The real difference: basket vs. drawer

Everything else follows from how each cooker holds its fire.

The Slingshot uses a square drum-style charcoal basket. Fill it with lump charcoal, or stand wood chunks and skinny splits (12" or shorter) up on end, and light it from the top for long, steady burns. Because the basket isn't tied to rails, you can set it at either end of the pit. Put it at one end and you're cooking offset. Push it to one side and you've got a hot zone and a cool zone for grilling. No extra parts needed.

The Mini uses a center charcoal drawer that rides on rails, with an insert inside it. That fixed center fire is what makes the Mini's extra modes possible. The insert can be raised onto the tuning plates for searing, and the Mini works with the peg-leg method (the Slingshot doesn't). Offset cooking on the Mini takes a fire on the floor of the pit or an add-on Forever Basket.

Cooking modes

The Slingshot runs five cooking modes out of the box: Offset, Reverse Flow, Embers on Bottom, 90-Minute and Reverse Sear (with charcoal in the basket).

The Mini runs seven. It adds a second Reverse Sear setup (with the basket up on the tuning plates) and Super High Heat Searing (with the insert up on the plates).

Both use five tuning plates to steer heat and smoke, so the core low-and-slow modes work the same way on either cooker. If you're new to the modes, watch the breakdown below or read the direct heat smoker guide.

Searing: where the Mini pulls ahead

We'll be straight with you here. If searing steaks over a screaming-hot fire is high on your list, get the Mini. Its Super High Heat Searing mode puts the coals right up under the grate, and that setup doesn't exist on the Slingshot.

You can still sear on a Slingshot. Add a Forever Basket ($199) on the floor of the pit, or a drawer and insert that sits on the floor (call for price). It works, but it's an add-on, not built in.

Steel and weight

The Slingshot is built entirely from ⅛" hot-rolled USA steel, with a double-wall insulated lid and gasket. The Mini uses ¼" laser-cut steel, with a 12 ga and 14 ga lid separated by an air gap and sealed with an oven-seal gasket.

On the cook, you won't taste the difference. Both cookers hold temperature well. What you'll notice is the weight: the Slingshot comes in around 275 lb and the Mini around 420 lb. If your pit lives on a deck, or you plan to roll it in and out of the garage, the Slingshot is the easier one to live with.

Grates and cooking area

The Slingshot comes with one round-bar grate (23¾" × 22¼"), good for 528 sq in. Add a second grate ($99, call to order) and you have two cooking levels and 1,057 sq in.

The Mini comes with four grates (14" × 22¼" each), two per level, for 623 sq in per level and 1,246 sq in total. Split grates make it easy to lift one side to tend the fire.

Add-ons for each

Both: rotisserie-ready with the Mini OneGrill™ rotisserie (kit only or complete bundle), and both fit the Fan Adapter Plate ($29.95) for a temperature controller fan.

Slingshot: plancha and extra grate available (call for price). A Slingshot cover isn't available yet.

Mini: 2-piece plancha (+$225), lid counterweight (+$225) to make the lid easier to lift, and a fitted Mini cover ($197) in two versions: standard or with counterweight.

See them cook

Here's a first long cook on the Slingshot:

And a walkaround tour of the Mini:

Build time and shipping

Both cookers are built to order in Kaufman, Texas, in about 8 weeks. You can pick yours up at the shop, or we'll ship it by LTL freight (typically $350 to $1,050 depending on where you are).

Still deciding?

Compare all three cookers, including the Full Size, in the direct heat cooker buying guide, or browse the direct heat smokers collection. When you're ready, request a quote and tell us how you like to cook. We'll help you land on the right pit.

Slingshot vs. Mini FAQ

Is the Slingshot just a cheaper Mini?

No. It's a different cooker. The Slingshot uses a movable square charcoal basket instead of the Mini's center drawer, so offset and two-zone cooking are native to it. The Mini adds two cooking modes, high-heat searing and the peg-leg method, plus heavier ¼" steel and four grates included.

Does ⅛" steel cook differently than ¼" steel?

Not in practice. Both cookers hold temperature well, and the Slingshot's double-wall insulated, gasketed lid keeps heat in. The real difference is weight: the Slingshot is about 275 lb and the Mini is about 420 lb.

Which one is better for searing steaks?

The Mini. Its charcoal drawer and insert can be raised onto the tuning plates for Super High Heat Searing. The Slingshot can sear with a Forever Basket or a drawer and insert on the floor, but if searing is a priority the Mini is the better pick.

Which one is better for offset-style smoking?

The Slingshot. Its charcoal basket can sit at either end of the pit, so you can run it like an offset or set up two zones without any extra parts. On the Mini, offset cooking means a floor fire or adding a Forever Basket.

Can I put a rotisserie on either one?

Yes. Both are rotisserie-ready and use the Mini OneGrill™ rotisserie kit.

How long does it take to get one?

Both are built to order in Kaufman, Texas, in about 8 weeks. You can pick up at the shop or have it shipped by freight.