I have a smoker that is electric - which I regret. While I can control the temperature better than with coals or propane, I am at the mercy of an outside outlet. And now that my deck is made of Azek, I moved my gas grill and the smoker to the lawn just in case. So I have to unplug the radon pump to get access to an outlet Just something to think about.
I will be buying my husband a big green egg or kamodo grill next year. The cookers are great for smoking, grilling, even baking if you want.
I'm a little wary of the front loading smokers only because it seems like too much heat and smoke would be released when you opened the door to take out stuff. And if you were doing a couple of things that got done at separate times, then you may be losing a bit of heat/smoke.
Did you kind of ask your brother what he was looking for in a smoker? Like maybe you are thinking of buying one for someone else?