Everyone wants to make it easy on themselves and get the right smoker for a great value. This is part of the reason that looking at the price point is so important. However, you can’t just go on the cost alone. When smoking meat, you want to achieve a smoky flavor without taking too long.
Cooking with smokers can be easy to do, and once you’ve mastered it, you are going to want to use it to smoke and grill everything. However, make sure that you’ve chosen the right heat source. For example, you can use charcoal, electricity, or gas. Often, gas and electric smokers feature a main cooking chamber and an offset area for the wood chips. It’s also essential to focus on build quality and understand the many types of smokers out there.
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Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker, 18-inch
If you want the best smokers out there, then the Weber Smokey Mountain brand is our top pick. This type of smoker uses charcoal and wood pellets to create the smoke flavor you crave.
Those who prefer to cook low and slow are sure to find this smoker easy to use. Plus, it has a one-year warranty to cover the parts and components. If something goes wrong, you can send it back and get another sent to your home.
Though you’ve got to consider the fuel type when choosing a smoker, most people know how to use charcoal effectively. Therefore, it shouldn’t be a huge concern for you.
Most of the components are made of stainless steel for durability. This includes the ash removal system, legs, and the temperature control gauge. You’re also going to appreciate that the smoker itself is made of porcelain-enameled steel. Though it’s nothing like the Big Green Egg, it is lightweight and less expensive, making it ideal for almost everyone.
Char-Broil 17202004 Digital Electric Smoker
If you want the best pellet smoker, consider the Char-Broil brand. Its digital electric smoker is also the best electric smoker on the market. We think it’s amazing that one product can do so much.
Generally, when you want to create a lot of smoke, pellet grills are the right choice. This means you’re going to be cooking low and slow, but it also ensures that the meat is tender and juicy when you’re done.
We like that the main chamber has 725 square inches of cooking surface. However, this fuel type (electricity) isn’t as common in smokers. We really aren’t sure why because it does everything it’s supposed to and is better at temperature control than other options. This is because of the control panel found right at the front of the machine. In fact, you can remove the temp gauge and carry it with you to monitor it. Since it uses Wi-Fi, you can sit and enjoy life with your family while still checking the temps.
Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24″
When it comes to owning a gas grill, you can’t go wrong with this brand. The Smoke Vault is made of stainless steel for the door and handle. That way, the moisture from outside and inside isn’t going to hurt it.
Everyone wants a pellet smoker, and this one does great. However, it doesn’t look like your traditional device. Still, it features a wide temperature range going up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which ensures that you can cook quickly or slowly, depending on timing and other factors.
We like that you get a jerky rack and two cooking grids with this product. That means you can cook just about anything. There are also damper valves on the sides. Most smokers only offer damper valves on the top. With that said, you can control the smoke and heat better.
Even though it uses propane, it utilizes the convenient snap-ignition. Therefore, you don’t need matches to light the smoker. This makes it safer and easier to use.
Char-Griller E1224 Smokin Pro Charcoal Grill
Those who prefer an offset smoker are sure to appreciate the Char-Griller brand. This product is made of powder-coated, heavy-gauge steel. Therefore, it’s going to be durable and last a long time, even if it stays outside in the elements.
You’re going to appreciate the 580 square inches of cooking surface in the primary chamber. There’s also a firebox to the side, which is where you put the chunks or pellets of wood. This ultimately gives you the flavor you crave.
Control the heat and temperature with the adjustable dampers on the primary smoker. The fire grate can also be changed up to give you the best results possible. However, you’re going to like the heat gauge on the hood, which tells you the temperature so that you don’t have to open the lid.
We appreciate the dump ash pan because it makes it so easy to clean everything up when you’re finishing preparing the meal.
Cuisinart COS-244 Vertical Propane Smoker
Those who prefer gas smokers are sure to enjoy the Cuisinart brand. This gas smoker has a spacious interior, so you can cook plenty of meat and vegetables. Since it stands vertically, it’s suitable for patios and other small spaces.
We like that the porcelain-enameled steel racks are easy to remove for cleaning and other needs. For example, you can take out two and still have two left to cook large turkeys and other meats.
Pellet smokers are an excellent choice because they feature total control over the smoke and temperature. With this one, you can adjust the gas supply. However, there are two doors, and the top one is how to access the meat. The lower one ensures that you can add more wood or water as needed without losing all the heat.
Pit Barrel Cooker
When you want to cook with charcoal, the best option is to choose the smoker from Pit Barrel. It actually uses a hook system to hang the meat. This means you’ve got more room to cook things. In essence, you can make eight different foods, but there’s also a regular grate for searing and grilling.
You’re going to appreciate the coal basket because it’s sized perfectly to fit inside and provide the right amount of fuel to cook with. Its unique design makes it easier to operate, so you get consistent and impressive results without a lot of hassle.
We like that it can be moved around easily. It only weighs 57 pounds, but it also features wheels. That way, you can store it and keep it safe from theft or damage when it’s not being used.
Smokehouse Products Big Chief Electric Smoker
When it comes to pellet smokers, there are so many options out there. However, it’s often ideal to consider electric smokers like the Smokehouse Products one. It only weighs 18 pounds, but it can fit plenty of food. We like the front-loading design, and this machine also comes with many perks. For one, you get the wood fuel, but it also has recipes included!
Electric smokers like this include a non-adjustable heating element, which is set to always run at 165 degrees Fahrenheit. That means you’re cooking meat slowly and don’t have to worry about it drying out or getting too done outside while still being cold in the middle.
The chrome-plated grills can be removed so that you can cook bigger meats inside. Plus, they’re dishwasher safe.
Dyna-Glo DGO11768DC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker
The Dyna-Glo brand is a top choice for those who prefer charcoal smokers. With this offset smoker, you get a vertical design. This means that the heat naturally rises, so it’s smokier and is much more efficient. Plus, the design keeps the heat away from your food, so it cooks slowly.
We enjoy the adjustable cooking grates that can be removed or put at different levels to accommodate the size of your meat. Plus, you’re going to get 1,175 sq. inches of cooking space, and each grate holds 25 pounds of food.
This pellet grill comes with a one-year warranty on all the parts, which includes the wood chip tray. Plus, you get an ash management system that makes it easy to remove the ash pan, dump it out, and put it back inside. It’s quite large, which means your device can produce tons of ash without you having to clean it out while you’re trying to cook.
Conclusion
If you want the best value, consider going with a smoker combo. These products allow you to grill and smoke at the same time. Ultimately, you have more ways of cooking your food with a single product. Choose options with a large cooking area because this means you can make various cuts of meat in one go. That means you don’t have to grill in batches.
Whether you’re cooking racks of ribs or something else, you want something that’s easy to clean for your grill and smoker. Therefore, we think Char-Griller Smokin Pro is the best charcoal smoker combination out there. It has plenty of space for cooking and allows you to use wood chips. Happy smoking!
