Are you a beginner or new to smoking or thinking of having a barbecue party? But could not have enough idea on the best smoker for beginners? Don’t worry! If you are striving with these questions, keep an eye on the article. Because today we have come up with the 10 best smokers for beginners, which will be affordable and will be a great advantage for any beginner!
A smoker is a cooking tool that is used for smoking. Generally, smoking is the procedure of flavoring, browning, or preserving food by exposing smoke from burning wood. Since the process is slow and long, a convenient, premium quality smoker is the matter of most importance. But it becomes for the people to choose the right smoker for themselves, especially when the person is a beginner! As a result, beginner smokers have to suffer a lot during smoking. Moreover, the wrong choice of the smoker wastes both money and time of the owners!
Therefore, I am going to familiarize you with the 10 best smokers for beginners. You will get to know their features, pros, and cons in a quick manner! Moreover, you will get to know a comprehensive buying guide to attain some ideas about them. Let’s begin our journey!
Contents
What is a Smoker?
A smoker is an outdoor cooking instrument that allows low temperatures for extended periods of the cooking process. It cooks the meats or fishes for a long period of time while producing smoke. Therefore, one will have the fabulous smoking flavor in the food, enhancing the food’s cravings!
There are several types of smokers in the markets, such as wood smokers, charcoal smokers, gas smokers, electric smokers, pellet smokers, upright drum, vertical water, smoke box, and so on. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. But which smoker would best suit you depends on what kind of barbecue you want to smoke and how much purchase ability you have.
The ten best smoker for beginners comparison table
| IMAGE | NAME & Details | DETAILS | |
|---|---|---|---|
  | Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker |
| Check The Price |
  | Smoke Hollow PS40B Propane Smoker by Masterbuilt |
| Check The Price |
  | Masterbuilt MB20050716 Mps 30" Propane Smoker |
| Check The Price |
Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24" |
| Check The Price | |
  | Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker |
| Check The Price |
  | Char-Griller E16620 AkornKamado Charcoal Grill |
| Check The Price |
  | Z GRILLS ZPG-450A Pellet Grill & Smoker |
| Check The Price |
  | Royal Gourmet 30" BBQ Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker |
| Check The Price |
  | Royal Gourmet CC1830F Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker |
| Check The Price |
  | SUNLIFER 20.5 Inch Vertical Charcoal Smoker and Grill Combo |
| Check The Price |
Buying guide of Best smoker for beginners
Here’s our candid review of beginners’ best smokers and why we think they’re an outstanding pick for you. Moreover, I will inform you of the pros and cons to attain a comprehensive overview! So that, you can compare and easily pick the perfect one for yourself!
1. Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker
When it comes to smokers, this charcoal smoky mountain cooker has everything you need for easy smoking at an affordable price! The smoker is famous for its durability! One can use it last forever! This user-friendly and versatile smoker doesn’t feature dials or controls to worry about the temperature. An adjusting vent supervises heat and smoke. Since its working style is more like a charcoal grill, it can be a great option for the beginner who wants barbecue’s basic job! The smoker’s best thing is that there is a water pan inside the smoker to catch the drips and keep the food humid for juicy results.
Key features:
- The material of the smoker is steel
- Charcoal is the power source of this convenient smoker
- The charcoal smoker can accommodate a whole turkey and an entire ham at the same time.
- The weight of the smoker is 39.1 pounds
- This 21 x 19 x 41 inches smoker comes with 2 nickel-plated 18-1/2-inch-wide cooking grates
- The charcoal smoker includes a water pan, thermometer, individual vents on the bowl and lid, and a heat-resistant nylon handle
- The smoker has two cooking racks that offer 481 square inches to feed 12 persons easily.
What’s client say:
The clients are happy with the great advantages of the charcoal smoker. According to them, the smoker has relieved them from controlling the temperature due to adjustable vent. The water pan is also a great benefit to keep the food juicy. The bullet design takes little space to fit. On the other hand, it is difficult to see the water level when using the smoker, and some have said the flimsy door could leak smoke, especially in the beginning.
2. Smoke Hollow PS40B Propane Smoker by Masterbuilt
Propane smokers are generally fabulous for beginners due to the low costing and facile operating design. Therefore, this time, we have come up with Smoke Hollow PS40B Propane Smoker by Masterbuilt. This smoker has a huge space to cook all of one’s food, as well as top-notch heat control. The 3.4 cubic inch cooking capacity will let you smoke large pieces of meat, entire rib racks, and other dishes easily! Two vents will manage the heat and humidity inside the smoker. One can also check the temperature on the heat indicator.
Due to the cast brass burner, the smoker quickly reaches the desired temperature in a short time. Moreover, this 2-door smoker vault is made of welded steel and a cast brass burner that makes it super durable.
Key features:
- The material of the smoker is stainless-steel.
- The weight of the propane smoker is 454 grams.
- The Fuel Type of the 21.26 x 29.13 x 43.5 inches propane smoker is a liquefied petroleum gas.
- Smoke HollowPS40B comes with four-chrome coated smoking racks to offer generous cooking space.
- This propane smoker’s flaming light burner operates quickly.
What’s client say:
The lion’s share of the users of the Smoke Hollow PS40B Propane Smoker has said that the smoker is a great deal to achieve due to the durability and facile push-button operating styles. The smoker’s heat retention capability is impressive and gets hotter quickly to cook perfectly. Moreover, the four removable racks offer great space for big chunks of meat! While some have complained about the leaky front door and others have informed that some of the smoker parts have used cheap materials.
3. Masterbuilt MB20050716 Mps 30″ Propane Smoker
This time we will present another smoker of Masterbuilt and for great reasons! With four chrome-coated racks, one will get plenty of room to smoke up to 12 chickens, 2 turkeys, 4 racks of ribs, or 4 pork butts. The smoker also offers a plastic dial at the Masterbuilt’s base to set the temperature you want to cook at.
Moreover, the wood chip tray is built into an “S” door designed to try out different flavors without losing heat. There is a water pan to catch the drips to keep the food moist and flavorful at the bottom. The heat diffuser evenly distributes heat from the burner. One can check the fuel level in the Fuel level Gauge.
Key features:
- The material of the smoker is extremely durable cast iron.
- The 17.32 x 18.31 x 26.18 inches smoker is 75.9 Pounds.
- The Fuel Type of propane smoker is liquefied petroleum gas.
- The power source of the smoker is propane.
- The smoker features a temperature sensor that controls the burner to maintain the temperature.
- The smoker offers four chrome-coated smoking racks for mouthful cooking space.
- The safety valve shuts off the burner when the smoker gets extremely hot.
What’s client say:
Most of the users are happy with the mouthful cooking space. They said that the four cooking racks are just nicer than one can imagine. They can cook 3\4meals at a time-efficient time. They think that the safety valve is a plus point for the smoker that shuts off the burner when the smoker gets extremely hot. While some have mentioned that the 30-inch model is a little narrow for full racks of ribs. Therefore, they have to cut them or roll them to fit.
4. Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24″
It is another best propane smoker for beginners! Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24″ is a simple smoker tool to cook your meat low and slow with a heavy-gauge steel wood chip tray.
There is also a water pan to infuse it with a delicious flavor you can’t get in similar items! The smoker features a starting heat range from 50 degrees Fahrenheit to slow cook that can be boosted up to 350 degrees! The 30.5 x 25 x 17 inches propane smoker doesn’t have a spacious cooking area, but one will get two cooking grids and one Jerky Rack as a cooking area.
The propane smoker features maximum heat control due to its three adjustable damper valves on top and each side. Therefore, the smoker can be one of the best suitable propane smokers for anyone!
Key features:
- The material of the smoker is steel to ensure durability
- The power source of the smoker is gas
- The 30.5 x 25 x 17 inches propane smoker includes two cooking grids and one Jerky Rack
- The smoker offers three adjustable damper valves. One will be on top and the rest of two on each side
- The smoker offers easy temperature reading through a door thermometer from 50 to 350 degrees
- It also offers a heat control dial for the facile operating system
- The heat range is from 160° F to 350° F.
- The weight of the smoker is Weight: 75 lbs.
What’s client say:
Clients are happy with the advantageous features, three adjustable damper valves, and the smoker’s overall durability. According to them, the operating style is quite facile and handy. They are also satisfied with the water pan, a base tray of the smoker. While others have complained that the smoker is not portable, it takes a specific space. The damper valves take time to get used to, that is time-consuming.
5. Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker
The Masterbuilt digital smoker is a great entry point for people who are just getting started smoking meat. The smoker’s best thing is that one doesn’t have to be worried about the amount of fuel or temperature since it uses a digital electric mechanism. You need to connect it to an electrical outlet, and you’re ready to cook!
Moreover, one will get a mouthful cooking space in this 20.47″ W x 19.88″ L x 33.26″ H smoker. One can put in 2 Turkeys, 4 Pork Butts, 4 Racks of Ribs, 6 Chickens at the same time. Moreover, the heat retention capability of the smoker is also impressive! A fully-insulated body retains heat properly.
Key features:
- The material of the Digital Electric Smoker is Steel
- The power source of the smoker is the corded electric
- The Fuel Type of digital electric smoker is electric
- The smoker offers easy digital panel controls on and off
- The maximum temperature setting of the smoker is 275ᵒ F
- The patented side wood chip loading system will allow one to add wood chips without opening the door
What’s client say:
The lion’s share of the users is jovial with the digital electric smoker. According to them, the smoker is easy to operate and is extremely durable due to the steel material. The cooking space is also generous in the 4 racks! Moreover, the full-insulated body retains heat and cooks the food perfectly. On the other hand, others have complained that the front window gets dirty easily and a few have said that the window is also a bit pointless because the only safe way to know if your food is cooked is to use a good temperature probe setup.
6. Char-Griller E16620 AkornKamado Charcoal Grill
This time, we represent another Charcoal smoker in front of you! The Char-Griller E16620 AkornKamado Charcoal Grill comes in a cute egg-sized shape! One will get 314 square inches of primary cooking space, plus an extra 133 square inch removable warming rack for a total of 447 square inches.
Moreover, the design leads to retaining sufficient heat inside the smoker to cook the food low and slow process. The heavy-duty 22-gauge steel is devoted to flavorful and perfectly cooked food, while the dampers allow one to maximize control of airflow. But the most important thing is that the smoker is lightweight and features a portable option to save one’s space. Because the smoker has wheels on the bottom.
Key features:
- The material of the Charcoal smoker is Metal.
- The weight of the 26.6 x 24.8 x 21.65 inches smoker is 90 pounds.
- The smoker provides a rack with 314 square cooking space. Besides this, one will get a warming rack 133 square inches.
- The insulated design is devoted to using less charcoal and produces more heat to cook the food perfectly.
- The exterior finish of the smoker is powder-coated steel while the interior finish is porcelain coated steel
- The temperatures of the smoker range from 200°F to 750°F
- The top and bottom dampers control the temperature settings.
What’s client say:
The clients are really happy with the lightweight and portable charcoal smoker. The egg size design and quality building have impressed them. According to them, the smoker’s heat retention capacity is great, and the smoker’s cooking space is also generous. On the other hand, some have complained about low-quality components like bolts or temperature gauges.
7. Z GRILLS ZPG-450A Pellet Grill & Smoker
Z Grills are a great option for those who don’t want to pay extra just for the brand! This one features so many advantageous options for beginners to start smoking meat. The versatility of the smoker will make you wonder for sure!
One can grill, roast, smoke, braise or bake meats in this smoker. The automated electric feed system offers one to set the temperature and forget it. No babysitting is necessary! The electronic auto-start ignition, digital auto temperature control, LED temperature readout makes the cooking process super easy for beginners! Moreover, the cart is easy to move with the wheels.
Key features:
- The material of the smoker are Stainless Steel and Metal to ensure greater durability
- The weight of the 45 x 28 x 49 inches smoker is 84 pounds
- The Fuel Types of Pellet electric smoker are electric, liquefied petroleum gas
- The power source of the smoker is Wood Pellet
- The temperature ranges from 180°F to 450°F
- The automated pellet feed system allows the facility to control wood pellet distribution speed with no unnecessary reloading.
What’s client say:
The clients have said that the smoker is a great deal to buy due to the quality build, facile operating system, and versatility of the smoker. One can roast, grill, smoke, bake meats in the same toll. Moreover, the cooking area and heat retention capacity is also impressive.
On the other hand, Z Grills is a pretty bare-bones product, which is great for beginners but when you’re ready to advance, you might find the lack of upgrades compared to Traeger or other brands that is upsetting.
8. Royal Gourmet 30″ BBQ Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker
Although offset smokers are typically better for more experienced people, Royal Gourmet 30″ BBQ Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker is one of the best smokers for beginners and masters! A charcoal grill with an offset smoker is perfect for family use and even a few friends.
It weighs only 54 pounds and comes with built-in wheels, which is also an advantage for on-the-go smoking. One can make both grill with direct heat over a charcoal flame, and smoke with indirect heat using the offset firebox.
Key features:
- The material of the smoker is Stainless Steel.
- The weight of the 55.1 x 27.2 x 48.4 inches smoker is 54.2 Pounds.
- The smoker offers a cooking area of 800 square inches and a warming area of 179 square inches.
- The smoker also offers a removable charcoal pan to dump charcoal ashes easily.
- The offset smoker is also suitable for a small grill.
- The new black coating process withstands temperatures up to 400 and will not peel off easily.
What’s client say:
The lion’s share of the customers is cheerful with the versatile smoking and grills tool! They said that they could both grill and smoked meats at the same time. Moreover, the cooking space is huge, 800 square inches! They have also said the ashes tray is also beneficial for an easy cleaning process. The durability is also impressive. On the other hand, a few customers have reported that the main chamber leaks and doesn’t retain heat as it should.
9. Royal Gourmet CC1830F Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker
This time we have come up with another offset smoker of Royal Gourmet. This one is a bit different from the previous one despite being looking the same! You will get a side door to add extra charcoal inside the smoker to enhance heat.
Moreover, the air vent grants better airflow. Along with this, one will get a big charcoal pan that can hold 5 lbs of charcoal at once. Steel mesh front table and bottom shelf offer ample working and storage space.
Key features:
- The material of the smoker is Stainless Steel.
- The weight of the 45.3 x 26.8 x 48 inches smoker is 57 Pounds.
- The smoker offers a cooking area of 800 square inches and a warming area of 179 square inches.
- The smoker offers a big charcoal pan that can contain 5 lbs of charcoal at once
- The smoker has a side door to allow airflow and enhance the heat.
- Steel mesh front table and bottom shelf offer greater working and storage space.
What’s client say:
The clients are happy with the Stainless Steel-built offset smoker. It offers a great cooking space for grill and smoking. The big charcoal pan is also useful for the heat retention process. The handle is also beneficial to hold to. On the other hand, some customers have reported that the main chamber leaks and doesn’t retain heat as it should.
10. SUNLIFER 20.5 Inch Vertical Charcoal Smoker and Grill Combo
It is impossible to talk about the best smoker without naming SUNLIFER 20.5 Inch Vertical Charcoal Smoker and Grill Combo! It is such a convenient bullet-size smoker that is best for beginners. One will get a total of 646 square inches of cooking area to smoke. The versatile smoker is suitable for both cold and hot smoking.
On the other hand, it can be used for smokes, grills, steams, bake, braise, and roast. With 4 hooks and a crossbar inside, it accommodates different sizes and types of food. The smoker features 2 access doors: one is to check the food and another one is to add charcoal. A removable ash pan makes ashes discarding easy and efficient.
Key features:
- The material of the smoker is Steel
- The Fuel Type of Gas smoker is charcoal.
- The power sources of 20.67 x 24.8 x 41.34 inches smoker are wood, charcoal.
- The smoker is convenient for smokes, grills, steams, bake, braise, and roast.
- The smoker has 2 adjustable air vents for greater temperature control.
- The large-capacity charcoal pan offers a long time of smoking without reloading.
What’s client say:
According to the customer, the SUNLIFER 20.5 Inch Vertical Charcoal Smoker and Grill Combo is one of the most popular smokers. They love the spacious cooking area, 2 access doors, and easy cleaning process of the smoker. While some have complained that the top clips that hold the domed lid tight are small and get too hot to use easily
Thinks to consider before buying a smoker:
Quality:
The basic importance of any item is its durability which depends on the material’s quality. Similarly, the quality build is important for any smoker. Generally, porcelain and chrome coating materials feature durability!
Heat Retention and Distribution:
One of the most important criteria of any smoker is how perfectly it retains heat or temperature. Some foods like brisket require an 8 to 12 hours longer cooking process where heat retention appears as a big fact. Because, if the smoker has less heat retention capability, the outcome will be devastating! Therefore, make sure your smoker is well insulated and built to retain heat.
Cooking capacity:
It is another unavoidable feature to search for. If one wants to cook for a big group of people, he will need more space in the smoker and vice-versa. Therefore, one has to set the fact that he wants to cook in the smoker for how many people he wants to cook. This measure will set the capacity of the smoker one wants to buy.
Types of smokers:
There are several types of smokers. Each has distinctive features. For example: if one wants to cook ribs in a propane smoker, it will not bring fruitful results because propane smokers are pretty narrow.
Therefore, it will be difficult to fit the rib in the smoker, let alone well cooked! The smoker that will best suit one depends on one’s lifestyle and preference. So, before buying, it would be intellectual to set what type of smoker one wants to buy.
Fuel efficiency:
Generally, modern technology-based smokers feature a fuel efficiency advantage. One needs to look for a smoker that has a larger hopper size. Because fuel efficiency completely relies on it.
Price:
One has to keep a bird’s eye view on the budget while buying a smoker. The budget will make automatically precise one’s choice. One will get an efficient smoker from $150 to $400! Try to enhance the budget to save in the long run.
FAQs:
Is it possible to use the smoker inside the house or garage?
Yes, it is possible if the room in which one is using the smoker has a sufficient ventilation system. Otherwise, it will cause breathing difficulties and enhance the temperature of the whole room. That’s why people use smokers outside. But if it rains outside, it is convenient to set the smoker inside the home where a sufficient ventilation system is available.
What is the ideal type of smoker for beginners to start?
It is really difficult for beginners to choose the right smoker among a wide range of smokers. But it is convenient to use an electric or propane smoker who has not any previous experience in smoking.
What type of smoker gives the best flavor?
Usually, pellet smokers blend an extra smoky flavor of actual burning with an electric smoker’s supreme benefit. One of the great advantages of a pellet smoker is that one can use it as an oven, grill, and smoker, so it’s an all-in-one cooking solution.
Final verdict:
There is no doubt; a convenient and versatile smoker can relieve anyone from lots of hassle! Moreover, a perfect smoker can keep the food moist and juicy. But choosing the best smoker for the beginner is not an easy task.
Therefore, we have reviewed the 10 best smokers for beginners. Most smokers are versatile and feature an easy operating process. According to us, Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker and Royal Gourmet CC1830F Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker are the best smokers for beginners! Because they have all features that a convenient smoker should have. We believe one will find this article helpful.