The Best Smokers for Beginners, According to Barbecue Experts
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It’s no secret that outdoor cooking is extremely popular. According to one recent survey, 70 percent of American households own a grill or a smoker. And while it’s tempting to lump grilling and smoking together, they’re actually very different hobbies. Grilling is akin to a jog around the block while smoking is more similar to running a marathon. Smoking is all about “low and slow” — it involves exposing the hero ingredient to relatively low temperatures for many hours to provide enough time for the smoke to imbue it with an impossible-to-replicate flavor.
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Smoking is also more intimidating for beginners because it’s a multi-step process. It involves getting a big piece of meat, preparing it with seasoning and/or twine, lighting some form of wood to help the smoker reach the right temperature, and checking on it periodically over many hours, making adjustments if needed. All in all, the financial investment needed to buy a smoker is fairly minimal — they cost a few hundred bucks, on average — but the time investment involved in learning to use one is sizable.
Of course, that investment can pay off handsomely. There’s the satisfaction of perfecting a skill — of knowing when to add more wood, when to adjust the airflow, or, crucially, when to simply leave things alone. And then there’s the joy of seeing friends and family members sitting around a table in the backyard, digging into something delicious made with lots of care and attention.
What the Experts Say
Experts in the industry agree that pellet smokers are a great choice for beginners. “Not only are they easy to use, but they offer unmatched consistency from cook to cook, which is why a lot of competition BBQ teams like ours are not only using them but winning with them,” says Chris Olds, pitmaster of the Tipsy Brisket competition team. Kevin Turner, CEO of The Grilling Master, agrees: “Pellet smokers are great for beginners because they can work well with minimal attention,” he says.
Kell Phelps of the National Barbeque & Grilling Association also echoes the general sentiment but cautions that a pellet smoker will “never duplicate the flavor you get from charcoal or straight wood from a charcoal grill.” (Why? Pelletized wood just isn’t the same as the stuff right off the tree.)
Rod Gray, president of the Kansas City Barbecue Society, adds that offset smokers, which use a side-mounted firebox that provides indirect heat and smoke, produce “amazing results with a lot of smokey flavor,” though he says that they’re typically expensive. Additionally, it can be difficult for a beginner to learn fire management and temperature control on more advanced models.
BEST OVERALL
Recteq RT-590
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Both Gray and Olds identified Recteq as a great manufacturer of smokers for beginners, with Olds mentioning this model in particular. The simple reason? Itt makes things easy, with two included meat probes to monitor food temps, push-button start-up, and a wifi PID (Proportional–Integral–Derivative) controller that regulates conditions inside the smoker and allows remote monitoring and control via the Recteq app.
Olds adds that Recteq pellet grills are built to last. “Because of the stainless steel construction on all new Recteq models, they never have a problem with rust,” he says. He adds that the brand also offers “incredible customer service” and “one of the best warranties” on the market. In other words, Recteq makes high-quality pellet smokers with low barriers to entry and plenty of post-purchase support — all factors that beginners new to smoking (and buying smokers) will appreciate.
BEST PELLET GRILL
Traeger Timberline XL Wood Pellet Grill
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Traeger is known for their pellet grills, and this Timberline XL has everything the outdoor cook needs to whip up delicious smoked meals this summer and fall. It has top-tier functionality including Smart Combustion technology, that produces the perfect level of smoke, and a dual-wall construction that’s fully insulated so heat is distributed evenly and consistently. It has an induction cooktop for easy sears and a luxe touchscreen display for easy operation.
BEST VERTICAL
Pit Barrel Cooker Classic Vertical Smoker Package
Going vertical means adding more cooking space while maintaining a minimal footprint — in this case, a circle around two feet in diameter. The PBC, as it’s affectionately known, allows those new to smoking to experiment with hanging meat over the flame in addition to a standard grate for cooking and searing. It can hold charcoal or smoking chips, and it comes with everything needed to make a lot of smoked food.
BEST KETTLE
Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smoker
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Another vertical option, the four shelves in this Masterbuilt smoker have a combined 711 square inches of cooking surface. They’re perched above a removable drip pan and grease tray that makes cleaning easy — a word that can also be used to describe the digital controls that automatically hold the smoker at a consistent temperature, which is crucial for beginners. Turner explains that “precise temperature control comes from years of cooking” and that “beginners need smokers with accurate temperature controls” to produce high-quality results.
BEST COMPACT
Weber Kettle 22 in. Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill
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The quintessential American grill, with the right wood chips or charcoal arrangement, is also a pretty excellent smoker. The damper allows easy adjustments to the airflow, which in turn affects the smoker’s temperature. Cleanup is simple thanks to the removable ash catcher below and, while it might not need to be said, this thing is also a fantastic grill for weekends where cookouts make more sense than true barbecues.
BEST PORTABLE
Traeger Grills Tailgater 20 Portable Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
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For an overnight camping trip or extended tailgate, this portable pellet grill and smoker from the preeminent brand in the industry is hard to beat. It has the digital arc controller and precision temperature control that beginners need, all in a tidy package. Along with its smaller size, the wheels and folding legs make it easy to roll it around and fold it up after it’s cooled down.
BEST VALUE
Pit Boss 2-Series Analog Smoker
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For those looking to try out a smoker without spending too much money, this electric option from Pit Boss is a solid choice. It includes an analog meat probe for temperature monitoring and built-in controls that allow temperature adjustment from 100 to 325 degrees Fahrenheit — heat that is well-maintained by the double-walled cabinet construction.
Frequently Asked Questions About Smokers
Why is smoking a good hobby?
“Smoking is a good hobby because it takes you away from the daily grind,” says Gray, identifying the virtue of a cooking method that takes hours instead of minutes. “It’s also rewarding,” he adds. “There is no better feeling than when friends and family try your barbecue for the first time and tell you just how good it is.”
What else do you need to start smoking?
Gray says an instant read thermometer and heat-resistant gloves are must-haves — as is, obviously, whatever kind of fuel the new smoker uses.
Should beginners get a smaller smoker?
It seems intuitive to start smoking with a smaller smoker, but Gray says that’s a mistake. “As a rule, always purchase a pit larger than you think you need.” Phelps agrees. “Get a size larger than you expect,” he adds. “Once you get the hang of your cooker, friends and family will be hanging around more often and it will stink not to have enough grill room to feed them as well.”
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