What smoker to get started with?

Josh · Jan 23, 2023

As part of motivating me to redo our yard/patio area, I'm thinking of getting a smoker, or at least something that I can smoke meat with. Mostly thinking of brisket/rib type stuff. but I could also see doing fish or chicken. Bonus points for needing minimal tending. It's not that I won't put the effort in. It's more that if there is a way to avoid getting up every hour at night to check a brisket, I'd prefer that.

I know that pellet smokers have the reputation for being the easiest to wrangle. But I also hear that you don't get much of that "smoke" flavor to foods cooked in them. Which seems like it defeats the point. A wood fired stick/offset smoker seems pretty classic. But also tough to find something at a decent price that isn't a cheap POS and requires the most attention. Char-Grill has some awesome looking auto temp charcoal options. But Reddit chatter seems to indicate a decent chunk of QC issues (though a lot of love from people who don't have issues). The Weber smokey mountain seems to get a lot of love and there seem to be options to help with automated temp control? And of course I know thatmany people have smoked lots of meat on the old standby Weber Kettle. I'm sure there are many others out there.

Who has thoughts?

EmergingFisher · Jan 23, 2023

Oh boy - so many thoughts about to drop. I've built my arsenal on the cheap. Here's what I work with:

Weber
- Pros: it hasn't changed ever for a reason. Just throw in some wood chips (soak, put them in a foil packet and poke holes in it) and you'll get smoke. Simple to use and cooks relatively quickly if you want it to.
- Cons: charcoal instead of electric, a little tougher to tune the temperature, but you can
Char-broil/Char-grill (whatever they're called).
- Pros: I have an old charcoal fueled one that gets very smoky and I like it for long and slow (killer ribs). Good for salmon too.
- Cons: I don't have the electric kind that you mostly find so I don't know. For what I have, it is slow, so something like a turkey can take a good 10-12 hours, which means you're up at 5:00am. Much easier on a Weber. Again, charcoal fueled, and it takes a lot. Longer smokes means adding more coals
Little Chief
- Pros: another classic. Super simple. Easy to get cheap replacement parts. Pure smokiness. Excellent for fish. I haven't done cheeses yet, but I hear things. Can find these used for like $5.
- Cons: real low heat, so you can't fully cook most meats, but you can infuse them with smoke.

Divad · Jan 23, 2023

I owned a Traeger during the hype and my parents bought the most expensive one. Both should be seen more as a smart oven than a smoker.

My cheap upright MasterChef smokes WAY more than any Traeger I’ve seen. My dad even bought a Smoke Chief to add to the Traeger

which is basically the $250 more expensive Traeger that includes the cold smoke feature. Doing that makes for a significantly better smoke w/ all the benefits of a smart oven.

With that all being said I don’t think it’s worth it for a Traeger on price and performance.

I smoke on a $150 steel upright smoker, I use propane to start it and then turn it off and smolder wood chips. It’s not as hands off as a Traeger but I’m okay with that for the added smoke.

klq@stl · Jan 23, 2023

NOT CHEAP:

Cookshack Smokette Elite SM025 Electric Smoker : BBQGuys

The Cookshack Smokette Elite Series Electric Smoker is Cookshacks most popular model for backyard barbecuers! This Smokette electric smoker features stainless steel construction and 850 degree Spin-Glass insulation, keeping the internal temperatures consistent and the outside cool to the touch...

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Denwor54 · Jan 23, 2023

My wife got me a Cuisinart smoker and I like it, easy to maintain temperature and I use chips that are soaked. You have to watch it if you want a good smoke. I have smoked fish, meats and the only draw back is if it’s real cold you have to pay more attention and it takes longer. I’m not a guru like some of my friends but no complaints from anyone that tasted the end results

Dennisoft · Jan 23, 2023

I've enjoyed and used the heck out of my old 18" WSM and would recommend it, but it is definitely more of a hands on tool and more of an activity in itself.

Once you get it dialed in, you can run for 12+ hours with minimal babysitting. Sometimes the most difficult part is not peeking.

Evan B · Jan 23, 2023

I've been using a Camp Chef Smoke Vault for about... 13? years. About wore the thing out and time to get a new one... but I'd absolutely buy it all over again.

Matt B · Jan 23, 2023

I use a very basic offset smoker essentially like this and it makes amazing food, including meat and fish, and is pretty adjustable for temperature and smoke, because it is 100% analog. That means it does take a little babysitting. I don't smoke things overnight because yeah, you would have to get up and check it periodically.

Pink Nighty · Jan 23, 2023

Josh I dont really smoke at home, but I did run a BBQ joint for several years. I can tell you with absolute certainty brisket that isnt babied will not be good. And most home smokers dont have the juice to actually cook one.

The smokiness of BBQ should be thought of as secondary to the juicy succulence of the bbq.

A former chef I worked for has been a traeger rep for years now. They slow cook meat really well, and add some smokiness. Combined with first cold smoking over real hardwood for an hour and it's a damn fine product.

I don't believe the smoker that delivers authentic hardwood smoke, with controllable temperature AND the ability to get hot enough for long enough exists for home use as an all in one machine.

O' Clarkii Stomias · Jan 23, 2023

Traeger smoke ring. Plenty good enough for me. This was a prime brisket given to me by my stick smoker snob buddy, and even he was impressed with the results. Personally I don't have the attention span to do a successful brisket or pork butt on anything but a pellet grill.

Evan B · Jan 23, 2023

Pink Nighty said:
I don't believe the smoker that delivers authentic hardwood smoke, with controllable temperature AND the ability to get hot enough for long enough exists for home use as an all in one machine.

That's pretty much what the Smoke Vault is. Use propane to control the smoke/heat. The propane burner is under the tray with the chunks of hard wood. I can smoke as low as about 150f and up to 350f with that setup, and have done so for up to 12hrs with very little maintenance other than adding more wood.

I bought a Traeger about 7yrs ago to accompany it and sold it after a few months. The results didn't even come close to comparison for me.

clarkman · Jan 23, 2023

Evan B said:
That's pretty much what the Smoke Vault is. Use propane to control the smoke/heat. The propane burner is under the tray with the chunks of hard wood. I can smoke as low as about 150f and up to 350f with that setup, and have done so for up to 12hrs with very little maintenance other than adding more wood.

I bought a Traeger about 7yrs ago to accompany it and sold it after a few months. The results didn't even come close to comparison for me.

I like my traeger and all, but I'm going to to look into this. If I'm cooking for friends, it's a lot of smoke, but wifey doesn't like much s.oke so the traeger is perfect for her.

nwbobber · Jan 23, 2023

I wore out a Traeger, and replaced it with a (warning: expensive) MAC Grills two star general. It expands the temperature control of the Traeger to allow you to properly sear a steak, or to cold smoke on it. It is 100 percent made in the USA, including the mostly 12 gauge stainless it's made out of. This will outlast me. The smokiness is plenty for me, but I was happy with the smokiness on the Traeger. Try using Mesquite pellets if you want stronger smoke flavor. I mostly use Cherry and Hickory.

Nick Clayton · Jan 23, 2023

Following as I'm interested in something similar.
Not much to add other than a couple guys in my Westport circle have bought Pit Boss setups the last couple years and I've eaten some pretty incredible efforts out of them

TicTokCroc · Jan 23, 2023

I use a weber kettle, indirect heat, I'm cheap and old school though. Not for smoking fish, that would be a big chief, would love to upgrade that. Not a smoker but we were in the store today and my wife was gazing at a full sized Blackstone griddle, almost making me jealous! That may be next on the list when we get some cash flow this summer.

Capt Insano Emeritis · Jan 23, 2023

I like simple. I like complicated and time consuming stuff to do. I have owned several inexpensive Brinkman water smokers. I also have a stainless sealable tray i can use inside on the stove for light smoking various accoutrements.