Best BBQ Smoker Recommendations

[LowRyter]

I was about to smoke an 8lb pork shoulder for our Christmas Chili Verde.  When I opened the smoker, it was full of mold.  It's going out with the garbage.  That one was electric.  It was easy to use the results were OK but not spectacular. 

I've see so many replacement types: gas, electric, pellet, offset. 

Would appreciate recommendations and pros and cons.  Thanks

(btw- I'm smoking the pork shoulder on my gas grill, with smokebox and indirect cooking.  It looks better than cooking it my old smoker.)

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

I dont hate the pellet cookers. They WILL NOT replace your grill as they claim (they dont get hot enough to sear because of the baffle, regardless of what the manufactures say, and even if they did, it would waste an insane amount of fuel to cook like that). But they are easy to use and fairly idiot proof.  I think an older/closeout model is the best, as they have added too many dumb features like apps etc... But a pellet cooker with an aux thermo is hard to beat for home use.

To me the big green egg and their ilk are about the dumbest things going.... I know this is a VERY unpopular opinion, most who have them seem to love them. To me the capacity and shape suck relative to the expense. If you get one big enough to cook 2 butts and 2 chickens at the same time, it's like $1200 (WHAT!?!?!). Sure, they hold heat well, but the thick walls and lid reduce the capacity to nothing.

I cant speak much on offsets, that is texas style... I like live coals under the product, not just a smoke bath. I never feel an offset stays hot enough, and it is easy to smoke your food til it looks like a lump of coal.

To me, a cinderblock pit or a close facsimile made out of a barrel or a heating oil drum is about the tops.  Without that, I would go the pellet route but I mostly use my webber kettle for small stuff. I like to burn wood and feed live coals.

[Guzzistajohn]

I've been cooking with the dumbest thing going for 19 years now. I can cook 4 or 5 times on the same little pile of charcoal and it works just as well as it did 19 years ago-no repairs or replacement parts. It's perfect size for the cooking I do. However the price MIGHT have gone up a bit in 19 years. Non BGE owners are always the 1st to tell you they suck 

[jwinwi]

I thought wifey had lost her mind when she bought a Traeger - because it became our THIRD grill... But I really love it especially using the temperature probe; it makes the best chicken and roasts ever.
But we still use the propane grill a lot and have the charcoal grill with propane starter.
BTW, we got rid of the BGE because it was too difficult to get the heat just right: too hot or not hot enough.

[twowheeladdict]

Personally, it isn't the smoker, it is the chef that makes the difference. 

You can build a smoker with a cardboard box lined in foil and make a fantastic meal. 

Here is a cardboard smoker Alton Brown uses.

https://altonbrown.com/how-to-build-alton-browns-cardboard-box-smoker/

There are many other varieties out there.  Put all those chewy and amazon boxes to good use. 

[AJ Huff]

Personally, it isn't the smoker, it is the chef that makes the difference. 

You can build a smoker with a cardboard box lined in foil and make a fantastic meal. 

Here is a cardboard smoker Alton Brown uses.

https://altonbrown.com/how-to-build-alton-browns-cardboard-box-smoker/

There are many other varieties out there.  Put all those chewy and amazon boxes to good use.

Two hotel pans and a perf 

-AJ

[LowRyter]

I know John and I like his BGE- some of the best 'Que I've had.   And Darren seems to love his pellet smoker.  Both are guys here on the board.   So let's not make this a "food fight" (pun intended). 

I have a Webber propane grill.  Looking for a separate smoker, not made of cardboard, not as expensive as BGE.  Sub $500 (sub $200?).

The electric smoker scheduled for trash pick up was OK but I'd like better.  If possible it would be nice to cold smoke too, but that's not a deal breaker.  Just a good, easy to use smoker, not breaking the bank.  I'm a little partial to propane.  Those pellet deals seem to work pretty well.  Darren can set his and it works by itself he tells me. 

Thanks .. keep it coming.

[AJ Huff]

I've smoked many a time with a cast iron smoke box in a propane grill.. I've even used just an aluminum foil pouch with holes in it.

Many years ago I was reading rave reviews of a pellet smoker tubes in propane grills. Might be an option for you too.

-AJ

[Moparnut72]

My local hardware store recently started stocking BGEs. I checked them out when they first came in. I had tried a Weber but it required almost constant attention to maintain consistent temperature. I thought the BGE would be the way to go until I saw the price. I now have a Traeger, it does a good job with minimal oversight.
kk

[Bulldog9]

I've had a RECTEC, now named RECTEQ (wood pellet smoker) for 6 years now. I have the portable one with folding legs (390?) Can fire up to 500 degrees and as low as 180, holds temps, cheap to run, and is flat out fantastic "CHANGE YO LIFE" fantastic.

Smoke, Grill, Bake, Pizza Oven, it does it all. My model is pre all the wifi nonsense, but it kicks out great food time after time. What I like most is if I dont have the time to smoke a steak or sausages and want normal gas grill times, I run the grill at 400-450 and it cooks fast with a nice light smoke flavor.

In 6 years all I have had to do was clean it, and replace the $8 ignitor rod. Pellets run about the same overall cost as a propane bottle.

I can't speak to the other pellet grills, but the quality and small business customer service of the RECTEC is second to none. Very happy with it as are the 10-12 people who have bought them after my recommendation.

[Texas Turnip]

When y'all get some spare time check out Moberg Smokers here in Texas. Only $14,500 plus (c'mon man that is only front pocket money) for a 1000 gallon smoker. Stop in and visit me on your way to Dripping Springs, Texas.

Tex

[Bulldog9]

I've been cooking with the dumbest thing going for 19 years now. I can cook 4 or 5 times on the same little pile of charcoal and it works just as well as it did 19 years ago-no repairs or replacement parts. It's perfect size for the cooking I do. However the price MIGHT have gone up a bit in 19 years. Non BGE owners are always the 1st to tell you they suck 

I love my BGE, but it is too big and heavy to move every 18 months so it is safe in storage till I retire. Takes some time to learn, and I preferred lump charcoal (especially Pecan for chicken and wings) but it is a great BBQ tool.

[LowRyter]

Tex, I ain't going for a carboard box or a $15k pro smoker.   

I might have to pencil you in the same corner with that other guy.     

{Not in a place I want to be.}   

[bbranch10]

I recently updated from a Traeger to a Mak 2 Star. Wow! I love it 💕

[kingoffleece]

I use a Camp Chef pellet grill with a 900 degree propane sear station attached to one side.  Best of all worlds.  To increase thermal mass I have a form fitted insulated cover that stays on all the time.  Smokes great, gets hot enough for a pizza stone, roasts fantastic, and I've learned to reverse sear.  Smoke of grill to approx 100 degrees and then sear to 125-135 or so.  Fabulous.  The smoking feature is great and for the rest it's a nice wood fired flavor.  I've used my high end weber one time in the past three years.  The smoker?  5 days a week.

[jrt]

Chargriller Akorn works for me.  It is a hell of a lot cheaper than a BGE (Guzzi content) and it keeps a consistent temperature.  It isn't as nice or refined as a BGE, that's for sure, but it is durable and it works. 

[Bulldog9]

I use a Camp Chef pellet grill with a 900 degree propane sear station attached to one side.  Best of all worlds.  To increase thermal mass I have a form fitted insulated cover that stays on all the time.  Smokes great, gets hot enough for a pizza stone, roasts fantastic, and I've learned to reverse sear.  Smoke of grill to approx 100 degrees and then sear to 125-135 or so.  Fabulous.  The smoking feature is great and for the rest it's a nice wood fired flavor.  I've used my high end weber one time in the past three years.  The smoker?  5 days a week.

I think we are brothers from another mother

I would use my pellet smoker 5 days a week if my wife would let me. She likes the wood flavor but she wants a sear as well. I need to look into getting a searing station.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

I think we are brothers from another mother

I would use my pellet smoker 5 days a week if my wife would let me. She likes the wood flavor but she wants a sear as well. I need to look into getting a searing station.

I like a propane stand burner (people call it a turkey fryer burner here) and a large cast iron pan for this, not as integrated and neat at the co-branded built-in piece. But works a treat.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

The BGE is good for people who are only cooking for a small group and dont mind babysitting.  Deff easier to manage than a kettle grill.  The capacity to cost ratio is the only thing that makes them silly IMHO

[Guzzistajohn]

The BGE is good for people who are only cooking for a small group and dont mind babysitting.  Deff easier to manage than a kettle grill.  The capacity to cost ratio is the only thing that makes them silly IMHO

I've put a brisket in mine, set the temp @ 200 degrees and go to bed for the night. Pretty easy baby to care for. Smoked turkey? Check temp in two hours. Steaks? Heat up to 550 -600 sear in both sides 3 minutes, shut the vents and cook to desired temp. 3 or 4 min

[guzziart]

Yoder Smoker

[MGrego]

I have a Camp Chef pellet grill.  It is thin walled with no insulation, it was drying out the meat because it was having to run all the time to keep the temperature up. 

Then I read on the forum here to put some fire bricks and a pan of water in the smoker to hold heat and help keep the temperature constant.  This has worked, although not perfectly.  If I ever get another pellet grill, I'll try to find one that is double walled or has some insulation.  My 2cents.

[Mayor_of_BBQ]

I have a Camp Chef pellet grill.  It is thin walled with no insulation, it was drying out the meat because it was having to run all the time to keep the temperature up. 

Then I read on the forum here to put some fire bricks and a pan of water in the smoker to hold heat and help keep the temperature constant.  This has worked, although not perfectly.  If I ever get another pellet grill, I'll try to find one that is double walled or has some insulation.  My 2cents.

I used a trager outside in all weather and $$pellet conservation was important to me.  I found they temp much more stable in cold temps and WIND if I layed several large sheets of aluminum foil over the 'barrel' and then topped that with a moving blanket (the one you forgot to put back in the uhaul many moons ago) or an old cotton quilt.  Of course this only works at smoking temps, you dont want to set the blanket on fire. Some sheets of water heater insulation would also work fine.

[TN Mark]

My recommendation is based off decades of use. I grill, a lot all year long regardless of where we live(ed). For me, a Weber kettle is about as versatile as you can get. They grill, smoke, sear and bake quite effortlessly. I've had a few 22" Weber kettles over the decades and wouldn't want to be without one. I've also been a Weber gas grill fan, again for many decades. My old Weber Genesis Silver B is over 20 years old and is still working great at a friends house. I've used several Weber Gas-Go-Anywhere grills as well. Always updating the internals to the 'old style' flavorizer pan and grill grate. IMHO, the 'updated' internals are near worthless.

Tomorrow I have a new Weber SE-335 being delivered which I'm excited about. If I could only have one, it would be a Weber kettle without question. There are a few optional pieces that take that great design and expand it into a true 'do everything well' piece.   

One of my brothers have a Kamado Joe which he likes it a lot. I'm happy for him but see it as a missed opportunity to get a Weber kettle for a LOT less money, less effort with equally or better results. If I 'had' to get a Kamado style, it would be the Weber Summit Kamado without question.

I was curious to see the Weber SmokeFire but was surprised at the mostly poor initial reviews of it. Thankfully the Generation 2 version came equipped with the 'improvements' already installed. But, for me, I see no reason to look at a pellet smoker but again, I'm glad those who have one like them. Having options is a good thing and fantastic food can be made from just about any piece of equipment.

[kingoffleece]

get the insulated blanket cover from CampChef for your grill.  A bit $$ but it's put it on and forget about it.  Mine is on 12 months a year.
Works a treat.

[LowRyter]

Mark I have a Weber propane grill and use it perhaps 6 days a week.   I'd like replace my dedicated smoker.   My grill has a smoke box but it's impractical for me to use it for smoking over a long duration cook.

[Darren Williams]

If a good sear is really important to you, get a handheld propane torch for the finishing touches.

[LowRyter]

If a good sear is really important to you, get a handheld propane torch for the finishing touches.

I've got the Webber for that.

[kingoffleece]

I use that sear attachment for a lot of different things.  Smoked then charred vegetables are the bomb.

[Bulldog9]

I have a stand alone gas burner between my smoker and Weber that I use to heat up a cast iron skillet to sear, and have also tried reverse sear and pre-sear 9n the Weber, and reverse sear with the skillet works best.

The RECTEQ has much thicker steel sides than the other pellet grills, and an insulated double layer door. Holds temps very well.

 The BGE comes in 4-5 sizes. Some are huge. I have a large, and is 15 years old.