Are you tired of using a grill for your BBQ parties? Do you want to switch to a smoker to cook your favorite foods? If yes, then you have come to the right place.
For your benefit, we have searched extensively for the best smokers for beginners to include in our review. Not only are they easy to use, but you will also find all types of smokers on our list.
Read our review thoroughly to find the best one for your needs.
Page Contents
- 1 The 7 Best Smokers for Beginners in 2024 Reviews
- 1.1 Best Charcoal Smoker for Beginners: Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker
- 1.2 18-1/2 in. Classic Pit Barrel Cooker Package
- 1.3 Best Drum Smoker for Beginners: Barrel House Cooker Smoker BHC 18C
- 1.4 Best Electric Smoker for Beginners: Masterbuilt 30-Inch Black Electric Digital Smoker
- 1.5 Best Pellet Smoker for Beginners: Z GRILLS ZPG-7002ENC 2024 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
- 1.6 Best Gas/ Propane Smoker for Beginners: PIT BOSS Vertical LP Gas Smoker
- 1.7 Best Kamado Smoker for Beginners: Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill
- 2 How to Choose The Best Smoker for Beginners?
- 3 Type of Smoker for a Beginner?
- 4 Conclusion
- 5 Previous Post: The Best Electric Smokers for 2024
The 7 Best Smokers for Beginners in 2024 Reviews
Since there are various models of smokers available in the market, it can be challenging to choose a suitable one under a budget.
Keep reading our 7 best beginner smokers in the following section before making a final decision.
Best Charcoal Smoker for Beginners: Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker
Founded in 1952, Weber is an American brand that manufactured the first kettle grill. It has now expanded its range to produce some of the highest quality gas, electric, and charcoal grills.
The Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker is one of their top-selling charcoal smokers for beginners. Measuring 19 x 21 x 41 inches in dimensions, it has a powder-coated stainless steel body that offers enough durability to last a lifetime.
Besides this, the smoker comes with an access door to add charcoals, water, or wood pellets without letting the heat out. Since the access door handle and lid handle are plastic, you will keep your hands safe from burns too.
It is ideal for low-and-slow cooking the most delicious meat. Moreover, the smoker can accommodate a water tray and two rust-resistant chrome-plated cooking grates. Overall, you get an ample 480 square inches of cooking space.
If all this was not enough, it also gives you the best control over temperature too. It includes one adjustable vent on the lid and three others at the base of the smoker. The built-in thermometer gauge, on the other hand, helps you maintain temperature precisely.
Additionally, the smoker heats up fast, keeps the temperature variance within 20 degrees, and allows you to use it as a grill. Lastly, Weber has added an aluminum attachment at the base to protect the ground from heating up.
Pros:
- Durable construction
- Ideal for low and slow smoking
- Ample cooking space
- Can be converted to a grill
- Convenient access door
- Adjustable vents for precise temperature
- Protective Aluminum attachment
Cons:
- Difficult to clean
- Expensive
18-1/2 in. Classic Pit Barrel Cooker Package
Pit Barrel Co. was founded in 2011 by the veteran, Noah Glanville, to produce an easy-to-use and affordable pit barrel cooker for the community. One of the best charcoal smokers in the market, it is perfect for smoking large meat cuts.
The drum-style smoker comes with eight stainless steel hooks and two handing rods as a part of their Hook-N-Hang cooking method. As a result, you get evenly cooked meat on all sides from the smoke fog inside the chamber.
Besides this, you can use your smoker to grill and sear steaks on the stainless steel cooking grates. For convenience, the brand has added a hook remover tool to keep you safe from injuries.
Since you get a large charcoal basket inside the smoker, you can rest assured that you will not have to keep adding charcoals for longer cooks. Moreover, its unique design makes it easy to operate with minimal assembly required.
As for the cooking space, you can easily fit up to eight racks of ribs inside the 30-gallon drum smoker.
What’s more? The smoker has a porcelain-coated 18-gauge steel construction. Not only do you get durability, but the smoker is also well-insulated to maintain precise temperatures inside. Hence, you can low-and-slow your meat or get the perfect sear every time.
Pros:
- Can fit larger pieces of meat
- Ideal for smoking ribs
- Eight tool hooks
- Minimal assembly
- Large cooking space
- Durable construction
- Portable
Cons:
- No ash catcher
- No built-in thermometer gauge
Best Drum Smoker for Beginners: Barrel House Cooker Smoker BHC 18C
Barrel House Cookers is a US-based company with over 60 years of experience supplying top-notch products to its customers. Their drum-style smoker is best at combining easy-to-use features in a large, sturdy chamber.
It has a porcelain-coated 30-gauge metal body with high-quality stainless steel components. Therefore, it can withstand high temperatures and last for a lifetime.
Moreover, the smoker includes non-abrasive stands for support and cool-to-touch wire handles for your ease.
Compared to low-and-slow cooking, the tall smoker offers faster and tastier results every single time. As such, you get a 40% shorter cooking time, allowing you to enjoy your meals much faster than other smokers.
The smoker gives temperatures of up to 275˚- 310˚F and a built-in thermometer gauge for ideal smoking. Furthermore, you can hang large pieces of meat and use the cooking grates for grilling and searing.
Apart from all this, the smoker can hold about eight pounds of charcoal, which is enough for almost six hours of cooking. You can even add different wood chips or lumps to add a smoky flavor to your meat.
Besides, it has a detachable base, allowing you to light up the charcoal and clean-up the ash quite quickly.
Pros:
- Durable construction
- 40% shorter cooking time
- Space-saving vertical design
- Detachable base for easy clean-up
- Built-in thermometer gauge
- Portable
Cons:
- The lid does not fit properly
Best Electric Smoker for Beginners: Masterbuilt 30-Inch Black Electric Digital Smoker
Masterbuilt was established in 1973 to manufacture high-quality grills, fryers, electric smokers, and related accessories. If this is your first time buying an electric smoker, then you won’t be disappointed with the Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Smoker.
Measuring 20 x 17 x 33.5 inches in dimension, the vertical smoker offers a massive 730 square inches of cooking space. It includes four durable chrome-coated racks that can withstand high-temperature inside the chamber.
Besides this, the smoker has a cabinet-style design and a secure lock to prevent heat loss. Additionally, Masterbuilt has added good insulation to maintain precise temperatures at all times.
Unlike other smokers, the 30-inch digital smoker doesn’t require propane or charcoal to add the smoky flavor to your meat. You can simply plug the smoker into a socket and adjust the timer and temperature using the built-in digital control.
Also, the smoker comes with a side loader for adding wood chips without letting heat and smoke escape from the chamber. As such, you can reach temperatures ranging from 100 to 275˚F with the air damper on top of the smoker.
Moreover, a built-in temperature probe set-up maintains internal heat precisely.
Moving on to clean-up, Masterbuilt has a convenient removable drip pan to collect all the grease drippings. It requires minimum assembly, and you can even purchase and add additional accessories to the smoker for versatile cooking.
Pros:
- Massive cooking space
- Digital temperature minimizes the guesswork
- Durable construction
- Well-insulated design
- Supports multiple accessories
- Wide temperature range
Cons:
- The narrow design does not fit rack of ribs
- Thermometer probe could be better
Best Pellet Smoker for Beginners: Z GRILLS ZPG-7002ENC 2024 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Z Grills was founded in 2017 after 30 years of experience producing high-quality pellet grills for other brands. Now, it produces some of the most reasonably priced and efficient grills for their customers.
Their ZPG-7002E Wood Pellet Grill is among their best-selling products. It has a stainless steel body with porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grids. This is why it can offer high durability and heat retention.
Moreover, it gives unparalleled 8-in-1 versatility to help you BBQ, grill, braise, smoke, bake, char-grill, and sear in just one appliance. While you get almost 504 square inches on the primary cooking space, the warming rack raises the capacity to 700 square inches.
Apart from this, the grill comes with heavy-duty caster wheels for portability and an auto electrical ignition for faster start-ups. On the other hand, the waste oil collector allows you to clean your pellet grill in a breeze.
For temperature control, Z Grills has added a smart digital control board and a convenient LED screen. You can adjust the temperature from 180 to 450°F with a variation of just under 10 degrees.
The pellet hopper can hold almost 20-pounds of the pellet. It also includes an automatic auger that maintains an optimum temperature inside the chamber. Meanwhile, a convection fan distributes the smoke and heat evenly inside the grill.
Pros:
- Sturdy construction
- 8-in-1 versatility
- Large cooking space
- Precise temperature control
- Automatic pellet feeder
- Ample hopper capacity
- Wide temperature range
- LED screen
Cons:
- Does not contain meat probes
- No proper ash disposal system
Best Gas/ Propane Smoker for Beginners: PIT BOSS Vertical LP Gas Smoker
Founded in 1999, Pit Boss Grills manufactures some of the best quality grills in the market. Their grills are known widely for durable construction and impressive craftsmanship.
The 3-series Vertical LP Gas Smoker works wonders for beginners with its simple-to-use features and exceptional temperature control.
Having a dimension of 21.5 x 23 x 47 inches, this smoker has a small footprint and is built to last for long. For durability, it has a high-grade copper-finish steel body with three porcelain-enameled cast-iron grates.
Moreover, you get double-wall blanket insulation to prevent heat loss. This means you can use it even in snowy conditions. On the other hand, the large front window lets you keep an eye on your food.
Overall, you get 884 square inches of cooking space on the three cooking racks, which is enough to cook for a small gathering. For temperature control, Pit Boss has added dual valve stainless steel burners, offering a maximum of 12500BTU of heat.
You can adjust the temperature between 100 to 350°F and use the integrated thermometer gauge to precisely measure the internal temperature.
Apart from this, you also get a wood chip drawer, so you can add your favorite wood flavor with ease. Meanwhile, the removable grease tray makes your life easy by offering fast and easy clean-up.
Pros:
- Durable construction
- Ample cooking space
- Double-wall blanket insulation
- Large viewing window
- Precise temperature control
- Small footprint
Cons:
- Cannot fit large pieces of meat
- Heavyweight
Best Kamado Smoker for Beginners: Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill
Char-griller specializes in the manufacture of high-quality and affordable smokers, grills, and related accessories. Their Akorn Kamado Charcoal grill is the best Kamado smoker for beginners.
It has 22-gauge stainless steel construction and a powder-coated finish on the exterior and a porcelain-enamel on the interior. Hence, the durable Akorn Grill is rust-resistant, can withstand high temperatures, and lasts for a long time.
Besides this, the smoker gives you 214 square inches of cooking space on its cast-iron cooking grates and 133 square inches on its warming rack. Since the smoker includes an index damper, you can maintain precise temperatures ranging from 200 to 700°F.
With a double-wall insulation design, you can rest assured that your fuel-efficient grill will also use less charcoal to smoke your meat.
Moreover, the grill includes two convenient, folding side shelves and tool hooks to keep your utensils close-by, and a removable ash pan to make clean-up a breeze.
If all this was not enough, you also get sizable heavy-duty rubber wheels to move the 100-pound Akorn grill around with ease.
Pros:
- Heavy-duty construction
- Folding side shelves and tool hooks
- Built-in temperature gauge
- Ample cooking space
- Budget-friendly
- Fuel-efficient insulated design
Cons:
- Difficult heat control
- Requires additional smoking accessories
How to Choose The Best Smoker for Beginners?
It is not that easy to purchase the right equipment when you have never even used it in the first place. Which one will suit your needs? Should you purchase a large or medium-sized smoker?
If you are confused, do not worry. We are going to help you choose the best smoker for beginners in the following section.
Budget
First and foremost, you need to decide on a budget If you plan to use it quite often, then it is better to invest in a durable, more high-end smoker.
While cheaper ones might be easier on your pocket, they will offer poor temperature control and fewer features. However, you can always purchase a budget-friendly smoker and upgrade to a better one, once you have gained some insight into their working.
Cooking Space
You do not want to throw money on a massive smoker if you cannot accommodate it on your porch or small backyard.
Similarly, it is pointless to purchase a smoker with a large cooking capacity when you usually grill for a small family gathering. Instead of opting for a larger model, you can save money by going with a lower capacity one.
Versatility
Before choosing a smoker for your needs, you should consider versatility in your choice too. While some units are built as simple smokers, others like the Masterbuilt Digital Smoker come with a cold smoking accessory.
On the other hand, a few types of smokers can be converted to a grill too. However, make sure that the smoker delivers what it promises by researching thoroughly.
Type of Smoker for a Beginner?
It can be challenging to select a smoker from the various types found in the market. So what is the best one for beginners? Which one should you put your faith in?
To help you out, we are going to give you the pros and cons of different types of smokers available.
Charcoal Smoker
A charcoal smoker can give the best smoky flavor out of all the different types. However, it requires more effort and attention during the cooking process.
Gas Smokers
If you want to purchase a set-it and forget-it smoker, then gas smokers are right up in your lane. Not only are they easy to manage, but you also get better temperature control.
What’s the bummer? You don’t get the authentic smoky flavor, and cheaper models can’t maintain temperatures or fit large pieces of meat.
Pellet Smokers
Pellet smokers are perfect if you want to put in minimum effort. You don’t have to worry about temperature control or add wood pellets manually.
On the downside, they are more expensive than charcoal smokers and fail to give the authentic smoky flavor.
Electric Smoker
Electric Smokers are preferred for low-and-slow smoking meat like brisket, which can take hours on end.
Although they are quite expensive and rely on a continuous power supply, you can have precise control over temperatures.
Conclusion
As seen in our review, it is difficult to pinpoint one best smoker for beginners. As a result, we have reviewed seven different types of smokers to suit your needs.
If you are inclined towards a set-it and forget-it smoker, then the Masterbuilt Digital Smoker or the Z Grill Wood Pellet Grill will be perfect. However, if you want to achieve an authentic smoky flavor in your meat, go for the Weber Mountain Smoker or the Pit Barrel Cooker Package.
Previous Post: The Best Electric Smokers for 2024
