The Best Charcoal Smokers

Small Charcoal Grills

Charcoal smokers are the best type of grill for creating a rich, smoky flavor in the meat you’re cooking. It’s a time tested method to create the best and most tender meat you’ve ever tried.

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Charcoal Smokers

Charcoal smoking is known to tenderize meat through slow and low cooking.You can make even the toughest cuts of meat fall off the bone! This is why, unlike grilling, smoking takes plenty of time, a lot of patience, and skill. Some even consider charcoal smoking an art. The top BBQ joints in your area are most likely using charcoal smokers themselves.

Hosting a BBQ smoking session not only produces mouth-watering food, but also encourages you to slow down, gather with loved ones, and create long-lasting memories together.

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Our Picks: The Best Charcoal Smokers

  1. Editors Pick: Dyna-Glo 36″ Vertical Charcoal Smoker
  2. Best Overall: Smokey Mountain 18-inch Charcoal Smoker
  3. Best Small Budget: Char-Broil Bullet Charcoal Smoker
  4. Best Luxury: Masterbuilt Gravity Series Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker
  5. Best for Beginners: Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal Grill & Smoker

Editor's Pick

Dyna-Glo Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker

Dyna Glo Charcoal Smoker

The Dyna-Glo 36″ Vertical Charcoal Smoker has a whopping 1,890 square inches of cooking space with a 25 lb capacity on each of the 6 height-adjustable cooking grates! Get ready to cook some serious feasts with this unit!

This is an affordable model that will feed a whole party with ease. The biggest advantage of vertical smokers is that they take advantage of naturally rising heat to achieve greater cooking efficiency and overall amazing smoke flavor on anything you cook.

Enjoy hours of maintenance-free cooking with the Dyna-Glo Vertical Smoker. With sturdy cooking racks and a porcelain-enameled steel charcoal chamber, this is one of the most reliable charcoal smokers on the market.

As an added bonus, Dyna-Glo has included a built-in stainless steel thermometer with an easy-to-read gauge to help you achieve perfectly cooked foods. You’ll be the talk of the town with this Dyna-Glo Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker, trust us!

What we liked
  • Large cooking space
  • Affordable unit
  • Easy access to food
  • Easy clean-up
What we didn’t like
  • May leak smoke

Best Overall

Weber Smokey Mountain 18-Inch

Weber Smokey Mountain 18-Inch

The Smokey Mountain Charcoal Smoker is a great unit available in many sizes. The 18″ is a happy medium, but you can also get 14-inch and 22-inch models!

Weber is a well-known brand in the world of BBQ and always provides high-quality equipment. It’s no surprise that they’re our choice for “Best Overall”!

This is a very popular model for both expert and beginner pitmasters. It’s built with impressive construction and is easy to use.

The porcelain-enameled lid and bowl are rust-resistant and won’t peel away. Plus, it offers excellent heat retention for consistent smoking.

Thanks to easy-access dampers, you can control the grill temperature effortlessly. And a lid thermometer makes it easy to keep an eye on those steady temperatures.

What we liked
  • No excessive dials or controls
  • Built-in lid thermometer
  • Lightweight
  • Quality construction material
What we didn’t like
  • The aluminum side door may leak before smoke-seal builds

Best Budget Friendly Charcoal Smoker

Char-Broil Bullet Charcoal Smoker

Char-Broil Bullet Charcoal Smoker

The Char-Broil Bullet Charcoal Smoker is a great option for budget-conscious charcoal grilling. It has 370 square inches of cooking space across two porcelain-coated cooking grates.

It’s an affordable bullet smoker with a cooking surface area big enough for a small family. Plus, the porcelain-coated steel body is durable and long-lasting. And thanks to the removable ash pan, you’ll have an easy clean-up every time.

The innovative air control system also makes smoking meat easy. It simplifies setting and maintaining the internal temperature of the charcoal smoker.

As an added bonus, there is a temperature gauge on the lid that helps to track temperatures. Plus, you can move it around by its two handles, allowing you to place it wherever works best for you.

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What we liked
  • Budget-friendly
  • Well-constructed body
  • Innovative air control system
What we didn’t like
  • Lid may leak smoke

Best Luxury Charcoal Smoker

Masterbuilt Gravity Series Digital Charcoal Grill & Smoker

Masterbuilt Gravity Series Digital Charcoal Grill &Amp; Smoker

The Masterbuilt Gravity Series Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker is an amazing offset smoker with all the bells and whistles. It has features you would expect on one of the best charcoal smokers but at a fair price.

Because this unit is a charcoal grill and smoker combo, you get the best of both worlds in one place. You can use charcoal grills for cooking at higher temperatures. This unit facilitates that by reaching a cooking temperature of 700°F in under 15 minutes!

You can also practice low and slow cooking at a slow smoking temperature of 225°Fahrenheit. It can reach this temperature in as little as 7 minutes. You can even put a pizza stone inside and make the best charcoal-fired pizza.

Whether you want to smoke, grill, sear, bake, or roast, it’s all possible. Set the desired temperature on the digital control panel and you’re ready to go. Or, you can set it using your smartphone that connects via WiFi or Bluetooth!

Plus, you can achieve precise temperature control with the trademarked DigitalFan™. This technology moves air from the hopper to the cooking chamber and maintains your chosen temperature for you!

Like all others in the Masterbuilt Gravity Series, there is a gravity hopper that can hold a large amount of fuel. Choose either 10 lbs of lump charcoal or 16 lbs of briquettes for a continuous 12-15 hours of smoking. This is an excellent smoker and grill combo that allows anyone to smoke food to perfection every time.

What we liked
  • Reaches desired cooking temperature quickly
  • Maintains steady temperatures
  • Easy cleanup
What we didn’t like
  • Complex system
  • Must be plugged into electrical outlet

Best Charcoal Smoker for Beginners

Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal Grill and Smoker

Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal Grill And Smoker

The Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal Grill & Smoker is a great Kamado Style charcoal grill. If Kamado is your style, we have an entire post about the best Kamado Style Cookers!

This unit has a beautiful design that will impress your guests. Plus, its ability to double as a charcoal grill makes it super versatile. We love the fuel-efficient triple-walled steel design. It’s durable and retains heat very well while still being lightweight enough to move around.

You can choose between high-heat charcoal grilling or smoking at low temperatures with indirect heat. With the Kamado Smoking Stone you can turn your grill into a functional smoker! It works by circulating air around your meat while protecting your food from direct heat and flame.

Note: the Kamado smokers stone is sold separately.

Enjoy a large 447 square-inch cooking space where you cook up to 27 burgers at once on durable cast iron grates. This is also the perfect smoker if you have a lot of grilling accessories that you like to work with. It has a bottom storage shelf, two foldable side table workstations, and hooks for hanging your BBQ tools.

What we liked
  • Lightweight and stylish
  • Offers good cooking area for large families
  • All-terrain wheels
  • Cast-iron cooking grates
What we didn’t like
  • Smoking stone sold separately

Our Results for the Best Charcoal Smokers

  1. Editors Pick: Dyna-Glo 36″ Vertical Charcoal Smoker
    “features 784 square inches of cooking space spread across four height-adjustable cooking grates”
  2. Best Overall: Smokey Mountain 18-inch Charcoal Smoker
    ” impressive construction quality and ease of use”
  3. Best Small Budget: Char-Broil Bullet Charcoal Smoker
    ” innovative air control system makes smoking meat easy”
  4. Best Luxury: Masterbuilt Gravity Series Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker
    “powerhouse unit with all the bells and whistles that you would find on the best charcoal smokers but at a fair price”
  5. Best for Beginners: Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal Grill & Smoker
    “beautiful design will impress your guests. Its ability to double as a charcoal grill makes it a versatile option”

Types of Charcoal Smokers

There are plenty of designs when it comes to charcoal smokers and charcoal grills. However, the Texas-style offset smokers have been the traditional go-to model for years now. Here is a breakdown of the different kinds of charcoal smokers on the market.

Offset Smokers

Offset smokers are O.G. charcoal smokers. These traditional smokers feature two compartments. The first is the horizontal and cylindrical-shaped main compartment. The second compartment is the smaller of the two, usually found to the right or left of the main compartment.

The charcoal burns in the smaller compartment. Then the heat and smoke move to the larger compartment through a vent. The main cylindrical compartment is where you place the food to be cooked/smoked.

Offset smokers usually use charcoal to operate, but you can also use wood. Offset smokers do need a lot more attention to their airflow and fire. You’ll need a lot of patience and some practice before mastering this technique. This is why offset smokers are often used among barbecue experts.

Vertical Cabinet Smokers Or Box Smokers

Cabinet smokers have charcoal located at the bottom, a water pan above it, and racks for the food at the top. Cabinet smokers also feature front-load doors.

Some models have glass windows so that you can see the current situation of your food. This is great for checking on your food without opening the doors. Thus avoiding wasting valuable heat.

Cabinet smokers may also have a separate pan to hold wood chips over the hot charcoal. If not, some grill masters place wood chips right on the charcoal.

Managing everything from airflow, fire, and the exhaust on top is critical in keeping consistent heat on a cabinet smoker.

Barrel or Bullet Smokers

Barrel/bullet smokers, or drum smokers, are named so because of their shape. They are tall and narrow but larger models may resemble more of a metal drum, than a bullet shape. In this type of vertical smoker, you stoke the charcoal fire at the bottom like the cabinet smoker. The heat and smoke travel upwards, to the top where the food sits on one or more racks to smoke.

Bullet smokers are also known as water smokers. This is because you usually place a pan or bowl of water between the heat source and the food.

The water pan acts as a shield for the food from direct heat and produces steam that keeps the meat moist. The size of the fire, temperature, and smoke output is all controlled by airflow. You can control this airflow by managing the vents and dampers.


Types of Charcoal

It is also important to know what type of charcoal you are cooking with. Charcoal is the key component of a smoker!

Let’s look at the different types of charcoal you’ll likely come across when using a charcoal smoker.

Lump Charcoal

One of the top favorites of smoking lovers and experts is lump charcoal. It looks like blackened chunks of broken wood.

To make lump charcoal, pieces of wood are burned within a very low-oxygen environment. This results in volatile compounds such as hydrogen, water, and methane being released. What is left after the process is pure carbon.

Lump charcoal burns without flames and is almost smokeless. It also reaches higher temperatures compared to ordinary wood.

Because most of the wood burns off during its production, lump charcoal doesn’t produce as much ash as raw wood. Since lump charcoal doesn’t produce a ton of smoke, wood chips are sometimes added on top of the charcoal. You would do this to achieve the desired amount of smokiness.

Briquettes

Charcoal briquettes are made from wood byproducts, sawdust, and binders. The ingredients are processed and compressed into a cube or pillow shape.

Some briquette brands may add chemicals to bind them even more. This makes them easier to light! Be sure to read the labels if you prefer the absence of added chemicals. Like lump charcoal, most people add wood chips to achieve their desired amount of smoke.


Things to consider when buying a charcoal smoker

There are lots of charcoal smokers out there with different features and qualities. But finding the best smoker for you doesn’t have to be hard. Here are a few things to consider when choosing the right charcoal smoker for you.

Performance

The performance of a charcoal smoker is important if you want to produce high-quality smoked meals. Look for a charcoal smoker with a good range of heat, high fuel efficiency, tight seals, and even cooking. BBQ smokers that are used in barbecue competitions are always a safe bet in terms of performance.

Charcoal Tray

The size of the charcoal tray can make or break your smoking experience.

Charcoal grills are different than standard grills. They use charcoal to produce smoke that cooks your food slowly at low temperatures.

Because smoking is done low and slow, the cooking time is quite lengthy. You must assure that the charcoal tray is large enough to handle hours of burning so that you’re not always topping it up.

Ash Tray

Charcoal briquettes and lump charcoal produce less ash than wood chips or wood chunks. But there are of course some leftovers to take care of. Having a removable ash catcher system will make your cleanup process quick and simple.

After all, cleaning your charcoal smoker after every use is an important task that can help make your grill last for years.

Features

In its most basic and primitive form, charcoal smoking was an earthen pit and some charcoal. Now, advancements in technology have provided features that enhance performance and convenience. Look for models that have bonus features to make your grilling experience as effortless as possible.

Some bonus features include a drip pan to catch dripping fat. This will make cleanup a breeze. An easy-access door to prevent heat loss when checking on your meat is another great feature to have. And a charcoal tray to hold enough charcoal to fuel your entire smoking process will top everything off!

BBQ Hero Tip: Don’t forget to preheat your charcoal smoker. After igniting your charcoal lumps or briquettes, close the lid and let it sit uninterrupted for at least 15 minutes. This will help you get the most out of your cooking experience.


Features to consider when choosing a Charcoal Smoker

Here are a few more essential features to consider when choosing the right charcoal smoker for you.

Construction Materials

The build quality is something you should consider when choosing a charcoal smoker. A well-built charcoal smoker is usually made of premium stainless steel, heavy gauge steel, or cast aluminum.

A charcoal smoker made of thicker materials will provide more smoke and heat retention. This leads to the authentic taste we know and love.

Dimensions

Dimensions are important for both cooking capacity and storage space. If you’re planning on hosting dinner parties to show off your new smoker, it’s recommended to go with a larger unit. After all, you need to be able to fit in an appropriate amount of food! For recommendation on small charcoal grills, check out our guide on the Best Small Charcoal Grills.

Adjustable and removable cooking racks are also a bonus. This allows you to rearrange the interior to fit large pieces of meat.

Storing your charcoal smoker is also a consideration to keep in mind. If you have a small outdoor space, it’s suggested to go with a smaller or vertical smoker to save space.

The vertical cooking surface gives you more room to work with. Plus, it won’t take up too much space on your patio.

Some charcoal smokers also have a space for hanging meat. This could provide extra space that others could not.

Warranty

The warranty period of a smoker is also an important factor to consider. Many charcoal smokers provide excellent, consistent temperatures. They’re also great when it comes to adding smoked flavor to your food. But do they have a good warranty that reflects a manufacturer’s confidence in their creation?

A long warranty period usually means that your chosen smoker is durable. If you want to replace its components, you can do that for free within the warranty period.

But, a warranty period alone shouldn’t be your focal point when choosing a smoker. It does add value to the final product, but there are more important features to keep in mind.


Safety Tips for Charcoal Smokers

Smokers of any kind should be handled with care and caution. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind when handling your new charcoal smoker.

Allow Ashes To Cool

As a precaution, we recommend to let ashes cool for up to 48 hours before disposing of them. Even though your used charcoal lumps might seem like they’re out, it’s possible that they are still warm. A sudden gust of wind could ignite them, risking a fire.

If you cannot wait 48 hours, wrap them in heavy-duty foil, soak them with water, and dispose of them in a non-combustible waste container.

Set Up On Sturdy Surface

Setting your charcoal smoker on a solid, flat, and sturdy surface is very important. Having a sturdy base for this hot unit will reduce the risk of it falling over and catching fire.

Clear the Grilling Space

It’s recommended to ensure there is nothing within 5 feet all around your smoker. This is to prevent accidental fires. This includes fences, tables, and chairs.

BBQ Hero Tip: After you’ve finished smoking your food to perfection, close the air vents. By closing the air vents you’re cutting off oxygen to your lump charcoal, helping to extinguish them quickly.


Charcoal Smoker FAQs

Can You Turn A Regular Charcoal Grill Into A Smoker?

Yes, you can. Though it will not operate as smoothly as a real charcoal smoker. To create a smoker using your charcoal grill, simply build a heat source on one side of the grill. Then, put the meat on the other side. By using this two-zone fire method you’ll be able to cook your meat at a low and indirect temperature using mostly smoke!

Can I Add Wood Chunks And Wood Pellets To My Charcoal Tray?

Yes, in fact, it’s recommended for a delicious wood smoke flavour. Once your coals reach an even, hot temperature, add a thin layer of wood pellets or a few wood chunks on top. The ignited charcoal will light the wood and start creating a wonderful smoke.

Why Should I Stay Away From Cheap Offset Smokers?

It’s recommended to stay clear of cheap grills or smokers of any kind. Usually cheap means cheap construction material. If your smoker is not made of strong material like heavy gauge steel, you risk losing heat due to leaks. If you have leaks in your smoker, it will be next to impossible to maintain steady temperatures.

Is A Big Green Egg Worth It?

If you have the budget for one, then yes, a Big Green Egg is worth the investment. Built out of long-lasting material and providing a luxury grilling experience, the Big Green Egg is a luxury smoker that will last a lifetime.

What Is An Ugly Drum Smoker?

An Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS) is a simple barrel-drum smoker that can cook a variety of meats. The cool thing about ugly drum smokers is that many BBQ fanatics can actually make them themselves! This DIY project is easy to do if you have the right tools and can save you a lot of money otherwise spent on a traditional smoker.

What Is A Pit Barrel Cooker?

A Pit Barrel Cooker is unique in that it uses a meat hanging method to smoke your meat. By hanging meat to smoke, you create a convection cooking operation that leaves your meat unbelievably tender and juicy.

What Is A Kettle Grill?

Kettle grills are named after their spherical shape and were pioneered by Weber Grilling Company in 1951. They have a round body, complete with a rounded lid for excellent heat distribution.

What Are Kamado Style Cookers?

Kamado Style Cookers are named after the Japanese earthen cooking urn. Most Kamado grills are made completely from ceramics and are extremely insulated. Having such extreme insulation makes them a popular choice for many grill masters, especially those living in cold climates.

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