The best electric smoker will bring your smoking game to a whole new level because of its features and how easy it is to use.
Some might think that using an electric smoker is cheating, especially smoking purists, because of how easy it is to control heat retention.
But even with this thinking, electric smokers are the most popular smoker used nowadays because of several advantages, particularly how easy they are to use – even for beginners.
First, let's talk about how the best electric smoker will have the easiest to use temperature control box; this is very important when you're smoking meat.
Additionally, you don't have to keep putting more fuel into the smoker, such as charcoal, to the smoker to keep the fire burning, as you would have to do for a pellet smoker or heavy-duty offset smoker.
Because it's electric, all you need to do is plug it into a socket, prepare your meat, and then in a couple of hours, you'll have delicious smoked meat for your family.
The downside to the best electric smoker is that you need a power supply, limiting their portability. With other smoker types, especially those that use charcoal, you can go just about anywhere and use them, but because you’re limited by a power supply, it's harder to take electric smokers with you.
The best electric smoker picks come with various great features, such as being great at maintaining the desired temperature, affordably priced, durable, having digital controls, easy to clean and use.
With so many options on the market, how do you know which is the best electric smoker? Below you'll find a list of the best electric smokers on the market.
Our goal is to help you find the best electric smoker for you and your family, so we've provided all the information that you need to know when it comes to smoking.
10 Best Electric Smoker Units
Best Overall – Bradley BS611
Bradley is no stranger to the food smoking world. The company has been in the business of making world-class smokers for decades now. It’s no wonder their products are a hit among barbecue lovers the world over.
Their new range of Original 4-rack electric smokers is one of the best ones we’ve come across. Everything about it is built for high performance to deliver consistent smoking results every single time.
It relies on a one-of-a-kind automatic feed system that allows you to load it up with nine hours’ worth of wood chips and let it smoke away while you go off and do something else. It doesn’t get any more hands-off than that, which is something we quite liked with this particular model.
One of the most outstanding features about this electric smoker is how versatile it is. You can use it as a hot or cold smoker, an oven, or a dehydrator. This is, in large part, due to the two separately-controlled heating elements it comes with: One for the oven and the other to create smoke.
As far as the cleaning and maintenance bit goes, the BS611 comes with a removable side panel that lets you get to the hard to reach places. That way, you can get rid of grease deposits and ashes and re-season it from time to time to keep it in excellent working condition for longer.
We also like the magnetic door and the fully-insulated stainless steel interior. Not only does it make cleanup a breeze, but it also locks in the smoke for maximum flavor infusion. This smoker has a four-rack capacity, with an 11" x 13" cooking space above each of them.
All in all, if you’re looking for a high-performance electric smoker that embodies versatility and functionality, the BS611 is precisely what you need. It’s a definite winner in our books.
Dimensions: 17 x 14 x 31 inches
Weight: 58 pounds
Cooking Area (Square Inches): 572
Temperature Range: Up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit
Pros:
- Easy on the eye
- The magnetic door keeps the smoke in
- Easy to clean
- Low maintenance
- Versatile and multipurpose
Cons:
- Water bin may require frequent emptying
- Some users report that the wood chip feeder occasionally freezes up
Best Premium – Smokin-It Model 2
This is an extremely well-built and sturdy electric smoker that will give you a solid home smoking that's also easy to use for several different smoking recipes.
The Smokin-It Model 2 electric smoker features a steel construction that is top-notch because the components of this model are reliable and sturdy. This electric smoker's shape makes it easy to store in tight spaces, and it easy to move around because of the four wheels and stainless-steel handles.
However, this electric smoker is heavy, so you have to use the wheels to move it around. If you need to pick it up, you should have somebody help you out because of this unit's size.
The downside to this electric smoker is that the temperature gauge is very close to the heating source, leading to temperatures in the smoker being lower than what the temperature gauge reads.
Additionally, this electric smoker is on the smaller side when talking about the unit's size, which means that you'll be limited on how much you can smoke at a time.
Overall, this is the best electric smoker if you want a premium smoker model.
Dimensions: 24 x 30 x 22 inches
Weight: 75 pounds
Cooking Area (Square Inches): 300
Temperature Range: 0 - 325 degrees Fahrenheit
Pros:
- Replaceable heating element
- 300 inches of space to cook
- Comes with a nifty grease tray
- Made from stainless-steel
- Portable smoker
- Durable, easy to use, and compact
Cons:
- Expensive
- Temperature control isn't the most accurate since it's located near the heating source
- Small cooking space
Best Budget – Landmann USA Smoky Mountain
Landmann is known for producing the best electric smokers on the market, and the Smoky Mountain unit is no exception because it covers everything you need as a basic smoker.
The Smoky Mountain electric smoker has great heat retention and internal temperature control. Additionally, it doesn't mix up the different flavors when you're cooking chicken and fish products together, just as an example. If you don't want to spend a ton of money on the best electric smoker, then this model is perfect for you.
The Smoky Mountain is a budget-friendly powerhouse of an electric smoker that can handle temperatures from 100 degrees F to 260 degrees F. It has four adjustable feet.
It provides you with good dimensions that allow you to move this unit around while maintaining its upright position at all times – even when it's put on uneven ground.
What makes this unit simple to use is the 3-in-1 water pan, wood chip tray, grease drip tray, and the multiple chrome coated chrome-coated. Cleaning this electric smoker is also extremely easy to do because of the 3-in-1 compartment setup.
The door has a glass window so you can easily keep an eye on your smoking without having to open the door and letting the smoke flavor leave the cooking area.
This electric smoker also uses an integrated meat probe that watches out for temperature changes, which allows you to avoid interfering with the cooking time and accidentally dropping the internal temperature.
Dimensions: 26 x 21 x 47.25 inches
Weight: 33 pounds
Cooking Area (Square Inches): 450
Temperature Range: 100 - 260 degrees Fahrenheit
Pros:
- Extremely portable
- Great heat retention
- Multiple cooking racks
- Features a glass window on the door so you can easily check the progress of your meat
- Allows you to use a meat thermometer so you can keep a close eye on the chamber’s internal temperature
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Affordable
Cons:
- The door can sometimes leak smoke because it doesn't seal well
- Lack of electric and digital controls
- The power cord is short
Char-Broil Deluxe
This electric smoker is a leader in the smoking industry because it provides you with a user-friendly smoking experience with 725 square inches of space to cook and will take out all the hard work involved with smoking meat.
The Char-Broil Deluxe smoker features a large capacity, beautiful design, and an easy to use interface made from top of the line materials.
With this electric smoker, you'll find that the time control and heating element ensures that you're smoking comes out of this electric smoker with nothing but professional quality.
It's affordable and comes with special features such as Wi-Fi that you would typically pay extra for. It's been found that this is one of the best electric smokers that has Wi-Fi.
If you're new to smoking, this is a great beginner unit to have. However, if you're into cooking at high temperatures, this electric smoker isn't the best choice for you.
This electric smoker can reach an internal temperature of 275 degrees F at the highest heat setting, so it's the best electric smoker for long cook times.
Simply throw your meat onto the chrome-coated cooking racks and on the top of the unit is an air damper that, along with the wood chip loading system, gets you started with a good amount of smoke. Another great thing about this unit is that you can easily put more wood chips in the smoker without opening the door.
Dimensions: 18 x 16.5 x 32.5 inches
Weight: 50.2 pounds
Cooking Area (Square Inches): 725
Temperature Range: 100 - 275 degrees Fahrenheit
Pros:
- Easy to put more chips into the smoker without opening the door
- You can find replacement parts for the heating element
- Smoke and heat with time control to make sure that you're getting high-quality meat
- Features a complete digital push button push-button
- Comes with several chrome coated chrome-coated
- Well-insulated cooking chamber
- Enough space to cook
- Easy to clean up after smoking
- Affordable
Cons:
- Not enough space inside the cooking chamber for large barbecuing
- Wi-Fi reception problems
- You need to clean and clear the door window often
- Not very portable
- Limited to smoking at temperature beta ween 100 degrees F and 275 degrees F
Masterbuilt MB20070421 Electric Smoker
One of the very first things that stand out in the Masterbuilt MB20070421 is its sleek, classic appearance. Its charm isn’t just aesthetic. This electric smoker has to be one of the most versatile, high-performance models we’ve encountered.
We particularly like the full-view window it comes with since, let's face it, we all like to see our food cooking and savor every moment of it even before it lands on our plates. On a more functional front, the window allows you to check the progress of whatever’s in there without having to open the door and lose all that flavorful smoke in the process.
We also like the removable rear grease tray and drip pan it comes with. These make the cleanup process easy and help keep your smoker in tiptop condition, which, in turn, extends its useful life. Talk about functionality!
The MB20070421 comes with four chrome-plated cooking racks spread across an impressive 771 square inches of smoking space. That’s more than enough room to smoke your beef, pork, chicken, and anything else your heart desires.
It is surprisingly lightweight for ease of mobility, which is great if you need to move it without any help. Its powerful heating element is guaranteed to get the heat up to the desired temperature while infusing all that rich, smoky goodness into your meals.
All in all, the MB20070421 is the quintessential smoker for style and functionality in a versatile, rugged package.
Dimensions: 19.9 x 20.5 x 33.3 inches
Weight: 50.3 pounds
Cooking Area (Square Inches): 442
Temperature Range: Up to 275 degrees Fahrenheit
Pros:
- Great value for money
- Comes with a viewing window
- Compact and surprisingly lightweight
- Grease tray and drip pan for added convenience
- Powerful heating capacity
Cons:
- It is not 100% smoke-proof
- Liquid grease and condensations tend to leak at the bottom
Dyna-Glo DGU732BDE-D Electric Smoker
For its price, the performance you get from the Dyna-Glo DGU732BDE-D is simply unmatched. Everything about it is built to precision using high-quality components. You can tell by how sturdy it feels. We put it to work to see how it measured up against other smokers in its range. We were not disappointed.
First off, we like the digital push-button controls it comes with and how easy it is to monitor and control every stage of the cooking process. A simple touch of a button and it instantly displays the current internal temperature of whatever’s cooking. Once it reaches the desired range, the smoker goes off automatically. This is a feature we don’t often see with other smokers in its class.
Then, there are the 732 square inches of cooking space spread across five chrome-coated cooking racks. It's so massive that you can smoke two full-size turkeys or six large chickens at a go.
The feature that stood out the most for us is the side-access wood chip loader. It makes it ultra-easy to add chips without having to open the smoker door and lose all that flavor-laden smoky goodness. We especially like the double-walled firebox that works like a charm to minimize heat and smoke loss while cooking.
All things considered, the DGU732BDE-D is an excellent choice for anyone craving an authentic outdoor smoking experience. It’s worth checking out.
Dimensions: 19.5 x 19.0 x 32.5 inches
Weight: 62.2 pounds
Cooking Area (Square Inches): 732
Pros:
- Comes with an integrated meat thermometer
- Huge smoking capacity
- Excellent smoke and heat retention
- Side-access wood chip loader for added convenience
- Outstanding value for money
Cons:
- The internal temperature doesn’t get higher than 300 degrees
- The capacity of the wood chip holder could be larger
Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker
With all the rave reviews we found on the Masterbuilt MB20071117, you know we had to check it out for ourselves. We must say, we were pretty impressed by the results.
First impressions: It looks a little utilitarian, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Once we put it to work, however, the outcome was nothing short of outstanding.
Whether you’re a beginner or pro looking to achieve competition-ready results right in your backyard, the MB20071117 is designed to do just that.
It comes fitted with four chrome-coated racks and a patented side-access wood chip loading system that allows you to feed the smoker with more chips without opening the door. That way, you don’t lose any of that smoky goodness when you need to load it up with more fuel.
This fully-digital unit also comes with an innovative power on/off console that gives you even more control over the smoker's temperature and the cooking time for a more hands-off approach. Its steel construction is fully insulated for great heat and smoke retention, which means higher savings on your electric bill.
The smoking capacity inside is pretty massive. For context, it fits six large chickens, four racks of ribs, four pork butts, or two full-size turkeys.
If you plan to host a large group of friends and family, this smoker is perfect for feeding a hungry crowd. The folks at Masterbuilt have truly mastered the art of smoking with their MB20071117.
Dimensions: 20 x 20 x 33 inches
Weight: 45.9 pounds
Cooking Area (Square Inches): 730
Pros:
- Side wood chip loading system
- Digital timer and temperature thermostat
- Fully-insulated
- Easy-to-clean chrome-coated racks
- Large smoking capacity
Cons:
- The digital display is hard to read in the daylight
- Doesn’t reach temperatures between 180 and 200 degrees
Royal Gourmet SE2801 Electric Smoker
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly smoker, the Royal Gourmet SE2801 is yet another high-quality model to consider. Given that it costs under $150, we were a bit skeptical about its performance at first. Once we put it to the test, however, our initial reservations were quickly put to rest.
This unit comes with a built-in 1,500-watt heating element with a fully-adjustable and removable digital console. Don’t let its small size fool you either. It has 457 square inches’ worth of cooking space spread over three chrome-coated cooking racks.
We especially like its unique grease management system, which isn’t something you don’t often see with electric smokers in its class.
Not only does it have a removable lidded chip box and stainless steel water pan, but it also comes with an independent grease cup to make your life so much easier during clean up, and you know how messy that can get.
The SE2801 is made of double-wall construction that retains the smoking temperature, keeping it consistent throughout. Its innovative latch system guarantees a solid seal to make sure no heat or smoke escapes.
There’s also the cool-touch spring door to keep everything nice and safe, so there’s no risk of getting scalded by the dry heat. It is ideal for smoking, grilling, steaming, and drying, making it one of the most versatile smokers we’ve come across.
All in all, the Royal Gourmet delivers exceptional value for the money. No disappointments there.
Dimensions: 20.6” x 19.0” x 37.1” inches
Weight: 48.5 pounds
Cooking Area (Square Inches): 457
Pros:
- Affordable price point
- Versatile and multipurpose
- Two-carrier handles for convenient transportation
- Easy to clean
- Excellent heat retention
Cons:
- Some users report that the cooking temperature doesn’t get higher than 200 degrees
- Temperature readings might be slightly off at times
Cuisinart COS-330 Electric Smoker
Not all electric smokers are created equal. Getting that authentic smoke-infused flavor in a prime cut of brisket, rack of ribs, turkey, or chicken can be difficult to achieve using an electric smoker.
The Cuisinart COS-330 is a total game-changer. We smoked a five-pound brisket for seven hours, and the results were oh-so glorious.
If we didn't smoke it ourselves, there's no way you would have convinced us that an electric smoker was responsible for the rich, hickory flavor we tasted with every bite. This smoker is nothing short of incredible.
The COS-330 is super lightweight and easy to use, making it ideal for first-time or casual smokers. Once you set it to the desired temperature, there’s nothing more you need to do. It doesn’t get any more plug-and-play than that.
This 30-inch unit offers 548 square inches of cooking space spread over three chrome-coated racks, which are perfect for smoking enough meat to feed a small crowd.
We especially like how low maintenance it is. Clean up is a breeze thanks to the removable wood chip tray and water pan it comes with.
Its 1,500-watt heating element can achieve temperatures of up to 400 degrees, which is quite impressive for an electric smoker. That’s not something you come across with models in its price range.
All components are well-made, and of superior quality, so you can tell it’s going to last for several years to come. The fact that it is backed by a three-year warranty is a testament to its superior craftsmanship. Its price point isn’t too bad either.
The COS-330 is the perfect addition to your backyard, patio, and deck. The proof is in the brisket or in whatever else you plan to smoke.
Dimensions: 22 x 19 x 37.5 inches
Weight: 59 pounds
Cooking Area (Square Inches): 548
Temperature Range: 100 - 400 degrees Fahrenheit
Pros:
- Easy to use
- No fire-tending required
- Lightweight and portable
- High-temperature capability
- Low maintenance
Cons:
- Some users report a strange black liquid draining from the unit
- May have a temperature retention issue
What Makes the Best Electric Smoker the Best?
There are quite a few smoker features that you need to check out when you buy the best electric smoker. You'll find a list below of some of the things to keep an eye out for.
There's plenty to consider when you're picking an electric smoker based on the smoking experience you have, so read on to find out how to buy the best electric smoker.
Capacity
Capacity is an important thing to consider when going to buy an electric smoker. Even if the electric smoker has many features that you can’t resist, it's useless if it's not large enough for your needs in terms of smoking.
Take into consideration your cooking habits. If you find that you’re cooking for a large crowd often, you want to make sure that you're getting a large electric smoker to fit all of the needed meat products inside. You also want to make sure that it has a large grease tray and wood chip tray.
Easy Usability
Make sure that the electric smoker model you choose is easy to use and has a user-friendly design. You also want to make sure to check the digital thermometer and time control panel to ensure that they’re giving you plenty of options and that they’re easy to use.
The smoker you choose should also have a door with a glass window so you can monitor your meat's progress, removable cooking racks, and removable wood chips and grease tray.
If you want other features, such as Bluetooth or remote control, then you'll also want to make sure that the model you're looking at has these things.
Range of Temperatures
You might want to go with an electric smoker with great smoke levels and a heating element that can go a range of temperatures from 100 degrees F to 500 degrees F inside the cooking chamber. You also want to look into how powerful the heating element is and how easy it is to control it.
The temperature range listed above is perfect for smoking meat and other foods for a big crowd. Ideally, the best electric smoker allows you to set it and forget it. Typically, the best electric smoker has a digital temperature control that's simple to use.
Mobility
If you dream that you’ll be able to take your smoker with you wherever you go, you need to go with a portable model. So, you want to make sure that your smoker is lightweight and durable, easy to move, has a long power cord, great construction quality, and has wheels.
Maintenance Ease
Go for the best electric smoker with removable components and see if the parts are easy to replace. These convenient features will make it easier to use your smoker while preparing for each smoking session and makes it easier to clean when you're done.
Affordability
When buying the best electric smoker, you need to make sure that you can afford it. There are a ton of electric smokers on the market that are extremely affordable, with enough features to make the smoker easy to use.
Advantages of the Best Electric Smoker
There are several advantages to having the best electric smoker, including:
Temperature Control
Regular smokers are notorious for being difficult when trying to maintain a certain temperature. Electric smokers have heat-regulating features that monitor the temperature inside the chamber for you. Temperature control is by far the biggest advantage of having an electric smoker.
Safety
When smoking, safety should always be one of your top priorities. Electric smokers are by far the safest type of smokers because there's no chance of burning wood flying out of the chamber and setting your something, such as your house, on fire.
Suppose something does happen to your smoker, and the temperature increases beyond a specific temperature. In that case, electric smokers have built-in features that will kick into gear and shut the smoker off.
Heat Convection
Electric smokers are designed to be the best at heat convection and spreading while maintaining a consistent temperature. Most smokers cannot distribute their heat properly and will typically only cook one side of the meat. You won't have this problem with an electric smoker.
You Don't Have to Supervise Your Smoker
If you were given the choice of babysitting your smoker throughout the day or setting and forgetting it, which would you choose? The best electric smoker doesn't require you to sit around and babysit it all day, especially since it should have excellent temperature controls.
All you need to do is set the ideal temperature and then set it and forget it until the timer is done. You can check on your smoker throughout the day, but you don't have to sit and watch it to make sure that it doesn't fall too low or go too high in terms of temperature.
Final Thoughts
Buying the best electric smoker doesn't have to be difficult. Every electric smoker in this article is considered the best electric smoker on the market because they are efficient, well-insulated, reliable, and portable. We hope that all of the points found in this article will guide you in choosing the best electric smoker for your needs.
Overall, the best electric smoker for you will depend on what features you're searching for, how often you smoke meat, as well as your smoking experience. Ultimately, the best electric smoker for you will depend on your personal preferences and what you need in a smoker.
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