If you’re looking for a way to enhance the flavors of your food, from meats and fish to cheeses, then a smoker could be the ideal product for you. Finding the best electric smoker for your needs will take some thought because they aren’t cheap, but by researching what is available you will find some great products out there.
Once you start using one, you’ll never understand how you made do without one before. In this article we will be looking at electric smoker reviews of the best ones available, and help you make the decision of the one that is right for you.
Best Electric Smoker Comparison
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Masterbuilt
Features: 3/5
Durability: 3/5
The Highlight:
Side Loader for Wood Chips
Masterbuilt
Features: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
The Highlight:
Bluetooth Controlled
Smoke Hollow
Features: 2/5
Durability: 3/5
The Highlight:
Large Viewing Window
Bradley Smokers
Features: 4/5
Durability: 2/5
The Highlight:
Versatile Cooking Options
Smoke Hollow
Features: 2/5
Durability: 4/5
The Highlight:
Smaller Design
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Electric Meat Smoker
Buying an electric smoker can be a serious investment, as they don’t come cheap, so there are a few things you should consider about the way you plan on using yours before you make your purchase. While the best rated electric smokers will all do pretty much the same job, they are all different in their own ways. Some will be far more suitable for beginners, and others will only be appealing to experienced users.
Capacity
Before you buy a smoker you should think about how much food you want to be able to cook in one go. If you plan on cooking for large groups of people, you should go for a product that has at least four different cooking trays so you will be able to fit plenty of food inside.
If, however, you will be using it for smaller get togethers, then a two tray version will be just fine. In fact, it would be a waste filling a large smoker up with heat and smoke if you are usually only going to be cooking small amounts, so this decision will decide how efficient the process is going to be.
Location
Smokers are large objects, so you must ensure that you have enough room in your backyard, or wherever you plan on using it, to place it. You don’t really want to be constantly moving it around, because it weighs a lot, and with electric versions you will need to ensure that they are located close enough to a power socket so you can plug it in.
Features
Each smoker comes with various features, and your desire for those available will ultimately make your choice of product much easier. For example, some will come with digital displays that allow you to set a timer for auto shutoff to prevent overcooking or drying out your food.
You might also want a meat temperature gauge, removable drip trays, adjustable cooking trays to make room for irregular shaped objects, and a water tray for the inclusion of additional flavors to be added in the smoking process.
Some smokers even have Bluetooth integration so you can control them from your phone, air vents so you can easily adjust the intensity of smoke that is produced, and windows in the front so you can see when the food is ready without having to open the door and release the heat and smoke.
Temperature
It’s important for a smoker to be able to maintain a constant temperature throughout, so all of your food cooks evenly. This is done by using materials that insulate the heat, which also makes it more energy efficient, and by having independent heating elements and sensitive thermostats that ensure the temperature you have chosen is kept to.
Type of Smoking
Most electric smokers will use one heating element to create the smoke and heat the food, but if you want to cold smoke products as well you will need to choose one that performs these functions independently of each other.
The type of wood you plan on using will also determine which products are best for you. Some, for example, are designed to only work with specifically shaped briquettes, while others will work with all types of wood chips. If you want to be able to add liquid flavors, like vinegar and juices, in addition to the smoke, you will need to choose a smoker that has an inbuilt water tray that allows you to do this.
Another thing to consider with you smoker is the loading mechanism. You don’t want to be opening the door too often, because this will release the heat and smoke that has built up, so having to do so to add extra wood chips is not ideal. The best electric smoker will have either a side tray that can be opened to add more into, or even a separate wood tray to the side or underneath you can slide open and fill up whenever supplies start to run low.
Budget
As with most things, your budget will play a major role in which smoker is the best choice for you. The lower priced ones are more than capable of achieving a delicious smoky effect, but they will not have anywhere near as many features to help you achieve this as the more expensive models.
Things like timers, touchscreen control panels, Bluetooth connectivity, and wide ranging temperature choices are all found in the higher price brackets. If you are new to smoking, though, and are more keen on trying it out rather than committing to something that is high cost, then you shouldn’t be deterred, because you will still be impressed with the results you can get.
You may also want to check out our pellet smoker reviews.
Electric Smoker Reviews
Masterbuilt 20070910 Electric Digital Smoker
- 730 square inches of cooking space
- Thermostat temperature control
- Suitable for beginners
- Side loading wood chips
- 4 chrome-coated racks
Whether you’re new to electric smokers, or a long time user, this one from Masterbuilt has got you covered. It provides a large space to place your food and is designed to be really simple to use and maintain. For use outdoors, it measures at 20.394 x 19.882 x 33.268 inches, and weighs 45.139 pounds (empty). It is an 800 watt unit, and upon delivery will be ready to plug in and get started, with very little setup required.
The great thing about using an electric smoker is that you get a digital panel through which you can control all aspects to more easily achieve the desired effect. The one on this smoker is conveniently located at the top, and you can set a temperature between 100°F and 275°F. There’s a handy adjustable 0 to 24-hour timer too, so it will automatically switch off so your food doesn’t overcook or dry out.
Masterbuilt have used their experience in building smokers to ensure that the temperature is maintained and precise, so you can be sure that your food cooks exactly as you intend. The walls of this smoker are 100 percent insulated so no heat is lost. This makes it far more energy efficient, and also allows for even cooking across everything inside, no matter where it is positioned.
Inside the smoker there is more than 730 square inches of cooking space that is divided over four chrome coated interior smoking racks- making this one of the best rated electric smokers. This allows you to put plenty of food in for hosting large numbers of people at parties, and gives you the ability to keep different types of food separate. You could, for example, use the top rack for cheeses, with fish lower down, and your pork on the lowest rack to prevent cross contamination.
The design is easy to use, as you add your wood chips through the side loader. This allows you to top up the supplies without having to open the main door, so you don’t lose heat unnecessarily, and there’s a removable drip pan that significantly reduces the hassle when it’s time to clean it, and will catch everything that drips off that you can use to make a gravy or sauces.
My favorite feature of this smoker is the removable water pan that lets you add liquids into the mix to further infuse your food. You can use this to add things like vinegar, juices, or any drink you like, and it will add another subtle flavor to the meal.
The top air damper gives you further control over how much smoke flows through the interior, so you can determine the strength of the taste- you simply open it up to give a milder flavor, or close it completely to get a more intense effect.
Amazon reviewers are, in the main, very impressed by how easy this smoker is to use, and the brilliant results that can be achieved. It’s a much better way of infusing food with a smoky flavor in a predictable way than simply barbequing, and the water pan lets you customize the results in the precise way you want.
Masterbuilt 20072115 Bluetooth Smart Digital Electric Smoker
- Can be controlled using your smartphone
- 721 square inches of cooking space
- Built in meat probe
- Side loading system for wood chips
- Heats up to 275°F
This electric smoker from Masterbuilt uses all of their know-how to offer one of the most feature-laden products available. It has an 800 watt heating element that will stay at consistent temperatures between 100°F and 275°F, all of which is controllable through the digital display that is conveniently placed at the top of the unit. This good electric smoker is made from steel, is designed for outdoor use, weighs 53.7 pounds, and measures at 31.89 x 20.08 x 20.87 inches.
It has been designed to be very easy to use and, despite its weight, can be moved around with the rear mounted handle and durable wheels on the base. There is plenty of room within this smoker to cook as much food as you could need for parties of large groups, with over 721 square inches of cooking space across four chrome coated smoking racks.
This is great, because it allows you to cook different types of food on each rack to prevent cross contamination and ensure that the flavors of varying foods keep their individuality. The window at the front allows you to see the food as it cooks, so it is much easier to know when things are done without having to open the door to check, which will let the heat out.
The side loader for wood chips allows you to fill it, or re-fill it, in a very simple way that stops you from losing heat or smoke, and the air damper that is built in the top gives you full control over the amount of smoke that is kept within. This lets you determine how strongly smoked your food will be, whether you like it to be milder or far more intense.
There’s also a well-designed water pan that can be used to add further dimensions to your food. All you need to do is add a liquid, for example vinegar or beer, and it will heat up, join the smoke, and further infuse your food with extra subtle flavors.
The front access grease tray gives you easy access to the juices that have dripped off and can be used in making sauces or a gravy, and also makes cleaning the smoker a simple job, because it will catch all of the mess. The smoking racks are also removable so they can be easily cleaned too.
The digital display on this best electric smoker, though, is by far the best thing about it. You can decide the temperature you want from a range of 100°F and 275°F, and with insulated walls the temperature is kept consistent once it has been reached, while staying as energy efficient as is reasonably possible. It also offers a 0 to 24 hour timer, which will cause it to auto shut off so your food doesn’t overcook or dry out if you get distracted.
I really like the fact that there is an internal meat temperature monitor that gives feedback on the display so you can be safe in the knowledge that you meat is cooking properly, making this a serious contender to be the best electric meat smoker. But my absolute favorite feature of this smoker is that it is Bluetooth connected. This means you can sit back with your Bluetooth enabled device at hand, and control every aspect of the smoker.
Smoke Hollow 3615GW Propane Gas Smoker
- Large viewing window
- Large capacity wood chip smoke tray
- Adjustable gas control
- 4 chrome plated cooking trays
- Water and wood pans coated with porcelain
If you’re looking for a versatile gas smoker that will serve as the perfect grill for parties and barbecues, then this one from Smoke Hollow could be just the thing. It offers a decent sized cooking area, adjustable trays, and an easy to use steel gas burner that maintains a constant temperature throughout. It measures 23.25 x 18.5 x 45.5 inches and weighs 55 pounds.
The actual internal cooking space measures 36 x 16 x 14 inches that is divided across 4 smoking trays. This is plenty of room to put everything you need to host a barbeque party, including all of the meats, fish, and even vegetables.
I like the design of this smoker. It will look great in the back yard, and the large tempered glass viewing window allows you to see precisely how the food is cooking, and you’ll be able to see when it’s ready, rather than having to open the door and let all of the smoke and heat out in the process.
The sturdy legs allow it to stand firm, and you’ll be confident in the knowledge that it won’t be easily moved by accident. When you do want to change its position, handles are positioned on either side that will let you alter it in no time.
It also has a large, clear thermometer built into the top of the door, so you will get a good read of the main temperature within the smoker. There’s a push button igniter to get things started, and an easy to use dial to adjust the temperature you want the food to cook at.
Above this is a slide out, porcelain coated wood chip tray that has a large capacity to hold enough chips to keep burning for a number of hours without needing to be topped up. This makes it ideal to smoke a wide range of foods from cheeses, fish, pork, poultry, beef, wild game, and vegetables.
The 3 cubic feet of internal cooking space is split between 4 chrome plated cooking trays, each of which have adjustable cooking heights so you can make room for particularly large cuts of meat, or you can even remove them if you need to free up more space.
At the base of the unit is a porcelain-coated water pan that allows you to add further flavors to your food by using your favorite liquids, for example vinegars and juices. This allows you to add even further dimensions, and will be sure to impress your guests.
One of the difficulties with this smoker is that it doesn’t include a timer, so you will need to keep an eye on the food to make sure it doesn’t overcook or dry out, but customers who have left reviews on Amazon don’t find this to be too much of a problem. They are impressed by the ease of use of this smoker, especially with the great viewing window, and the overall efficiency of infusing food with delicious smoky flavors.
It is ideal for beginners and experienced users alike, and is versatile enough that you will be able to smoke all of your favorite foods, and will find yourself wanting to invite all of your friends over just so you have an excuse to use it. If you’re new to smokers you’ll wonder how you ever survived for so long without one, and if you’re experienced with them you will find that this one is a worthy new product and might be your new best electric smoker.
Bradley Smokers Original Smoker
- Stainless steel interior
- Easy to use temperature controls
- 4 removable food racks
- Either used as a slow cooker or slow roaster
- Maximum temperature of 250°F
Bradley Smokers have an established background in making quality smokers, with this one offering a series of features to ensure you create amazing tasting food every time. The unit itself measures 33.5 x 17.5 x 20.25 inches and weighs 52.1 pounds. It’s designed to be used outdoors, and will look great in your backyard as the focal point of large social gatherings- providing plenty of room to cook however much food you need.
The sturdy feet mean that it will stay firmly in place without fear of it being knocked, and it is incredibly versatile to allow you to cook your food however you want. Every element to this smoker is powered by electricity, so you simply need to plug it in and you’ll be ready to start smoking your favorite foods.
The really neat thing about this good electric smoker is the automatic wood feeder system. You stack the pellets in the slot at the side, and the timer mechanism drops pellets in predetermined intervals every twenty minutes to keep a consistent flow of smoke within for up to eight hours before needing to refill it.
This is particularly handy because, unlike other models, you don’t need to open the door of the smoker to add the pellets, so heat and smoke won’t escape unnecessarily.
The interior of the smoker is fully insulated with stainless steel, which means it is very energy efficient in comparison to other products, and it will keep a constant temperature throughout so all of the food is cooked evenly. The control panel to the side makes it simple to turn on and off, and you can adjust the temperature in varying amounts up to 250°F.
A unique feature of this product is that there are two separate burners- one for creating the smoke, and another for creating the oven heat. This gives a range of options with how you prepare your food. You can smoke it and cook it at the same time, cook it without any smoke at all, or smoke it without cooking it.
Whether you want to cold smoke cheeses and fish, cook a smoked brisket, or simply cook ribs the old fashioned way, you’ll be able to do it with this smoker. You can also alter the cooking technique to switch between a slow cooker and a slow roasting oven.
There is over 520 square inches of cooking space that is divided over 4 supported cooking racks. This is important because it allows you to cook different foods separate to each other so they all maintain their own unique flavors, while still cooking at the same pace because of the constant temperature that is maintained throughout. If you have large items to cook, each tray is fully removable so you can free up extra space as required.
From reviews on Amazon it is clear that a lot of happy customers who have bought this smoker. The main attribute people are impressed by is the sheer ease of use, and the fact that you can get it up to temperature, put your food in, and sit back and relax until it is cooked. You need to pay very little attention to the process, apart from keeping an eye on it to be ready for when your food is ready.
It would be useful if there was a viewing window, but unfortunately there isn’t so you will occasionally need to open the door to check on progress- something that you will need to learn to do quickly otherwise you will end up releasing a lot of the heat and smoke that you have made an effort to generate.
Smoke Hollow 26142E Electric Smoker with Adjustable Temperature Control
- 1500 watt heating element
- 2 chrome plated cooking trays
- Side handles
- Porcelain coated water pan and chip tray
- Made from steel
If the other smokers have too large a capacity for you needs and you’re looking for something a bit smaller, then this model from Smoke Hollow is one that’s worth investigating further- it’s in the running as being the best value electric smoker.
Despite this reduced size it doesn’t lose any of its efficacy, and you’ll be able to produce great tasting food in no time. The unit itself measures at 36.5 x 19 x 16.5 inches, so it will fit in outdoor spaces no matter the size of your backyard, and it weighs 38 pounds.
The 1500 watt heating element produces a constant temperature throughout the interior, and this is completely adjustable by using the control panel. The well placed thermometer allows you to monitor how much heat there is inside, but once it has reached your desired temperature it is insulated in a way that will keep it steady and reliable.
It provides 1.3 cubic feet of cooking capacity, which is split across two chrome plated cooking trays. This is plenty of room to cook two large turkeys, along with accompaniments, but if you have a large, odd shaped cut you want to cook you are able to remove the trays to make room.
An adjustable air vent is built into the rear to enable the adjustment of the amount of smoke kept inside, and therefore the flavor that will be produced. If you want a subtle, lightly smoked taste, then you should open this as much as possible, whereas if you want a deep, rich flavor, it should be fully closed to keep all of the smoke circulating around.
I like how convenient this smoker has been designed to be, with handles on the side to assist with moving it around, a spring wire door handle that is easy to grip even if you’re wearing oven gloves, and a latch system that will keep the door shut and the smoke and heat within until you intend to open it.
The water pan and chip tray are porcelain coated, and add further options. The chip tray allows you to cook chips alongside your meats- it will infuse them with smoke as well, and will use some of the dripping oil that is produced elsewhere to cook the chips. The water pan is really clever, as it lets you add different flavors to the food by adding your favorite tasting liquids like vinegar, juices, and even beer.
Reviews left on amazon show a series of happy customers who have found this smoker to be very easy to use. Depending on the wood chips you use, it will produce a good amount of smoke, and gets going very quickly after you switch it on. The smaller internal space makes you feel as if you are not wasting heat and smoke on larger areas if you don’t want to be cooking as much food, and the temperature remains constant once it hits the desired level.
If you are new to the world of smoking or very experienced, and want one that has a smaller capacity but will still be able to cook enough for a family dinner or small gathering, then this smoker from Smoke Hollow aims to provide just that.
Best Value Electric Smoker: The Takeaway
Everyone loves a barbecue, but if you’re looking for a way to infuse your food with even more flavor, then a smoker is a great way to do it. You can cook large amounts of food at once, and have a wider range of temperature options that you get with a normal grill.
The best electric smoker is one that will hold everything you want to cook, will produce a decent amount of smoke, and cook all of your food evenly so it comes out tasting delicious. Once you get one, you really won’t believe how you ever managed to survive before without one.
