10 Best Smokers of 2024, According to Experts

Though grills and smokers are distinctly different, those who are craving the best of both worlds can get a lot of mileage out of Traeger Ironwood 885 Grill. Decked out with porcelain-coated grates—which provides a quick even cook—this grill top is large enough to accommodate up to seven rib racks or nine pork butts. (Thanks to its WiFIRE Technology, you can use Traeger’s accompanying app to monitor your meal, adjust the grill’s temperature, and even check out new recipes.) But, of course, this grill also doubles as a smoker—and boy does it deliver.

“It produces a slightly more muted smoke flavor compared to other smokers and can run approximately 10 to 17 degrees hot during a long smoke session,” says Kevin Ashton, chef and culinary advisor at Restaurantji. “The beautiful smoke ring makes it unique and highly noticeable.” Here, Traeger’s Downdraft Exhaust System promises a delightfully woody aroma for your dish; however, you can always kick things up a few notches by cranking your grill into Super Smoke Mode.

If you like the performance of a typical Traeger grill, but your backyard isn’t large enough to accommodate one, reach for the brand’s table top wood pellet grill and smoker. “It’s smaller—almost like a briefcase—and portable,” Rich Parente, chef and co-owner of Clock Tower Grill in Brewster, New York. “My wife and I enjoy using it to smoke a whole chicken, or sometimes we throw a wheel of brie on it to smoke.”

With a 176 square-inch cooking area—which is large enough to fit one rib rack, 10 hot dogs, or six burger patties—this option is admittedly on the smaller side. However, it still packs a punch. Decked out with Traeger Digital Arc Controller, this portable, pellet-powered option can offer ultimate precision when smoking or grilling your ingredients. Not ready to chow down on your smoked savories quite yet? Turn on the “Keep Warm” mode to help. Parente adds that the porcelain-coated grill grates are incredibly easy to clean—perfect for your post-dinner chores.

Most of today’s smokers are packed with digital bells and whistles, but if you’re looking for a tried-and-true option that doesn’t need that latest tech to create a great, smokey dish, Weber’s 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker has you covered.

“This is the smoker I use for testing my recipes because so many people own one: Affordably priced, widely available and easy to use,” explains Steven Raichlen, author of the Barbecue Bible cookbook series and host of Project Fire and Project Smoke. “There are no electronic components that can break.”

Don’t let this smoker’s seemingly slim silhouette fool you: It has two grates so there’s enough room to make four racks of ribs. Here, the porcelain-enameled lid, bowl, and center not only retain heat for a thorough, even cook, but the finish also keeps rusts and cracks to a minimum. Since this smoker doesn’t have any fancy, shmancy technology, smoking your meats will require some elbow grease: That means regulating the temperature by adding water to the pan to help and tinkering with the dampers for precise heat control. But once you have a juicy rack of ribs where the meat basically falls off the bone, the hard work will have been so worth it.

Thanks to Camp Chef’s Woodwind 36 Pellet Grill, landing that savory, smokey can be a few taps and swipes away. Though this pick’s stainless steel finish is tough enough to hold its own against Mother Nature, its magic lies in its top-tier technology. Not only does the industry-standard PID controller help monitor and regulate smoke levels and temperatures, but it also has an accompanying Camp Chef Connect app to receive push notifications on timers, review previous smoke sessions, and so much more. (There’s even a Smart Meat Assistant feature so you can tell your grill exactly what it’s cooking. “I love it because it’s a massive grill with tons of cooking space and adjustable top racks, and the sidekick attachment can have a pot, griddle, sear box or pizza oven on it,” adds Gary Marandola Jr., CEO of Gary the BBQ Chef.

For a connected experience without breaking the bank, consider adding Masterbuilt’s Gravity Series 560 Charcoal Grill and Smoker to your cart. The brand’s accompanying app makes it possible to adjust time and temperature; monitor meat probes, and shut down the entire app on the fly; however, Girl Carnivore’s Kita Roberts especially likes this one because it has the “convenience of a smoker, but more of a classic grilled flavor.” “I love it because I can fill it with my favorite charcoal, set the time and temperature, and smoke meat without having to check the grill to make sure it’s holding and maintaining heat,” she adds. “The grill plates that can flip from sear to grill are a bonus if you are looking for those perfect grill marks, too!”

Technology aside, this one is built to provide mouth-watering, finger-licking-good results. The grill itself features reversible cast-iron grates that are suited for both quick sears and low, slow smokes, while the GravityFed vertical charcoal hopper can create fuel for up to 12 hours of barbeque fun. “It has a side loading chamber for real charcoal but the same programmable temperature and time features as an electric pellet grill,” Roberts adds. “It automatically controls the temperature of the grill for a perfect low and slow smoke with authentic char-grilled flavor.” Oh, and did we mention it can reach 225 degrees Fahrenheit in as little as seven minutes? Wow.

Meat lovers who are searching for a simple, old-school favorite will find a lot to love about the Pit Barrel Cooker Classic Package. “It makes grilling fun again with its simple but incredibly effective design,” Roberts of Girl Carnivore explains. “You simply add your lit charcoal to the bottom of the barrel, make sure your air vent is set properly and either hang the meat from the rods or lay it on the grate.” The magic here lies in its vertical barrel cooker and 360-degree All-Round Heat Dynamics, which deliver on that smokey, all-encompassing flavor. It may look small, but this drum smoker can easily fit eight racks of ribs or up to three pork shoulders. (You can even hang a turkey on one of the bundle’s hanging rods.

And, unlike other smokers on this list, Roberts said this option is surprisingly portable. “I have traveled all over the country with this grill, different environments and elevations and it’s so easy to use and holds heat like a champ,” she adds. “ It’s easy, if you love the art of low and slow smoking.”

Busy-bodied barbecuers may want an option that pulls double, triple, or even quadruple duty, which is where Cookshack’s Fast Eddys 30-Inch Wood Pellet Grill comes in. Decked out with the brand’s high-performance charbroil technology, this pellet-powered pick has four cooking zones—including a warming drawer that some people use as a cold smoker. (Translation: You can cook a very versatile spread in one fell swoop.)

“There is no other unit on the market that can both smoke and grill food the way the PG500 can,” says Megan Day, co-owner and pitmaster of Burnt Finger BBQ in Kansas City.” I trust it with our competition smoked meats and for simply charging up some wings for a family gathering.”

Though this option doesn’t have the fancy add-ons like WiFi connectivity—which may make its high price tag a tough pill to swallow—the precise, electronic temperature gauge will help you keep tabs on your dishes. “It has a sleek industrial look I love,” adds Day, who has been using hers for years.“ Worth every penny. I’ve been loyally using mine for more than five years.”

How low and slow can you go? Thanks to Pitmaker’s BBQ Vault Smoker, which is an insulated smoker, you can take your precious time. “It can hold [temperatures] for long periods of time with very little fuel,” Quy Hoang, co-owner and pitmaster at Blood Bros BBQ in Bellaire, Texas.

“You can set it and forget it.” Between the body’s seamless, double-walled virgin steel to the high-tech, ceramic wool insulation used on all six sides of the smoker, this one is designed to trap smoke inside for that deliciously savory taste. (Bonus points: You won’t have to worry about smoke seeping out of the seams.) With an extra-generous 2,750-square-inch cooking area, you can make up to 80 pounds of chicken, 15 briskets, or six turkeys in one fell swoop. This smoker also comes with slide-out cooking grates so you can always adjust the interior to match your cooking needs. “It can also burn several types of fuel from charcoal with wood chunks, lump charcoal, or even small splits of wood,” Hoang adds.

Think of Hunsaker’s Drum Smoker as the epitome of easy, intuitive design. While the drum smoker might look simple, it features small nuances that make your time smoking a lot easier. An ergonomic lid so you can check your meat without throwing out your back? Check. An adjustable, five-position grate system to accommodate juicy ribs and a jumbo turkey alike? Check. A floor-mounted foot-control air intake system to adjust the temperature with a few taps.

“I’m a huge fan of the Hunsaker Drum Smoker because it’s a simple design and holds temperatures steady for several hours, allowing me to smoke meats without having to refill the coals,” adds Christie Vanover, pitmaster and owner of GirlsCanGrill.com. “The Vortex basket inside the drum creates an even flow of air and smoke.” Though pitmasters love the Hunsaker Drum Smoker for its thoughtful construction, it’s also worth noting that it comes in a bevy of high-temperature ceramic paint colors.

There’s a lot of time, money, and research that goes into finding the perfect smoker—so you ideally want one that will last you a very long time. For Jess Pryles of Hardcore Carnivore, the Pitts & Spitts Maverick Wood Pellet Grill, this smoker is “built to perform.” “It's made with marine-grade stainless steel to prevent rust, and has incredible heat retention,” she says “A lot of budget options sacrifice actual cooking performance and durability, which ultimately affects the cooking. This unit is solid: Thick steel for better performance.” Of course, there’s more to this smoker than meets the eye. A built-in PID controller makes it easy to keep tabs on temperature, while the Smart Meat Probe can help track how your pork shoulders and briskets are holding up. Plus, the 35-pound pellet hopper will create enough fuel to last you a long time. And, the perfect finishing touch: A stainless steel working surface offers the perfect spot to lather your meats in a yummy marinade or rub.