Have you ever dreamed of being able to hold a barbecue party for your family and friends? If so, you have no doubt done quite a bit of research into just what kinds of equipment you will need to make your dream a reality. Obviously, you need the food to cook. You need the right kind of cooking utensils and extra ingredients. But you also need to use the correct kind of equipment to cook the food in the proper way.
There are many different types of smokers on the market. Many of them are powered by electric, gas, propane, and other sources. But none of them measure up to the pure bliss that you get when you cook with an authentic charcoal smoker. The proof is in the eating. When you want top quality barbecued food, you’ve got to go all the way back to basics.
What Qualities Should You Look for in a New Charcoal Smoker?
There are many important qualities that you need to look for when deciding to buy a charcoal smoker. First of all, the smoker you choose should have an efficient temperature gauge. This is very important because you need to know the exact temperature that your food is cooking at.
One mistake in this regard and you could easily end up with meat that is undercooked or – an even worse crime – overcooked. The smoker you choose needs to have a temperature gauge that is easy to access and keep in view at all times so that none of these little accidents can take place.
The smoker that you choose should be as light and durable as possible. You don’t want to spend a lot of time lugging a heavy smoker back and forth from your kitchen or garage to your patio or back yard. The last thing you want to do is get a hernia while you’re trying to show off your cooking skills for your family and friends. So choose one that is lightweight, portable, and easy to control.
Another important factor to keep in mind at all times has to do with the amount of space you have to load food into your smoker. You want to make sure that there is as much space as possible to place different items. This is because you don’t want to mash them all together and ruin the effect. A smoker that allows you to place several items in the unit, spaced evenly apart, is one that will produce the best results.
The smoker that you ultimately settle on needs to be able to produce an excellent cooking temperature and hold it. This is one factor that is absolutely not negotiable when cooking barbecue style. The food you place in the smoker needs to be kept at the optimum temperature for as long as possible so that it will turn out exactly as you intend it to.
Finally, your last major consideration will be to choose the smoker that comes with the maximum amount of accessories. Things like extra cooking grills, ash tool pokers, a smoker box for wood chips, and many others are the perfect accessories that should accompany your smoker. The more of these extra items you get with your purchase, the more value you will ultimately get for your money.
What are the Best Charcoal Smokers on the Market?
There are a great many charcoal smokers on the market for you to choose from. In fact, there are so many different models that you may need a bit of help to choose the right one for your personal needs. Here is a quick rundown of some of the models that experts consider to be the very best charcoal smokers on the modern market.
1. Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker
There are many reasons why the new Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker is one of the best priced and hotly sought after charcoal smokers available today. Much of it comes down to the smoker’s extremely sturdy, reliable, and long lasting construction. The unit is made of porcelain-enameled steel for enhanced durability. It comes complete with a specially designed heat-resistant nylon handle to allow the unit to be picked up and placed wherever you need to use it.
But there are plenty of other features that make the Weber unit one of the most popular and highly desirable charcoal smokers on the market. The Weber smoker comes with a total cooking area of 481 square inches. That’s enough space to place a variety of items, ensuring a healthy and balanced meal for your friends and family.
Plus, the Weber smoker includes a wide range of accessories, such as a water pan, built-in thermometer, individual vents on the bowl and lid, and a specially designed storage cover. The result is a smoker that can serve an entire family or group of friends while guaranteeing top quality results.
Check Latest Price →2. Char-Griller Table Top
The new Char-Griller Table Top smoker comes with a highly diverse range of amenities that have made it one of the most popular units on the modern marketplace. For example, you can use it as a conventional table top grill or as a horizontal Texas style smoker. Either way, you’ll be guaranteed tasty results that will satisfy your cravings for first class charcoal smoked cuisine.
The Char-Griller Table Top has quickly come to the fore as a smoker that features a durable, long lasting heavy steel construction. The set is completed with a set of included cast iron cooking grates. You should also note that there is plenty of space to cook multiple items at once. In fact, with the Char-Griller Table Top, you get some 250 square inches of cooking space.
If you’re interested in receiving a full range of accessories with your smoker, take note. You also get a sliding drawer for easy removal of leftover coals and ashes. This comes with a special ash pan and hood handle to make the job of removing leftover coals and other waste as quick and painless as possible.
Check Latest Price →3. Dyna-Glo Signature Series
Are you looking for a total charcoal smoking experience? If so, the new Dyna-Glo Signature Series Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker and Grill may be just what the doctor ordered for you. What you have here is a heavy duty combination of several units in one. This vertical offset charcoal smoker is a versatile combination that can be converted into a grill.
If you have been searching for a highly versatile assortment of cooking options, the new Dyna-Glo Signature Series Smoker can certainly fit the bill. It can be used as a conventional charcoal grill or a Texas styled barbecue smoker. The unit comes with a set of specially designed cooking grates that provide maximum space for the safe transference of heat that ultimate seals in the unique barbecue flavor that you seek.
Check Latest Price →4. Masterbuilt Bullet
If you’re looking for an easily portable and compact charcoal smoker, the new Masterbuilt Bullet may just fit the bill. It offers 395.4 square inches of cooking space in a handy, compact design. It also comes complete with a set of double porcelain coated smoking racks that allow you to separate your items as they cook. The unit includes a special front door that makes adding or removing charcoal a simple task.
Best of all, the Masterbuilt Bullet includes a built-in lid thermometer, This accurate temperature gauge has been engineered to provide the user with an accurate reading during all stages of the cooking process. This is one feature that deserves special kudos as it really does streamline your entire experience. Finally, it should be noted that the unit also comes with a porcelain-coated charcoal pan and water bowl that are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.
Check Latest Price →5. Dyna-Glo Offset
If you have ever experienced any difficulty getting your charcoal smoker properly ignited, the new Dyna-Glo Offset model may be of special interest to you. This new charcoal smoker comes complete with a heavy duty cast iron burner that supplies an awesome 15,000 BTU of power. Its fully electronic pulse ignition system will give you a quick and reliable ignition that you can parlay into an awesome charcoal smoking experience.
Have you ever wished that you could find more space on your charcoal smoker to allow you to cook even more food? If so, you’ll be pleased to note that the new Dyna-Glo Offset unit offers an amazing 784 square Inch of total cooking space. In fact, this model lets you successfully smoke up to 100 pounds of food in one go.
The Dyna-Glo Offset also offers a wide range of other options for you to consider. The unit incorporates a special double door design that allows it to minimize the loss of heat that inevitably occurs when you open them up to add more wood chips to fuel the smoking fire. All in all, this is one model that is noted the world over for its reliability and efficiency.
Check Latest Price →6. Masterbuilt Vertical
The new Masterbuilt Vertical charcoal smoker comes with a dual door design that allows you to quickly access the food you are cooking. If you need to add more charcoal to the fire, you can do so without any danger of burning yourself. The dual door design also minimizes the amount of heat that can escape from the unit while your food is cooking. This gives you the ultimate guarantee of an evenly smoked meal.
The Masterbuilt Verical also includes a special series of cooking grates, two in all, that have been specially coated with stick-proof chrome. Between these two grates, you can quickly and efficiently smoke up to 50 pounds of food. You also receive a built-in-door temperature gauge that will give you an accurate reading to make sure that your food is cooking in the proper manner. All in all, the Masterbuilt Vertical is an effective and highly efficient smoker that offers genuine value for your money.
Check Latest Price →7. Royal Gourmet Offset
A lot has recently been written about the Royal Gourmet Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker. However, what you really need to know is that this is a portable, lightweight unit that offers you a total of 782 square inches across its highly versatile cooking surface.
If you have been searching for a model that is easy to clean up, this is the one to check out. The Royal Gourmet Offset features a specially designed steel mesh front table and bottom shelf. These additions will not provide you with plenty of working and storage space, but are also very easy to get cleaned. Both are dishwasher safe.
The Royal Gourmet Offset may not contain as much cooking surface as other models on this list. But if you are looking for a reasonably priced charcoal smoker, this is an excellent summer buy.
Check Latest Price →What Charcoal Smoker is the Best One for Your Needs?
While all of the items on this list definitely have their own unique advantages, there is ultimately one that really will give you the best value for your purchase. This is the Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker. There are certainly plenty of first class charcoal smokers available on the market. However, if you really want the one model that experts have judged to be the most reliable, efficient, and cost effective, this is the charcoal smoker to get. The choice of a smoker is certainly yours. It will be based on a number of factors, both tangible and intangible. One of the most important of these factors will be the sheer enjoyment that you and others receive from the results of your cooking. In this regard, the Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker is the model that can’t be beat. If you’re looking for the ultimate producer of authentic barbecue flavor, this is the smoker you need to buy today.
Check Latest Price →How Did We Do?
Did we give you everything you needed to know? We sure hope so. We have dozens of buying guides here, so if you’re looking for other heat-related items around the house we hope you check them out. We wish you luck on your charcoal smoker purchase!
