Best Propane Smoker (Buying Guide)

If you want to win the game of grilling, then you seriously need to consider buying the best propane smoker. They are one of the best grilling masters producing great taste with various food options. One of the most significant advantages of using a propane smoker grill is that you don’t need to stay up the whole night to manage wood or charcoal. 

They are also an excellent option for new smoker users looking to grill meat or veggies at the optimum temperature. But the actual problem starts when you start to choose the best portable propane smoker for yourself. If you’re going to replace your existing one, you may know what features you need to consider to get the best, but it is a tremendous challenge for a beginner. 

But you don’t need to worry anymore because, in this article, we have penned a complete guide from features you need to consider to review the top 10 legendary options in the market. So, if you don’t know how to get the best propane grill with a smoker, read the below guide to get one.

Best Propane Smoker Reviews

Buying Guide: How to Buy the Best Propane Smoker?

Propane vs Electric smoker

One of the most significant differences between smokers is that they use different fuel sources, such as propane gas and electricity. If compared, both have their advantages and disadvantages. For instance, an electric smoker comes with a wide range of temperature control and is easy to use, not to mention you need to plug in the switch to start the grilling process. But you can’t use them for outside camping where there is no power source. On the contrary, propane gas smokers are the perfect choice for camping and outside grilling. 

In addition, electric smokers are not as versatile as propane ones. They operate within a low-temperature range, making them suitable for cold smoking. However, with a Propane smoker, you can achieve a higher temperature range as far as possible. So if you want to get high heat from your smoker, a propane smoker is the ideal option. Also, you can’t get accurate smoke rings from the electric smoker. Even if you use smoked wood, it will not give the same flavor.

Out of all the differences between propane and electric smokers, they still share some expected benefits: they are easy to use and come at a highly affordable price. Plus, both are highly inexpensive; you can get propane or electric smoker at a relatively affordable price between $200 and $300.  [1]

Things to consider

Size and Cooking Area

One of the most crucial features that can tell how much food you can cook at a time is your smoker’s cooking area and size. Buying a smoker is fruitless unless it can fulfill your cooking needs. Size and cooking space decide how much and how large the pieces of meat you can cook on your smoker. If you’re buying a smoker with a small cooking area, you’ll be unable to cook large pieces of meat.

Similarly, if the shelves don’t have enough depth, you might not be able to make a wide variety of dishes. So, always buy a smoker with ample cooking space if you often hold parties and have a large family. 

Material Quality

Once you have decided on the size and cooking area, look for the smoker’s building material. It is important to note that the building material determines how long your smoker will last. Since you’ll spend a handsome sum of money on buying a smoker, buy one with premium quality material.

Is a propane smoker better than pellet smoker?

It needs to be tough and sturdy, can easily hold a high temperature, and doesn’t break down quickly. The best materials for smokers are cast iron and stainless steel. They are rust-resistant and can hold high heat. 

Cooking Racks

Next, find out how many cooking racks or grates the smoker has. This will give you an idea of how much food you can cook on your smoker. Most smokers come with three to four grates or racks. This adds versatility to smokers and allows you to cook a variety of food at the same time. So if you love to cook many different kinds of food, such as sausages, meat, and burgers, look for a smoker with more grates. 

Two Doors Opening

This is another crucial factor that directly influences your cooking experience. Smokers with two or more mean you have more room to put the meat effortlessly. It would be best if the door had windows; it would eliminate the need to open the door to check the meat. 

Temperature Range

It is the temperature range that determines how versatile your smoker is. If you want to cook a wide variety of dishes on your smoker, look for one with an extensive temperature range. In addition, high heat is necessary for steaks, chops, chicken breast, pizza, fish steaks, and high-moisture vegetables. [2]So, these were all the critical factors that make up a good propane smoker. Now you’ve got an idea of what to look for when buying a propane smoker; it’s time to review some of the top-rated brands that our testers have picked for you. [3]

When it comes to building smokers and fryers, Masterbuild is one of the legendary brands with an experience of over four decades. Their products are known for excellent craftsmanship, premium quality build, and reliability. This propane smoker is also not an exception. With a spacious cooking area and thermostatic control, this smoker is one of the best propane smokers for smoking hobbyists that want to make mouth-watering food for their friends and family. 

MaterBuilt has a cooking area as wide as 961 square inches, providing enough space to cook different types of food in one go. So, if you plan a party for your friend and family, this smoker is the best choice for you. Also, the thermostatic technology provides efficient control over temperature making it more convenient to use. 

Also, the smoker is made with premium quality rust-resistant stainless steel, so no matter how often you use it, it will last more than your expectations. So, if you want to buy a smoker that’s not only durable but also efficient, easy to use, and efficient in functioning, this one is the ideal choice for you.

If you’re a beginner in the smoking world and don’t know where to start, this propane smoker is one of the ideal options for you. The smoker comes with porcelain enameled stainless steel material and an easy-to-use double door design to provide an excellent cooking experience. 

It also has a built-in thermometer and temperature gauge located on the front side to efficiently monitor the internal temperature of the smoker. While a 15,000 btu cast iron burner with single push ignition buttons and a large control dial that allows you to control the temperature without any hassle. 

The smoker has an excellent cooking space of 784 square inches with four adjustable steel wire racks. This means you can effortlessly cook various kinds of meats and vegetables at the same time. Another point that we love about this smoker, it is CSA certified and comes with a one of year warranty.

Get classic smokehouse flavor-cooked meat and veggies with this three-in-one propane smoker from Char-Broil. Whether you want to smoke/roast your favorite meat or grill the veggies, you can get it all in one with a Char-Broil smoker roaster and grill. The TRU-infrared technology efficiently cooks hearty, delicious juicy food without any flare up. 

Since it does three jobs, smoking, grilling, and roasting, it holds up a larger space than others. You get 25 lbs of cooking space for roasting while 180 square inches for grilling and smoking. The smoker also comes with a wooden box to add smoky flavor to your food, providing a perfect grilling and smoking experience. 

Thanks to its premium quality stainless steel build, it can easily hold high temperatures, so you can enjoy cooking all year round without any wear and tear. To make the unit more reliable, it is CSA certified and highly user-friendly. So, if you don’t want to spend money buying separate units for grilling, smoking, and roasting, use this one and save many bills.

Much like a bank safe but perfect for cooking heart-delicious juicy ribs, sausages, and steaks with a classic rich smoky flavor that everyone craves. This unique smoke is excellent for smoking and has a great history of three decades. It comes in two sizes, 18 inches, and 22 inches, with only a mild difference in prices. 

You may be concerned with the compact size but rest assured, Camp Chef comes with excellent craftsmanship and quality build to ensure you can get maximum out of your fuel. The smoker can smoke at 225 Fahrenheit with even less fuel than the others of the same size. 

In addition, it also accompanied a protected burner drum for maximum heat control and a door thermometer to efficiently monitor the internal temperature. A heat control dial and three dampers are also installed, allowing you to increase or decrease the temperature throughout the cooking process effortlessly. What’s more, you can also get cooking tips, ideas, and recipes as a bonus with this exquisite smoker.

When it comes to kitchen appliances and cutlery, Cuisinart is the only brand you can trust blindly. Their products are not only durable but also highly versatile and provide an excellent user experience. This propane smoker from Cuisinart is our best budget pick as it’s not only affordable in price but also highly durable, a perfect match for other elite smokers. 

The smoker has a wide cooking area of 5.45 square feet, providing plenty of space to cook several trays of meat and veggies all at once. It also has four stainless steel racks that are removable, so you can easily place large pieces of meat and birds in your smoker.

The door comes with a twisted lock and remains tightly sealed. A built-in thermometer is fixed on the front door for efficiently monitoring the internal smoker temperature. Most importantly, the grates are dishwasher safe making the cleaning process effortless. So, collectively it is one of the best propane smokers to cook delicious and mouthwatering food for your loved ones and colleagues.

When it comes to safety during grilling and smoking, Char-Broil is the one that goes all out to provide the most versatile and safe cooking experience. This vertical smoker is large and comes with an impressive ergonomic design that protects you from any accidental burn and flare. 

With a cooking area of 595 square inches, it may be smaller than others but still provide enough space to accommodate all single cuts of meat and veggies. Despite the compact design, there are still some advantages of this smoker. First, it is highly efficient in consuming fuel, meaning that any additional outlay over the smoker will be made within the time, saving you time and fuel. Second, the vertical design provides the most airflow through the smoke chamber, making the startup and cooking quick and easy. 

So, if you’re looking for a small, heavy-duty build smoker that can last longer than others, this one is the ideal choice.

This is another heroic propane smoker from Masterbuilt. You may be disappointed with the look as it doesn’t have an eye-catching design but when it comes to functionality and durability it is better than any other at the same price. Accompanied by four chrome-coated racks it provides plenty of room to cook a large number of ribs, chickens, turkeys, and pork butts. 

With an easy push ignition button and gas control buttons, you can effortlessly control the internal temperature and smoke like a permit. Moreover, it also has an adjustable air damper that efficiently controls the moisture and smoke level in the smoker. Above all, it is lightweight which means you can easily carry it during camping and outdoor adventure.

If you’re looking for a smoker with an elegant design that gives a luxurious look to your backyard, then this stylish propane smoker from Pit Boss is the ideal option for you. Perfectly crafted by a team of experts, it stands out from the crowd not because of its elegant design but also its efficient performance.

The smoker has a cooking area as wide as 800 sq; providing plenty of space to accommodate large pieces of your favorite meat, ribs, and veggies. The dual-valve burner system provides efficient control over the internal temperature so you can effortlessly cook delicious smoked food. 

The large viewing window with a high-temperature seal lets you peep at the cooking food and perfectly secures the temperature inside. So, collectively Pit Boss is a mighty impressive smoker with a highly durable build and efficient functionality that will cater perfectly to those who love cooking like a pro.

This commercial-looking smoker from Broil King is another impressive addition to our list of best propane smokers with a heavy-duty build and large cooking size that matches its aesthetics. The smoker has an impressive ergonomic design with double-walled steel construction, two rugged steel doors, a heavy-duty charcoal tray, and four rear traveling feet that make the smoker effortless to move around. 

With Broil King, you get an ample cooking space of 770 sq with four adjustable stainless steel cooking grids, an extra large stainless steel water bowl and smoker tray, sixteen integrated meat hooks, four sturdy tool hooks, and a convenient bottle opener. So, Whether you want to cook for a large number of people or a single person, it can easily cook many ribs, ducks, porks, veggies, and chicken steaks. 

Apart from ample space, it has an effective control panel with a mounted thermometer, one push ignition button, and a burner to deliver efficiently cooked food with authentic smoke flavor.

Let’s wrap up our review with this innovative smoker from Masterbuilt. It is the only propane smoker in the market with a patent-pending technology that can automatically maintain the desired temperature, so you don’t have to. The auto-shut system automatically turns off the smoker in case it catches fire so you can get the piece of mind and entirely focus on the cooking process. 

With four chrome-coated racks, you can get plenty of room to cook large amounts of hearty, delicious food with authentic smoker flavor. Moreover, the wood chip door is built into an S door, so you can get the perfect classic smoker flavor without losing heat. So whether you’re a beginner or a premise, this is the right tool to enhance your smoking experience and make it more pleasant.

Final Verdict

So, that is how you can choose the best propane smoker that can cook perfectly smoked, hearty, delicious food without any hassle and last as long as possible. Thus, carefully read this article and choose the best propane smoker that fits your budget and needs. 

If you’re still confused, we suggest the Masterbuilt Propane Smoker as one of the best smokers with its esthetic design and durable build. As for the budget pick, Cuisinart Vertical Propane Smoker is the ideal choice. It is not only highly affordable but also has all the features you need in a propane smoker. So, dust off your propane smoker recipes and prepare to start smoking like a pitmaster with these excellent smoking masters.

FAQs