By
James
Updated on
When it comes to outdoor smokers, the most common ones are charcoal. However, most grillers and even restaurants choose to opt-out from charcoal smokers in favor of gas smokers.
Gas smokers are much easier to use and produce clean heat. Another benefit to using gas smokers is that they are much cheaper than other kinds of smokers, with most costing only less than 200 dollars.
Gas smokers, also known as vertical propane smokers, work by creating heat from gas—the most common one being propane. The smokey flavor comes from its fuel source, being able to cook meat on low temperatures to delicious, smokey perfection.
Even with all the different designs and features, they are one of the most straightforward smokers to add various mechanical features. With a broad and overwhelming range of gas smokers, we put together this list of highly rated smokers to help you make a purchase.
Our Top Picks
Looking for the top gas smokers to buy online? Here are my top 6 picks! Continue reading to learn more about buying a gas smoker online without getting ripped off.
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Product
Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments
Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby
Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments
Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby
Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments
Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby
Reviews of Each Pick
Below are our detailed reviews of each product. Each product included in this review is reviewed by our team ⎯ with 1,000s of hours testing and working with products to help you pick the best one for your specific situation.
PIT BOSS 77435
Large front window to watch your meat cook
Wide temperature range – 100°F and as high as 350°F
Cooking area of 884 square inches
Can stand out if you don’t like the red design
This is an incredibly compact and straightforward propane smoker that is a common choice among all smokers from Pit Boss. Like most Pit Boss products, this is highly recommended and highly rated across many platforms that it is sold.
This compact and straightforward smoker will simmer your meat at a low temperature, producing a mouthwatering smokey flavor unique to this vault-type of smoker. You can reach temperatures as low as 100°F and as high as 350°F. Plus the large front window lets you see your meat cooking which is a great talking point at your next summer BBQ not to mention the cool bright red design that will make it your new garden center piece.
Pit Boss is a well-known brand for manufacturing all kinds of premium-grade outdoor cooking equipment, from grills, smokers, stoves, and all types of camping cooking needs.
The compact size and relatively lightweight of this smoker makes it possible to be used in remote locations if you ever wish to go camping with your smoker.
Many previous buyers are pleased with their Pit Boss red rock gas smoker, even after years of constant usage down the line. Other reviews point out the excellent flavor, precise temperature control, and versatility of this product.
Dyna-Glo DGY784BDP
Exceptionally spacious, with an area of 784 square inches
4 adjustable smoking racks
Upper and lower double-door system
Wood chip pan is too high, you can’t get it to smoke without a high temp.
Dyna-Glo is a pretty standard brand when it comes to smokers. And this particular gas smoker is highly recommended, and it also has high ratings across multiple websites where it is sold, particularly on Amazon.
This 36-inch gas smoker is exceptionally spacious, with an area of 784 square inches and 4 adjustable smoking racks. Its large size makes it possible to cook for many guests within a short amount of time.
This Dyna-Glo gas smoker is also built to last for a long time. The box is made of porcelain-enameled steel wood chips. The steel water bowl is also porcelain-enameled with steel wood chips. The water bowl has a large capacity and will make your meat tender and juicy. The handles and lid are also made to be of high quality.
This is an extremely easy to use gas smoker, with an upper and lower double-door system, meant to preserve heat when necessary and sliding air dampers on the top and the sides of the body for easy and full control internal heat. There is also a decorative temperature gauge that is bordered with a decor ring. This temperature gauge will allow you to cook with precision as it suggests an ideal temperature to achieve the maximum smokey flavor.
When it comes to grills and smokers, the brand Dyna-Glo is pretty high for great value and great quality ones. It is a brand under GHP Group that manufactures log sets, heating products, and grilling equipment.
Previous customers are at a consensus regarding one aspect of this product: it’s very high quality for its amount and is user-friendly. Most reviews recommend to future buyers to invest in this product as it has upped their smoking game.
Cuisinart COS-244
5.45 square feet
Ample space – 4 – 14×14 adjustable racks
Built-in thermometer
Some people say it’s under powered
Like all gas smokers in this list, this 36-inch Cuisinart vertical propane smoker is also highly recommended by other barbecue and grilling websites and has received a landslide number of high ratings from previous customers.
It is immense, with a width of 36-inches and a total interior space of 5.45 square feet. There are also 4, 14×14 adjustable racks. This ample space will allow you to cook large batches and a variety of meat and vegetables simultaneously.
This is also a highly advanced product, with features meant to make it more efficient and easy to use. There is a built-in thermometer so that you can cook at precise temperatures and monitor your gas smoker’s internal temperature whenever you would like. There is also an adjustable gas supply to use with your temperature gauge to control the amount of heat.
There are two doors and a rear vent that you can use to have full control over the amount of smoke and heat that is escaping the gas smoker. There is a twisting handle for a seal-tight closing always to keep the door locked, so no heat or smoke escapes.
Cuisinart is an American home appliance brand that manufactures all kinds of kitchen appliances, from food processors, ice cream makers, blenders and cookware, to grilling equipment. It is the brand that introduced food processors to America, way back in 1973. It is well known for providing high-quality home appliances to American families.
All reviews commended the easy assembly, easy usage, and durability off this Cuisinart vertical propane smoker. Most reviews also pointed out the great value you get for this product, considering its reasonably affordable price.
Smoke Hollow PS4415
Two wood chip trays
Ample space for various meats and vegetables
Has two stainless steel burners
There has been issues with delivery and the smoker arriving damaged
This is the new and improved propane smoker by Smoke Hollow. It’s highly recommended and well received by buyers as it has high ratings on Amazon and is highly recommended by famous BBQ grill websites.
The new and improved version includes two stainless steel burners. These stainless steel burners can be used separately to have full and maximum control on your propane smoker’s performance and temperature.
Two wood chip trays will infuse your meat with a delicious smoky flavor. The new version made the wood chip trays externally-loading.
This is a huge smoker that provides ample space for various meats and vegetables. It is 44 inches and has 6 cubic units of capacity for food.
The best thing about this Smoke Hollow propane smoker is that it comes with accessories that make this propane smoker more effective. There are welded steel, chrome-coated cabinets, two standard cooking grids, two jerky cooking grids, one combination or rib-rack cooking grid, a premium-grade heat indicator for precise cooking, and the porcelain-coated water pan. According to the kind of meat you have, these 5 cooking grids allow for different types of smoking.
The improvements added to this new version also include an improved upper chimney with an easily adjustable drag control.
Smoke Hollow is a brand well-known for its durable and efficient grills, smokers, and barbecue equipment. It prides itself on manufacturing competitive products in the BBQ and grilling market. This product is highly rated in terms of its easy to use and easy to clean aspect. You will undoubtedly be getting a bang for your buck with this high-quality propane smoker of good performance.
Masterbuilt MB20051316
ThermoTemp maintains the set temperature
4 chrome-coated smoking racks
Incredibly user-friendly product and is perfect for first-time buyers
Some people have had issues with the temperature control in the past
Many BBQ grill websites highly recommend this propane smoker. The high quality and excellent performance are also mirrored by the large number of high ratings it has received across multiple sites where it is for sale.
This is an incredibly user-friendly product and is perfect for first-time buyers. It makes smoking simple with the patented ThermoTemp that allows you to set the temperature and then walk away from your smoker without worry.
ThermoTemp is a specially designed temperature sensor control that automatically maintains the set temperature without outside intervention.
This is also a large smoker that provides ample space for cooking. It is 40 inches, with 4 chrome-coated smoking racks that can accommodate 16 chickens, 6 turkeys, 8 ribs, or 8 pork butts. The ample space makes it perfect for large families and for cooking multiple items at once.
This Masterbuilt gas smoker also makes cooking safe with a safety valve that extinguishes the burner once a flame is detected within the system.
The best thing about this burner is that you can buy additional equipment to customize it to your preferences and your family’s eating habits.
Masterbuilt is a company that produces professional-grade smokers, fryers, cookers, grills, and other heavy-duty cooking equipment. The company prides itself on providing the latest technological innovation to its products and making user-friendly products that are perfect for beginners and pros alike. The reviews and feedback from previous buyers all say one thing: the ThermoTemp temperature control feature is a real lifesaver that has undoubtedly made smoking easier. Expect to experience the same if you buy this smoker.
This a highly in-demand propane smoker from Char-Broil. The demand is satisfactorily met by the product, evident by many recommendations and high ratings that it has received over a wide range of platforms.
The highlight of this propane smoker is the features. For one, there are cool-touch handles that make it possible to interact and move the smoker without ever burning yourself. Plus, the thermometer gauge is built in the lid of the gas smoker so you can cook your meat and vegetables to the ideal temperature precisely.
Also, the easily adjustable dampers give you full and precise control of your internal system’s heat and temperature. It comes with three smoking racks and an easily refillable water pan that offers a delicious smoky flavor to the feast you are smoking.
It’s highly efficient, with a propane burner that utilizes heated wood chips and water for smoking. The top has a convenient grate where you can prepare and warm the sauces and glazes that come with the food you smoke inside. Plus, the double drawer design makes it easy to refill the water or make adjustments inside the smoker without losing much heat or smoke.
This is truly a revolutionary, multifunctional design for a propane smoker.
Char-Broil has been leading the charcoal and electric smoker industry since 1948. At present, the brand manufactures all kinds of grills and smokers, at par with the charcoal and electric smokers’ quality that it was initially known for.
Pros
- Cool-touch handles
- Thermometer gauge is built in the lid
- Prepare and warm sauces on the top
Cons
- There a few reviews saying it’s not made of high quality materials and it’s not built to last
What to keep in mind when buying gas smokers
While gas smokers are generally easy to use and more common than charcoal smokers, they still have a few quirks and disadvantages that you should keep in mind when buying. We’ve discussed ways that you can take to counter these demerits below.
They don’t come with fuel
Most gas smokers that are sold do not come with a tank of fuel. Therefore, you need to budget for both the gas smoker and the fuel tanks that it comes with when buying your gas smoker. When deciding what to buy price-wise, be sure to factor in the amount you will spend on the tank and the fuel.
You also always need to keep a spare fuel tank on hand, because in most cases, half-filled tanks do not fare well in smoking sessions that are longer than 5 hours.
Not planet-friendly
If you are leading a sustainable and earth-friendly lifestyle, you may want to think twice about buying gas smokers. Gas smokers run mostly on propane or other forms of natural gas. The fuels for gas smokers are nonrenewable, so most people who keep to sustainable lifestyles stray away from gas smokers because of the long term negative impact on the environment.
If you still wish to acquire a gas smoker that supports your sustainable lifestyle, look into those that Camp Chef produces. Camp Chef gas smokers are the only ones that run on natural gas-friendly fuel.
Consider the temperature control
This tip probably goes for buying all kinds of smokers: invest in a high-quality smoker with a high-quality temperature gauge and temperature control system.
If your gas smoker comes with faulty temperature controls and readers, you will find yourself scrambling to cook your meat to the desired temperature properly. If the heat is fluctuating, you are running at risk of undercooking your meat or having uneven cooking, with some areas burnt to a crisp and the middle bloody and raw.
You can always upgrade your gas smoker by installing a different, higher quality temperature gauge and control system than the one it comes with, but of course, that costs additional money and so, keep these things in mind when budgeting for your gas smoker.
Keep in mind the orientation
About The Author
Reviewed by
James
James is a writer who is a self-confessed kitchenware and coffee nerd and a strong advocate of Sundays, good butter, and warm sourdough.
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