By
James
Updated on
It’s always safer and reliable to invest in a cost-effective electric smoker. You’ll find multiple electric smokers under $1000. But you have to realize that not every one of them meets the mark of being a valuable smoker. An electric smoker consists of outdoor cooking equipment that smokes food using hot electrical rods as its primary heating source.
Electric smokers are way different than the charcoal devices out there in the market. These smokers are super easy to operate, and it also accommodates a multitude of designs. Here, I’ll be reviewing some of the top-performing electric smokers available today. Also, remember that all of these smokers fall below the price range of $1000.
Our Top Picks
Below is a summary of the top picks from our SummerBaron.com team. To help you understand where each pick ranked, we have included “badges” next to each pick’s key findings. “Best Overall” is a combination of price and value. “Best Budget” is great for summer lovers who want a top-quality product but are on a tighter budget. “High End” is for people who just want the best, and price is no object.
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Product
Pit Boss Grills 77550 5.5 Pellet Smoker
Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments
Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby
Traeger Grills TFB57PZBO Pro Series
Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments
Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby
Smokin-It Model #3 Electric Smoker
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 Grills 77550 5.5 Pellet Smoker
The auto-shutoff feature helps prevent cases of overheating.
The large capacity of the hopper will allow you to load the pellets from the front. There isn’t a need for you to top them frequently.
Its porcelain coating on the water tray and racks allows for an easy clean-up.
You’ll be able to cook multiple batches of food at the same time.
It’s user-friendly, versatile, and offers excellent smoking.
Having a grease tray would be nice.
The control boards are a little close to the heating source.
The Pit Boss Grills 77550 5.5 Pellet Smoker is noticeably known for its large cooking space of 1,830 square inches. Its ability to cook both the main meal and side dish at once is one of its best features. It features a dimension of 28 x 29 x 53 inches and weighs about 131 pounds. The temperature range of this smoker spans between 150⁰F-450⁰F. It features a heating element of 300 Watt. You’ll also receive about five repositionable racks with porcelain coatings for an easy clean-up. This smoker also cooks veggies just as well as it does with meat. Both rookies and professionals can use it without any problem, and that is one incredible advantage for this smoker.
If you’re someone that loves to cook anything and go that extra mile, then its wide temperature is a bonus for you. Another great feature that I want to highlight would be its large hopper. This smoker can hold pellets up to 40 pounds, which is crazy. If you’re planning to run this smoker for 24 hours, then you can do so at a lower temperature. With this smoker, you can easily set and forget it because its auto-shutoff nature will do the job for you.
Traeger Grills TFB57PZBO Pro Series
You get to enjoy multiple options for cooking.
The spacious cooking area is super convenient.
Controlling its temperature is relatively easy, with no hassle.
Its durable steel body with powder-coated finishing makes the unit resistant to rust in the long-run.
Its non-stick surface makes cleaning easy breezy.
The assembly manual isn’t reliable.
Packaging and customer support could use some work.
The Traeger Grills TFB57PZBO Pro Series stands out because of its versatility and easy-to-use nature. This electric smoker does cater to both rookies and seasoned users in barbecuing. It has a measurement of 49 x 42 x 22 inches and weighs around 50 lbs. You can expect a cooking space of 418 square inches with a hopper capacity that supports up to 18 lbs of wooden pellets. When you use the auto-ignition feature for starting the smoker, the auger tends to push the right number of pellets inside the firepot, and it ignites them. Next, a draft induction fan starts pushing for heating and smoking up in the grill.
Here, it cooks your meal and provides that delicious smoky flavor. Also, by using a dial right on the hopper and a digital display, you get to have complete control over the temperature. You’ll be able to see how hot your smoker is all the time. It also allows you to smoke your steak on its lower setting or for cranking up the heat when needed. In this way, you can quickly start smoking, grilling, barbecuing, braising, roasting, and baking with this top-notch unit. Also, the inner grills of this smoker consist of non-sticky porcelain. Lastly, I want to point out its in-built digital elite temperature controller, an added feature that works brilliantly.
Smokin-It Model #3 Electric Smoker
Its stainless-steel body consists of high-grade materials.
The four shelves are fully repositionable.
There is improved heat retention.
Its NSF Certification makes it entirely usable in restaurants.
The wheels of this unit consist of durable casters and strong rubber.
The Smokin-It Model #3 Electric Smoker looks like something from the hotel’s kitchen. It bears a very utilitarian look, but that isn’t a bad thing. The primary purpose behind its creation was for professional use. But today, this unique smoker caters to both small kitchens and home chefs around the world. It spans a measurement of 31 x 30 x 22 inches and weighs around 125 pounds. It has a heating element of 1200 Watt. The temperature range is from 100⁰F-250⁰F. The insulated door and walls of this smoker help retain heat, offering exceptional smoking time. It doesn’t take time for the smoker to reach the desired temperature due to the fiberglass insulator.
This unit also features a convenient stainless-steel exterior. One particular feature that will help you would be its easy cleaning construction. Also, the durable and robust nature of this unit prevents peeling off of paint. Moving this smoker is also quite convenient, all thanks to its recessed side handles and wheels. Yes, this smoker’s size isn’t as big as the pit boss grills models, but that doesn’t stop this smoker from feeding large groups of people. Before you go all-in with the cooking, I would advise you to play around a little with the smoke chips as a tester.
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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