Best Charcoal Smokers and Buyer’s Guide 2021

We have already defined the best built-in gas grills. And in this case, you may think that you know all about the outdoor pastime and about how you can impress your neighbors, friends, and relatives. But, What about the Best Charcoal Smoker?

The awesome thing is that in this article we will review mostly best charcoal smokers under 200. So, Let’s begin. Charcoal smoker is a thing without which you wouldn’t be able to cook the most delicious and tender meat that would be a full of flavor.

We have to mention that Smoking is a bit different process from grilling because the main goal of smoking cooking is to cook the meat with indirect heat. It is also very important how you would set up the charcoal and the way you were adding water to keep the meat moist.

You also must keep an eye on the right adjustments a the meat cooks to ensure that the temperature of the charcoal smoker stays in the sweet spot. The sweet spot has to be about 220℉ (104℃) and no higher than 250℉ (121℃). So, let us define only the best charcoal smoker from all variety of charcoal smoker models.

Best Charcoal Smokers for 2019

1. Series III Smokehaus Smoker

Series III Smokehaus Smoker

Are you looking for the best smokers for the money? Then this device is definitely the best charcoal smoker you can find, at a reasonable price.

This is not any ordinary smoker as it is the perfect combination of sophisticated look, easy to use and obviously the versatility.

You can prepare a number of meat preparations on this as this is really the best vertical charcoal smoker. Why is this charcoal smoker the best home smoker?

  • The in air flow control is the best
  • The firebox can be removed easily, and you can clean it well
  • The roof is galvanized
  • The 3-inch thermometer can be reached well
  • There are 9 adjustable airflow vents
  • The back powder coating is quite durable

Pros

 

  • The temperature control
  • The smoking area is around 12 cubic feet
  • The grid space is more than 2500 square inches
  • You can smoke a full load or only the one rack load without arm-loading your favorite wood

Cons

  • Price

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Hopefully, the best smoker reviews are going well, and it can help you to make the right choice. Buy this best home smoker and smoke your favorite meat anytime.

2. Cuisinart COS-118

Cuisinart COS-118 Vertical 18

Pros

  • Low Price
  • Cooking Space
  • Adjusting
  • You can smoke a full load or only the one rack load without arm-loading your favorite wood

Cons

  • Fit and Finish
  • Leaks like a sieve
  • Small Coal Ring

This is one of the best charcoal smoker for the outdoor. It is easy to use and gives you a big opportunity to make a tasty, delicious meat your friends and neighbors have ever eaten.

You can already know much information about Cuisinart COS-118 from many of bbq smoker reviews, but today we will discover this smoker grill more closely. Let us look through the main Pros and Cons of this best backyard smoker.

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Good things about charcoal smoker:

  • Low Price – If you look at the competition, you’re going to see a vast range of prices ranging from about $80 to upwards of $400. I did order this one during a Gold Box deal, so I snagged this one on the low end. One of the best charcoal smokers under 200.
  • Cooking Space – this is an 18″ cooker with levels of cooking grates. The actual cooking surface is a little bit less than that (i think the grate is about 17″), but I was able to do baby back ribs, pork shoulder, and chicken breasts without worrying about space.
  • Adjusting – I was able to assemble the whole thing in about 15 minutes, the most difficult part probably being the legs

Cons of using this charcoal for smoking:

  • Fit and Finish– Out of the box, the paint looks pretty good. Unfortunately, it scratches fairly easily especially in areas with lots of movement, like the door. Some of the rivets aren’t 100% flush, but I haven’t noticed any movement from them. The handles are also pretty cheap; I wish they were designed differently, so they sat a bit more flush. Also, one of the catches for the bottom latches isn’t straight, so it sometimes takes me a few tries to secure the bottom
  • Leaks like a sieve– Smoke will leak out from the top of the door, from under the lid, and from around the top vent. The amount of leaking was probably what bothered me most. Without some modification, you’re going to have smoke coming out everywhere
  • Small Coal Ring– the diameter seems appropriate, but it doesn’t have much height, so the amount of charcoal you can add is limited

In conclusion, to summarize this smoker grill reviews, we have to say that Cuisinart COS-118 is definitely worth to buy, especially because this is one of the best smoker for the money. With this best backyard smoker, your cooking would be much greater and professional.

3. Fire Magic Charcoal BBQ Smoker

https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Magic-Charcoal-Smoker-24s-smb/dp/B005T0ASIU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1510528831&sr=8-1&keywords=Fire+Magic+Charcoal+Bbq+Smoker+On+Stand+24s-smb&linkCode=sl1&tag=bestsmokersinfo-20&linkId=7cd31dbec079eb0c187ec91888992761

Pros

  • This is made up of all 304 stainless steel
  • Dual top smoke stack ventilation
  • The cooking capacity of the device is 6 Cubic Feet
  • The cooking surface is around 1640 inches

Cons

  • You will need 3V electric
  • A little bit pricey

While giving the best smoker reviews, this productwill definitely take a prominent place on the list. While you have friends at the house and want to prepare tasty dishes without wasting any time, buying the best charcoal smoker is the most important thing to do. And when you get it at quite a cheap rate, this is the best smoker to get for your home.

The essential features of this product are as follows:

  • You will get a cooking surface of 1640 sq.in.
  • The meat probe is there.
  • You are also getting 5 removable racks
  • The digital thermometer is quite useful
  • There is also a removable ash tray.

So far Firemagic was a common name in the world of premium stainless steel gas and the charcoal grills. Now, by presenting the best charcoal smoker, they have brought the best-rated smoker on the market.

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There are certain specialties of this charcoal smoker that has made it one of the best:

  • You will find a bottom door for additional airflow
  • The stainless steel racks are quite spacious to cook large piece of meat or more food
  • You can use wood planks, charcoals or wood pallets for fuel
  • There is a drip tray at the front which can be used to collect juices
  • Fuel loading system is gravity led

After giving the best smoker reviews, it can be said that this is definitely the best charcoal smoker you can buy for your kitchen.

4. Weber 721001

Weber 721001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 18-Inch Charcoal Smoker, Black

Pros

  • Made of porcelain-enameled steel with a heat-resistant nylon handle
  • Has two nickel-plated 18-1/2-inch-wide cooking grates for a total of 481 square inches
  • This is one of the best cheap smoker

Cons

  • Have no Cons

The Weber 721001 is one of the best charcoal smokers for the money. This is just the case when you can say with certainty: “Value for the money!”.

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Here are some main features of the Weber 721001:

  • It includes: Water pan, Built-in thermometer with individual vents on bowl and lid, storage cover
  • Measures approximately 21 by 19 by 41 inches; 10-year limited warranty

Here some useful tips from experienced buyers about the fastest way to season your charcoal smoker:

First Step – you have to cover the water pan completely using aluminum foil and run a full load of lit Kingsford briquettes and let it run as hot as it can with no water in the pan (over 350 degrees) to burn off any manufacturing residue. Clean out the ash and proceed to the second step.

Second Step – fill the charcoal basket 1/2 full of unlit briquettes. Then put in a 1/2 chimney of lit Kingsford briquettes in the middle. This will allow a slow burn for 3-5 hours at 72 degrees outside temperature. Adjust the vents to get 275 degrees on the dome thermometer.  Put chicken parts; bacon strips pork fat or any other meat you are not going to eat. The key is to generate lots of greases and get fatty meats. Toss in a couple of tennis-sized wood chunks to generate smoke. Repeat Phase Two at least twice before you cook meat that you want to eat.

Third Step – When you cook meat you plan to eat, take a tip and don’t use any water in the pan.  With foil top and bottom just cover the water pan. You have to foil it twice, so you will be able to remove the second layer after the cook and then refoil it. Using this method, you wouldn’t need I to clean your pan. It works just as well AFTER YOU SEASON YOUR WSM when you cook without water in the pan.

Dry heat allows the crust to form faster on the meat (called the bark). Once the crust forms on the meat, you can introduce moisture. I just spray water with a regular spray bottle to encourage bark formation after the initial crusting (Maillard reaction) has begun. Use your nail and scrape the meat surface to test for properly formed bark. If you see that the crust formed – it will not come off when you scrape it with your fingernail. If you see that the crust comes off that means that the bark has not set (still wet) – in this case, don’t spray until it sets. You will get much better results if you let it cook a bit longer and check back in 15 minutes.

5. Napoleon AS200K Apollo 3-in-1 Smoker

Napoleon AS200K Apollo 3-in-1 Smoker

Pros

  • This is the best charcoal grill smoker that is sectionally designed to adjust the smoker according to your need.
  • The best vertical charcoal smoker has enough capacity to hold water.
  • The features of this best home smoker are absolutely great as there are inbuilt rib racks and the temperature probe eyelets.

Cons

  •  There are sections that allow smoke leakage
  • The pop rivets are difficult to repair
  • There is no heat deflector under the machine; that’s why it gets hotter quickly

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This smoker has changed the idea of smoker that you needed for cooking from such long time. This will definitely be considered among the best vertical charcoal smoker.

This device is also popular as ProQ. So, while talking about the best smoker reviews, this will be on the top.

This smoker can be used as the best charcoal grill smoker. There are lots of features which enable you to cook the large or small amount of food.

Even, cooking a small amount of food is now possible without wasting additional wood. The airflow system is quite active while there are eyelets for meat probes.

Features

  • There are 20-inch diameter cooking grates
  • Two bottoms and top air vents
  • There are five hooks for hanging ribs and sausages
  • 6-gallon water pan

Buying the best home smoker is quite easy now as this model is available in the market. Buy now and prepare tasty dishes of meat within no minute.

6. Broil King Vertical Charcoal Smoker

Broil King 923610 Vertical Charcoal Smoker

Are you for the best smoker for money? Then buying this one at cheap rate will be an intelligent deal.

If you want to arrange a Bar-Be-Que party at the backyard of your house, this portable and one of the best charcoal smokers is the thing you need to buy.

The essential features of this charcoal grill smoker are:

  • Made of 2mm steel
  • It is in size of 625 sq.in.
  • The cooking grids are made of heavy cast iron
  • The smoke diffusing charcoal trays serves dual purpose
  • There are ash trays that are removable.

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So far, the product has been used without any complaints and users are quite pleased with it. Getting the best cheap smoker with all the facilities of the expensive ones is really a good choice.

7. Weber 731001 Smokey Mountain Cooker

Weber 731001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 22-Inch Charcoal Smoker, Black

Pros

  • The item is durable enough
  • Cleaning it is quite easy
  •  The cooking space is quite big
  • The entire product is robust

Cons

  • This smoker is a bit heavy if you want to move it from a place to another.

Are you looking for the best cheap smoker for your coming Bar-be-Que party? Then, buying this product will be the smartest choice.

This smoker is full of features which enable you to cook meat of large or small amount within few times.

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The essential features of this smoker are as follows:

  • It contains large fuel door that makes it easy to add charcoal and wood.
  • The cooking space is around 726 sq.in that gives you enough space to grill food items.
  • The porcelain-made bowl and lid are durable enough to retain the heat.
  • There are 2 plated-steel cooking grates.
  • You also get a warranty for the product.

8. PK Grills The Original PK Grill & Smoker

PK Grills The Original PK Grill & Smoker, Classic Silver (PK99740)

While giving you the reviews of the best smoker for your home, this product has to be on the list. If you are looking for a vertical smoker, buying this will be the right choice.

Not only to the homemakers, but this product has always been the most favorite choice of the food enthusiasts and the barbeque professionals around the world. For generations, this smoker has been winning hearts.

The essential features of this product are:

  • A good combination of smoker combination and backyard barbeque
  • Made of cast aluminum that has made it rust-proof and increased its durability
  • It is capable of holding steady temperature for a long time
  • Outdoor camping is now easier and funnier as you can carry this wherever you go.

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So, here are the best charcoal grill smokers that you can buy for making meat in delicious ways. Having barbeque parties can be more regular, and these smokers will remain for a longer period, even for generations, and that’s why these are a good investment.

Wrapping it Up

Preparation is often confused with luck. You must have information before you can make a good decision on anything from plumbing to choosing the best charcoal smoker. The question right now is, with this list we have provided for you, will you be able to pick the best charcoal smoker that you can use for years to come? If you believe that we missed anything please let us know on our several social media outlets and we will immediately review that and see how it performs on our four point scale.

We truly believe in innovation and we know that companies are always looking for new ways to improve their products. None of the products on this list are perfect, but they are as close as you can get at this very moment.

Please feel free to join us on social media and tell us what you think of our review. We would greatly appreciate that feedback.