If you are new in barbecue, the types of smokers on the market can be rather overwhelming.
There are several styles and sources of fuel and price points. It is difficult to fully understand, what are good smokers for beginners.
As a pitmaster champion, I cooked on dozen grids – from the easiest to use to those that require a lot of heat management. These are my four best choices for the people who have just started.
What to look for in a smoker for beginners
If you are new to smoking, I always suggest starting with a grid that has integrated digital controls and fans. These features automatically regulate the air flow and fuel to maintain constant grid temperatures.
If you are using a more traditional grid without these tools, you will have to manually adjust the air intakes to control oxygen and temperature.
When you don’t have to worry about breastfeeding, you can master an adequate seasoning and learn the internal temperatures ideal for different foods.
Pellet grids and ball smokers
Grilles and pellet smokers stormed the grid industry. This is largely due to what they are easy to use. It’s almost easy like turning on the oven.
Just fill a box (called the hopper) with wooden pellets. Then, connect the grid and regulates a digital control to set the grill on the desired temperature. A cochlea nourishes the pellets in the pot and a fan blows to circulate the heat.
An internal temperature probe communicates to a computer, which tells controls when it needs more pellets and air.
There is no agitation with air intakes or exhausts. And the dots are quite clean and leave very little ashes, making cleaning a kids game.
What to look for a pellet grid
Pellet grids go widely in the price. The low price models are generally made with thinner steel, so they do not also retain the heat. Even the cheapest models do not always have seals around the lid that can cause heat.
If you want a pellet grid that will last for several years, plan to spend at least $ 1,000. Usually they are made to last and include extra features such as apps that allow you to adjust the grill from the phone.
Who should buy a pellet smoker
Pellet smokers are ideal for people who want coherent smoke and hands-off with the push of a button. They are fantastic for low cooks and lenses such as chest, ribs and pork shoulder and keep the temperature well.
If you appreciate the convenience and you don’t mind cooking indirect heat, a pellet smoker is a solid choice.
Know only that pellet grids do not offer the same smoky flavor as coal and are not built for high heat burning. In addition, the pellets must be kept dry, so you will need a good storage configuration if you live in a wet climate.
My favorite pellet grid
I cooked on several brands of pellet grids and my favorite to date is correct. I am affected by the quality of their production, by the functionality of the smoker app and customer service and the warranty.
Gravity Ned Charcoal Grills
If you are looking for the ease of a pellet grid but the flavor of coal, a gravity -powered coal grill (also called a coal smoker with automatic power supply) is the best option.
These work as pellet grids, but instead of adding wooden pellets to the hopper, add coal or coal briquets. So, turn on the coal and regulate control of the digital temperature.
There is no mechanism in Coclea, but there is still a probe and a fan. The fan lights up to add oxygen to the coal when the probe indicates to the computer is necessary another heat.
While the carbon burn, the ashes fall into a bucket under the hopper. They can be easily downloaded at the end of the cook.
What to look for in a grilled gravity
Only a few companies currently produce gravity grids at the price of consumption: Masterbuilt and Oklahoma teen. They run the price of $ 600 to $ 1,500. The variance of prices is mainly reduced to the grid size.
You will have to decide if you just want to cook a chest or some steaks or if more likely you will smoke several ribs of ribs or pork butcons. Personally, I advise you to get a grill a little bigger than you think you need.
Who should buy a severity flexer
If you love the flavor of the coal barbecue and you want a smoker who is easy to use without constantly taking care of a fire, a severity fueled smoker could be your perfect game.
It offers an incredible smoke flavor, a simple temperature control and it is one of my favorite grids ever for the courtyard smoke.
Keep in mind: if you live somewhere that limits the use of coal or if you prefer gas or pellets, this may not be the best solution.
My favorite grid for gravity
I love mine Masterbuilt Gravity Series XT. It is the right size to smoke enough food for a large family that meets. The controls and features have been updated by version 1050, making it even easier to use. And the app is surprising and connects perfectly to my phone every time.
Electric smokers
There are several styles of electric smokers. These produce heat with electricity, non -coal, wood or pellets. They are like an electric oven, but here it is where they differ.
With electric smokers, you can add wooden, pellets or bisquette chips (which are wood -shaped wooden chips) to produce smoke.
Since smoking is an added element and not the heat source, the smoky flavor is rather mild. In addition, electric smokers rarely produce smoke rings because there is no enough nitric oxide.
Electric smokers start at a much lower price, so if you just want to experiment with smoke, these are an excellent starting point.
What to look for in an electric smoker
The size is an important factor. If you only intend to grill a flat beef or a single rib groove, you can get a smaller smoker like a ninja. If you intend to cook several ribs of ribs and more pork butts, consider a Vertical electric smoker.
Who should buy an electric smoker
If you want something with a smaller imprint or you are not able to burn coal where you live, an electric smoker is right for you.
If you are looking for the true authentic flavor of the barbecue and a solid ring of smoke, spend a few hundred dollars more for a different grill style.
My favorite electric smoker
I am a fan of Ninja Woodfire’s outdoor grid. It is compact and portable, which makes it beautiful to cook smaller meals and is versatile. In addition to being a smoker, it is also a grid, a fryer, a dehydrator and a grid.
If you are not able to smoke outdoors where you live or you don’t have a patio with enough cooking space for a grill, you may want to consider the internal smoker of the GE profile. It is electric and adds smoke flavor with wooden pellets.
Gas smokers
New on the market for 2025 is the Ninja Flexflame. This is the first propane gas grid that also offers a smoker function. It has a small wooden pellet hopper on the grid side.
Turn on the burners, choose the temperature and setting and, if you want smoke, add pellets and press the fire technology button. The balls smoke and a fan blows the smoke in the grill.
Like an electric smoker, smoking is mild and will not create a ring of smoke.
You can also obtain a similar effect by using a normal gas grid and adding wooden pellets or chips to a custody or foil tube. That process is just a little more manual.
What to look for in a gas smoker
There are not really many options out there at this moment in this category. If you already have a gas grid, try the method of the sheet for sheet first to see if it is a flavor of smoke strong enough for you.
If you don’t have a grid at all, starting from a gas grid that also has the function of smoker, it is an excellent choice. You can turn on or turn off the smoke as you wish.
If you have a natural gas connection and prefer to use it for your gas grid, for now you will have to transmit flexflame. It comes only in propane.
Who should buy a gas smoker?
If you intend to grill more than you think you are smoking, I would go with a gas smoker. This grid is good at burning steaks, hamburgers and chicken breasts. But it is also fantastic in smoking large cuts of meat.
It does not have a function of integrated apps or probes, so you will have to monitor cooking from the grid.
My favorite gas smoker
For years I have used the technique of sheets for sheets. But now I find it much easier to cook on my ninja flexflame. Add only pellets, set it and kitchens.
Obviously there are many other styles of smokers out there such as offset smokers, battery smokers, Kamado grills and even kettle grids. These are all large in their own way, but most require manual adjustments to smoke food.
Regardless of the type of smoker you choose, the key is to feel comfortable with your equipment and enjoy the process.
