Best Vertical Smokers

We’ve used this Masterbuilt smoker for a few months now, and it’s become our go-to for weekend barbecues. The digital controls make it super easy to set the temp and time. We love that we can add more wood chips without opening the main door. This keeps the heat and smoke inside where it belongs.

The 30-inch size is perfect for our needs. We’ve smoked whole chickens, racks of ribs, and even a small turkey. Everything comes out juicy and full of flavor. The four racks give us plenty of space to cook for a crowd.

One thing to note – it can be tricky to get up to temp on really cold days. We’ve found wrapping it in a welding blanket helps. The window is nice, but it gets dirty fast. Still, a quick wipe down after each use keeps it clear. While we’ve had no issues, some users report problems with the control panel. Keep your warranty info handy just in case.

The Pit Boss 3 Series Gas Smoker caught our eye with its sleek red hammertone finish. We found the large glass window handy for checking on our food without opening the door. The smoker offers plenty of room with four racks, giving us space to smoke multiple items at once.

We liked the dual burner system. One burner is for the wood chips, while the other controls the cabinet temperature. This setup let us manage smoke and heat separately. The temperature range goes from 100°F to 320°F, which we found great for both low and slow cooking and hotter smoking sessions.

The external wood chip tray was a nice touch. We could add more chips without opening the main door and losing heat. The front grease tray made cleanup easier too. While we enjoyed using this smoker, we noticed the built-in thermometer wasn’t always spot-on. We ended up using our own digital thermometer for more accurate readings.

This Dyna-Glo vertical offset smoker gave us plenty of room to work with. We loaded it up with multiple racks of ribs, whole chickens, and even a turkey. The six adjustable grates let us fit foods of different sizes easily.

We liked the offset design. It kept the heat source away from the food, creating even temperatures throughout the smoking chamber. This setup worked great for low and slow cooking. The built-in thermometer helped us keep an eye on temps, and the “Smoke Zone” indicator was handy for knowing when we hit the sweet spot for smoke flavor.

The porcelain-enameled steel charcoal chamber did a good job of keeping the coals packed tight. This meant better burn efficiency. We found the ash management system helpful too. The removable ash pan made cleanup much easier after long smoking sessions.

The Pit Boss 3 Series Digital Smoker caught our eye with its sleek silver hammertone finish and large front window. We loved being able to check on our food without opening the door. The 684 square inches of cooking space spread across four racks gave us plenty of room for smoking multiple items at once.

We found the digital controls user-friendly and appreciated the included meat probe for monitoring internal temperatures. The wide temperature range from 100°F to 350°F allowed us to smoke a variety of foods, from jerky to crispy-skinned chicken. The oversized wood chip tray was a nice touch, letting us smoke for up to two hours without refilling.

During our tests, we noticed some temperature fluctuations, which might be a concern for precise smoking. The unit’s weight made it a bit tricky to move, even with the locking caster wheels. While many users praised its performance, some reported issues with consistency and durability. Despite these drawbacks, we think the Pit Boss 3 Series offers good value for its feature set and cooking capacity.

We tried out the Cuisinart Vertical Propane Smoker and were impressed by how simple it was to get started. Just hook up a propane tank, turn the knob, and you’re ready to smoke. The 36-inch height gives plenty of room to work with, and we liked being able to remove racks to fit larger cuts of meat.

The built-in thermometer was handy, but we found it helpful to use an additional probe for more accurate readings. We smoked chicken breasts, ribs, and even some veggies with great results. The smoke flavor was rich and even, thanks to the adjustable vent system.

Clean-up was a breeze with the removable drip tray and dishwasher-safe racks. While we did notice some smoke leakage around the door, a bit of high-temp sealant fixed that issue. For the price, this smoker offers good value and performance for both beginners and seasoned pitmasters.

We tested the Masterbuilt 40″ ThermoTemp Propane Smoker and found it user-friendly. The push-button ignition made starting up a breeze. We liked how we could set our desired temperature with the adjustable dial. It held steady throughout our cook, thanks to the ThermoTemp technology.

The smoker’s size impressed us. We fit a whole turkey and two racks of ribs at once. The four chrome-coated racks felt sturdy and cleaned up nicely. We appreciated the window for checking on our food without opening the door and losing heat.

During our tests, we noticed some smoke escaping around the edges of the window. A bit of high-temp sealant fixed this issue. The wood chip tray worked well, but we had to refill it for longer smokes. All in all, we think this smoker offers good value for its price point.

We spent several weekends testing this smoker, and we were impressed by its size. The 970 square inches of cooking space let us smoke multiple items at once. We fit 8 pork butts in there with no problem.

The digital controls made it simple to set the temperature and cooking time. We didn’t have to keep checking on the smoker. It did its job while we relaxed. The side wood chip loader was handy too. We added more chips without opening the main door and losing heat.

We did notice a few drawbacks. The window got cloudy after a couple of uses, making it hard to see inside. We also read some reviews mentioning quality issues, though we didn’t experience any ourselves. The max temperature of 275°F might be low for some recipes.

Despite these minor issues, we think this Masterbuilt smoker is a good pick for most people. It’s easy to use, spacious, and produces tasty results. If you’re new to smoking or want a hassle-free experience, give this one a try.

We’ve been using the Cuisinart Vertical Smoker for a few months now, and it’s been a fun journey into the world of smoking. The 510 square inches of cooking space spread across two racks gave us plenty of room to smoke ribs, brisket, and even a whole chicken at once.

The porcelain enamel water bowl helped keep our meats moist during long smoking sessions. We found the dual air vent system useful for adjusting the temperature, though it took some trial and error to get it just right. The vertically hinged door made it easy to check on our food and add more wood chips when needed.

While the smoker isn’t built like a tank, it gets the job done for its price. We had to be careful not to bump it too hard, as the thin metal can dent easily. The door seal could be tighter, but we fixed that with some high-temp gasket tape. For beginners or casual smokers, this Cuisinart model offers good value and a tasty introduction to smoking meats at home.

We tried out the EAST OAK Digital Smoker and were impressed by its performance. The 725 square inches of cooking space let us smoke a good amount of food at once. We liked that we could add wood chips without opening the main door, which kept the heat and smoke inside.

The digital controls made it easy to set the temperature and time. We used the remote to check on our food without leaving our seats. The glass door and internal light were nice touches – we could see how our meats were doing without opening the smoker.

One thing to note: you’ll need to clean and season the smoker before first use. This took about 2 hours, but it helped remove any factory smells. After that, we found the smoker produced great results. Our ribs came out tender and flavorful. The consistent low heat really made a difference in the texture of the meat.

When we fired up this Pit Boss smoker, we were impressed by how easy it was to use. The digital controls let us dial in the exact temperature we wanted, from 150°F to 450°F. This gave us perfect results whether we were smoking low and slow or cooking at higher heats.

The massive cooking area really stood out to us. With five racks, we could smoke multiple items at once. We fit a whole brisket, two pork shoulders, and a couple chickens in there with room to spare. It’s great for big family gatherings or if you like to meal prep.

We loved the huge pellet hopper. It held over 40 pounds of pellets, enough to smoke for more than 24 hours straight. This meant we could set it and forget it for long cooks without having to refill. The double-walled insulation also kept temps steady, even when we used it on a chilly fall evening.