Best Smoker for Beginners in 2024 – Easy Guide

Being a beginner can really suck. Especially when you don’t know what you don’t know. Sometimes you’re not even sure where to start. How would you even begin trying to find the best smoker for beginners?

If that’s you, I know exactly where you are at. Taking up the art of smoking mouth-watering delicacies has been one of the great journeys in my life!

After dabbling with a propane grills for years, I purchased my first smoker a little over 10 years ago. I started at absolute ground zero…knowing nothing about the art of smoking meat or smokers in general. I’d like to share what I’ve learned along the way; which I hope will be helpful in your journey.

With so many options out there, it can be difficult to know which smoker to buy, particularly if you’re new to the game. In this blog post, we’ll explore the various types of smokers and key features to look for when finding the best smoker for you!

In a Hurry? Quick recommendations for your first smoker:

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Reviews of Best smokers for beginners:

Please consider these recommendations based on years of experience smoking…

Best Overall — Recteq Flagship 1100

I’ve owned a Recteq pellet grill/smoker for several years now and cooked countless meals on it. I’ve packed it full of pork butts, brisket, ribs, and just about any other kind of BBQ smoky goodness.

While I will admit the results taste slightly different than smoking via charcoal or wood, this smoker still produces excellent results that are a sucker for compliments.

The Flagship features a Wi-Fi controller which allows you to fire up the smoker, or monitor the cook, or make adjustments…from anywhere. It was an absolute game changer in my BBQ journey!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve smoked overnight, or monitored a cook while I left the house. This feature, along with the Flagship’s precision temperature controls, has really taken away the excuse most would be smokers use of “I just don’t have time to smoke something for X hours”.

Multiple friends and family have purchased Recteq’s for themselves after witnessing my experience with it; and of course tasting some of the awesome grub!

Best Budget Electric — Masterbuilt 30″ Digital

The Masterbuilt 30″ Digital Electric Smoker is a good starter rig to dip your toe in the world of smoking with. The smoker comes standard with 4 racks for cooking, digital temperature controller, removable wood chip compartment, and a water pan among other features.

In my opinion, one of the biggest benefits of an electric smoker is the easy startup and overall cooking space. At the price point (approximately $250 at the time of this post), you’d be hard pressed to find an easier smoker to operate.

However, some customers have complained of temperature fluctuations and issues obtaining significant smoke flavor. Again, at the price point, it’s hard to expect perfection…but this smoke is a good value for the money.

Best Charcoal — Weber Smokey Mountain 22″

The Weber Smokey Mountain 22″ is well-built charcoal smoker that’s designed for one thing; smoking low and slow! The top end temperature rating is 275 degrees; which means smoking is your only option on this bad boy. You might consider this smoker a one-trick-pony, but it does that one trick at exceptional levels.

The smoker comes with top notch quality components, including porcelain enameled body parts, 2 cooking racks, built in lid thermometer, water pan, and even a charcoal chamber which helps consolidate fuel for an efficient burn.

Overall, it’s one of the best smokers for beginners if you want to smoke with charcoal and wood. As discussed elsewhere in this post, I recommend pellet smokers due to their ease of use when starting out.

However, I’ve owned a Weber Smokey Mountain in the past and wouldn’t trade my experiences and learnings from using it. Once you get the hang of adjusting the dampers and compensating for weather conditions, you can easily produce some quality smoky goodness…just not quite as easily as from a pellet smoker.

Food for thought: Weber is one of the premier names in all of grilling. They’ve built a reputation for good quality and staying power, with decades of sales for some of their core models (Kettle charcoal grill and Genesis gas grill).

Best budget — Recteq Bullseye

Multi-purpose products, as the name implies, tend to do multiple things. However, these products usually don’t excel at any one task. The Recteq Bullseye (RT-380) breaks that stereotype!

The Recteq Bullseye (RT-380) is highly versatile as an outdoor cooker, with almost endless possibilities. You can smoke a pork butt at 225 degrees for 12 hours, smoke/bake a pizza at 400 degrees, or sear a steak at over 700 degrees! Whether smoking, grilling, searing, baking or even dehydrating, the Bullseye does all of these things well!

A major benefit of the Recteq Bullseye is that most accessories made for other 22″ round grills will work in the Bullseye. The Weber Kettle grill is one of the best selling grills of all time and has A LOT of accessories available on the market (various grates, racks, etc). A significant amount of accessories designed to fit the Weber Kettle 22″ grill will also work for the Recteq Bullseye.

Best super cheap — Weber Kettle Premium 22″

Weber Kettles have been around a long time; evidenced by a 70 year anniversary model Weber sells on their website. I don’t think any list of best smokers for a beginner would be complete without some sort of nod to Weber Kettles; especially when it comes to smoking or grilling with charcoal.

The Weber Kettle Premium 22″ is the best bang for your buck if you are on a tight budget and really want to tinker with a live fire smoking (wood, lump charcoal, or charcoal briquettes). The grill is not designed to smoke low and slow; it’s more of a grill you can rig up to smoke (2-zone cooking setup is easiest and cheapest). As such, it requires more attention to monitor and maintain temperatures than other smokers on this list.

Similar to the previously mentioned Weber Smokey Mountain, the Weber Kettle Premium 22″ comes with high quality components. You’ll get a porcelain enameled body and lid, one 22″ cooking rack that’s hinged to allow for easily adding charcoal or wood during a cook, nice thermometer built into lid, and a damper on the lid for adjusting air flow and temperature.

Base model Weber Kettles have a small tray underneath to catch ashes with no protection from the elements. Wind can easily wreak havoc and spread these ashes all over the place. The Weber Kettle Premium One-Touch cleaning system solves this issue. The ash catcher is pretty much enclosed, providing protection from wind which adds a huge convenience factor over base-models.

Food for thought: Weber is one of the premier names in all of grilling. They’ve built a reputation for good quality and staying power, with decades of sales for some of their core models (Kettle charcoal grill and Genesis gas grill).

Factors to consider:

What’s your budget?

When friends ask me for recommendations, this is the first question I ask. Whether you have a couple hundred dollars or thousands to spend, one thing is for sure, the amount of money you decide to spend on a smoker will greatly impact the features you are able to obtain.

Very similar to a vehicle, you can get a bare bones version that get’s you from point A to B. Or you can spend almost unlimited money for all sorts of bells, whistles, and conveniences.

Years ago, I spent $40 on what I would have called my first “smoker”. To call it a smoker is a bit of a misnomer. It was the really just the cheapest little square charcoal grill I could find at my local big box store; which I thought meant it was a smoker! I didn’t understand anything about smokers, temperature controls, indirect heat, etc.

My recommendation is to spend as much as you can afford! Just to get in the game at a basic level you need to get your head around spending $250 – $300 minimum for the smoker only; not to mention all the smoking/grilling accessories you are sure to set your sights on!

Key features to make things easier:

Key Feature	Why is it important for beginners?
Temperature Control	The ability to control and monitor the temperature is crucial to achieving perfect smoking results. The less you have to monitor and adjust your smoker, the better.
Build Quality and Material	A solidly build smoker can last a lifetime! Look for durable materials that can withstand both high and low temperatures.
Size and Capacity	Consider the amount of food you will be smoking and the space you have available to store the smoker. There’s a common saying in BBQ that goes like this, “No one ever says they wish they had got a smaller smoker (or grill)”. Don’t skimp here!!
Ease of Use and Cleaning	Choose a smoker that is easy to use and clean, with detachable parts for easy access and maintenance.

Types of Smokers:

There are five main types of smokers for beginners to choose from; electric, charcoal, pellet, propane and offset smokers. There are more “types” of smokers (Kamado Grills, Kettle Grills, etc) but those are really sub-categories…

Electric Smokers

These are descent smokers for beginners. They eliminate the guesswork out of smoking, as they maintain the temperature and take care of the cooking for you. They’re also very easy to use and require minimal attention. Some electric smokers also have digital thermometers and timers that will allow you to monitor the temperature of the meat as it’s being smoked. Many electric smokers don’t require wood or charcoal, which can also make your experience less messy.

Charcoal Smokers

These smokers are often the most affordable and beginner-friendly of all the smokers. They use a straightforward cooking system, which involves the use of wood and charcoal, followed by slow-cooking the meat over several hours. They’re relatively easy to use, but it may take some experimentation to get the hang of temperature control. That said, nothing beats the authentic flavor of wood and charcoal.

Pellet Smokers

Pellet smokers (also referred to as Pellet Grills) are a step up from electric smokers but are an excellent choice for beginners. These smokers use wood pellets to generate the smoke and maintain the temperature throughout the cooking process. The pellet hopper also holds enough pellets to smoke for hours, making it easier to attend to other things.

Propane Smokers

Propane smokers are relatively easy to use and inexpensive compared to wood or charcoal smokers. They work by heating the propane to produce the smoke, which will cook the meat low and slow. They’re perfect for people who don’t want to commit to wood or charcoal but want to achieve that smoky flavor and texture.

Offset Smokers

Offset smokers are basically a sub-category of charcoal smokers, as they require the use of charcoal and/or wood. They may be a bit more challenging for beginners to use since they’re harder to control temperature.

However, if you want that outdoorsy smoking experience and don’t mind the extra effort, this smoker might be a good choice for you.

What type of smoker should a beginner get?

If you ask 10 different folks who love to smoke food, you will probably receive 10 different answers to this question! While there are a lot of biases, I personally recommend a Pellet Smoker to anyone who will listen.

I’ve smoked a ton on Weber charcoal smokers and Kamado/Ceramic smokers. Once I discovered Pellet Smokers, it completely changed the game for me! It’s the closest thing to “set and forget” you will come across that still delivers intense, delicious smoky goodness.

Accessories and Tools for Beginner Smokers

The key to an enjoyable smoking experience is having all the necessary accessories and tools at your disposal. Having these items can help you hone your skills as a smoker, while guaranteeing that every time you ignite it up, the results will meet expectations.

Thermometers

Monitoring the internal temperature of your food and smoker is critical for any smoker, making a reliable thermometer an essential tool.

There are multiple types are available including analogue BBQ thermometers, wireless meat probes (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth), instant-read digital devices or infrared sensors, each having its own pros and cons.

I personally use, and highly recommend, the Thermapen One by Thermoworks. I’ve been through multiple cheaper thermometers and had bad experiences. The Thermapen is 100% worth the money.

Tongs and Grilling Tools

A good set of smoking tools is essential to successful grilling and one must-have tool are tongs. Examples of great options for smokers include the OXO Good Grips 16-Inch Grilling Tongs and Weber 18″ Grill Tongs, which should both be comfortable as well as made from sturdy materials so they can stand up against regular use over time.

Not only do these tools help you avoid accidental burns or messes when flipping, turning, or moving food items in a smoker (alongside other grill utensils like spatulas and forks) but using them also promotes safe handling practices overall!

Smoking Racks and Trays

Maximizing cooking space efficiency involves selecting the right smoking racks and trays for your smoker. These accessories are made from a sturdy material, such as stainless steel. They come in various shapes and sizes to suit different types of food.

Among them we have rib racks that can hold multiple batches at once, while more substantial meat cuts should be smoked on specially designed smoke racks ideal also for transporting or resting it afterwards. Smaller items like vegetables or fish could go into trays tailored exactly with those needs in mind .

By choosing suitable components you get much better results depending on what kind of products you want to cook using your smoker device.

Conclusion for Best Smoker for a Beginner:

Smoking is an exciting cooking method that enhances flavor, even for beginners. Choosing the best smoker for you as a beginner is about finding the right balance between ease of use, affordability, and authentic smoky flavor.

While there’s no one-size-fits-all smoker for everyone, the choices above are undoubtedly some of the best smokers on the market. Remember, get the smoker that fits your cooking style and needs.

With the proper tools, experimentation, patience, and a little bit of creativity, you’ll be having delicious and mouth-watering food in no time that’s sure to impress your family and friends. So, go ahead and start your smoking journey today!

More great resources from New Creation Food:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a pellet or electric smoker better?

Those who crave a robust, intense taste should opt for pellet grills. Electric smokers are perfect if you’re seeking out that subtle smoky flavor. Both types of cooking appliances have their advantages and it is important to consider which one fits your needs best.

What type of smoker gives the best flavor?

For the best taste, wood smokers are recommended by experts as the ideal choice. Charcoal also has its place for smoking food but it is Agreed upon that wood gives off a more flavorful

What is the easiest type of smoker for beginners to use?

Electric smokers are perfect for those just starting out, providing simple and precise temperature control that allows you to set the desired heat level and leave it without worrying about any Adjustment.

How do I choose the right wood chips for my smoker?

When it comes to using wood chips for smoking, the type of food being cooked and flavor desired are factors to consider. Hickory, mesquite, apple, cherry or oak can be used depending on preference as these all provide distinct notes when added during cooking processes.

What is the most important factor in maintaining a consistent temperature while smoking?

In order to ensure consistent smoking temperatures, the ability to accurately regulate temperature and adjust air circulation is paramount. A trustworthy thermometer becomes indispensable in achieving this goal.

Monitoring these elements regularly will help guarantee a smooth experience every time you light up!