Make the meal even more fun with a smoker
Smoker cook food at a low temperature and produce a distinctive smoky flavor. The key for smokers is to cook foods—ribs, brisket, chicken, fish, and even veggies—low and slow for optimal flavor. There are different types of smoker grills, including electric smokers, wood and charcoal smokers, and pellet smokers. Not sure which one is right for you? Read about our different smokers for sale to help you decide.
Types of BBQ smokers
Electric smokers: An electric smoker needs an outlet for electricity, so it’s not a good option if mobility is important to you. But one advantage of an electric smoker is that you never have to have propane on hand. Want to control the temperature and monitor your smoker from a smartphone or device? The Masterbuilt Electric Smoker (John McLemore Signature Series) is equipped with Bluetooth Smart technology so you can achieve perfect results anywhere.
Charcoal smoker: A charcoal smoker is the most traditional option and provides the authentic flavor that many grillers prefer. Charcoal smokers are generally less expensive than other types of smokers, but there are more expensive charcoal smokers on the market.
Pellet smoker: A pellet smoker offers the best of both worlds – electric power with the authentic taste that wood pellets offer. They are heated with wood pellets fed from a hopper and offer temperature control for long, slow smoking. Wood pellets are available in a variety of woods to impart unique flavors to foods.
Propane smokers: A propane smoker uses a propane tank or natural gas as fuel. It offers excellent heat management and can reach an ideal temperature relatively quickly. An advantage of a propane smoker is that it can be placed anywhere outside.
sizes and features
Smokers come in different sizes. At Lowes.com, you can buy smokers based on the number of cooking grates or the total smoking area (in square inches) that works best for you. Small smokers can provide enough food for a family, while some larger options can cook enough to feed an entire group. If you’re busy and can’t be home to watch your smoker all day, you might want to choose a meat smoker with smart technology that lets you turn the smoker on and off and monitor the temperature remotely. Digital controls, temperature and fuel gauges, meat probes and viewing windows are other features that make smoking fail safe.
Burner Heat Level 100°F to 320°F Fuel Type Propane
Material Metal, Steel Number of Racks 4
Color/Finish Hammered Red Overall Depth 22.83 inch
Overall Width 21.46 inch Overall Height 46.96 inch
Package Quantity 1 Product Type Gas Smokers
Total Cooking Area 720 Weight 54.23
Manufacturer Warranty 5 Year Limited Shipping Dimensions 31.00 H x 20.00 W x 17.00 D
Shipping Weight 63.0 lbs Return Policy Regular Return (view Return Policy)
The best propane smokers for 2022
If you want to make smoking as easy as possible, you should seriously consider purchasing a propane smoker.
They are among the cheapest types of smokers, achieve excellent flavor results, fit many foods at once and do not take up much space thanks to their vertical design.
We believe the Masterbuilt ThermoTemp XL is the best propane smoker for most people thanks to its large cooking capacity, thermostatic temperature control and smart features such as the access door for the deep fryer compartment.
There are many other good options out there though, so be sure to read through them and we’ll help you find the right smoker for your budget.
We also run through tips for getting the most out of your new gas smoker.
The best propane smokers in the test
1st Overall Winner – Master Built MPS ThermoTemp XL Propane Smoker
Masterbuilt’s latest propane smoker has been redesigned with a host of new features.
The most exciting new feature is the thermostatic temperature control, which controls the flow of gas to the burner, giving you a much more accurate temperature for smoking meats.
The MPS 340/G ThermoTemp XL gives you four chrome-plated grids for a total cooking capacity of 792 square inches.
There’s also the smaller 330G model, which can save you some cash. We recommend getting the larger XL model, especially if you plan on smoking whole briskets or ribs.
You can cook anywhere between 180 and 350F, which is perfect for low and slow. They can also get hot enough for a crispy skin when cooking chicken.
There’s a sensor that shuts off the gas flow when it detects the flame has gone out, which is a nice safety feature and especially useful on a windy day.
The single stainless steel burner puts out 15,7500 BTUs with a heat spreader over the burner to distribute the heat more evenly.
The chips compartment is placed on the bottom door, which is convenient and makes refilling chips quick and easy.
What we like:
Thermostatic Control for More Accurate Temperatures – Unlike many propane smokers that use cheap thermometers, the MPS ThermoTemp uses a thermostat mounted on the back of the smoker to communicate with the burner system, allowing for more accurate and stable temperatures.
LPG GAS TANK CONNECTION AND GAS TANK INDICATOR – The gas tank attaches to a bracket on the side of the smoker, making it easy to move the smoker. With the fuel gauge you can be sure that you won’t run out of propane while cooking.
TWO DOOR ACCESS – When you need access to the French fries compartment, you can open the bottom door without spreading out your grilled food. The fryer is cleverly connected to the door, making refilling very easy.
What we don’t like
Short warranty period – A one year warranty that doesn’t cover paintwork or rust is short, especially when you consider that other affordable brands like Pit Boss now offer 5 years.
Some minor build quality issues – I noticed the door didn’t seal particularly well and the model I ordered had a few minor dents.
There’s a window in the door so you don’t have to open the cooking chamber to look at your food.
There are two locking casters (and two regular wheels on the other side) so you can easily move the smoker around your deck.
- The Masterbuilt MPS 340/G has everything you need in a propane smoker; lots of space, great safety features and the patent pending thermostat control.
- 2nd Prize Winner – Camp Chef Smoke Vault 24″
- “Do you smoke meat or rob a bank?”
- This is the first thought that came to mind when we first saw the Camp Chef Smoke Vault.
With its striking design and low price, we had to know more.
Camp Chef has been around for over 20 years and manufactures a huge range of outdoor cooking equipment including grills, pizza ovens and smokers.
The Smoke Vault comes in a smaller 18-inch model, but we’ve never regretted having the extra space, and the price difference isn’t even that big.
In a world of cheap, poorly insulated gas smokers, the Smoke Vault stands out for its solid construction. While the door is a bit flimsy, everything else about this smoker feels sturdy.
The heavy steel bowl of wood chips is better built than we’ve seen in some of our other smoker reviews.
Because this smoker doesn’t have to babysit constantly, you don’t have to sit around drinking beer all day (if you want to sit outside and drink beer all day, go ahead and
Best Budget Propane Smoker – Cuisinart COS-244 Vertical 36″ Propane Smoker
Cuisinart is known for making kitchen appliances, so you may be surprised to learn that they sell a very popular propane smoker.
The COS-244 vertical propane smoker offers a lot, at an affordable price, with four removable 14 x 14 inch stainless steel cooking grates for a total cooking area of 784 square inches.
The design is similar to the other vertical smoke boxes we reviewed. You get two doors so you can easily add water and wood chips during cooking.
Unlike the first two smokers we reviewed, the Cuisinart COS-244 comes with a 3-year warranty.
Best Portable – Masterbuilt MPS 20B Patio-2 Portable Propane Smoker
There aren’t many options when it comes to portable propane smokers. This is surprising since propane is perfect for a tailgate or camping cook.
You’ll struggle to fit really large items in the MPS 20B Patio-2 (who came up with that name!), although Masterbuilt claims you can fit up to 4 chickens or two rib sticks.
The slats are on the narrow side, so a full rib slat would have to be cut to size.
You will need your own 1lb gas bottle. You can also purchase an adapter hose to run a 20lb cylinder.
Pit Boss 3 Series Vertical Gas Smoker
Pit Boss is known for offering affordable pellet grills. What most people don’t know is that they also offer two models of gas smokers.
- We’d ignore the 2 Series for its compact size (unless you want something portable). The vertical 3 Series hits the mark with 720 square inches of cooking space.
- You can smoke between 100°F – 350°, which is actually a wider range than our top pick.
- There are three grill grates, but if you’re cooking something big, you’ll need to remove at least one.
Other propane smokers worth considering
We’ve completed dozens of other smoker reviews that didn’t make our top 5, but are still worth considering. Here are some of the highlights:
Dyna-Glo 36″ Vertical LP gas smoker
If the Masterbuilt MPS 340/G is out of your price range, the Dyna-Glo 36″ offers quite a few features at a much lower price.
You still get 4 adjustable steel wire racks for a total of 784 square inches of cooking space.
There’s the double door system, which we always recommend, so you can access the wood chips without opening up your cooking area.
The temperature controller is similar to the Masterbuilt smoker, with a 15,000 BTU burner, electronic ignition button, and dial on the bottom of the smoker.
Char-Broil vertical propane smoker
- If you’re just thinking about starting to smoke, the price tags of the most recommended smokers might put you off.
- With any smoker in this price range you have to weigh the pros and cons.
- The Char-Broil propane smoker packs a lot of space into a small 2′ x 2′ x 4′ footprint.
- With a cooking area of 595 square inches there is plenty of room for rib sticks, just pay attention to how wide your cuts of meat get and consider grabbing some rib sticks to expand your capacity even more.
- It’s a heavy piece of equipment and the overall build is good for the price, although it won’t compete with some of the other smokers in this guide.
- The thermometer is somehow even worse than usual for built-in thermometers, so be sure to get a good thermometer setup.
- We’re not fans of the water trough design with room for wood in the middle (hello wet, stuffy mess!).
- Fortunately, you can fix this with a few simple tweaks, or just add your own little pan below.
- The good news is that this smoker often goes on sale, so you should be able to snag a bargain.
What should you look for in a propane smoker?
Propane smokers are actually quite easy to purchase. Unlike gas grills or pellet grills, which can be loaded with an insane amount of features (and marketing jargon), most pellet smokers have a similar design.
Here are some key features and potential issues to watch out for.
Two doors is best
You want to be able to access the wood chips without having to open the door to the main cooking area.
Most of the smokers in this guide use a two-door design. Sometimes you will find a smoker with a door, but the chips trays are loaded separately like the Smoke Hollow 44.
Note the smoke width
If you only look at the total surface area of the grill, caution is advised. Propane smokers boast a huge square inch surface area, while the actual width is quite narrow and won’t fit a full chest or rib rack.
The Camp Chef Smoke Vault we discussed earlier in this post is nice and wide and can fit a lot of food in one go.
Build quality and leaking doors
Many of these smokers are made of cheap, thin metal. The door to the cooking chamber can be particularly prone to leaks.
We’ve pointed out in the smoker reviews above which smokers have trouble leaking. It’s not a deal breaker as you can always make a simple modification and install a high temperature gasket.
A little leakage is not a problem and will not affect the quality of your food. Fortunately, propane is already incredibly cheap to run.
How propane smokers work
Like their cousin, the electric smoker, propane smokers use a very simple design. You will almost always see a gas burner connected to a propane tank at the bottom.
Image showing the different parts of a propane smoker
Closet styles are the most popular. Shelves for storing your food are stacked vertically above the water pan, wooden pan and gas burner. This explains why you might hear these ‘vertical smokers’.
Meathead takes a closer look at how a typical gas smoker works and why you should always look for a two-door smoker.
The pros and cons of buying a gas smoker
As we mentioned earlier, many of the pros and cons of buying a gas smoker are the same as buying an electric smoker.
Set it up and forget about smoking it – There is no question that gas smokers like electric smokers require much less maintenance than a charcoal or wood smoker
Simple temperature control – Related to ease of use, most gas smokers have push button ignition and simple temperature control
There are also some benefits that make cooking with propane unique.
More Portable – If you don’t have an electric generator, don’t take your electric smoker with you. Propane bottles are much easier to carry around camping or on the tailgate.
Better smoked taste Although not suitable for cooking with charcoal or wood, the general consensus is that gas gives a better taste than electric.
More reliable – Less chance of going wrong than an electric smoker. And because they don’t rely on electricity, they are more reliable and provide a good back-up if the power goes out in your home.
However, gas smokers are not without problems. Some possible problems are:
Sometimes you need to change the propane tank during a long cook – you can minimize this by always starting with a full tank and making sure you have a few spare tanks on hand. While this isn’t really any different than refilling the charcoal, it does give electric smokers an advantage for convenience.
Some models run on the narrow side – Makes it difficult to fit larger cuts of meat such as a whole turkey or large breast. In our best gas smoker reviews above, we commented on the width for each smoker.
- While this last point is not unique to this type of smoker, there seem to be a large number of cheap smokers that give off heat and smoke.
- Poor insulation makes it extremely difficult to maintain a long and stable cooking process.
- Get as much smoke out of your propane smoker as possible
- When you buy a propane smoker, you get ease of use for a nice price at the expense of quality.
The most common problems people encounter are related to cheap construction. If you look at the price compared to some other smokers, it’s understandable.
