Barbecue snobs may argue that electric smokers “lack authenticity”, but don’t let this steer you away. Electric smokers have become increasingly popular over the years, and rightfully so.
As you can imagine, electric smokers run on electricity, but they can still prepare delicious smoked foods just as well as charcoal or wood smokers.
The main selling point for electric smokers is convenience. Generally, all you need to do is fill the water tray, toss in wood chips, plug in the unit, adjust the settings, let it reach temperature, and then add the food.
For this reason, electric smokers are an excellent choice for beginners – and especially ideal for people who have a low threshold for having to constantly monitor the temperature or putting up with finicky charcoal that won’t light!
Smokin-It Model #2 Electric Smoker
Building off the success of the prototype Model #1, the Smokin-It Model #2 has an even larger capacity, housing up to 35 lb. of food and has a replaceable 800-watt heating element (compared to the original 400 watts). With exceptional quality and craftsmanship, the insulated double wall makes this smoker better than most on the market, as it keeps heat inside, while the outside remains cool enough to touch bare handed. Completely portable with the four rubber casters and side handle grooves. You even get a sample of Smokin-It’s signature hickory wood to get you started!
Char-Broil Deluxe, Digital Electric Smoker
The electric Char-Broil Deluxe provides consistent, evenly distributed heat, and offers up to 8 hours of smoke. The large wood-chip box is more spacious than most and only needs to be loaded once. Cook smarter thanks to the digital enhancements of this unit’s control panel; with the touch of a few buttons, you can set it and forget it — and it will alert you when your pork belly is done. Know that your food is cooked to perfection by using the removable temperature probe. And perhaps it’s just personal preference, but we like that this one has a glass door which gives it a modern look, but more importantly, you can clearly see what’s going on inside.
DynaGlo 30″ Analog Electric Smoker
Some smoking experts prefer analog as opposed to digital smokers for their reliability. (Analog models tend not to break as easily as digital ones.) The Dyna-Glo Analog Electric Smoker is proof that you don’t need any fancy digital settings. Just turn it on and smoke the meat. Most electric smokers falls within the power range of one-thousand to twelve-hundred watts, but this unit has a monstrous 1500-watt burner. Its manual-controlled thermostat dial allows you to fine tune cooking temperatures to the degree that you believe they should be at, with guidance from the “smoke zone”, of course, which indicates ideal temperatures for infusing smoke.
Masterbuilt Bluetooth Smart Digital Electric Smoker, 30-Inch
You can’t have a conversation about electric smokers without mentioning Masterbuilt. And the way technology keeps advancing, it’s no surprise that the Masterbuilt Digital Bluetooth smoker lets your smartphone become a remote control for your cooking chamber. You can switch it on or off, monitor cooking temperature and time—the power is literally in your hands. Numerous customers have said that pairing the device is easy and the app is equally as uncomplicated to navigate. Need to check on things in the kitchen (or take a detour and grab a beer from the garage)? Not a problem! Just try to stay within range or else you’ll lose signal!
CUISINART COS-330 Smoker, 30″ Electric
The Cuisinart name is probably familiar to you due to the brand’s wide variety of kitchen appliances; and although this isn’t a blender or air fryer, we trust Cuisinart with our outdoor cooking needs. The COS-330 is a well-built smoker for the price tag. It has three removable, dishwasher-safe stainless steel racks that can fit large cuts of meat in its 548 sq. ft. space. This solid unit can produce temperatures up to 400°F, even despite cold, wet, or windy climates, and is easily controlled with a turn of the dial. If you live in an apartment or have limited space, this electric smoker could be the answer to your prayers.