If you’re new to BBQ, the types of smokers on the market can be rather overwhelming.
There are several different styles and fuel sources and price points. It’s hard to fully grasp, which ones are good smokers for beginners.
As a champion pitmaster, I have cooked on dozens of grills – from the easiest to use to ones that require a lot of heat management. These are my top four picks for people just starting out.
What to look for in a beginner smoker
If you’re new to smoking, I always suggest starting with a grill that has digital controls and built-in fans. These features automatically adjust airflow and fuel to maintain steady grill temps.
If you’re using a more traditional grill without these tools, you’ll need to adjust the air vents manually to control oxygen and temperature.
When you don’t have to worry about nursing a fire, you can master proper seasoning and learning the ideal internal temperatures for different foods.
Pellet Grills and Pellet Smokers
Pellet grills and smokers have taken the grilling industry by storm. This is due in large part to how easy they are to use. It’s almost as easy as turning on your oven.
You simply fill a box (called a hopper) with wood pellets. Then, plug the grill in and adjust a digital control to set the grill to your desired temperature. An auger feeds the pellets into the fire pot, and a fan blows to help circulate heat.
An internal temperature probe communicates to a computer, which tells the controls when it needs more pellets and air.
There is no fussing with air intake vents or exhausts. And pellets are rather clean and leave very little ash, making cleanup a breeze.
What to look for in a pellet grill
Pellet grills range widely in price. The lower priced models are usually made with thinner steel, so they don’t hold heat as well. The cheaper models also don’t always have seals around the lid which can cause heat to escape.
If you want a pellet grill that will last for several years, plan on spending at least $1,000. These are usually made to last and include extra features like apps that allow you to adjust your grill from your phone.
Who should buy a pellet smoker
Pellet smokers are ideal for people who want consistent, hands-off smoking with the push of a button. They’re great for low-and-slow cooks like brisket, ribs and pork shoulder, and they hold temperature well.
If you value convenience and don’t mind cooking with indirect heat, a pellet smoker is a solid choice.
Just know that pellet grills don’t deliver the same smoky flavor as charcoal, and they’re not built for high-heat searing. Also, pellets must be kept dry, so you’ll need a good storage setup if you live in a wet climate.
My favorite pellet grill
I have cooked on several different brands of pellet grills, and my favorite to date is recteq. I’m impressed by the quality of their manufacturing, the functionality of the smoker’s app and the customer service and warranty.
Gravity Fed Charcoal Grills
If you’re looking for the ease of a pellet grill but the flavor of charcoal, a gravity fed charcoal grill (also called an auto-feed charcoal smoker) is the best option.
These function like pellet grills, but instead of adding wood pellets to the hopper, you add lump charcoal or charcoal briquets. Then, you light the coals and adjust the digital temperature control.
There is no auger mechanism, but there is still a probe and a fan. The fan kicks on to add oxygen to the coals when the probe tells the computer more heat is needed.
As the coals burn, the ashes fall into a bucket below the hopper. They can easily be dumped out at the end of the cook.
What to look for in a gravity fed grill
Only a few companies currently manufacture gravity fed grills at a consumer price point: Masterbuilt and Oklahoma Joes. They range in price from $600-$1,500. The price variance mainly comes down to the size of the grill.
You’ll need to decide if you just want to cook one brisket or a few steaks, or if you’re more likely going to be smoking several racks of ribs or pork butts. Personally, I recommend getting a grill a little larger than you think you’ll need.
Who should buy a gravity fed smoker
If you love the flavor of charcoal-cooked barbecue and want a smoker that’s easy to use without constantly tending a fire, a gravity-fed smoker might be your perfect match.
It offers incredible smoke flavor, simple temperature control and is one of my absolute favorite grills for backyard smoking.
Just keep in mind: if you live somewhere that restricts charcoal use or if you prefer gas or pellets, this may not be the best fit.
My favorite gravity fed grill
I love my Masterbuilt Gravity Series XT. It’s the right size for smoking enough food for a large family get together. The controls and features were upgraded since the 1050 version, making it even easier to use. And the app is amazing and connects to my phone perfectly every time.
Electric Smokers
There are a few different styles of electric smokers. These produce heat with electricity, not charcoal, wood or pellets. They’re like an electric oven, but here’s where they differ.
With electric smokers, you can add wood chips, pellets or bisquettes (which are wood shavings shaped into a puck) to produce smoke.
Because the smoke is an added element and not the heat source, the smoky flavor is rather mild. Also, electric smokers rarely produce smoke rings because there isn’t enough nitric oxide.
Electric smokers start at a much lower price point, so if you just want to experiment with smoking these are a great place to start.
What to look for in an electric smoker
Size is an important factor. If you just plan to grill a beef brisket flat or a single rack of ribs, you can get a smaller smoker like a Ninja. If you plan to cook several wraps of ribs and multiple pork butts, consider a vertical electric smoker.
Who should buy an electric smoker
If you want something with a smaller footprint or you’re not able to burn charcoal where you live, an electric smoker is right for you.
If you’re looking for the true authentic flavor of barbecue and a solid smoke ring, spend a few hundred dollars more for a different style of grill.
My favorite electric smoker
I’m a fan of the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill. It’s compact and portable, which makes it nice for cooking smaller meals and its versatile. In addition to being a smoker, it’s also a grill, air fryer, dehydrator and broiler.
If you’re 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 GE Profile Indoor Smoker. It’s electric and adds smoke flavor with wood pellets.
Gas Smokers
New to the market for 2025 is the Ninja FlexFlame. This is the first propane gas grill that also offers a smoker feature. It has a small wood pellet hopper on the side of the grill.
You ignite the burners, choose your temperature and setting, and if you want smoke, you add pellets and push the Woodfire Technology button. The pellets will smoke and a fan blows the smoke into the grill.
Like an electric smoker, the smoke is mild and won’t create a smoke ring.
You can also get a similar effect by using a regular gas grill and adding pellets or wood chips to a foil pouch or tube. That process is just a little more manual.
What to look for in a gas smoker
There aren’t really many options out there right now in this category. If you already have a gas grill, try the foil pouch method first to see if that’s a strong enough smoke flavor for you.
If you don’t have a grill at all, starting with a gas grill that also has the smoker feature, is an excellent choice. You can turn the smoke on or off as you desire.
If you have a natural gas connection and prefer to use that for your gas grill, you’ll have to pass on the FlexFlame for now. It only comes in propane.
Who should buy a gas smoker?
If you plan to grill more than you plan to smoke, I would go with a gas smoker. This grill is great at searing steaks, hamburgers and chicken breasts. But it’s also great at smoking big cuts of meats.
It doesn’t have an app feature or built-in meat probes, so you will have to monitor the cook from the grill.
My favorite gas smoker
For years, I’ve used the foil pouch technique. But now I find it so much easier to cook on my Ninja FlexFlame. You just add pellets, set it and get cooking.
There are obviously several other styles of smokers out there like offset smokers, drum smokers, kamado grills and even kettle grills. These are each great in their own ways, but most require manual adjustments to smoke food.
No matter which type of smoker you choose, the key is to get comfortable with your equipment and enjoy the process.
