Buying a piece of cooking equipment is always a concern. The expectation from an object to enhance our dish is beyond imagination. The products in focus today are — best smokers under $500.
Hours of extensive research and tasting meats of all kinds — here is our review. The products listed here are ideal for all types of smokers — beginner or highly skilled. Without further adieu, below is the list of best smokers under the price of 500 dollars.
Best Smokers Under $500
2021’s hot buys are as follows. To give your guests a taste of your mouth-watering favorites meals, go ahead and pick one that fits your bill and your style of cooking.
1. Weber 22-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker, Charcoal Smoker
The first in the list of Best Smokers Under $500 is the Weber 22-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker is the best of the lot. This charcoal smoker is a highly-rated model currently dominating the smokers’ market under the price tag of $500. The fuel door of the smoker can be removed to add charcoal and wood easily. The smoker features a built-in temperature grommet that tracks the temperature of the unit.
This smoker boasts two steel-plated racks, allowing you to smoke multiple foods simultaneously. The smoker stands steadily on three rust-resistant metal legs, making it ideal for a comfy and lively outdoor smoking session. Moreover, by sporting a bullet-like design — this smoker saves a ton of space.
Weber’s Smokey Mountain series is a versatile smoker that is a notch above other conventional smokers available on the market. Despite a few flaws, this smoker manages to draw the attention of both beginners and skilled smokers.
2. Char-Broil Vertical Gas Smoker
Char-Broil’s Vertical Gas Smoker is an inexpensive, full of features propane smoker that lets you smoke your favorite food with ease. This smoker boasts three chrome-plated grates, offering a total of 595 square inches of cooking surface.
The smoker comes with adjustable dampers, which allow you to control the temperature of the smoker. Furthermore, there is a lid-mounted temperature gauge coupled with cool-touch handles to move the grill at your convenience.
This unit includes a double drawer that provides access to tender water and wood without losing any heat. The Char-Broil Smoker does bring out the smoky flavor to your meat, all you need to do is add wood chips and the feast is ready.
3. Z Grills ZPG-550B
The Z Grills ZPG-550B is a popular two-in-one machine with the ability to smoke and grill conveniently. The enticing black matte finish and aggressive look captivates the grill masters and the onlookers as well. This unit is driven by wood pellet technology, giving the proper smokiness to all kinds of foods.
This smoker cum grill comes with 550 square inches of cooking surface, which offers a sufficient amount of space to cook your favorite meat or veggies. There is a ten-pound hopper capacity that can cater to a small crowd with smoky barbecuing. The smoker features a waste oil container that is easy in cleaning.
Also Read: The Best Pellet Smoker Grill Reviews
4. Dyna-Glo GW1904BDP-D Gas Smoker
Dyna-Glo is undeniably a brand that has saved the hours and efforts of smoke masters. This smoking unit runs on liquid propane gas and can be set to a maximum of 350-degrees Fahrenheit. This piece of smoking equipment comes with 1,235 square inches of cooking surface and six adjustable racks.
The smoker has sausage hooks and a removable rib rack, allowing you to cook with more flexibility. For quick and easy lighting, this model is equipped with a push-button and electronic ignition. Also, there is a “smoke zone” on the temperature gauge that indicates the suitable smoke flavor temperature.
The Dyna-Glo GW1904BDP-D comes with a large wood chip container and water bowl, both of which are steel-coated to add maximum smoke flavor to your food.
5. Barton Vertical 18” Charcoal Smoker
The Barton Vertical Charcoal Smoker is an underrated smoking kit that arrives with an 18-inch smoking surface. Besides smoking, this model is ideal for grilling, roasting, steaming, and BBQing. The smoker comes with dual-tiers of smoking racks, which have ample space to smoke fish, meats, veggies, and a large-sized chicken.
The smoker features a dual air vent system that controls the flow of heat and smoke. This system is effortless in managing the heat since it can be opened or closed with ease. The temperature gauge monitors the temperature and is relatively easy to read.
Sporting a vertical barrel design, the Barton Vertical Charcoal Smoker does a fine job distributing the heat evenly across the smoking chamber. The major bummer of using this is the — lack of tires to move this across the floor.
6. Green Mountain Davy Crockett Pellet Grill
Green Mountain’s Davy Crockett is a portable, digital-advanced smoker with features that give high-end models a run for their money. This smoker is powered with Sense-Mate, a thermal sensor that tracks the grill’s temperature.
The smoker can be paired with your smartphone using WiFi connectivity. This model features a pellet hopper with an automatic auger, allowing pellets fed into the firebox for smooth burning.
7. Z Grills ZPG-450A Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Another model from a much-popular smoker house is the ZPG-450A from Z Grills. The smoker has a whopping cooking surface of 450 square inches, spacious enough to smoke for a small house party. This is an eight-in-one unit and is rust-resistant, meaning it can be left out on your patio in all weathers.
The smoker is supplied with all-terrain wheels for easy moving around your apartment. This unit can be set from anywhere between 180 to 450-degrees F, allowing you to smoke, bake, roast, grill, sear, braise, and BBQ.
8. Masterbuilt 20070910 Electric Digital Smoker
Last on the Best Smokers Under $500 is the Masterbuilt 20070910 Electric Digital Smoker. This smoker has a mammoth cooking surface of 730 square inches spanning four chrome-coated racks. This model is supplied with a digital control panel that is beginner-friendly and easy to operate. The panel allows you to control the temperature and time of the unit.
The wood chip box is located on the side, which becomes very easy to access the tray while the smoker is operating. The smoker comes with an 800-watt power supply that is ideal for smoking all types of meats.
The Masterbuilt 20070910 has an air damper that controls the internal temperature and a removable drip pan to collect water droplets. Overall, this is a great smoking gear that comprises top-quality features at an affordable price tag.
Also Read: A Guide To Buying The Best Smoking Pellets
CONCLUSION
Picking the right cooking gear always invites chaos and questions. To sum up our list of the best smokers under $500, we give you two hot picks — Weber 22-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker, Charcoal Smoker, and the Char-Broil Vertical Gas Smoker. These are available well within the price tag of $500 and come with a great spec. sheet.
Want to clear the clutter and help with recommendations? Drop your suggestions in the comments below.
FAQs For The Best Smokers Under $500
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How different is smoking from grilling?
Smoking and grilling are two entirely different facets of cooking. Smoking is required for slow cooking via smoke of wood or charcoal at minimum temperatures. On the other hand, grilling is done at high temperatures by stoking heat in return for your food’s hardness.
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Is preheating required before starting a smoker?
Yes. Preheat does make a lot of difference in adding the flavor to your meat or veggies. It has to be done before adding the food to ignite the smoking process.
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What do I need to keep the smoker safe outside?
If you have recently purchased a smoker and have plans of leaving it outside — invest in a cover. The cover will safeguard your smoker under all weather conditions. Several brands include cover within the purchase, whereas some ask to purchase separately.