Offset smokers are designed with a large cooking space so that they can be used at large family functions. So, it is always great to end up with the best offset smoker so that you can enjoy using it during those family functions. That being said, sometimes it is hard to end up with the right model as there are many styles and types of offset smokers available.
We have selected the top 5 units in the market right now so that you have an easier time settling for one. However, we first start by looking at the offset smoker buying guide.
Top 5 Best Offset Smoker Reviews by Consumer Reports
Dyna-Glo DGO117BDC-D Charcoal Offset Smoker
The first thing you will admire about this smoker should be its construction. It comes made of heavy gauge porcelain enameled steel. This type of steel will deliver on the best durability important for a smoker.
The smoker also features a heavy duty cast iron burner delivering an impressive 15,000 BTU. This kind of output should be enough to handle most of your cooking needs. The presence of an electronic pulse ignition system further helps with reliable and quick ignition all the time.
How about the cooking area? This smoker features an impressive 784 square inches of total smoking area. As a result, the space is enough to smoke up to 100 pounds of food at any time. Such a cooking area makes the smoker good for those who need to host a large group of people.
The smoker itself weighs 57lbs. In comparison to other smokers, you should find it being relatively lightweight. Such a weight makes it easy for you to move the smoker to your preferred location.
You will love the dual door design that comes with the unit. This type of design helps to minimize the heat loss on overall when you are adding wood chips to the smoker. The heat is also maintained at the preferred level throughout the smoking process.
As part of improving durability, the heavy duty steel is covered with a powder coat finish. The powder coat finish is able to withstand high temperatures and last for a long time.
The adjustable flue on the unit allows for cooking within the right temperature that you need. Simply adjust the flue to have the right temperature in the smoker.
Pros
- The smoker has the best durability
- The model has a large smoking area
- The unit is powder coated to ensure durability
Cons
- Poor customer service complaints are common
Char-Griller E1224 Smokin Pro 830 Square Inch Charcoal Grill
You can never go wrong with this model thanks to its solid construction. The manufacturer uses heavy-duty steel that is also powder coated to ensure the best durability. Even if you use it for years, you will notice minimal wear. As for the grill, it is made out of cast iron. This gives your food a wonderful sear that you will always like, especially when grilling.
The user of this smoker is in total control of the unit’s temperature and heat. This is because it comes with an adjustable heat gage and fire grate. These two help you to turn up or down the heat depending on the needs. You can turn it down when you just want to keep the food warm.
With a cooking surface of 580 square inches, it should be a perfect smoker for a medium family. You never have to worry about finding another suitable smoker for the price and cooking area.
If you were worried about storage, then that should not be a problem anymore. In addition to the large cooking area, you still get 250 square inches of a side firebox. This firebox should be great for you to achieve the Texas smoke flavor. It also comes with adjustable dampers and fire grate so that you can adjust the temperature to a point where it works with your application.
How about cleaning? That is a common question for someone who needs a smoker. Well, this one has an easy dump ash pan. This should make it easy for you to empty the ash from the unit to keep it clean. Also, overall cleaning of the other surfaces is not demanding.
Pros
- It comes with wheels for better mobility
- The total 830 square inches of cooking area is large
- It is easy to adjust the heat and temperature
Cons
- It is quite heavy
Char-Broil American Gourmet Offset Smoker
This unit is versatile since it is a combination of an offset smoker, BBQ, and a charcoal grill. As a result, the unit can be tailored to work based on your needs for a smoker or the other mentioned functions. It is amazing how it can be those three things and remain good for each one of them.
Because it is made out of heavy gauge steel, it should be easy to see why people would want to own it. They know that the unit will last for long without them having to worry about replacing it. Also, the use of square legs in the construction process makes the unit stable and sturdy. It should be something that many people love to see.
To make mobility easier and better, this unit comes with heavy duty wheels. You simply have to pick it up and push it to where you want to host your party.
Another great feature should be the cool-touch handles. Even if the unit has been on for a while, the handles remain cool. This allows you to easily open the grill and inspect the smoking process of your meat.
The cooking area of 290 square inches combined with 140 square inches of a warming rack is really good. You should have enough space to prepare smoked meat for your family. If you opt for the route of burgers, then the unit can comfortable grill up to 18 burgers.
The unit allows for ease of controlling the temperature. This is through the use of the adjustable chimney vent. It should also help keep the smoke under control just as you want.
Pros
- Impressive steel construction for durability
- It is easy to adjust the heat and temperature
- The handles remain cool even after using it for hours
Cons
- The inner paint tends to peel quickly
Oklahoma Joe’s Charcoal/Smoker/LP Gas Combo
If the other units above did not have the best cooking space you need, then go for this one. The unit has a total cooking space of 1060 square inches. This is enough to give you the right amount of room to cook anything that you want.
The best part is that with all that cooking area, the unit is still a combination of a smoker, charcoal grill, and an LP Gas unit. Such versatility helps the user to switch from one function to another with ease. You never have to worry about buying a separate unit just to achieve certain functions.
The burners deliver an impressive output of 36,000 BTUs in total. This should be enough to handle all your cooking needs that you might be having. In addition, the electronic ignition should make it easy to turn on the burners whenever they are needed.
Another good thing you will love about the unit should be its smoke and heat control. This is because the unit comes with multiple dampers in the smoking chamber and firebox. You can now play around with these dampers to end up with the perfect mix of smoke and heat for your application.
The storage shelf comes in handy for you to store any cooking utensils that you need close all the time. It can still be used to store extra fuel depending on the method of cooking you prefer.
Pros
- It is a highly versatile unit to use
- It allows for the best smoke and heat control
- The unit comes with cool touch handles
Cons
- It is too heavy
Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Offset Smoker
The model is known for its reverse flow technology. This technology will simply force the smoke to pass over your meat that you need to smoke and then back again before it exits through the chimney. This is one feature that helps to provide you with even heating and smoking of the meat.
The chimney is also adjustable. This is thanks to having dampers in it. You can now adjust the dampers depending on your temperature needs. The dampers help regulate the temperature by adjusting the airflow. Also, the baffles located under the grate will direct smoke and heat under the meat and additionally over the top of the meat. As you can see, this leads to even cooking.
When it comes to construction, you will love the steel material used to make the smoker. It is worth noting that the whole unit is made of steel even the wheels. For such a construction, you are looking at a heavy smoker. It is total weight is around 200 pounds. For such a weight, it is better the wheels are made of steel too. Even for its weight, it should be easy to move the unit thanks to having these wheels.
As for the cooking space, the unit comes with a total of 619 square inches of space. Well, it might not be the largest cooking area, but it is still enough to smoke enough amount of meat and other foods.
With the presence of a thermometer in the unit, it will be easy to know which spot is the hottest and the current temperature. The manufacturer also left a spot on the unit where you can insert a second thermometer.
Pros
- High quality steel construction
- It comes fixed with a thermometer
- The unit has durable wheels to support its weight
Cons
- It might be too heavy for some users
How to Choose the Best Offset Smoker
Heavy metal construction
The construction of any smoker is supposed to be tailored towards durability. The last thing you want is to end up with a model that breaks down in a short time. The metal is also supposed to withstand the heat generated from the firebox. This makes it work great for years without having to replace it. In most cases, offset smokers are made of steel metal.
Ventilation
Ventilation is important for proper distribution of heat and smoke. It is the reason you have to consider getting yourself the best smoker that delivers good ventilation. The smoker should also offer you the option of adjusting heat and smoke. This will be done mostly through the use of dampers and a heat grate.
The paint job
The paint should also be great to withstand the heat. In this case, you need to use heat resistant paint. When the paint cannot hold up to the heat, then it will start to chip off. You will soon end up exposing the metal that might rust considering you will mostly keep the smoker outdoors.
Thermometer
The temperature of an offset smoker is really important. This is because it helps you determine if the meat is ready or not. It will be great if the unit that you buy comes with the thermometer installed with the option of even adding a second one.
Cooking space
This might be the most important feature for most people. It is expected that models will have varying sizes of cooking space. It is the reason you have to consider your needs first. If the unit will majorly be used by a small family, then buying a small unit will be perfect and vice versa.
Versatility
A good unit is supposed to give you versatility. This is where it can be used as a BBQ grill or a smoker or any other function. With such versatility, you would not have to buy different units to achieve different capabilities when just one will do fine.
Conclusion
Even if you are a newbie to offset smokers, right now you have an idea of what would be the best smoker for you. It is always great if you take your time to check out several models first before picking the best offset smoker. At least this way you know what you are buying is the best option available.