How Expensive is a Smoker?
How expensive are typical smokers?
Meat smokers range quite a bit in price. Staying in the range of a ‘backyard smoker’, you can get something for as little as $50 at your local hardware store, or spend well over $1000 for something with a larger capacity and more features. I’ll try to break down some of the different features you’ll get in each price range. I’d suggest filtering this information through how you plan to use it. When I started, I just wanted to figure out what this hobby was all about, so the super cheap electric brinkmann I started with was perfect (until it broke of course). I then realized that I loved the hobby, and wanted something that would allow me to cook a larger quantity of meat, as well as open up some flexibility in what I cooked. The Cookshack SM008 was a perfect fit for what I needed.
There is no right answer here. All smokers in all ranges are capable of creating amazing food.
Low end ($50-125):
These smokers are what I would consider starter smokers. They allow you to slow cook meat, but don’t afford you a lot of the controls and features that a middle or high end smoker provide. One feature I see left out quite often is a thermometer to measure the temperature of the cooking chamber. This can be quite frustrating as smoking requires an even temperature. The problem is easily solved by purchasing a thermometer, its just a nice feature to have that this range doesn’t often come with.
Another thing to consider is build quality – especially if you plan to purchase an electric smoker. My first smoker was in this category and put out some fantastic food. What I quickly realized however, was that my ability to cook (and the quality of my food) was significantly influenced by the weather outside. On a hot day, food would cook too quickly, and on a cold evening, it wouldn’t cook at all! This was because the metal used wasn’t insulated, and the heating element was set to 225º at all times. Unfortunately the weather added or subtracted temperature.
Overall, these smokers are capable of producing a great product, but they tend not to last as long as the slightly more expensive smokers, and leave some features out that can make you frustrated.
Medium end ($150-300):
This is a fantastic price range to buy a smoker in my opinion. You can get something that will last you a long time, but also provides you the tools you need to succeed in smoking meat. For the charcoal smoker, the Smokey Mountain Smoker (SMS) is a great option. I have read nothing but rave reviews for the thing, and if I decide to dabble in the live fire smoking world, this would be the unit I purchase. It tends to run around $300, but can be found for less.
If you are considering an electric smoker, this would be the price range that I would strongly encourage you start at. Because your heat is completely dependent on the quality of the heating element and the insulation of the unit, the low end units tend to make it quite a bit harder to get the results you are looking for. Masterbuilt makes a quality smoker that can typically be found for around $200, though I’ve seen it for as little as $129. The key feature to note for the electric smokers in this range is the insulation. Good insulation for an electric smoker means you have more control over the consistency of the cooking temperature, as well as the ability to smoke in various weather conditions.
If at all possible, I would suggest this range as the ideal starting point for someone interested in meat smoking.
High end ($400+):
So, what do you get for the extra coin? For the charcoal smoker, you get a more space, and improved design. At its core, live fire smoking is all the same. Make a fire, add wood for smoke, and control the temperature. These higher end smokers are typically designed by people who have been smoking for years – often in competitions. They understand how smoking works, and they develop very effective units for controlling the temperatures. Some even offer controlled wood feeding mechanisms so you don’t have to sit an babysit the meat. It adds more fuel to the fire as needed.
On the electric smoker front, you get significantly improved build quality. That shows up in the build of the unit itself (how well the parts are welded together), the consistency of the heating unit, and the longevity of the unit. I own a Cookshack Smokette SM008 and absolutely love it. It is so well insulated that I can smoke meat through a 17º evening and get the same results as when I smoke on a 70º and if I were to smoke on a 115º day. Compared to the low end smokers, this feature is huge. And while many medium end smokers give you some flexibility, the high end smokers are exactly that – high end.
Even though this is where I ended up, I’m not sure I would suggest this be a starting point. In a lot of ways, each smoker has certain features that he or she prizes over another. For example, I don’t want to tend to the smoker every 30-45 minutes to make sure the temperature is consist ant. That’s why I chose to go with an electric smoker. By starting with a low to medium end unit, you begin to understand the basics of meat smoking so you can choose the best upgrade for you if you decide to stick with it.
To get an idea of what options are available above and below the $400 mark, check out this fantastic About.com article – it is how I found out about my smoker.
