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Electric smokers are known to offer a ton of benefits. These include being time-saving, using clean energy, devoid of constant supervision especially when it comes to fuel, and of course, they are easy to clean and use.
Did we even mention that electric smokers also gives you near-absolute control over the cooking temperature? We could go on and on and talk about the many advantages and disadvantages of using an electric smoker, but there’s no need to bore you with the talk.
In this no-stone unturned article, we reviewed the best electric smokers and shared our expert opinions about each of them.
#1. Best Electric Smoker – Masterbuilt MB20073519 Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker
The Masterbuilt MB20073519 Electric Smoker isn’t your regular electric smoker – at least that’s what some of the features it has says.
Fitted with Bluetooth smart technology, this electric smoker gives you total control over cooking from your smart device.
You can set cooking temperature, time, turn the cooker off/on, etc. there are tons of features including an onboard digital control panel, built-in meat probe thermometer, multiple cooking racks and smoking racks as well as a wood chip loading system.
In all honesty, the Masterbuilt MB20073519 Electric Smoker gives you immense value for grilling with it.
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Electric Smokers: The Superlative Buying Guide You Should Read
Just before we proceed with reviewing our top picks, we’d like to share with you some vital tips to keep in mind when shopping for electric smokers.
Cooking Space and Size
Size is arguably the first thing you should consider when shopping for a new electric smoker. It is the size of your smoker that can make cooking fast or slow. For instance, if you have a 26” smoker, fitting a full rack of ribs into the cooking racks will require cutting the ribs.
However, if you have a wider smoker, you can fit in larger items into your smoker without having to cut them down into smaller sizes. Therefore, if you intend to cook a lot of large-sized items in your electric smoker, then you should get a large smoker.
On the other hand, you should also consider the amount of storage space in your home. This will definitely be of huge importance to you especially if you don’t have a very large outdoor space.
Portability
Do you intend to take your electric smoker with you as much as you can? If your answer is yes, then you really need to take portability serious. And to that effect, the size of the smoker will definitely be small. Be sure to think it through before making a purchase.
If you must buy portable models, get something with wheels as they make movement a lot easier. One other thing you should note when it comes to portability is that an electrical outlet is necessary. No electrical outlet, no electric smoker!
Easy to Use Controls
Having an electric smoker with easy to use controls is also important considering the fact that the controls make cooking easy. Fortunately, we’ve included only units with easy to use controls in this article. In fact, one of our recommended picks is a smart-electric smoker with Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to control it using your smartphone.
Construction Material
What and what are the materials that were used in constructing the smoker? It suffices to say that a durable electric smoker is greatly dependent on the quality of materials used in constructing it. Stainless steel and aluminum are two materials frequently used for making electric smokers, thanks to their ability to handle high heat levels well.
In the course of piecing this article, we selected only those electric smokers with the strong build quality.
Wood Chip Tray/Removable Tray
The wood chip is to an electric smoker what icing sugar is to cake. As many will put it, the wood chip tray is what ensures that whatever you’re grilling in your electric smoker has a smokey flavor. Proper placement of the wood chip tray in an area easy to access without stopping your grilling is important.
Extra Features
Glass Window: Having a glass window on your smoker is a huge advantage over models with no glass window. This will make it possible for you to see how your food is doing without opening the smoker. You’ll be able to save time spent on opening the door of your smoker.
Digital Control Panel: A digital control panel offers more control options than you would find on models with only a control knob. Take note of the maximum temperature levels as well as the heat probe available.
Other features to keep an eye out for include a remote control or Bluetooth functionalities.
Power
For an electric smoker, 800W of power is more than enough to get your food done in no time. But if you want something more powerful, you can go for units with a 1500W rating. Fortunately, a great number of popular models on the market fall within the aforementioned power ratings.
Electric Smoker Reviews
While the following products we reviewed may not include some of your favorites, we’ve tried to keep the list clear and simple enough to show only those models that have become highly sought after by many people.
#1. Best Electric Smoker – Masterbuilt MB20073519 Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker
Size: 30-inches
Type: Digital with Bluetooth
Features: easy to use digital controls, integrated meat probe thermometer, Bluetooth smartphone connectivity, top-notch build quality, 4 cooking racks, glass window, and a side wood chip tray.
Owning a household appliance that has Bluetooth connectivity is often seen as a luxury many cannot afford. Well, for electric smokers, the Masterbuilt MB20073519 Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker has changed that narrative. It packs a handful of features for a ridiculously low price.
With its Bluetooth technology, you can easily control the unit from your smartphone. Tasks like adjusting the temperature, cooking time, and turning the unit off and on become easier to do. The Masterbuilt Digital Electric-Smoker is made from the finest steel materials. At a glance, you’ll be able to infer that it has a strong build quality.
Other features include chrome-coated smoking racks, an integrated meat probe thermometer, a powerful heating element, and side wood chip tray. Masterbuilt offers quite a ton of varieties of this smoker in much smaller sizes and without features like Bluetooth. We reviewed the 40-inch variant below.
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#2. Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker
Size: 30-inches
Type: Analog
Features: Steel finishing, ample cooking space from three racks, front access water tray, 1000W power rating, integrated thermometer, grease cup and wood chip tray, dual exhaust ports.
The Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker may not have the digital controls of the Masterbuilt Digital Electric-Smoker we reviewed above, but that doesn’t in any way make it fall short of its duties.
In the absence of digital controls, you’ll find an analog control knob that is relatively easy to use. As we expected, it is made from high-quality steel materials and features a double insulated inner wall.
With the Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker, you get about 544 sq. inches of cooking space, thanks to the 3 cooking racks available. There are a handful of features to help make your cooking better and they include chrome-plated cooking grates, grease cup, water tray, dual door latches as well as a wood chip tray.
The wood chip tray and water tray are easily accessible from the front of the unit. Power-wise, the Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker draws about 1000W of power to its heating elements and this is more than enough to get your food ready in no time.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a glass window to give you heads up on what’s happening to your food inside the smoker.
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#3. Masterbuilt MB20071619 140s Digital Electric Smoker
Size: 40-inches
Type: Digital
Features: viewing window, digital controls, chrome-plated smoking rack, large cooking space, wood chip tray, sturdy handles and wheels for easy movement, and good heat production.
The Masterbuilt MB20071619 140s Digital Electric Smoker is the 40-inch variant of the Masterbuilt MB20073519 Bluetooth Digital Electric Smoker which we reviewed at the beginning of this article.
It shares the same features with its other sibling save for the absence of Bluetooth functionality on this model. Therefore, if you’re not a fan of electric smokers with Bluetooth connectivity, this is for you.
With its 40-inch interior space and 4 cooking racks, you have more than 500 sq. inches of cooking space to cook your food. As with its other sibling, this 40-inch model also has the glass window in front.
And let’s not fail to mention that the unit sports a digital control panel in place of analog control knobs. It’s easy to use and there are a ton of things you can do to your food with it. Be careful not to set the food to burn!
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#4. LANDMANN 32954 Smoky Mountain 26″ Electric Smoker
Size: 26-inches
Type: Analog
Features: viewing window, analog controls, 3-in-1 cooking combined cooking tray, integrated temperature gauge, wrought iron side handles, adjustable feet, stainless steel cooking grates.
The LANDMANN 32954 Smoky Mountain 26″ Electric Smoker may be missing internal insulation layers, but it still holds up well when it comes to getting your food done and giving it an enriching taste.
Perhaps, one of the many things that make people still consider it is the ingenious combination of the internal combo tray which serves as a wood chip box, a water and grease pan respectively. Unfortunately, if you’re used to electric smokers with side wood trays, this might turn you off since you have to open the door of the unit to access this tray.
The LANDMANN’s build quality is good – it is made from steel and will definitely last. You’ll find features like the integrated temperature gauge, optimized cooking space – 3 racks, as well as the viewing window on the unit helpful whenever you’re cooking.
As for the cooking space, there are three cooking grates which give you more than 400 sq. inches of cooking space. The LANDMANN Electric Smoker sports a 1500W heating element which is controlled by the turning knob – sorry, no digital controls are available.
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#5. Cuisinart COS-330 Electric Smoker
Size: 30-inches
Type: Analog
Features: integrated temperature gauge, good build quality, combined water and woodchip tray, three removable cooking racks with more than 500 sq. inches of cooking space, spring door handles, and easy to use control knob.
Cuisinart is known for producing quality products – the Cuisinart COS-330 Electric Smoker is no exception. In fact, we’re still drooling over one of the Cuisinart portable grills we reviewed not too long ago.
The Cuisinart COS-330 Electric-Smoker is an analog 30-inch smoker with the good build quality. As we expected, it doesn’t fall short of our expectations in terms of performance.
It features three cooking racks all of which give a combined cooking space of more than 500 sq. inches. Additionally, it features a combined water and wood chip tray together as well as a 1500W heating element which provides the heat for cooking your meat.
The wood chip tray is only accessible when you open the door of the unit. There is an integrated temperature gauge on the door. As for the controls, they are situated on the plug by the side – like most analog electric smokers.
In all, the Cuisinart COS-330 Electric Smoker is quite affordable and will definitely meet your needs.
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Conclusion
With all the benefits that come with owning an electric smoker, you should bear in mind that you will incur increases in your energy bills especially if you have your smoker running for longer periods.
We do hope you found our review helpful enough and that you’ve found the perfect model to suit your needs and your budget.
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