We can say that smokers are the demand of every house now. Good food is the priority if you plan a good get-together with your friends or family members. And what if you are planning to set it outdoors in the backyard of your house? What would be the best option to go for?
Definitely, you are thinking about barbecue, so we think the same. Apparently, we all love barbecue food. And it is the centre of attraction for all the party members. Because of its incredible smell and taste, we all want BBQ food. In this regard, smokers are extremely important to cook some delicious food.
In this guide, we will be describing the complete aspect. What type of smoker is best? So if you are looking for some top-class smokers around you.
Then this article is completely for you, keep reading this guide till the last line and we guarantee you that you will find your ideal smoker. Let’s get straight into our guide about different types of smokers.
What type of smoker is best?
This question is asked by almost every person. Definitely, everyone wants the right answer so that they can get their hands on tasty food.
But we cannot fix the answer to this important question. Every individual has different tastes and they like to cook food according to their own way. To fulfill the demand of every individual there are numerous options and types of smokers.
But before telling you the most perfect smoker let us give you a brief introduction on what smokers are?
What are smokers?
The cooking apparatus particularly for barbecue food is known as a smoker. We use Smokers for cooking different kinds of food in a very controlled smokey environment. And this smoky environment gives a very specific taste to the food.
And for every person their choice of smoker will be different depending upon the conditions they want to cook food.
Types of smokers, Direct vs indirect heat
As we have to discuss what type of smoker is best? Mainly smokers have the following two categories
- Direct flame smokers
- Indirect flame smokers
Direct flame smokers use direct heat sources to cook food. Generally, the flame is under the grill, and over the grill, we cook food. On the other hand, indirect flame smokers use indirect heat sources. Usually, offset smokers come in this category of smokers.
These two types of smokers are not comparable at all and we cannot make any clear statement which is good. Both these types provide or control the temperature to cook food.
These two types of smokers are casually used in different restaurants as well as in homes. If you want to grab the best budget smoker. Then stay with us in the upcoming sections of this guide.
Main types of smokers
According to the categorization of how smokers produce heat, there are six main types of smokers. In this section, we will discuss all of them one by one.
1. Charcoal smokers
Charcoal smokers are very suitable and provide complete control over the temperature. Mainly charcoal smokers include ceramic, kamado ovens, drum smokers, and some other ovens as well. Mainly in charcoal smokers once the coal is lit the temperature is controllable with the control of airflow.
The individuals can control the airflow with the help of built-in dampers. This smoker uses charcoal, but one can also add small wooden pieces so that it gives extra flavor to the food. But most people do not like to add wood chunks as it produces more smoke and this smoke is not very clean.
There are massive options for the best charcoal smoker in the market. Hence you can buy your favorite one very easily.
2. Stick burners
Stick burners use wood pieces as the heat source. It is only used as a fuel source. Stick burners require pretty more attention as compared to charcoal smokers. In these burners, the temperature is not in the hands of the cook.
If you buy stick burners from our local store then they are inexpensive and the quality and build material are not very good. But if it is customize and fuel additions are made accordingly then this could work very well.
3, Gas smokers
As the name Indicates, these smokers use gas as fuel. Mainly, propane is used as the heat source in these smokers. However, you need a backup fuel tank if you are cooking for a pretty long time.
As it is very clear that gas smokers only use gas and the temperature is pretty much controlled. So, if you want to give your food the taste of smoke. Then you need to add wood chips or chunks for the extraordinary barbecue flavor. We can also consider gas smokers as the best smoker option to casually cook food in your backyard.
4. Electric smokers
Electric smokers give a very distinct flavor to the food. Because there is a lack of combustion and no open flame. Electric smokers use wood chips, water, and a heating element.
The heating element in the electric smokers is for the production of smoke that gives complete barbecue flavors to the food cooked on it.
5. Kettle grills
We hope you will be familiar with these types of smokers. Kettle Grill cooking apparatuses are usually in the use of home cooks. These are standard grills that use a direct heat source for the cooking of food.
These are highly efficient and they aren’t very slow as compared to other smokers. If we count in the first-class types of meat smokers, then kettle grills have got the lead.
Kettle grill smoker charcoal gives the heat source. While the smoke comes from the wooden pieces that you add to the charcoal. Kettle grills also demand a skilled approach of the cooking.
When you are using these make sure to have a thermometer around you. This will help you get an idea of the temperature and you can adjust the heat source accordingly.
6. Pellet smokers
Pallet smokers have remarkable features as they cook food very efficiently. Moreover, pellet smokers are also thermostatically controlled. All you need to do is plug in the switch and set the desired temperature.
After that, the smoker will do the cooking on its own. If you are looking for a smoker that is easy to manage then pellet smokers are the one for you. Though it has many good features, it still has some cons.
According to many experts, the chances of its break-ability are high as compared to other smokers.
We have discussed all the main types of smokers that are available in the market. Now it is up to you what type of smoker is best for you.
After reading them all you can easily compare them and make your choice. Go for the smoker that suits best to your needs. So that you can get the perfect results and highly delicious food from it.
FAQs
The best recommendation for all beginners is a charcoal smoker. By using a charcoal smoker one can easily learn the beautiful art of barbecue food. Moreover, the food is also very delicious when cooked on a charcoal smoker.
Generally, propane is used as the heat source in a gas smoker. Gas smokers are also very efficient and give a temperature controlling feature.
But if you are using a gas smoker, make sure to always have a backup fuel tank with you. So that your food did not leave halfway.
The main reason why pellet smokers are preferred the most is the true flavor of barbecue. It is very easy to use and provides very authentic flavor in the food.
Moreover, pellet smokers have a very large cooking capacity and you can also use them to grill your food. Hence if you want versatility then a pellet smoker is the ideal choice to go for.
There is everything for everyone in the market. Surely there are numerous options that come in the list of best small smokers.
It is entirely up to your which brand or smoker type you select for yourself.
Conclusion
We are ending our detailed guide about what type of smoker is best. As mentioned earlier there is no fixed smoker that is perfect for everyone. Every person has different cooking demands and criteria.
In this regard, it is not possible for a single individual to decide whether this smoker is perfect or not.
In order to achieve the tasty flavors of food and the best cooking results, you have to choose the best smoker for yourself.
So, whenever you are going to buy a smoker, make sure to analyses your demands and needs regarding the smoker. Also, have a look at your budget and the size of the smoker. This will help you decide in the most accurate manner.
