Best Charcoal Smokers Reviewed

The Weber Smokey Mountain smoker has a long history of being the best overall charcoal smoker on the market. Weber makes this smoker in 14-, 18-, and 22-inch models, and backs up their quality with 10-year warranties. Most beginners have the best luck with the 18-inch smoker, making it the best charcoal smoker on our list.

The lower section of this bullet smoker features a charcoal ring and three adjustable vents so you can control the airflow and temperature. A water pan and two grilling grates make up the middle section, giving you easy access to the meats and a side door so you can easily add charcoal or smoking wood.

The Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker allows you to easily control the temperature of the chamber with the use of the vents and dampers. The fuel door comes off so you can add charcoal or smoking wood as you need it throughout the day. Easily keep tabs on the temperature with the grommet monitors, and when you're done, close the dampers all the way to extinguish the coals. 

The best overall charcoal smoker would come with multiple grates to give you ample room for all of your slabs or ribs or pork shoulders. With two different layers and two large grates, you can smoke two different sized pieces at once.

The Pit Barrel Cooker is the best drum/barrel smoker on our list. With a “Hook-and-Hang” cooking method, you can place food in the center of the heat action for all-around perfect smoking. With the hanging method, meat juices are allowed to fall onto the coals as they smolder, producing a thick smoke that surrounds the meat for the perfect smoke flavor. 

With cooking temps ranging from 270-320 degrees, and the drum is built to withstand the high heat that comes with burning white-hot coals for an entire day of smoking. The porcelain enamel barrel is weather resistant and is extremely portable, so you can take this to any tailgate or holiday gathering.

If you prefer to grill on the grate, you can do so with the one that’s included. Cooking on the grate also creates enough distance between the heat and the meat so you can avoid uneven hot spots in your cooker.

The coal basket in the Pit Barrel Cooker is large enough for an ideal amount of coals, and the barrel design gives you consistency without the hassle. There is also minimal assembly required to get started, and you get two hanging rods with eight stainless steel hooks with a hook remover.

The Weber Original Kettle is the best large charcoal grill and smoker combo on our guide. To give you the best of both worlds, Weber has designed a grilling unit that allows you to cook up to 13 hamburgers at once. With more than 363 sq. inches of cooking space and the capabilities of reaching internal temperatures up to 600 degrees, this unit allows you to grill or slow-smoke your meat all day.

With a total weight of just 33 pounds and equipped with rolling wheels, you can take this Weber grill anywhere. Wheel it out from the garage for driveway barbeques or load it up in the bed of your truck and take it to the tailgates.

This unit meets all of your smoking and grilling needs and houses it all under one lid. While the classic look of the grill may be deceiving to your guests, you’ll be able to masterfully grill up their favorites in no time. With a temperature gauge and a hinged grate, you can easily control the internal grilling or smoking temperature for proper cooking.

If you’re looking for a smoker that’s easy to clean, then the Weber Kettle is a perfect fit for your household. The removable, high-capacity aluminum ash catcher makes it easy to discard the coal and wood ash. The porcelain-enameled lid and bowl are resistant to rust, which means you won’t have to worry about your grill falling apart after just a few uses.

Is heat consistency a problem for you when you grill with your current charcoal grill? Then you'll love upgrading to the best portable charcoal smoker grill: the PK Grill. The capsule design of this smoker allows for 2-zone cooking, and the four vents along the top will enable you to control airflow into the cooker efficiently. This gives you more control over the heat and the consistency at which you grill your meats.

With nearly 300 sq. inches of cooking space, the size of this smoker gives you plenty of room and versatility when it comes to grilling up some brats or cooking the entire turkey for Thanksgiving. The capsule also easily detaches from any of its stands, allowing you to take it anywhere you go and may want to slowly smoke a slab of ribs or grill hot dogs.

The durability of any of the PK grills makes this unit the best portable charcoal smoker on the market. Made from cast aluminum, the capsule is resistant to rust but is lightweight. Cast aluminum also conducts heat four times faster than steel, making this an extremely efficient grilling machine that’s all the rave with PK customers.

PK stands behind their products with a 10-year warranty, so you can buy in confidence. All of their smokers and grills are covered against rust, burnout, or breakage. Should anything go wrong with your PK Grill, simply call their customer service line, and they'll work with you to offer the best solution.

The Kamado Joe Classic II grill is one of the best charcoal smokers on the market. Innovative and expertly engineered to improve your cooking, this unit will quickly become the best device outside your kitchen. Constructed from durable powder-coated aluminum, this grill is widely known as the best kamado grill out there. It also comes with a premium cart and wheels, so you can take it from garage to patio in just seconds.

Nothing says efficiency like dividing and conquering, which is exactly what the Kamado Joe Classic II grill does with its flexible cooking system. A two-tiered grate design allows you to cook multiple items at different temperatures at the same time. Prepare a classic surf 'n turf with shrimp grilling on the top and steaks down below. The Kontrol Tower Top Vent is designed to give you consistent and precise airflow as you open and close the dome. While the unit is rather heavy when put together, the airlock hinge reduces the dome lid weight by 96%, making it easy for you to access your cooking. 

An additional feature that Kamado Joe customers can’t get over is the six-piece firebox design that helps eliminate breakage while increasing the grilling efficiency. The interior of the firebox comes apart in six slabs, which allows you to replace one or multiple quickly should they need it. You'll also find a wire mesh fiberglass gasket around the center ring, which helps create an air-tight seal and has a longer lifespan than regular gaskets.

Perhaps the easiest part about the Kamado Joe is the ask collecting box that slides in and out like a drawer for hassle-free cleanup when you're done using the griller for the day. Simply wipe away grease from the grates, and you're done.

Whether you're a pro or a beginner, the Dyna-Glo DGX7808DC-D is the best vertical charcoal smoker out there. Made from heavy-gauge porcelain-enameled steel, this unit lets you smoke all of your favorite foods with wood chips and fuel sources. If cooking with charcoal isn't your thing, Dyna-Glo also makes their vertical smoker in gas and electric, giving you a range of cooking options while still getting the best smoke flavor in your ribs and briskets.

With four levels of grates, you can easily cook for an army or cook a simple meal for two, all in one unit. The different levels give you more flexibility, and the water pan that's included will keep your foods moist and tender. You can fine-tune the smoke or grilling temperature with the adjustable flue and watch the temperature fluctuate properly with the "Smoke Zone" indicator on the outside of the smoker.

Ample cooking space is essential when looking for a smoker. The Dyna-Glo line gives you plenty of that with the multi-level tiers and is the perfect size for all of your foods. The stackable feature is ideal for those slow-smoking brisket days or for staking kabobs on the top rack while your chicken and steaks cook down below. 

Dyna-Glo has made cooking and cleaning a breeze with this smoker. The removable steel ash pan can handle a large amount of ash and is easy to remove when you need to discard it. The double-door hinge also gives you easy access to your food as it smokes or to the charcoal firebox to add more fuel to the flame.

If you like the idea of a vertical smoker, but want a separate firebox off to the side, then once again, Dyna-Glo has you covered. As the best offset charcoal smoker in our guide, this unit comes with a heavy gauge porcelain wood chip firebox and a cast iron burner for easy ignition and efficient burn throughout your entire cooking process. The whole unit is made out of a heavy-duty steel body and finished with a high-temperature powder coat to add durability.

Temperatures inside the fire box can reach a maximum of 700 degrees, but inside your smoker, you can control the temperature to be anywhere between 225 degrees near the bottom and 240 degrees near the top. Easily adjust the airflow and temperature with the adjustable flue that sits on top of the vertical chamber.

Larger than its simple vertical cousin, the Dyna-Glo DGO1176DC-D has more than 1,176 inches of cooking space, split between six different levels. This means that you’ll be able to grill or smoke nearly 100 pounds of food or meat at a time, giving you ample food for large parties or enough space to prepare an entire meal from start to finish.

The offset design is meant to keep the heat source directly away from the food, making this the best offset charcoal smoker for those that prefer to slow-smoke their food. This design creates more smoke that will seep into your meat as it slowly simmers away inside the chamber. This also prevents foods on the bottom rack from cooking faster than the rest of the chamber.

The Masterbuilt 20060416 grill is the best cheap charcoal smoker in our guide. Not only is it compact in size, but it’s also perfect for those who are just starting out and don’t want to spend a lot of money on a charcoal smoker. This unit is perfect for smaller households or for those that want a simple unit they can pick up and take with their anywhere. You can still do plenty of cooking on the 395 sq. inches of grate space that comes with this small bullet smoker.

This smoker is well made and designed to withstand heat temperatures up to 400 degrees. It comes with a built-in lid thermostat, a porcelain-coated charcoal pan, and a water bowl so you can keep your ribs and briskets juicy and tender throughout the entire cooking process. Easily access the fire chamber with the front door and control your temperature the entire day.

Small, yet mighty, the Masterbuilt smoker is perfect for on-the-go grilling and smoking. Weighing just a little over 15 pounds, this unit is great for tailgates and camping trips. You can quickly load it up in the back of the camper or RV and enjoy slow-cooked meats and foods wherever you go.

Don't be fooled by the price of this charcoal smoker. While it may be the cheapest unit in our guide, it still gets the job done. For years, customers have been satisfied with the results they've gotten from such a simple smoker, and they keep using it for years. Take care of this smoker and it will give you plenty of meats cooked to perfection.

Always wear heat-protective gloves when handling a smoker. Look for a pair of gloves that have grips on them so you can easily turn your meat, open the door and vents, or simply handle your grilling with care. The aluminum or steel build of smokers means that everything gets hot, including the handles. Protect yourself and handle your smoker with care. 

If you’re just starting out and are new to smoking with a charcoal unit, take it easy your first time. Many beginners find that they have success when they start with a simple slab of beef or pork ribs and then build on their expertise from there. Never fill your smoker full your first time since you might not be used to temperature adjustments and proper cooking techniques.