Best Propane Smoker
If you are in a hurry and want to find what the Best Propane Smoker is then we would recommend the Masterbuilt MB20051316 Propane Smoker with Thermostat Control.
The ideal Saturday for us is getting up early, prepping some ribs, wings and a brisket. Then throwing all that delicious food on our propane smoker. And finally pulling it all off just in time for an afternoon football watching party with some friends and family. Oh and drinking a little beer too.
We took some time to find the best propane smoker on the market. While there are some really great propane smokers out there. We recommend that you find the right one for your own specifications and needs.
Here are the top rated propane smokers:
- Masterbuilt MB20051316 Propane Smoker with Thermostat Control, 40″
- Dyna-Glo DGY784BDP 36″ Vertical LP Gas Smoker
- Cuisinart COS-244 Vertical 36″ Propane Smoker
- Dyna-Glo DGW1904BDP-D 43″ Wide Body LP Gas Smoker
- Smoke Hollow 30164G 30-Inch Propane Gas Smoker
- Masterbuilt 44241GW 2-Door Propane Gas Smoker with Window, 44-Inch
- Char-Broil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared Smoker Roaster & Grill
Best Propane Smokers
Our favorite is the Masterbuilt MB20051316 Propane Smoker with Thermostat Control. This smoker checks all the boxes that we recommend for a great smoker.
Masterbuilt MB20051316 Propane Smoker with Thermostat Control, 40 inch, Black
The 40 inch Masterbuilt Propane Smoker is our recommended best propane grill. This is a versatile smoker with some nice bells and whistles. The 2 door access smoker allows you to access your wood chips mid smoke. The chip tray connects directly to the door. In other words you don’t have to stick your hand inside the smoker to refill the chips. It is also mobile with 4 swivel and lockable wheels.
The main door has a window so you can peek at your food without opening the door and letting out all your smoke. Be sure to clean the window after each use as it can get pretty dirty from all the smoke.
The burner runs at 15,750 BTU which is strong for a smoker. And you can cook a lot of food in this smoker. But you can scale back if you are just cooking for the family. The chrome coated cooking racks are good however be sure to keep them clean to prevent rust.
Lastly, this smoker has a nice safety feature that automatically shuts off the gas if your flame is extinguished.
Pros:
- Safety valve for burner
- Fuel tank gauge
- 4 chrome coated smoking racks
- 15,750 BTU burner
- Cook up to 16 chickens, 6 turkeys, 8 racks of ribs or 8 pork butts
- 2 door access
- Door window so you can peak inside the smoker without having to open the door
- Very mobile as it is on 4 wheels. 2 lockable swivel wheels. This makes it easy to move around the deck or under the patio for storage away from all the elements.
- Thermostatic temperature control system. Multiple thermometers work together to maintain your desired temperature inside your smoker.
Cons:
- Some people have reported assembly can be difficult
- Weighs over 100 pounds
Dyna-Glo DGY784BDP 36″ Vertical LP Gas Smoker
The Dyna-Glo 36 inch Vertical LP Gas Smoker is a great smoker for beginners and veterans alike. This lightweight model only weighs 54 pounds. It includes 4 adjustable steel wire racks.
The burner is very high quality cast iron and puts out 15,000 BTU. Right above the burner is a very large wood chip box and a porcelain enameled steel water bowl. The double door system allows easy access to your wood chips and water bowl mid smoke.
The sliding air dampeners on the smoke stack allow easy temperature control. According to some customers the thermometer is not great and the door seal can be a bit faulty. However as we discuss in our “What To Look For In A Propane Smoker” section , there are some relatively easy fixes for these problems.
Pros:
- 15,000 BTU
- Cast Iron burner
- Electronic Ignitor
- 1 year limited warranty
- Porcelain enameled steel water bowl and wood chip box (large capacity to for longer cooking periods so you don’t need to disturb the smoking process
- Only weighs 54 pounds
- 4 adjustable steel wire racks
- Double door system so you can access wood chips and water bowl
- Sliding air dampeners on the smoke stack
- Good for beginners
Cons:
- Does not work great in cold temperature
- The seal of the door can be faulty
- Built in thermometer is not great
Cuisinart COS-244 Vertical 36″ Propane Smoker, Black
The Cuisinart Vertical 36 inch Propane Smoker is a solid propane smoker for any pitmaster. The 2 access doors are a must have in our opinion. The 2 doors provide easy access to the wood chips and water. The access doors come with some nicely designed handles that will also stay cool when you need to open them. They also twist close and help seal the door mid smoke.
The water bowl and wood chip tray are porcelain enameled which add to the longevity of your smoker.
A 40 inch propane hose is extra long so you can keep it clear of your smoking space.
The steel cooking racks are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.
Pros:
- 4 dishwasher safe stainless steel racks
- Twist and seal door locks to hold in smoke and heat
- Porcelain enameled water and wood chip trays
- 40 in propane hose
- Limited 3 year warranty
- 2 doors so you can access wood chips mid smoke without disturbing your meat
Cons:
- Water tray requires adjustment in order to produce ideal smoking. The water evaporates too quickly because the tray is very close to the burner.
Dyna-Glo DGW1904BDP-D 43″ Wide Body LP Gas Smoker
The Dyna-Glo 43 inch Wide Body LP Gas Smoker is our favorite big smoker. This smoker comes in 3 sizes and we reviewed the XL size.
This bad boy has 2 burners along with 6 adjustable cooking grates. You can definitely smoke enough food or big parties with the XL model.
The solidly built smoker is made out of powder coated steel. The 2 door design allows for easy access while smoking. Speaking of smoking this big smoker is versatile as you can get when looking for the best propane smoker. The sausage hooks are an amazing addition as it is very hard to beat smoked sausage.
While this smoker does run hot and weighs 90 pounds customers rave about the quality output of the food. 1255 square inches of cooking space there is plenty of room for brisket, ribs, chicken and veggies.
Pros:
- Comes in 3 sizes (we review the XL version)
- 2 burners with 20,000 BTU
- 6 Adjustable Cooking Grates
- Powder coated steel
- Pre-installed door seals to maintain heat and temperature
- Large capacity water bowl with porcelain enamel coating
- Sausage hooks
Cons:
- Runs Hot
Smoke Hollow 30164G 30-Inch Propane Gas Smoker
The Smoke Hollow 30 inch Propane Gas Smoker is a good choice for beginners. There are 3 adjustable cooking grates with plenty of room for brisket, ribs and more.
It only has one access door. However with cool touch handles you don’t have to worry about burning your hand during the cooking process.
We would recommend putting this smoker out of the wind. Many customers have said that the wind can affect the temperature. Also, assembly can be a bit difficult on this smoker.
We would recommend this smoker for a new pitmaster trying to learn the art and ways of a good smoker. This is probably the best gas smoker for the money.
Pros:
- 3 cooking grates
- Cool touch spring door handles
- Push button ignition
- Good for beginners
Cons:
- Only 1 door access while cooking
- Maintaining temperature on a cold or windy day is difficult
- Assembly can be cumbersome
Masterbuilt 44241GW 2-Door Propane Gas Smoker with Window, 44-Inch
The 44 inch Masterbuilt 2 Door Propane Gas Smoker with Window is our recommended pick for pros. This is a huge smoker built for a neighborhood block party. You will need to invite everyone to eat all the food you are going to smoke.
This smoker comes with 7 total cooking grates. 4 standard shelves, 2 jerky grates, 1 rib rack and a sausage hangar. I hope you brought your appetite. You also have 2 stainless steel independently operated 12,000 BTU burners. This is a great feature for getting your optimal temperature.
There are 2 doors on this smoker. The bottom door gives you access to your porcelain enameled wood chip and water pans for easy access while smoking. The main door has a large window so you can check your meats mid-smoke.
As this smoker is built for professional pitmasters it is very heavy at 113 pounds. Take good care of your cooking grates as some customers have reported problems with rust over time. Lastly, this smoker runs a little hot so be sure to add your temperature own gauges for ideal smoking.
Pros:
- 7 cooking grids: 4-standard cooking grids, 2-jerky grids, 1-rib rack 1-sausage Hanger
- 2 stainless steel 12,000 BTU burners
- Big see through glass door
Cons:
- Heavy at 113 pounds
- Need to take care and clean the cooking grates as some customers report rust
- Runs hot
Char-Broil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared Smoker Roaster & Grill
The Char-Broil Big Easy Tru-Infrared Smoker Roaster & Grill is the only hybrid model we reviewed. It is a smoker, roaster and grill all in one. We definitely recommend this grill for a beginner. This smoker hybrid is for you if you want to try smoking meat techniques but not have to worry too much about the intricate details.
We recommend this smoker for beginners because of the Infrared technology. Infrared helps to evenly disperse heat throughout your smoker without needing to track water levels or wood chips. This smoker uses pellets which are much easier to smoker your food. Infrared allows you to set your temperature and forget it until finished.
This smoker is easy to assemble and comes with wheels to easily move it around in your backyard. The roaster basket that comes included is great for roasting a whole chicken.
While the amount of smoking that you can do is limited this is a great grill for family and friends that like a little bit of everything
Pros:
- 2 in 1 Grill and smoker/roaster
- Great for beginners
- Infrared Technology cooks evenly and makes your food extra juicy
- For the inexperienced chef this is truly set it and forget it because of its temperature controls
- Uses smoker pellets which are easier to maintain than wood so no need for a water pan
- Compact size
- Roaster basket included
- Easy assembly
Cons:
- The artist smoker will not have as much fun using this smoker grill as there is not of ton of options or different things that you can do
- Limited smoking capacity
- Runs hot
What to look for in a Propane Smoker
Smoking with propane is great for the pitmaster that has a little less time on their hands. “Set it and forget it” is a good motto for the best gas smoker. You don’t sacrifice flavor or quality with our propane smoker reviews.
The propane smoker system requires less babysitting. Your fire is unlikely to go out because of the constant fuel source of the propane. Yet be sure to keep an extra propane tank handy in case you need to switch it out mid-smoke.
Also, propane smokers are often cheaper than a traditional smoker. For the cost conscious chef this is great news.
To find the best propane smoker for your smoking needs we have created a list of considerations.
Amount of Food you will be Smoking
If you are having a big birthday bash with a ton of friends and family, you will need a big smoker. This may sound like an obvious point. Many of the large smokers that we recommend have two burners. A smoker with two burners is overkill for small family cookouts. So be sure to keep that in mind.
Unless you will always be smoking for large groups consider a medium size smoker that has one burner. You do not need to burn twice as much propane if you are going to often be making brisket for family dinner.
Rack Space and Accessories
It is important to consider the rack space and adjustability of the racks. How much space is there in your new smoker? Can it accommodate everything you want to smoke at once?
We love to cook our brisket and ribs together. Smoking many racks of ribs with your brisket is easier with adjustable cooking racks. Then we can get more ribs cooked together with a few big briskets.
Also, many gas smokers also come with space for making jerky and sausage hangars. If you love to mix it up and try new recipes be sure to get a propane smoker that has these options.
Smoker Door Access
Do you enjoy the art of the smoke? Are you going to be cooking for 12 hours? You will definitely need easy access to the inside of your smoker.
Most of the best propane smokers that we recommend have two door access. What this means is that you have easy access to the wood chip pan and water pan at the bottom of your smoker. Because you have a secondary door you won’t need to open the main door and let out all the heat, smoke and moisture cooking your delicious brisket.
Mobility and Utility
As with most smokers there are wide variations of sizes and weight. Some weigh over 100 pounds while others can be as light as 50 pounds.
Some come with wheels and others are pretty much stuck where you put them once you assemble your smoker. If mobility is important to you consider how easy it is to move around your smoker.
Even if you don’t think you will need to move your smoker, keep in mind that a little wind can put out your flame. So consider where you will end up permanently planting your big smoker.
Quality Build and Maintenance
If you live somewhere hot and humid in the summer then keeping your smoker on the back porch can be hazardous. Always clean up when you finish smoking.
Pay careful attention to the pans and clean the inside of the bottom of the smoker. Clean, rinse and dry off your cooking grates to prevent rust.
High quality materials are helpful for the long-term life of your smoker. Porcelain enameled pans, stainless steel and cast iron burners ensure a long life.
Tips and Tricks
Not everything is perfect on almost all the smokers. And what kind of pitmaster would you be if you didn’t customize your new smoker. Here are a few tips to consider with your new smoker.
Thermometer
Most smokers come with a thermometer built into the door. And most of these thermometers are pretty much useless. For precise temperature readings we highly recommend installing your own thermometer into your smoker.
Smoking at the right temperature can mean the difference between a dried out pork butt or juicy delicious dinner. You don’t want to throw all that time and energy out because your smoker ran hot.
Here is a great article on installing your own smoker and a great video for visual learners.
Sealing Your Smoker Doors
Most smokers we reviewed don’t have great door seals. If you want to control your temperature and lock in juicy flavors, then you are going to need a well sealed door.
We recommend going to your local home improvement store and finding some hi temperature gasket material (or get it here). It works like double sided tape and looks like felt. Slap that around your door seal and you are in business
Conclusion and Recommendation
Our favorite pastime is experimenting with new meats and finding new recipes. The Masterbuilt MB20051316 Propane Smoker with Thermostat Control is the best propane smoker for most pitmasters.
This is the most versatile smoker available for a very reasonable price. You can check your meat through the large window. You can use the second door for easy access to your wood chips and water pan. And this smoker is mobile on the back porch with locking swivel wheels. Temperature control is also good on this model, which is the key to juicy and flavorful food.