Comparisons/reviews of electric smokers

[STEbbq]

A always I think glitchy has a ton of good advice.

For context though, if you were cooking a brisket on a pellet or MB560, you might have to check it once or twice a cook if you were wrapping it and to remove, and startup time might be 20 minutes to get to 225. Your learning curve is pretty much nil provided the equipment works properly out of the box.

An insulated cabinet , a good kamado, or gravity fed smoker like Old Country would need a few dry runs to learn the ins and outs, and I would say anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to get to temp before you can hook in the FB to maintain it. Although, these smokers are designed to run set and forget more or less and the FB is probably overkill except for maybe some of the longest 15-20 hour cooks. However the FB may struggle to get it to temp effectively given the high levels of insulation and low airflow so they require some effort to dial in them initially by hand. Once at temp, they can run for 10+ hours with little oversight.


On the other end of the spectrum, we have log burning offsets that require feeding every 30 minutes.

[STEbbq]

You know my rule is that glitchy has to buy it and recommend it before I can even consider it.

[smokyYank]

sorry, guys, googled them but couldn't find defs for FB and ATC...

[STEbbq]

Automatic temperature controller (ATC) and Fireboard (FB)

More here

https://amazingribs.com/ratings-reviews/thermometers/fireboard-fbx2d

[glitchy]

smokyYank I read through this thread a couple more times and had a few more thoughts to share (still happy to chat with you sometime, just thinking if the info can help someone else later it might be worth posting and will let you ponder more until we can chat). If you weren’t thrilled with the flavor from the MAK, there’s a very good chance you’re probably not going to be happy with any pellet grill. Maybe your older MAK doesn’t give the same smoke profile as an updated one, but I bet it’s still close. Also, like STEbbq mentioned, internal grease trays are pretty rare in the pellet world, I can only think of MAK, Weber, Memphis, and the Traeger Timberline so far. The SmokeFire is an absolute pellet 🐖 or at least my two were.

I threw out the IVC and gravity feeds earlier, but I’m wondering if you might not like the prices of those. I don’t really know a lot about them, but they’re very popular for dedicated charcoal smokers. They can be pretty big and expensive, with many being $2-6K. I know there’s a couple companies like Backwoods Smokers that start around $1000. I kinda just poorly assumed since you’d had a MAK and wanted a 20 year smoker you’d be expecting that range. What are you hoping to spend?

I also think you might have to make some concessions or weight items in your wish list. 20 years, internal grease collection, affordable, set and forget, fuel efficient and good strong, but clean smoke flavor just don’t all come together easily. It can be hard to expect a smoker with electronics and moving parts to last more than 5-10 years. At least not without some maintenance along the way. The problem has been for a lot of grills after a few years these parts are sometimes no longer available. Especially in the rapidly evolving and very competitive pellet grill market. I plan to test this with the MAK and it’s lifetime warranty, but never expected any of the $500-1000 pellet grills I bought to have a 10 year life. Same would be true of the new flashy gravity grills. However, no electronics or moving parts would mean no on switch start up or automatic temp control. I’m not trying to put any words in your mouth at all, just a few items I thought I gleaned here and there from the thread to hopefully help you zone in on a type of smoker.

Anyway, I’m really not trying to bombard you with information, I just hate for you to drop a grand on a grilla, recteq, or Smokin-It and end up frustrated again or worse yet just give up smoking food. Part of me really wants to say Weber Kamado or a ceramic, but what did you not like about your past charcoal smoker and what was it? I don’t think we opened that can of worms.

Anyway, this place is full of enabling wingmen/women and we’re happy to try to help you find that perfect GrillFriend. It’s just as soon as you say easy, you get 10 people telling you pellet grill. I’m obviously a pellet head big time, but the first to say they are not for everyone.

[smokyYank]

@glitchy
don't apologize for bombarding me with info - the more the merrier! then i'll probably go out and buy a bottle of liquid smoke and call it a day (LOL)

hey, I don't ask for much, right? so many considerations and options, which is generally a good thing.

loved your term Grillfriend!

first smoker was Masterbuilt charcoal. a real PITA to stoke the fire and keep it within range. also rusted through in about 5 years.

definitely want some type of "set and forget it" type...

[smokyYank]

so that means digital (to me). since propane lends no flavor, that's out. leaves us with electric, pellet, or chunk/charcoal e.g. MB560.

i'll bet Meathead or Prof Blonder has some writeup somewhere about the potential dangers of low temp smoking, but can't find any...

anybody have a link?

also someone mentioned how to message another member; where is that button/link?

[STEbbq]

Note for PMs

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/main/273769-private-messages-pms

[glitchy]

smokyYank They make propane smokers similar to the electric cabinets that you add chips, chunks, pellets for smoke, just a gas burner instead of an electric coil. I’m not sure if any are thermostatically controlled though. As for electric smokers being unhealthy, I’ve never heard anything in regards to that. I just personally did not like several aspects of the style. Low to the ground (I’m tall and have bad knees), figuring out exactly how little wood to use as you use like 2 to 6 oz of wood, and mostly the 250 max temp of the one I had. Had I bought a cart/stand to raise it and had a model that hit 325-350, maybe I would have liked it more.

A lot of charcoal smokers when paired with a automatic temperature controller are pretty much set and forget once you have them lit and at your run temp. For me that’s usually 30-60 mins. If you liked the flavor from your Masterbuilt, I think there’s a good chance the right charcoal smoker might make you happiest long term. You just have to decide if you mind some initial fire building first. Usually, I find I’m prepping food during a lot of it.

[glitchy]

Also, Walmart and Home Depot have discounted the Masterbuilt gravity grills out in the past at end of season, if they are this year you could maybe save some dough and be less upset if it only lasts 4-5 years. I just found there quality issues hard to recommend them as someone’s only smoker. They had lots of safety switch issues in the past and many owners complained about difficulty getting through to support.

[smokyYank]

Great, thanks. I just didn't care for propane because of filling and swapping tanks. I don't have an outside connection to the house natural gas.

[STEbbq]

The MB560 can easily hold a pork butt plus a 2-3 racks of ribs flat. If you want to use a rib rack, you can easily stack more. Alternatively, you could upgrade to the Masterbuilt Gravity 800 or 1050, which have....800 and 1050 inches of space compared to the 560 inches of space on the MB560. Space is a real plus with the MB Gravity line because of the square hood, which allows for more "stacking capacity".

You can see my ongoing thoughts here:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...going-thoughts

and AR's thoughts

https://amazingribs.com/ratings-revi...ty-series-560/

MB has recently upgraded their switches, the charcoal grate, and the firebox with all new grills which has addressed the quality issues.

The key thing though is that if you are willing to consider charcoal at all, and flavor is important, you really should give it a shot (again). I have not seen someone go from electric to pellet to considering charcoal, so I applaud you for being open-minded!

With that in mind, I would definitely recommend the Fireboard no matter what grill/smoker you buy because you will be able to control any smoker like you would an electric or pellet smoker, subject to some of the issues I've mentioned earlier. Depending on which one you go with, someone here has modified it to handle the Fireboard.

https://www.fireboard.com/

I would consider a few choices then, at varying budget points.

First, the SNSGrill. Kettles have been around for decades as well if you take good care of them, and have tons of accessories.

https://snsgrills.com/collections/ke...39292620439588

https://amazingribs.com/ratings-revi...-kettle-grill/

Second, the previously mentioned MB Gravity line. This line has been around for about 2 years.

Third, and this would come close to your 20-year requirement as PKGrills have been in use since the 50s or 60s.

https://www.pkgrills.com/

https://amazingribs.com/grill-smoker...smoker-review/

While space is typically a challenge, some posters have been able to fit insane amounts of food on their PK360s, so you can be creative.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...ker#post917640

Fourth, a good kamado, like this one, which would also last a very long time provided you do not knock it over.

https://amazingribs.com/grill-combin...-ii-18-review/

Space is usually an issue with the kamados though.

The key idea is that by separating the controller from the smoker with the Fireboard, you are greatly extending the useful life of the smoker by giving yourself some durable options and avoiding the scenario where the smoker controller fails and parts wear out. One member mentioned his old Fireboard is still working fine after probably 1000 uses.

[smokyYank]

@zero_credit
WOW - thank you so much! Great suggestions; I will do my due diligence. Thankfully work is a little slow now so I can take the time to read through and digest all this.

Who knows, maybe I'll end up digging a pit in my backyard and roasting whole kalua pigs like they do in Hawaii LOL

[STEbbq]

If you go the pit and Hawaii route, you gotta post pics. That’s another forum rule I am sure.😏

[jfmorris]

Personally, I'll throw out that for the "hands off" requirement, with plenty of smoke, I can get 10-12 hours of burn time on a single load of charcoal and wood chunks in my Weber kettle with the Slow 'N Sear. And with a temperature controller, especially one with wifi, you can know what its doing at all times, from your phone. With my Slow 'N Sear Deluxe Kamado, in kamado mode I have seen it run for 18-20 hours at 225F on a single load of lump charcoal and wood chunks, and there was still charcoal left when I pulled off a 21 pound brisket.

You will always have some hands on time with a long cook like a brisket, as you typically want to wrap it after the stall, around 170F or so. The only "hands off" cook I have are pork butts, as I don't wrap those.

When I won the monthly raffle in January, I had my choice of cookers, including pellet smokers, various charcoal smokers that could also burn wood, and some really nice grills. I ended up selecting the Slow 'N Sear Kamado as I felt anything with electronics, fans, auger motors and such is going to experience problems after the first 5 years or so, and likely need repair or replacement within 10 years. Unless I knock it over and bust the ceramic body, the kamado is all ceramic and stainless, and will be with me for the next 25 years.

I am an electrical engineer - I design circuit boards and products for a living, and am into technology. I also know technology will always eventually fail. The issue I see with any electric smoker is two fold:

1. You WILL be replacing it in a few years, unless you go high end with all stainless construction.
2. Wood chips are not the best way to go for smoke - you want something that will allow the use of wood chunks instead, as those can smolder and produce smoke for hours.
3. The electronics will eventually fail.

My son in law sold his last electric smoker as even if he kept feeding it with wood chips, it just did not produce the results he saw me getting with a Weber kettle. By results I mean things like smoke ring, smoke flavor, etc. He also put temperature probes inside and found that it did not actually do a great job maintaining the set point compared to what I see on a charcoal and wood fired cooker. His current plan is to build an outdoor kitchen consisting of a 26" Weber kettle and a Camp Chef 3 burner stove with a griddle top and other accessories.

[smokyYank]

thanks, jfmorris. i get you.

i generally wrap butts at the stall and also ribs after 2 hours (kinda 2-2-1 style) so I'm used to very low maintenance.

[smokyYank]

Howdy all (again)

Was just thinkin (don't laugh just yet...) about how useful is a water pan. From my readings they allegedly help keep the temps even and impart some moisture as well. From Meathead's book I know that moisture on the food helps attract smoke, which I think is why my prior electric smoker (with water pan) had a better smoke flavor than the MAK pellet smoker (without the pan).

So, how important is it, that regardless of the fuel, there's a water pan? I imagine if the cooker doesn't come with one, I could just put a cake pan or something low down and keep it wet.

Opinions? Thanks in advance.

[STEbbq]

I have never felt the need to use one. It only extends the cooking time for no benefit.

[glitchy]

The couple times I have put water in my drip pan at the start of a cook on a pellet grill have turned out great. However, I’ve had plenty of great cooks without too so don’t have enough data to really say. For the most part, I use the cookers as they’re designed. Gas and electric can be drier heat sources that benefit from a water pan as well as smokers where the food can be closer to the heat so it helps protect from overcooking the parts closest to heat source.

[BBQPhil]

I have a Yoder, now going on almost 4 yrs. It's rugged design that has worked reliably for me. While I have the non Fireboard controller, it's simple design has not failed me. The new models use the FB system, a superior solution to all of the other brands trying to add WiFi themselves or struggling using acquired companies (Weber). Stainless is better than sheet metal, but it easily discolors and needs work to clean. Yoder is built of thick steel, but its drawback is it needs to be touched up and painted each season. Everytime I use my Yoder I appreciate the build quality and very solid construction.

[smokyYank]

OK, hang on to your hats!

I posted this elsewhere, but thought it may be wise to finish off this thread.

I eventually bought - wait for it - a Pit Boss Series II 4-series (that's a mouthful). Meaning, it's a vertical unit with 4 racks, pellet fed (65 lb hopper!) on wheels with adjustable chimney cap, all digital including WiFi and bluetooth, as well as good internal grease management and water pan.

I was tempted to get a 3rd MB because I love the features, especially the patented method of adding wood chips without opening the door. But based on the thin metal, difficulty in cleaning the interior, poor grease management, cheap plated grates, and the short 1 year warranty (increased from just 90 days) I decided on the Pit Boss with a 5 year warranty.

I published the results of its "maiden voyage" in the thread SOWYK. I failed at "octopus 101" not realizing I should have boiled it for about an hour first, but the kielbasa and ribs were A-bleeping-MAZING, the most moist ribs I've ever cooked. Yes, for control I made sure they were the same brand and style as I've used before, same homemade rub and sauce, and per Meathead's suggestion I keep a detailed cook log.

If anyone's interested in a detailed review, I'll put one together.

I really want to thank EVERYONE again for their help and undying dedication to this forum!

[glitchy]

Very cool, glad you found the right smoker.

[smokyYank]

At least I hope so!
Thanks, glitchy

[Prof Bunky]

Howdy all,

In the other sections, there are multiple sub-sections based on brand. Here, there is just one single lonely section. Is that because "real bbq'ers" don't use electric? Or is it because I'm from Noo Yawk? (LOL)

I've had a charcoal smoker, electric smoker, and a pellet smoker, and I think electric is the way to go based on ease of use and control of smoke (by adding the wood chips at will). Also costs less to run.

Any easy way to find reviews of various brands and models?

Thanks in advance.

Us, too, and WANT. Want a 'refigerator' electric smoker. So, very interested.

[FireMan]

Hmm, Prof. WHAT. What are you after?

[smokyYank]

hey FireMan, did you change your picture? how come?

[Prof Bunky]

The MB560 can easily hold a pork butt plus a 2-3 racks of ribs flat. If you want to use a rib rack, you can easily stack more. Alternatively, you could upgrade to the Masterbuilt Gravity 800 or 1050, which have....800 and 1050 inches of space compared to the 560 inches of space on the MB560. Space is a real plus with the MB Gravity line because of the square hood, which allows for more "stacking capacity".

You can see my ongoing thoughts here:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...going-thoughts

and AR's thoughts

https://amazingribs.com/ratings-revi...ty-series-560/

MB has recently upgraded their switches, the charcoal grate, and the firebox with all new grills which has addressed the quality issues.

The key thing though is that if you are willing to consider charcoal at all, and flavor is important, you really should give it a shot (again). I have not seen someone go from electric to pellet to considering charcoal, so I applaud you for being open-minded!

With that in mind, I would definitely recommend the Fireboard no matter what grill/smoker you buy because you will be able to control any smoker like you would an electric or pellet smoker, subject to some of the issues I've mentioned earlier. Depending on which one you go with, someone here has modified it to handle the Fireboard.

https://www.fireboard.com/

I would consider a few choices then, at varying budget points.

First, the SNSGrill. Kettles have been around for decades as well if you take good care of them, and have tons of accessories.

https://snsgrills.com/collections/ke...39292620439588

https://amazingribs.com/ratings-revi...-kettle-grill/

Second, the previously mentioned MB Gravity line. This line has been around for about 2 years.

Third, and this would come close to your 20-year requirement as PKGrills have been in use since the 50s or 60s.

https://www.pkgrills.com/

https://amazingribs.com/grill-smoker...smoker-review/

While space is typically a challenge, some posters have been able to fit insane amounts of food on their PK360s, so you can be creative.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/fo...ker#post917640

Fourth, a good kamado, like this one, which would also last a very long time provided you do not knock it over.

https://amazingribs.com/grill-combin...-ii-18-review/

Space is usually an issue with the kamados though.

The key idea is that by separating the controller from the smoker with the Fireboard, you are greatly extending the useful life of the smoker by giving yourself some durable options and avoiding the scenario where the smoker controller fails and parts wear out. One member mentioned his old Fireboard is still working fine after probably 1000 uses.

The MB propane grill review here is what got us yearning in the first place. Thanks. We were going to just put it up on a slightly elevated thingy made from cinderblocks.

[Huskee]

Prof Bunky Are you going to make a refrigerator smoker, did I read that right? Would love to see the build (remodel?) along the way if so.

[Prof Bunky]

Prof Bunky Are you going to make a refrigerator smoker, did I read that right? Would love to see the build (remodel?) along the way if so.

Don't give me any ideas! ;-)

(I might have read something about doing that, somewhere. But we just call the uprights in general 'fridges.')