We Found the Best Electric Smokers After Cooking Almost 100 Pounds of Meat

An electric smoker, no matter how well designed, won’t deliver the infused-from-the-inside-out smoke flavor of offset smokers, charcoal smokers, or even pellet smokers. That said, we still think electric smokers are a good option for beginners or anyone looking for a low barrier to entry to the world of smoked foods. We also recommend these smokers for cooks who want food that’s just kissed by smoke, rather than deeply infused with it. Finally, they’re excellent for quicker smoke sessions, such as vegetables or fish. 

What sets electric smokers apart from other types of smokers is that a heating rod is used to begin the initial burn. The target temperature is then maintained with wood chips, which also influence the overall flavor of the food cooked in the smoker. The appeal of an electric smoker is that it’s quick and easy to start, and the heating rod does the work regarding temperature maintenance. 

However, as we learned during our recent test of electric smokers, the functionality and efficiency of these models vary greatly. Many missed the mark on basic safety features, like an adequately long power cord, and others with low wattage struggled to perform. But after smoking dozens of pounds of spare ribs, chicken wings, and salmon, we found five great electric smokers for cooks at every skill level and budget.

The Winners, at a Glance

This solidly built, inexpensive smoker has a generous cooking surface (970 square inches), promoting good airflow. It was one of the top performers in our tests, was easy to clean, and maintained consistent temperatures, producing nicely smoked meat and fish.

Thoughtfully designed, this sturdy, well-made smoker produced some of the tastiest food we smoked. We loved the digital interface, double-walled door, and curved grates, which aided in mid-smoke adjustments.

We appreciated the design of this smoker, which made adjusting or refilling the water tray and adding wood chips mid-smoke easy. It was simple to clean and was one of the least expensive models we tested. The analog display and five heat levels make it one of the best electric smokers for beginners.

Assembly wasn’t required for this plug-and-go smoker, making it a great option for cooks who don’t want to deal with a lengthy setup process. The beveled racks earned big points during testing, and we liked the wide temperature range, which offered cooking temps spanning 80°F to 320°F.

A smaller, lower-wattage model than the other Bradley Smoker on our list, this plug-and-go option would be great for quick smoke sessions, or fish and vegetables. A holding cylinder automatically feeds the brand’s custom “bisquettes” into the cooking chamber every 20 minutes, so it’s truly a hands-off option.

The Tests

• Assembly Test: We read the manufacturer’s assembly instructions and timed how long it took us to put each smoker together. We considered safety warnings, ease and clarity of instructions, and overall construction.
• Chicken and Ribs Test: By smoking chicken wing drumettes and spare ribs, we were able to assess how each electric smoker handled short and long smokes. We attached a probe thermometer to the center of the cooking chamber, so we could track the temperature in real time and we made note when the on-unit temperature display differed from our results)
• Salmon Test: To evaluate how each smoker performed with a more delicate protein at a lower temperature, we set and stabilized the smokers at 200°F. After oiling a piece of salmon, we set it, skin-side down, on the centermost grate with a wireless grill thermometer inserted into the thickest part. We tracked how long it took for the fish to reach 145°F.
• Usability and Cleaning Tests: Throughout testing, we noted how simple the smokers were to use and how easy it was to add wood chips mid-smoke (and whether this needed to be done often). Once the cooking tests were completed, we followed the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning each grill.

What We Learned

Cord Length and Consistent Wattage Were Lacking in Most Electric Smokers

We were frustrated by most of the electric smokers' cord lengths; the majority topped out at five feet. Even our overall favorite electric smoker, the Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker, had a puny 3-food cord. This doesn’t provide a lot of opportunities for positioning the smoker away from high-traffic areas or living spaces. This isn’t a dealbreaker, but the location you want to use it should be taken into consideration when purchasing.

Wattage levels varied greatly in the models we tested. (Seriously: The lowest-watt smoker we tested was 125 watts, and the highest put out 1,650 watts.) This resulted in a few blown fuses during our tests, so we encourage cooks to ensure their electrical panel can handle the level of wattage produced by the electric smoker they choose.

Don’t Expect Pit Master-Worthy Results

We think electric smokers are a great option for folks looking for lightly smoked food or who want to perform a short, quick smoking session. During testing, we noted that when we had to add lots of fuel during longer smoke sessions (as with the ribs), the payoff simply wasn’t there: Longer-smoked meats can develop a bitter or acrid taste with electric smokers. Some electric smokers, like the Royal Gourmet SE Series Electric Smoker, didn't impart any smoke flavor to the ribs or chicken. But they’re fantastic for quick smokes on things like vegetables or fish.

Electric Smokers That Needed Regular Fuel Additions Weren’t Worth It

No smoker—even an electric one—can maintain a consistent temperature the way an indoor oven can. However, we quickly grew frustrated with the models that required constant adjustments to maintain our set temperature. The way we see it, if constant fiddling is required, we’d rather work with a charcoal smoker, because the flavor payoff is bigger. The best electric smokers in our review were the ones that required little to no additional fuel replenishment and that didn’t need regular damper adjustments. The Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker was one of our favorites because it needed infrequent refueling—it had an airtight seal that kept smoke and heat inside.

The Best Electric Smokers for Beginners Are Analog

The value of a digital smoker is in how precisely you can set your target cooking temperature. Some even allow for two-degree increments. Analog smokers, on the other hand, can be very beginner-friendly because of the less specific temperature dials. (The ones we tested had values like “low, medium, and high.”) This takes some of the pressure off for novice cooks, but smoking aficionados will quickly realize that to maintain a precise ambient temperature in the chamber, some fiddling is required.

Should You Buy a Charcoal, Gas, or Electric Smoker?

A Quick Comparison of Smoker Types
	Pros	Cons
Electric Smoker	Can be used anywhere there is electrical outlet access	Doesn't give bold flavor Electrical cords are short
Gas Smoker	Cleanup is easy	Doesn't give bold flavor Requires propane to start
Charcoal Smoker	Infuses food with lots of smoky flavor	Has a bigger learning curve Cleanup is messier

The answer depends on how much you know, what you want to smoke, and how often you'd like to do it. If you're new to smoking and don't want to deal with the steeper learning curve, an electric smoker or propane smoker is ideal for you. App-enabled models can help, too. Charcoal smokers can be messier and can come with a learning curve. You need to regularly buy charcoal, too. On the other hand, electric smokers can be used anywhere you have access to an outdoor outlet. All you have to do is plug it in to start smoking.

Which type of smoker is best for flavor? Both electric smokers and propane smokers have supplemental wood chip trays that lightly kiss ingredients with smoke. If a deeply-infused-with-smoke flavor matters most to you, you will be better off with an offset smoker, pellet smoker, or charcoal smoker.

The Criteria: What to Look for in an Electric Smoker

The best electric smokers maintain a consistent temperature without constant monitoring, damper adjustments, or additional wood chips. Look for electric smokers that have a separate door or chute for replenishment fuel, so the main cooking chamber does not have to be opened mid-smoke (in our tests, we noticed that drastically lowered the ambient cooking temperature, and affected the flavor and texture of food). Although electric smokers are often billed as being space-savers, you’ll want to invest in one with plenty of room. Having multiple, roomy racks is crucial for proper airflow, which results in juicy, smoky meat. 

Our Favorite Electric Smokers

What we liked: Easy to assemble, and easy to move around thanks to sturdy wheels with built-in stoppers, this smoker was praised in testing for its sturdy construction and latched door with “good heft.” It was easy to start, even without reading the instructions; it included buttons to begin the session, as well as set target time and temperature. We also appreciated how spacious it was; the ribs had plenty of room, and we could fit 20 chicken wings on the rack with a half-inch of space between each one. Perhaps most importantly, we appreciated the wood cylinder chamber, which could be removed and filled with chips mid-smoke, without needing to open the main cooking chamber. It was easy to clean, with an extra-large drip tray that covered the entire bottom of the grill.

What we didn’t like: The cord was just three feet long, which made it difficult to place the smoker without an extension cord. It’s perhaps not ideal for longer smoke sessions, as we had to add chips every 30 to 45 minutes to maintain the temperature. While the chicken wings and ribs were superior, the smoker struggled at lower temperatures: The salmon was dry. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 58.32 pounds
• Style: Cabinet
• Digital/analog: Digital
• Temperature settings: Programmable in 5-degree increments
• Cooking surface area: 970 square inches
  

What we liked: This smoker is well-made and thoughtfully designed. We appreciated its sturdy metal sides and securely latching double-walled door. The seal is impressively tight, with no notable escaped smoke noticed during any of our test sessions. Even the back wall is angled, to catch any drippings the pan may miss. The cord measured about five feet; while a bit too short for our liking, it was much better than some of the 3-foot corded models we tested. We loved the design of the grates, which were slightly curved to keep food from sliding off if adjusted during the smoke session. The ribs were especially tasty, with an attractive caramelized exterior and impressively smoky flavor. 

What we didn’t like: Moving this extra-tall smoker around was cumbersome and awkward, even with two people. The wood chip pan was smaller than ideal, so it will need to be refilled more in longer smoking sessions.

Key Specs

• Weight: 50.3 pounds
• Style: Cabinet
• Digital/analog: Digital
• Temperature settings: Programmable up to 275˚F
• Cooking surface area: 711 square inches

What we liked: This cabinet-style smoker earned big points for the ease with which we were able to add fuel mid-smoke without destabilizing the temperature: The wood chips have their own box-shaped holder that sits above the heating element. Even better, we didn’t have to replenish the water once, although it would have been easy to do. The cleaning process was pleasantly efficient because the cooking grates, wood chip compartment, water tray, and drip tray were all simple to remove and scrub. Although the meat and fish we tested were more kissed by smoke than walloped by it, the results were acceptable and could be improved upon with more precise dialing in of the heat settings. This is an attractively priced smoker that does a solid job for very minimal effort.

What we didn’t like: Because this model doesn’t have wheels, it’s trickier to move with one person (that said, we did appreciate the presence of handles on both sides). While responsive, the analog dial doesn’t allow for precise temperature control, as it has options for heating levels one to five, but no exact temperature values; users will have to do some trial and error before finding their own “sweet spot.”

Key Specs

• Weight: 49.5 pounds
• Style: Cabinet
• Digital/analog: Analog
• Temperature settings: Analog dial offers five heat settings
• Cooking surface area: 544 square inches

What we liked: Brilliantly easy to assemble (all we had to do was slide the racks into place), this gleaming stainless steel smoker would be right at home in a commercial, professional kitchen. It’s designed with the entire smoking process in mind, as evidenced by small details, like beveled racks that won’t fall out when adjusted, even with large amounts of food on them. This model offered precise temperature controls with two-degree increments. It was simple to clean, thanks to an overly large drip pan that spanned both the heating element and the water tray.

What we didn’t like: Although the control panel is simple and intuitive, there is a mildly annoying child lock that activates after five minutes of non-use. The smoker was also really heavy, so you'd probably need a team of people or a cart to move it. It’s also expensive. The “bisquettes” used weren’t our favorite flavor enhancers; testers noted a slightly bitter or acrid taste, as compared to wood chips or chunks.

Key Specs

• Weight: 31.73 pounds
• Style: Cabinet
• Digital/analog: Digital
• Temperature settings: Heats up to 360˚F in 2-degree increments
• Cooking surface area: 806.4 square inches

What we liked: No tools, no hardware, and no support team were required to assemble this smoker. There was a clever design for adding the brand’s custom bisquettes: a holding cylinder automatically fed one into the chamber every 20 minutes. The water tray also doubled as a receptacle for spent bisquettes, which stopped them from becoming messy ash. With just “low, medium, and high” heat settings, we found this model to be accessible to smoking novices. Although we have some concerns about the overall construction, we felt the easy-to-assemble, easy-to-use nature would be perfect for a camp or cabin—especially in shorter smokes, like fish.

What we didn’t like: The door has no locking mechanism, and we wonder if the magnetic seal may lose strength over time. As with the Bradley Professional, we were disappointed with the mildly chemical aftertaste of the chicken and ribs. For the overall performance and construction, we felt the price was a little high. It’s also worth noting you must use the brand’s proprietary bisquettes for fuel, which could be frustrating if you run out: they’re not a ubiquitous hardware store find.

Key Specs

• Weight: 55.12 pounds
• Style: Cabinet
• Digital/analog: Analog
• Temperature settings: Six temperature settings, ranging from low to high
• Cooking surface area: 572 square inches

The Competition

• Dyna-Glo DGU732SDE-D 30" Digital Bluetooth Electric Smoker: We liked this Bluetooth-compatible electric smoker, but it appears to be discontinued.
• Pit Boss Grills 3-Series Digital Vertical Electric Smoker, Silver Hammertone: We appreciated the large wood chip tray on this smoker, which meant less frequent refueling. But the drip tray was small and made for a messy smoker. It is now discontinued as well.
• Cuisinart Vertical Electric Smoker: In testing, this smoker barely produced any smoke. In fact, the wood chips looked unused even after all our tests.
• Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker, Deluxe: Although we liked how easy it was to clean this smoker, it struggled to maintain our set temperature of 225°F, at times struggling to top 208°F, and others shooting up to 250°F. It now appears to be out of stock.
• Royal Gourmet SE Series 28-Inch Electric Smoker with 1500-Watt Heating Element: This was one of the least expensive options, but it barely imparted smoke flavor in our tests.
• Dyna-Glo 30-Inch Analog Electric Smoker: This smoker was messy, and didn’t produce any smoke, even with the wood chip loader full. It produced some of the most lackluster meat during our tests. It's now out of stock.
• Smokehouse Big Chief Front Load Smoker: The instruction manual was woefully unhelpful with this bare-bones smoker, and it never reached a food-safe temperature for cooking meat.
• Smokin Tex Pro Series Residential BBQ Electric Smoker: We felt outraged at the price tag of this smoker, since it was unable to maintain a target temperature, produced inconsistent amounts of smoke flavor, and had massive smoke leaks coming from a vent at the top of the unit. It couldn’t cook the ribs to a food-safe temperature during our review.
• Smokin-It Model #2 Electric Smoker: This pricey smoker made a big mess during testing, couldn’t maintain a consistent temperature, and produced pale ribs and chicken wings with leathery skin and no smoke flavor.

FAQs

Are electric smokers good? 

Electric smokers won’t make food taste as deeply smoky (compared to pellet or offset smokers) or provide as tender results as traditional smokers. But they’re very convenient, and the learning curve is minimal. We think electric smokers are ideal for cooks who don’t want to invest a ton of time and effort into babying a smoker, or anyone who wants food that’s lightly smoked.

How do electric smokers work?

Electric smokers use a heating rod—powered by electricity—to cook the food. The addition of wood chips, or in some models, specialty briquettes, adds a smoky flavor. That’s it!

Are pellet smokers electric? 

Great question. Both electric smokers and pellet smokers, like Traeger, use electricity. The difference is that in an electric smoker, food is cooked through heat that comes from an electric rod. In pellet smokers, wood pellets are ignited through the use of electricity. That heat is what cooks food (and flavors it) when using a pellet grill. Pellet grills make maintaining a set temperature really easy, and they can also get hotter than electric grills. The tradeoff: They’re more expensive.

What is a digital smoker?

Think of the clocks in your home or office. There are probably analog and digital clocks. Smokers are similar in that way. "Digital" refers to the type of interface on a smoker—analog or digital. All types of smokers (electric, pellet, propane, and charcoal) can have either digital or analog interfaces.

What is the best electric smoker for beginners?

All of the electric smokers in our review are beginner-friendly. The Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker is refreshingly simple, with just five heat settings and a plug-and-play usability.

Why We’re the Experts

• For this review, we tested over a dozen electric smokers, using them to cook chicken wings, salmon, and more. 
• We also evaluated how easy the smokers were to set up, operate, and clean. 
• Rochelle Bilow is an editor at Serious Eats. She's a former line cook and a graduate of the French Culinary Institute.
• She has been writing about food professionally for over a decade, and reviewing kitchen equipment since 2021, including charcoal smokers and propane smokers.