Ceramic smokers observing ancient Japanese design, or handmade smokers by David Klose including custom smokers for cook-offs, are telling of the exciting variety of the best BBQ smokers. They may be electric or gas powered, popularly propane, to provide consistent heat; charcoal or wood fired, whether it's wood chips with flavor or wood pellets for clean, efficient burning.
The best BBQ smokers in the low to mid-price range are made to ease the process for inexperienced and low-commitment barbeque cooks. Bar-B-Chef, Big Drum Smoker, Bradley, Brinkman, Camp Chef, Char-Broil, Char-Griller, Masterbuilt, Old Smokey and Weber's Smokey Mountain offer economical smokers doubling as grills or outdoor ovens, all digital operation, thermostatic switching between hot and cold smoking and the Lazy-Q.
The choicest high-end BBQ smokers assure barbeque aficionados, restaurants, chefs and caterers with uncompromising quality. Big Green Egg, Cookshack, J.R. Enterprises, Lang, Klose, Pitts & Spitts, Super Cajun, The Good One, and Traeger Pellet boast heavy duty smoking chambers that last a lifetime, 4 to 6 grill rack refrigerator style smokers, super precise temperature settings, incredible competition smokers. Buy them built inteo concession stands and trailers and you instantly have mobile carts and roadside diners.
The best BBQ smokers provide a myriad advantages to fit your style. Traditional smoke boxes and offset barrel smokers promise genuine homemade textures while meticulous vertical water smokers and upright drum smokers (UDS) guarantee authentic slow-cooked tenderness. Hardwoods like oak, maple, hickory, alder, mesquite, pecan, black walnut, beech and fruit tree woods like apple, cherry and plum are preferred.