By
James
Updated on
A BBQ Smoker is a necessity for hosting backyard parties or for cooking anything outdoors. If you’re an intermediate barbecue user hunting for a balanced smoker, then you have come to the right place.
There are tons of smokers in the market with their unique features. So, it’s difficult to conclude on a choice with so many smokers in front of you. And so, I’ll be reviewing some of the best intermediate smokers for you.
You’ll be coming across their features, highlights, and drawbacks in this post.
Our Top Picks
Below is a summary of the top picks from our SummerBaron.com team. To help you understand where each pick ranked, we have included “badges” next to each pick’s key findings. “Best Overall” is a combination of price and value. “Best Budget” is great for summer lovers who want a top-quality product but are on a tighter budget. “High End” is for people who just want the best, and price is no object.
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Product
Masterbuilt MB20074719 Electric Smoker
Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments
Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby
Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments
Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby
Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe
Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments
Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby
Reviews of Each Pick
Below are our detailed reviews of each product. Each product included in this review is reviewed by our team ⎯ with 1,000s of hours testing and working with products to help you pick the best one for your specific situation.
Masterbuilt MB20074719 Electric Smoker
It’s easy to assemble and also use at all times.
You don’t have to sit and babysit your smoker.
The built-in temperature allows you to enjoy even heating.
Its handle and wheels make it super portable.
The water pan, cooking grates, and dripping pan are all easy to clean.
Customer service isn’t reliable.
Its LED display is difficult to read in daylight.
The Masterbuilt MB20074719 Electric Smoker is all about affordability and being user-friendly. One thing you’ll love about this smoker is that it runs on electricity, eliminating the need for charcoal use. It’s convenient for users that aren’t beginners but not that seasoned in the smoking field. The dimension of this smoker spans 19.68 x 25.2 x 41.73 inches and weighs around 66.31 pounds. This device utilizes Bluetooth for connecting to your smartphone, eliminating the need to have a separate remote control. It also comes equipped with four chrome-plated racks, which can easily cook eight rib racks, four chickens, and sixteen turkeys.
This smoker enables you to load the wood chips on the side. It saves you the trouble of having to open the main door and losing smoke. This unit also has a broiling element that’ll help you in crisping your chicken or finishing the ribs with a sticky sauce. You don’t have to go through the trouble of heating an oven or a separate grill to complete the cooking process. Another feature that I want to highlight would be its convenient interior light that turns on once the door opens after dark. Plus, it also has a thermometer for your meat probe.
Traeger TFB30KLF Tailgater
Its unique and straightforward interface is fitting for intermediate users.
The compact nature of the smoker allows for easy movement and storage.
Your food will stay warm for extended hours.
It can easily reach high temperatures without delays.
The unit uses only a small number of pellets.
The temperature swings are a little mysterious.
Its controller can be a little fussy for some users.
When we did our Traeger review we found the TFB30KLF Tailgater will give you the smoky taste and has user-friendly digital controls, an auto-start ignition feature, and an auger system for feeding the pellets inside the fire. Here, the only thing that you need to do is to make sure that your hopper is full and leave the remaining work to the grill. Its cooking space spans 300 square inches that can cook over twelve burgers and two entire chickens at once. Also check out cooking a brisket on the traeger.
Its dimension measures around 37 x 18 x 36 inches and weighs around 62 pounds. The smoker’s digital arc controller enables you to set temperature in five-degree increments, allowing maintenance of precise temperatures. This unit also has foldable legs that come in real handy during transportation and storage. There is also a meat probe for monitoring your foods’ internal temperature without lifting the lid. One attractive feature would be its “keep warm mode,” which helps keep your food ready at all times. You can also expect to witness easy cleaning with no food sticking issues, all thanks to its porcelain coating.
Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe
Multifunctional that supports cooking pizzas, smoking, grilling, and searing.
Its porcelain-coated shell can stand the test of time.
Lighting the charcoal is easy with its instant start ignition feature.
The dampers of this smoker are fully rust-resistant.
Cleanup is easy with its big removable ash catcher.
Its built-in cart doesn’t make it as portable as the other smokers.
Assembling the unit is a little complicated.
The Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe fits for both indoor and outdoor use. This unit has the quality and features present in the top leading smoker brands today, along with some extra kicks. With this model, you need to light up the coals, but only a simple hit on the instant ignition is required. A personal favorite feature in this unit would be the removable LCD timer that makes smoking a lot easier. If you’re someone like me that forgets about food while socializing with people; then this smoker is for you. Another attractive feature about this smoker would be its compatibility with the meat probes of Weber iGrill2.
It provides you real-time updates and prevents possible incidents of overcooking your meat. Also, you have more brownie points with this unit if you have a small or medium-sized family. This model comes with a cooking space of 363 square inches. Also, its body consists of a sturdy table cart that comes in quite handy. Plus, the plastic charcoal bucket for storage helps in keeping your fuel in the vicinity. This smoker’s dimension stands at 30 x 48 x 43.5 inches and weighs up to 91 pounds. Check out some more Weber reviews.
Char-Broil Oklahoma Joe’s
Pretty easy to put together
Very heavy duty and versatile
POOR quality welds/material used
Shopping for a smoker is a little daunting, especially if you’re an intermediate user. It can get a tad bit confusing to pick one from the many top-performing smokers. But any one of these smokers will easily cater to your needs. They have all the necessary features that are familiar to both beginners and seasoned users. If you want something similar, then I would also recommend the Oklahoma Joe’s Combo Charcoal/Gas Offset Smoker, which works just as well as the other smokers on the list.
About The Author
Reviewed by
James
James is a writer who is a self-confessed kitchenware and coffee nerd and a strong advocate of Sundays, good butter, and warm sourdough.
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