When it comes to grilling, not everyone has the time or the patience to mess with lighting and heating up charcoal. This leaves you with only two other options to choose from: propane or electric.
Propane vs Electric Smokers
If you are in the market for a new smoker, you can get a propane or electric smoker for under $200. Unless you know a lot about the differences and similarities of propane and electric smokers, it’s difficult to determine which is a better choice. Let’s explore some details of the two and you can decide which style fits you the best.
Fuel Source
What is the biggest difference between propane and electric smokers? The fuel source used to cook your foods is the biggest difference. Electric smokers offer great temperature control and reliability. The downside of an electric smoker is that it needs a power source to plug into.
Propane or gas smokers require a connection to a propane tank. They tend to be much more portable than electric smokers. You do have to be careful you do not run out of propane, however, A propane smoker will not do you any good on an empty tank!
Temperature
Electric smokers typically offer better temperature control and reliability than propane smokers. Many electric smokers are sophisticated and include integrated temperature gauges. They automatically adjust the temperature and provide even, consistent cooking. The downside of an electric smoker is that it needs an outlet to plug into.
Propane or gas smokers can reach much higher temperatures than electric smokers, but the temperature is often more difficult to control. You are reliant on propane-fueled burners to heat your food and it is easy to set the burner temperature too high. This may result in overcooked or dry food.
Technology
Propane smokers generally tend to be low-tech products. This means you might not get all the cool features in a propane smoker that you might find in an electric smoker. For example, you will probably not find bluetooth connectivity integrated into a propane smoker.
Electric smokers on the other hand often provide digital features and controls. It is not uncommon for an electric smoker to come with bluetooth connectivity or a remote control device. This allows you to leave the smoker unattended and go about your business inside your home.
Propane Smoker Reviews
Now that you know about some common features of propane and electric smokers, let’s take a look at and review some specific propane smokers.
Masterbuilt 20050614 Propane 44-Inch Smoker
This is an extra-large capacity smoker with 2000-square inches of overall cooking space. There are four individual chrome smoking racks you can use to lay out all the meats and vegetables you want to smoke.
The dual-door design gives you a perfect view of your food while it is smoking. This Masterbuilt has a built-in thermometer above the door so you can easily monitor the temperature of your smoked food.
This smoker is designed with two 8250-BTU (British thermal units) stainless steel burners. The push-button ignition system makes it easy to light this smoker and be on your way to smoking your foods within seconds!
There is a porcelain-coated wood chip tray and water pan beneath the racks. You can refill the wood chips without opening the main door which means you do not lose heat while you are keeping the smoker burning!
Once you taste the flavorful food that you can make with this Masterbuilt smoker, you will wonder why you waited so long to get it.
Summary of Features:
- 2000-square inches of cooking space
- Dual-door design
- Built-in thermometer
- Two 8250-BTU stainless steel burners
- Push-button ignition system
- Removable water pan
Char-Broil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared Smoker Roaster & Grill
The Big Easy Smoker Roaster & Grill gives you the flexibility to smoke your food, roast and grill all in one easy to use unit. Char-Broil uses TRU-Infrared technology to cook food evenly and leave it juicy. You won’t get annoying flame flare-ups that you typically get with charcoal grills.
This incredibly compact grill can actually hold up to 25-pounds of meat that can be roasted or smoked. It also includes 180-square inches of cooking area for grilling. This smoker includes a smoker box so that you can add flavor with wood chips.
With two 9000-BTU burners, you can easily control the temperature for cooking your food. You can use 1-burner, both burners or a combination of the two burners to get evenly distributed heat.
This smoker takes little time to assemble and once you connect it to your standard liquid propane tank, you are ready to grill immediately. This grill also features a removable grease tray so you can easily dispose of waste and have a mess-free cleanup!
Summary of Features:
- 3-in-1 smoker, roaster and grill
- Holds up to 25-pounds of meat for smoking
- Includes 180-square inches of cooking space
- Two 9000-BTU burners
- Easy to assemble
Smoke Hollow 38202G 38-Inch Gas Propane Smoker
This smoker from Smoke Hollow features a 3.4-cubic foot cooking capacity cabinet. It includes four chrome-plated cooking grids which you can adjust multiple ways to best fit your cooking needs.
This smoker uses propane and has a gas output of 20,000-BTUs. The push-button ignition system makes this smoker easy to start so you can spend more time grilling your foods and less time heating up the grill!
This Smoke Hollow smoker has a dual-door system which makes it easier to control the internal heat and moisture while you are smoking your food. This allows you to add more water and refill the wood chip pan without allowing heat to escape from the cooking area.
As an added bonus, this smoker also comes with a sausage hanger. You will fall in love with the flavorful tastes that this smoker produces.
Summary of Features:
- Cabinet-style smoker with 3.4-cubic feet of cooking space
- Fueled with propane
- Gas output of 20,000-BTUs
- Push-button ignition system
- Dual-door system to lock in heat
- Includes a sausage hanger
Dyna-Glo DGW1235BDP-D 36-Inch Wide Body LP Gas Smoker
This propane smoker by Dyna-Glo has an impressive 36-inch wide cabinet-style body. The smoker has two cast-iron burners with a total gas output of 20,000-BTUs. It has a push-button ignition system for easy lighting.
On the inside, there are four adjustable cooking grates which can be positioned in a variety of ways to accommodate all your cooking needs. This cabinet-style smoker has a total of 1235-square inches of cooking space. It even includes a hanger rack so you can hang sausages.
The heavy-gauge porcelain enameled steel water bowl produces juicy, tender meat flavors every time. The large wood chip box is also made of heavy-gauge, porcelain enameled steel which delivers hours of maintenance free cooking.
The dual-door design allows you to add water and more wood chips without allowing the heat to escape from the main cooking cabin. Finally, you have a built-in thermometer for monitoring the temperatures of your food. This smoker is economically priced and will give you consistent results every time you use it.
Summary of Features:
- 36-inch wide cabinet-style smoker
- 1235-square inches of cooking space
- Two cast-iron burners
- Gas output of 20,000-BTUs total
- Four adjustable cooking grates
- Steel water bowl and wood chip tray
Electric Smoker Reviews
Electric smokers require an outlet for the energy source. Although this makes them slightly less flexible, you can still get similar results with flavorful smoked foods. Here are reviews of some specific electric smokers you may find interesting.
Masterbuilt 30-Inch Electric Smoker With Window And RF Controller
This is an impressive electric smoker made by Masterbuilt. It provides 730-square inches of cooking space and includes four chrome-coated smoking racks. This smoker allows you to smoke up to 100-pounds of food!
This smoker features an RF (radio frequency) remote control which monitors internal smoker temperature and cooking time. It comes with a meat temperature probe which can also be monitored by the remote control. The thermostat temperature control provides even cooking from 100 to 275-degrees.
Wood chips can be loaded conveniently from the side and the drip pan can be easily removed. The smoker has an air damper on the top to provide more control over the internal temperature of the smoker.
The large viewing window lets you monitor your food while it is cooking. It even has an internal light so you can see it in the dark! The sleek stainless steel exterior of this smoker will give your backyard barbecue area a luxurious facelift!
Summary of Features:
- 730-square inches of cooking space
- Four chrome-coated smoking racks
- Includes an RF remote to control internal temperature, meat temperature, and time
- Large viewing window
- Convenient side loading for wood chips
Char-Broil 725-Square Inch Deluxe Black Digital Electric Smoker
This Char-Broil smoker offers 725-square inches of cooking space and is the ideal appliance for outdoor smoking, grilling and cooking. Four adjustable smoking racks provide ample space for smoking meats and vegetables.
This digital electric smoker has an insulated, double-wall construction and a large glass door for viewing your food while it is cooking. It comes with a removable integrated food thermometer which you can set to your desired internal temperature.
The door of this smoker has a large, stainless steel locking latch to give you a smoke-tight seal. The large capacity smoke box provides 4-7 hours of smoke before you need to refill it with more wood chips.
With this Char-Broil smoker, you can place your meat and wood chips in the smoker and sit back and relax. Let the smoker do all the hard work for you and enjoy the tasty results when your food is done!
Summary of Features:
- Digital electric smoker
- 725-square inches of cooking space
- Four adjustable smoking racks
- Insulated, double-wall construction
- Large viewing window
- Removable integrated food thermometer
- Large capacity smoke box offers 4-7 hours of smoke
Masterbuilt MES 35B Electric Smoker
This is one of Masterbuilt’s more economical electric smokers. It is a cabinet-style smoker with a single chamber door and comes with a 1500-watt heating element for even, consistent smoking.
The built-in temperature gauge on the front of the smoker allows you to monitor the internal temperature. It offers variable temperature control with easy dial temperature settings. The easy-to-remove water bowl allows you to add moisture and flavor while your food is cooking.
The wood chip tray slides out for easy ash removal and quick refilling when needed. You can control the amount of smoke produced by using the adjustable air damper. Whether you are a beginner or an expert at smoking foods, you will find this Masterbuilt electric smoker is easy to use.
Summary of Features:
- Economically priced
- Three chrome-coated smoking racks
- Built-in temperature gauge
- Removable water bowl
- Adjustable air damper for smoke control
Masterbuilt Smoke Hollow Digital Electric Smoker
This Smoke Hollow smoker has a digital panel that allows you to control several features of your smoker. You can turn the smoker on and off, and you can control the temperature and cook times. It comes with three chrome-coated smoking racks and an integrated thermostat for even, consistent smoking.
The cabinet-style body of this smoker is fully insulated so you will not lose excessive smoke while cooking your food. It has an adjustable air damper to control the smoke and a removable drip pan for easy clean up of grease.
This smoker takes no time to set up. Simply load your food, plug it in, and set the digital controls. You can sit back and relax while the smoker does all the hard work on your behalf!
Summary of Features:
- 800-watt heating element
- Digital control panel for on/off, temperature and time
- Integrated thermostat temperature control
- Fully insulated smoker body
- Adjustable air damper
Conclusion
There are many similarities and differences between propane and electric smokers. If you want more flexibility and mobility, then a propane smoker may be the best choice. If you want something for your backyard that you can leave in place, an electric smoker is ideal if you have a nearby outlet. Determine which type of smoker will fit your lifestyle the best. You cannot go wrong!