After 64 Hours of Testing, We Found the 2 Best Propane Smokers

Only one fuel source matters to the professional pitmaster or barbecue purist: wood. But in recent years, there’s been a proliferation of smokers with figurative “plug and go” fueling options. We've tested electric smokers and have now set our sights on reviewing propane smokers.

Gas smokers aren’t perfect. They run hot, which makes the inherent “low and slow” nature of barbecue difficult to achieve. But use their qualities to your advantage, and a propane smoker becomes a handy backyard cooking tool. They’re great for short smoke sessions and do very well with fish and vegetables. Plus, they’re relatively low-cost, generally beginner-friendly, and easy to clean.

The Tests

• Assembly Test: Before unboxing and assembling each propane smoker, we read their manuals. We rated the setup experience according to a variety of metrics, including whether any pieces arrived damaged, the inclusion of necessary tools and hardware, how simple (or not) it was to assemble, how long it took, and if it was possible with just one person.  
• Chicken Wings Test: Before cooking, we fitted each smoker with a wireless grill thermometer to independently monitor the cooking chamber's temperature and compare it against the smoker's built-in thermometer. We then ignited the smoker according to the manufacturer's directions and set it to 225˚F. We noted how long it took to stabilize, filled the wood and water trays, and added 20 seasoned chicken wings. We noted how many could fit on a rack, and whether they had room for adequate airflow between each wing. We monitored cook time, removing the wings when they reached 165˚F using an instant-read thermometer. During this time we noted temperature swings, as well as how often water and wood needed to be replenished. The wings were then taste-tested for appearance, texture, and flavor.
  
• Ribs Test: We began the ribs test at the same time as the chicken wings test, setting a rack of seasoned ribs on the bottom rack of the smoker. We cooked them until the meat reached 195˚F, evaluating the experience by the same metrics as the chicken wings. We noted any desirable charring, bark, and smoke rings on the meat, and tasted it for texture, juiciness, and overall smoke flavor.
• Salmon Test: We wanted to determine how each smoker handled low-temperature sessions and delicate proteins, so we lowered the set temperature to 200˚F and added large salmon filets to the smoker. Once the fish reached an internal temperature of 145˚F, we removed it and tasted it, evaluating it based on appearance, flavor, and texture.
• Cleaning Test: Once the smokers cooled, we cleaned them thoroughly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The presence, placement, and size of drip trays proved especially helpful in preventing messes.

What We Learned

How Do Propane Smokers Work?

Traditional smokers and pellet grills use wood to cook and flavor food. But electric smokers and propane smokers use wood chips solely as a flavoring agent. The wood chips are heated either inside the cooking chamber or directly below it, and the resulting smoke (in theory) flavors the food.

In propane smokers, the wood chips are heated by attaching a propane tank to the smoker (kinda like a gas grill). All you have to do then is open the valve, turn it on, and set the temperature. Most propane grills we tested could be set with a dial or digital display. In some cases, we used dampers to adjust the heat throughout the smoking session.

Propane Smokers Ran Hot

Unlike electric smokers or pellet smokers, which have a relatively consistent heat source, propane smokers heat in bursts. This made it difficult to maintain an adequately low temperature. Many of the propane smokers we tested were unable to stay within our desired temperature of 225˚F. The Dyna-Glo Vertical LP Gas Smoker was a particularly bad offender, with temperatures creeping upwards of 270˚F. While mildly annoying, this isn’t a deal breaker—provided you don’t expect gas smokers to efficiently render fat during a longer smoke session, or produce meltingly-tender meat. 

Temperature Dials Couldn't Maintain a Target

Although gas smokers include a dial or knob that allows the user to set their target temperature, they’re often inaccurate. This isn’t a problem unique to propane smokers. In fact, most types of smokers and grills we’ve tested have inaccurate temperature gauges, which is why we recommend buying a separate grill thermometer, no matter how you’re cooking. Dampers helped us fiddle with the internal temperature, really dialing it in to our target. The most successful smokes we had were when the propane smokers were set to low, and we adjusted the dampers.

Roomy Cooking Chambers Were Ideal

Large cooking chambers allow for wider racks that can hold more food. They also promote better airflow, resulting in more evenly cooked, better-flavored meat, fish, and vegetables. We also noticed that the easiest-to-use propane smokers were the ones with ample space for checking wood and water trays, and sliding out racks. A surefire way to create more room in the cooking chamber is to keep the wood tray in a separate location. Both the Cuisinart Vertical Smoker and the Pit Boss Vertical Smoker had separate compartments for wood chips.

A Tight-Sealing Door Was Crucial

Gas smokers do produce smoke, but there’s not enough smoke to actually cook the food. The wood chips and smoke are flavoring agents. For that reason, every last wisp of smoke must stay inside the smoker. One of our now-discontinued favorites, the Camp Chef Smoke Vault, had a unique door reminiscent of—you guessed it—an impenetrable bank vault. The Char-Broil Vertical Propane Smoker leaked horribly during our tests because there was no seal on the chamber door; that resulted in chicken wings that tasted like they'd been baked in an oven, not smoked.

What Type of Smoker Should You Buy?

If it's deeply smoky, infused-with-flavor meat you're after, you will be best served by a traditional wood- or charcoal-fueled smoker (we have reviewed them here). We also like pellet smokers—sometimes called pellet grills—which use wood pellets as a fuel source instead of big chunks of wood. Pellet smokers, like the ones by Traeger, are ideal for beginners because they're self-regulating for the target temperature.

If convenience and a barely-kissed-by-smoke flavor are more your speed, consider a propane smoker like the ones we reviewed here. Electric smokers are another "smoker-lite" option. You won't need to buy propane to start them up, but they—of course—require proximity to an electrical outlet. Large cuts of meat are best served by traditional and pellet smokers, while gas and electric smokers are great for fish and vegetables.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Propane Smoker

The best propane smokers have both on-unit dials and dampers to adjust the temperature. Water and wood chip trays with roomy capacity are best, as they do not have to be replenished as frequently during smoking. Ideally, these trays can be accessed without opening the main cooking chamber. Look for propane smokers with room for airflow and wider racks to allow for larger-format smoking. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the door of the cooking chamber should seal tightly to trap smoke inside with minimal leaks.

Our Favorite Propane Smokers

What we liked: This smoker is a bargain; it costs about $300. It had 785 square inches of cooking space, which allowed for better airflow and larger or more pieces of meat. The wood chips are stored in a chamber with separate access, so you don’t have to open and close the main door constantly to replenish. The design of the cooking grates is smart; they’re specially fitted to the interior rails, which makes them easy to slide out, even with food on them. This smoker produced very moist salmon with a fantastic smoke flavor.

What we didn’t like: We wished there were dampers on this smoker, because as designed the only way to adjust the temperature is with a less-than-responsive knob. It didn't perform well during longer smoke sessions. The ribs didn’t fully render fat and looked better than they tasted. The grease tray was too small to capture the majority of the drippings, making cleanup messier.

Key Specs

• Cooking surface area: 785 square inches
• Number of racks: 4
• Dimensions: 18.1 x 19.3 x 38.6 inches
• Weight: 40 pounds

What we liked: The red exterior is eye-catching, and the glass-paned door is a nice feature that allows you to visually check on the progress of your smoke session (although it will also require more diligent cleaning over time). The Pit Boss has wheels on two of its legs, making it easier to move around while still being relatively sturdy. Once we got the smoker fired up, maintaining a target temperature was pretty hands-off; adding wood was easy with a separate fuel chamber. The chicken wings were juicy, with a desirable snap to the skin; the ribs were tender with great texture, despite having minimal smoke flavor.

What we didn’t like: The Pit Boss leaked quite a bit of smoke during testing from both the door and the fuel chamber. This meant we had to replenish the wood chips frequently—five and a half cups during our chicken and ribs tests. This smoker uses a two-burner system. One ignites the wood chips, and the other heats the cooking chamber. At very low temperatures, the cooking burner would turn off.

Key Specs

• Cooking surface area: 720 square inches
• Number of racks: 4
• Dimensions: 23 x 22 x 47 inches
• Weight: 63 pounds

The Competition

• Camp Chef Smoke Vault: This propane smoker had a heavy-duty door that refused to leak smoke. We named it a winner in our original review, but it has since been discontinued.
• Char-Broil Vertical Gas Smoker: We were surprised at how flavorful the wings and ribs were when testing this smoker, but the design flaws were hard to ignore. The water pan was difficult to replenish without accidentally dousing the propane flame, and there was no seal on the main door, causing most of the smoke to leak from the unit.
• GrillPro 33” Vertical Propane Gas Cabinet Smoker: Although we appreciated this smoker’s ability to maintain a consistent temperature throughout testing, the ignition was temperamental (at one point, unexpectedly emitting a large burst of flame), and the wood chip tray had to be replenished every 30 to 45 minutes; a bothersome frequency. 
• Dyna-Glo 36” Vertical LP Gas Smoker: We struggled with the precarious placement of the wood chip tray on this smoker that threatened to fall every time we adjusted or replenished it. We were also disappointed at how hot this unit ran. For much of the testing period, it hovered between 240˚F and 270˚F, and we were unable to stabilize it at our target temperature.
• Broil King Vertical Gas Smoker, LP: The most expensive smoker we tested produced variable results. The wings were acrid and bitter, but we liked the delicately cooked salmon. The internal temperature probe was inaccurate by more than 50˚F, and the silver uncoated interior made it harder to clean. 
• Masterbuilt 40” ThermoTemp XL Propane Smoker: Because the Masterbuilt propane smoker produced so little smoke, it functioned more like an outdoor oven than a smoker, cooking ribs, chicken, and fish that didn’t have any smoke-kissed flavor.

FAQs

Are propane smokers any good?

Propane smokers are a solid option for low-stakes smoking in shorter sessions. They won’t replicate the deeply smoke-infused flavor of charcoal smokers or wood-fueled smokers, and they’re not as efficient at long smokes that require slow, low, and controlled heat. They also require a decent amount of monitoring, because the wood chip trays need regular replenishment. But that doesn’t mean they’re not good in other aspects. The subtle smoke flavor is ideally matched for delicate proteins like fish, and vegetables. The setup, startup, and cleanup are refreshingly easy, with just a propane tank needed. 

What's the best propane grill and smoker combo?

We haven't tested propane grill/smoker combos, but one of our favorite gas grills, the Weber Genesis, has tiered racks ideal for indirect cooking.

Are propane smokers safe?

When the propane tank is properly attached, propane smokers are safe. Care should always be taken when removing and replenishing the wood chip tray, but beyond that there aren’t any glaring safety issues for the average user. 

What’s better, gas smokers or electric smokers?

Gas smokers and electric smokers perform about on par with each other. They’re both good for short smoke sessions, although they struggle with larger cuts of meat. Propane smokers have a slight edge when it comes to usability (you don’t need an electrical outlet to get started), although they run hot and struggle to maintain a consistently low temperature. Both need regular monitoring, but the stakes are worth it if you’re smoking fish, vegetables, or anything that would benefit from a subtle, “kissed by smoke” flavor. 

Why We’re the Experts

• We spent over 60 hours testing propane smokers with a rigorous methodology and five separate tests.
• We considered each model’s strengths and shortcomings according to the following metrics: assembly, design, ease of use, performance, and cleaning.
• Rochelle Bilow is an editor at Serious Eats.
• She has been writing about food professionally for over a decade and reviewing kitchen equipment since 2021. She has written many grilling reviews for Serious Eats, including portable gas grills and charcoal grills.