How Long To Cook Steak On Smoker

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Some smoking enthusiasts love the idea of closely monitoring the entire process for hours on end, adjusting the heat and fussing with the smoke levels. Other enthusiasts want delicious smoky food without that sort of devotion.

Electric smokers take a lot of the work out of the process since they monitor and regulate the temperature during the long smoking process. Sure, you can lurk and watch if that's what you want, but you don't have to. Some smokers can handle cold smoking, while others are designed for hot smoking. For smoke creation, some use chips while others use chunks or biscuits. But no matter which you choose, electric smokers free you up for other important tasks, like making your soon-to-be-famous barbecue sauce.

Here, the best electric smokers for your cooking needs.

Our Top Picks

This unit comes equipped with Bluetooth, so you can step away from the smoker and monitor your meal using just your smartphone.

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This smoker comes with three chrome-coated racks that will never rust or corrode, providing 548 square inches of smoking space.

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This smoker's insulated cook chamber keeps the heat and smoke in, while the dual door latches provide even more flexibility.

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Bradley's briquettes automatically feed into this smoker, so you don't have to worry about checking smoke levels while you cook.

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This no-frills electric smoker cooks food at 165 degrees, and it's available in top- and front-load models.

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Just dial in your desired temperature and let this digital smoker take care of the rest.

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What We Like

• Spacious interior

• Convenient Bluetooth controls

• Built-in meat probe

• Easy to add wood chips

What We Don't Like

• Issues operating in cold weather

• LED display is hard to read

There's so much to love about this smoker: It has simple digital controls and comes equipped with Bluetooth, so you can step away from it and monitor your meal from your favorite lawn chair, using just your smartphone. Not only does the Masterbuilt app show you the internal temperature of the machine, but the integrated meat probe lets you monitor the food's temperature as well, so you'll know when your roast is perfectly cooked.

Our tester really liked that you're able to load wood chips in through the side of the smoker, so you don't have to open the door during cooking. The smoker has a total of four racks and can handle up to eight racks of ribs or a whopping 16 chickens at one time, so there's plenty of space to feed the family or cook for a party. However, we did find that the smoker has trouble operating when the outdoor temperature is below freezing, so it's not the best option for mid-winter cooking.

Dimensions: 19.68 x 25.20 x 41.73 inches | Weight: 66.31 pounds | Racks: Four | Temperature Range: Not listed

What Our Testers Say

"One of my favorite aspects of this smoker is the wood chip loading system on the side, which allows you to add more chips without opening the smoker door." — Camryn Rabideau, Product Tester

What We Like

• Easy to use

• Chrome-coated racks

• Spacious interior

What We Don't Like

• No glass door

• Poor grease pan design

This smoker comes with three chrome-coated racks that will never rust or corrode, providing 548 square inches of smoking space. The heat can be adjusted from 100 to 400 degrees, so you'll have plenty of options for slow cooking or quicker roasting. The water pan and wood chip tray are designed for easy removal, making cleanup a breeze.

Meanwhile, the two side handles make this smoker simple to move to the perfect spot in your yard. To get started, turn the dial to select your cooking temperature and let it run. A front thermometer lets you monitor the temperature at a glance to make sure everything is cooking as it should.

Dimensions: 22 x 19 x 37.5 inches | Weight: 51.5 pounds | Racks: Three | Temperature Range: 100–400 degrees | Watts: 1,500

What We Like

• Lots of cooking space

• Dual door latches and carry handles

• Large-capacity wood chip box

What We Don't Like

• Trouble reaching high temperatures

• Have to open door to add wood chips

The Char-Broil name might be familiar because of their popular gas and charcoal grills, but their smokers are also worth a look. This model has three chrome-plated cooking grates that offer a total of 544 square inches of cooking space. An insulated cook chamber keeps the heat and smoke in, while the dual door latches give you even more control and flexibility.

There's a temperature gauge mounted on the front door for easy monitoring of the internal temperature, and the smoker has carry handles for easy transport. The aluminized steel water tray, grease cup, and wood chip tray are easily accessed from the front when it's time to add more wood or water and when it's time to clean up after cooking.

Dimensions: 14.96 x 20.71 x 33.46 inches | Weight: 49.5 pounds | Racks: Three | Temperature Range: Not listed | Watts: 1,200

What We Like

• Automatic feed system for briquettes

• Supports give racks stability when removing

• Smoke for up to nine hours without refilling wood

What We Don't Like

• Briquettes are expensive

• Issues operating in cold weather

Bradley smokers are known for their unique briquettes that feed neatly into the smoker during cooking, with less mess than chips or pellets. It's easy to see how many are left, so you can feed more if you want more smoke for your favorite smoked fish or a particularly long smoking session.

This model has four racks that are designed to be stable, even when partially pulled out, so you can check on or remove food without worrying about it dropping. In addition, there's no need to nurse your food; the Bradley electric smoker produces smoke for up to nine hours without refilling wood. The interior is all stainless steel, so it won't rust and is easy to clean. If you smoke for large parties, Bradley also makes a similar smoker with six racks.

Dimensions: 19 x 22 x 35 inches | Weight: 58 pounds | Racks: Four | Temperature Range: Up to 280 degrees | Watts: 125

What We Like

• Simple and easy to use

• Front- or top-load options

• Holds up to 50 pounds of meat or fish

What We Don't Like

• Only operates at one temperature

• Somewhat flimsy construction

The Smokehouse Big Chief Electric Smoker has a no-frills design. It features embossed aluminum construction and a non-adjustable heating element that operates solely at 165 degrees, but it can hold up to 50 pounds of meat or fish on its chrome-plated racks. Plus, you can choose between top-load or front-load options—top loading is often more convenient if you're cooking large pieces of meat, as you can load it up in advance and then lower it into the smoker. Despite its simple construction, the smoker is engineered for premium smoke ventilation, giving food a rich, smoky flavor and superior texture.

Dimensions: 12 x 18 x 24.5 inches | Weight: Not listed | Racks: Five | Temperature Range: 165 degrees | Watts: 450

What We Like

• Simple interface

• Compact enough for small spaces

• Lightweight and portable

• Affordable price

What We Don't Like

• No high-heat option

• Uses up smoking fuel quickly

For hands-off smoking, you need a product like the Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker. This model is operated via an easy-to-use digital control panel that allows you to monitor your cooking temperature and makes adjustments as you go. It even includes an integrated meat probe that will help ensure you don't overcook your food!

The Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker offers 725 square inches of cooking space across four adjustable racks, and you'll get between four to seven hours of smoke after you fill up its large-capacity wood chip box. However, our tester found that the unit often struggles to reach its max temperature: "We found that the Char-Broil sometimes struggled to reach its advertised maximum temperature of 275; it's at its best closer to 225."

Dimensions: 16.54 x 32.52 x 18.11 inches | Weight: 50.2 pounds | Racks: Four | Temperature Range: Up to 275 degrees | Watts: 750

What Our Testers Say

"The ability to run the smoker for a set amount of time (plus the relative reliability of the temperature control) meant we could actually 'set it and forget it,' unlike with most pellet-fed smokers." — Justin Park, Product Tester

Final Verdict

The Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker offers a host of convenient features, from its Bluetooth-enabled controls and built-in meat probe to the side-loading wood chip drawer, and it's a solid choice for anyone who wants to smoke large amounts of food. For those just delving into the world of smoking, the Cuisinart 30-Inch Electric Smoker (view at Amazon) is more affordable and easy to operate.

What to Look for in an Electric Smoker

Cooking capacity

How much food do you plan on smoking at one time? If you expect to smoke a few slabs of ribs or an occasional turkey breast, you don't need a giant smoker, but if you're planning on larger quantities of food that take a long time to smoke, you'll appreciate the space that a bigger model offers.

Portability

An electric smoker needs to be near an outlet when it's in use, but is that where you'll always keep it? If you're going to be moving your smoker from storage to the cooking spot and back again, it's wise to look at portable units with wheels and a sturdy handle. If you have a permanent spot for the smoker, portability is much less important.

Controls

Just like many of today's appliances, you can find smokers with a wide variety of control options, from simple dials and buttons to digital controls. There are even some that include Wi-Fi connectivity so you can work remotely. Think about what you prefer and choose accordingly.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Donna Currie is a cookbook author, as well as a writer and product tester. She stays up to date on all the latest grills and accessories and has personally tested grills for The Spruce Eats.

This article was updated by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce Eats. She conducted firsthand testing of our top pick, the Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smoker, and she's tested several other grills with smoking abilities, as well.

How Long To Cook Steak On Smoker

Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-electric-smokers-4159127

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