Meat smoker

[busymama7]

I think my dh would like a meat smoker for Christmas.  I would love to spend under $200.  Is this possible for quality? It doesn't need the be the highest quality ever.  I imagine it will get used 4-6 times a year but maybe he will get super into it and use it more. He LOVES brisket and I never buy it as I don't know how to prepare it but our neighbors smoke it and it is delicious! Thanks for any help!

[itsheresomewhere]

I have two masterbuilt ones. Both are fantastic.  One is my small for camping ( electric) and can do a few things at once.  My large one( propane) at home does a lot of food.  Amazon has the 30 inch masterbuilt digital one on sale.  
 

Wait until he does smoked Mac and cheese and baked beans.  So good.

Edited November 27, 2020 by itsheresomewhere

[busymama7]

3 minutes ago, itsheresomewhere said:

I have two masterbuilt ones. Both are fantastic.  One is my small for camping ( electric) and can do a few things at once.  My large one( propane) at home does a lot of food.  Amazon has the 30 inch masterbuilt digital one on sale.  
 

Wait until he does smoked Mac and cheese and baked beans.  So good.

How does it get a good flavor when it is electric? I assumed it the flavor came from something burning, like wood or charcoal. Thanks though! I will get this one while it's on sale!!!

[Forget-Me-Not]

I think this is an area where you’ll get what you pay for. $200 is on the low side. My husband uses a Green Mountain Grill, which is a pellet-burning smoker. He has a Daniel Boone model with wi-fi (and yes, he uses the wi-fi feature all the time). He uses it probably twice a month or more on average.  

We got a screaming deal on it from a local appliance store who honored an online Father’s Day sale.  Sportsman’s Warehouse carries them, so you can go in and look but you might get a better deal (and assembly) from a local dealer. 

Edited November 27, 2020 by Forget-Me-Not

[itsheresomewhere]

7 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

How does it get a good flavor when it is electric? I assumed it the flavor came from something burning, like wood or charcoal. Thanks though! I will get this one while it's on sale!!!

It does very well.  The wood chips go into a metal bin and it gets it nice and smoky.  I am big into barbecue and have been very happy with masterbuilt. They haven’t failed me even in a few small competitions. 

[popmom]

I LOVE my electric smoker, but I don't think they make them anymore. Mine is an old Brinkman electric bullet smoker that I bought second hand for around 30 bucks. Don't be scared of electric smokers. They are great for beginners. So easy. I soak my wood chips for a half hour or so, wrap them in foil, and place them directly on the electric burner in my smoker.

Also, if you have a good grill--like a good propane grill that allows good temp control down to 225 degrees, you can buy these pellet tube smokers. They use hardwood pellets. Then you don't even need a dedicated smoker. I actually use one in my bullet smoker because  they are so convenient. You do need to buy a propane torch light them, but those aren't expensive--and bonus--propane torches are fun by themselves. I love mine. If I can figure out which one I have, I'll post a link. 

Edited November 27, 2020 by popmom

[BlsdMama]

My dad and brother are each on their second Traeger. Our first smoker was  CharBroil. Our second is Pit Boss. 
 

My brother has been happy with both of his. My dad is unhappy with his most recent. We despised our first. I honestly think the Pit Boss was the best deal. 
 

I wasn’t a fan until we got one. It’s hands down the gadget we use the most. We actually smoked the turkey for a couple hours yesterday before roasting it! You will love it. You can call it a “His” gift but it’s really for you. 

[plansrme]

My husband has a Masterbuilt smoker I picked up from HD several years ago as I was desperately searching for a Father's Day gift. It was probably around the $200 range, it works very well, and he loved it. Be sure to include some wood chips so he can smoke something right away. We keep our smoker in the garage, rather than on a patio. It lives on a furniture dolly-type thing so he can roll it out of the garage easily to use it. It is definitely not necessary to spend $500 to get a decent smoker. If he takes to it, he can always upgrade later.