If you are a fan of BBQ food, then having a smoker on your deck or in your backyard is an absolute must. But it’s not very easy to choose from a number of products. If you have begun shopping around, you’ve likely realized there are scores of vertical smokers on the market.
If you are not yet familiar with the most popular smoker and grill brands, it’s easy to get confused when deciding on the best smoker for your barbequing.
In this article, we list the best vertical smokers of 2020 on the basis of their features, pros, and Cons. Hopefully, it will solve any confusion you are facing and will help you make up your mind.
We’ll start with a review of some of the best vertical smokers of 2020.
🥇 Best Vertical Charcoal Smoker for Beginners – Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker
This is one of the best vertical smokers you will find on the market. The Smokey Mountain Cooker is a charcoal powered, water-based smoker.
It has grabbed the market scene from the first day it was introduced to the BBQ world as it is easy to use and can maintain consistent temperatures. Some people have even made this smoker fan pages on the Internet.
The product has gotten some modifications in the past couple of years, which have only improved its performance. For instance, in 2014, a soft grommet was added on the side of the smoker so that you can insert a thermometer for more accurate results.
Not only is the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker highly durable, but it also offers decent mobility. You can pack it up and go to the nearest grilling competition circuit and unpack it with the same ease.
This grill comes in three different sizes. So, if you want to take it for some upscale camping and enjoy your cooking wherever you go, simply purchase the smaller size.
Let us take a look at its best features and its Pros & Cons, which should answer your questions and clear any doubts about this product.
Features:
- It has a water pan (enameled with porcelain) which allows your meat to stay moist and tender.
- One of the best features is its built-in temperature gauge. You can monitor the temperature (internal) without opening the lid.
- A rust-resistant heat shield allows you to get that traditional flavor of BBQ.
- The handle is heat resistant, making it user-friendly while cooking.
Pros
- Multiple vents
- Sealed design to help you save charcoal
- Sustains temperatures for longer
- Adding charcoal or wood while smoking is easy; its fuel door comes off fully
- Built-in gauge allows you to control the heat
- Highly durable; its detachable parts make it easy to transport
Cons
- Its front door is a little flimsy
- Not for professional cooks; designed for beginners
You can directly purchase this product from the link provided below.
Check the latest price on Amazon!
🥇 Best Vertical Drum Style Smoker – Pit Barrel Classic Cooker Package
As the name suggests, the Pit Barrel Cooker has a unique barrel-shaped design. This smoker has a large cooking top, which allows you to cook really delicious BBQ food in good quantities.
The results are consistent and offer that authentic, traditional BBQ flavor everyone loves. It is hassle-free in terms of assembling and cleaning, which makes it one of the best vertical smokers in town (or on Amazon).
The company provides you with all the necessary equipment and attachments, which will facilitate your cooking and cleaning experience. Because you can detach all the components of this cooker, you can wash them individually.
Some helpful attachments provided will aid you in both cooking and cleaning.
Features:
- This grill has stainless steel hooks, enabling you to hang meats, sausage, and fish with ease.
- It has an ash pan, which helps at the time of cleaning. You just have to remove it and dump the ash out after you finish cooking.
- An external charcoal basket holds your charcoal while you are cooking.
- It has an open bottom, so the ashes simply go down to the ground level. This makes its cleaning process simple.
Pros
- You can cook in large amounts
- Easy to assemble
- Equipped with additional attachments such as hooks and hanging rods
- Has standard grates to make the grilling easy
- The cleaning process is simple and straightforward; you just have to disassemble it.
- Cooks faster than other products in this range
Cons
- Sometimes hard to control the internal temperature
- Hard to use with a spatula due to its low grill surface
You can directly purchase this product from the link provided below.
Check the latest price on Amazon!
🥇 Best Vertical Pellet Smoker – Pit Boss Grills 77550 5.5 Pellet Smoker
In case you prefer a more traditional pellet smoker capable of catering to larger gatherings, the 77550 5.5 Pellet Smoker is an excellent choice.
There is a lot you will love about this Pit Boss Pellet Grill. It is a large-capacity grill containing porcelain-coated cooking grates that total 1830 square inches of cooking area. You can smoke chicken, salmon, pork butt, a ray of oysters, and brisket at the same time.
Its large viewing window is high-temperature sealed while its programmable temperature control can adjust between 150 – 450 degrees (F).
This smoker comes with a digital LED display for reading the internal temperature; you can easily monitor the progress of your smoked masterpiece. However, the light could have been a bit brighter.
Temperature variance is one of the greater concerns of the 77550 pellet grill. You might have a bit of trouble when it comes to maintaining a consistent temperature, especially in humid weather.
This grill has an auto shut off which activates when it is left on for more than 12 hours; however, the hopper has been designed to take in enough pellets for 24 hours.
The water tray of this grill is not sufficiently ventilated to be useful for more than 24 hours at a time. The lack of ventilation causes humidity to gather inside the grill, which can turn the pellets into a sticky residue and end up blocking the pellet feeder.
All in all, this huge capacity grill is easy to assemble, spacious and is available at a moderate price.
Features:
- The cooking area measures 1830 square inches
- 40+ lb hopper capacity with pellet purge
- Weighs 131 lbs
- Has five porcelain coated cooking grids
- Comes with auto-start 300-watt igniters with auto shut-off
Pros:
- Internal meat thermometer
- Large capacity cooking area
- Comes with a programmable 140F – 350F temperature range
Cons:
- The LED display is not that bright.
- Water trays don’t have enough ventilation
- Auto shut-off prevents overnight smoking
👉 Get the Latest Price on Amazon!
🥇 Best Vertical Kamado Grill and Smoker – Char-griller 16620 Akorn Kamado Kooker
This budget smoker is a multi-function smoker and griller from Char-Griller.
You can adjust the heat produced by this product. On one hand, you can sear the meat using the highest temperature setting. On the other hand, if you want to slow roast the meat, just turn it to low heat.
Its fan following is growing day-by-day just because of its versatility. This grill and smoker can serve as a long-term BBQ partner for your whole family as it is built with heavy-duty material.
You can control the temperature, which has a wide range from 200 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a triple-walled structure and temperature gauge.
Features:
- Its adjustable dampers in the top and bottom are helpful in controlling the temperature of this grill.
- It has a steel body that makes it durable. The interior steel is coated with porcelain while the external segment is powder-coated.
- Easy to carry and travel with it, as it has been equipped with two large wheels with locks. So, you can move it with ease and lock its wheels as soon as you find the best place to cook.
- You get a 317-square-inch cast grilling and smoking iron space. This is ideal for large amounts of meat and veggies.
- One of the most impressive components of this smoker is its folding shelf, which makes it easier to set down your cooking utensils. If you need it, you can use it. If you don’t, you can easily fold it away.
Pros
- You can adjust the temperature by opening or closing the dampers
- Highly portable because of its two large wheels
- Made up of solid steel, which prolongs its life
- User-friendly and easy to operate
Cons
- Its maintenance is a little difficult
- Can acquire dents if not handled carefully
- Some reviews have mentioned a melting problem with the lid if it is on high heat
You can directly purchase this product from the link provided below.
Check the latest price on Amazon!
🥇 Best Vertical Kettle Grill: Original Premium Kettle Charcoal Grill
This is one of the best vertical smokers in this price range. It is perfect for one’s backyard and works fine for everyday grilling.
The best feature it has is its one-touch cleaning process. This high-quality product from Weber produces a traditional BBQ flavor every time you cook. It has a large surface area of about 363 square inches, which can hold a large amount of meat and veggies.
It has a built-in thermometer to enable you to control the temperature inside the smoker with ease.
Features:
- It has a heat-resistant handle to provide user safety.
- The lid is equipped with a convenient angled hook.
- It comes with a rod on the side grill where you can hang your tongs and spatulas. With your tools easily accessible to you, your cooking will transform into an effortless task.
- Equipped with robust wheels, this grill is ideal for trips and camping.
Pros
- Equipped with a better design than its previous versions
- Easy to clean
- Has an ash catcher
- Easy to assemble and install its components
- Produces traditional BBQ flavor
Cons
- There can be damage to the hardware if it is not properly handled
- The paint chips easily.
You can directly purchase this product from the link provided below.
Check the latest price on Amazon!
🥇 Best Vertical Cabinet Smoker – Dyna-Glo Charcoal Grill and Smoker
If you love traditional BBQ flavored meat and veggies, this might be the best vertical smoker for you. Both griller and smoker, this is an amazing product from Dyna-Glo.
It comes with a special chamber where you can put wood pellets of various flavors, which will add to the flavor of the food. While cooking on the grill, you can appreciate the smoky flavor of your meat and veggies.
This grill comes with four cooking grates, making the cooking area decently large: 784 square inches of cooking space.
The design allows you to cook a lot of food on the go. You can cook the meat on one grate and veggies on another grate. As far as vertical smokers go, this one offers great grilling features as well.
Features:
- Adjustable grates: the height of the grates are flexible, which makes it easier for you to cook different foods at the same time.
- It is possible to cook a large amount of food because of the four large grates.
- The double-door facility reduces heat loss while opening the lid. With the double door operation, you will have less heat loss while cooking and can more easily maintain the temperature.
- It comes with a removable ash pan for easier cleaning.
- The charcoal chamber is enameled with porcelain.
- Its temperature gauge helps you track the internal temperature of the grill.
Pros
- Easy to maintain and clean
- Spacious area to cook BBQ
- Made of high-quality material
- Equipped with a temperature gauge to monitor internal temperature
Cons
- May get dents if not maintained well
- Heavy in terms of its weight
- Difficult to assemble
You can directly purchase this product from the link provided below.
Check the latest price on Amazon!
🥇 Deluxe Americal Offset Smoker from Char-Broil (The Authentic Smoker)
This is one of the most reliable and durable smokers on the BBQ scene. It has been praised by its customers for its ability to produce authentic BBQ.
This is one of the best vertical smokers you will find. Char-Broil has come up with a product that is both heavy-duty and spacious. Well-suited for gatherings, it can handle a large amount of meat and veggies while producing a traditional flavor.
As it comes with a temperature controller, you can easily monitor the temperature and get that perfect cook every time. It includes accessible drawers made of stainless steel.
Transportation is easy with two wheels to help you move it around.
Features:
- Its heat-resistant handles support safety while cooking and make the grill more child friendly.
- With adjustable dampers, you can open or close them in a way that supports your particular grilling recipe and temperature needs.
- Storage racks are included where you can keep cooking utensils.
- It also has a chimney vent to control the temperature of the griller by opening or closing the vent.
- The water pan is also a cool (or hot) feature of this product. This water pan is coated with porcelain, which helps create the steam inside the smoker, which tenderizes the meat.
- It has a built-in temperature gauge to monitor the internal temperature of the griller.
Pros
- Temperature can be controlled in two ways: adjusting the dampers or opening/closing the chimney vents
- The high-quality cooking chamber doesn’t allow the smoke to leak out
- Portable, making it one of the best vertical smokers for trips
- Spacious area to cook for groups
- Temperature easily monitored with the help of a built-in temperature gauge
Cons
- Can get dents while transporting it from one place to another, if not handled properly
- Hard to assemble.
You can directly purchase this product from the link provided below.
Check the latest price on Amazon!
Summary
We acknowledged above that it is difficult to choose among the best vertical smokers on the market. Each and every product has different features that make it unique, and that make certain ones more preferable than others.
The basic features you should look at include:
- Portability
- Temperature Control
- Durability
- Material
- Cost
- Additional functionalities
If you take the time to gain knowledge about the product you are going to purchase, you can rest assured that your money doesn’t get wasted.
You can also lookup reviews of customers who have already purchased that product. It will give you a clear image of the product’s drawbacks and plus points.
After purchasing your vertical smoker, make sure you clean it every time after you finish cooking. This will help your product last longer, even after multiple uses.
We hope this information has given you a clear idea about the best vertical smokers of 2020. If you are still in doubt, leave a comment or contact us via email (provided on the website). We will surely try to help you out.
Until then … stay happy and keep cooking.
Last Updated on September 15, 2020 by Judith Fertig
Leave a Reply