If you are serious about smoking your meat, this guide will provide you with all the information you need before choosing your Weber Smokey Mountain. We’ll also compare it with other famous smokers on the market so that you can make a better choice. You’ll find Weber smokers for sale in a lot of places, but make sure you are buying the right price and the right model at the right place.
Before we get right into it, below is a little description that answers the question, “What is a Weber Smokey Mountain smoker?”
Simply put, a smoker is a device that lets you smoke your meat before you consume it. Before you go for conventional methods like grilling or cooking, smoking gives you a unique flavor and taste that only comes from a specific way of preparing meat.
Before we continue, here are the products we will be reviewing (comparing):
Last update on 2025-11-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What is a WSM smoker?
The Weber Smokey Mountain cooker is a closed multistory (multi-level) smokehouse in which smoke spreads homogeneously around grills and cooking foods. Its large opening makes it possible to refuel fire from wood chips without losing smoke, as many times as your recipe or cooking requires. This system makes most Weber smokers easy to use.
If you plan to buy a Weber Smokey Mountain grill, you’ll find what you need in this review. However, before getting into that, we’ll provide you with a description of what a Weber Smokey Mountain smoker does in general.
We’ll also describe how you can use these grills since there are a variety of different Weber Smokey Mountain sizes and models.
Meathead Goldwyn, Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Reviews WSMs are high quality, charcoal fueled, bullet-shaped smokers. They are often seen competing head to head with large commercial cookers at practically every competition. And winning. They take very little time to master.
Smokey Mountains cook at a remarkably steady temp for hours; raising or lowering the temp on this small model is fairly easy by opening and closing the vents.
Construction is solid and the finish is beautiful. Weber really knows how to make long-lasting porcelain and chrome coatings. The legs are sturdy and there is a bowl-shaped aluminum heat shield attached to them. If you cook on a wood deck, we recommend setting your WSM on a grill mat.
Meathead Goldwyn, Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Reviews
WSMs are high quality, charcoal fueled, bullet-shaped smokers. They are often seen competing head to head with large commercial cookers at practically every competition. And winning. They take very little time to master.
Smokey Mountains cook at a remarkably steady temp for hours; raising or lowering the temp on this small model is fairly easy by opening and closing the vents.
Construction is solid and the finish is beautiful. Weber really knows how to make long-lasting porcelain and chrome coatings. The legs are sturdy and there is a bowl-shaped aluminum heat shield attached to them. If you cook on a wood deck, we recommend setting your WSM on a grill mat.
Meathead GoldwynHow to Use a Weber Smokey Mountain
Flavoring
The smoking technique involves spreading smoke from scented wood chips to flavor meat and fish during cooking. Formerly used to preserve these foods, this technique is now appreciated by connoisseurs to give their meats a unique flavor and appearance.
The smoke released by the wood chips diffuses a fragrance and permeates the food to give your grilled meats an incomparable taste. Depending on the type of wood you use, this smoke can be more or less strong and bring more or less taste.
Different Woods for Different Aromas
Weber enhances the enjoyment of smoking your meat with a variety of wood flavors that can be used with all their charcoal and gas barbecues.
- The sweetness of apple and cherry blends perfectly with poultry or pork. The meat and the natural products give you a great balance of taste and nutrition.
- Mesquite, which is more pronounced, is perfect for vegetables or fish. Especially with fish, mesquite delivers a great, unique taste.
- Pecan walnut and hickory, even more powerful, sublimate well with red meat.
Depending on your recipe, you can vary the uses to infinity. For an even more intense smoky taste, Weber offers cedar smoking boards on which food can be placed. In contact with the heat, the scent of the board is diffused in the food to give it an incomparable woody flavor. This accessory is ideal for cooking fish and poultry and is compatible with gas, coal, or electric barbecues.
Now that you know a bit about what the Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM) is and what it does in general, let’s get into the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker reviews as well as a guide to buying Weber Smokey Mountain Grills.
Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker review and buying guide
This Smokey Mountain from Weber has built up a solid reputation from amateurs and professionals alike. The product, introduced in 1981, has improved over the past several years; you can now find them in different sizes, which is extremely convenient. Today, they are made of much stronger material and also have a built-in thermometer.
The bullet-shaped charcoal fueled smokers are always of high quality. In practically every competition that you attend or watch, you can see them often competing directly against the largest commercial cookers. The Weber Smokey Mountain smokers often win, as they are easy to use and do not require a lot of time to master.
By opening and closing the vents, you can lower or raise the temperature, as needed. The WSM is strong and the legs are sturdy. You will also find the construction durable and solid.
The smoker will look good in your backyard with its chrome plating finish. You won’t have to worry about the heat either, as it has an aluminum shield attached to the legs.
Like most Smokey Mountains, it has its pros and cons. We found that, while the product comes with a fair number of advantages, there are some disadvantages that you should look out for.
Pros:
- Requires little time to master and easy to use
- Has a built-in thermometer for convenient smoking
- Temperature can be easily controlled by opening and closing vents
Since the WSM comes in different sizes, we will get into the cons once we start reviewing them below.
Weber Smokey Mountain 14.5 Review
Weber 731001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 14-Inch Charcoal Smoker, Black See it on Amazon
This is the smallest of the three smokers. It will cost around $100 less than the 14.5″ and $200 less than the 18.5″ models.
If you live alone, have a small cooking area, or plan on cooking for only a few people, then this model should meet your needs without spending lots of money.
The difference of the Weber Smokey Mountain 14 vs.18 is that although the cooking time doesn’t change, it uses much less fuel and you will save in that respect. Also, being smaller, it is much easier to transport and can be used in tighter spaces.
It does, however, have only half of the area of the 18.5″ WSM. If you’re looking for something with a larger cooking area, you might want to check out something else on the list.
Pros:
- At around $200, it is affordable
- Easily transportable
- Ideal for small cooking areas
Cons:
- Less cooking area than the 18-inch one
- Although it is possible to cook a whole chicken, you cannot put a whole turkey on the grill Latest Price
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Weber Smokey Mountain 18.5 Review
Weber 731001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 18-Inch Charcoal Smoker, Black See it on Amazon For most users, this is considered to be the ideal and most popular size. The Weber Smokey Mountain 18 is perfect for a small party or event as well as for a large family.
With its cooking surface of 481 square inches, it can easily cater to the needs of 6-8 adults and a few kids. You can simultaneously cook about 6-7 chickens with 6 spare ribs as well as an eight-pound brisket with enough space left for a 20-pound turkey.
Considering all these benefits, it’s decently priced. And, like its predecessor, it doesn’t consume as much fuel. There aren’t too many disadvantages with this product, either.
Pros:
- For the cooking area it has, it is affordable
- Possible to cook many things simultaneously
- Perfect for small home parties and events
Cons:
As a matter of fact, we couldn’t find any cons for this one.
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Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5 Reviews
Weber 731001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 22-Inch Charcoal Smoker, Black See it on Amazon The Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5 is perfect for you if you often cook for large crowds or host backyard parties. Many people who’ve bought the mid-size Weber sometimes wish that they had bought this one since it has a superior cooking space.
At about $100 more than the mid-size one, it is still sold at an obtainable price. If you decide to buy this and use it only to cook for a small family, you’ll likely lose in terms of fuel consumption. As far as the space, though, you might decide it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Pros:
- More cooking space than the other reviewed Weber Smokey Mountains
- Ideal if you cook for a large number of people
- Still affordable
Cons:
- Cooking for a small family consumes high amounts of fuel Latest Price
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How Water Smokers work
The Smokey Mountain is an appliance in the water smoker category. It is an ideal choice if you don’t have a lot of space. Even though they are small, they sure pack a punch.
To generate heat as well as smoke, the Smokey Mountains will use wood chips and/or charcoal. It gets its name from its key feature, which is the bowl of water that lies between the cooking grates and the fire. While adding humidity to the smoke chamber, the bowl of water also aids in keeping a stable smoking temperature.
The water smoker is usually made up of three sections:
- A firebox for the wood and charcoal with a grate for airflow control
- A water pan in the cooking section with two cooking grates and an access door for adding charcoal/wood
- Finally, a domed lid
The ease of use compared to other smokers is one of the leading reasons why most people will choose water smokers such as the WSM. Smoking with a WSM is so easy that even beginners can get good results.
The process looks something like this:
- At the bottom of the charcoal ring, pile charcoal, and light it.
- Fill the bowl with water or experiment with other fluids such as apple juice or cider.
- Above the bowl of water, please the food onto the racks.
- To obtain the desired temperature of 225 degrees, add wood chunks to the coal and adjust the vents.
- Every hour or so, check the temperature. Although the WSM comes with a built-in thermometer, some people prefer to buy other thermometers.
Following these process will ensure that you have well cooked pieces of meat that will let
Weber Smokey Mountain vs. Kettle Grill
If the Smokey Mountain is your first smoker, you might wonder it if it was worth spending $200 – $300 when you could have gotten a Weber Kettle Grill for a hundred dollars less. While the kettle can also be converted into a smoker, the Weber Smokey Mountain is more durable and reliable.
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker reviews With the Weber Smokey Mountain, you’ll have the following advantages:
- Better Temperature Stabilizing
If you are smoking meat, it will require consistent and stable heat over a long period of time. If you have a kettle, then this can be done, but it will require adjusting the airflow on a regular basis. This can take a lot of time to master, and might leave you with half-smoked meat.
On the other hand, the WSM can operate for hours without you having to check on it every hour. You also have the built-in thermometer that will show you the temperature.
- Controlling and Keeping at Lower Temperatures
Without any risk of temperature spikes, you can get a better overall temperature control with the WSM. With the kettle, you’ll have to judge from direct contact with the heat.
- More Cooking Surface
You’ll get a greater cooking surface to fit all your food in the WSM.
- Cold Smoking
The WSM is much more innovative for cold smoking, which can be done using the “snake method” of 2 x 2 charcoal and filling the reservoir with ice. You can also buy a pellet smoker to use at the bottom of your grill.
If you have a small family then, with some practice and several accessories, you can get a rather good end product with the Weber Kettle. After all, the Weber Kettle is versatile.
However, if you desire high-quality smoked meat, the Smokey Mountain is a much better overall smoker and well worth the extra money spent.
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker vs. Big Green Egg
The Big Green Egg (Kamado Cooker) is often compared to the Weber Smokey Mountain. In Japanese, Kamado means stove. This cooker is usually made of a plethora of materials such as ceramic.
Why would you buy this distinctively designed Kamado smoker, you might ask?
“For many, the Big Green Egg is the Weber of Kamados. They introduced Kamado cookers to the USA and are often viewed as the industry standard.
The Large Egg is big enough for a 20-pound turkey and has an 18” diameter grate. Made in Mexico, the BGE design is simple; it is built to last, and it has a limited lifetime warranty.
Round Kamados work as good as or better than standard charcoal grills for most recipes. They are, by design, excellent ovens and smokers because once the ceramic settles at the desired temperature, it stays there for hours.”
The Pros of Getting the BGE
- Compared to the WSM, the BGE has much superior insulation and air control.
- The Weber Smokey Mountain also burns more fuel than the BGE.
- The material (ceramic) of the BGE is less affected by snow and cold weather.
modifications , the Big Green Egg can also act as an oven.
- It is possible to cook bread, pizza, and other things of the sort on the Big Green Egg. Although the WSM can do this too, it comes at an extra cost since you’ll need to purchase a pizza oven kit and remove the center section.
As an all-round grill, the BGE is better.
For this review, we’ll be concentrating mostly on the best smokers, but it’s good to know what the BGE offers too.
Although the BGE sounds like the best thing to have, in terms of cost, you’ll be investing much more than you would for the WSM 22.5″. With the latter, you will get more cooking space than the Big Green Egg offers.
- A large BGE is around $849, while the Weber Smokey Mountain is much more affordable at around $399.
- BGE’s are only sold by authorized dealers.
- If we count the cost per square inch, you’ll be paying $3.20 for the large BGE compared to $0.55 for the WSM.
The price will drive people to take the WSM over the BGE most of the time. If you want the highest level of temperature control and price isn’t a big deal for you, then you might go with the BGE. But looking solely at the pros of a smoker, the WSM is the way to go.
Offset Smoker vs. WSM
A popular choice when people want to get serious about meat smoking is the Offset smoker, which is also known as a horizontal smoker. The main difference it has in contrast to the WSM is that the experience of fire management is completely different.
Offset smokers usually cost over $1,000. While people think they are an upgrade over the Weber Smoking Mountain, the only extra thing they are paying for is the extra cooking surface. It does come at a cost: the additional burning of fuel.
Since the cooking area is larger, there is a higher level of fire management needed to maintain a consistent temperature.
Offset Smoker vs. Weber Smokey Mountain:
- In terms of cooking capacity, the offset will win since you paid for the extra space when you bought it.
- The WSM requires only setting the cooking and leaving it be while the offset cooker will require frequent management to keep a stable temperature.
Overall, compared to the BGE, the WSM will end up being more economical to you in terms of fuel and price. It is generally agreed that you’ll have better temperature control with Weber; however, if you don’t mind spending the extra amount, the Offset might be the choice for you.
Smokey Mountain vs. Traeger Pellet smoker
Most smokers we’ve reviewed so far use charcoal and wood for heating and creating smoke. If you are worried about fire management, pellet smokers might be another option to consider.
Although they look like offset smokers, you have a side-mounted hopper that can be filled with cylindrical wood pellets , which is much better than a fire box. The pellets are delivered to the fire pot from the hopper, and the resulting smoke and heat from the combustion of the pellet will smoke your meat.
It’s easy—maybe a little too easy. … Smoking and barbecuing are supposed to be hard work. If not chopping wood, then at least breathing in charcoal dust and smoke and laboring to maintain a steady temperature during a barbecue session that could last the better part of a day. Or night.
Certainly no self-respecting pit master would subscribe to a “set it and forget it” philosophy. Pellet grills are a fad, I thought to myself, that will flame out fast.
That was five years ago.
Steven RaichlenThis Traeger is a mid-range pellet smoker that provides a great taste of smoked meat, excellent temperature control, and convenience to use.
- If you are not a fan of fire management, dealing with charcoal, wood, and so on, then the Traeger is probably the best option for you.
- For all-round value, the WSM will win hands down, since the cheapest Traeger grill is over $400 with only 292 square inches of cooking surface, whereas even the 18.5 WSM has 481 square inches of cooking surface.
The Traeger does, however, make the cooking more automatic, which might take the romance out of smoking … but it does the job.
Where to buy Weber Smokey Mountain
When looking around for Weber smokers for sale, you’ll have a couple of options. The usual ones are normally via Amazon and BBQGuys.com. The WSM is rarely on sale online but you can probably find second-hand ones on eBay.
Seasoning Weber Smokey Mountain and Calibrating your Smoker
One of the first things to do once you get your new grill or smoker is to assemble it. Once you are done assembling, you should do a few dry runs without any food to calibrate and season it.
This will burn off any sort of manufacturer grease as well as give you a sense of how to set it up and strike a balance between the two most common temperature targets: 225°F and 325°F, which are used on most recipes.
In order to do the above, it is important that you have a good digital oven thermometer . Most thermometers that come with smokers or grills can be cheap and unreliable.
The most significant thing to do once you get your smoker is to make sure that it is well seasoned. Until you’re able to season the inside, new WSMs will tend to overheat.
How to set up your new Smokey Mountain
When looking around for Weber smokers for sale, you’ll have a couple of options. The usual ones are normally via Amazon and BBQGuys.com. The WSM is rarely on sale online but you can probably find second-hand ones on eBay.
Seasoning Weber Smokey Mountain and Calibrating your Smoker
One of the first things to do once you get your new grill or smoker is to assemble it. Once you are done assembling, you should do a few dry runs without any food to calibrate and season it.
This will burn off any sort of manufacturer grease as well as give you a sense of how to set it up and strike a balance between the two most common temperature targets: 225°F and 325°F, which are used on most recipes.
In order to do the above, it is important that you have a good digital oven thermometer . Most thermometers that come with smokers or grills can be cheap and unreliable.
The most significant thing to do once you get your smoker is to make sure that it is well seasoned. Until you’re able to season the inside, new WSMs will tend to overheat.
You need to do the following:
- Cover the water pan with aluminum foil and light a full load of briquettes. Let the smoker get as hot as it can without water in the pan so as to burn off any manufacturing residue. Afterward, clean out the ashes.
- Take unlit briquettes and fill the charcoal basket about halfway full. So that you can see the center, make sure you hollow it out. In the middle, fill the chimney halfway with lit briquettes. This will give you 3-5 hours of a slow burn on a 72°F day. So that the dome thermometer shows 275°F, you have to adjust the vents. Take any scrap meat you don’t plan to eat such as pork fat, or chicken parts, and put them inside. The aim is to generate a lot of vapor from fatty meats. To generate smoke, you can toss in additional wood chunks.
- Before cooking meat that you will eat, repeat the process at least twice. To avoid rancid old oil smell or fires, empty the ash from the bottom and grease the foiled water pan before cooking. WSMs are better used for beef, poultry, or pork rather than hotdogs and seafood, which tend to destroy aroma. If you plan on cooking the latter, get a second small smoker especially for these items.
After cooking, it is also advisable to scrape of grease and creosote using a wire brush but make sure not to scrape off the dull black coat.
Cooking with your WSM: Steps you need to follow
- So that nothing blocks the air intakes, it is essential that the ash at the bottom of the smoker is cleaned. You might choose to purchase a second bottom grate and lay it on top of the other one in your WSM. This will create a checkerboard pattern and stop wood chips and coal from falling through it.
- Also, open the bottom vents halfway and the top vents all the way.
- There are a lot of methods of how to start and maintain the fire. Weber recommends that you light all the coals at once, which will burn at their highest temperature and then cool off. What you want is to get the pit at a certain temperature and maintain it.
- You can choose one of the many variations of the Minion Method to set up your fire. Below are some methods you can try. You should first do one or two dry-runs without any food so that you can know exactly how much coal will work for you.
Original Minion Method
Pour a chimney of hot coals on top of unlit coals in the ring. The new coals will fire up as the hot coals burn out. This method is good for maintaining a steady temperature. When the old ones burn out, the new ones will light up.
The Fuse
For this method, a donut has to be created by putting a big rock or a stack of bricks in the middle. As a result, the coals won’t fall into the hole. Then remove a chunk of the “donut” so that it forms a big C shape.
Before getting the coals fully engaged, fill the WSM chimney about halfway. Rather than the center, the lit coals should be poured over one end of the C. Three chunks of wood should be spaced in a line near the hot coals.
The rest of the coals will slowly ignite like a fuse but not before providing you with heat and smoke. As they burn around the C shape, it will produce a good, even heat for a long time. The brick or rock will absorb and release heat, which will help maintain the temperature.
The Pyramid
This one is the easiest since the only thing you have to do is to make a pyramid of coals in the middle of the ring. Before lighting it up, make sure to put a Weber paraffin cube under the top coal. This will result in it not overshooting the target temp easily, as it will start up more slowly.
Now that you know how to start the fire, let’s continue with the process.
- The flavor of your food can be tainted by old grease and rust. To clean them, place the cooking grates right on top of the hot coals to heat them up.
- The water pan should be lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil to make your cleanup job easier after cooking. Once you’ve set the water pan in it, take hot water and fill it, leaving 1/2″ at the top. Hot water absorbs less heat and will aid in getting the oven up to temperature faster.
- Close the top and bottom vents so as to lower the temperature. Once the temperature has risen to around 200°F, throttle the vents about 1/3 open. Until you have stabilized the temperature at about 225 to 250°F, you should keep fiddling with them. On the new unit, it might be trickier to regulate the temperature since the inside has a deposit of carbon. Since they are reflective, newer units can run a bit hot.
- Making sure the probe isn’t into direct contact with the bone, insert a meat thermometer in the middle of a large cut. If it is possible for you to fit all of it in one grate, remove the lower grate and use the top one so that it doesn’t get sloppy from the drippings. If you need to use both, make sure to put the faster cooking one on top, making it easier to remove after.
- (Never put fish or poultry under beef or pork since the top rack will drip on the lower one. If you want both of the meat to finish simultaneously (almost), then you’ll have to swap the bottom and top a few times during the cooking session.)
- Once the smoke has stopped coming out, you can add more wood. There is always a risk of over-smoking, so until you master the device, it is better not to add more wood apart from what you’ve already added.
- Check the water pan every two hours to make sure it has not dried out. When the water level gets low, add hot water carefully.
- Once you’re done, close all the vents to smother the coals. This will preserve them for the next cook. Shake the ash off before using the partially-burned coals again.
- Once it is time to store the WSM, take the door off so that it does not get moldy from the humidity. Also, leave the vents open. Finally cover it with a high-quality cover, making sure it goes low enough to prevent the rain from getting into the lower seam.
If you happen to use a good quality digital thermometer, you’ll notice that the one on the dome is inaccurate; the temperature dome is hotter than the top grate and the top grate is hotter than the bottom one.
The difference will depend on the temperature of the water in the pan as well as the weather outside, whether it is sunny or windy, and so on. If it is a sunny and hot day, it is possible that the dome will absorb a lot of heat; meanwhile, the bottom shelf might be a lot cooler if you have just added water.
Figuring out the right temperature for your smoker is an important aspect of the food preparation process. As long as you adjust your food and temperature properly, you should have a great cooking experience.
Conclusion
The Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker, as you’ve seen, is worth every penny, from the smallest to the biggest one. It is easy to master, even if you are a total beginner in smoking meat. Additionally, compared to most products of the same kind, the price is much more affordable.
Your choice depends on your needs and budget, and we hope this review has helped you in making a knowledgeable decision that will spice up your grilling life for years to come. If you want to check out similar topics, take a moment to check out our other articles, as well!
Last Updated on July 24, 2021 by Judith Fertig
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