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Smoking your own meats is a skill every grill master works to master. There are three types of smokers for beginners and experienced grill masters. In this article we will discuss the 3 Types of Smokers for Beginners that you can find under $500.
The Three Types of Smokers are:
- Charcoal Smokers
- Propane Smokers
- Pellet Smokers
Smoking your own meats, like beef tri-tip, chicken and fish at home is a skill every home grill master or pit master wants to perfect. Learning to smoke your own meats at home doesn’t have to break the bank. Are there any differences smoking meats with a charcoal smoker vs a propane smoker? Does a pellet smoker really automatically control temperature with less effort than other smokers for beginners?
We have found there are some very good and affordable smokers for beginners with WiFi controls or have technology to maintain temperature from as low as 150° over 400 degrees F, that can help you create delicious smoked meats.
While you can certainly find high end smokers with large capacity grills and WiFi controls costing well over $1000. The good news for newbie smokers to experienced there are affordable smokers for beginners with WiFi controls to help you master the art of smoking your own meats like a pro.
Here are 3 Types of Smokers for Beginners Under $500
1. Propane Smokers for Beginners
Propane smokers use propane gas as the fuel to heat and smoke meats. Since propane doesn’t add flavor to the meat while it is smoking, these smokers have a compartment to hold flavored wood chips. These wood chips infuse the meats with flavor as the meats are smoking.
You can increase or decrease the flame to control the heat.
Camp Chef 24-Inch Smoke Vault Propane Gas Smoker
The Camp Chef Propane smoker is a large capacity smoker for beginners with three shelves to hold meats while they smoke. It also has a large pan on the bottom near the burners that holds wood chips to infuse flavor into the smoke. This allows you to create delicious tasting smoked meats and fish.
Most affordable smokers for beginners have a max temperature of 350° to 450° F. The Camp Chef Smoke Vault allows backyard grill masters to smoke meats from as low as 150° up to max 550° F.
Large Capacity Smoker Capacity
The Camp Chef Propane Gas Smoker gives grill masters nearly 4 Sq feet of smoking space and includes 3 removable racks to hold meats while they smoke.
The double walled construction ensures the smoke and flavors can fully penetrate the meats.
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Can Handle Over 500 Degrees
The large easy to read thermostat is placed at eye level, so you can control and maintain the proper smoking temperature of your meats.
Features
- Adjustable heat control dial and three damper valves for maintaining precise smoking temperatures
- Two adjustable smoking racks and one jerky rack accommodate a variety of food
- Use your favorite wood chips to infuse your food with delicious wood-smoked flavor
- Included water pan helps keep food moist and juicy.
Testimonials
2. Charcoal Smokers for Beginners
Grill masters and barbecue pit masters will tell you charcoal smokers are the best. Good charcoal for smoking lasts a long time and produces a consistent heat. Smoking purists use hardwood, but most smokers for beginners use charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal to give food its smoky flavor.
You can find flavored charcoal such as hickory charcoal, mesquite charcoal, cherry wood charcoal and even pecan charcoal briquettes, for example.
You can also use a smoker box with flavored chips on the charcoal
Flavored charcoal adds natural smoke flavors as the meats smoke.
Broil King Smoke 28-Inch Vertical Charcoal Smoker
Large 4 Sq. Ft (770 inches) Cooking Space
Use Hooks to Hang Chicken or Meat to Smoke
- Two adjustable cast aluminum dampers regulate the air flow throughout the cooking chambers allowing for precise temperature control.
- Includes a multi-purpose chrome coated roast / rib rack and 16 stainless steel meat hooks to hold meats and chicken, so the smoke and flavor can permeate from all four sides of the cabinet.
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- This affordable smoker for beginners comes with a fold-down stainless steel drip tray. With the drip tray, tou can load and unload food without making a mess on the ground. Once it cools down, you can wipe away any liquids or juices that drip.
Easy to Move
Backyard smokers for beginners can be bulky, heavy and difficult to move. The Broil King Vertical Charcoal Smoker has wheels on the back, which makes it easy to move around your backyard. Use the handle to pull up the front end, and push the smoker with the back wheels.
Large Tray for Wood Chips
- The Broil King Vertical Charcoal Smoker has a large heavy-duty slide out charcoal tray to hold charcoal.
- Secondary door gives you easy access to smoker box and water pan, which minimizes smoke and heat loss, to ensure the best flavor for your meats.
Testimonials
3. Pellet Smokers
Pellet smokers may just be the best smokers for beginners. This type of smoker uses hard wood pellets to provide the fuel for the smoker, which comes in a variety of flavors for the different types of meats and fish you are smoking.
Once you set the temperature on the Z Grills Pellet Smoker, the auger maintains the temperature and automatically adds fuel pellets as needed to maintain the temperature for the best smoking experience,
This 8-in-1 smoker has 721 Sq. In. (5 Sq. Feet) cooking space, so you can smoke an entire meal for your family or friends.
The double walled insulation of the Z Grills pellet smoker lets you smoke from as low as 150°F to temperatures reaching 450°F, unlike any other smoker on the market today.
An 8-in-1 smoker is an ideal cooking apparatus.
With a Z Grills 8-In-1 Wood Pellet Smoker you can:
- grill
- smoke
- bake
- roast
- sear
- braise
- barbecue
- or char-grill
What is a Pellet Smoker
Pellet smokers, also known as pellet grills, are outdoor cookers that combine elements of charcoal smokers, gas grills, and kitchen ovens.
Wood Pellets for Smoker
For a pellet smoker, there are special barbecue hardwood pellets made specifically for grills and smokers. They come in a variety of flavors, such as hickory, maple, pecan, and mesquite.
How a Pellet Smoker Works
Z Grills Pellet Smoker Features
- Smoke from 150°F to temperatures reaching 450°F
- 40 lb. Hopper Capacity allows you to cook for up to 18 hours
- Porcelain Coated Cooking Racks, Locking Caster Wheels, and Easy to Read Digital Controller
- Hammer Tone Copper Finish
- BTU Value: 40,000
Original price $549.00
Your price $439.00
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Great content here. I’m curious though as to why you left out electric smokers? I am not exactly fond of the but for beginners they are as simple as these three options. starter models are usually under 200 making it fairly inexpensive for someone to start exploring the world of smoke without having to but extra equipment that some of these other models may need.
Thanks for the suggestion. I will add electric smokers to the list.