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Who loves backyard cooking? Everybody, right? And while you might be getting along perfectly with your steady old barbecue, you may also feel like you’re missing something. And you may think that delicious smoked BBQ is something you can only get at restaurants. Luckily, we’re here to tell you otherwise.
You can have a smoker in your very own backyard! They aren’t super expensive, they’re very easy to use, and they come in enough shapes and sizes to suit everyone’s space. They can help you create the most delicious smoked meats and other foods, and you can use them in tandem with your grill to make a feast of epic proportions. They’re perfect for parties and families of all sizes.
If you think a smoker is the next thing you need to add to your backyard oasis, we don’t blame you. And we’d love to help you find the right one. Smokers will vary in things like price, overall size and weight, internal capacity, fuel type, number of racks, and more. Every feature will affect how much you love it, so you should think about all of them!
This comprehensive guide will investigate the best smokers in Canada right now and outline the criteria you should consider while making your purchase decision. Let’s dive right into our top five products.
Electric Pick: Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker
Charcoal Pick: Weber Smokey Mountain 18" Charcoal Smoker
Pellet Pick: Traeger Grills Pro Series 575 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
Propane Pick: Cuisinart COS-244 Vertical 36" Propane Smoker
Offset Pick: Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Wide Body Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker
The Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker has a lot of features working in its favour. One of our favourites is the digital temperature control. You’ll be able to set a target temperature and let the smoker manage it by itself—so much easier than doing it yourself, right? Since the smoker is electric, you’ll also get to avoid the hassle and cost associated with propane and charcoal.
Another thing we love about this smoker is how much cooking space you get (710 square inches between four racks!) in such a compact and lightweight package. You’ll be able to take this smoker camping without too much effort. The wood chips are added from a separate drawer, too, so your heat and smoke levels won’t be affected if you need to add more chips during cooking. Thank goodness.
One of the only things we don’t love about the Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker is the placement of the hopper for the wood chips. Instead of being placed directly on the heat source, it’s a couple of inches above. As a result, it doesn’t produce smoke very well at low temperatures. Also, you’ll only be able to use wood chips with it for smoke, not charcoal. Hopefully that’s not a dealbreaker.
All in all, the Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker is an amazing choice if electric power is what you’re looking for. It does a great job of maintaining its own internal temperature once you get the vents right, and there’s tons of cooking space to serve the whole family or friend group.
Performance: 4.5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 4/5
Quality: 4.5/5
Reviewers have a pretty great opinion of the Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker. There’s plenty of cooking space between the four shelves, and it’s really easy to add wood chips without messing up the heat or smoke in the main chamber. They would prefer a better placement of the wood chip holder, though, because it doesn’t produce smoke very well in low temperatures.
Buy If…
You don’t want to control the temperature manually
You need a lot of cooking space in a compact package
You don’t want to mess up the internal temperature every time you add wood chips
You don’t want the fuss of high-maintenance fuel types
Don’t Buy If…
You prefer the flavour of charcoal smoke instead of wood
You plan to smoke meat at very low temperatures
Dimensions: 20.5” x 19.9” x 33.3”
Weight: 42.4 lbs
Colour: Black
Fuel Type: Electricity and wood chips
Number of Racks: 4
Internal Space: 710 sq. in
Warranty: 1 year
The Weber Smokey Mountain 18" Charcoal Smoker is one of the most user-friendly smokers around, and that’s one of the reasons why we love it so much. The damper system is incredibly straightforward, so it shouldn’t take too long for you to get the temperature stable, and it’ll recover very quickly if you need to raise the lid during cooking (stay-cool handles help you do this safely).
We also really like the addition of the silicone temperature grommet—you’ll be able to easily monitor the temperature of the meat on both levels while it’s cooking. This is also one of the lightest smokers out there, so it’s perfect for use as a camping companion. All of the parts are weather-resistant and highly durable, so it won’t get damaged or rust if you leave it outside.
There are a couple of things that we don’t love quite as much. Its capacity is one of the smallest of all comparable smokers, so it won’t serve large gatherings very well. This is made worse by the two-tiered design. While we love the fact that there are two racks to increase the cooking space, it’s pretty difficult to access the bottom rack since it loads from the top instead of the front. Something to be aware of.
Overall, the Weber Smokey Mountain 18" Charcoal Smoker is our favourite charcoal-burning smoker right now. It’s reasonably priced, relatively easy to travel with, and is the perfect size for the average family. It holds up very well to outdoor conditions, too.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 4/5
Quality: 4.5/5
Reviewers have good things to say about the Weber Smokey Mountain 18" Charcoal Smoker. It’s easy to keep the temperature stable during cooking, and the included meat thermometer is a really useful addition—they don’t have to guess when the food is ready. It’s holding up well to outdoor conditions, too, and it’s easy for people to bring indoors during the winter if they want to.
Buy If…
You’d like to adjust heat levels quickly and easily
Your smoker needs to be fairly portable
Weather-resistance is important to you
You want to monitor the temperature of your meat during the cook
Don’t Buy If…
You don’t need to cook a lot of food at once
You’ll want to use both racks often
Dimensions: 19” x 21” x 40”
Weight: 39.1 lbs
Colour: Black
Fuel Type: Charcoal
Number of Racks: 2
Internal Space: 481 sq. in
Warranty: 10 years
We like a lot of things about the Traeger Grills Pro Series 575 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker. Of course we do, it’s a top pick for a reason, right? And now you get to know why. It’s one of the few smokers that can also double as a grill, so you’ll be able to do all of your outdoor cooking with a single machine. This is perfect if you’re looking at buying a regular grill as well as a smoker. Now you only need this one!
We’re also really impressed by the temperature control. It’s controlled digitally, so you don’t need to fuss with fuel levels and airflow, and it does an amazing job maintaining your set temperature even in extreme heat or cold. Simply amazing. Another major bonus of this one is the Wi-Fi connectivity—you can control the smoker with voice assistants or the companion app. Talk about convenience!
We do have a few things to warn you about before we wrap this up. This isn’t the most affordable smoker out there, so if you won’t be using it a lot, it might not be worth it. Something to think about. Also, it’ll come with a higher maintenance demand than other smokers, and it doesn’t have the same capacity—you’ll need to be prepared for a little more manual labour and a little less cooking space.
Overall, the Traeger Grills Pro Series 575 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker is the best of its kind right now. It can be used as a regular grill or as a smoker, and it could not be more user-friendly. No matter what you want to cook, you’ll want to use this grill/smoker to do it.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 3/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers absolutely love the Traeger Grills Pro Series 575 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker. It works perfectly as a grill and as a smoker, and it’s really easy to swap between functions. The Wi-Fi connectivity is a huge hit—people don’t ever want to do without it again. The digital temperature control works flawlessly, too, even in extreme weather conditions.
Buy If…
You’d love the convenience of a companion app and voice assistant control
Digital temperature control is a must-have
You’d like to cook in a variety of ways with a single appliance
Don’t Buy If…
Budget-friendliness is a priority
You need to feed large groups
You aren’t prepared for extra maintenance
Dimensions: 53” x 41” x 27”
Weight: 124 lbs
Colour: Black
Fuel Type: Wood pellets
Number of Racks: 2
Internal Space: 575 sq. in
Warranty: 2 years
The Cuisinart COS-244 Vertical 36" Propane Smoker has a lot going for it. It’s perfect for people who like to mix and match what they’re cooking. With four height-adjustable racks, you’ll be able to cook your veggies and meats at the same time. Plus, since the vent is at the back instead of on top, the smoker’s roof can double as a tabletop whenever you need it to. We love that for you.
We’re also really happy with the double-door design. When you need to add more fuel for smoking, you’ll be able to open only the small bottom door and leave the cooking space entirely unaffected. Another thing we love is the small 20” x 20” footprint of this smoker. It’ll fit perfectly into every backyard size, even if you’re just working with a small patio or sharing deck space with a grill.
Pretty much the only thing we don’t like about this smoker is how tricky the temperature can be to maintain. If you’re new to smoking and aren’t confident in your ability to make the right adjustments at the right time, you might want to start off with a more user-friendly smoker. If you’ve been using smokers for a while, you’ll be just fine with this one!
All in all, the Cuisinart COS-244 Vertical 36" Propane Smoker is our top pick for propane lovers this year. It isn’t perfect for beginners, but with some getting used to it, it’ll quickly become your favourite way to make veggies, chicken, and just about anything else.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers really like the Cuisinart COS-244 Vertical 36" Propane Smoker. They’ve used it to smoke veggies, steaks, chicken breast, and tons of other foods, and they’ve all turned out perfectly. It’s also really easy to use for the most part, but they do struggle to maintain the right temperature sometimes. It fits perfectly on all of their patios and decks, too.
Buy If…
You need a smoker with a small footprint
You’d prefer a smoker with usable tabletop space
A double-door design is ideal
You’ll want to cook meat and veggies at the same time
Don’t Buy If…
You aren’t adept at temperature control already
Dimensions: 20” x 20” x 46”
Weight: 40 lbs
Colour: Black
Fuel Type: Propane
Number of Racks: 4
Internal Space: 785 sq. in
Warranty: 3 years
We absolutely love the Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Wide Body Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker. Its overall build quality is amazing, and with its extra-wide body, you’ll be able to cook a ton of food at once. Plus, since the six racks are height adjustable, you can make thin sausages and thick turkeys at the same time. There are really no limitations with this one.
The offset design is probably what brought you to this smoker, right? Well, it’s pretty great. The indirect heat keeps the top rack and bottom rack cooking at the same right, which is a lot easier to manage, and you’ll also get better smoke infusion that way. Win-win. The easy charcoal/wash management system is great for minimizing disruptions to the cooking process, too.
There are only a couple of things that you might not completely love about this one. First, this thing is a beast, and you’re going to need a decent amount of backyard space to house it safely. If you’ve got a small backyard, it might take up more room than you’re willing to lose. Also, it’s a bit pricey, so it isn’t ideal for low-frequency smoking or people who just don’t want to spend a lot.
Overall, the Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Wide Body Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker is our favourite offset smoker right now. It’s got an insane cooking capacity, a streamlined ash management system, and the perfect design for slow-cooked, smoke-flavoured foods. What’s not to love?
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 3/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers have amazing things to say about the Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Wide Body Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker. With the offset design, they can fill every rack full of food and it will cook at the same rate. They love the freedom of the adjustable shelves, and the ash management system makes it really easy for them to keep the smoking going for hours without letting out all the heat and smoke.
Buy If…
You’ll be smoking a lot of food at once
You’d love an easy charcoal/ash management system
Smoke infusion is your priority
Versatile shelving is important
Don’t Buy If…
You need something budget-friendly
You’re low on backyard space
Dimensions: 50.2” x 43.3” x 21”
Weight: 83 lbs
Colour: Black
Fuel Type: Charcoal or wood
Number of Racks: 6
Internal Space: 1890 sq. in
Warranty: 1 year
Some smokers cost as little as $140, others cost more than $1000. Most people will be able to find their perfect match for less than $600 though. In general, more expensive smokers will have more internal space, a more durable design, and will run on charcoal or wood pellets instead of propane or electricity.
Smokers can be fuelled by electricity, propane, wood pellets/chips, or charcoal. Wood and charcoal smokers provide the most authentic cooking and smoking experience, but electric and propane smokers are more convenient. Keep in mind that they’ll also need either wood or charcoal in order to produce the smoke. They just produce heat with a second fuel type (propane gas or electricity).
Most smokers will have at least 400 square inches of cooking space, but some can offer more than 1,100 square inches. Obviously, the more cooking space there is, the more food you’ll be able to cook at once. But you’ll have to keep in mind that larger smokers will require more fuel and will take longer to reach and recover a set temperature.
Most smokers will come with at least two racks, but some can have as many as four or even six. The more racks there are, the more cooking space you’ll have, but you’ll need to remember that racks further away from the heat source will cook more slowly. Plan accordingly!
Disclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We’ll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes. The products in this list are ranked by independent third parties. Rankings are based on both reviews and independent testing.