Pellet Smokers can be a great addition to any backyard. They provide you with the ability to make some delicious barbecue and enjoy spending time outside with family and friends. What if you just want something that is easy, affordable, and makes tasty food? Best affordable smokers offer a wide variety of smoked meats throughout the year.
Whether you are a novice or an experienced pitmaster, finding the best smoker for your needs is not always easy. With so many different types and styles of smokers available, it can be hard to know where to begin your search.
There are electric smokers that require no attention whatsoever, propane smokers that use natural gas cartridges, leaving very little cleanup, and charcoal-based offset smokers that produce some of the most mouth-watering BBQ imaginable.
For me, however, nothing beats an old-school wood-fired smoker – coal & all!
If you love nothing more than a good BBQ, then it’s important to have the right tools for the job. Luckily, there are lots of great affordable smokers on the market that won’t break your bank! The affordable smokers are the ideal combination of design, price, and quality, whether you’re cooking for a special occasion or a weeknight supper.
9 Best Affordable Smokers
This blog post will explore some of the top affordable options out there today in order to help you find one that fits your cooking style and budget. I hope this takes some of the stress away from buying a smoker, so you can enjoy what matters the most.
Here are some of our favorites:
| Image | Product | Feature | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Top Pick
 |
Masterbuilt Analog Electric Smoker
| 3 chrome-plated racks, High-powered heating element, Removable drip tray | Check Price |
 |
Weber 14-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker
| Two grilling pans, Grommet made of silicone to be used with a probe thermometer. | Check Price |
 |
Char-Griller Akorn Kamado
| Metal construction for long-term use, Portable and easy to transport | Check Price |
 |
Masterbuilt Propane Smoker
| Automatic thermostat control, Features a built-in safety valve | Check Price |
 |
Char-Broil Vertical Liquid Propane Gas Smoker
| Economical gas consumption, 595 square inch cooking chamber | Check Price |
 |
Smokehouse Products Big Chief Electric Smoker
| Lightweight, Simple and easy to use. | Check Price |
 |
Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker
| 1000-watt heating element, 544 square inches of cooking surface | Check Price |
 |
Bradley Smoker BTDS76P
| Easy to use, 520 square inches of cooking area | Check Price |
 |
Royal Gourmet CC1830SC Charcoal Grill
| Easy to clean, Simple to assemble, Movable | Check Price |
1. Masterbuilt Analog Electric Smoker – Top Pick
Our top pick is the Masterbuilt analog electric smoker, the best budget-friendly smoker. It includes three smoking racks, providing you with plenty of room. In addition, the variable thermostat temperature control makes it simple to set the smoking temperature to your preferred level.
This electric smoker also comes with a water pan and a wood chip tray to cook meats that produce juice. This intensifies the smoky flavor while reducing clean-up time. It has a surface area of 548 square inches and can withstand 100 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures. Overall, it is an excellent affordable product to include in your cooking kit.
High-powered Heating Element
With its powerful 1500-watt heating system, you can smoke any food. Because it utilizes electricity to smoke food, it can smoke efficiently and continually without refueling or adding more coal or wood. With a highly reliable electric cooking mechanism, this smoker can smoke food while maintaining the natural flavor and taste of the dish.
Sufficient Cooking Space
Because of its three chrome-plated racks, the Masterbuilt electric analog smoker provides an ample cooking space of 548 square inches. This space is large enough to smoke and prepare various foods such as fish, poultry, sausages, meats, and more. This spacious area is large enough to smoke food for a medium-sized family.
Check out the 5 Best Masterbuilt Electric Smokers of 2025!
In our opinion, The Masterbuilt 20070210 electric analogue smoker is the overall champion in the list of the best affordable smokers. It boasts several appealing features, including a large smoking surface, high-quality materials, and easy-to-clean interiors, thanks to the drip tray and water tray that are both removable. Moreover, it provides all these features on a low budget.
2. Weber 14-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker – Runner-Up
The Weber Smokey Mountain 14-inch grill is suitable for grilling more minor cuts of meat and is ideal for small gatherings of one to four people. You’ll be grilling on a 286-square-inch grate. All of it will be provided by this small cooker, as well as exceptional performance.
Thanks to its compact design, if you travel a lot and want to take your smoker grill with you, it takes up less space than other smoker combo grills. This stove weighs only 24 pounds and is small enough to put in your car or RV.
Plated Steel Grates
Plated steel grates are long-lasting, corrosion-resistant, and aid in the preparation of tasty meals. This is yet another reason why the Smokey Mountain Cooker is an excellent choice for grilling anywhere (or smoking).
Cleaning is also a breeze with plated steel. Because the material is naturally anti-stick, cleaning the grill shouldn’t take long. In most circumstances, a fast wipe-down is well enough, allowing you to return to enjoying your exquisite dinner rather than scrubbing for hours.
Rust Resistant Body
The bullet-shaped metal body is coated in a tough black enamel finish. Every metal component of the Smokey Mountain Cooker is designed to prevent rust.
The legs, aluminum dampers, fuel door, and heat shield with all-over coverage are rust-resistant. When not in use, store it in the garage or cover it with a cover to protect it even more and extend the life of your smoker grill combo.
Also Reviewed: The Best Weber Grills of 2025
In our opinion, if you’re looking for a charcoal bullet or barrel smoker, the Weber 14-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker is worth taking a look at. It is of sufficient quality and value to smoke most of your favourite foods and can even double as a grill in a hurry.
3. Char-Griller Akorn Kamado
The Char-Griller 16620 Akorn Kamado is ideal for people who live in small spaces since the size is only 447 square inches-just enough for a medium-sized family.
This is the perfect size for cooking, grilling, and smoking meats, ribs, and other foods for a medium-sized family.
It has an appropriate weight of 98 pounds and is equipped with two huge wheels, allowing users to move around comfortably. Even though the temperature ranges from 200 to 700F, the triple-walled architecture makes it simple to control and maintain at a set temperature.
447 Square Inches of Grilling Area
It offers a total grilling area of 447 square inches, which appears to be ideal for Char-Griller lovers, and it is the maximum for any Kamado Cooker. The main cooking space is 314 square inches, and the primary cooking surface is 133 square inches. The entire surface readily holds enough food for 8 to 10 people, making a family or friend’s get-together a breeze.
Temperature Control
To create authentic charcoal flavors in your meat, you will need a high temperature and simple controls. Fortunately, Akorn Grill has both of these things.
It includes triple-walled insulation that absorbs heat and keeps the temperature at a comfortable level. The temperature ranges between 200 and 700 degrees Fahrenheit, making it ideal for more significant cuts of meat such as lamb chops or beef ribs.
Also Reviewed: 7 Best Reverse Flow Smokers
In our opinion, this is a good choice for users who do not have a high demand for advanced features such as wifi connectivity, etc. The Char-Griller 16620 Akorn promises to be an intriguing experience, especially if you are looking to cook meat with a delicious charcoal flavor.
4. Masterbuilt Propane Smoker
The Masterbuilt MPS 340G is the next affordable model with numerous innovative features. It has four cooking racks, each of which is chrome-coated. The dual-door design of this Masterbuilt smoker is another outstanding feature.
There is a separate door below the main door that allows new wood chips to be added without losing heat from the main compartment. In addition to these, it also features a 15,750 BTU stainless steel burner.
Thermostat Control
With the automatic thermostat control, you can select the temperature and walk away, knowing it will cook your food correctly. In addition, it will evenly distribute the smoky flavors around the burner.
There’s also a safety gauge that switches off the burner immediately if the flame goes out, providing you extra peace of mind about its safety.
Chrome-Coated Smoking Racks
With four racks, you can cook a variety of meats and veggies simultaneously. Each of the four cooking racks is also chrome-coated, ensuring that they are not only as sturdy as possible but also as easy to clean as possible.
Moreover, this smoker is 40 inches tall, which is enormous for smoking, and has enough space to cook 16 chickens or eight racks of ribs!
Read Also: Shoulder Roast vs Chuck Roast: Here is the Difference?
In our opinion, Masterbuilt MPS 340G is quite impressive in terms of cooking capacity and safety features. This model can hold a lot of food, so it’s the one to get if you’re serious about smoking meat extensively.
5. Char-Broil Vertical Liquid Propane Gas Smoker
The Char-Broil Vertical Gas Smoker is a perfect option for a large family to purchase. There are three cooking grates on this smoker coupled with a comprehensive 595 square inches of cooking surface. It provides enough room to cook for a party without running out of food.
The three grates are chrome-plated for enhanced durability and feature a cool-to-the-touch handle that makes handling considerably safer. Furthermore, you will get a long-lasting LPG propane regulator included, allowing you to save even more money by not having to buy a regulator from an outside source.
Adjustable Steel Damper
A well-built damper is provided on top of the smoker that allows you to control the temperature of the grill better. You may partially open this damper to cool the grill and fully open it to burn it hotter. Unlike other char-broil smokers, it features a grate on top that you may use to reheat sauces while the meal is being prepared.
Cooking Grates and Cool Touch Handles
This smoker’s cooking grates are chrome plated, which adds durability and ease of cleaning. Moreover, this smoker unit has three Cool Touch handles for convenient and safe operation. It means that a person can open a lid when cooking without wearing heatproof gloves. However, it is always advisable to wear heatproof gloves while cooking to be safe.
Read Also: How to use wood pellets on a gas grill?
In our opinion, it is a very durable and practical device that anyone seeking their first vertical gas smoker should consider. After analyzing this Char-Broil Vertical Gas Smoker, it’s clear that it has a lot to offer in terms of durability and operational efficiency.
6. Smokehouse Products Big Chief Electric Smoker
Big Chief smokers are known for their ease of use. It’s an electric smoker that runs on the same electricity as a conventional wall outlet. The Big Chief maintains a constant temperature of 165 degrees. All in all, Big Chief is the unit you should choose if you want to trust your clumsy sibling with it.
It is constructed of embossed sheet aluminum and features four chrome-plated grates with a 50-pound capacity. The wood chip pan is big enough to hold many wood chips for an extended smoking session. The drip pan is dishwasher-safe and easy to remove.
5 Cooking Sections
If there’s one thing the big chief smoker cares about, it’s having plenty of cooking areas. The unit’s easy-to-slide chrome-plated grills are one of its best features. These grills may be readily modified to various heights or removed entirely to accommodate giant turkeys.
There are five (5) cooking sections or grills in the “Big Chief.” Each of these grills has a cooking area of approximately 121 square inches. This area is more than adequate to meet your basic BBQ requirements.
Highly Reliable Build Quality
The use of aluminum by Big Chief smokers has several advantages. The first is that it is far less expensive. Second, because the smoker is a low-temperature oven, the aluminum material performs admirably.
The second advantage is it’s lightweight. The Big Chief weighs a little more than 17 pounds. Transferring the unit around the garden isn’t a problem as long as you have a power outlet.
Read Also: Smoker Turning Food Black: What is the reason?
In our opinion, Big Chief’s unit is one of the best affordable smokers available on the market. With its reliable build and plenty of cooking space, you don’t need to search any further if you’re seeking the perfect smoker for your cold smoking needs. Overall, the Big Chief is one of the most effective options on the market.
7. Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker
The Char-Broil analog electric smoker will be a fantastic match for you if you’re seeking an electric smoker at a reasonable price because it provides you with the best features for the price you pay.
The cooking grates on this analog model are chrome-plated for durability and can cook food for your entire family’s eating. However, the chrome-plated grates would take up 544 square inches of space. So instead, the fuel comes from the wood chip box, durable enough to provide hours of smoke with just one refill.
544 Square Inches of Cooking Space
It offers plenty of cooking space that can accommodate the smoking needs of your entire family. The 544 square inches of grilling space is perfect, and the cooking is fantastic. More significantly, its grilling surface collaborates with the chrome-plated cooking grates to ensure that the food cooks evenly and comfortably.
Double Insulation
The smoker is double insulated, which means that the heat and smoke are safe inside as long as the doors aren’t opened because you can’t see what’s going on inside.
Also Reviewed: 6 Best Z Grills & Smokers for 2025
In our opinion, this analog electric smoker is an excellent alternative for newbies. Its basic design and lack of complicated controls and functions make it an excellent place to begin your smoking journey.
8. Bradley Smoker BTDS76P Bradley Digital
The Bradley Smoker BTDS76p is an excellent choice for those who are looking for a mix of quality and value. Its main benefit is that you have complete control over your smoking. You can control the time and temperature. You can adjust its temperature up to 320 degrees Fahrenheit. It provides a cooking area of 520 square inches.
The ability to remove the control panel to prevent damage control in any weather conditions is thought to be a plus for purchasing this smoker. The exterior and inside of the unit are both made of stainless steel. Because the smoker is entirely insulated, you can use it all year, and the results will remain consistent.
Full Digital Control
The digital controls on this gadget are simple and easy to master. The user has complete control over the time, temperature, and even the amount of smoke produced. You can adjust its temperature up to 320 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you’re not sure what settings you’ll need, the automatic smoke generator will guide you through the process. It will also prevent any temperature variations or interruptions throughout the smoking process. Its primary function is to remove everything that may harm the taste of the food.
Separate Burners
The separate burners can maintain the same temperature throughout the machine, ensuring that you receive consistently delicious smoky food. With this unit, you won’t have to worry about food not cooking properly. Instead, it’s as simple as putting everything inside and waiting for it to simmer before dishing.
In our opinion, if you enjoy smoking meat and wish to experiment with different flavours, the Bradley Smoker BTDS76P is the perfect choice for you. It’s simple to add flavours to your meal with this digital electric smoker. Impress everyone with your cooking skills, and do so in elegance!
9. Royal Gourmet CC1830SC Charcoal Grill
The Royal Gourmet CC1830sc Smoker Grill is another excellent choice for families who want to go camping or have backyard get-togethers, as well as casual grillers. The barbecue weighs only 54.3 pounds, making it easy to transport in your backyard.
Moreover, this Royal Gourmet CC1830sc Charcoal Grill is robust stainless steel and features porcelain-coated steel wiring grates. The Smoker Grill Combo combines the grill and the smoker seamlessly. This allows you to use one or both of them at the same time.
It has 811 square inches of total cooking area.
Mobility
The Royal Gourmet CC1830sc Charcoal Grill is supported by two wheels that make it easy to move. Moving your barbecue to the other end of the porch or patio, or bringing it down into the yard for a party, requires absolutely no time or effort.
Durability
The Royal Gourmet CC1830sc is made of stainless steel and is both sturdy and light. Stainless steel is a durable material that can withstand a lot of abuse. With proper care, it can easily last for 5-10 years. In addition, its design makes it simple to keep clean and corrosion-free.
Read Also: How to build a pellet smoker at home?
In our opinion, the CC1830sc Smoker Grill Combo is an excellent choice for people with extensive cooking needs wishing to camp or host backyard get-togethers, and casual grillers together. It’s a reputable, high-quality option that will not disappoint in terms of consistency of cooking results.
What Do I Need to Know Before Buying a Smoker?
1. Finding a Place for the Smoker
The first thing you’re going to need is a place to put the smoker, so if you don’t have anywhere on your property for it, you’ll need to find or build one. You may already have an outdoor shed that would work, especially if it has electricity available. If not, having one built can be expensive but well worth it.
2. The Role of Fire Pit
The next thing you’re going to need is a fire pit. Even if the smoker is electric, it will still require wood to smoke, and you’ll also be using this pit for cooking indirectly on your grill or in your oven. You can even add a smoker box instead of using wood chips that go into the chip pan under the heating element.
3. Location for a Propane Tank
There are many different types of smokers out there that will work better for different people based on their current experience with smoking and cooking meats.
The third thing you’re going to need is a place to put your propane tank if you are buying one that uses gas. If you don’t have one, this should be the first item on your list to get.
You will also need to know how much meat you are planning on cooking at one time, as smokers come in all sizes. Of course, the size of your family will also influence the amount you’ll need to smoke at any given time.
4. Selecting the Appropriate Type of Wood
The fourth thing you’re going to need is different types of wood for smoking. These consist mainly of hickory, mesquite, applewood, and cherry wood. Each one has a different flavor that can be used or mixed to create different flavors for your meats.
5. Meat Thermometer
Lastly, you’re going to need a meat thermometer that can be used on the smoker, both oven and grill. If it doesn’t have one built-in, you should consider purchasing one that does attach to your smoker. This will help keep track of the internal temperature of the meat while it’s cooking to make sure it’s done properly.
Conclusion
We have reviewed the best affordable smokers available on the market in this comprehensive guide. We hope the reviews and information provided in this guide help you find a perfect match for your smoking needs.
However, if you are still unable to narrow down your choices, check out the following conclusive remarks to know more about our top pick.
Masterbuilt Analog Electric Smoker is the overall best affordable smoker, providing an excellent mix of quality, reliability, and high-end performance. When it comes to a smoker that will give you a highly reliable cooking experience, look no further than the Masterbuilt MB210 Analog Electric Smoker.
With a temperature range of up to 400 degrees coupled with an accommodating cooking space of 548 sq inches, it has all the features and benefits that make it a splendid choice for any backyard chef.
The Masterbuilt is designed to be versatile and easy to use, so whether you want to smoke fish or meat, this appliance can handle it with ease. It also comes equipped with 3 high-end smoking racks, which provide plenty of space for your food items as they cook over time. This makes cooking large quantities simple and efficient.
All in all, the Masterbuilt Analog Electric Smoker is the perfect device to get started smoking meats and vegetables. It’s easy to use with a simple analog control panel that enhances the overall convenience for users.
Plus, it has an adjustable temperature range from 100-400 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can smoke everything from beef brisket to salmon fillets. Lastly, this smoker is great if you live in colder climates because it doesn’t require any charcoal or propane, which means less hassle when winter rolls around.
FAQs
What are important factors to consider before buying the best affordable smoker?
The following are some important factors to consider in this regard:
1. Stainless steel build
2. Temperature control
3. Type of insulation
4. Smoking chambers
5. Total grilling area
6. Temperature range
7. The availability of water pans
Are smoked foods healthy?
Some newbies question the health factors associated with smoked food. In our opinion, there is no harm in consuming smoked food as long as you follow the health guidelines provided by the experts. Additionally, the use of quality smokers and materials also affects the health-related score of any smoked food.
To ensure a harmless smoking experience, you should use quality equipment and meat.
What is the best type of smoker for beginners?
There is no absolute answer to this question as the personal preferences of users vary from one individual to another. For people who prefer the utmost convenience and ease of use, electric smokers are the best choice.
On the other hand, pellet smokers make the best choice for newbies who don’t want to sacrifice the real wood taste in smoked food.