Charcoal / drum smokers
Bullet (WSM-style), drum and gravity-fed charcoal smokers. Real charcoal flavor; bullets/drums need fire-tending, gravity-fed models run set-and-forget.
| Smoker | Fuel | Size | Ease | Tier | Best for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dyna-Glo Vertical Charcoal | Charcoal / drum | Large | Semi (some tending) | Budget | Large gatherings | Amazon → |
| Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 | Charcoal / drum | Large | Set-and-forget | Mid | Authentic wood/charcoal flavor | Amazon → |
| Pit Barrel Cooker Classic | Charcoal / drum | Medium | Semi (some tending) | Mid | BeginnersAuthentic wood/charcoal flavor | Amazon → |
| Weber Master-Touch 22" Kettle | Charcoal / drum | Medium | Semi (some tending) | Mid | BeginnersPortable / tailgateAuthentic wood/charcoal flavor | Amazon → |
| Weber Smokey Mountain 18" | Charcoal / drum | Medium | Semi (some tending) | Mid | BeginnersAuthentic wood/charcoal flavor | Amazon → |
| Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 | Charcoal / drum | XL | Set-and-forget | Premium | Authentic wood/charcoal flavorLarge gatherings | Amazon → |
| Weber Smokey Mountain 22" | Charcoal / drum | Large | Semi (some tending) | Premium | Competition / seriousAuthentic wood/charcoal flavorLarge gatherings | Amazon → |
Other fuels: Pellet · Offset (stick burner) · Kamado (ceramic) · Electric · Gas / propane · best for a purpose →