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Charcoal / drum smokers
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We list 7 charcoal smokers. Lowest price tier here is budget: Dyna-Glo Vertical Charcoal. Easiest to learn on: Pit Barrel Cooker Classic, Weber Master-Touch 22" Kettle and Weber Smokey Mountain 18". Room for a crowd: Dyna-Glo Vertical Charcoal, Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800, Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 and 1 more.
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 | Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Dyna-Glo Vertical Charcoal | Charcoal / drum | Large | Semi (some tending) | Budget | See price on Amazon |
| Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 | Charcoal / drum | Large | Set-and-forget | Mid | See price on Amazon |
| Pit Barrel Cooker Classic | Charcoal / drum | Medium | Semi (some tending) | Mid | See price on Amazon | |
| Weber Master-Touch 22" Kettle | Charcoal / drum | Medium | Semi (some tending) | Mid | See price on Amazon |
| Weber Smokey Mountain 18" | Charcoal / drum | Medium | Semi (some tending) | Mid | See price on Amazon |
| Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 | Charcoal / drum | XL | Set-and-forget | Premium | See price on Amazon |
| Weber Smokey Mountain 22" | Charcoal / drum | Large | Semi (some tending) | Premium | See price on Amazon |
In one line each
- Dyna-Glo Vertical Charcoal: Cheap vertical capacity.
- Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800: Charcoal flavor with thermostat convenience.
- Pit Barrel Cooker Classic: Hang-the-meat drum cooking.
- Weber Master-Touch 22" Kettle: The kettle that does everything.
- Weber Smokey Mountain 18": The most proven bullet smoker ever made.
- Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050: The XL gravity-fed.
- Weber Smokey Mountain 22": The big WSM.
Common questions
Which charcoal smokers cost the least?
The budget price tier is the lowest here: Dyna-Glo Vertical Charcoal. We don't store live prices, so check the listing for today's price.
Which charcoal smokers are best for beginners?
Pit Barrel Cooker Classic, Weber Master-Touch 22" Kettle and Weber Smokey Mountain 18" — forgiving and easy to run.
Which charcoal smokers can cook for a crowd?
The large and XL models: Dyna-Glo Vertical Charcoal, Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800, Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 and Weber Smokey Mountain 22".
How much tending do charcoal smokers need?
2 are set-and-forget and hold their own temperature: Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 and Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050. 5 need some tending (occasional vent and fuel checks): Dyna-Glo Vertical Charcoal, Pit Barrel Cooker Classic, Weber Master-Touch 22" Kettle, Weber Smokey Mountain 18" and Weber Smokey Mountain 22".
Head-to-heads
Deciding between two? These compare them side by side.
- Pit Barrel Cooker Classic vs Weber Smokey Mountain 22"
- Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 vs Traeger Pro 575
- Weber Smokey Mountain 18" vs Weber Smokey Mountain 22"
- Pit Barrel Cooker Classic vs Weber Smokey Mountain 18"
- Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 vs Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800
- Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 vs Weber Smokey Mountain 22"
- Weber Master-Touch 22" Kettle vs Weber Smokey Mountain 18"
Other fuels: Pellet · Offset (stick burner) · Kamado (ceramic) · Electric · Gas / propane · best for a purpose →