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Best smokers for authentic wood/charcoal flavor
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We list 20 real-fire smokers. Lowest price tier here is budget: Char-Griller AKORN Kamado, Char-Griller Smokin' Pro and Dyna-Glo Signature Series Offset. Easiest to learn on: Char-Griller AKORN Kamado, Pit Barrel Cooker Classic, Vision Grills Classic B-Series and 2 more. Room for a crowd: Char-Griller Smokin' Pro, Dyna-Glo Signature Series Offset, Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 and 10 more.
Real fire flavor — offset, charcoal, kamado and gravity-fed. 20 models that fit.
| Smoker | Fuel | Size | Ease | Tier | Buy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Char-Griller AKORN Kamado | Kamado (ceramic) | Medium | Semi (some tending) | Budget | See price on Amazon |
| Char-Griller Smokin' Pro | Offset (stick burner) | Large | Hands-on (fire-tending) | Budget | See price on Amazon |
| Dyna-Glo Signature Series Offset | Offset (stick burner) | Large | Hands-on (fire-tending) | Budget | See price on Amazon |
| Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 | Charcoal / drum | Large | Set-and-forget | Mid | See price on Amazon |
| Oklahoma Joe's Highland | Offset (stick burner) | Large | Hands-on (fire-tending) | Mid | See price on Amazon |
| Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn | Offset (stick burner) | XL | Hands-on (fire-tending) | Mid | See price on Amazon |
| Pit Barrel Cooker Classic | Charcoal / drum | Medium | Semi (some tending) | Mid | See price on Amazon | |
| Vision Grills Classic B-Series | Kamado (ceramic) | 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 |
| Big Green Egg (Large) | Kamado (ceramic) | Medium | Semi (some tending) | Premium | See price on Amazon | |
| Camp Chef Woodwind Pro | Pellet | Large | Set-and-forget | Premium | See price on Amazon |
| Kamado Joe Classic III | Kamado (ceramic) | Medium | Semi (some tending) | Premium | See price on Amazon |
| Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 | Charcoal / drum | XL | Set-and-forget | Premium | See price on Amazon |
| Old Country BBQ Pits Brazos | Offset (stick burner) | Large | Hands-on (fire-tending) | Premium | See price on Amazon | |
| Weber Smokey Mountain 22" | Charcoal / drum | Large | Semi (some tending) | Premium | See price on Amazon |
| Big Green Egg (XL) | Kamado (ceramic) | Large | Semi (some tending) | High-end / competition | See price on Amazon | |
| Kamado Joe Big Joe III | Kamado (ceramic) | Large | Semi (some tending) | High-end / competition | See price on Amazon |
| Lang 36 Patio | Offset (stick burner) | Large | Hands-on (fire-tending) | High-end / competition | See price on Amazon | |
| Yoder Wichita Loaded | Offset (stick burner) | Large | Hands-on (fire-tending) | High-end / competition | See price on Amazon |
Common questions
Which real-fire smokers cost the least?
The budget price tier is the lowest here: Char-Griller AKORN Kamado, Char-Griller Smokin' Pro and Dyna-Glo Signature Series Offset. We don't store live prices, so check the listing for today's price.
Which real-fire smokers are best for beginners?
Char-Griller AKORN Kamado, Pit Barrel Cooker Classic, Vision Grills Classic B-Series, Weber Master-Touch 22" Kettle and Weber Smokey Mountain 18" — forgiving and easy to run.
Which real-fire smokers can cook for a crowd?
The large and XL models: Char-Griller Smokin' Pro, Dyna-Glo Signature Series Offset, Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800, Oklahoma Joe's Highland, Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn, Camp Chef Woodwind Pro, Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050, Old Country BBQ Pits Brazos, Weber Smokey Mountain 22", Big Green Egg (XL), Kamado Joe Big Joe III, Lang 36 Patio and Yoder Wichita Loaded.
How much tending do real-fire smokers need?
3 are set-and-forget and hold their own temperature: Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800, Camp Chef Woodwind Pro and Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050. 10 need some tending (occasional vent and fuel checks): Char-Griller AKORN Kamado, Pit Barrel Cooker Classic, Vision Grills Classic B-Series, Weber Master-Touch 22" Kettle, Weber Smokey Mountain 18", Big Green Egg (Large), Kamado Joe Classic III, Weber Smokey Mountain 22", Big Green Egg (XL) and Kamado Joe Big Joe III. 7 are hands-on (you tend the fire for the whole cook): Char-Griller Smokin' Pro, Dyna-Glo Signature Series Offset, Oklahoma Joe's Highland, Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn, Old Country BBQ Pits Brazos, Lang 36 Patio and Yoder Wichita Loaded.
Head-to-heads
Deciding between two? These compare them side by side.
- Pit Barrel Cooker Classic vs Weber Smokey Mountain 22"
- Big Green Egg (Large) vs Kamado Joe Classic III
- Char-Griller Smokin' Pro vs Oklahoma Joe's Highland
- Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 vs Traeger Pro 575
- Weber Smokey Mountain 18" vs Weber Smokey Mountain 22"
- Big Green Egg (XL) vs Kamado Joe Big Joe III
- Char-Griller AKORN Kamado vs Kamado Joe Classic III
- 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"
Other needs: Beginners · Large gatherings · Competition / serious · set-and-forget