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Wondering which is the best Bradley smoker to buy this year? Read our ultimate guide for the top recommendations.

Never underestimate the power of good food. Eating delicious food can be a life-changing experience – Shon Mehta

Growing up around grills meant that we knew more about good barbecue by the time we left elementary school than most people will learn in a lifetime.

Barbecue isn’t just about food for us, it’s a way of life and a philosophy that we were happily indoctrinated into and it’s a gospel that we love to share and spread.

It was, and still would be everything to us if, while we were cooking at one of our regular competitions, we hadn’t been exposed to the art of smoking.

In that instant, everything that we thought we knew about cooking changed, it was a lightbulb moment that transformed our lives, and right then and there, we became fully paid up members and disciples of the Church of Smoking.

A lot of people will tell you that traditional barbecue and smoking are the same things, and there’s only a hair’s breadth of difference between them.

While those people are entitled to their opinions, they are absolutely wrong. There’s a country mile wide gulf separating smoking from ordinary barbecuing, and true disciples of both will argue past moonrise that one is better than the other and vice versa.

The thing is though, and at the end of a long old day at the coal face, it’s all about taste and a whole lot of flavor. And all that taste and flavor?

That’s what converted us to the smoking side, and it’s why we’re here to try and convince you that smoking is actually good for you and your mind, body, and soul.

In order to do just that, we’ve made a list of the best Bradley smokers that you cook up a treat with because nobody makes smokers like Bradley do and if you want to smoke with the best, forget the rest and do it the Bradley way.

Let’s light the fires and kick the tires, it’s smoking time…

Best Bradley Smoker: (Our Winner after 35+ hours of research)

Bradley Smart Smoker

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Bradley Smokers Comparison Table

Image	Product	Our Rating	Buy
	Bradley Smart Smoker		CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
	Bradley Digital 4 Rack Smoker		CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
	Bradley Electric Smoker		CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
	Bradley Professional Smoker		CHECK PRICE ON BRADLEYSMOKER
	Bradley Realtree Original Electric Smoker		CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON

Bradley Smokers Reviews

#1. Bradley Smart Smoker (Overall Top Pick)

 

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While they’ve got a long, rich, and storied history in the world of smoking, Bradley is always pushing the envelope and is constantly searching for ways to improve their smokers and the culinary lives of the people who invest their smoking faith in them.

The Smart Smoker is the next-generation machine that incorporates and exemplifies everything that makes Bradley a legendary brand in the smoking world.

This automatic, electric smoker is a simple to use smoking revelation that combines digital technology with Bluetooth innovation to let you control, and adjust, every single moment of your smoke-filled cook from the comfort of your armchair.

Designed to deliver a flavorful, rich finish, the Smart Smoker is fueled by wood chips, briquettes, and pellets that are easily loaded into its smoke-box, which it only uses as and when it needs to, according to the temperature and time parameters that you’ve set.

And when it’s fully loaded, you’ll get eight hours of uninterrupted smoking time, which is more than enough to prepare any and all the culinary delights that you have planned.

It’s six chrome-coated racks that sit comfortably inside the cabinet give you a total of seven hundred and eighty square inches of total smoking space, which means you’ll be able to whip up a whole jamboree of chicken and steak and feed any and all of the folks who decide to stop by when they follow their nostrils and are guided to your yard by the mouth-watering scent of everything you’re smoking.

Then when you’ve finished smoking all that you want to smoke, the chrome coating on the racks and the polished and insulated stainless steel interior are painless and easy to clean, and before you know it they’ll be as bright and shiny as the day they arrived and will be ready to start smoking again.

Pros

• The Bluetooth connectivity and control that’s part and parcel of the Smart Smoker’s design means that you can control every part of the smoking process as long as your smartphone or tablet is connected to it.
• With a maximum temperature of around two hundred and eighty degrees, the Smart Smoker is made to cook the long, low, and slow way and will saturate whatever you’ve loaded it with in all sorts of incredibly rich, smoke-filled flavor.
• Once you’ve filled its racks and loaded its smokebox and you’re ready to start smoking, you’ll have eight hours of smoking time before you need to reload its smokebox with more wood chips, pellets, or briquettes. Wars have been fought and lost in less time than it takes the Smart Smoker to burn through a full load of wood.
• From the moment it arrives and you start smoking with it, your smoker will be protected for a year by Bradley’s twelve-month warranty.

Cons

• We’re old school smokers and while we appreciate the application of technology, we can’t help thinking that Bluetooth has a tendency to make would-be smokers lazy and encourages them to let the smoker do all the work for them. If you want to learn how to smoke properly, switch off the Bluetooth and the WiFi.
• While it’s capable of holding up to ten racks to smoke with, the Smart Smoker only comes with six, which is a little disappointing. If you want more racks, you have to order them from Bradley, which means you have to dig deeper and give your pocketbook another beating.

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#2. Bradley Digital 4 Rack Smoker (Runner Up)

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The evolution of a smoker that we were mentioned when we were talking about the Smart Smoker?

This is the smoker that made everything that the Smart Smoker is possible and was the first Bradley smoker to embrace the digital revolution. All evolution and every revolution started somewhere, and for Bradley, it all began here.

With a hopper capable of producing up to nine hours of a smoking time when fully loaded, the Digital Four Rack houses four chrome-coated racks that provide a total smoking area of five hundred and seventy square inches.

Or as we like to say, enough to fill everyone’s plates at an overcrowded family get together.

Featuring a digital control unit that will let you precisely set the temperature and time that you want the Four Rack to smoke for, you can push a couple of buttons., step back and let Bradley do the rest.

Once you’ve programmed everything you need into the controls, and you’ve got the nine hours of downtime that the fully loaded hopper provides, you can start to think about and begin to plot, plan and formulate all sorts of crazy, smoke-infused recipes.

And no matter how weird they may seem, the Bradley Four Rack can help you to bring them to fruition.

Pros

• With a fully loaded hopper giving you nine hours to sit back and twiddle your thumbs and a digital control unit that’ll take all of the hard work out of your hands and make the smoker do it for you, you can just kick back, relax and spend some quality time with your friends and family. Who knew that smoking could be this much fun?
• Patience is a virtue and it’s one that the digital smoker will instill in you as it cooks everything at a leisurely two hundred and eighty degrees. You’ll learn to appreciate the benefits of smoking when you give your food over to this smoker and let it do what it does best.
• And you’ll have a whole year’s worth of peace of mind while you’re smoking as this digital beauty comes with Bradley’s twelve-month warranty.

Cons

• It may seem a little pedantic, but we don’t understand why you’d be happy to smoke with four racks when you can have a six rack model? More racks mean more smoking fun, because as everyone who has ever driven a Pontiac GTO knows, the bigger something is, the better it is

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#3. Bradley Electric Smoker (Runner Up)

 

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The Bradley story started with their original electric smoker. While they’re firm believers in not having to fix anything unless it’s broken and that perfection always speaks for itself, they’ve tweaked and updated its design to make perfection a little bit better.

This all-steel, electric smoker has four interior racks that give it a total smoking area of five hundred square inches, while it’s automatically controlled hopper, when fully loaded with briquettes, will provide up to eight hours of hassle and worry-free smoking time.

With two separately controlled elements, one for the oven and one to make smoke, the new Original has doubled up and isn’t just a smoker anymore.

It’s now an oven, a smoker, a dehydrator, and a cold smoker too. That’s a lot of smoking and cooking functionality for a machine that stands less than three feet tall and two feet wide.

As die-hard converts to the smoking cause, we’ve always been fans of the Bradley Original, and it’s always been our go-to smoker of choice, and the small improvements that they made, while minor, have made a world of difference.

They’ve dragged smoking history into the smoking present and put their original electric smoker back where it belongs. At the center of the smoking universe.

Pros

• It’s an all-steel smoker that’s been made to be durable, tough, and strong and is built to last longer than a ‘Days Of Our Lives’ marathon
• With four in one versatility (it’s a smoker, a cold smoker, an oven, and a dehydrator) and over five hundred square inches of smoking and cooking space, it’s every smoker and barbecuers dream machine.
• Thanks to its stainless steel polished interior, the Original is also easy to clean and simple to maintain. And it’s the main door is magnetic too, which means it seals tighter than a bank vault on parole day.
• And, like every other Bradley smoker, the new electric Original comes with a twelve-month guarantee that’ll give you a whole year of panic-free, happy smoking fun.

Cons

• Honestly, we can’t think of any and if there are some, we can’t find them. It’s the Mary Poppins of the smoking world and is practically perfect in every way.

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#4.  Bradley Professional Smoker (Runner Up)

 

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Just when we thought that Bradley couldn’t push the envelope of smoking design, versatility, and creativity any further than they already had with the Smart Smoker, they had to go and prove us wrong and up the ante even further.

The Professional is everything that we’ve ever wanted in a smoker. Effortlessly cool and incredibly functional, it’s a giant leap into the future of smoking technology.

A four rack, fully programmable smoker that’s Bluetooth enabled and can also be loaded with up to fifty readily available recipes via its USB connection, the Professional can smoke for up to ten hours and infuse everything on it’s near five hundred square inches of smoking space with incredible, dense flavor.

Capable of reaching temperatures of up to three hundred and twenty degrees, while it still follows the long and slow smoking route that Bradley originally laid down, the Professional can smoke a little faster than its forebears.

And in smoking circles, a little extra speed and power can make a whole lot of difference.

With a windowed briquette compartment and a built-in smoke generator, the Professional has elevated Bradley into the pantheon of the smoking gods and left other bands desperately attempting to follow in their wake.

It’s the all-singing, all-dancing electric smoker that, if given the opportunity, could turn the smoking world upside down and inside out.

Pros

• The Professional is the next step in the smoking evolutionary chain. Capable of smoking for up to ten hours on a single load of briquettes and reaching a temperature of three hundred and twenty degrees, the Professional has changed the face of electric smoking forever.
• And it does all of that with a twelve-month, cast-iron warranty from Bradley. The future is starting to look more and more appealing with every passing moment.

Cons

• And while we’re on the subject of the future, it’s going to be a long time before we can actually afford to own a Professional. All of the technology and ingenuity that Bradley has poured into the Professional comes with a rather large price tag, which rest assured, will break your pocketbook in two.

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#5. Bradley Realtree Original Electric Smoker (Runner Up)

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There are smokers you want, smokers you fantasize about and then there are smokers that you need to make all of your smoking dreams come true.

This is the electric smoker that we see in our mind’s eye when we close our eyes at night and the machine that we, someday, aspire to own and smoke all day and every day with.

Decorated in Realtree’s distinctive camouflage pattern, this six shelf electric smoker has all of the smoke-filled punching power and versatility of Bradley’s original electric smoker, with an increased smoking surface area of nearly nine hundred square inches.

How do you make the electric Original better than it’s ever been?

You make it bigger and you give it the sort of make-over that speaks to the hunter that lives in every smoker’s heart. And that’s exactly what Bradley did.

Pros

• It’s everything that the Original electric smoker is with looks that can kill and an increased total smoking surface area of nearly nine hundred square inches. Bradley just made their best smoker even better.
• That’s right, you guessed what’s coming next. The Realtree comes with Bradley’s standard twelve-month guarantee.

Cons

• There are none, If we were looking for a new smoker right now, the Realtree would already be winging its way across the country to us.

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Bradley Smokers Buyer’s Guide

Which Bradley Smoker Is The Right One For Me?

While we’d usually focus on the intricacies of budget limitations and attempt to ascertain your individual smoking needs and requirements and what you want your smoker for, as far as  Bradley Smokers are concerned, there’s only one smoker you’ll ever need and that everyone wants.

And that’s the Realtree Original Electric Smoker.

It’s versatile, adaptable, and will smoke all the food that you could possibly want to eat and more and it has the sort of knockout, drop-dead good looks that’ll put a smile on every potential smoker’s face.

And, after all, who doesn’t want to look good while they’re smoking?

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Is Bradley?

Bradley is a family-owned brand who are pioneers in the field of home-based smoker manufacturing.

Specializing in electric smokers, they began manufacturing smokers in the late nineteen seventies after their founder did a deal with a master smoker based in the Pacific Northwest to trade freshly caught fish for his smoking knowledge.

It was a handshake deal that would change the face of home smoking and the ovens and smokers that it relied on forever.

What  is a Smoker?

A smoker is a purpose-built, outdoor oven that is designed to cook food at low temperatures for a long time.

They use either charcoal or wood pellets and chips as a fuel source to make heat and create the smoke that is used to both cook food and infuse it with rich, dense smoke filled flavors.

Following a relatively recent increase in the popularity of barbecuing, smokers have become a popular way of cooking.

Often confused with, and thought to be the same as barbecuing, smoking has its own set of culinary rules and objectives, which can be learned relatively quickly but can, more often than not, take a lifetime to master.

We tested the Oklahoma Joe Combo and have news for you. Read our Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Combo review to find out what to expect of this grill.

Oklahoma Joe’s is a leading brand in the BBQ, grilling, and smoking world. They are a real homegrown business that started back in 1987 when Joe Davidson invested his $2000 savings into designing and manufacturing ten smokers.

He sold all ten at the Oklahoma State Fair that year and left with one hundred more orders. The rest, as they say, is history, and Oklahoma Joe’s is now one of the most popular smokers and grill companies in the country.

Today, one of their more popular products is the Longhorn Combo, which is a Smoker and Grill in one. We decided to share with you our love for this product in an in-depth product review.

Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Combo Review

So sit back, get yourself a glass of something tasty and a plate of something smoked, and relax while you read all about why you need an Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Combo smoker and grill.

Product Overview

At first glance, the Longhorn Combo looks like a BBQ enthusiasts dream come true.

It is a Smoker and Grill all in one, with the option to be powered by charcoal and/or gas.

You get so much freedom to do exactly what you want with this piece of cooking equipment.

There are separate chambers for grilling and smoking. Grilling can be done via gas or charcoal too, the choice is yours. It even has a side burner which is the perfect size for a pan of onions to fry or your BBQ sauce to heat.

It is extremely durable in terms of material, due to being made from heavy-gauge steel and having porcelain coated rust-resistant cast iron grates.

This grill and smoker combo is designed to last. The covered over nature of it means that you can grill in all weather (provided you don’t mind getting wet of course).

 The handles are also made with cool-touch technology so you can check your food without hurting your hands – although you should still wear gloves, of course!

It has adjustable dampers so that you can control the amount of smoke and heat that your food gets. The grill combo also offers lots of cooking space – a total of 750 square inches of primary cooking space and a further 310 square inches of secondary cooking space.

There is even a rack at the bottom so that you can store all of your utensils, or even extra gas should you need it.

The firebox is kept separate and is doored off making your life easier due to it being far more convenient to stoke the fire when needed. This way you will not be letting heat and smoke out of your food chambers unnecessarily.

Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Combo

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Product Specifications

• This Longhorn Combo Grill and Smoker comes with one grease tray, which can also be purchased separately if more are needed

• Nearly all of the parts for this Combo Grill and Smoker can be bought separately if any of them ever wear out, get lost, or get damaged, giving you the reassurance that you will be using this grill for years to come

• In terms of assembly, it is important to note that the overall weight of the whole package is 204.60lbs

• The dimensions of the overall grill package are as follows: 31.5 by 74 by 50.6 inches

• As mentioned in the product overview, the grill is made mostly from steel and cast iron

• The power sources for this combo grill and smoker are charcoal and LP Gas (Propane)

• The product is black in color

• It has 4 main burners and a total BTU (British Thermal Unit) of 48,000

• The grill itself stands on wheels for easy transportation that are in the classic ‘wagon’ style

• There is a two year warranty on the whole grill and all its parts

What we liked

There is truly so much to like about the Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Combo!

As a general overview of what we loved so much about it, suffice to say that BBQing has never felt so easy.

We love how easily we can multitask, grilling, and smoking at the same time is really a hit with the loved ones at family BBQs.

It is very well made, and so many different food products have stood the test of the Longhorn, resulting in perfectly grilled or smoked deliciousness each time.

Keep reading on for our list of other things we loved:

• We loved the heavy-duty materials used for the Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Grill and SMoker combo! It has really stood the test of time for so many other customers too, with many of them stating that even after a year or two of weekly use the grill still seems as good as new. The steel and cast iron parts are very durable, and can withstand constant oil spraying, meat fat drips, and so much more.

• The wheels make it easy to transport about the garden or patio, this makes it easy to just prop it wherever it suits the buyer. (Although do bear in mind that the whole appliance is very heavy, at over 200lbs)

• We love the fact that it is a smoker and a grill in one. This is just a novelty to us that we could rave about forever. It is perfect for those BBQers who like choice, especially those who may have been debating whether to get a grill or a smoker – now you can have both!

• Every bit of food that comes from the smoky depths of the smoker, or the hot temperatures of the grill is perfect. There are hundreds of reviews that all state the same and it is certainly the most redeeming quality of the appliance as a whole. After all, the whole point of a Grill and Smoker is to get delicious food every single time, so this factor for us was one of the most important.

• It is a fantastic option for the casual BBQer, or perhaps someone who is just beginning to explore smoking and grilling. It is made from a durable enough material that it can withstand regular weekly usage, as long as appropriate care is taken when cleaning, and it is covered adequately when not in use.

What we didn’t like

As with all genuine reviews, it is important to consider aspects of the product that we think could have been improved.

As much as we love Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Combo Smoker and Grill, there are some points that we feel we must raise that we didn’t like so much.

We analyzed the reviews of other customers too, to ensure we had a really detailed understanding of both the good and the bad bits about the appliance.

We feel confident to tell you that, overall, it is an excellent quality Combo Smoker and Grill, and one that we are sure that you will be thrilled with should you decide to buy it.

However, as with everything, it is not perfect, and those imperfections must be taken note of.

Here are our thoughts on what we did not like so much:

• Although the majority of the grill is made from a very hard wearing and durable material such as steel and cast iron, we were disappointed with the metal on the grill side (where the propane powers it). It is a little thinner than the other materials, and other buyers have commented on it feeling like a different metal altogether, of a much thinner and more malleable substance. Others have said that this side is also more prone to rust, however, with proper care and the appropriate cleaning methods used, rusting should not happen.

• Some users may find the Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Combo Grill and smoker a little difficult to move about easily. It is very heavy at over 200lbs, and some users have found the feels to not be sturdy enough for lots of moving about. They can sometimes feel a little rickety, as though they cannot withstand the whole weight. We have found no instances of the grill collapsing because of this, but bear in mind that they may sometimes feel a little flimsy.

• It does not feature any hooks to place utensils on whilst cooking. This is a very minor side note, as we realize that this is not a top priority when looking for a grill, and certainly, anyone could add one on themselves easily. However, it was surprising not to find one on there.

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Conclusion

Our final word on the Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Combo Grill and Smoker is that it is a fantastic choice of product for someone who uses the BBQ casually, perhaps every weekend or so.

It can withstand regular cooking for a small family with ease thanks to the hard wearing material that it is made from.

It is very important that due care is taken when cleaning the appliance, and that it is covered adequately when not in use to prolong the life of your Longhorn Combo Grill even further.

What is certain is that with each use, you will get deliciously smoked or grilled food that is sure to be a people pleaser at family BBQs.

We truly believe it is the perfect option to choose if you are someone who is debating a smoker or a grill. This Longhorn Combo gives you the best of both worlds, promising quality from each.

Don’t just take our word for it though. Buy one for yourself from Amazon.

Looking for  the best Masterbuilt electric smoker? Here are the top 5 options you should consider.

It’s thought that smoking was discovered accidentally by early hominins in the paleolithic era which is around about the same time they developed the very first ideas of spirituality.

This means that smoking of food lines up with our first realization of and inquests into the very nature of existence. That’s how old it is!

The consensus is that when early humanity discovered fire, they lived in crude huts and caves with poor ventilation.

They’d set their food to rest inside these smoky retreats to keep it safe from pests, and when it was time to eat, they’d find the flavor had been infused with scents of the smoke.

Since then, smoking food has come a long way, and one of the companies at the forefront of modern smoking technology is Masterbuilt.

Their innovative and aesthetically pleasing designs take that serendipitous prehistoric discovery and contemporize it in an enjoyable and distinguished manner.

Whether you’re a seasoned smoker or simply flirting with the idea of smoking your own food, you’re in the right place.

We’re going to be reviewing five of the very best 40-inch Masterbuilt electric smokers currently available.

We’re even going to run through a quick buyer’s guide and FAQ section so you have all the information you need to set sail on your own smoky odyssey.

Who are Masterbuilt?

Masterbuilt was started in 1973 the way all good businesses are, as a family venture. It all began when Dawson McLemore decided to build a fish cooker with his family in his backyard.

Now, Masterbuilt is an industry leader bringing innovative ideas and high-quality materials together to produce some of the most technologically advanced barbecuing products the world has ever seen.

Best Masterbuilt Electric Smoker (Winner)

Got Food Going Bad?

Here’s our top pick right here, so you can get stuck right in.

Masterbuilt MB20071619 Mes 140s Digital Electric Smoker, 40”

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Masterbuilt Electric Smokers – Comparison Table

Image	Product	Our Rating	Buy
	Masterbuilt MB20071619 Mes 140s Digital Electric Smoker, 40”		CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
	Masterbuilt MB20074719 Digital Electric Smoker		CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
	Masterbuilt MB20073119 Mes Digital Electric Smoker		CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
	Masterbuilt MB20070210 Analogue Electric Smoker		CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON
	Masterbuilt MES 440S Digital Electric Smoker		CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON

Best Masterbuilt Electric Smokers – Reviews

#1. Masterbuilt MB20071619 Mes 140s Digital Electric Smoker, 40” (Our Overall Top Pick)

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The seraph of smokers at our number one spot, this 40” digital smoker brings the ancient technique seamlessly into the present with some truly epic design elements.

Masterbuilt’s patented side wood chip loading system lets you insert your smoky woods without opening the main door, maintaining heat and preventing the escape of precious smoke.

The walls are around ¾ “ thick, the top, 1 ½ “, and the door is roughly 2” thick, and it’s well insulated.

This doesn’t just mean that it holds heat really well, but the external surfaces don’t overheat, posing a burn risk.

Watching the serpentine coils of smoke work their magic on your food through the window is nothing short of mesmerizing.

It is going to dirty after a couple of smokes, but as long as you keep on top of maintenance, it should be an enjoyable feature.

You get four chrome coated smoke racks with this particular smoker providing enough space to smoke six chickens simultaneously.

The digital control panel allows you to turn the smoker on and off, easily set or modify the temperature, and set a timer.

Pros

• Thick insulated walls and door hold temperature well
• Outer surfaces don’t heat up too much
• Four chrome racks worth of space
• Window gives you visuals on the process
• Wheels and handle make moving it a breeze
• Very cool black finish
• Digital control panel allows easy and accurate temperature setting

Cons

• Heating element won’t last forever
• Needs to be protected from weather
• Window will dirty fairly quickly

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#2. Masterbuilt MB20074719 Digital Electric Smoker

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Our second product is another fantastic smoke storm in a box ready to take your culinary exploits to new heights.

Let the barbecue commence!

This really is the future of smokers. Everything can be controlled by the built-in Bluetooth capabilities.

Simply connect your smartphone up and you can smoke from a remote location at least 20 feet away.

One of the main issues people encounter when cooking on a smoker after having barbecued is knowing when their meat is cooked through.

Well, this smoker comes with a built-in probe so you’ll never have to worry about undercooked anything.

Another great feature is the mild lighting that kicks into action when you open the door.

Not only does this shine through the smoke making your patio look the set of a 90s music video, it gives you instant visuals on your food.

So, if you fancy some after dark smoke sessions, this is the smoker for you.

Similarities between this smoker and our number one spot include the patented Masterbuilt side loading chip recess, thick walls and door, a window panel, and 4 smoke racks.

This one, however, comes in a lovely silver finish.

Pros

• Mild interior light to illuminate food through smoke or in the dark
• Patented sideloaded chipping receptacle
• Bluetooth hookup
• Built-in meat probe thermometer
• 4 rack, 40” capacity
• Thick walls and door
• Glass window for visuals
• Smart silver finish

Cons

• Chipping dispenser could be stronger
• Needs a cover to protect it from the elements
• Window will smudge up after around 2 smokes

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#3. Masterbuilt MB20073119 Mes Digital Electric Smoker

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Our third smoky grill feature is quite similar to our second pick but comes in at a slightly lower price point.

At 35”, it’s a little smaller as well.

You can still fit a hearty feast of six chickens, two turkeys, four racks of ribs, or four pork rumps in this smoker. Lovely!

You get the fantastic smart Bluetooth control and a digital panel for manual tweaking.

You get four high-quality smoker racks, the revolutionary side loading chip system, and an interior light for piercing through the smoke when you open the door.

And don’t forget the built-in thermometer for precision cooking.

The LED lighting on the digital display can be a little hard to read in bright daylight, but as long as you have the Bluetooth app, everything will be clear and you’ll remain in control.

You should also take care of the chip loader as it may be hard to source a replacement at the minute.

They’re sold out on the Masterbuilt website.

Pros

• Bluetooth connection for remote control
• Digital panel for manual control
• Window panel for great visuals
• Well insulated
• Gentle interior light when door opens
• 4 smoker racks
• Built-in thermometer
• Side chip loader

Cons

• Slightly smaller than our top picks
• Window will need cleaning fairly often
• Chip loader  could be sturdier
• Needs protection from the weather

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#4. Masterbuilt MB20070210 Analogue Electric Smoker

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Our next dragonish smoke breather is an analog option with a powerful 1500-watt heating element ideal for hot smoking.

This smoker is a windowless design, opting instead for the very witchy full cauldron-black finish.

A lot of people prefer a windowless design as it requires less maintenance.

While analog electronics are much cheaper and aren’t quite as flash, we actually prefer them on a smoker, especially one with a charming antiquated aesthetic such as this one.

Capacity might put you off a little in this case.

Yes, it’s a 40” smoker, but where our other pick oven spaces went all the way to the ground, this smoker sits on supporting legs, leaving you with a three rack smoke space.

That translates to roughly three chickens at a time.

Where this smoker excels is the chipping capacity and heating element.

Rather than the sideloaded system, you have a central tray loading system that can fit far more chips in, so you won’t need to replenish quite so often with this design.

This is the perfect smoker for a beginner.

It’s quite a bit smaller than our other picks, but that’s reflected in the price, and what it lacks in capacity, it makes up for in charm.

Pros

• Cool and classic design
• Propped on legs, making it suitable for more surfaces
• Powerful heating element
• Slightly larger chip capacity
• Front-loading chip tray
• Analog electronics suit the smoker style
• Very affordable

Cons

• Smaller capacity
• No window
• Needs protecting from the weather
• No digital controls may put some customers off

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#5. Masterbuilt MES 440S Digital Electric Smoker

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Our final smoke slinger is another leg-mounted design, so you can expect a slightly diminished capacity, but this time, it retains the much desired four rack layout.

What we love about this smoker is the patented custom smoke function.

It offers you five different smoke styles, regardless of temperature, allowing you to get even more creative with your food.

The 800-watt heating element is capable of temperatures between 70 and 270 degrees, meaning it’s capable of cooking your food through a hot smoke, but it’s also perfect for cold smoking pre-cured meats.

Rolling this thing out when you feel like having a smoke has never been easier thanks to the two rear wheels and ergonomic handle, which is great as it’s quite a heavy unit, weighing in at 98.7lbs.

If you’re a beginner or intermediate smoker searching for something you won’t outgrow too quickly, the internal accessory ports should go a long way in keeping the experience fresh and exciting.

You can add side trays or even a rotisserie accessory.

As far as similarities go, you can expect the state of the art digital and Bluetooth controls, a built-in thermometer with four probes, and a side-loading wood chip tray.

This model does seem to arrive damaged more often than any other and we’re not entirely sure why.

Perhaps Masterbuilt needs to look into the packaging.

If it’s an option, it’s definitely worth paying a little extra for a super secure delivery.

Pros

• Large rear wheels
• Window for keeping tabs on your food
• Bluetooth and digital controls
• Thick walls and door
• Good for both cold and hot smoking
• Four smoke racks
• Accessory ready ports
• Side loaded chip port
• Built-in thermometer

Cons

• Arrives damaged more than others
• Window will need constant cleaning
• Needs protection from the weather

CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON

Masterbuilt Electric Smoker Buyer’s Guide

Let’s have a look at some of the criteria you should be considering before you settle on a new smoker.

Budget

Coming up with a rough budget will guide you in the right direction when you begin your search.

From there you can build up a good understanding of what features you can expect at different price points.

Heating Element

A smoker with a powerful heating element isn’t necessarily better than a midrange element.

200 – 230 degrees tends to facilitate the best smoke, so as long as your element can handle that, it should be fine.

We’d suggest looking for one that maxes out a little over that so you’re not always pushing it to its limits.

You should also consider a heating element’s base temperature. Cold smoking is done between 68 and 80 degrees.

It imbues the food with smoky goodness but doesn’t cook it. Many who like to cure their own meat prefer cold smoking to cooking and smoking their food simultaneously.

Chip Loading System

Most Masterbuilt smoker designs feature their patented side loading chip recess which is an awesome bit of engineering.

The only problem we can find with it is that you’re pretty limited in terms of load size. Smoking is a slow process.

Sometimes it can take all day. You’re going to have to replenish that little loader quite a few times per smoke.

If that sounds like a nuisance to you, you should look into smokers with larger chip trays or boxes.

Our fourth pick has a well-designed front-loading tray that has a larger chip capacity as well as being sturdier than the side loader.

If you want even larger chip capacities, it might be best to look at different brands or even larger Masterbuilt smokers.

Chip loading style is a matter of preference, but what we do advise is that you look for a smoker that allows you to remove and insert the loader without opening the smoker door as you’ll lose temperature and smoke content.

Portability

Size

Right, we know you’re looking for 40” smokers, but how wide and deep do you want your smoker to be? You may need to keep it in storage or fit it into an already packed exterior design.

It’s best to take some accurate measurements of possible storage spaces to make sure you can accommodate the one you’re interested in.

Weight

Most Masterbuilt smokers come with rear wheels and a handle to make transportation as easy as possible, but some of these smokers are incredibly heavy.

If you’re opting for a really heavy design, it might be worth picking out a permanent resting place for it on your patio or in your garden.

Capacity

How much food do you want to smoke in one session?

For a 40” smoker, you’re most likely to find a 6 – 16 chicken capacity. That’s a pretty wide range so make sure you’re double-checking the dimensions of each smoker.

Racks

A four rack layout is perfect for a 40” smoker.

It offers enough space between levels to fit larger food items.

Legs

Legs are great for stabilizing the smoker on a wide array of different surfaces; however, the more leg you have, the less capacity you get.

Safety

Safety should be a priority with any kind of cooking appliance. It’s good to check customer reviews for any instances of fires or injuries involving a smoker.

Smokers need to be rested on a non-flammable surface, far away from any items or structures that could be affected by heat or a possible fire.

If you don’t have an appropriate space for a smoker, under no circumstances should one be used.

Durability

Durability is key when extreme temperatures are involved. The constant heating and cooling of materials can be testing.

All Masterbuilt smokers should be able to handle the rigors of their normal functions, but there may be parts that are more delicate than others.

Heating elements don’t last forever. Depending on the model, you’ll have to swap it out every 1 to 3 years. The side-loading capsule can also be delicate at times.

No Masterbuilt smokers are built to survive bad weather. They’ll rust and discolor in the rain and snow. We highly recommend buying a cover ready for your smoker’s arrival.

Controls

As you’ve seen, you can get electric smokers with a variety of controls. Digital controls are easy to use and accurate, but they’re much more expensive.

Bluetooth controls are amazing and incredibly practical, but they’re limited by connectivity.

Analog controls are our favorite for smokers. They’re far more affordable, suit the aesthetic of a Masterbuilt smoker, and they get the job done.

Thermometers

Meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 170 degrees to ensure a full cook temperature of at least 165 degrees.

If your smoker doesn’t come with a food probe, you’ll need to purchase one before you eat any meat or fish cooked in it.

That said, most Masterbuilt smokers come with built-in thermometers.

Still, it’s best to double-check, and it won’t hurt to have a spare should the built-in one fail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is smoked meat bad for you?

Yes, it can be.

Many meats are bad for you regardless, but smoking adds polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which are carcinogenic.

That’s not to say you can’t ever have smoked meat, just try to limit your intake.

Can you smoke vegetables in a smoker?

Yes, for all you veggies and vegans out there, you can smoke vegetables, fruits, nuts…whatever you like really.

Are electric smokers better than pellet smokers?

Electric smokers are far quicker and easier to use than pellet smokers, but for maximum flavor, a pellet smoker is the one to go for.

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Food

There you have it, smoke fans. Five Masterbuilt master builds to sate your smoky desires.

Any one of them will make a fabulous addition to your culinary arsenal and open up new horizons of flavor.

Happy smoking!