What better way to spend your weekends than with a barbecue with all your friends and family? The thing is, other than your backyard, your only other necessity will be an offset smoker. Then, you can go off impressing people as the ultimate grilling guru.
Buying an offset smoker is a daunting task; there are multiple brands and even more models to choose from. The sheer variety of models will confuse you; that’s why we’ve scoured the market searching for the best offset smokers.
A reliable offset smoker needs to have good build quality, be easy to clean, portable, and meet a set of certain criteria to be placed in the top ranks of the ever-expanding markets that we’ve spoken about. Now, we’ll walk you through all those specifications and features.
The 4 Best Offset Smokers in 2020
Now without further ado, let’s get down to the cherries on top of the offset smokers’ cake.
1. Oklahoma Joe’s Highland – Best Overall
Our number one pick for the best offset smoker is Oklahoma Joe’s Highland. This is an all-rounder offset smoker that suits all tastes and all experience levels, whether you’re a newbie to the world of meat smoking, semi-professional, or a grill master.
Joe’s Highland is made out of 2.5mm thick metal steel, and it weighs 178 pounds. Even though it’s quite heavy, thanks to the heavy-duty cartwheels, you can easily move it from its storage place to where you’ll use it and vice versa. Furthermore, it comes with a two-year warranty.
This offset smoker provides you with a total of 900 square inches of cooking capacity. The 900 square inches are divided into two parts; 619 square inches in the main cooking chamber and 281 in the secondary cooking chamber. The main chamber alone is large enough to cook a full brisket inside it.
Additionally, it comes with multiple top-notch dampers that’ll last a lifetime while also maintaining an extra-smooth controlling process regarding the temperature.
Furthermore, Joe’s Highland is jam-packed with excellent accessories. For example, the cool-touch handles that were installed prevent the conduction of heat to your hands. That’s in addition to a removable shelf for your utensils and a built-in thermometer.
Unfortunately, some users complained about smoke leakage. However, it was minimal and didn’t require any maintenance or any form of fixing.
Guess How Many Chickens You Can Fit In This Smoker?
*Food sizes may vary; showing 4.5 lb. whole chickens, source
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What We Like
- 619 square inches primary cooking capacity
- Two-year warranty
- Heavy-duty cartwheels
- Cool-touch handles that don’t conduct heat
- Built-in thermometer
- Removable shelf to keep your utensils at the ready
What We Don’t Like
- Occasional smoke leakage
Final Verdict
The Oklahoma Joe’s Highland is the complete offset smoker, boasting 900 square inches cooking capacity divided into 619 square inches primary cooking capacity and 281 secondary cooking capacity. Plus, it comes with a two-year warranty, robust cartwheels, and a tough build made from 2.5mm thick steel.
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2. Oklahoma Joe’s Charcoal/LP Gas/Smoker Combo – Runner Up
Moving to the next model on our list – this is another entry by Oklahoma Joe’s. This time, it’s the Charcoal/LP Gas/Smoker Combo, a true jack of all trades that offers various heat-producing methods.
This Char-Broil offset smoker runs on two heat sources; you can use both propane and charcoal/wood. Also, it comes with a grand total of 1060sq inches of cooking capacity. The thing is, this space is divided into three parts: 375sq inches for the smoker, another 375sq inch for the gas grill, and finally 310sq inches.
This smoker’s overall build is quite stunning; it’s made out of 2.5mm thick steel, and the 6 grates are made out of cast iron that’s covered with a porcelain coating. This smoker is built to last and can handle almost all weather conditions. It weighs 204.6 pounds, and its handles are cool-touch ones that don’t conduct heat.
When it comes to using the smoker itself, you have multiple options: either use it as an offset smoker powered by wood or charcoal, use the gas for a perfectly seared steak, or use the heavy-gauge steel barrel for everyday meat smoking. Furthermore, you can kick it up a notch by trying the reverse searing method on your tri-tips and all your other meats.
Moreover, the Charcoal/LP Gas/Smoker Combo comes with strong cartwheels, high-quality dampers that are easy to adjust, storage spaces, and multi-temperature gauges. Plus, it comes with a two-year warranty.
Despite all these fantastic features, the three different cooking capacities mean that you’ll have less space per capacity if you plan on using one at a time. Also, you can’t adjust the doors.
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What We Like
- Three different smoking places
- 1060sq inches total cooking capacity
- Two-year warranty
- Strong cartwheels
- High-quality dampers
- Multi-temperature gauges
- Cool-touch handles
What We Don’t Like
- Unadjustable doors
- Cooking capacity is small per single cooking space
Final Verdict
Charcoal, wood, and propane can all be used simultaneously to cook your meats within the Oklahoma Joe’s Charcoal/LP Gas/Smoker Combo. You have three different cooking chambers that combine to a total of 1060sq inches. It comes with 6 porcelain-coated grates, cool-touch handles, and high-quality dampers.
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3. Landmann 560212 – Budget Option
Our budget pick for offset smokers is the Landmann 560212. It’s powered by either charcoal or wood and weighs 78.74 pounds.
The Landmann 560212 costs much less than the other smokers on our list while having impressive specifications and features. For starters, this smoker is more suitable for small gatherings when it comes to its cooking capacities. It comes with a bit more than 529sq inches in the form of 360sq inches in the smoker and 169 in the firebox.
The dimensions of the smoker and its weight make it a perfect fit for tight spaces. Plus, it comes with cartwheels that make moving it from one place to another relatively easy and trouble-free.
Furthermore, you’ve got a hand crank that you can use to adjust the charcoal tray’s height, providing you with better control over the temperature.
In addition to that, you have multiple vents, a temperature gauge, and stainless steel handles. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about cleaning this smoker as the removable ashtray makes cleaning the smoker a piece of cake.
As we’ve previously discussed, the Landmann 560212 is a small offset smoker that can only serve a handful of people; hence, it’s unsuitable for large-scale gatherings.
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What We Like
- Cheaper than the other models on this list
- Lightweight
- Easy to move due to cartwheels
- Removable ashtray makes cleaning easy
- Stainless steel handles
What We Don’t Like
- Unsuitable for large gatherings
Final Verdict
Not only is the Landmann 560212 our budget offset smoker, but it’s also great for small spaces. It’s lightweight, can be easily moved around., comes with a removable ashtray, numerous vents, and a temperature gauge.
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4. Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D – Best Vertical Offset Smoker
Our fourth and last product is the Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker, and it’s a fantastic choice for anyone interested in a vertical offset smoker. In general, the vertical variety of offset smokers provide much larger smoking and cooking areas; plus, they’re a lot easier to use and tailor according to your own needs.
Now, onto the features of this marvelous vertical smoker. The Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker boasts a total cooking area of 1176sq in, while the smoking area on its own is around 784sq in. This allows you to cook up to 25 pounds per grate without any trouble whatsoever.
As for the construction of the grate and its durability, the Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker is made out of heavy gauge steel, while the fire chamber is covered in porcelain. These two details don’t only contribute to the smoker’s rigidity and durability, but the fire chamber also manages charcoal and ash as efficiently as possible.
Additionally, ventilation all over the smoker can only be called excellent. Moreover, you have six removable racks to play with, allowing you to tailor the space efficiently. Furthermore, the cooking grates are entirely adjustable in regards to height, as is the smokestack flue.
One more thing is that the Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker comes with a built-in stainless steel thermometer, allowing you to keep a constant eye on the temperature without having to purchase any extra pieces.
A lot of people don’t expect the price tag that the Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker sports, as it’s quite affordable considering the package of features it brings to the table. That’s undoubtedly a great attraction for many barbecue lovers.
But, just like all of its peers, it comes with its downsides, which include the absence of the user manual, which makes tackling the smoker for the first time a tricky business. Plus, the fact that it requires high-temperature silicon to achieve a complete seal is a letdown.
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What We Like
- 619 square inches primary cooking capacity
- Two-year warranty
- Heavy-duty cartwheels
- Cool-touch handles that don’t conduct heat
- Built-in thermometer
- Removable shelf to keep your utensils at the ready
What We Don’t Like
- Occasional smoke leakag
Final Verdict
The Oklahoma Joe’s Highland is the complete offset smoker, boasting 900 square inches cooking capacity divided into 619 square inches primary cooking capacity and 281 secondary cooking capacity. Plus, it comes with a two-year warranty, robust cartwheels, and a tough build made from 2.5mm thick steel.
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How to Pick the Best Offset Smokers
Now that we’re done with these amazing models, it’s time that we become familiar with the factors that you need to consider before buying an offset smoker.
Construction
The overall build of your offset smoker is the first element to consider. Offset smokers are made out of metal, where the thicker, the better. Thin metal doesn’t have the capacity to either hold or transfer the heat; therefore, offset smokers made out of thin metal are considered to be the worst on the market, and you definitely should steer away from them.
Moreover, a thick offset smoker provides you with better control over the amounts of oxygen, heat, and air inside the cooking chamber. Such control is always vital when it comes to smoking your meats.
Additionally, always look for a smoker with multiple vents and chamber doors. Having multiple doors to an offset smoker is vital to the process of distributing air throughout the smoker, which will give your meats that perfect smoked taste and look.
However, thick metal smokers with multiple chamber doors and multiple vents don’t come cheap – they’ll come with a hefty price tag.
Cooking Chamber Size
The cooking chamber’s size will decide how many pieces of meat you can cook simultaneously, and it also has a substantial impact on the smoker’s price tag. The larger the cooking chamber, the more you’ll have to pay.
In this case, bigger isn’t always better; you need to calculate an average of the meat quantity you’ll be smoking simultaneously. If you opt to buy an offset smoker with a large cooking chamber and fail to meet your initial amount calculated, you’ll end up wasting way too much time and money. Therefore, you should always opt for a large cooking chamber, only in case you need it.
Heat Source
Offset smokers use one of four sources for heat; gas, electricity, wood, or charcoal. Every source has its pros and its cons. For instance, using electricity is the easiest way to go about things in relation to the other three, but the taste generated is relatively inferior.
On the other hand, gas produces exceptional heat, provides excellent taste, and is easy to use; that’s why it’s the pioneer amongst its peers. You should always look for a smoker with a gas option. However, when it comes to actual competitions, using gas and electricity is prohibited – you only have wood and charcoal to aid you.
Moving onto wood and charcoal, they’re very similar in use and taste. They’re both excellent in terms of flavor, with wood generating more smoke. Still, wood is harder to use, as controlling its temperature requires more skill than the average. If you choose the wrong temperature, the meats will either be burnt to a crisp or end up unevenly cooked.
Size and Storage
Before going out and picking the largest offset smoker there is, you first need to determine the space you have available for both usage and storage. Almost all offset smokers are long and take up too much space. Therefore, you need to take accurate measurements of the space you have available and compare them to each smoker’s dimensions.
When it comes to storage, you must have it in abundance as you won’t use the cooker every day; it’ll be stored most of the time. That’s why you need a large storage area for the smoker, plus its accessories, to keep it out of harm’s way.
Portability
Having a portable smoker is a must. As we previously discussed, your smoker will be in storage most of the time. Therefore, it’ll be moved around from being stored to where you’ll use it and vice versa.
Some models come with wheels that make moving the smoker a lot easier. However, larger models tend not to have wheels, making moving them much harder, tiresome, and somewhat discouraging.
Cleaning
You must pay close attention to the cleanliness of your smoker, as a dirty smoker will take more time to smoke your meats, and in dire cases, they can even leave an aftertaste on your food. That’s why we always encourage you to look for an offset smoker with a catch pan and a removable ashtray.
Catch pans collect all the ash and fallen meat parts from the smoker and make them easy to remove, while removable ashtrays make it easier to clean the smoker.
Final thoughts 💭
Here you go; these are our top picks for the best offset smokers on the market. All of these models are top-quality smokers that’ll get the job done. You just need to narrow down your search and dig-out the best fit for you. Now, let’s get to some recommendations.
Our first recommendation will have to be our top pick, the Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Offset Smoker, as it’s made out of 2.5mm thick steel and has heavy-duty cartwheels. Plus, it comes with cool-touch handles, high-quality dampers, and a removable shelf where you can keep all your utensils close by. It’s no double the best offset smoker you can find today.
If what you need is a budget offset smoker, then the Landmann 560212 Charcoal Grill is the smoke for you. It’s lightweight and comes with robust cartwheels, stainless steel handles, and an ashtray that can be easily removed for cleaning purposes.
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
