5 Best Electric Smokers under 300$ in 2023 – Top Smokers

If you want to enjoy your smoked meat but the weather is not permitting you. Don’t worry, an electric smoker can resolve your issue, you need to get yourself an electric smoker. An electric smoker doesn’t cook food in a short time, but unlike grills and other charcoal smokers, it provides you with an even distribution of heat throughout cooking. Most important point is that you don’t need to spent a lot of money. We have wide variety of Best Electric Smokers under 300$.

If you plan to buy one, we’ve made your decision easier by putting together this list of the Best Electric Smokers under $300.

5 Top Rated Electric Smokers under 300$

Best Overall: Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker – One of the Best Electric Smokers under 300

The Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker is a great tool for people who are looking for a simple and efficient way to cook food. It is dominating most electric smokers because of its quality, design and affordability.

This device comes with a large capacity and it has a cooking area of 725 sq. in. which is large enough. This means that this electric smoker will fulfill your cooking space requirement.

I am mentioning all the reasons why I believe it is the best electric smoker. It has a glass door that ensures you will not need to open the door, again and again, to check your food hence, no air and smoke will escape out of it during cooking.

Another good point is its quality airtight door, that when latched doesn’t let the smoke go out of the smoker.

It comes with four racks that are adjustable, providing you a lot of options for cooking like you can smoke the whole small turkey, ham, or racks of ribs.  Each rack will easily handle nearly 10 pounds of meat.

The smoker has a thermostat that lets you easily control the temperature to cook your meat, poultry, and fish with the desired taste. Also, the double-walled insulation will keep your food warm and prevent it from drying up.

The built-in smoker box is also large in size that can hold charcoal for five to seven hours, making you feel free and you don’t need to monitor it again and again.

There is a food probe thermometer inside the smoker which will help you monitor the temperature of your food. With the help of this food thermometer, you will be able to know whether or not your food is cooked properly.

The water pan is removable. This water pan when filled with water helps the meat to stay moist. The water pan should be on the place while you are smoking your meat, even if it has no water. The water pan has its maximum limit mark on it, don’t fill it more than that mark.

The Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker is easy to use and the instructions are clearly written for your convenience.

Overall, if you are looking for a good and effective way to cook your food, then this is the perfect choice for you.

Tips:

• Before using this smoker for the first time, season it so that it gets clean if there is any residue left in it. What u will do for seasoning is mentioned below.
• Power it on first.
• Press the temperature button and set it to about 275 degrees by using the up and down keys.
• Press the time button and set it to two hours with the same up and down keys.
• Once it is done, now let your Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker cool down.

Masterbuilt Analog Electric 3-Rack Smoker – Best Upright Electric Smoker

Another best electric smoker under 300 is Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker, as I told earlier that I have tested many smokers. I am sharing my review on this smoker, you can say the plug-and-play model

It is a great option that does not require much maintenance. With this model, you can smoke ribs, brisket, and even whole turkeys. It is a great option for someone who wants to try smoking but does not want to spend a lot of money on a new smoker.

The Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker is a well-built smoker that will definitely take your cooking experience to a whole new level.

This smoker has a capacity of 536 square inches on three levels which means that you can cook enough food for a large family at once. This smoker can hold three whole chickens, three racks of ribs and two turkeys.

The stainless steel body of this smoker is made of painted steel that will help it last longer and provides you with a durable and reliable cooking surface.

There are a total of three cooking settings and each of these settings has its own temperature control knob. The smoker comes with two built-in fans that will keep your food moist while cooking.

You can also easily clean up the smoke using the included cleaning brush and sponge. This smoker is made for outdoor use and is perfect for smokers who love to BBQ and grill outside.

Really easy to use. During your trips just enjoy the company of your friends, you don’t need to stand with the smoker all the time. Let the food cook on low heat along with an incredibly smoky flavor.

Wood chips are kept in the bottom of the smoker, which when ignite releases heat and smoke and this smoke adds up to your food and makes it incredibly smoky.

Weber Smokey Mountain 14″ Cooker

Weber, we all know is among the top brands in grilling. They are famous for their quality. If you can get weber under 300$, then it is no doubt a great opportunity. This Weber Smokey Mountain 14” Cooker is a great smoker that is very popular among BBQ enthusiasts. It has been our go-to smoker for several years. It is very easy to use and comes with many great features like removable lid, a damper system, and an adjustable grates.

The porcelain-enameled steel body is very durable and has a nice weight. It comes with a large cooking area of 286 square inches which is enough space to cook a two large pieces of meat. Also this cooker is enough small to carry it to somewhere for party and trips.

The porcelain-enameled steel body is made from high-quality materials that are resistant to heat, scratches, and corrosion. It’s an excellent smoker that is backed by a great warranty of 10 years.

Another great feature is its separate door for fuel. You can easily fill up coal and wood chips. This is what a big brand can do for you.

One of the best things about this cooker is that it comes with an air-powered damper system that makes it very easy to regulate the temperature.

It also has a removable lid that you can use as a storage container if you have other items you need to keep warm.

The lid doesn’t come with a hook to hold it on while the cooker is in use. So, if you have nowhere safe to put it down while the meat is being smoked, then this may not be the best choice for you.

Overall, if you’re looking for a durable smoker that is easy to clean and use, then this is a great option.

Pit Boss 2.2 Analog Smoker – Best Electric Smoker for the Money

The Pit Boss 2.2 Analog Smoker is a very attractive and well-designed smoking machine. It has a sleek blue finish and a stainless steel body that adds an elegant touch to the overall look of this device.

The cooking area is 593 square inches and this ensures that you can cook enough food in the unit for a full family of 6 people.

The Pit Boss 2.2 is easy to clean as it comes with a removable drip tray that allows you to thoroughly clean the inside of the smoker. The stainless steel body of the Pit Boss 2.2 is easy to wipe down and is also dishwasher safe.

This is a very versatile smoker that is capable of smoking meats, poultry, fish, vegetables and more. The Pit Boss 2.2 is also very easy to assemble and you don’t need any special tools to get started with this. The Pit Boss 2.2 can be placed anywhere in the home and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

It is powered by two 24-volt DC power supplies. The Pit Boss 2.2 uses a total of 500 watts of power.

One point that is not good about this smoker is its smoker box is small and it holds less amount of wood chips in it, but they have made refilling chip box easy.

I will suggest you to do invest in a good meat thermometer as many reviews of this smoker complains about its inaccurate meat temperature.

Smokehouse Products Big Chief Electric Smoker – Best Inexpensive Electric Smoker

Among Best Electric Smokers under 300$, Big Chief Electric Smoker is a good option to prepare fish and seafood. It comes at a very affordable price and is made in the USA.

This electric smoker is made up of two parts. The first part is the base which is made up of aluminum alloy and has a square shape. The second part is the lid which is made up of a sturdy steel alloy. The lid is attached to the base using four screws and a locking mechanism. The lid has five compartments that can hold up to 2kg of food at a time. Each compartment has a separate temperature setting for the required cooking temperature.

The smoker comes with two settings for the cooking area. A lower setting which is used for steaks and ribs and a higher setting that is used for whole fish, fish fillets, chicken and other poultry items.

The main advantage of this smoker is its very affordable price and the fact that it’s made in the USA.

What to Look for When Buying the Best Electric Smokers under 300$

It’s always best to look at reviews and buying guide for any product you’re thinking about buying. Here I have listed all key points you should consider to know which qualities you may get in Best Electric Smokers under 300$.

Size & Capacity

The width of the smoker should be considered before purchasing, because you can’t just go and buy one and expect it to fit everything, according to your requirement. The width is measured from the front to the back. If you want to cook a whole hog, you’ll need a larger size than a chicken. It doesn’t make any sense if you buy a smoker with four racks and you are unable to fit your rack of ribs or a whole turkey on it.

This will be a common problem you would be facing if you go with 30 inches smoker. Although by folding or sometime cutting, you can simply get around your food in it. I recommend a 40-inch model for those who want to smoke large pieces like whole packer briskets and full racks of ribs.

The width of the smoker is important because it determines how many racks of meat you can cook in the smoker at once. The reason why I recommend a 40″ or 48″ model for large items is that it will allow you to get a closer look at the item and you won’t have to lift the entire rack. This makes it much easier to smoke your favorite BBQ.

Power

Power plays an important role in an electric smoker, elements have different ranges from 400 to 1200 watts. It highly affects the ability to maintain the temperature in very cold weather. Do check the specification before buying an electric smoker.

Features

Some smokers come with attractive features like night time lightning and built in timers, these features can be very attractive for buyers.

For those people, who are new to smoking, they should go for the smoker with more features and easy to use. Like the Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smoker is a good choice for beginners because it’s easy to use and comes with a lot of features. This smoker allows you to cook your food without having to open up the whole thing, and the digital temperature and meat probes allow you to know exactly how your food is cooking inside. We can say this is a great way to learn how to cook and smoke meats.

Warranty

Many Smokers come with warranty of one year. Well obviously extended warranty smokers lasts longer. So, what I recommend is you should go for a higher quality product and you can buy Best Electric Smokers under 300 $ with warranty around 5 years. In case, if any of the parts of the smoker is not working, you can check their website for the availability of that part and replace it.

Budget

You can get an electric smoker for less than $100, but if you want a quality model, expect to pay around $200-$300. And it is highly recommended to go for quality model.

Pros and Cons of Buying an Electric Smoker

My experience with electric smokers is that I have been using them for years and I have always had good results. I have found that most people who are complaining about electric smokers are just trying to make a quick buck off of them.

Among all different methods, I prefer to cook meat in a smoker. The smoke gives the meat an amazing flavor, and there is nothing great like the smell of a freshly smoked piece of meat. However, not everyone has access to a pitmaster. I believe that most people would be willing to give up a small amount of flavor in exchange for being able to smoke meat whenever they want.

Electric Smoker Pros

With an electric smoker, you don’t have to worry about any of the messy details that come along with traditional cooking.

Ease of Use

They’re incredibly easy to use, and they make it possible to cook just about anything, from vegetables to meats. If you’re looking for something that will allow you to make the best quality food, without the hassle, then an electric smoker is the perfect solution.

Easy Temperature Control

While comparing different grills, we can see clear differences in ease of control in electric smokers. As a beginner, it is very helpful if you feel tens free about temperature controls. With very little monitoring, you can make a perfect BBQ with smoky flavors.

Large Capacity

Well, if you compare electric smokers with grills. They really have a huge capacity for smoking and they can hold a lot of food at a time. So, it is always an excellent choice for people with larger families.

Electric Smoker Cons

Well, when there are so many good things about electric smokers, we also have some dark areas of using these smokers.

Depending on electricity is never been ideal for cooking. Definitely, your output comes with a little bit less flavor as compared to other smokers.

If you are a person, who can compromise a little then these smokers are best for you. Believe me many people won’t be able to tell the difference, as it is very little difference in flavor.

Conclusion

Here I have shared my knowledge and review of 5 different but Best Electric Smokers under 300$. All these smokers are excellent quality but again, it depends on your need and requirement that which smoker will suit you most.
My favorite is Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker. It provides all qualities you might look for in a smoker, after that Weber is also my all time favorite because of it quality and durability.

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