Topic
Choosing a smoker
Types, specs and which one suits how you cook.
Most people buying their first smoker are choosing between a type, not a model. Offset, kamado, pellet, bullet, electric or the kettle you already own: each one asks for a different amount of fire-tending, a different fuel and a different kind of garden. Work out the type first and the shortlist gets very short.
Start hereWhich smoker should I buy?Seven questions about power, effort, fuel and space, with the reasons behind the answer.
Calculators for this topic
Guides
Choosing a smokerCornerstoneSmoker buying checklist
A printable-style checklist for buying a smoker in the UK: what to check on the spec sheet, what to check in the showroom, and the red flags to walk away from.
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Choosing a smokerBullet smokers explained
How a bullet (water) smoker works, what the water pan does, who should buy one and who shouldn't, plus ugly drum smokers and the drums to avoid.
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Choosing a smokerElectric smokers
Who electric smokers suit, what to check in the spec, and safe outdoor power in a British garden.
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Choosing a smokerKamado smokers explained
How a kamado holds steady heat, setting one up for low and slow, what to check in the spec, and living with a heavy ceramic egg in a British garden.
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Choosing a smokerOffset smokers explained
How offset smokers work, why steel thickness and seals matter, and whether one suits a British garden.
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Choosing a smokerPellet grills explained
How pellet grills hold temperature, what happens in a power cut, how to shut one down safely and how to keep pellets dry in a damp British shed.
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Choosing a smokerSmokers for small gardens
Which smokers suit a small garden or patio, where to put one safely, keeping the neighbours on side, and what to check before smoking on a balcony or in a flat.
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Choosing a smokerUgly drum smoker
What an ugly drum smoker is, how the intake, basket and lid exhaust work, the steel drum safety rules that matter, and when buying a bullet smoker makes more sense.
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