How to Tell the Charcoal and Electric Smokers Differences

After all the hesitation, you finally made up your mind and thought about buying a smoker. STOP. Before you do that, you need to understand that not all smokers are created to be the same. In fact, there are many types of smokers out there; all are great to use but at the same time has differences.

If you don’t want to find yourself about the kind of smoker that you want to buy, it is important that you know what the charcoal and electric smokers differences are.

Doing so cannot only save your time and effort but also save you from buying the wrong kind. In this article, we will talk about how these two types of smokers differ from one another and what you can gain from using them.

As I have mentioned, there are many types of smokers sold in the market but we will focus on charcoal smokers and electric smokers. We will break them down and see which one works better and is of good value for your money.

Electric Smokers

The name itself speaks as to how this smoker works and that is by electricity. Some people who believe in the traditional way of smoking meat consider the electric smokers as a way to “cheat” cooking meat but then again, the electric smokers can cook your food just the way you like it. It also has a few perks.

Pros:

• They are easy to cook meat in just like using a propane powered smoker.
• You don’t need to chop wood or light coals so you can cook food.
• All you have to do is plug it in and let the smoker do its job.
• They are well-insulated.

Cons:

• You can’t cook when power is out.
• They break easily compared to other types of smokers.

I have heard complaints about electric smokers but to be honest, I don’t think they’re a bad invention. Of course, we cannot avoid power outage sometimes and parts breaking are normal when you are using this smoker often. If you want to buy electric smokers make sure to do your homework about them first. This way you won’t regret the choice of buying one.

Charcoal Smokers

Another good option when buying smokers are the ones that uses charcoal as fuel. Call me old school but I do think they are one of the best types of smokers (no offense to electric smoker users). However like the electric smokers, there are also pros and cons to this appliance. If you are one of those people who prefer cooking meat the old-fashioned way then charcoal smokers might just work out for you. I can’t blame you either as charcoal produces the best tastes when it comes to cooking meat. It is something that electric or gas powered smokers can’t do.

Pros:

• They allow the meat to cook with the best flavors.
• It’s a good way to smoke food.
• Its long-lasting compared to electric smokers.
• It’s considered to be the traditional way of cooking meat.

Cons:

• Starting a fire can be tough especially if you don’t know how to do it properly.
• Keeping the charcoal burning can be a hassle.
• Charcoal is not cheap. In fact it is one of the most expensive fuels you can use for a smoker.
• You can’t control the temperature. Sometimes when charcoal placed is too much, fire can get too hot. You can’t control that when you are cooking.

Charcoal fueled smokers are very different from electric smokers. As you can see, many people prefer this type of smoker as it does a good job especially when it comes to flavor. However, keep in mind that charcoal smokers do not come in cheap. In fact they are one of the most expensive types of smokers in the market today. But if these don’t bother you then all you have to do is find the best smokers your money can buy. Of course you need to check for:

• The price of the smoker is important.
• The fuel used (charcoal, wood, pellets etc.) so you know which ones will work best for you.
• The durability of the smoker. You don’t really want to buy something that will break down after two uses, right?
• The insulation of the smoker. Avoid ones that don’t cover well.
• The company who made the smoker. There are pretty good companies out there that makes the best kind of smokers. So choose one that is trusted by many customers.
• The feedback from customers. If you can find good reviews about the smoker that you like then it’s all good. Customer reviews are the best way to check if the smoker is working well through the experience of the customer.

Now that you know what the charcoal and electric smokers differences are, go ahead and do some research. It always pays to know the product before purchasing them; this will help you save money and time when shopping. So take your time and do not rush, there’s always a smoker waiting for you to be purchased.