Char-Broil Vertical Charcoal Smoker review and price compare 2025

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Product overview

Brand	Char-Broil
Power Source	Charcoal
Color	Black
Item Weight	30 Pounds
Item Dimensions LxWxH	21.5 x 20.8 x 39 inches
Fuel Type	Charcoal

product features

This fits your .

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365 square inches of cooking surface on 3 adjustable chrome-plated cooking grates
Multiple adjustable dampers to easily control the heat and smoke while cooking
Cool touch handle protects your hands while allowing a firm grip on your grill lid
Convenient pull-out drawer catches ash for simple clean-ups when you're done cooking
Easy-to-refill porcelain-coated slide-in water pan

product description

Style:Vertical Charcoal Smoker

The delicious scent and flavor of smoked meat evokes memories of family gatherings, barbecues with friends and celebrations of life events; with its simple design and a large smoking chamber, this Vertical Charcoal Smoker from Char-Broil is the perfect choice for any fan of smoked food - plus, its compact design fits nicely on most patios or decks. Whether you're already a backyard barbeque master or you're a new cook embarking upon your first home-smoking adventure, Char-Broil smokers give the outdoor chef complete control over their smoked meals with fire access doors, air dampers and a location for flavored wood chips; It makes tough cuts of meat and seafood tender and tasty. Give it a try. It's a great old-time yet new alternative to standard grilling. With three adjustable chrome-plated cooking grates, the large smoking chamber offers 365 sq. in. total cooking surface area - more than enough space to cook deliciously Smokey meals for the whole family! The porcelain charcoal pan and water pan is what makes this a "smoker" - the charcoal does not directly cook food, as in a standard grill; rather, heated in a separate chamber, the fuel produces heat, smoke and flavor (try Char-Broil's flavored wood chips for a tasty treat) that rises up into the smoking chamber to indirectly cook your meal to a juicy, Smokey and tender perfection. Using the built-in temperature gauge, you can easily control the heat you cook at by tending to the charcoal pan or by adjusting the multiple dampers built into the unit. A convenient lower access door allows you to easily tend the charcoal and water pans without losing heat, while chrome-plated spring handles on both doors will remain cool to the touch even when the fire is lit. As with all grills, we recommend keeping the firebox clean to help avoid flare ups as well as using a grill cover to protect your investment.

product details

important information

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Questions about Char-Broil Vertical Charcoal Smoker

getting ready to get this for my husband, do you recommend? Is this well worth it.

Answer: I have no regrets. It will depend on your husband. I did also purchase a device that also helps me regulate temperature which I would highly recommend, but you may also want to just buy a more expensive smoker with better insulation and control.

Does this smoker take just chips or will it take the larger chunks of wood too?

Answer: It does take wood chunks and chips. I actually use wood chunks in it most of the time.

Answer: I use wood chunks with lump charcoal, it will not take logs.

Answer: Both...works great

Does this have shelves inside?

Answer: Yes. There are 3 shelves.

Answer: Yes, it has two shelves inside of it.

Answer: Yes it has two shelves

Answer: There are two slide out "food" stainless steel racks and two stainless slide out

Answer: Yes it does, and they are adjustable.

How can you stop the smoke and heat comming out the doors.

Answer: As I stated in my review mine also leaks smoke but it was not advertised as an airtight unit, I can live with some smoke leakage. If you can't try putting some wood stove gasketing on your doors.

Answer:

Answer: Sorry, we didn't have that problem. Were your doors completely closed?

Answer: Yes. Its easy, just CLOSE the doors

just opened,it feels very sticky.had to peal off plastic bag like a sticker, instead of taking off like a bag. any one else? almost feel ike its used.

Why did the price just increase by $20 since 11/20/2015?

How thick are the walls?

Answer: They are real thin the smoker will not hold heat no matter how much charcoal or small wood chips in never could get the temperature up to 200 the product really sucks excuse my language

Answer: This is a entry level smoker...metal gauge is similar to a file cabinet construction...

Can this smoker hold a brisket

Answer: I stack 3 full sized ribs and two briskets, has a nice amount of room .

Answer: Absolutely. Each cooking grate in this grill measures 13.3" x 13.8".

Answer: If it is a small one it should. it isn't real wide

First time Smoker... Is there a website explaining exactly how to use this? Literally, a char-broil guide for dummies?

Answer: YouTube Charbroil guide it was my first time with mine when I got it now I do meats veggies and fruit I did turn mine into a gas one by adding an old side burner from a gas grill id right in a d added a lp tank

Answer: There is directions in the box on how to use it. If all else fails Google works

what is interior height? I see the dimension for height but im not sure if its with legs with out or outside of box dimension, thank you in advance

Answer: Dimensions 39 inches x 21.5 inches x 20.8 inches

Answer: I don't know.I gave it as a gift

How high is the base from the ground? is there a clear hole in the bottom if i remove the drip pan and charcoal holder? (looking to mod with high btu)

Answer: There is a vent hole in the side of it about 6 to 8 inches from the bottom, but the metal or tin is so thin I dobby tijuana it could handle a very high temperatures

What are the dimensions of the grates?

Answer: There are two cooking grates in this Char-Broil Vertical Charcoal Smoker. Each one measures 13.77"L x 13.3"W.

I am planning on buying this for my husband for father's day. can someone lead me to exactly what bolts to purchase with this product.

Answer: Bolts ? Everything is included.

Answer: All parts for set up are in the box.

Answer: Oops ..everything included

Are the sides and door double wall or single?

Answer: Walls are single

Answer: Single and thin !!

Answer: Single

I just ordered this smoker, and am wondering, you can use wood chunks in this, in place of charcoal? it doesnt really say in the description.

Answer: Any heat source is fine. I would start the heat with some charcoal and then work over to wood, although with just a few chunks, you get a very deep smoky flavor. You do need a good thermometer, this smoker does not hold heat well. I have trouble holding any temp over 190.

Answer: We use wood chunks with charcoal in ours. We soak hickory chunks in water, and then put in there with the charcoal. But, yes - I would think you could use wood instead of charcoal, if you like.

Answer: You put the wood chunks on top of the charcoal.... Best of luck, we've never been able to get ours to get hotter than 150° so nothing ever cooks :/

Answer: Yes. We use wood chunks 9 out of 10 times when smoking our meats.

Answer: Yes wood chunks work well

I ordered this item 3 days ago and it is still "Preparing to Ship". How long will this take to ship?

Where can I find instructions for this

Answer: Jason, If you go here: http://www.charbroil.com/charcoal-smoker you should be able to scroll down to close to the bottum of the paige and there is a drop-down menu that says "view manual" or do a search on the Char-Broil website for smoker model number 14201876 if the above link does not copy and paste.

would this be good to smoke deer sausage in?

Answer: Dewayne, I think you'll have luck with your deer sausage. My husband has smoked just about everything in his Char-Broil smoker!

Answer: It's a good all around smoker to smoke anything from ribs, to roast, to deer of any kind to bear

Answer: We smoked venison in ours. It turned out really tasty. Just have to make the modified changes to the main door. You tube for the steps.

Answer: ya if you went lite on the wood and more on the charcoil....

Answer: yes

Can you use this as a grill too?

Answer: Yes, ive used it as a grill as well as an outdoor oven to cook pork tenderloins, works great...

Answer: It will have to modify a grill provides direct fire heat a smoker includes water and indirect heat.

Answer: Technically you can but it would be a closed door grill.

Answer: Not really ... it cooks inside the box ... maybe if you left the door open and had the fire below.

What's a good size smoker for apartment building

How much assembly is required?

Answer: A screwdriver and pliers are the only tools required. Not much else to it, pretty easy.

Answer: Took me under 2 hours. Could probably do in 1, but it was sunny outside and I was taking my time enjoying the weather. Nothing was pre assembled.

Answer: I've had it for quite some time now but if I recall correctly it was very little assembly

Answer: Very little assembly.It was very easy!

Answer: Putting on legs, handle and vents, easy to do.

What is the purpose of using a water pan?

Answer: It helps to regulate the temperature of the chamber. For optimal smoking, you want to keep the temperature of the chamber around 200-240F. Without a water pan, it is much more difficult to keep the temperature consistent. It also helps to keep a flow of moisture to the meat. I typically mix some apple-cider vinegar to the water pan to add depth of flavor.

Answer: The water pan helps to provide moisture to your food.

Answer: Since you are smoking over a long period of time the steam keeps the meat moist.

Answer: to add moisture to the meat

Answer: Regulate temperature

what is interior height? I see the dimension for height but im not sure if its with legs with out or outside of box dimension, thank you in advance

Answer: Dimensions 39 inches x 21.5 inches x 20.8 inches

Answer: I don't know.I gave it as a gift

The coal-pan is pretty small. Are there larger replacements? I keep having to remove old ash to make room for more coals.

Can this smoke a turkey?

Answer: yes

I just ordered this smoker and I wondering if I can get a comprehensive list of modifications to soup this bad boy up into a meat machine?

Answer: Check out the reviews, that's where I got my ideas. I got the Mr. Barbeque wok to hold the charcoal, and the sealer recommended to seal the doors and it work just fine for me.

How heavy

Answer: about 15 lbs..pretty light...works great..

Answer: I can't give you an exact weight, but my stepfather was able to carry it by himself with no issues. Hope that helps!

The page lists two different dimensions for this smoker. anyone know which is right? 22.4"w x 19.7"d x 44"h and 21.5 x 20.8 x 39 inches?

Answer: The smoker on this page- the one I have, is 39 inches x 21.5 inches x 20.8 inches.

how big is the box it comes in?

Answer: The box was pretty big

Answer: About 3-4 foot tall and about 2 foot wide the feet need to be assembled on

Can this smoker hold a full slap of ribs and a brisket?

Answer: yes, it has 2 racks, you may have to cut the brisket but we can fit a 10 lb brisket on 1 rack we just have to kind of curve it to fit. I will caution you the charcoal pan is very small not enough to keep the 225 temp long enough. We had to add wire mesh around it to make the pan deeper. If you FIX it, it works great but AS IS I do not recommend. We modified ours, now we love it .

Answer: This should be possible. This Vertical Charcoal Smoker measures 20.8"W x 21.5"D x 39"H.

Answer: Yes I can hold a full slap of ribs , had cut the brisket in half

Answer: I have done up to 16 lbs. at one time. You need to cut to size to fit.

Answer: Not without cutting them. Unless it's a really small one

Exactly how big are the grates?

Answer: There are two grates that measure 13.25 by 13.75 inches

Answer: 13 1/4" deep by 12 3/4" wide. Cooking surface. 13 3/4" wide. One inch is used to hold grate. Two grates.

Answer: Grates are small maybe two slabs of ribs or one pack of sixteen chickens for wings own both grates

Answer: just under 14 inches wide and 14 inches long

how many chickens

Answer: How big are your chickens? :)

How big a turkey in pounds can this smoke even if its sitting upright on a beer can?

Answer: Probably 14 to 16 pound turkey standing upright sitting on a "beer can" type holder. We smoked a 14 pound bird using apple wood for 5 hours and finished cooking it in the oven. It came out great. You can over smoke turkey meat and it can taste too smokey strong for some folks, or even possible to dry out it out. Good luck.

Answer: I'm not really sure because the smoker was a gift for my grandson inlaw . I do know they love it and use it all the time and love it. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase as I think you will be very happy. Sorry I couldn't be more specific about the size of the turkey but I would imagine a fairly large turkey. Hope this helps

Can I cook two turkey in it

Answer: small turkeys yes, large size no

what is the size of the temperature gauge?

Answer: 2" o.d.gauge temp range from 0 to 400 degrees

Answer: I think it has a 3 inch radius

Answer: about 2 in in diameter easy enough to read

Answer: About two inches in diameter

Has anyone used this to smoke fish?

Answer: I haven't but I will be. From what I read, it's a faster cook time. http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2013/may/19/smoking-fish-time-tested-method-tr/?f=threerivers Good Luck!

This description states it has 3 cooking grates or does it only have 2, like a customer had mentioned?

Answer: It has 3

Answer: There are only 2 grates in it

Answer: It only has 2...

Answer: Mine came with 2. This smoker is great for first time smokers.

Answer: It only has two but you can order another one through the manufacturer and I suggest replacing charcoal pan with stainless wok and move water pan up to food chamber.

Answer: This is a tricky...

Answer: i gave it as a gift

how long did it hold temp before having to add more charcoal?

How much meat can it hold?

Answer: Judie, It comes with two racks. I added two more to accommodate more food. The way it comes from the factory- with two racks is a little hard to fit much on. I cut full baby racks of ribs, so one rib will fit on one rack. So maybe think of it as holding two racks of ribs, split, or two pork shoulders, one beef brisket split, etc. Like I said, I ordered two more racks (including the side rails to install them) along with a digital thermometer and a different charcoal pan, leaving the stock pans for just water. Any questions? I can provide a picture of my set up If you need.

Answer: A small butt mabey 2racks of baby back ribs to small and you can't keep any heat in it doesn't cook good I trues charcoal and hickory chips couldn't get it to stay little even when I waited to put the charcoal in after it was fully lit open the vents on the cooker so it wouldn't go out but it still did,poorly designed I won't recommend it to anyone

Can you smoke cheese in these?

Answer: This would be possible in this Char-Broil Vertical Charcoal Smoker.

The inside walls are as sticky/tacky as a post-it-note. Is this a coating, or should I scrub with steel wool before use?

Answer: This may be the coating used during shipping. Please take a look at page 4 of the product guide for seasoning instructions.

Answer: mine was not at all sticky when it arrived. im not aware of any coating

Answer: Buy something else jun

Can i make Jerky in this??

Answer: Yes because jerky doesn't take as long to cook as chicken or ribs

Answer: Maybe, but it may cook too hot for that!

How many racks of pork spare ribs can this hold?

Answer: I am not sure ... there are 3 racks so it will hold at least 3

Is this an electric smoker

Answer: This one is not electric, but there are electric smokers out there that are shaped the same. This one has a charcoal/wood pan as heat source.

Answer: No. It's a charcoal smoker. It holds temperature very well (even in colder weather) and uses fuel very efficiently.

Answer: no I don't believe so I bought it for my grandson and he uses it out by his barn and there is no electricity there

Answer: No this is a charcoal smoker.

Answer: No...charcoal.... Works great. Using right now as I'am writing this to u

Answer: No. It is powered by charcoal.

Answer: No it is not.

Answer: No

Anyone have a link to the cover made for this?

Answer: Sorry the cover I Bought appears to have been discontinued by the manufacturing company.

Answer: I wish I knew...let me know when u find one

Product reviews of Char-Broil Vertical Charcoal Smoker

Christopher Jackson : Five Stars

Price was perfect. Easy assembly, and exactly what I have been looking for. Works great

Nicole H : The assembly was pretty easy but all the supporting parts are not the ...

The assembly was pretty easy but all the supporting parts are not the highest quality materials. The smoker itself is very light weight and doesn't have a great seal so smoke does escape and it seems hard to keep the heat above 225.

All in all I would recommend this smoker for a beginner like myself that is not looking to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Amy S. : Let's EAT!!

My husband has been wanting a smoker for a while. Our neighbor has one, and they cook all their meat too fast and it's dry and not fit to eat. Now that we have our own smoker, we're VERY pleased!! This product was very simple to put together and works terrific!!

Jay : Good smoker with design flaws

This smokes meat okay. The out of the box design is difficult to keep temperatures high enough as everyone says their reviews. However after purchasing a grill basket from GDEALERS on Amazon it aloud proper airflow to the coals and keeping temperature was not a problem. In fact I had to work to keep the temperature is down. The charcoal bowl supplied by the dealer is a design flaw. It would've been better to have a ventilated bowl like a grill basket to allow proper airflow to the coals. Also having a removable ash catcher at the bottom would've been nice. Outside of that it's a good starter smoker.

Darrell.Lori Walker : Love it... Just one thing I changed

We love it!!! We bought a square bbq veggie pan for the chocolate chips at the bottom. And took the ball that came with it out. The holes in the pan work much better than the solid ball that it came with but other than that the only other thing I can think of is that the vents need to have some sort of different screw system with a washer so that they turn easier when it heats up. We have been using pliers.
But we love it! It's smokes better than the more expensive one we have!!

maria silva : CRAP

Don’t buy not worth it doesn’t hold a steady temperature piece of c—p door got stuck and char broil company didn’t take it back temp gage doesn’t work well would not recommend to my worst enemy have to give it a star to share my thought but if I could give it zero stars I would

Warren B : Echoing what others said.

I bought this as a replacement for an old vertical smoker I got a rummage sale.

I did what others suggested and bought the vegetable pan to use as a charcoal holder, putting the charcoal pan under the vegetable holder.

I agree with the screws included in the kit being cheap.

I agree with wrapping the moisture bowl in foil for easy cleanup.

Beyond that I'm going on year three with this. I've smoked chicken, turkey, beef, and pork.

I find I have to monitor this more for proper heat so bought a wireless thermostat. I think because the doors allow excess air in.

Just this month I smoked a whole chicken and three slabs of spare ribs.

Chicken came out with a slight bitter note which forced me to blast and scrape out the creosote that has built up.

Overall I like this smoker. It gets the job done and is not that expensive. With some modifications and an additional purchase it does very well.

That Ert Guy : as recommended in other reviews

The smoker arrived with some light damage around the edges and corners, as described in other reviews. There was also a sticky, sap-like substance on the top, sides, back and interior of the smoker. Had to use goo-gone to get that off.

I have used it to smoke twice already, and it did a serviceable job.

Other reviews mentioned that it is not sealed very well, and I found that to be the case. Mine leaked smoke bigtime and didn't maintain a steady heat very well.

I did buy the Mr BBQ metal pan for holding the charcoal, and an inexpensive cover again, as recommended in other reviews. Both of those items worked very well for the price.

I have to agree that you'll need to make some modifications to this smoker out of the box in order for it to work effectively. This weekend, I plan to get some silicone and some insulation to seal up the areas around the doors. That, along with the aforementioned cover and charcoal pan I believe will help increase its effectiveness.

One more constructive criticism is that the smoker doesn't come with any instructions for starting the charcoal, how much to use, what type to use, how often to check the temperature/coals/etc. I had to rely on my own research to figure all of this out. I think a chimney-style charcoal lighter would help to get the coals started correctly right from the start. That will (hopefully) make it easier to maintain a steady temperature.

You'll probably also need a meat thermometer, and you will definitely need some wood chips for smoking.

With all of that said, I smoked a bunch of wings and a small pork butt this past weekend and it all turned out great... but I do have a lot of general cooking experience, so someone less experienced would probably struggle more.

rayray : Little cheap but perfect for first beginners

First time ever getting into this hobby. Wanted to see if I would like this type of cooking before I went all in. This is perfect for a beginner. Of course it’s not top notch quality . But for the money works well. Would need to seal the doors a little better with some type of adhesive so smoke doesn’t leak out, and made from really cheap metal like a file cabinet. Mine came dented thus the low rating and is a little cheap with the grills. But as I said first timer here beginning this smoke journey and couldn’t be happier.

Mike Davis : Love it. But the thermometer that came with it ...

Love it. But the thermometer that came with it was broken. Could use a new one. Star rating would be higher, but I want to see what is going to be done about broken thermometer.

Amazon Customer : Very easy to use and works great

We use ours a few times a month. Very easy to use and works great.

Heather Allen : Five Stars

Great product!!!

Christopher Jackson : Five Stars

Price was perfect. Easy assembly, and exactly what I have been looking for. Works great

CarrieLu : Great for the price!

Hubby was super happy with his new smoker....with a few tweaks, he was in love! And I quickly discovered..... YES you can smoke <just about> anything!

Osvaldo J : Great for entry Smokers like me !!!

Great for entry level Smokers like me, easy to modify with right tools and ideas.

Jason R. Earnhardt : Great starter smoker!

I have used this more than I expected in recent weeks - probably 18 or 20 smokes of veggies, salmon, chicken thighs, drumettes, ribs, brats and even cod. I seasoned it using olive oil before any cooking attempts (the included seasoning instructions were fine). I have mostly used the Minion method with intermixed wood chips and have managed around 5 or 5.5 hours of cooking time without adding fuel. I have achieved good (sometimes great) results, but this thing isn't perfect.
Pros:
-reasonable chamber size... easy to get up to temp and fairly fast recovery when the door gets opened.
-enough room for smoking sufficient food for a small to medium party, or for "planned-overs"
-manageable height for fire and food maintenance
-legs elevate to a safe height above my composite deck and are sturdy enough to trust.
-attractive appearance, and what appears to be a good quality paint job.
-mine has an accurate thermometer, compared to 2 different models of cooking thermometer (this is probably luck)
-water bowl is large enough for about a 3 hour smoke, and is accessible for refill during cooking. (tip - line water pan with foil for easier cleanup, since the water pan is also the drip pan)

Cons:
-Charcoal bowl is terrible - this should be replaced before your first use with "Mr Bar B Q 06034X Platinum Prestige Stainless Steel Wok Topper" or similar. I tried both the Mr. BarBQ grill basket and the Weber version, and ended up liking the round holes in the Mr. BarBQ better for airflow to the charcoal. Both brands fit this smoker's charcoal rack without modification. Use the original charcoal bowl as an ash catcher by setting it on the bottom panel of the firebox.

-I love Amazon, but buy this item locally if you can - shipping caused several dings to the top and bottom edges of the smoke chamber, and one small seam separation. Timing dictated that I repair/live-with the damage rather than return.

-Capacity: this is a good sized starter smoker, and the 2 racks are serviceable, but this really should have been built/shipped with 4 cooking racks to take advantage of the full volume of the smoke chamber.

-Overall quality: I am listing this as a con because the unit is constructed of relatively thin metal and the unvented charcoal pan is poorly thought out... the doors warp slightly when the unit is heated. The door latches are strong enough to overcome the warping. Seals/seats/welds are ok, but could be a lot better (and can be improved with hi-temp rtv or foil at your discretion). The bolt holes for the legs leak fluids if anything misses the drip pan (I added an automotive catchpan under the entire unit).

Final word: I think this is a great starter smoker, especially for the price. It's plenty to get you through the first couple of seasons and help you determine if smoking is something you enjoy. The quality is a little lacking, and shipping was tough on the product. I am subtracting a single star for the overall quality for a final score of 4 out of 5 stars.

Richard W. Barlow : Good Smoker with some Mods!

Does everything I could ask for! Not a lot of room for a lot of meat but I knew that when I bought it. Do get some gasket tape and put it around the hinged doors also buy a basket wok to use for a charcoal bowl. I got this advice from other reviews and it is spot on! After these simple modifications it will get above 300 degrees Fahrenheit quickly.

audra barr hawkins : Cheap

Cheap. Arrived damaged/bent. Two of the metal racks are broken. Can't buy replacement parts.

maria silva : CRAP

Amazon Customer : Five Stars

love it

Naeem Stanley : I thought it was going to be great. Not even close it will not hold heat ...

I thought it was going to be great. Not even close it will not hold heat and it will not cook the food evenly. Do not buy!!!

Satellite_no : Good Base smoker and good to start learning

Good Base smoker and good to start learning.

Unit requires mods though, I recommend also buying a steel veg tray with holes in it to replace charcoal holder. Also buy some felt (green egg) gasket material and place that all around doors.

Amazon Customer : Very easy to use and works great

We use ours a few times a month. Very easy to use and works great.

Amazon Customer : great product

xmas present for my brother. He sent pics quickly as he was anxious to try it out. great product

Amazon Customer : It's good for what it is

It's good for what it is. It will smoke meat well, but it is difficult to maintain temperature and it leaks more smoke than others I've seen. I am a novice smoker though, so it might work more effectively for someone more experienced.

Naeem Stanley : I thought it was going to be great. Not even close it will not hold heat ...

I thought it was going to be great. Not even close it will not hold heat and it will not cook the food evenly. Do not buy!!!

Julie J. : It seemed to be pretty well made and delivery was super quick

I actually bought this as a gift. It seemed to be pretty well made and delivery was super quick.

jsgoti : Smoker? More like stinker.

I sheared off the threads of the handle during assembly, making the entire handle assembly useless. After I created a "solution" to this problem using some locking-pliers to lock the door, I proceeded to give it a try. In the end it was a miserable experience. I had a terrible time controlling the temperature during cooking. Too hot, too cold...just right, but only for 10 minutes before I needed to tend the fire again. Forget it. After the replacement unit gets here from Amazon, I'm selling it. (good of them to replace the unit due to the handle issue)

Lucy : Worthless junk

Going in scrap pile. I've never been able to get temp up on this unit. Best is 175 and that's wishful thinking. Been smoking for over 25 yrs and although not a pro, I consider myself to know what I'm doing. Every time my meats end up getting finished off in oven or gas grill. Just plain garbage, don't waste your money.

Charles white : Five Stars

Works great

Marissa White : I'm sad i wasted my money

I bought this as a christmas gift for my husband and it never worked. You can't keep the smoke in, it is very small. My husband used it 2 or three times and is talking about throwing it out because it was so cheap and poorly made.

Amazon Customer : Smoke

Works great!!

Jennifer Combs : Food is delicious and smells wonderful.

Took my husband who is not remotely handy about an hour to put together. After that it has been smooth sailing. Food is delicious and smells wonderful.

joan n. : awesome little smoker

awesome little smoker. we did what many have recommended and replaced the hardware and coal pan. i highly recommend that. works great!

Amazon Customer : Three Stars

Had problems keeping temperature at 200,made of very thin material,

sjg : The handle was broken and we had to call the ...

The handle was broken and we had to call the manufacturer and still waiting for a new handle to come in. We can't even use the product

Snuzerbluze : Great Smoker, but plan to modify for an AWESOME smoker.

This smoker only comes with two racks so I ordered two more from the char broil site. $9.99 each additional grate, and each grate needs two grate supports also at $9.99 each, plus shipping. ($9.99 X 6!) I also had to buy better screws, nuts, and bolts that connect the air vents at the hardware store to make them attach properly. The stock nuts/bolts were not threaded the same. (??) A bag of these to complete the job was about $1.99.

Had to modify the coal pan with a 13" X 14" veggy roaster (Mr BarB Q 06034X, 13.99 on Amazon.com) to allow more airflow. Works great! (Plus that frees the old pan up for an extra water pan) Bought a 9 X 14 foil pan for the ashes at the very bottom of the smoker. ($2.99)

I recommend covering the water pan in foil for easy clean up! I also bought an external digital thermometer with wire probe to monitor the temp inside. The built in therm is surprisingly accurate though. I also bought an outdoor cover for the smoker so there will be no weathering/rust issues.(Garden Home Heavy Duty Square Smoker Cover 30, $13.99 on Amazon.com)

Once I made these modifications, This became a great charcoal/wood style smoker for a leisurely afternoon of slow cooking and crackin' cold ones! I love it!

C. Haida : Omg ... Rust already?

Help it is rusting already...it was a Christmas gift..... we keep it covered out of the elements...what gives

Carl Jean : Three Stars

Great. Gift.

Amazon Customer : i just open this as the weather is breaking to ...

i just open this as the weather is breaking to use it but i thought it was new seems its been used and with no instructions

Matt Sanders : My Review

OK, great product after these simple modifications. Replaced the charcoal pan with the mr bbq 06034x pan. I kept the original charcoal bowl and placed in the bottom as an ash catcher. Don't waste your time with any of the nuts this comes with, go to Lowes, buy some 1/4" locking nuts. Now you have an amazing smoker.

david sample : Three Stars

good price, but as one might expect....not the best made. will lose a lot of heat

Robert E. Richards : They love it!

Bought it for my kids..They love it!!!

jenjay1 : Great deal for the price

I read the reviews and made the needed modifications with the big green felt gasket and Mr Bar B Q stainless steel tray for my charcoal. With these additions I am able to keep my smoker temperature accurate. I make my own sausages and cold cuts so the temperature is important. It also works great smoking meat and fish.

drsiv : it is great. By itself

If you use it with an Afterburner (Google it), it is great. By itself, it does not maintain the temperature. Be sure to buy the Fireblack tape and Lavalock sealant. Cooks like a champ.

Amazon Customer : Five Stars

It works perfect. I've had lot fun with this little smoker. I highly recommend it.

jesus : Five Stars

Fast shipping and great quality. Thanks!!!

Naeem Stanley : I thought it was going to be great. Not even close it will not hold heat ...

I thought it was going to be great. Not even close it will not hold heat and it will not cook the food evenly. Do not buy!!!

Carl Jean : Three Stars

Great. Gift.

barf : Should have taped it up and sent it back when it came in dented.

Came in all beat up. I spent several hours drilling, machine screwing and exhaust puttying the leaks. It still needs work. Every time I smoke I find more leaks. It doesn't hold temp properly. OH, the thermometer sucks. I've replaced the stock thermo and use another probe while smoking to approximate a decent temp.

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