Dyna-Glo Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill review and price compare 2025
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
Product overview
Brand | Dyna-Glo |
Power Source | Charcoal |
Color | Black |
Item Weight | 124.3 Pounds |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 45.5 x 24.9 x 58.8 inches |
Fuel Type | Charcoal |
product features
- by entering your model number.
- Features five chrome-plated cooking grates and a total cooking space of 1382 square inches
- Heavy-Gauge Steel Body Construction. The temperature gauge features a smoke zone which indicates the ideal temperatures for infusing the perfect amount for smoking flavor. Also, the cool to touch handles, allow you to access fuel and food safely.
- Cool-touch spring lid grip provides safer access to food
- Stainless temperature gauge with "Smoke Zone" indicates the ideal temperature for infusing smoke flavor
- Oversized steel wheels for mobility before and after use
From the manufacturer
Barbecue with the best of them
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Get that classic smokehouse flavor Cook meats low and slow in the smoker body, from brisket to ribs to anything you can imagine. | Tame the flame at the backyard BBQ Grill burgers or brats for the whole crew. | Expand your culinary horizons Open the door to a whole new world of BBQ with this large capacity, multi-functional BBQ machine. |
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Cool-Touch Spring Handle Provides safer access to food. | Sausage Hooks Pre-installed sausage hooks give you additional cooking flexibility. | Removable Offset Charcoal Grate and Ash Pan Offers easy access to fuel and quick disposal of ash. | Analog Temperature Gauge 'Grill Zone' and 'Smoke Zone' indicators for ideal cooking temperature. |
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Assembled Dimensions | 58" H x 45.5" W x 24.9" D | 59.8" H x 33.9" W x 37" D | 59.8" H x 33.9" W x 52" D |
Weight (net) | 124.3 | 89.1 lbs | 123.2 lbs |
Total Cooking Area (sq. in.) | 1,382 sq. in. | 443 sq. in. | 730 sq. in. |
Fuel Type | Charcoal/Wood | Charcoal/Wood | Charcoal/Wood |
Body Construction | Heavy-Gauge Steel | Heavy-Gauge Steel | Heavy-Gauge Steel |
Cooking Grate Material | Chrome-Plated | Porcelain-Coated | Porcelain-Coated |
Folding Side Shelf | | ✓ | ✓ |
Temperature Gauge | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
product description
Style:Signature Smoker
Get the best of both worlds with the Signature Series Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill from Dyna-Glo. This multifunctional smoker lets you have it all with both grilling and offset smoking capacity. Smoke your pork shoulder low and slow or grill up burgers for the crew. For additional cooking space, simply use the offset for grilling sides or foods that require different temperatures. The smoker and offset cooking grates allow for maximum heat transfer and searing, and the professional-grade, stainless steel temperature gauge features "Grill Zone" and "Smoke Zone" indicators for maintaining an ideal cooking temperature. Become the envy of the neighborhood and upgrade your backyard with this Signature Series Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill from Dyna-Glo. Do not use this smoker and grill as a heater
product details
important information
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Questions about Dyna-Glo Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill
Q:
Can you get special financing on this bbq pit?
Answer: how can i get special financing?
Answer: Yes 5 monthly payments
Q:
What size are the cooking racks?
Answer: This smoker comes with 5 Chrome-plated Steel Cooking Grates that are 17 inches in diameter each. - GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: Are you looking at the picture on Amazon. First feature about grill says 5 grates totaling 1382 sq. Inches. So each one is about 276 sq. Inches.. Now we all know pi r-squared is the area of circle so the radius would be about 9 inches so the diameter is about 18 inches. Maybe a little bigger as I'm not that good at math, been out of school for 60 years.
Q:
what is the main difference between the signature series and wide body other than shape/style/Cooking space. Is the smoking performance the same?
Answer: You can add more charcoal to the side box, I was able to put an 18lb bag and cooked way past 5 hrs
Q:
can you use wood chunks or chips or just charcoal /
Answer: For this Smoker you can use wood chunks, charcoal or wood chips.- GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: I use charcoal for the heat and add wood chunks/chips for the smoke.
Answer: I use soaked chips, without smoke it just convection heat but it would work like a regular grill.
Answer: Yes, all three, Great smoker easy to control temp, but you have to babysit it
Q:
Can i smoke a 25lb Turkey? How wide are the racks?
Answer: Hello Jimmy, the racks in this smoker are 16.5" in diameter and are removable so the height is adjustable. This should accommodate a 25 lb. turkey. -GHP Group Customer Support
Q:
Is there a purpose built cover for this specific smoker?
Answer: i tore mine accidentally and for awhile couldn't find a replacement. i'm actually ordering the cover.
Answer: Theres a specific made cover offered by Dyna-Glo that fits perfect.
Answer: Yes, and it's very well made.
Q:
can you purchase spare racks?
Answer: Yes but only so many hangers in cooker for racks
Answer: Probably from Lowes or Home Depot or a local hardware store.
Answer: Yes I believe Home Depot carries the same size
Q:
where does the grease and other liquids go?
Answer: The grease and other drippings run down to be held in the grease cup. - GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: It has an external drip pan (about 6") that juices/grease go into (if they don't drip into the water pan).
Q:
What is the dimensions of feet and wheels? Are they smaller than the total width dimentiona
Answer: Not able to measure right now, but the feet and wheels are within the total width dimensions. There is a handle opposite the firebox side that is the widest point. Not sure if they included that in the measurements.
Answer: 1 foot and wheels are pretty much under the smoker. I sat mine on cement blocks to raise it some and the holes in the blocks make a very good brake.
Answer: No... Its a very stable smoker.. I love mine!
Q:
Is the 45”w with the smoke box extended or closed?
Answer: Overall
Q:
How much space is there between each grate in the cooking chamber?
Answer: About 18 inches or so but you can remove the middle one if you need too for a tall cook/smoke.
Answer: you can adjust to any level notches are spaced along the main chamber i've done a turkey rib rack sausages and brisket at same time with plenty of space
Answer: The space between each grate is approximately 5”. - GHP
Q:
How much lava lock is needed to completely seal everything? It usually comes in 15 ft. Is that enough or should i get more?
Answer: I didn't need LavaLock, after putting the smoker together. It held the smoke just fine. If you want to use lavalock 15ft should be fine.
Q:
Is there a cover available on the market for this model smoker?
Answer: Yes, made just for this exact smoker. Fits perfect!
Q:
How can i add a cover for the dyna glo model dgss1382vcd- d i just ordered on amazon
Answer: The cover that is compatible with the model DGSS1382VCS-D is model DG1382CSC.
Answer: I ordered the cover on Amazon, it arrived before the smoker.
Answer: They offered a cover. I purchased the cover through Amazon
Answer: Easy to do just scroll down to items related too
Q:
Can you remove the grates after the unit is built?
Answer: The grates go in last, they're removal!
Answer: we received this grill so badly damaged that it was not usable. The grates will come out, but they are so close together, if we were able to smoke with it, we would have needed to remove every other just to fit in larger pieces of meat. really best if only doing flat pieces like for jerky etc. Small strips of ribs might fit.
Answer: Yes, you can remove them.
Answer: Yes but you must tip them to about 45 degree angle. What ever you have in them will fall off, like bowls or jerky.
Answer: Yes, they all come out of the smoker & the heat box side. I have been happy with this smoker!
Answer: Yes
Q:
What is the spacing between racks?
Answer: Hello Mark, there is 5" of space between each rack and they are removable so that space can be increased! -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: The shelves are about 5 inches apart.
Q:
Is there suppose to be any space between where the firebox connects to the chamber? After connecting the two ive noticed gaps where air could get out
Answer: when assembling mine I used LavaLock Silicone gasket seal on any surfaces that would/could have gaps. I also used LavaLock gasket on the smoking chamber door. All is working very well.
Answer: No it should not be a space if you have a space make sure you don’t have the piece that hooks to the fire box and chamber on wrong because when I put mine together I had to take it apart because I had it on wrong
Q:
What is the thickness of the steel?
Answer: Hello T., The body of this smoker is 1.5mm steel and the door is 2.5mm. -GHP Group Customer Support
Q:
How deep is the smoking chamber
Answer: The smoking chamber is 17.5 inches in diameter.
Answer: The smoking chamber is the vertical cylinder , I believe is some 4 ft. deep or so, enough to put a lot of stuff in it.
Answer: Thomas,
Q:
What size firebox could I put in the side part?
Answer: I think they tell you that in the description. That is the fire box, I suppose it is about 10-12” in diameter and maybe 16-18” long.
Q:
do I see meat hooks in the roof of the cook chamber?
Answer: Yes there are hooks installed in the top of the smoker. You will need to get some stainless steel meat hooks. Put your ribs on the meat hooks and hang them over the hooks in the unit. I have used them to hang both beef and pork ribs and it gives you a great EVEN smoke. I a good horizontal smoker/griller that I have used and loved for 10 years. I also have an EGG. However the Dyna-Glo out performs both for smoking ribs. For the 4th I hung both beef and pork ribs and still had plenty of room to smoke big turkey legs on shelves below.
Answer: Yes those are sausage hooks at the top of the smoker. -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: What size temp gauge would I need to replace the one on the unit?
Answer: Yes there sure is!!!! Great for sausage!!
Answer: Yes, there are hooks on the roof of the cooking chamber.
Answer: There are hooks in their to hold the grills not to hang meat.
Answer: yes it has sausage hooks on the top.. very nice smoker
Answer: It did not come with them, we had to buy them
Answer: Yes 6 of them
Answer: There are about 8 or so
Q:
Does sausage rack rotate?
Answer: Hi Eddie,
Answer: Yes you can pivot it by hand to rotate the sausage or to add sausage or take out sausage
Q:
Do you offer an insulated blanket for the main smoke chamber?
Answer: You can pick up a high temp blanket relatively cheap, but you may fair better just moving your smoker to a more shielded area. One thing I always have in the yard is a pallet to use as a windbreaker. If you have your smoker sealed with lavalock I was able to keep 225 for hours with 5lbs of applewood coals and throwing a few chunks in the firebox every half hour or so in 33° with 30mph winds
Answer: Came with rain cover no insulated blanket don't know if they offer one or not I feeling
Answer: Negative, but great smoker.
Q:
Can the wheels be reversed with the legs? It looks awkward to move.
Answer: No, you can't reverse then but it isn't hard to move (I was surprised too). The problem I had is that the bottom weld on the smoke chamber leaks liquid all over my deck.
Answer: No they cannot. I must say this smoker is the best I’ve ever owned. This set up is user friendly and moving the smoker is easy. You’ll love it!
Answer: It is very easy to move just as it is. We love this pit!
Answer: I don't think so. While moving it is quite balanced.
Q:
How thick is the steel on this smoker?
Answer: Hello Keith. The cook grids are Steel A3 dia= 5mm/ 3.5mm. The charcoal grate is A3 5.5mm. The doors are 2.5mm steel. The back, sides, top, and bottom are 1.5mm spcc. The offset firebox 1.2mm steel/SPCC but the door is 2.55mm spcc. We hope this answers your question! -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: The fire box and ash pan are roughly a 1/16th of an inch thick, can't see it lasting very long, but it Cooks great right now
Q:
How much room is between each rack?
Answer: 5 inches. Remove a rack and then you would have 10 or 15 or 20. There are also hooks at the top for hanging sausages or meats that are suitable for being strung up.
Answer: 4 1/2 inches, but the racks are removable. Shouldn't be a problem unless feeding an Army.
Answer: There's just a little bit over 5" between each rack.
Answer: I was able to fit 12lb briskets with ease. But you can also remove to put bigger things in it
Q:
How do you control the temp?
Answer:
Answer:
Answer: Temperature is controlled by the size of the fire and how much air is taken in, and how much is exhausted. There are vents in the firebox that control air intake, and a valved chimney to control exhaust. I usually had the chimney open, and the air intake at approximately 1/4. This was with a relatively small fire.
Answer: By how much fuel/ wood you put in, how big is your fire. Then how much air you give it. Ya have to pay attention.
Answer: By air flow via vent and chimney flew.
Q:
Does anyone know what diameter the support legs are and the diameter of tubing used for main support that has the wheels and axle attached?
Answer: The support legs are 76mm in diameter and the wheels are 10mm in diameter. -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: Wouldn't know the measurements but it is more than sufficient to support the fire box and smoker. Just don't try to pull it across uneven terrain without help because the whole assembly is top heavy though very well constructed with heavy gauge steel. Not designed for towing behind a pickup. Nor would I try to move it while the firebox is going and the smoking chamber is loaded with cooking food. Same holds true with most any smoker.
Q:
How many average size pork butts would it hold ?
Answer: You can put 2 per shelf without a problem. I have hung 5 slabs of ribs and put 2 butts on the bottom shelf.. You can only use 3 shelves because of the height of the butts so the real number is 6.
Answer: If you want you can do 5. The lower rack gets kind of hot however. I can do 2 butts and 3 racks of ribs no problem. I did 4 racks last weekend using the bottom rack for liquid. I really like the smoke for the price
Answer: There are six racks so six large butts will easily fit. I would want to have some room for hot air and smoke to move around meat. If for some reason more roasts need to be cooked I,m sure more could fit in. Depends on size as I recently bought a twin pack that weighed over 20 pounds.
Answer: I’ve put 8 on mine and still had room for two racks of baby back ribs. One thing about this is you will have to rotate the butts a few times to get an even bark all the way around. If you don’t want to do the work -4 butts and 4 tenderloins - 1 each on each rack.
Answer: 3....4
Answer: 5 or 6
Q:
Why does it say free shipping then get to checkout it adds shipping cost?
Answer: If u look closer it will have the shipping deduction right below charge. They want to show u how much u saved
Q:
Will an entire 10-15lb brisket flat fit on one grate without having to cut it?
Answer: The grate dimensions on this smoker are 16.75" x 16.75" and can hold up to 25 lbs. The average full brisket weighs in at 8-12 pounds and is about 12-20 inches long and about 12 inches wide. It depends on how large your brisket is but in most cases it should fit in this smoker. -GHP Group Customer Support
Q:
How many briskets can I smoke at a time?
Answer: Each grate can hold roughly two 5 lbs briskets (10 total @ 5 lbs each). Anything larger will require 1 per grate (5 total) for proper air flow. - GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: If you have one per rack- 6, if you have 2 per rack -12 or more, depends on the size of the briskets though.
Answer: I am able to do two medium sized briskets at a time.
Answer: Whole briskets will be a problem but flats or points 1 per shelf.
Answer: One rack holds one 10 lb butt, or 3/4 loin nicely x 5 racks
Answer: 5 big ones or 10 small ones
Q:
I have to cook for an upcoming wedding. I need it prior to the wedding. How long will it take to get to the Boston area from the time i order it?
Answer: That a good question
Q:
What is the gauge of steel?
Answer: I'm not sure what gauge, but it's heavy, it's not cheap thin metal.
Q:
Does anyone know what diameter the support legs are and the diameter of tubing used for main support that has the wheels and axle attached?
Answer: The support legs are 76mm in diameter and the wheels are 10mm in diameter. -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: Wouldn't know the measurements but it is more than sufficient to support the fire box and smoker. Just don't try to pull it across uneven terrain without help because the whole assembly is top heavy though very well constructed with heavy gauge steel. Not designed for towing behind a pickup. Nor would I try to move it while the firebox is going and the smoking chamber is loaded with cooking food. Same holds true with most any smoker.
Q:
How well does this smoker work with just wood splits instead of charcoal?
Answer: I use a combination of coal and wet wood to regulate heat and smoke. While I bought the smoker for logs instead of chips, I have not had the opportunity to try any splits. However, based on my experience with the unit to date, I don’t think splits should be a problem once you get experience with the vents.
Q:
Is there a water bowl in this smoker?
Answer: Hello, this smoker does come with a water bowl. -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: No, but there is plenty of space to put a water pan on one of the shelves. I usually fill the pan with fruit juice for extra flavor.
Answer: Yes, pan on bottom shelf hold about a gallon of water.
Answer: Yes, it goes on the bottom. My husband usually fills it with fruit juice for more flavorful meat.
Answer: Yes there is one that goes in the bottom
Answer: Yes
Q:
It was working fine for about 5-6 hours, with briquettes. But then I couldn't get temp in main area over 220 used whole bag of charcoal? Ideas?
Answer: A. The general temp for 'smoking' is 220°. So if your looking for hotter temps, I would recommend using a griil.
Answer: You need to keep it clean underneath. Get ash out. It needs air to draft. Or try lump charcoal. Works well.
Answer: Hi Dan, we are so sorry to hear about your experience! Our customer service team would be more than happy to help provide you with technical assistance regarding this smoker! Just reach out by phone at 877-447-4768 or email at http://www.ghpgroupinc.com/CTUS.html - GHP Group
Answer: you are venting the grill to much it has a great flow threw close your vents on the charcoal side and just the top vent to half open use a few pieses of oak of wood to help with the temp to get steady and hotter.
Answer: You may want to try lump charcoal. I had that issue and lump solved the problem
Answer: I would increase the air flow at the fire box for large temperature increases
Q:
How long does it maintain temperature without interference?
Answer: Once I got it dialed in, I'd check on it every 3-4 hours (monitoring temp probes from inside the whole time tho) but this smoker has been pretty rock solid on temps for me. Would suggest getting gaskets for the door, tho.
Q:
can I cold smoke
Answer: Hello Bill, since this smoker is powered by charcoal, if you used the right amount of coals and maintained it properly, you could cold smoke with this! -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: as far as cold smoking in the big dyna glo signature eeries it would be very hard to maintain temps under 80*- 100* deg.necessary for proper cold smoking, what I have used is placing an a-mazn-n smoker cold smoker , (under $30) in the cooking chamber and it will cold smoke for 8-10 hrs. your best alternative.Many members of Smoking meat forum.com use this method w/great results.
Answer: Definitely. It is very good at that.
Q:
Can I hang kabob skewers from the top area that's made to hang sausages? how many do you think?
Answer: You could. They will definitely fit. The lower chunks will get more heat, so I'm not sure how you will compensate for the heat differential. Maybe put larger chucks lower? But then, kabobs aren't meant for low and slow smoking.
Answer: Hello Marty, we hope Sepp's answer was helpful! Although this would be doable with the 6 hooks, you may want to consider the cooking technique! -GHP Group Customer Support
Q:
Whats the temp range? I would like to be able to cook at high temps as well as smoke
Answer: This is an offset vertical smoker. NOT A GRILL. Look into a kamado if you want the versatility of smoking and grilling.
Answer: Hello John., the temperatures this smoker is capable of reaching are completely dependent on the ambient temperatures, amount of food and amount of fuel used. If you are interested in a grill/smoker combo, check out our Signature Series such as model # DGSS730CBO-D. -GHP Group Customer Support
Q:
My shipment is missing the access door. how can i get a replacement? amazon wants to replace the entire unit!!
Answer: The instruction booklet lists a support email you can contact.
Q:
Will this fit a whole brisket?
Answer: It fit a 22 lb turmkey
Answer: You have to hang it, I bought a few S meat hooks
Q:
do I see meat hooks in the roof of the cook chamber?
Answer: Yes there are hooks installed in the top of the smoker. You will need to get some stainless steel meat hooks. Put your ribs on the meat hooks and hang them over the hooks in the unit. I have used them to hang both beef and pork ribs and it gives you a great EVEN smoke. I a good horizontal smoker/griller that I have used and loved for 10 years. I also have an EGG. However the Dyna-Glo out performs both for smoking ribs. For the 4th I hung both beef and pork ribs and still had plenty of room to smoke big turkey legs on shelves below.
Answer: Yes those are sausage hooks at the top of the smoker. -GHP Group Customer Support
Answer: What size temp gauge would I need to replace the one on the unit?
Answer: Yes there sure is!!!! Great for sausage!!
Answer: Yes, there are hooks on the roof of the cooking chamber.
Answer: There are hooks in their to hold the grills not to hang meat.
Answer: yes it has sausage hooks on the top.. very nice smoker
Answer: It did not come with them, we had to buy them
Answer: Yes 6 of them
Answer: There are about 8 or so
Q:
Can i cold smoke with this? and if i need something additional can you please post me the link of what else i need to get?
Answer: Google cold smoke processing the process is a 90 degree temp diverting heat n allowing mostly smoke and take multiple days i wld refer to someone who does old school smoked jerky
Q:
What is the temp guage size how many inches is the item
Answer: 2" W x 3" D
Q:
does this smoker come assembled?
Answer: It does not come assembled, but I believe you can pay extra to have it pre-assembled. Not too difficult, took less that 2 hours to put it together.
Answer: Unfortunately this smoker does not come assembled but it only took me about 45 minutes to fully assemble this product. Instructions were easy and amazingly all the hardware for this smoker was all there.
Answer: No it does not - assembly required.
Answer: Nope
Answer: No.
Answer: No it doesn’t
Q:
Do you need to use high temp paint to maintain the heat? or just use the high temp sealer and gaskets?
Answer: I bought the high temp sealer ...looks like a rope
Answer: Yes you do.
Q:
Can I remove the grate where the fire source is so that I put wood splits to burn over the charcoal?
Answer: Absolutely! I’ve had many smokers...this beauty is absolutely the most versatile smoker ever! Hoping you love yours as much as I do!
Answer: Yes..it's exactly what I do.
Answer: Yes
Answer: Yes
Product reviews of Dyna-Glo Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill
Alex : Delivery
Delivered to the neighbors door and damaged on two places and bends on few , not happy with handling and delivery
Only good for trash
Amazon Customer : Smoking sitting and beer
Let me be Very clear this product was extremely easy to assemble however you have to watch it while you're smoking anything. It is a b**** to get up to temperature but if you have a charcoal flute or chimney that's not an issue. I will say they did take me about three or four times to master how to get my temperature settings right but for the damnedest I can't get it over 250 degrees but that's perfectly fine cuz I still have my propane for anytime I need to grill. I will say that the low temperature in the main cooking area is non-issue. In fact it's extremely a positive because this allows me to do exactly what I need to do as you can see it holds too large racks of ribs vertically in addition to all the several trays that it has. You just have to buy those extra hooks and I highly recommend them. Long story short I love this product I've recommended it to all my friends the only downside is that you have to sit with it but with an ice chest and enough beer that's not an issue!
y : Junk
Metal is too thin to regulate temperature. If you have all day to dick with this thing and thrive on mediocre performance...by all means...waste you time and money. Mine is going to the scrap yard
Golden : Very happy with purchase
I started out with a small smoker and outgrew it after a year. I knew I wanted a bigger one and ordered this, shipped to house. It arrived and really took my time putting it together with gasket around door, etc. I don't know if it needed it, but smoker works excellent. Very efficient with the charcoal and easy to keep temp regulated. There is a lot of space on the trays and also meat hangers up top for the bigger stuff. 5 stars.
Dave M. : Solid Multi-Purpose Smoker
I have had this smoker for about two months. In that time I have done 4 full packer briskets, ribs and whole pork tenderloins. During assembly I sealed around areas that I was concerned about leakage. Then I added gaskets to all the doors. I then oiled down the inside very well and burned 3 fires in the smoker before use. It does maintain a steady temp to some degree but does need to be baby sat a little bit. Everything I have made has been top notch out of this smoker. Overall for the price it is a good multi-purpose unit in my opinion. This weekend I used it in my first bbq competition and placed 3rd for brisket against 26 other teams which was comprised of amateur and professional/commercial outfits but my team was all amateur. This unit weighs around 100 lbs and while the steel isn't real thick it is not thin either. The construction of it is solid and I believe it should last for a good long time if taken care. Covers are available for this smoker as well. For the price it is worth it if you are on the fence about buying it like I was. I'm glad and very satisfied that I made the purchase.
Kelly M. : Great unit if you do the mods.
This unit arrived in a reasonable time frame and was undamaged. The build quality is quite good and relatively heavy duty. Assembly was a breeze by myself. I used the lavalock gasket tape and silicone to seal it up where user feedback in these reviews indicated. I also added a stainless steel charcoal basket.
It doesn't leak smoke or heat and is pretty miserly on the charcoal and wood with the added basket. I've seen some minor issues develop with the paint around the firebox. Based on other reviewers I did expect this and it's been nothing a wire brush and some high temp paint hasn't taken care of.
I've had outstanding results with it each time I've used it to this point and not had to break the bank on fuel usage.
My only knock would be that the thermometer on the door is about 40 degrees off from what my digital thermometers report.
My Bro-in-Law has one of those custom built $5000 smokers. This is not that. It is a really good smoker for about $270 plus the cost of the mods though.
Amazon Customer : Great smoker
Got this delivered and put it together in just over an hour, simple assembly and great instructions. It's replacing my Oklahoma Joe, and the steel is a little thinner but it seals up nicely on the firebox and barrel doors. Some lava lock will help the little leaks, but overall very good. I was impressed with the amount of meat it would hold, but to smoke ribs they'll need to be cut down to half or third racks (I cut babybacks into halves) to fit on the racks unless you hang them. I was able to fit two Boston Butts (about 9 pounds each), 8 chicken leg qtrs., and 2 racks of babybacks. I don't think I would have ever been able to get that much on my old horizontal smoker, in the past I've always had to move stuff off and inside to the oven to finish to make room for the smaller meats. Super easy to hit and hold the temp with airflow adjustment. Overall 5 stars. Love it.
Paolo Roma : Bent pieces, broken welding
Not happy at all as this looks like a 2nd or floor model that has been moved several times. Likely a return as the box was double tapped back up, as i should have done. Dents in many pieces. Welding is very poor quality as some pieces are broke or non existent. The cylindrical axle on 1 wheel was completely missing. Bends in screws on front prevent closing and locking. I would not recommend this product. Nervous to fire up as the pieces don't align and it's clear their are gaps that will cause heat lose. Worst purchase to date.
jon howell : good value for the money
the smoker is a good value for the money, but had a few short comings.
It takes a bigger fire than expected to get the temp up.
Requires frequent attention to manage temperature. Water pan helps, but it is minor "tweeks" every 20 to 30 min.
Biggest disappointment is a slab of ribs wont fit on a rack. They have to be cut in half, but there are five racks so you can still coot 3 slabs.
This is a replacement for a smoker I purchased in 1997. There is no way this smoker will last as long.
Still, it is good value for the money.
D. Marx : Smoked 60lbs of pork for a party for the first use - PERFECT
No assembly instructions enclosed so assembly took a little longer using the photo. First time out of the barrel, it worked just as advertised, and the pulled pork was great after 12 hours of smoking. This is a real value for the money. Guests thought it cost 3 times as much.
James Moore : Dyna glo smoker is a good starter smoker.
This thing is great I have used it several times since I got it. It was easy to assemble and seal. I seasoned it. The only problem or complaint I have is on long smoke jobs above 8-9 hours the bottom of the firebox fills up and it is hard to remove the ash. I tried a 16 hour smoke on 60 lbs of brisket for a large family get together. Ended up using a little self made hook to pull ash through the air vent on the side of the fire box drawer.
Amy and Stacey Ramos : Great Design and Low Cost
After much research, I decided I wanted an off-set vertical smoker. Being "off-set", there would be no direct or carry-over heat to the food allowing me to cook with just the heat from the smoke. Being "vertical", the food items would not have a "hot" side and a "cold" side causing me to turn the meat during the cooking process. Also, the "horizontals" (even with reverse air flow) generate hot and cold spots simply because smoke and heat raise, not flow from side to side.
I was hoping for other features like a hanging rack, portability, pull-out fire tray and grilling capability.
This product has that excellent design and all those features at a very low price point.
The drawback to this unit (and the only way to offer at this low price point) is the thin steel construction. My first concern is how long it will last. Since the firebox tray or other parts are replaceable, and, even if I have to buy a new unit every few years, its still cheaper than buying a 1/4" steel version that will last a couple of decades.
The larger issue with the thin steel construction is heat retention. If you add wood to bring the heat up, the temperature will quickly spike, and as the wood burns down, the unit will lose heat just as fast. That makes it tricky to maintain a steady temperature. I found that using fist-sized pieces of quality wood on a short refresh rate (every 15 to 45 minutes), I can maintain a temperature of +/- 25 degrees with blue smoke. And, for a neophyte like myself, I think that is pretty good.
Assembly notes: I needed three tools for the assembly - fat-head Phillips screwdriver, Crescent wrench and (for two screws placed in a weird spot) and ratchet with a fat-head Phillips screwdriver head. I put LockTite on all the screws (I don't know if that is necessary, but its what my dad taught me years ago and I don't want him giving me a hard-time). It took about 2 hours to go from completely boxed to starting the fire.
I put on high-temp sealant tape on the smoker door and I might add it to the firebox door as well if I get really picky. Finally, I've been told to not trust the cheap temp gauges included with smokers, so I replaced it with a high-end gauge (Tel-Tru) and added a second one at the lower part of the door (drilled a hole for it) to monitor temperature from bottom to top.
Overall, there are better smokers on the market with higher quality materials. But, for the money, I thought this was the best value available with a great design. With a little extra assembly work and careful temperature management, I've been able to produce some pretty fantastic BBQ. So, it gets 5 stars.
christina mcdade : Don’t buy
I gave this grill a long time before I reviewed. I bought in March. Firebox started rusting after 3 uses. The grill has never been in the rain(even now). 5 months later and firebox is almost gone. No where to order another because I’ve looked. Don’t sell a grill for this high of a price. Especially,’if it is just going to start rustOmg after a couple uses. Will never buy this brand again. I will go with one that actually cares about the customers and offers to replace or cares.
OZ : Good quality.
Wanted a nice smoker and after reading reviews and tons of research I heard this brand was top of line. So I gave it a try, easy to assemble (depending if your handy), after firing it up first time and doing a dry run through then u can use it. I can cook so many things at once with all the shelving, and it holds heat well. Very pleased. Would recommend.
John : Worth the money
Love the smoker and it looks awesome. Had to do some modifications to retain more heat and converted it to combo charcoal and electric smoker. While this might not be best for all it works beautifully for me. With the smoker gaskets and electric heating element it's my dream machine. Seasoned up perfect and with the addition of a rain guard it looks bad to the bone. Cooks and regulates heat distribution well. I would buy this again with are without modifications I added to it. 5 stars all the way.
mark westerfield : Top damaged!
I unloaded the box and when I pulled out the vertical barrel the top was dented in where the smoke stack attaches (see photos). The box was not damaged, so in my opinion someone loaded a damaged product in the box. Needless to say, I'm mad! If this happens from the factory, I can only imagine that their Quality Control and Product Support is very poor! Pissed!!
Karl R : Satisfied
The only reason I only gave it three stars is because of the dents that it arrive where. Other wise I am very satisfied and enjoying it.
Mindy B : Not good at all
Was purchased for my husband's birthday. All the holes and clips are misaligned. We had to redrill holes and cut off areas just to mount the door properly. It is still off. We bought in April 2019 and keep it clean and covered but it is already rusting and chipping. The temp gauge has stopped working and has water in it. The misaligned door has to be lifted before clamped which is difficult when it is hot. The door clamps are hard to adjust.
Update 9/2020.
Already complete rust and falling apart. Even using a cover to protect it from elements. The smoker door fell off and crumbled. Handles falling off and rusted out. Don’t waste your money!
Jerry Bryant : Sweet!
This is a monster, weighs as much as a car but rock solid. There was a little issues putting it together. It all lined up and such but there are pieces that are really hard to reach when you dont have a helper. There is TONS of space in this bad boy. You can smoke a ton of meat in here. Now for me i like the offset smoker. I will be smoking cheese so i want the smoke but not the heat. Well worth the money.
juliana martin : Great value. Great bbq. Be ready for some mods
I’ve been happy with this smoker. Does need some mods. I installed 2 more thermometers so I can get temps from bottom shelf to top. About 50 degrees variance. Don’t mind that too much. If I want to slowly smoke a butt I can put in the top or I can really push one thru on the bottom if we are in a hurry.
Definitely needs the heat seal tape and rtv caulk around the doors and welds. I also used expanded metal to make a charcoal basket to help with the minion method. I use a little less fuel and it helps it burn a little more efficiently.
I’ve done ribs, butts, chickens, beef, homemade sausages, and pork belly burnt ends. Everything has turned out great.
For the price it’s a great entry level smoker. Only reason I’m giving it 4 stars is that the ash isn’t easy to clean out during a cook and shelves not easy to move. All in all I’ve had fun with it and it’s performed.
Amazon Customer : Just read the whole review beforehand
I will be honest this wasn't my first choice for a smoker. However, after a wind storm rolled my old offset I needed a replacement and choice A B and C did not become available until after I had this one. My biggest issue with this is how poorly it was sealed. Whoever came up with splitting a firebox and adding a drawer must have been phoning it in.
I have sealed the firebox's two halves plus added the Nomex around the door and drawer. I also had to add hold downs. Nomex to the cooking chamber door, plus a small access door in the back. All of this was before sealing every bolt hole and connection (firebox to chamber and smoke stack. What aggravated me was when I had to seal the "Lazer welds" where the dome connects to the chamber. Fortunately, I had bought the caulking gun size of high temperature sealant. Three quarters of a tube in and it seems good. Oh, the built-in thermometer is crap too but I anticipated that and use a digital dual probe.
I have only used this so far in warm/hot weather so the three stars maybe generous, but I am in no rush to smoke a turkey during a December football game yet. After sealing it does hold heat well with only a 5 to 7 degrees variance from top to bottom. The racks are tight but I don't plan to use them all anyway. The sausage hooks will be nice this fall. It is easy so far control the heat with the vents on a windy day. It is not a terrible smoker it's just Dynaglo chinced out so you have to plan ahead and seal it up.
Mr Farris : Great smoker. Very happy
Very good smoker, especially considering the price friends have paid for theirs that are poorer quality.
A lot of total area for more meat. The other day I smoked 10 racks of baby back ribs at once (cut in half, with some room to spare). Week before that I had 4 large tri-tips, 4 ribeye steaks, 16 burgers, and 3 lbs of chicken breast.
Fairly easy assembly, with one bolt not lining up perfectly, but a little muscle is all it needed.
I read about areas not sealing, but it’s a small percentage of smoke escaping. I didn’t find the need for any sealant or high temp tape.
The best part is the smaller footprint it has in my backyard. It takes up half the space of a horizontal smoker.
john baehr : Time to Smoke..
This is badass.
It is big, and most likely a man will need to assemble. Sorry ladies...
Took me 1 hour and 15 minutes. You need room to spread out and get all the parts out.
But putting it together was a breeze.
The first run was OMG !!!
Best smoker /Grill I have ever owned.
Way better then Oklahoma Joe's crap....
Thank you A++++++
y : Junk
Metal is too thin to regulate temperature. If you have all day to dick with this thing and thrive on mediocre performance...by all means...waste you time and money. Mine is going to the scrap yard
Seamus : Brilliant. This thing works perfectly.
My Son and I put this together in about an hour, everything fit perfectly.
Way better than I expected, the wheels are large and steel not plastic. The whole unit is sturdy and the steel is heavier gauge than I thought it would be.
Ran it all day yesterday to season it, get it to a temperature and it holds very well.
Get 2 rolls of the lava lock gasket and do the doors and the firebox connection.
I went with a tel-true temp gauge...
Running it this morning for Chuck, ribeyes, chicken and smoked jalapeños, it holds 225 without a problem. For the price I'm more than satisfied, hell, I'd have been happy paying double what I did.
Amazon Customer : Just read the whole review beforehand
I will be honest this wasn't my first choice for a smoker. However, after a wind storm rolled my old offset I needed a replacement and choice A B and C did not become available until after I had this one. My biggest issue with this is how poorly it was sealed. Whoever came up with splitting a firebox and adding a drawer must have been phoning it in.
I have sealed the firebox's two halves plus added the Nomex around the door and drawer. I also had to add hold downs. Nomex to the cooking chamber door, plus a small access door in the back. All of this was before sealing every bolt hole and connection (firebox to chamber and smoke stack. What aggravated me was when I had to seal the "Lazer welds" where the dome connects to the chamber. Fortunately, I had bought the caulking gun size of high temperature sealant. Three quarters of a tube in and it seems good. Oh, the built-in thermometer is crap too but I anticipated that and use a digital dual probe.
I have only used this so far in warm/hot weather so the three stars maybe generous, but I am in no rush to smoke a turkey during a December football game yet. After sealing it does hold heat well with only a 5 to 7 degrees variance from top to bottom. The racks are tight but I don't plan to use them all anyway. The sausage hooks will be nice this fall. It is easy so far control the heat with the vents on a windy day. It is not a terrible smoker it's just Dynaglo chinced out so you have to plan ahead and seal it up.
Wesley R. Rock : Husband likes his grill
My husband bought this and it came all banged up. The package seemed to be drug. It says assembly in 30 minutes but that is with 3 people. He was able to bang most of the dents out except the one on the door handle. He called the company and they don't sell replacement handles. They do sell replacement doors. They did offer a partial refund which was nice of them. Even so, the pit still holds heat really well. He loves it, which is why it is a 4 not a 3 star!
Amazon Customer : Take time to figure this out--3 updates
Arrived in pristine condition. Assembly was straight forward. I was in no hurry to get this thing up and running. Reading thru the instructions, test-fitting the screws, cleaning up junk, cleaning surfaces, using Lava-lock on all doors, I enjoyed the experience. I added two lever clamps to the firebox door to pull it down to seal against the gasket. I added a 3" rain cap to the stack. (toss that rotating flat damper; you Absolutely Do Not want to use it!) Built a charcoal basket of expanded 3/4" #9 steel and 1/2" angle. 12 x 10 x 6. With the fire grate in the firebox and the basket on top, opening and dumping the ash drawer is a snap. I burn lump and natural charcoal, and pecan chunks. Seasoning is easily done, AFTER thoroughly cleaning Everything inside.
True BBQ is an exercise in patience. And that patience begins with putting this thing together; doing that right gets you acquainted with this unit, gives you the awareness of its qualities, and an appreciation of how it does what it does. Take your time....
Update: charcoal basket in the firebox, lava-lock gaskets around all doors, filled the gaps with rtv450 silicone, washed inside twice and dried, sprayed Pam on walls, doors,shelves....lit up a chimney of royal oak briquettes, half open damper. Heated right up to 300°, running well.....smoke only where I want it.
No leaks around doors or firebox/smoker body joint.
Ribs, sausage, and beans ready to go in tomorrow.....
Update; 06/13/2020....unit did it's job Very Well...
Everything done in less time than my old horizontal smoker.
Temp was steady for long periods. Six hours running and no issues.
Could not be happier with the performance. Baby backs fit across a shelf--tight fit, but they went in. As did the beans and sausages, all at the same time. Impossible on my horizontal...
As others have cited, be prepared to make some mods, be ready to spend some time with assembly. If you do, you can have a smoker that is efficient with fuel, produces excellent results, and is easy to use. In 20 years of smoking, this is the best and most versatile smoker of the 4 I have had.
07/22/20...final update. Added 2 more clamps--on the ash tray, to pull it toward the the barrel and sealed just the top edge of the ash drawer with LavaLock gasket. This sealed the final air leak. Now I can run temps between 225° and 235° for hours. With the gaskets in place there are ZERO leaks of heat or smoke.
I am loving the way this smoker works now. Took some time to 'tune' it, but well worth it.
"If there ain't no smoke, there ain't no bbq"
Michael A. Wendorff : This looks like a winner for the money
I only gave this four stars overall simply because I haven't been able to use it yet. The first time I fired it up to season it, I was very impressed with how well the smoke and air flowed from fire box to the smoke racks with minimal loss of either. What smoke escape there is I've added lava tape around doors of both box and smoke tower to reduce further any loss. I've put together a number of grills and smokers over the years so this was not difficult to assemble. READ THE DIRECTIONS! It is quite heavy. My wife said it looks like the Tin Man from Oz so the Tin Man it has been dubbed. I may update this review after Tin Man gets some real use.
Badbullgator : Poor craftsmanship
I can’t say if I like the smoker or not yet because two of the screws that attach the legs and wheels to the unit will not thread into the pre-threaded hole. Both will go in about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch and stop. Tried using the other bolts that went into the other holes and the same thing. The hole is not properly drilled and threaded.
Very disappointed in the quality. For the price I expect more.
John : Worth the money
Love the smoker and it looks awesome. Had to do some modifications to retain more heat and converted it to combo charcoal and electric smoker. While this might not be best for all it works beautifully for me. With the smoker gaskets and electric heating element it's my dream machine. Seasoned up perfect and with the addition of a rain guard it looks bad to the bone. Cooks and regulates heat distribution well. I would buy this again with are without modifications I added to it. 5 stars all the way.
Larry : I should have known better
Im going try and be fair with my review. Its not bad for the price. But being used to a UDS this smoker is disappointing. I can get the consistently where i want them. And when I do get it there it won't stay there but for a few minutes before the tenps start dropping. This thing also consumes a lot of charcoal.
Mr Farris : Great smoker. Very happy
Very good smoker, especially considering the price friends have paid for theirs that are poorer quality.
A lot of total area for more meat. The other day I smoked 10 racks of baby back ribs at once (cut in half, with some room to spare). Week before that I had 4 large tri-tips, 4 ribeye steaks, 16 burgers, and 3 lbs of chicken breast.
Fairly easy assembly, with one bolt not lining up perfectly, but a little muscle is all it needed.
I read about areas not sealing, but it’s a small percentage of smoke escaping. I didn’t find the need for any sealant or high temp tape.
The best part is the smaller footprint it has in my backyard. It takes up half the space of a horizontal smoker.
Ms. L : Excellent charcoal smoker
I debated for a long time between this smoker and several other options that included pellet smokers. I made the decision to go with this smoker because I wanted to get the true, pure smoke flavor and wanted to be able to smoke at very low temperatures. I love using this smoker. It is easy to control the temperatures and I have had no problems smoking at low temperatures down to 140 degrees and have kept it at 225 degrees consistently for as long as 12 hours.
The modifications I did include sealing the fire box with a special fire-proof product and lining the door openings with LavaLock. I have not used it in cold temperatures yet, but don't anticipate a big problem regulating temperatures. This is just a great design that lets you smoke lots of food at once with relative ease.
Collin N. : An excellent offset vertical smoker!
This is a great product and so far, I've only assembled it and seasoned it. The packaging was fantastic and the product arrived in great shape. The hardware for assembly was all kept in a nicely designed laminated paper storage system. I should state that I did a couple modifications right of the bat. I added gasket tape to the doors of the vertical smoke chamber and also applied a moderate amount of high temp food-rated silicon to welded edges and connecting pieces. I can't wait until Saturday! We'll be doing buffalo burgers and brisket!
L French : Nice smoker, bad rust problem
We purchased 2 of these. The first, we received on April 16th, the 2nd arrived on April 29th. It was "easy enough" to assemble, and there was a small learning curve to figure out how to get the best cook out of them. However, we've only had them operating about a month and the 2nd one is rusting pretty badly already (the first photo is the first one which looks much better than the 2nd). We'll have to remedy this, of course, but will definitely not be purchasing any more of these - not at that price, for something that rusts immediately!
Justin Gehrer : Ok smoker if you put some time and effort into it.
Like most reviews, the shipping box was destroyed and a few parts were bent and/or scratched all to heck. It just takes a little work straightening and some hi temp touch up paint. As for design, make sure you plan on purchasing some form of smoker/BBQ grade sealer as there are a lot of gaps that if left u touched, will let a lot of heat and smoke out. Aside from that, it's a decent smoker.
riobravo : Not too bad
This is a good smoker... eats a bit of wood and is temperamental. If ya don't mind babysitting the smoker for sudden temp changes this one does do a decent job.
I would recommend getting this cover for it -
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HK2Q9Q2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fit my Dyna-Glo perfectly !!! is much cheaper and better than the 80 dollar ones !!!
fan : Grill is good. Shipping was not.
So grill got delivered with the smoking chamber dented to hell and it is from packaging and the handling. Heavy grill and nothing on top in the box to protect it during shipping. Had people coming over banged out some of the dents and assembled. After running insulation strips around the doors where I could ( dents at the top don’t allow to run all the way ) it does a pretty good job. Have still turned out some really good food just disappointed in the dents. I have notice that the ash fills quick so might have to get creative on getting some out on cooks longer than 5-6 hours.
Amazon Customer : Great smoker
Got this delivered and put it together in just over an hour, simple assembly and great instructions. It's replacing my Oklahoma Joe, and the steel is a little thinner but it seals up nicely on the firebox and barrel doors. Some lava lock will help the little leaks, but overall very good. I was impressed with the amount of meat it would hold, but to smoke ribs they'll need to be cut down to half or third racks (I cut babybacks into halves) to fit on the racks unless you hang them. I was able to fit two Boston Butts (about 9 pounds each), 8 chicken leg qtrs., and 2 racks of babybacks. I don't think I would have ever been able to get that much on my old horizontal smoker, in the past I've always had to move stuff off and inside to the oven to finish to make room for the smaller meats. Super easy to hit and hold the temp with airflow adjustment. Overall 5 stars. Love it.
Larry : I should have known better
Im going try and be fair with my review. Its not bad for the price. But being used to a UDS this smoker is disappointing. I can get the consistently where i want them. And when I do get it there it won't stay there but for a few minutes before the tenps start dropping. This thing also consumes a lot of charcoal.
sue : Great Value
This is the first smoker I have bought. I got it 3 months ago and have used it on occasional weekends. I have mostly cooked pork shoulder for pulling and whole chickens.
Pros:
Assembly was as others have described. There are a lot of steps and that is time consuming, but nothing was difficult except for when you are joining the fire box and cooking compartment. That took 2 people, by my estimation.
It is a heavy smoker, but I like the mobility. I only use it on my property, but I roll it into a large, airy, barn for cooking when it is raining.
I use charcoal and wood in the firebox. I find I only have to re-stoke the fuel 2-3 times over 8 hours.
I did seal the communication between the firebox and cooking chamber. There was a large gap that you could see. Otherwise, this unit holds the heat well.
It contains a large area for cooking. I never use all that space.
It is fairly easy to figure out the vents. I recommend leaving the bottom grate in the firebox to allow air movement. This heats up the unit quickly. I usually cook at 250 degrees F, and it is not hard to maintain this over hours.
I have not used the grilling area, as I already have another grill.
I like that it is all enclosed. I bought a remote thermometer, so I don't have to sit next to this all day while it burns.
Cons: there is a small area of rust starting on the roof of the fire box already. I may need to sand and repaint this at some point.
The lower grate of the firebox is fairly cheaply made and it bent right after the first "seasoning" burn due to the heat. I may need a replacement for that soon.
SUMMARY: Overall, I thought this is a great value. I had to buy it sight-unseen, and I wasn't too comfortable with that. I am very happy with the purchase. I got it for a very reasonable price ($250).
Working Musician : If you can Tinker a bit than this is perfect for you.
Ask experts and they'll tell you that the cost of a "good" beginner smoker starts at around $600-$800. For that sort of money you'll be getting 1/4 thick steel and gapless engineering. If you are expecting that with this smoker you will be sorely disappointed.
However with a little bit of work you can get an exemplary smoker out of this model.
Assembly, if done right, should be a few hours. Take your time, put on some music and don't rush it. The instructions are decent but you absolutely should pick up some "smoker gasket tape." The firebox specifically had voids that would have doomed this smoker from the get-go. Using a flashlight I was able to see light through about 60% of the spots where the top and bottom of the firebox met. As a result I did an entire ring around it and the results showed.
The design of the smoker as a whole is good, but flawed in a few areas:
The duct that the firebox connects to the smoker area bolts on the firebox side (more tape), but not the other. This allows for a void all the way around where the firebox meets the smoker. Since there is no place where the two pieces meet there it no way of sealing this void. If you need a 100% seal you're going to be looking at fabricating something.
The top and bottom of the smoker have caps that are spot welded. In spots between welds there will be voids.
The front door doesn't fully seal without tape. Do not attempt to ratchet pressure on the front door thinking it will stretch and seal it. It's not going to happen and you will only damage the clips that hold it shut. The clips can easily be bent back into shape when you try this. But best practice is just to not do it.
The rear door to fill the water pan also has a void.
The door to the smoker box has small voids as well.
The bent metal tube handle feels cheap.
Getting the smoker to season (2 hours at 275-300 degrees) was a bear. I tossed nearly an entire bag of lump charcoal and wood into it over the course of 6 hours trying to get it to hold the higher temperature. The longest stretch I was able to accomplish this was for about 40 minutes.
However, for smoking purposes this unit shined. I did a starter of lump charcoal in a chimney and then put hardwood on top of it. This unit popped right up to 190 degrees and proceeded to stay there for hours on end. I went 3.5 hours until I was concerned that it would need feeding. For a 5 hour smoke I only opened the door once to add more fuel and found that I probably didn't really need to.
Whatever flaws are inherent in this unit the ratio of fire box to smoker box is damned near perfect. Lump charcoal will not cut it as it will burn too fast and too hot; you're in the land of fruit woods now so plan on stocking up. It will smoke heavy on the left side of the unit so plan on at least one mid-smoke shuffle of whatever you have in there.
The smoker box itself feels cavernous. The trays feel solid and the spacing is perfect between them. The water bowl looks almost oversized but well built. The chimney is a simple design; it's not slick or ornate but it will last and if it needs to be repaired can be done so easily.
There are small touches that also should be commended in the design. The flat space above the smoker box is perfect for cooking on. The smoker box door closing mechanism is adjustable and involved enough to deter those who want to get a "quick look" while you're not there to tell them not to. And while construction is not 1/4 thick it is thicker than you would expect at this price point. The all-metal wheels I also quite like as well. It's not a smooth ride but it is one that will hold up in the long run. Being able to remove the "drawer" from the firebox to dump ashes is a major plus as well. And while the material used for the construction of the drawer is not as thick as the smoker body itself it should be fine with proper care. Without proper care water will sit in it and it will rust. So, buy a cover and use it religiously, never use water to clean out the drawer and this shouldn't be an issue.
My long-term concerns have more to do with the nut and bolt construction. With no washers or lock nuts or locking washers I can see issues with parts coming loose. This may require an entire re-assembly with high-temperature Loctite at a later date.
It's hard finding fault with something at this price point when I really should be looking at something at least 2 or 3 times more expensive than this unit is. It's way nicer than anyone should have for a first smoker to learn on and for the price it can be a better smoker than likely anything else out there (at this price). It's not without flaws but it also does the one thing it needs to do spectacularly which is hold temp at a specific place for long spans of time, even with minimal tweaks. Tweaking and enhancements will only make it a better cooking tool and a better value in the long run.
Jeanette : Fantastic purchase!
I bought this smoker for my husband as a Father's Day gift. He'd been saying for a few years that he wanted to buy a smoker, and he spent time researching off and on for one. He ended up finding this one and another brand smoker under a hardware store website. I asked my brother to help me research smokers, and he sent me a list that included the Dyno Glo. I was sold and simply hoping I could find it here on Amazon - TAH-DAH! And ... I placed the order on 6/14, and it arrived on 6/18. My husband has used it a couple of times this summer, and it has worked beautifully. Fantastic purchase!!
freddy sandoval : A must have!
Since I purchased my smoker and definitely have a new hobby! I’m still experimenting with rubs and have a long way to go but my family, friends and I really enjoy smoking new recipes!
Rob J : Great unit that can cook some serious food!
This smoker exceeded my expectations!
I used the lava lock gasket tape to seal the door and it can maintain a temperature fairly well without being babysat too closely. Then I ran 2 fires through the unit to burn off any shipping oil and whatnot, and then was ready to go! My first cookout was last Sunday, I smoked 3 racks of ribs and a pork butt. Everything was a smashing success and the food all received plenty of praise. I used charcoal and threw some applewood chunks in there every 20 minutes or so and was able to hold a consistent temp. The thermometer sucks, so you'll have to buy a digital read, and the door was missing the bolt on the top latch, but even without that top bolt it still sealed very well (thanks to the lava lock). I did buy a replacement bolt and 2 nuts to replace the missing parts, but my first cookout was still a success without that top one in place. Very good and solid unit for the price.
A few words on assembly- Definitely a two person job and takes about 2 hours. I read some reviews by others who've purchased this unit and some said that the holes didn't line up...? Well if you tighten the screws all the way one at a time then yes, you may have problems. But that goes for anything that you're assembling. If you get all the screws loosely in place on the piece your are connecting, and then tighten them, you won't have that issue.
My only complaint is that the racks at 5" apart make it difficult to load up the tray fully. For example, my second smoke on Tuesday was about 50 chicken wings, and getting them into the back of the unit took some effort. I suppose I could have removed the unused racks (and maybe I'll do that next time).
All in all, this is a solid unit that can handle some serious food output for large groups of people. Maintains a pretty even temperature top to bottom (a bit hotter near the smoke box on the bottom rack but what can you do). I would definitely recommend to friends, and I would wager one or two may even buy one for themselves after seeing the unit perform.
Consumer : This was a great buy BUT
These are add-on comments after almost 1 year. The grill still is very good. You still can't beat it for hanging ribs (beef or pork) and beer can chicken is spot on every time. However, Dyna-Glo took what was a great product and made it good. They chose to use cheaper metals and coating on the fire box. Therefore here I am almost a year later and the fire box is rusting. The cooking chamber is in perfect condition but I have to get the rust off of the fire box and repaint it. I am not happy about having to do this.
As we speak I have a slab of beef ribs hanging and a pan of baked beans on one of the shelves below. Please Dyna_glo fix the rust problem and you will have a fantastic product.
I was not in the market for a smoker. I have a Char-griller Outlaw that is a fantastic grill but requires a lot of attention when doing long smokes. I have an Egg that is good for long smokes but does not hold a lot of food for smoking. This smoker is the best of both worlds.
It took a couple of hours to put it together and install the Lava lock around the door, the back door and the fire
box. Now there are no smoke leaks. I wiped it down with cooking oil and burned it in twice adding a piece of hickory to make sure it was well seasoned.
My first smoking was large turkey drumsticks. It took 3.5 hours and they were perfect. They came out juicy AND when I checked the temp of the meat the temp was the same on all 3 shelves. Next I cooked chicken wings and thighs. I cooked a lot of chicken and it filled 4 shelves. The wings were all done at the same time. The wings were juicy. Again it was a great smoke.
I have a reputation as a very good cook. The Dyna-glo is the perfect smoker for me.
Joe B. : Perfect smoker for the money!!
I originally was looking to purchase a horizontal smoker, but was unable to find one without spending a lot of money. I was very happy when opened the box & saw the thickness of the steel. This is a very well made smoker. The parts are much thicker steel than I expected, which makes the smoker heavy once fully assembled.
I am 2 months out of Rotator Cuff Surgery, and was able to assemble the smoke by myself in approx. 1 hour. I probably take a little extra "OCD" in doing things, so with 2 people or someone with 2 good arms, it could be accomplished in less time.
I plan on "seasoning" the smoker as soon as I can so I can start to make some great meat!!
James Moore : Dyna glo smoker is a good starter smoker.
This thing is great I have used it several times since I got it. It was easy to assemble and seal. I seasoned it. The only problem or complaint I have is on long smoke jobs above 8-9 hours the bottom of the firebox fills up and it is hard to remove the ash. I tried a 16 hour smoke on 60 lbs of brisket for a large family get together. Ended up using a little self made hook to pull ash through the air vent on the side of the fire box drawer.
John : Worth the money
Love the smoker and it looks awesome. Had to do some modifications to retain more heat and converted it to combo charcoal and electric smoker. While this might not be best for all it works beautifully for me. With the smoker gaskets and electric heating element it's my dream machine. Seasoned up perfect and with the addition of a rain guard it looks bad to the bone. Cooks and regulates heat distribution well. I would buy this again with are without modifications I added to it. 5 stars all the way.
you can compare the product price from Costco, wayfair, bestbuy, lowes, target, homedepot, Walmart, ebay, amazon to find the best price for you
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