Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker with Char-Broil Performance Smoker Cover, Kettle Grill review and price compare 2025
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Questions about Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker with Char-Broil Performance Smoker Cover, Kettle Grill
Q:
If I want to use this smoker to smoke salmon do I need a cold smoking assembly? And if so do you sell one for this unit?
Answer: A cold smoking assembly would not be needed to smoke salmon in this Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker.
Answer: I think there is some confusion about the difference between hot and cold smoking. No way you can cold smoke with this unit...
Q:
How many amps does it run
Answer: This Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker is rated for 10 amps.
Q:
Do you put the wood chips in the small tray above the heating element? Do you have to put water in the other tray? First time smoker :)
Answer: Yeah the wood chips go in the bucket above the heating element. You don'y have to put water if you want, but it helps keep the food from drying out.
Answer: Yes, the water goes in the tray on the left and the wood chips on the right. Although the water may or may not be needed depending on what you are smoking.
Answer: In answer to your first question. Yes
Answer: That's the way i do it. and the water to catch the drippings
Q:
Is this product good enough to make texas brisket?? Is any one has tried it?
Answer: I love mine. I've made brisket, chicken, pork loin. And it does a wonderful job. If you smoke a chicken and make chicken salad out of that chicken you will never make un-smoked chicken salad again...
Answer: Haven’t tried Texas brisket but it is great unit and holds temperature well
Answer: Yes yes yes. Cooked the brisket like a pro
Answer: I've smoked a couple briskets in mine. I've done ribs , pork butt and chicken. it works well .
Q:
Where is this smoker made?
Answer: Unfortunatly.......China. But it is well made and maintains the temperature perfectly. I did major research on smokers and all the digital ones crap out after a short time. I’ve had this one for a few months and cooked a brisket and several batches of jerky and it’s awesome. Still getting the duration down pat for jerky, but overall it’s great.
Answer: you're kidding, right? It's made where everything else is made. And I don't mean Iceland. If it could talk it would be able to converse with Mao Tse Tung
Answer: Not sure but it works great!
Q:
Can this smoke a whole brisket and/or does it need to be cut in half?
Answer: This depends on the size of your brisket. The body of this Analog Electric Smoker measures 28.54" x 16.9" x 13.66".
Q:
Do the drippings collect at the very bottom and the exit the smoker into the drip pan? If so, how much liquid can the drip pan hold?
Answer: This Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker has two grease boxes that can easily be removed. The holding area of each measures 4"length x 4"width x 1.7"height.
Answer: The drippings collect at the bottom but do not exit the smoker, they stay in the drip pan which collects about 12 ounces of liquid.
Answer: Are use an aluminum pan so I get no drippings
Q:
Need a new power cord thermostat control assembly, where can I find one. Thanks
Answer: The thermostat kit for this Analog Electric Smoker is model # AVES1058. Give us a call at 1-800-241-7548 and we will be able to assist with ordering.
Q:
Can this smoker be used on a wooden floor?
Answer: I use it regularly on a wooden deck and have had no issues whatsoever. It is fairly well insulated and you can touch the outside of the box without burning your hand while in use.
Answer: yes. It has metal legs that you must attach for air flow.
Q:
Wondering why I put it on 5 and the tempature gauge on the outside didn't move at all.. Had it on for 2 hours? Nothing in it but the trays.
Answer: The tempature gauge might not be working right try to get a oven tempature gauge that sit on the racks in side the smoker or the oven and try it
Answer: We're very sorry to hear of the frustrations. We value you as a Char-Broil customer and want you to enjoy using this Analog Electric Smoker. Please give us a call at 1-800-241-7548 and we will be able to best investigate and assist.
Answer: Did the thermostat control have a red light illuminate when you turned the thermostat to 5? If yes, then make sure you have the thermostat control assembly fully plugged into the socket on the side of the smoker. If it still doesn't heat, the heating element might be defective. I would call the tech support phone number listed in your instruction manual.
Answer: Just to clarify, are you saying the unit was hot but the outside temperature gauge was not registering?
Answer: Something must be wrong. My has to be plugged directly in the outlet . I tried it with extention cord , but it would not work.
Answer: sounds like heating element is not working
Q:
I'm getting a hard black residue above my wood chips pan, is this normal?
Answer: It's creosote from burning wood
Answer: Did you burn the paint prior to using the first time? That’s will explain your black residue
Answer: This may be carbon buildup. Please give us a call at 1-866-239-6777 and we'll be happy to investigate this and help.
Answer: Yup.....shove the pan up ur butthole and that should correct the issue
Answer: Yes. mine does the same. Still works as it should and I’ve had it for over a year now
Q:
how often do you refill chips during a smoke? is it hard to get back up to temp after closing the door?
Answer: Used it twice. Made bacon and smoked the meat and smoked ribs. Filled the chips and did not replace them. Temp goes back quickly. Food was delicious. Great flavor
Q:
Can wheels be attached to the bottom of the smoker instead of the supplied legs?
Answer: i cut 4 blocks of wood and bolted them to the insides of the legs then put casters from harbor freight on mine, so yes but leave the legs on the smoker it makes it easier
Answer: It is not set up for that, but one could drill holes in the legs and attach wheels purchased separately.
Answer: I’m not sure, but I will say this unit is not super heavy. I’m not very strong and I can lift up and carry it from inside our garage out to our deck.
Answer: i built a frame from angle iron and added wells from an old lawnmower
Answer: Maybe with a drill and nuts n bolts
Answer: Try it and let us know...
Q:
Can I use 220-240 v electricity
Answer: No! This unit is set up for 110-115 volt single phase. (common american house wall outlet power.
Answer: 110 only.
Answer: No 110v only.
Q:
does grease drip onto the heating element?
Answer: No, there is a protective drip tray.
Answer: No, there's a metal tray above the coils.
Answer: I put my food in a tin foil pan to prevent that.
Q:
Can the electric coil be replaced?
Answer: The heating element for this Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker is model # AVES1047. This part can be ordered directly from Char-Broil. Give us a call at 1-800-241-7548 and we will be able to best assist with ordering.
Q:
Can I smoke cheese in this smoker
Answer: Cheese is generally 'cold smoked'. This smoker, as designed won't allow you to cold smoke anything. I find it only starts really producing smoke at 225 or above. There are ways you can, however. But you'll have to google 'ways to cold smoke' for yourself.
Answer: You can if you get A-maze-n pellets. They generate a lot of smoke with their own smoldering minimal heat. No other heat needed.
Q:
What are inside dimensions?
Answer: Probably 12 inches deep by 16 inches wide. Plenty of room with 3 shelves. I love this thing. I’ve done a half of a brisket and a batch of jerky. The temperature maintains exactly where you want it. The brisket was perfect, but I left the jerky in too long and it dried out because the door seal works great and I didn’t refill the water pan. I’ll get it better next time.
Answer: 27" tall .....15" wide. ....13" deep ....built like a tank! Love it!
Answer: Read the specifications on it. They should be listed.
Answer: Don't know item was purchased as a gift.
Q:
Where can I get a screw for the rail at the bottom of smoker that cover the pans and element? Screw broke off and the left rail is leaning.
Answer: Not sure, my smoker came in damaged and I am still waiting for a new one to be shipped to me. ?? :(
Answer: You should be able to find all parts on the Char-Broil website. They do sell a hardware kit for $6.99
Answer: Contact Charbroil.
Q:
Is there an insulated cover that can be used for wintertime smoking?
Answer: The cover recommended for this model is model number 9496789P06.
Answer: Don’t really need one. It maintains temperature real good.
Answer: We live in a cold weather state and use ours all winter
Answer: I don't know, one did not come with the smoker.
Answer: Not included. However, this has worked well.
Q:
How many watts is the heating element rated at?
Answer: This Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker is rated for 1200 W. Give us a call at 1-800-241-7548 and we will be able to provide more details.
Answer: It says 120v 1600 watts on the bottom of the heating control. I didn't see anything else on it.
Answer: I looked through the manual that came with mine and I can't find the wattage for the element.
Answer: I looked at the product description on Amazon and it says 1000W.
Q:
Can this smoker be stored outdoors with the cover on? Will the warranty be void if stored outdoor?
Answer: With the cover used, this smoker can definitely be stored outdoors. Give us a call at 1-866-239-6777 and we'll be happy to provide details on using this Analog Electric Smoker.
Answer: I dont know about the warrantee but after reading a number of reviews, we have decided to store it outside with a cover. The electronics that unplug are kept in a zip lock bag inside of an outdoor sauna. We are in Buffalo, NY so it does get cold and snowy here.
Answer: Yes ....I store mine with a cover on my balcony of my gulf beach condo for a year at least and it’s held up excellent so far.
Answer: All I can say is mines on a covered porch, with this cover on it. Unless you have a garage, I wouldn't want that in the house after it's used more than twice. Follow the manufacturer warranty guidelines to be safe. Mine isn't getting wet but it's still not inside.
Answer: I don't know about warranty, but I keep mine outdoors with cover on. It stays quite well. Since it is an outside unit I would imagine it is covered under warranty
Answer: Moisture can make the heating element rust which can cause an
Q:
can you please give me the shipping weight and carton dimensions for this smoker ? Thanks.
Answer: 50 pounds - box is apx 16 x 23 x 38 inches
Answer: Sorry, can't answer you. I do know I had to have a neighbor help me get it to the garage where I've got it set up. (I'm 75 yrs old)
Answer: no i can't
Q:
How is this smoker with maintaining steady temperature above 300?
Answer: The smoker maintains well at temperature 300. For further information on this smoker you can contact us at 1-800-241-7548.
Answer: Mine holds at all Temps I have used from 225-300
Answer: I’m sorry, I usually only smoke at temps lower than 300. But it does hold at those lower temps very well.
Answer: perfect, i use it on 350 and 400 all the time, it will go up to 400 degrees, even in winter time, the temp setting is kinda hard to set at first but once you get it you will get it first try every time after, it will hold the heat good till you put wood chips in it. when the wood chips first start smoking you will get about a 5 degree temp increase but thats just for a few minutes it will return to normal soon enough
Answer: It maxes out around 400
Q:
Will pellets produce smoke for a longer time compared to wood chips?
Answer: I dont think pellets will get hot enough to start smoldering. They are very compacted . You would probably be better off with water logged wood chips.
Answer: personally In use a smoke tube which uses pellets. The larger ones will create smoke for around 6 hours. Bonus they can be used in your smoker for cold smoking also. I have found they work better than the chip tray that comes with the smoker. They last long enough you wont need to refill them. I have used different brands and shapes I have found the round 12 inch work best for me. If you don't need smoke that long adjust that by loading less pellets.
Answer: Yes...I use jack Daniels pellets
Answer: Yes pellets last longer
Answer: Based on our experience, they are about the same
Q:
what is the rack part number?
Answer: Each cooking grate for this Analog Smoker is model # FDES301084. This part can be purchased directly from Char-Broil. Give us a call at 1-800-241-7548 and we will be able to help.
Answer: all I have is that it is part # 10 on the parts list and is called "Cooking Grate"
Q:
So which is it 1200 or 1000W your add says both?
Answer: We apologize for the confusion. This Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker is rated for 1200 W.
Q:
Are there any ports to route digital thermometer leads?
Answer: Yes. It can pass through the door edge or through one of the side vents.
Answer: Yes, you can run them right through the vents on either side.
Q:
Can this smoker sit out in the weather ?
Answer: I would not allow it to sit in the weather without a good waterproof cover because the electrical connector on the bottom side and the glass temperature gauge on the door. As with any man made object, weather will break it down.
Answer: We keep ours in our shelter house. I just take the cord inside after use. As far as in direct weather, I don’t think you would want to use in the rain, but would probably be ok outside with a cover when not in use. However, it is light enough that it would be very easy to move inside to store after use.
Answer: I have mine on a covered porch so I'm not sure. But I did buy a cover for mine because it is slightly exposed to the elements because it's near the edge. We love it!
Q:
Are the vent ports on each side adjustable, i.e. Will they close/open?
Answer: The vents on the sides of this Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker are not adjustable.
Answer: The vents are slots and are open at all times. We've never had an issue with temp control. This is our 5th smoker and is our favorite!
Answer: No, the vents on each side are fixed openings, Not adjustable.
Answer: They do not have a cover to close those vents you could probably make something quite easily,but not really needed it works fine the way it is
Answer: No they are not adjustable.
Answer: No.
Q:
what is the temperature range on this unit? Can i choose an exact temp, or do i have to guess at it?
Answer: No exact gage, you have to guess. My experience is the the numbers on the dial represent the degrees in hundreds (1=100 degrees-ish and so on). I just bought a remote cooking thermometer and keep a probe on the inside to measure the temp. Once you get it dialed it works like a charm but a lot of trail and error however I am happy.
Answer: It has a pretty accurate analog thermometer on the door. Practice in usage will give you a good idea where to turn knob on heating unit to reach a certain temp range
Answer: I have found that the range is from about 175 degrees F. on the low end to about 350 degrees in warm weather. In cold weather, it tops out at about 300 degrees. This is an analog smoker -- it uses a control like the ones on electric frying pans. You'll have to experiment to determine where to set the dial to achieve a particular temperature, but it doesn't take long to figure it out. If you want set-and-forget convenience, pay more for a digital electric smoker.
Q:
how hot can it get?
Answer: This Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker is able to reach temperatures around 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Answer: Mine tops out around 350F
Answer: Up to about 350F
Q:
Does anyone know how to order a 4th rack? The smoker is set up to handle 4 racks, but only comes with 3.
Answer: Call manufacturer. Good thing about this brand is they have parts.
Q:
What is the biggest turkey I can fit in this smoker?
Answer: The body of this Analog Electric Smoker measures 28.54" x 16.9" x 13.66". Please check the size of your turkey.
Answer: The smoker has removable shelves so it should be able to take a 16 to 20 lb turkey.
Q:
Can I use wood chunks instead of chips?
Answer: I have used my smoker just one time since I bought it a couple of months ago. Yes, I used wood chunks instead of chips. However, the container that holds the chips/chunks is not real large, so you may have to cut the chunks up a little to make them fit.
Answer: Yes, that's what i use. Need to use pieces that are not too high so the tray will slide in. One full tray is all you need for most smoking.
Q:
Is a basic cookbook included? can you spray nonstick spray like pam on grills for easier cleaning?
Answer: There was a small cooking inst. manual with it, but not really a cookbook. And I don't see why one couldn't spray the racks first, but mine clean up really well with only the drippings from the meat.
Q:
I looked at this at 1pm on primeday. it was listed at $99.00 i waited till after 3pm when prime day started and it juumped tp $127.00.why is this ???
Answer: On prime day items are offered for time slot, to benefit you need to buy during the slot
Q:
Can this smoker be used just as a warmer????
Answer: This Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker is able to reach temperatures up to around 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Answer: I think use as a warmer would work. You might need to test the setting of the thermostat control because it would be operating at a lower setting than the dial markings.
Answer: It can do low temperatures. It’s quite possible.
Q:
How big of a turkey will this hold, and can I do more than one at a time?
Answer: This depends on the size of the turkey. The body of this Analog Electric Smoker measures 28.54" x 16.9" x 13.66".
Q:
Will this hold a full size catering pan????
Answer: No it will hold half pans
Q:
How hot can this get to?
Answer: Max seems to be about 225 F
Q:
does the door come with a Gasket?
Answer: There is no gasket on or around door opening.
Q:
I do not see a handle to open the door...how does the door open?
Answer: Unlatch the two clips on the right side of the door and pull it open.
Q:
How do I get a replacement cord plug?
Answer: Call char broil.
Q:
It seems like this smoker kicks out a lot of smoke way more than Smoke Hollow electric smoker. Has anyone else noticed this?
Answer: If you are experiencing any issues with this Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker please give us a call at 1-800-241-7548 and we will be able to best investigate and assist.
Q:
What is the highest temperature on this unit?
Answer: I am not sure what the highest temp is because I use mine for smoking meat only. I never go over about 300 degrees which correlates to about a number 3 on the analog controller, which goes up to 5. based on that it MIGHT go to 500 degrees, just a guess.
Answer: The highest I have had mine is 300 F
Answer: I believe it will get up to 350 with most things cooked will need only 170 degrees.
Answer: they say 350 but mine will and has hit 450.
Answer: 350 degrees
Answer: 350
Answer: 400
Q:
Is their a stand for this smoker
Answer: No, we do not provide a stand for this smoker. I apologize for the inconvenience.
Answer: You attach the legs to the smoker as shown in the picture and then sit it on a flat surface. It works great!!
Answer: No stand. We just put it right on the grass. But 4 patio bricks would also work.
Q:
Lost instructions. How do we season our new electric analog smolker?
Answer: Run it on the highest setting for 3 hours. Make sure all the racks and pans are in it. Don’t put chips in it, just run it empty.
Answer: Place all internal accessories inside the smoker and latch the door. Turn on high heat for 2 to 3 hours and then let cool.
Q:
How hot will this unit get?
Answer: A lot of variables to that question, but we haven't had any trouble getting it to 350F
Q:
Is it already assembled?
Answer: It is about 97% assembled. Just install the racks and the burner and drip trays. Good to go.
Answer: No, some assembly is required. The legs must be put on, but each only have 2 bolts. The electric element has 3 bolts, and then the drip tray, wood chip tray, water tray, and grates just have to be slid into place. So, assembly is fast and easy.
Answer: Minimal assembly (i.e. feet and burner)
Answer: No. Some assembly is required.
Answer: You have to put on the feet, handles, and the element shelf.
Product reviews of Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker with Char-Broil Performance Smoker Cover, Kettle Grill
Ms. A : Father's Day Gift
Got it for my boyfriend on Father's Day, received it a week later...he had been smoking meat ever since. It's a good gift for a BBQ lover. The 1 thing that I didn't appreciate was the little dent in the door.
Ms. A : Father's Day Gift
Got it for my boyfriend on Father's Day, received it a week later...he had been smoking meat ever since. It's a good gift for a BBQ lover. The 1 thing that I didn't appreciate was the little dent in the door.
Michael C : Learning Curve
Nice smoker, but it takes awhile to learn where to set the temp for smoking. I've used various smokers for 40 years and never had an issue with them getting too hot. It seems the "smoke" setting on the Char Broil is not hot enough to provide a good smoke, but you go just beyond the "smoke" setting and it starts cooking. Guess I just need to experiment more.
Peter : Pay for what you get
Pay for what you get. It’s a great cheap smoker to get your feet wet. When I have food in it struggles to go past 300-310. The chip tray is small and won’t smoke bellow 300 either. Even if I’m able to get good chips and smoke at 250. Smoke escapes from the door crevices. It fits my needs for now, I will prolly upgrade in a few years for a better one.
Kirk : Great little smoker
Ok....let me see if I can help someone make a decision on which smoker to purchase. This is a great little smoker, I haven't had any issues with it. The biggest difference I see in the smokers is this one comes with a metal insert over the wood chip box and the water tray. This insert allows you to put an aluminum pan with whatever liquid you prefer to use in it and also allows for much easier clean up. How I use my smoker is.....I take out the water tray and the wood chip box. I place an aluminum pan on the metal insert with water or whatever mixture you want to use. For my smoke I use a pellet tray, once it's lit I place it on the bottom of the smoker and let it do it's thing. Everything I've smoked has come out great with great smoke flavor. The clean up is great just remove the aluminum pan and toss it....they're only about $1 each, take the racks out and put in dishwasher and replace with pans you removed during smoking for storage. My only complaint about this smoker is that it is very close to the ground.
Shannon R : Very consistent cook
I used to be a charcoal guy but I am dabbling in sausage production at some volume now and switched to electric for the consistency and low maintenance. I bought this unit to be my test kitchen and to use casually for cooking for my church. It's has a spacious chamber and is easy to put together. It's well made and solid. I've bought Charbroil before when I used charcoal smokers and was pleased with the brand.
Let me talk about my first cook. Even though I bought it for sausages and volume items like pulled pork and brisket, the first thing I cooked in it was a whole chicken. I read the manual beforehand, having never used an electric unit before. So, I followed the manufacturer's recommendations a day before to run for 2-3 hrs. to burn off the oils used in the manufacturing process. I had brined the chicken overnight and put it in the unit at about 11. I took it off to rest at 3:30 and it was well-cooked (and delectable). The unit produced consistent smoke and the temperature was rock steady. I was quite pleased.
My only suggestion would be to supply a fourth (the unit comes with 3) cooking grate, since there is room and even rails for it in the chamber and it would certainly be useful for ribs or smoked fish.
Let me talk about my first cook. Even though I bought it for sausages and volume items like pulled pork and brisket, the first thing I cooked in it was a whole chicken. I read the manual beforehand, having never used an electric unit before. So, I followed the manufacturer's recommendations a day before to run for 2-3 hrs. to burn off the oils used in the manufacturing process. I had brined the chicken overnight and put it in the unit at about 11. I took it off to rest at 3:30 and it was well-cooked (and delectable). The unit produced consistent smoke and the temperature was rock steady. I was quite pleased.
My only suggestion would be to supply a fourth (the unit comes with 3) cooking grate, since there is room and even rails for it in the chamber and it would certainly be useful for ribs or smoked fish.
jmarsh : Great smoker - Not so good customer support.
Great smoker. Customer support kinda lacking
First, the smoker...
This is a great smoker. It works very well and produces excellent food. Two things though... One, I have to use a wireless temperature gauge to judge how hot it is inside the smoker. The gauge on the front is not accurate plus after one rain, its so fogged up you can't read it anymore. Wish they would have taken more time with that. Second issue is the customer support.
Customer support
My smoker came with the wrong wire racks. I have tried multiple times to contact support but have not had much success. It seems that the technology they use is terrible. Can't click support replies and they insist on a picture of the racks they sent. I guess, they don't believe me and assume I am just looking for more free racks??? However, the website wont let me upload anything. Just gives me an error saying to try again later. The support people don't seem to care and closed my ticket instead of helping me figure it out.
So, I found some adjustable racks at the hardware store and am using those.
I expected more...
First, the smoker...
This is a great smoker. It works very well and produces excellent food. Two things though... One, I have to use a wireless temperature gauge to judge how hot it is inside the smoker. The gauge on the front is not accurate plus after one rain, its so fogged up you can't read it anymore. Wish they would have taken more time with that. Second issue is the customer support.
Customer support
My smoker came with the wrong wire racks. I have tried multiple times to contact support but have not had much success. It seems that the technology they use is terrible. Can't click support replies and they insist on a picture of the racks they sent. I guess, they don't believe me and assume I am just looking for more free racks??? However, the website wont let me upload anything. Just gives me an error saying to try again later. The support people don't seem to care and closed my ticket instead of helping me figure it out.
So, I found some adjustable racks at the hardware store and am using those.
I expected more...
Charlie : Great Smoker- easy to use, easy to control. Love this thing!
I really like this smoker. My 10 lb pork shoulder/Boston butt came out absolutely perfect on the very first try. If you are new to smoking, get an internal temperature probe for your meat so you can tell when the internal temp is reached. Other than that it was very easy to get this smoker working, and keep it at the temperature I wanted. Yes I wish it had a digital adjustment and not a turn knob, but it was actually surprisingly easy to adjust and I had no trouble keeping the temp exactly where I needed it for 12+ hours. I am extremely happy that I went with an electric smoker and not a traditional kind, this was so much easier and the results were fantastic.
S. Dalton : Very Well Built!
After many hours of research to find a smoker, I decided on this one. So far it is exactly as described! The first batch of snack sticks are doing wonderful and the analog temperature control is maintaining the heat right on. I read too many bad things about the digital units and am very happy with this one. Thank you Char Broil for a well built product. The only drawback is “MADE IN CHINA”. Damnit!
GANBATEKUDASAI : looks good and works well
Easy to set up, literally less than 10 minutes and it's up an running. Plug n play doesn't get much easier that this. The initial use suggests you place it on high for 2 hours and the temp Guage reached over 350° (outside temp here is sunny in the 90s anyways). So far so good, I like how its double walled so the unit outside doesn't get scorching hot. The down side is the metal is weak and gets dinged easily. Not the manufacturer fault, but I beleive during shipping the unit suffered a dent in the corner and the door. Maybe charbroil could use more packaging to protect it (the top and bottom have Styrofoam, the middle doesnt. However the cosmetic imperfections didn't lower the performance and Amazon assisted me with fixing the dings on a brand new unit.
I would suggest a UNICOOk cover that I found fit well. Size 18Wx17Dx33H. The specs on the smoker suggests its too small but it fits fine. Just a tip
I would suggest a UNICOOk cover that I found fit well. Size 18Wx17Dx33H. The specs on the smoker suggests its too small but it fits fine. Just a tip
jmarsh : Great smoker - Not so good customer support.
Great smoker. Customer support kinda lacking
First, the smoker...
This is a great smoker. It works very well and produces excellent food. Two things though... One, I have to use a wireless temperature gauge to judge how hot it is inside the smoker. The gauge on the front is not accurate plus after one rain, its so fogged up you can't read it anymore. Wish they would have taken more time with that. Second issue is the customer support.
Customer support
My smoker came with the wrong wire racks. I have tried multiple times to contact support but have not had much success. It seems that the technology they use is terrible. Can't click support replies and they insist on a picture of the racks they sent. I guess, they don't believe me and assume I am just looking for more free racks??? However, the website wont let me upload anything. Just gives me an error saying to try again later. The support people don't seem to care and closed my ticket instead of helping me figure it out.
So, I found some adjustable racks at the hardware store and am using those.
I expected more...
First, the smoker...
This is a great smoker. It works very well and produces excellent food. Two things though... One, I have to use a wireless temperature gauge to judge how hot it is inside the smoker. The gauge on the front is not accurate plus after one rain, its so fogged up you can't read it anymore. Wish they would have taken more time with that. Second issue is the customer support.
Customer support
My smoker came with the wrong wire racks. I have tried multiple times to contact support but have not had much success. It seems that the technology they use is terrible. Can't click support replies and they insist on a picture of the racks they sent. I guess, they don't believe me and assume I am just looking for more free racks??? However, the website wont let me upload anything. Just gives me an error saying to try again later. The support people don't seem to care and closed my ticket instead of helping me figure it out.
So, I found some adjustable racks at the hardware store and am using those.
I expected more...
Darrell Hester : Great deal
I used a Lil Chief for years, Moved and had to leave behind. It was easy to use and light weight.
This smoker is build strong and heavy duty. Easy to use and seals great. Love it.
Good value and looking forward to using it lots soon.
Will buy again once I wear this one out.
This smoker is build strong and heavy duty. Easy to use and seals great. Love it.
Good value and looking forward to using it lots soon.
Will buy again once I wear this one out.
John T. : Doesn't smoke at lower temps and temp gauge inaccurate
I seasoned the smoker as suggested, and I'm trying to smoke some salmon. I put the smoker on high, the smoke started, and I turned it back to where my thermocouple showed 140. The smoke stopped. I have it up to 200 on the thermocouple, and it still isn't smoking. Also, the door temp gauge shows 250, when the thermocouple is 200. All temps in Fahrenheit. Might be a good entry smoker for the casual user, but not good for a person who smokes a wide variety of fish and meat.
armaraas : Hmm...quality control issues?
Alright...finally getting ready to set this up after 2 weeks of waiting. The first one I received had a hole in the box that dented the door and chipped the paint, so I sent it back. Not the manufacturer's fault likely, not sure when it happened. So waited for the replacement this week, finally unboxed today. The box was nice and clean, no damage. But upon opening it, the front door has a big dent near the top, where you can see the braces in the corner in the door now because they protrude around the dent...I'm thinking the goal should have been a nice smooth surface on the front...right?? And the edge of the door has another dent. The box appeared never opened so they packed it this way??? Sad comment on the quality you can expect. I cannot recommend this at its full price because it seems a crapshoot if what you will get does not come dented already. Been looking for a smoker for months now, so not sure what I'll do with this. What a hassle.
Amazon Customer : All OK so far
Item delivered early. Easy assembly, with one exception - had to ream out one hole to attach one handle. Break in seasoning underway - reached 225 in 15 minutes. Seems to have reached a top temp in the 365 area (all temps from my remote temp unit). Temp gauge on door still reads 200 - no surprise - same result on my Smokey Mountain bullet smoker. After break is done I will load up a couple of racks of chicken wings. Result to follow.
Follow up: I have done a full rack of chicken wings and a half rack of chicken thighs. Both turned out well. I used Cameron’s extra fine wood.
I am an old school smoker using a Weber Smokey Mountain 18” bullet smoker fired with charcoal and using wood chunks to create smoke. I am used to having to watch temps carefully during the smoking process so figiting with the electric temps is familiar for me. Having to refill the wood supply in the electric smoker every hour or so is, IMHO, the only draw back so far.
Follow up: I have done a full rack of chicken wings and a half rack of chicken thighs. Both turned out well. I used Cameron’s extra fine wood.
I am an old school smoker using a Weber Smokey Mountain 18” bullet smoker fired with charcoal and using wood chunks to create smoke. I am used to having to watch temps carefully during the smoking process so figiting with the electric temps is familiar for me. Having to refill the wood supply in the electric smoker every hour or so is, IMHO, the only draw back so far.
The Riz : Look, Ma...no dents!
This Char Broil Analog electric smoker is exactly what I wanted. Solid, high quality, simple, basic with no frills. My big concern was the negative reviews about buyers receiving damaged goods. Mine came today in perfect condition. Dents and scratches? It wasn't even dusty. I spent many hours on Amazon, You Tube, Cabelas and at Lowes, Ace hardware, Walmart, Gander Mountain and Big R. I've also had two Masterbuilt smokers and at no place, no time, no how have I seen an electric smoker built as strong as the Char Broil Analog Electric Smoker. As for frills...OK...I confess. I use a few blue tooth probes with an app that lets me check meat and heat chamber temperatures on my smart phone. What a world we live in. Oh, if you're interested, the smartphone thermometer system I mentioned is the Nobebird blue tooth set you can order from Amazon. It works with either iPhone or Android. It's amazing.
Update: I wonder if some of the reviews concerning lack of smoke might stem from using the wrong pan? The grease drip pan and the wood chip pan are the same size. The wood chip pan has air holes. The grease drip pan does not. If wood chips are put in the wrong pan, I can see where there would be a lack of air. Before I used mine, and based on the reviews, I made the six holes already in the wood chip pan larger using an 11/64 drill bit. It's a smoke monster. Can't help but think it would have been fine the way it came.
Update: I wonder if some of the reviews concerning lack of smoke might stem from using the wrong pan? The grease drip pan and the wood chip pan are the same size. The wood chip pan has air holes. The grease drip pan does not. If wood chips are put in the wrong pan, I can see where there would be a lack of air. Before I used mine, and based on the reviews, I made the six holes already in the wood chip pan larger using an 11/64 drill bit. It's a smoke monster. Can't help but think it would have been fine the way it came.
RJ : Too beat up to use
I can’t say for sure if it’s good or bad because it was too beat up to use. This is in no way a reflection of the seller, or the product itself. Sadly somewhere between point A & point B it looks like it got hit with a sledge hammer a few times. I will say I am less than thrilled with the return policy. Is what it is. This does inspire me to go buy one in person at an actual store just like I did before I succumbed to the ease of online ordering.
Tim F : Good smoker. Consistent temperature.
Solidly built. Easy and fun to use. Easy to control proper temperature. Closer to old school, fun to actually take part in smoking your food instead of just waiting for an automatic, digital, app controlled, auger fed machine to do it all for you. I highly recommend this smoker.
Derek Rendahl : Decent Electric Smoker
This is great as a starter smoker, and since my apartment complex doesnt allow open flames near the building, having an electric smoker is extremely beneficial. Operation is simple, plug it in, dial the control to the heat that you want (you might have to adjust it to find the right temp for you), and I've noticed the thermometer on the door is relatively accurate compared to the digital thermometer I use to monitor the temp inside the cabinet. Assembly wasn't awful, it took maybe 20 minutes. When I recieved mine, the temperature dial was broken so I filed a warranty claim with Charbroil and by the next week they had sent me a new part at no charge.
Now for it's use/flavor. The woodchip tray is relatively small, but it still let's out a good amount of smoke. Unfortunately, I've yet to get any semblance of a smoke ring, and unless smoking meat with no seasoning, you really don't taste much smoke flavor, though it works great as an "outdoor oven". I think in order to get the true effects of a smoker, youd need a gas smoker or one you can continuously feed wood/woodchips into to keep the steady smoke going throughout the cooking process. Still a good product, prefer it over their digital unit that crapped out on me after a year.
Now for it's use/flavor. The woodchip tray is relatively small, but it still let's out a good amount of smoke. Unfortunately, I've yet to get any semblance of a smoke ring, and unless smoking meat with no seasoning, you really don't taste much smoke flavor, though it works great as an "outdoor oven". I think in order to get the true effects of a smoker, youd need a gas smoker or one you can continuously feed wood/woodchips into to keep the steady smoke going throughout the cooking process. Still a good product, prefer it over their digital unit that crapped out on me after a year.
Jeff A. Carlson : So far I like it a lot
The analog smoker seems built to last and my first meat project was a major success.. I'm a veteran fish smoker with the little chief, but wanted to get into smoking meats. 1 1/2 pan of hickory chips for a roast cooked at 220, about 3 1/2 hours left a very smokey flavor. I'm glad I didn't add another pan. Always use 2-3 times the chips in my mini chief to get the right amount of smoke.
sporadic : Great smoker for the money
Loving this smoker so far. Dinging it one star on value since there's space for 4 cooking racks and they only include 3. If you want the 4th rack, you're looking at ~$19 shipped from the manufacturer. Performance wise, I love it. Smoke box is a little small and I only get about an hour out of a load of chips, but that's to be expected on an electric smoker like this. The analog gauge was spot on when compared to my Maverick digital thermometer. Also, the probes for the Maverick fit right through the vents. If they would've included 4 racks, it'd be an easy 5 star. That's 72 poppers in the pictures. 3 dozen jalapenos halved, 72 slices of bacon, pounds of cheese, two hours, and tons of yumminess.
Lee : Great Smoker
After seasoning the smoker, I smoked three Thanksgiving hams, a Christmas turkey , and ribs on different days. I used pecan pellets without soaking and each time only replenished them one time and that was just the right smoke taste for us. I set the smoker on highest setting until it got hot, turned it down to 3 1/2 added the water and pellets, and that kept the temperature at 250 which I like to smoke my meat. Love my new smoker
Spotted One : Best way to go
My wife bought me an analog smoker a few tears back to see if I liked it. I loved it. I use smoke tubes to supplement the amount of smoke. But I will say the analog is the way to go. I have friends that have digital and it seems they all have problems with the components at one point or another. The analog and a good thermometer is hands down the best way to go. Once you get to know your smoker its as easy as set it and forget it.
B Johns : One small tweak makes this a great smoker!
Purchased June 2020. Used 4 times since. I'm impressed so far! This has a sturdy construction, the two heavy duty latches on the door are certainly a pro. Mine did come dented but didn't affect it working. Temperature is spot on and is very easy to control. You can fit a good amount of meat on it but if you're looking to smoke larger brisket, racks of ribs you may need to turn your ribs diagonal to make them fit. The trays (3) include are fairly close together so removing one helps in smoking a whole chicken or pork shoulder. If your looking to smoke large cuts or a lit if meat definitely suggest stepping up in size. Regarding smoke output the chip tray sits too close to the heat and will burn up your chips (soaked or not) in less than an hour. I found a perfect solution by purchasing a 12" pellet tube for $17. This produces amazing smoke for 5-6 hours. In summary this would be the perfect smoker if it came with a pellet instead of a small chip tray and had a few more square inches of smoking capacity. Overall, very happy with it.
Crankshaft : Overall it’s worth it
Fairly straight forward to use. It works poorly with chunks of wood, but smokes quite well with pellets. I had little to no issues holding it between 225 and 300 Fahrenheit. If you want 350 or above you will probably have trouble. It’s not great for cleaning but these things never are.
Matt A. : Love this smoker
Was looking for a nice easy introduction to smoking meat and veggies and this did great! We've successfully smoked a chicken, brisket, corn, potatoes, and a DELICIOUS tri tip. It's easy to set up, easy to control the temperature, and makes delicious smoked food. It's a little difficult to clean but ultimately worth it.
LARRY WHITNEY : Good for price.
Assembled easy (neighbor did it). Holds heat consistently. One problem (one of the poprivets on one side holding the waterpan and chip pan rack was missing, so had to put a new poprivet in). Will try to smoke some pig wings today. No smoke escaping other than vents. Would like to have closeable vents, but that's just me. Good product for price.
Ron Hertel : Very good option for smoking and cooking
I've only used this once after breaking it in and had success with my first experience with it. I was used to using a Little Chief for many years. This is a big step up. I smoked a whole chicken and it turned out great. It will take some learning to understand settings for consistency for salmon which I look forward to trying. There are no temp numbers on the dial so you have to figure out how to gauge it with the numbers (1-5) on the dial. The one complaint that seems to be repeated over and over on these reviews is seeing damage to the unit itself after unboxing it; big dent on the side which doesn't affect how it smokes but it detracts from the looks of it sitting on my deck. For a few cents, Charbroil could protect the sides more than is done which would be to look more closely at packaging design to prevent damage to the unit. It looks unsightly but because of the size of it - too much hassle to send it back.
Tim F : Good smoker. Consistent temperature.
Solidly built. Easy and fun to use. Easy to control proper temperature. Closer to old school, fun to actually take part in smoking your food instead of just waiting for an automatic, digital, app controlled, auger fed machine to do it all for you. I highly recommend this smoker.
john heath : language
I am an American. I read write and speak English ["American"] I refuse to write a review about a product that the owners manual is printed with a bunch of other FOREIGN languages. Want to know how I feel about your product, change your manual to American. "ONLY"
jmarsh : Great smoker - Not so good customer support.
Great smoker. Customer support kinda lacking
First, the smoker...
This is a great smoker. It works very well and produces excellent food. Two things though... One, I have to use a wireless temperature gauge to judge how hot it is inside the smoker. The gauge on the front is not accurate plus after one rain, its so fogged up you can't read it anymore. Wish they would have taken more time with that. Second issue is the customer support.
Customer support
My smoker came with the wrong wire racks. I have tried multiple times to contact support but have not had much success. It seems that the technology they use is terrible. Can't click support replies and they insist on a picture of the racks they sent. I guess, they don't believe me and assume I am just looking for more free racks??? However, the website wont let me upload anything. Just gives me an error saying to try again later. The support people don't seem to care and closed my ticket instead of helping me figure it out.
So, I found some adjustable racks at the hardware store and am using those.
I expected more...
First, the smoker...
This is a great smoker. It works very well and produces excellent food. Two things though... One, I have to use a wireless temperature gauge to judge how hot it is inside the smoker. The gauge on the front is not accurate plus after one rain, its so fogged up you can't read it anymore. Wish they would have taken more time with that. Second issue is the customer support.
Customer support
My smoker came with the wrong wire racks. I have tried multiple times to contact support but have not had much success. It seems that the technology they use is terrible. Can't click support replies and they insist on a picture of the racks they sent. I guess, they don't believe me and assume I am just looking for more free racks??? However, the website wont let me upload anything. Just gives me an error saying to try again later. The support people don't seem to care and closed my ticket instead of helping me figure it out.
So, I found some adjustable racks at the hardware store and am using those.
I expected more...
Derek Rendahl : Decent Electric Smoker
This is great as a starter smoker, and since my apartment complex doesnt allow open flames near the building, having an electric smoker is extremely beneficial. Operation is simple, plug it in, dial the control to the heat that you want (you might have to adjust it to find the right temp for you), and I've noticed the thermometer on the door is relatively accurate compared to the digital thermometer I use to monitor the temp inside the cabinet. Assembly wasn't awful, it took maybe 20 minutes. When I recieved mine, the temperature dial was broken so I filed a warranty claim with Charbroil and by the next week they had sent me a new part at no charge.
Now for it's use/flavor. The woodchip tray is relatively small, but it still let's out a good amount of smoke. Unfortunately, I've yet to get any semblance of a smoke ring, and unless smoking meat with no seasoning, you really don't taste much smoke flavor, though it works great as an "outdoor oven". I think in order to get the true effects of a smoker, youd need a gas smoker or one you can continuously feed wood/woodchips into to keep the steady smoke going throughout the cooking process. Still a good product, prefer it over their digital unit that crapped out on me after a year.
Now for it's use/flavor. The woodchip tray is relatively small, but it still let's out a good amount of smoke. Unfortunately, I've yet to get any semblance of a smoke ring, and unless smoking meat with no seasoning, you really don't taste much smoke flavor, though it works great as an "outdoor oven". I think in order to get the true effects of a smoker, youd need a gas smoker or one you can continuously feed wood/woodchips into to keep the steady smoke going throughout the cooking process. Still a good product, prefer it over their digital unit that crapped out on me after a year.
Amanda : Huge dent
I gave it one star because it came with a huge dent on the side. No damage to the box so my guess is char broil is packaging them up like this. I don’t want to hassle with returning but for the price I pay I shouldn’t be getting something that’s damaged.
Mike H : Smoker works well and holds temperature fine. It arrived with dents on top.
Smoker does a great job of making smoke and holding temperature which is basically what you need for good smoking. The drip tray could do a better job of containing the drips so that it doesn't make such a mess which means cleanup issues (thus the 4 star), but as far as producing good smoked meats, 5 star.
Regarding the dents on top that it arrived with, I contacted Amazon and they were very nice and worked out a resolution I was happy with.
Regarding the dents on top that it arrived with, I contacted Amazon and they were very nice and worked out a resolution I was happy with.
sporadic : Great smoker for the money
Loving this smoker so far. Dinging it one star on value since there's space for 4 cooking racks and they only include 3. If you want the 4th rack, you're looking at ~$19 shipped from the manufacturer. Performance wise, I love it. Smoke box is a little small and I only get about an hour out of a load of chips, but that's to be expected on an electric smoker like this. The analog gauge was spot on when compared to my Maverick digital thermometer. Also, the probes for the Maverick fit right through the vents. If they would've included 4 racks, it'd be an easy 5 star. That's 72 poppers in the pictures. 3 dozen jalapenos halved, 72 slices of bacon, pounds of cheese, two hours, and tons of yumminess.
Samantha L : Arrive damage but looks like it will be okay
Arrived damaged, the front door was dented on the side and a rivet was loose on the inside and a piece of the sheet metal didn't come all the way down in the back of the unit, looks like it wasn't cut to fit correctly. We haven't used it yet we bought it for smoking our Thanksgiving turkey. I will update this once we use it. I can't wait to start smoking stuff.
BillE : GREAT SMOKER
This unit replaced my first basic smoker and has all but one improvement I was looking for.
This unit is insulated so it holds the heat really well. The heat dial could be marked better but once you figure it out it maintains the desired heat wonderfully. Much higher quality than any unit in this price range. Door hinges and double door latches are great. The only thing I wish it had was a bigger wood chip box so I would not have to open the door to refill for long smoking projects. All in all I could not be happier! To make it higher I Ordered a great end table from Amazon in an "industrial" design that matches it perfectly and raises the unit 20 inches higher.
This unit is insulated so it holds the heat really well. The heat dial could be marked better but once you figure it out it maintains the desired heat wonderfully. Much higher quality than any unit in this price range. Door hinges and double door latches are great. The only thing I wish it had was a bigger wood chip box so I would not have to open the door to refill for long smoking projects. All in all I could not be happier! To make it higher I Ordered a great end table from Amazon in an "industrial" design that matches it perfectly and raises the unit 20 inches higher.
Bonnie : Does not cook like the old one did
Bought this to replace one just like it...only it has been updated and not for the best. Rec'd it dented to start with. Does not keep temperature good, smaller cooking coil. Door does not shut good and is made a lot cheaper. hate it to be honest!! Wish I could find another older one.
sdshark : Produces a lot of smoke!
I really like this smoker. It produces a lot of smoke. It is well made and a cinch to assemble. The door is solid and the latches (2 of them) keep the smoke in the chamber. My only objection, like others, is that to add wood chips (which was necessary about every 30-45 minutes when I was smoking ribs for the 4th of July) you have to open the door to get to the box that the chips go in. That causes a temperature drop and subsequent fiddling with the temperature control to get the temperature back up to the 225-250 degree sweet spot. But the smoker produced a great product - my ribs were delish!
Frederick Acerra : easy to use
it takes 10 minutes to put the legs on and 2 hours too burn the Factory smell off then you can start cooking . Bigger cuts of meat need no browning small cuts like pork tenderloins need too be browned before putting it to smoke . It takes a few uses too get a feel for it but when you do the results a great
B Johns : One small tweak makes this a great smoker!
Purchased June 2020. Used 4 times since. I'm impressed so far! This has a sturdy construction, the two heavy duty latches on the door are certainly a pro. Mine did come dented but didn't affect it working. Temperature is spot on and is very easy to control. You can fit a good amount of meat on it but if you're looking to smoke larger brisket, racks of ribs you may need to turn your ribs diagonal to make them fit. The trays (3) include are fairly close together so removing one helps in smoking a whole chicken or pork shoulder. If your looking to smoke large cuts or a lit if meat definitely suggest stepping up in size. Regarding smoke output the chip tray sits too close to the heat and will burn up your chips (soaked or not) in less than an hour. I found a perfect solution by purchasing a 12" pellet tube for $17. This produces amazing smoke for 5-6 hours. In summary this would be the perfect smoker if it came with a pellet instead of a small chip tray and had a few more square inches of smoking capacity. Overall, very happy with it.
Jed : Solidly built
It's a little early for a real review, but I was impressed on how solid the smoker is. Weighs a ton, and everything is made of very heavy metals. We're seasoning it right now.
Christmas day my bride cooked a London Broil and a roast to try out the smoker. If you are going to cook in this you have to have a thermometer and you'll have to experiment. It cooked faster than we thought as we had the thermometer set wrong; it was done way earlier than we thought it would be done. The London broil turned out a little too cooked, but the roast was perfect. She did well for her first time on a smoker. I'd recommend this smoker to anyone who wants to try smoking meat and not just barbecue.
Christmas day my bride cooked a London Broil and a roast to try out the smoker. If you are going to cook in this you have to have a thermometer and you'll have to experiment. It cooked faster than we thought as we had the thermometer set wrong; it was done way earlier than we thought it would be done. The London broil turned out a little too cooked, but the roast was perfect. She did well for her first time on a smoker. I'd recommend this smoker to anyone who wants to try smoking meat and not just barbecue.
GANBATEKUDASAI : looks good and works well
Easy to set up, literally less than 10 minutes and it's up an running. Plug n play doesn't get much easier that this. The initial use suggests you place it on high for 2 hours and the temp Guage reached over 350° (outside temp here is sunny in the 90s anyways). So far so good, I like how its double walled so the unit outside doesn't get scorching hot. The down side is the metal is weak and gets dinged easily. Not the manufacturer fault, but I beleive during shipping the unit suffered a dent in the corner and the door. Maybe charbroil could use more packaging to protect it (the top and bottom have Styrofoam, the middle doesnt. However the cosmetic imperfections didn't lower the performance and Amazon assisted me with fixing the dings on a brand new unit.
I would suggest a UNICOOk cover that I found fit well. Size 18Wx17Dx33H. The specs on the smoker suggests its too small but it fits fine. Just a tip
I would suggest a UNICOOk cover that I found fit well. Size 18Wx17Dx33H. The specs on the smoker suggests its too small but it fits fine. Just a tip
Glenn T : 100% Pleased!
Mark L. Dodge : Solid little smoker for the money. Works great.
Best smoker for the money if you’re just starting out. Super easy to use and to clean. I ended up purchasing a ThermPro 4 probe meat thermometer so I would have a way of monitoring meat temp verses smoker temp. The analog thermometer that comes with this smoker is pretty close. I get smoke at around 180 degrees. Temperature is pretty stabile during hot or cold weather which is really nice. Well built. Door seal is solid. I recommend this smoker to anyone.
Doug E. : Not very impressed
First off, it was only due to the great customer support I got that I am giving this product the stars it got. If the customer support would have been anything other than excellent, I would have only given this one star. To begin with, the smoker I ordered had a problem where one of the legs bolted on. The problem was that the threads were missing and I couldn't get one of the legs on. I called their support and they shipped out a whole new cabinet, no questions asked.
That being said, I've had nothing but problems with this smoker. First off, the wood tray is way too small and is not ventilated well enough. So first I filled the box up and adjusted the temperature to be within 225 and 250. The problem with that is the wood would not start smoking unless you turned the temperature knob up until the box got to 300 degrees. Then, if you could get it smoking, the five little tiny holes on the side of the wood tray are way too small to allow any good flow of smoke through the cabinet. I had to pull the tray out and drill bigger holes in the side to allow more smoke to flow out. However, I still couldn't get enough smoke to flow without turning the temperature up too high. Now, once you could get a good flow of smoke going, you will burn through the wood in about an hour. Meaning you have to open the cabinet up every hour or so, letting the temperature drop, just so you can dump out the old spent wood and replace it with new wood. Then you would have to wait for it to heat up enough to start smoking again which messes up cooking and smoking the meat. Here's the really stupid thing. The water tray, right next to the wood tray, is huge. They could have easily swapped the sizes of the trays to give you more smoking time and still have a tray big enough to hold plenty of water/liquid flavoring. And, just as a follow up, they could also add a handle to the door. It gets really hot so unless you have a glove or metal tool handling the door becomes hazardous. Over all, I am really disappointed that a brand like Char Broil would put their name on something so substandard. Knowing what I know now, I would have spent more money and gotten something else. Even after drilling in some extra holes into the smoke tray, it was still hard to get the smoke to flow and the brisket I was smoking ended up with almost no smoke ring at all. I pretty much could have cooked it in the oven with the same results and in fact kind of felt like I did. I am going to try and mod it a little more to see if I can get better smoke flow but in all honesty, no one should have to mod a brand new smoker, voiding the warranty, just to make it work properly.
That being said, I've had nothing but problems with this smoker. First off, the wood tray is way too small and is not ventilated well enough. So first I filled the box up and adjusted the temperature to be within 225 and 250. The problem with that is the wood would not start smoking unless you turned the temperature knob up until the box got to 300 degrees. Then, if you could get it smoking, the five little tiny holes on the side of the wood tray are way too small to allow any good flow of smoke through the cabinet. I had to pull the tray out and drill bigger holes in the side to allow more smoke to flow out. However, I still couldn't get enough smoke to flow without turning the temperature up too high. Now, once you could get a good flow of smoke going, you will burn through the wood in about an hour. Meaning you have to open the cabinet up every hour or so, letting the temperature drop, just so you can dump out the old spent wood and replace it with new wood. Then you would have to wait for it to heat up enough to start smoking again which messes up cooking and smoking the meat. Here's the really stupid thing. The water tray, right next to the wood tray, is huge. They could have easily swapped the sizes of the trays to give you more smoking time and still have a tray big enough to hold plenty of water/liquid flavoring. And, just as a follow up, they could also add a handle to the door. It gets really hot so unless you have a glove or metal tool handling the door becomes hazardous. Over all, I am really disappointed that a brand like Char Broil would put their name on something so substandard. Knowing what I know now, I would have spent more money and gotten something else. Even after drilling in some extra holes into the smoke tray, it was still hard to get the smoke to flow and the brisket I was smoking ended up with almost no smoke ring at all. I pretty much could have cooked it in the oven with the same results and in fact kind of felt like I did. I am going to try and mod it a little more to see if I can get better smoke flow but in all honesty, no one should have to mod a brand new smoker, voiding the warranty, just to make it work properly.
Kirk : Great little smoker
Ok....let me see if I can help someone make a decision on which smoker to purchase. This is a great little smoker, I haven't had any issues with it. The biggest difference I see in the smokers is this one comes with a metal insert over the wood chip box and the water tray. This insert allows you to put an aluminum pan with whatever liquid you prefer to use in it and also allows for much easier clean up. How I use my smoker is.....I take out the water tray and the wood chip box. I place an aluminum pan on the metal insert with water or whatever mixture you want to use. For my smoke I use a pellet tray, once it's lit I place it on the bottom of the smoker and let it do it's thing. Everything I've smoked has come out great with great smoke flavor. The clean up is great just remove the aluminum pan and toss it....they're only about $1 each, take the racks out and put in dishwasher and replace with pans you removed during smoking for storage. My only complaint about this smoker is that it is very close to the ground.
Gregory O. McVey : High Heat 2-3 Hour break-in period cycle issue, however Alderwood Salmon turned out Great!
During the initial 1st out of the box, High Heat 2-3 Hour break-in period cycle, black paint coating began to peel back on the bottom surface located immediately underneath the electrical heating element...Not pleased with this cosmetic look of peeled back black coating on the 1st Time using this product...The first run of alderwood smoked salmon came out Great, just have to ignore the cosmetic appearance of the peeling black coating underneath the electric heating element. The front door is closed most of the time anyway. Would also recommend “user adjustable” louvre covers be added to the two side smoke vents.
Clint : really good for the money
it is built really sturdy. It came with a big dent in the top corner and two small dings in the door. thanks UPS. I didn't complain about it cause it doesn't keep it from working at all. since it doesn't have wheels I put it in my wagon to pull it from the garage to my back patio. I have cooked sausages, chicken, and a pork roast. they all came out very tasty. one thing that I noticed is that doesn't start smoking until you get up close to 250F and if you try turning it down the smoke stops. I have only gone by the gauge on the door. I will test it with a probe and if that is the case I will have to rig something up to dampen the temp and keep the smoke.
Debra T : Char-broil smoker
Used it for the first time on Mother’s Day. It worked well. Cooked two slabs of ribs and a cornish hen on low heat at 200-250. Used hickory smoked chips. Smoked the ribs for about eight hours in the chicken for about four. Everything turned out perfectly. Just be sure to follow the directions regarding seasoning the grill and monitor your temperature to get the perfect time you want to cook your meat. It got hot very fast and I had to lower the temp. It was about 70 degrees outside. I recommend this smoker. Great value.
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