Our top picks at a glance
Best overall
Masterbuilt 710 WiFi Digital Electric SmokerSee itPrice tier 2 of 4:$150–$500First-time smokers who want a simple plug-in cooker with remote monitoring.Best for cooking for a crowd
Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric SmokerSee itPrice tier 2 of 4:$150–$500Families and hosts who smoke several racks of ribs or a few pork butts at a time.Best budget
Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker (window and legs)See itPrice tier 2 of 4:$150–$500Beginners on a budget who want a simple, set-the-dial smoker.Best for hands-off smoke and cold smoking
Bradley Digital 4-Rack Electric SmokerSee itPrice tier 3 of 4:$500–$1,500Cooks who smoke often, especially sausage, fish, cheese and ribs, and want hands-off smoke.Best built to last
Cookshack SM025 SmartSmokerSee itPrice tier 3 of 4:$500–$1,500Serious home smokers who want a durable electric cooker and will smoke for years.Best for brisket and ribs
Cookshack SM066 SmartSmokerSee itPrice tier 4 of 4:Over $1,500Brisket-and-ribs fanatics who want a probe-driven electric cooker with commercial-style build.
Electric smokers are the closest thing to a slow cooker for barbecue. You plug one in, set a temperature and a time, add wood chips or pellets, and a heating element keeps the cabinet steady while smoke does the flavoring. They don't give you a wood fire, and most top out at about 275-280°F, but for ribs, sausage, fish, chicken and pork shoulder they're simple and forgiving. The choice mostly comes down to size, controls and how much you want to spend.
The short answer
- Most people: Masterbuilt 710 WiFi, a simple plug-in cooker with an app.
- Feeding a crowd: Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital.
- Lowest cost: Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital, without Wi-Fi.
- Hands-off wood feeding and cold smoking: Bradley Digital 4-Rack.
- Built to last, probe-driven cooks: Cookshack SM025 or SM066.
How we picked
We read the makers' own product pages and spec sheets for cooking area, temperature range, controls, wood feeding, construction and warranty, and we only quote figures we confirmed there. Capacity and range claims are labeled as the makers' claims. We did not test these smokers ourselves. Char-Broil, a well-known name in this category, no longer lists an electric smoker on its own site, so we left it out rather than rely on retailer listings, and we skipped other models whose maker pages we couldn't read. The Cookshack tiers on the cards are our estimate from retailer listings, since Cookshack's site doesn't show prices we could confirm. Tiers, not exact prices, appear on each card because prices change often. See our methodology.
Our top picks
Best overall
Masterbuilt 710 WiFi Digital Electric Smoker
A vertical electric smoker you can start, watch and adjust from the Masterbuilt app.
A plug-in vertical smoker with 710 sq in on four racks, a 100-275°F range and a side chip loader, plus Wi-Fi so you can set temperature and time or watch probes from the Masterbuilt app. Only one meat probe comes in the box, it maxes out at 275°F, and the warranty is one year. It's the easiest way into smoking for most people.
What we like
- Set temperature and time on the panel or in the app, with alerts and meat-probe monitoring, per the maker
- A side wood-chip loader lets you add smoke without opening the door and losing heat
- 710 sq in of cooking space on four racks, with a removable water bowl and rear grease tray
Trade-offs
- Tops out at 275°F, so it won't crisp skin or sear the way a hot grill does
- Compatible with up to four meat probes but only one is included
- Backed by a one-year warranty, and the app features need your home Wi-Fi
- Best for
- First-time smokers who want a simple plug-in cooker with remote monitoring.
- Skip it if
- You want heavy wood smoke flavor or the ability to cook hot and fast on the same cooker.
- Cooking space: 710 sq in
- Racks: 4 chrome-coated
- Temperature range: 100–275°F
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi + Masterbuilt app
- Warranty: 1 year
Best for cooking for a crowd
Masterbuilt 40-Inch Digital Electric Smoker
The biggest Masterbuilt electric smoker, built for cooking for a crowd.
The largest Masterbuilt electric model: 970 sq in on four racks, with room the maker says is good for up to 16 chickens, 4 turkeys, 8 pork butts or 8 racks of ribs. Controls are digital only, with no Wi-Fi or app listed on the page, and it's a big cabinet that takes up real space.
What we like
- 970 sq in of cooking space on four racks, the most of Masterbuilt's electric smokers
- The maker lists room for up to 16 chickens, 4 turkeys, 8 pork butts or 8 racks of ribs
- Digital time and temperature controls plus the same side wood-chip loader as the smaller models
Trade-offs
- Digital controls only: the page doesn't list Wi-Fi or an app, unlike the 710 WiFi
- Maximum temperature is 275°F, so it's a smoker, not a hot-and-fast cooker
- A tall cabinet that needs real patio space, and a one-year warranty
- Best for
- Families and hosts who smoke several racks of ribs or a few pork butts at a time.
- Skip it if
- You cook for two to four people; a smaller smoker is cheaper and faster to heat.
- Cooking space: 970 sq in
- Racks: 4 chrome-coated
- Max temperature: 275°F
- Warranty: 1 year
Best budget
Masterbuilt 30-Inch Digital Electric Smoker (window and legs)
The no-frills way into electric smoking, with a window and no app.
The same 710 sq in and 275°F ceiling as the Wi-Fi model, with a digital panel, side chip loader and viewing window, but no app. It's the cheapest pick here and a pure beginner smoker. Masterbuilt's own listings disagree on how much food it holds, so plan around cooking area, not chicken counts.
What we like
- Digital panel for time and temperature, with the side wood-chip loader and a viewing window
- 710 sq in on four racks, enough for a family cook, per the maker
- Costs less than the Wi-Fi version of the same size
Trade-offs
- No Wi-Fi or app, and the page doesn't mention an included meat probe
- Up to 275°F only, and a one-year warranty
- Masterbuilt's own 30-inch listings are inconsistent on capacity, so don't plan a cook around the chicken or butt counts
- Best for
- Beginners on a budget who want a simple, set-the-dial smoker.
- Skip it if
- You want remote monitoring or a built-in probe.
- Cooking space: 710 sq in
- Racks: 4 chrome-coated
- Max temperature: 275°F
- Warranty: 1 year
Best for hands-off smoke and cold smoking
Bradley Digital 4-Rack Electric Smoker
A separate bisquette smoke generator that feeds itself for hours.
Bradley feeds compressed wood bisquettes automatically, and the maker says that's up to nine hours without refilling wood. The digital interface covers temperature, time and smoke, and a separate adapter kit turns it into a cold smoker for cheese and fish. Bisquettes are a recurring cost tied to Bradley, four 11 x 13 in. racks is modest room, and the warranty is one year.
What we like
- An automatic bisquette feed that the maker says needs no wood refilling for up to nine hours
- Digital interface for temperature, time and smoke, per the maker
- A separate Cold Smoke Adapter Kit turns it into a cold smoker for cheese and fish, subject to ambient temperature
Trade-offs
- Bradley Bisquettes are sold separately, so wood is a recurring cost tied to one brand
- Four 11 x 13 in. racks is less room than Masterbuilt's models for a higher price
- A one-year limited warranty and a 280°F maximum
- Best for
- Cooks who smoke often, especially sausage, fish, cheese and ribs, and want hands-off smoke.
- Skip it if
- You smoke for a crowd or don't want to buy proprietary wood.
- Racks: 4 removable (11 x 13 in. each)
- Max temperature: 280°F
- Wood: Bradley Bisquettes (sold separately)
- Warranty: 1-year limited
Best built to last
Cookshack SM025 SmartSmoker
A made-in-USA stainless smoker oven with a cool-to-the-touch exterior.
Cookshack's SM025 is a made-in-USA stainless smoker oven with double walls and 850°F insulation that keep the exterior cool to the touch. It has digital temperature controls, a meat probe and a child lock. It costs far more than the Masterbuilt models, the residential warranty is two years on parts only, and we couldn't confirm cooking area on the maker's pages.
What we like
- Double-walled stainless steel with the maker's 850°F Spin-Glas insulation, so the outside stays cool to the touch
- Digital controls with temperature settings and a meat probe, plus a child lock
- Made in the USA, with an optional cold smoke baffle and a slide-out wood box
Trade-offs
- Costs far more than Masterbuilt's electric smokers
- The residential warranty is two years on parts only
- We couldn't confirm cooking area on the maker's pages, so check the spec sheet before ordering
- Best for
- Serious home smokers who want a durable electric cooker and will smoke for years.
- Skip it if
- You're just testing whether you like smoking, or want Wi-Fi.
- Construction: Double-walled stainless steel
- Controls: Digital, with meat probe
- Warranty: 2 years, parts only (residential)
Best for brisket and ribs
Cookshack SM066 SmartSmoker
The tall Cookshack that cooks to a target meat temperature, then holds.
The taller SM066 can be set to a target internal meat temperature, after which the maker says it cycles to a 140°F hold. Cookshack describes it as sized for full slabs of ribs or a whole brisket. It's the most expensive smoker here by a wide margin, so it's for people who will use it constantly.
What we like
- The maker says it's the only residential smoker that lets you set a target internal meat temperature, then cycles to a 140°F hold
- Sized, per the maker, for full slabs of ribs or a whole brisket
- Double-walled stainless construction and a removable drip pan for cleanup
Trade-offs
- The most expensive pick here by a wide margin
- Parts-only residential warranty of two years
- More smoker than most households need
- Best for
- Brisket-and-ribs fanatics who want a probe-driven electric cooker with commercial-style build.
- Skip it if
- You smoke a few times a year.
- Construction: Double-walled stainless steel
- Control: Target internal meat temperature, then 140°F hold
- Warranty: 2 years, parts only (residential)
How to choose
Electric or pellet
An electric smoker is simpler and usually cheaper than a pellet grill, but it only smokes. Most top out below 300°F and can't sear. A pellet grill smokes with real burning wood and can cook hotter; a kamado or charcoal cooker gives the strongest wood flavor but needs more attention.
Size and capacity
Compare cooking area in square inches, not "fits X chickens" claims, which vary between listings. Four racks around 700 sq in handle a family cook; the 970 sq in model is for hosting. Smoke needs air to move, so don't overload the racks.
Wood feeding and smoke
Masterbuilt uses a side chip loader you top up through a small port. Bradley feeds bisquettes automatically but ties you to its own wood. Cookshack uses a slide-out wood box where the wood smolders. More wood access means better flavor but more tending.
Controls and probes
Digital panels set temperature and time. App control adds alerts when you're away from the patio. A meat probe is the best guide to doneness, so plan for a good leave-in one; see our best wireless meat thermometers.
Power, placement and safety
Electric smokers need an outdoor-rated outlet. Run them outdoors, never in a garage or enclosed space, on a level, non-combustible surface well away from walls, eaves, fences and anything that can burn. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on extension cords, outlet protection and clearances, and keep the controls out of rain. Grease needs regular cleaning.
Warranty
One-year warranties are common at this price. Cookshack's residential warranty is two years but covers parts only. Check what a warranty covers before you count on it.
Related guides
Smoking is only one way to cook outside. See the best pellet grills, the best gas grills, the best kamado and charcoal grills or our guide to wireless meat thermometers.
Frequently asked questions
Are electric smokers worth it?
They're worth it if you want to smoke with the least effort. You set a temperature and time, add wood chips or pellets as directed, and the heating element does the rest. If you want the heaviest wood-fired flavor or a high-heat sear, a pellet, charcoal or kamado cooker is a better fit.
Do electric smokers produce enough smoke flavor?
Electric smokers generally make a milder smoke than wood or charcoal cookers, because a small element smolders chips or bisquettes instead of burning a real fire. Using dry, properly sized wood and keeping the air damper where the manual suggests helps. Cookshack and Bradley both use dedicated wood boxes or feeders, and Masterbuilt uses a side chip loader.
Can I use an electric smoker in the rain or the cold?
Follow the manual. Most makers say to use the smoker outdoors in a dry, sheltered, well-ventilated spot and keep the controls and plug out of rain. Cold, windy weather can make a smoker take longer to heat, so a sheltered spot helps.
Do I need a separate meat thermometer?
Usually yes. Some models include one probe, but the cooker's own temperature reading is not the temperature of the food. A leave-in probe is the best way to know when ribs, pork or poultry are done, and you should cook to the safe temperatures published by your national food-safety agency.
Alex Mercer brings 15 years of experience and a practical editorial approach to Backyard Review. Alex compares published product information, installation needs and ownership costs, highlighting trade-offs and distinguishing research from documented hands-on experience.
