8 Best Small Electric Smokers that Can Fit Everything You Need

Char-Broil 18202077 is a 1000-watt smoker which comes with three chrome-plated grates and a sizeable cooking space of 544 square inches. With dimensions of 20.7 x 33.5 x 15 inches and 49.5-pound weight, it is rated among the best compact electric smokers for a small family. There are handles on the side of the unit that ease its set up or relocation.

Buyers also benefit from a 1-year warranty on the whole unit and a 90-day return policy which promotes confidence in purchase. For maintenance, the manufacturer recommends washing the grates with warm soapy water and then rinsing and drying them.

What do we love it for?
• It has an attractive warranty on heating elements and other parts as well as a 90-day return policy that allows users to test the smoker before they commit themselves. The grease cup, water tray and wood chip box are located at the front where they are easily accessible. The heavy duty dual latches and the double walled cooking chamber also help in proper temperature control. Also, you can use any wood chips.

What were we disappointed with?
• You have to open the door to refill wood chips. This allows smoke and heat to escape. Additionally, it has a relatively spacious cooking area despite being a compact electric smoker. This space can accommodate four grates to fit in more food but instead, the unit comes with three grates. We would also prefer it if the unit included louvre covers that we can adjust for the two side smoke vents.

Bradley Smoker BS611 boasts of many superior features that make it a premium pick and well-spent money. For starters, the interior is made of stainless steel which is a good conductor of heat, resistant to rust and easy to clean. Other features include cooking area of 572 square inches, wattage of 500 and grates that can safely be cleaned in a dishwasher.

There is a smoke diffuser system in form of a removable analogue smoke generator with CleanSmoke technology. This system uses 100% natural wood bisquette fuel; the wood is doused before it turns to ash to avoid imparting a nasty flavor to food.

The small electric smoker grill is capable of temperatures of up to 250°F. As well as smoking beef, sausages, chicken and vegetables, you can also smoke nuts, whisky, wine, or cheese. This is done by taking off the replaceable heating element and using only the smoke generator.

What makes it stand out?
• When it comes to small electric smoker grills, one of the things users have to contend with is cleanup which is not always easy. The great thing about this model is that the interior features stainless steel construction which is rust-resistant and also easy to clean. Bradley Smoker BS611 also has an edge with its smoke diffuser system which generates clean smoke. We also liked its ability to cold smoke.

Which disadvantages must you keep in mind?
• The fact that this smoker is only compatible with proprietary bisquette fuel is a disadvantage because the fuel is more expensive than traditional wood chips, and may not be as easily available. There are also complaints about the bisquette feeder not working sometimes and users are forced to advance the bisquetts manually. Lastly, you may have to tweak the exterior plugs a little bit to make the heating element work.

This model is manufactured by one of the most popular brands in the market. Masterbuilt MB20071117 uses 600 watts and generates temperature of up to 275ᵒ F which suits most dishes. It comes with a spacious cooking space of 730 square inches that can fit 4 pork butts, 6 chickens, 4 rib racks and 2 turkeys, making it the best portable electric smoker for medium and large households. This unit has dimensions of 20.4 x 33.2 x19.8 inches and low weight of 45.9 pounds, considering its sizeable features.

However, one of the most impressive features of this compact electric smoker is the patented wood chip loading system which allows you to refill wood chips on the side of the unit without opening the door. This is not just convenient, but it also ensures that no heat escapes through the door. If you look at reviews from verified buyers, you will note that this is the feature that attracts them the most and sets this model apart from others.

What are its best features?
• It is well-insulated and the temperature limit of 275ᵒ F suits a broad range of cooking styles. We also liked the ample cooking space of 730 square inches which is the highest among the smokers we have reviewed in this article. Add that to the 4 racks, a convenient loading system that doesn’t require opening the door, and a 90-day return policy for buyer security, and you realize why this is among the best compact electric smokers.

What could be improved?
• While we found the solid insulation an advantage for heat retention, we also found that it limits the smoker’s ability to generate sufficient smoke at low temperatures. A number of users report peeling of the black paint in the interior which the manufacturer attributes to buildup of grease from insufficient cleaning causing bubbles on the paint. They recommend repainting the interior with a heat-resistant paint. Another minor drawback is that the digital controls are not easy to read on sunny days.

CUISINART COS-330 comes with a limited warranty of 3 years, which is about thrice as long as the period offered for most models in the same price range. The mini electric smoker also has a high temperature limit of 400°F that can accommodate different types of food with varied cooking temperature.

Other features are a tray for wood chips and a water pan that prevents food from drying out. Both can be easily removed, and they are made of stainless steel for easy cleaning.

You can use any type of wood chips such as cherry, mesquite, pecan, beech and hickory, or even opt for a blend to impart unique flavors. A blend would highlight the best qualities of each type of wood included, and it is complementary to beef, fish, burgers, pork, or pizza.

Lastly, the door has a chrome spring handle and the smoker has handles on the sides to improve mobility.

Why did it make our list?
• It has an attractive warranty of 3 years which most comparable models don’t have, an impressive temperature range of 100°F to 400°F, and a 1500-watt heating element to achieve high temperature. The racks, water pan and wood chips tray are removable and dishwasher safe. It also comes with a built-in thermometer on the door, and the smoker has a compact footprint that is ideal for balconies and other limited areas.

What is not ideal about it?
• It has an ineffective grease collection system because the box is too small to catch all the dripping fat. This makes it tedious to clean, especially around the heating element. Secondly, it produces insufficient smoke at temperatures below 250°F. For some units, the black paint on the front exterior start peeling off and causing rust after some time. This is often due to not curing the smoker before initial use.

If you are looking for a portable electric smoker that is also affordable, then we recommend Royal Gourmet SE280. It has a cooking space of 457.86 square inches, cooking power of 1500 watts and a built-in thermometer to measure internal temperature. The 28-inch analog electric smoker with three adjustable chrome-coated racks is ideal for several styles of cooking such a steaming, smoking and grilling

It features handles on the side that help while transporting the unit. Opinions are divided among users over the smoker’s temperature. While majority praise it for good temperature control that yields dishes with the texture and flavor they intended, there is a significant number whose units reportedly never reach more than 200 degrees, even on a hot day. Fortunately, the customer support is responsive to complaints by customers. There is also a 1-year limited warranty in place to insure against manufacturing defects.

What stands out?
• We liked the waste management system because the grease cup, water pan and wood chip box are removable and made of stainless steel which is easy to clean. The smoker also comes with side handles to lift and move it, an integrated thermometer to monitor internal temperature, and 2 racks that can be adjusted to fit large-sized meat or more dishes. It also works with any type of wood chips, which is convenient.

What cons did we manage to find?
• The top of the door leaks some smoke. Additionally, the back of the unit also leaks heat because it is not double walled for insulation. This prevents the smoker from achieving high temperature even when the weather is hot and the unit is operating on high setting. Some of the users have tried to limit leakage with dampers which seem to fix the issue. Others have had replacements from the manufacturer for defective thermostats.

Smokehouse Products Little Chief Electric Smoker is lightweight and compact. It weighs 12.2 pounds and measurements of 11.5 x 24.5 x 11.5 inches. Unsurprisingly, the cooking capacity is also quite small compared to the other products we have reviewed in this article; a space of 200 square inches which is a smoking capacity of 25 pounds of fish or meat.

It comes with chrome-plated racks that slide easily, a grease pan that is dishwasher safe and a 250-watt heating element which reaches a maximum temperature of 165°F. It also includes a pan for wood chips and a water pan which you conveniently load from the front door panel of the smoker.

What do we love it for?
• It is inexpensive and suitable for beginners on a budget. Secondly, we like that it is made locally and therefore easily available. We can also bet on its quality since it has been certified by CUL, UL and CSA. The other features we liked is that this is a front loading and compact electric smoker that is easy to move, and it comes with more than 50 recipes and premium wood chips so you can start smoking right away.

What were we disappointed with?
• This mini electric smoker does a great job at maintaining steady heat. However, it does not come with a thermostat which the other products we have reviewed seem to all have. This means that you cannot adjust the temperature. Also, you may have to buy an insulating blanket sold separately for the smoker to achieve high temperature. This is a great model for a starter smoker but it is fairly basic for professionals.

The first thing you will notice about this model is its durable construction of 100% 18 gauge stainless steel which also makes it heavy. Smokin-It Model #2 weighs 114 pounds, but it features side handles, and four heavy duty rubber casters with diameter of 4 inches which you attach to the smoker to ease mobility.

The upgraded and replaceable heating element with wattage of 800 is notable for the LED indicator light, fiberglass insulation to retain heat, 7 amps 120-volt single phase, and a long power cord measuring 12 feet. Buyers receive screws to mount the stainless-steel hanger with pre-drilled holes. Other features include a rheostat that regulates temperature from 100F to 250F, a double latch door, a smoke box, and a drip pan that easily slides out for cleaning.

What do we love it for?
• It is sturdily built with heavy-duty stainless steel and well-insulated with fiberglass. We also appreciate the upgraded heating element with indicator lights, the long cord that comes with built-in storage, the screws and pre-drilled holes that ease set up, and the bonus sample of hickory woof. The NSF-certified smoker for restaurant use also generates consistent heat, is easy to clean and it has cooking capacity of 35 pounds of meat.

What were we disappointed with?
• There is an initial learning curve because this is an advanced model with several components. The good thing is that all the instructions you need are included. One of the things you must adhere to is the recommendation of not exceeding 8 ounces of wood at a time. This may require a scale which adds to the cost if you don’t already own one.
• Otherwise, it provides great value for money.

LANDMANN MCO 32954 is an affordable mini electric smoker which is optimized to have essential features that don’t take up a lot of space. For instance, it comes with a 3-in-1 combination tray for the water pan, grease pan and the wood chip box.

There is also a detachable variable temperature controller as well as a damper port in the rear for heat regulation. The 1500-watt heating element is separate. Besides being a lightweight model with weight and small dimensions of 33 pounds and 16.6 x 26.7 x 13.2 inches respectively, this compact electric smoker also features wrought iron side handles and adjustable feet that are advantageous in transporting it and setting it up on uneven surfaces.

What are its best features?
• We liked the combination tray for the wood chip box, grease pan and water pan because it saves space. The portable electric smoker is lightweight and you can set it level on irregular surface by adjusting its feet. Besides that, it features a double walled door with an adjustable latch and a convenient viewing window that shortens cooking time by reducing heat loss. The smoker comes with a 2-year limited warranty.

What could be improved?
• There are a number of user complaints regarding the poor sealing at the door which lets the heat and smoke escape. Some of them have been able to fix this with high temperature rubber sealers, door gasket and self-adhesive felt strips. The viewing window allows you to monitor the food while it is cooking without opening the door. However, you have to open the door to refill the wood chips.