Are you looking for the best smoker box for your gas grill? If yes, then you've come to the right place. In this article, I'll show you six of the best smoker boxes for your barbecue.
Barbecue grills are great tools for cooking food outdoors. They allow you to cook meat at high temperatures without having to worry about flare ups or smoke damage.
The problem is that they take up a lot of space, especially if you want to cook multiple types of foods at once. That's why some people choose to add their own smoker boxes.
A smoker box is basically a container that sits over a fire pit or charcoal grill. Smoke from wood chips or pellets travels through the box into the air above the grill, where it mixes with oxygen and forms a thick cloud of smoky vapor.
This creates a moist environment inside the box, which helps prevent meats from drying out during cooking and also imbues your meat with a delicious smoky flavor.
The following list includes six of the best smoker box models on the market today. These boxes will help you create the perfect smoking experience in any backyard.
Dimensions: 1.38 x 5.13 x 8.12 inches
Item Weight: 3.6 pounds
First up, we have this fantastic cast iron smoker box by Char-broil. It is a heavy duty and long lasting option for those who are looking to get lots of use out of their smoker. Let's have a look at it in a little more detail...
The first thing to mention about this Char-Broil smoker box is that it is made from cast iron. Cast iron is a highly robust and hard wearing material which can support extremely high temperatures. Since gas grills tend to reach heights of over 500 degrees Fahrenheit, this material is an excellent choice.
The only downside to the choice of material is that it tends to rust over time, and the rusting process is sped up by exposure to extreme heat.
We recommend treating this smoker box to a heat resistant coating, keeping it clean, and drying the box thoroughly after every use.
The lid design on this smoker box has a simple slide on/off functionality. There are no catches or latches that you need to fiddle with. This makes this smoker box easy for even the most novice meat smokers to use.
It can be placed on top of the flames beneath the cooking grates and left to work its delicious magic.
The only downside to the design is that there is no handle or tag to assist when you want to lift the lid. We recommend that you wear barbecue gloves when handling this box to refill the wood chips.
The vents direct the smoke upwards so that it can fill your grill and flavor your food. The casement prevents your wood chips from catching alight, so they last longer and produce clean smoke.
This smoker box is definitely one of the smallest smoker boxes on our list. It is ideal for small barbecues and gas grills and will comfortably provide enough smoke to imbue small batches of meat with delicious smoky flavor.
However, this is not the best choice for those looking to cook for the whole neighborhood.
The limited capacity means that the smoker needs refilling once the small amount of wood chips are used up, and the smoke only goes so far. This smoker box can only hold whole wood chips and is not suitable for logs.
The small size makes this box wonderfully portable too - so you can take it to the beach or to friends houses to jazz up any barbecue occasion.
This smoker box for gas grills can also be used on electric grills and charcoal grills, making it a brilliantly versatile option.
What is more, we love how you can fill the box with water and juices, and even herbs and spices if you wish to try out some more exciting flavor combinations.
Also available at www.charbroil.com
Dimensions: 8.75 x 3.75 x 1.75 inches
Item Weight: 14.9 ounces
Second on our list is this awesome Grillaholics smoker box which is one of the best selling smoker accessories available today.
Grillaholics was started by a husband and wife duo back in 2014 and has developed into one of the most exciting and trusted brands on the market. So let's see what their stainless steel box has to offer...
This grill smoker box is made from extra thick stainless steel, meaning that it is able to withstand the high temperatures generated inside a gas grill.
Many thinner (and more cheaply made) smoker boxes actually warp under the heat and can even become jammed, but this Grillaholics smoker accessory is durable and reliable. This means you can use it over and over again and really get your money's worth out of it.
One of the great design features of this smoker box is that it has a hinged lid. This makes it much easier for you to lift the lid to refill the box with wood chips during the smoking process.
Of course, the stainless steel heats up when on the grill, so you absolutely have to wear heat resistant gloves to handle it during use, but on the whole, the functionality and design of this smoker box are both excellent and make smoking seem like a breeze.
You can place the box directly on the heat source in a charcoal grill and between the flame and the grill grates in a gas grill.
This smoker box is small enough to pop inside even the smallest gas grill. This makes it a great choice for anyone with a round shaped gas grill who might find it difficult to fit a larger smoker box inside.
If you plan to have a big barbecue bonanza, then we recommend purchasing two of these boxes to generate enough smoke for all your meat.
The capacity inside the box is enough to house a few fistfuls of wood chips at a time. They smoke slowly, rather than bursting into flame, and therefore you won't need to keep refilling the box too many times.
This Grillaholics smoker box is for gas grills and charcoal grills. It really does require the high heat generated by these types of fires in order to smoke the wood chips.
In general, on a top heat, the box will begin to produce smoke after about 15 minutes. The smoke is clean and consistent, and the circular holes direct the smoke upwards very effectively.
This smoker box works best with dry pellets, and the company does not advise soaking the pellets before use, as it only makes them very slow to start producing smoke.
Also available from www.grillaholics.com
Dimensions: 9 x 3 x 1.5 inches
Item Weight: 590 Grams
Third on our list is this highly universal stainless steel smoker box by Cave Tools. Cave Tools began as a very tiny company back in 2013, and since then it has grown and grown.
Their products are purchased all over the United States and this wood chip smoker box is one of their best selling items.
This universal stainless steel smoker box is made with 25% thicker metal than most standard models out there today. The extra thickness means that the metal can withstand seriously high heat without melting, warping, or wearing thin.
As a result, this smoker box is ideal for charcoal and gas grills and can be used over and over without showing any signs of strain.
We absolutely love the fact that this smoker box has a hinged lid. And not just that. The hinges are high quality and do not get stuck or seized up easily. This means that opening and closing this box in order to refill it with wood chips is as easy as pie.
You don't need to waste time fiddling around with detached lids, but instead can simply raise and lower the lid smoothly and effectively.
Another thing that we love about this Cave Tools smoker box is its size. It has a larger capacity than the smokers we have looked at so far, and this means that you can fit more wood chips in at one time.
This in turn means that you can spend more time chatting to friends and having fun than tending to your barbecue.
The box is wide and flat, meaning that it fits perfectly between the flame and the flavorizer grates in a gas grill. It's no wonder they call it the Universal stainless steel smoker box - it really does have a universal design, compatible with almost all gas and charcoal grills.
The Cave Tools smoker box works wonderfully and produces delicious smoke that can imbue your cooks with that extra dimension of flavor.
Because there are no holes on the bottom of the box, your wood chips smolder instead of catching alight, meaning that they last far longer and do not create a bitter taste in your food. But that is not where the fun ends.
Cave Tools also provides a free copy of the Grill Masters essential Grill Recipe Book and access to their online Grilling enthusiasts community.
The online journals and grilling guides are packed with demos, tutorials, recipes, and comments and will let you take your culinary performance to the next level
Also available at cavetools.com
Dimensions: 12 x 3.3 x 2.5 inches
Item Weight: 1.2 pounds
Next up, we have this really innovative smoker box by Skyflame. We absolutely love this item because it has been created with such care, and has lots of quirky features which maximize its smoke imbuing potential. Take a look...
This smoker box is made from stainless steel. The thickness of the stainless steel material means that the smoker box can withstand seriously high temperatures, and it greatly enhances the thermal conductivity.
This in turn accelerates smoking, while ensuring stability and durability. The box will last you for many years as long as you look after it well and clean it properly.
This smoker box has a hinged lid for easy access to the wood chip basket when you need to top it up. But that is not the only design plus point of this item. The real innovation is that it has a V-shaped smoker box.
The way that the base of the box tapers to two points allows the box to slot into a propane grill directly on the flavorizer bar, rather than having to sit above the flame and risk losing precious heat.
The design is simple and compatible with most gas grills and burners, and it really does make a huge difference to the heat-up time.
As you will note from the dimensions, this smoker box is longer than the other we have listed so far. This is because some internal wood chip capacity is lost due to the V-shape design.
However, what is lost is regained in length, and the box fits well in most medium sized propane grills.
Most customers say that a full basket of wood chips will provide around 15 minutes of smoke with this smoke box. Depending on your cooking times and food type, you may not need to refill at all.
This Skyflame smoker box works differently from other models thanks to its unique wavy vent design. The vents in the lid are wave shaped, and this actually results in more smoke being released at any one time.
The smoking area above the box is therefore increased, meaning more meat can be imbued with delicious flavor. The smoke distribution is really even and results in lovely consistency of flavor too.
Also available from gistgear.com
Dimensions: 12 x 2.16 x 2 inches
Item Weight: 8.4 ounces
Now, this next item is slightly different from the other smoker boxes on our list. This pellet smoker tube uses wood pellets rather than wood chips and can therefore smoke foods for much longer. It is extremely versatile and portable, so let's delve in!
This tube is made from stainless steel. It is lightweight and easy to transport and store, yet the stainless steel construction is also very durable and can withstand the high heat of different types of grill.
The metal doesn't rust, warp, or crack and is easy to clean. You will get plenty of use out of this wood pellet smoker tube.
This wood pellet tube is seriously easy to use. You simply fill the tube with wood pellets and they use a lighter to heat them. The pellets contain compacted wood, and they burn very slowly and consistently.
The tube can be placed in a charcoal, gas, or electric grill and can even be used on cold meats for cold smoking purposes.
The tube is simple and easy to empty and clean afterwards and can be used time and time again. Plus, the multiple ventilation holes all around the tube mean that lots of smoke is released.
The dimensions of the tube mean that it can fit inside almost any grill. It can also fit in your bag very easily and this means that you can take it on holiday, camping, beach trips, picnics, hikes and more.
The use of pellets rather than wood chips is amazing because a full tube can provide as much as 5 hours of continuous smoking. There is no need to refill halfway through, and this means that your cooking temperature will not be disturbed either.
The hexagonal shape of the tube is an improvement on the old circular design, as that was prone to rolling about on the grill grates. The flat edges of the hexagonal tube mean that it can be laid flat and doesn't roll around at all.
As we mentioned, this tube is the most versatile option on our list because it can be used with a wide variety of grills, be they an electric, charcoal, or propane gas grill. But the versatility doesn't end there.
The fact that it is fueled by wood pellets opens the door to using many different wood types. The flavor of your meat can be altered depending on the wood type, and you can experiment with hickory, applewood, pecan, cherry, and many more!
Also available from lizzq.com
Dimensions: 9 x 3.9 x 2 inches
Item Weight: 10.6 ounces
Lastly, we have this great wood chip smoker box by XI-Home, and it is a fantastic affordable option for anyone who is looking to get some delicious smoky flavor into their cooking but doesn't want to break the bank in the process. Let's take a look!
This smoker box is made from slightly thinner stainless steel than the other models on our list, and this is one of the reasons that it comes at a more affordable price. Yet the box is still lovely and durable, and it is still suitable to use on the high heat of a propane grill.
One thing that really sets this model apart from the rest is its ability to hold up to 20 pounds of wood chips. That is a lot of wood chips, and you can cook for a long time without having to refill the box.
It is designed so that you can simply add wood chips to the top of the box and then remove them when they are done. This makes it perfect for those people who like to experiment with different flavors and wood types.
Because this unit is designed to hold wood chips, it is easy to fill and clean. You just push down on the lid and pull it back up again.
Then you simply remove the lid and place the wood chips where you want them. Once you're ready to smoke, you simply put the lid back on and close the vents.
This smoker box tends to produce slightly less smoke than other models. This could be due to the size of the ventilation holes and the amount of air flow that they encourage.
However, the smoker creates plenty of smoke for small intimate cooks, and we especially love the way that you can soak the wood chips in different juices overnight because the box does not have holes in the bottom.
This allows you to experiment with many more flavors and intensities and makes this a truly creative grilling accessory
Now that you have read our detailed product reviews, we hope that you have found some inspiration for your own smoker box.
But before you make the all important decision, here are some key considerations that you should bear in mind to ensure you get the best item for you...
The material that the box is made from matters quite a bit. We recommend using stainless steel or aluminum because these materials are sturdy enough to withstand the rigors of outdoor cooking.
They also tend to be lighter weight than other options, such as cast iron or ceramic. If you are using a gas grill, then the flames can reach extremely high temperatures, and you need a material that will not warp or melt.
Cast iron is very effective in this sense, and thick layers of stainless steel also work well.
If you plan on smoking a lot of food, then you may want to consider getting a larger smoker box. The reason for this is that bigger ones tend to create a greater volume of smoke.
This means that you will be able to smoke a wider variety of foods and keep them warm longer.
Smaller boxes tend to give off less smoke but they do provide a better fit for smaller items such as ribs or chicken breasts. They are also more portable and take up less space when storing them.
Small smoke boxes are also more versatile because you can fit them in any size grill, whereas a large box might not fit between the flame and the grill grate on a small grill.
Of course, the size of the box also dictates the capacity of wood chips that it can hold, and the greater the capacity, the longer you will be able to smoke your food without needing to refill the basket.
We highly recommend opting for a smoker box with a hinged lid design. These types of lids are easier to open and close, and they prevent ash and debris from falling onto the food being smoked.
It is also possible to use a lid with a locking mechanism if you prefer. Locking mechanisms are useful if you like to cook at night and lock the lid closed during the day.
You can then remove the lid when needed and store it safely away until you are ready to use it again.
You want to be sure that there is adequate airflow through the smoker box. This helps to disperse the smoke evenly throughout the chamber, which keeps the temperature consistent and prevents the smoke from becoming too hot.
When selecting a model, look for one that has plenty of ventilation holes on the lid but few in the base. Holes in the base can create a mess as they allow ash to escape onto the grill grates as the wood chips smolder.
There are a few very innovative vent designs available on the market, like the wavy vents on the Skyflame model.
When we tested them, we found that they really do make a difference to the amount of smoke that is released and the directional flow of the smoke.
There are a variety of box shapes available on the market. Whilst the traditional box shape allows the most wood chips to be loaded inside at any one time, the V-shape and W-shape base designs are very convenient when it comes to placement inside the grill itself.
These boxes can be laid directly on the flavorizer grill and therefore heat up more quickly than the flat bottomed options that have to sit above it.
However, be warned that some of these V-shaped smoker boxes are not compatible with certain grills and this can cause disappointment.
To get the most out of your smoker box, it is vital that you choose the best wood chips for the job. There are different varieties of woods that work well for different types of cooking.
For example, pecan works great for baking sweet treats and applewood is ideal for roasting meats. Some people even mix two or three different kinds of wood together to achieve the perfect blend of flavors.
When choosing your wood chips, remember that the type of wood used affects the flavor of the finished product. Alder wood chips impart a strong maple taste, whereas mesquite gives a rich barbecue flavor.
The type of wood you select will depend on what you plan to cook. If you are going to roast meat then go for a hardwood such as oak or cherry. If you are looking to bake something sweet then opt for a softwood such as pine or fir.
If you are planning to smoke fish or seafood then you should avoid using hardwoods like oak or cherry because they tend to dry out the delicate flesh.
Instead, use a mixture of fruit woods such as peach, apricot, fig, pear or apple. The fruit woods help to retain moisture in the food and keep it succulent.
If you are smoking vegetables, then you need to ensure that you use a wood that imparts a milder flavor. In this case, you should try to find a combination of fruit woods and softwoods such as hickory or alder.
A smoker box goes inside a gas grill where it sits just below the burners. It is usually placed between the grate and the front panel of the grill so that it does not interfere with the normal operation of the grill.
There is no right answer to this question. Your choice of wood comes down to the size of your smoker box and the flavor of the food you’re smoking.
As mentioned earlier, different woods have different flavor smoke, so you’ll need to choose one that complements rather than detracts from or overwhelms the flavor of your food.
Smoker boxes are an awesome grilling accessory, and they are an affordable way to really enhance your gas grill.
You can take your outdoor barbecuing skills to a new level with one of these beauties, and you will get to enjoy deliciously smoky flavors every time!
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