Best Charcoal Smokers: Top Picks for Real Fire Flavour

The best charcoal smoker for most people is the Weber Smokey Mountain 18-inch: the simplest proven design, it holds a steady low temperature with little fuss. If you want push-button ease instead, get the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050, which feeds charcoal from a hopper and holds temperature with a fan.

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The best charcoal smokers at a glance

IMAGE	PRODUCT	CHECK PRICE
1. Best overall	Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker, 18-inch Best overall charcoal smoker • Cooking area: 481 sq in (two 18.5-inch grates) • Type: bullet (water) smoker • Body: porcelain-enameled steel • Lid thermometer, adjustable dampers	Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review
2. Best gravity-fed	Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 Best gravity-fed charcoal smoker • Cooking area: 1,050 sq in • Hopper: up to 8 hours of fuel • Control: digital fan + app alerts • Smokes low, sears hot	Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review
3. Best drum smoker	Pit Barrel Cooker Classic, 18.5-inch Best drum smoker for hanging meat • 18.5-inch porcelain-coated steel barrel • 8 hooks, 2 hanging rods, grill grate, charcoal basket • Temperature control by design, not by dial	Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review
4. Best value	Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker Best value vertical offset smoker • Cooking area: 1,890 sq in total • Type: vertical offset, tall cabinet with side firebox • Height-adjustable grates • Model: DGO1890BDC-D	Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review
5. Best combo	Royal Gourmet CC1830S Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker Best charcoal grill smoker combo • Cooking surface: 823 sq in total (offset section ~183 sq in) • Type: barrel charcoal grill with offset smoker box • Adjustable charcoal pan, lid thermometer	Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review
6. Best drum that grills	Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco Drum Smoker Best drum smoker that also grills • Cooking surface: 630 sq in • 284 sq in grate area in the grill setup • Heat diffuser plate + grill grate • Model: 19202089	Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review

What is a charcoal smoker, and how is it different from a charcoal grill?

Short answer: a charcoal smoker cooks low and slow — roughly 225 to 275°F for hours — with the fire kept away from the meat so food cooks in smoke, not over direct flame. A charcoal grill cooks hot and fast over direct heat. The difference is the fire’s position, the airflow, and the time.

Many products blur that distinction. A charcoal grill smoker combo, like the Royal Gourmet CC1830S below, is a grill with a side firebox: grill over the main chamber, smoke with the fire in the side box. A gravity-fed charcoal smoker, like the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050, is the opposite compromise: a smoker first, with a hopper feeding charcoal by gravity and a fan holding temperature, but able to run hot enough to sear. When you shop, ask: where does the fire sit relative to the meat, and can you control the air getting to it?

A pellet smoker burns compressed wood pellets with an auger and controller; an electric smoker uses a heating element and wood chips. A charcoal smoker burns lump charcoal or briquettes, and you manage the fire with vents. That is more work, and it is also the point: charcoal plus wood chunks gives a deeper smoke flavor. If you want the easiest smoking, read our Best Electric Smokers guide; for set-and-forget with wood flavor, see our Best Pellet Smokers guide.

What are the types of charcoal smokers?

Short answer: the four main types are bullet (water) smokers, drum smokers, vertical offset smokers, and gravity-fed smokers — plus horizontal offsets and grill-smoker combos. Bullets are easiest to learn on, drums simplest to run, vertical offsets give the most space per footprint, and gravity-fed smokers are the closest charcoal gets to set-and-forget.

• Bullet / water smokers (Weber Smokey Mountain). Fire bowl at the bottom, water pan in the middle, two cooking grates above. The water pan steadies temperature and adds moisture. Nearly foolproof — the standard beginner recommendation.
• Drum smokers (Pit Barrel Cooker, Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco). A steel barrel with a charcoal basket at the bottom. Meat hangs from hooks or sits on a grate. Drums run hot and steady with little vent adjustment, and fat dripping onto the coals adds flavor. Weakness: flat cooks — a wide brisket may not fit.
• Vertical offset smokers (Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D). A tall cabinet with a side firebox. Heat and smoke rise through stacked grates: the most cooking area per square inch and per dollar, but thin steel and leaky doors are common at the budget end.
• Gravity-fed smokers (Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050). A hopper feeds charcoal into the firebox by gravity while a digital fan holds the set temperature. The easiest charcoal smoker to run, and the only type here that also sears properly.
• Horizontal offsets and grill-smoker combos (Royal Gourmet CC1830S). A barrel with a side firebox, or a grill with a firebox bolted on. Covered in depth in our 10 Best Offset Smokers guide; this article includes only the one combo pick that genuinely does both jobs.

Three facts from our own comparison of the six picks: first, stated cooking area is not the same across types — the Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D lists 1,890 square inches of total cooking area. Second, only the Gravity Series 1050 controls temperature with a fan and digital controller; the other five rely on manual vents. Third, the two drum smokers solve the same problem in opposite ways: the Pit Barrel hangs meat to maximize capacity, while the Bronco adds a heat diffuser and grill grate so the same barrel can smoke and grill.

The 6 best charcoal smokers

1. Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 18-inch — Best overall charcoal smoker

Best for: first-time charcoal smokers and anyone who wants the most proven design. Not for: cooks who need to grill steaks at high heat on the same unit, or who regularly cook for a crowd of more than eight.

The Smokey Mountain (WSM) is a bullet smoker: fire bowl at the bottom, water pan in the middle, two 18.5-inch cooking grates on top, giving 481 square inches of cooking space. The porcelain-enameled steel body, lid thermometer, and adjustable dampers are standard Weber fare, and the design has barely changed because it does not need to. Light a small pile of charcoal, set the vents, and the water pan buffers the temperature.

What makes it the best overall pick is the absence of weaknesses. It is the easiest manual charcoal smoker to hold at 225°F, and more community knowledge exists for running a WSM than for any other charcoal smoker. The trade-offs are honest: it does not grill well, and the 18-inch size fits a full packer brisket only with some bending. For a large family, look at the 22-inch version.

Specifications

• Cooking area: 481 square inches (two 18.5-inch grates)
• Type: bullet (water) smoker
• Body: porcelain-enameled steel
• Lid thermometer, adjustable dampers
• Model: 721001

Pros

• Easiest manual charcoal smoker to hold at 225°F
• Water pan buffers the temperature
• More community knowledge than for any other charcoal smoker
• Nearly foolproof — the standard beginner recommendation

Cons

• Does not grill well
• 18-inch size fits a full packer brisket only with some bending
• For a large family, look at the 22-inch version

2. Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 — Best gravity-fed charcoal smoker

Best for: cooks who want charcoal flavor without tending a fire, and anyone who wants one unit that smokes and sears. Not for: purists who enjoy manual fire management, or buyers who want the simplest possible machine with no electronics.

The Gravity Series 1050 is the best gravity fed charcoal smoker on this list, and the only pick here that runs itself. Load lump charcoal into the vertical hopper, light a fire starter, set the temperature, and a fan holds it — the manufacturer rates the hopper at up to 8 hours of fuel, and the unit runs from low smoking temperatures up to searing heat. It offers 1,050 square inches of cooking space, plus folding warming racks and app alerts.

Choose it over the Weber for convenience: charcoal flavor with pellet-smoker ease. The catch is that this depends on electronics — a fan, a controller, and a power supply — so it is a more complex machine than a steel barrel with vents, and it needs an outlet. It also appears in our flagship 10 Best Offset Smokers roundup.

Specifications

• Cooking area: 1,050 square inches
• Hopper: up to 8 hours of fuel
• Control: digital fan, app alerts
• Runs from low smoking temperatures up to searing heat
• Folding warming racks
• Model: MB20041220

Pros

• Only pick here that runs itself
• Charcoal flavor with pellet-smoker ease
• Smokes and sears in one unit

Cons

• Depends on electronics — a fan, a controller, and a power supply
• Needs an outlet
• More complex machine than a steel barrel with vents

3. Pit Barrel Cooker Classic 18.5-inch — Best drum smoker for hanging meat

Best for: rib cooks and anyone who wants the simplest possible charcoal smoker. Not for: cooks who mostly smoke wide, flat cuts like full packer briskets, or who want precise temperature dials.

The Pit Barrel Cooker is a drum smoker with one idea: hang the meat. The 18.5-inch porcelain-coated steel barrel comes with 8 hooks, 2 hanging rods, a grill grate, and a charcoal basket. Hang ribs and chickens vertically, the fat drips onto the coals, and the barrel’s fixed airflow holds a steady temperature with almost no adjustment.

That simplicity is also its limit. Temperature control is by design, not by dial — you set the intake once and trust the barrel — so if you like fine-tuning vents, you will feel constrained. And hanging has a ceiling: brilliant for ribs, less useful for a wide brisket.

Specifications

• 18.5-inch porcelain-coated steel barrel
• Includes 8 hooks, 2 hanging rods, a grill grate, and a charcoal basket
• Meat hangs vertically; fat drips onto the coals
• Fixed airflow holds a steady temperature

Pros

• Simplest possible charcoal smoker
• Fat dripping onto the coals adds flavor
• Steady temperature with almost no adjustment
• Brilliant for ribs

Cons

• Temperature control is by design, not by dial
• No precise temperature dials
• Hanging has a ceiling — less useful for a wide brisket

4. Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker — Best value vertical offset smoker

Best for: large families and big cooks on a budget — anyone who wants maximum cooking area for the money. Not for: beginners who want hands-off control out of the box, and cooks who prioritize thick steel over raw space.

The DGO1890BDC-D is a vertical offset: a tall cabinet with a side firebox, giving 1,890 square inches of total cooking area across height-adjustable grates. It is the most cooking space per dollar on this list, and it is also the most hands-on: the steel is thin, the door seals are a known weak point, and temperature can swing until you learn the vents. If you are willing to season it and manage the fire, it will cook for a crowd.

Specifications

• Cooking area: 1,890 square inches total
• Type: vertical offset, tall cabinet with side firebox
• Height-adjustable grates
• Model: DGO1890BDC-D

Pros

• Most cooking space per dollar on this list
• Most cooking area per square inch and per dollar
• Tall cabinet with stacked grates

Cons

• Steel is thin
• Door seals are a known weak point
• Temperature can swing until you learn the vents
• Not a beginner pick for hands-off control

5. Royal Gourmet CC1830S Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker — Best charcoal grill smoker combo

Best for: small patios, renters, and cooks who grill most nights and smoke occasionally. Not for: serious low-and-slow cooks, or a large family that regularly smokes briskets.

The CC1830S is a barrel charcoal grill with an offset smoker box attached: grill burgers over the main chamber, or burn charcoal in the side box and smoke with it. Total cooking surface is 823 square inches, of which the offset section is roughly 183 — which tells you how to think about it. It is a grill that can smoke, not a smoker that can grill.

That framing matters. If your main use is grilling with the odd rack of ribs, the CC1830S is a smart, space-saving buy — one unit instead of two. Smoke every weekend, and buy a dedicated smoker instead. For a fuller take on this category, see our Best Smoker Grill Combos guide.

Specifications

• Total cooking surface: 823 square inches (offset section ~183 sq in)
• Type: barrel charcoal grill with offset smoker box
• Adjustable charcoal pan, lid thermometer
• Model: CC1830S

Pros

• One unit that grills burgers and smokes ribs
• Cheaper than a grill plus a smoker
• Space-saving for small patios

Cons

• Grill that can smoke, not a smoker that can grill
• Offset section is only about 183 square inches
• Not for serious low-and-slow cooks or a large family

6. Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco Drum Smoker — Best drum smoker that also grills

Best for: buyers of the Bronco who want drum smoker heat with grill flexibility. Not for: families needing a large flat cooking surface.

The Bronco is an upright drum smoker that converts for grilling: a heat diffuser plate sits between the fire and the meat for smoking, and a grill grate lets you cook directly over the coals. It is the same barrel logic as the Pit Barrel — a steel drum running steady on charcoal — but with more options and a removable ash pan. It has 630 square inches of cooking surface, with 284 square inches of grate area in the grill setup.

Two points matter. First, the stated cooking area is roughly what the Weber Smokey Mountain offers on a single grate, so the Bronco is a one-tier cooker: you cannot hang a full rack of ribs and grill at the same time, and there is no large flat cooking surface. Second, this pick requires attention on the shopping page: it comes in more than one size, and the listing does not always make the size clear — read it carefully.

This pick is the original Bronco, model 19202089. Read the listing carefully because the Bronco Pro is a different, larger model.

Specifications

• Cooking surface: 630 square inches
• 284 square inches of grate area in the grill setup
• Heat diffuser plate + grill grate
• Removable ash pan
• Model: 19202089

Pros

• Same barrel can smoke low and slow, run hot and fast, or grill directly
• Drum smoker’s steady heat plus a grill’s versatility

Cons

• Cannot hang a full rack of ribs and grill at the same time
• No large flat cooking surface
• Comes in more than one size — read the listing carefully

Which charcoal smoker is best for beginners?

The Weber Smokey Mountain 18-inch, for two reasons: it is forgiving, and it is documented. The water pan steadies the temperature, and if something goes wrong there are decades of forum threads and videos walking you through the fix. The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 is easier to run from a temperature standpoint, but it requires an outlet, a working fan, and a healthy respect for electronics — and if the controller fails mid-cook, a beginner has fewer options.

If budget is the main constraint, buy the Royal Gourmet CC1830S as a grill with a side firebox to learn on, then upgrade to a dedicated smoker when you know you will use it.

What is the best charcoal for a smoker?

Lump charcoal burns hotter and cleaner, briquettes burn steadier and longer. For long low-and-slow cooks, briquettes are easier to manage; for adding flavor, lay wood chunks on top of either. The key point: use a chimney starter, never lighter fluid — it can impart chemical smells into the meat.

The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 runs on charcoal fed from a hopper, so it is the most flexible on fuel type; the Pit Barrel and Bronco run on charcoal in a basket; and the Weber Smokey Mountain uses briquettes or lump in the fire bowl.

How do I choose the right size charcoal smoker?

Short answer: measure your largest cook, not the headline number. A full packer brisket needs 18 inches of clearance on a round grate, and a full rack of ribs needs about 18 inches of width. A 14-inch smoker is too small for a brisket; 18 inches is the minimum that handles a brisket comfortably, and 22 inches is comfortable for a large family or for cooking two briskets at once

If you mostly cook for two to four people, the 18-inch Weber Smokey Mountain is enough; for large families, the Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D’s 1,890 square inches of cooking area or the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050’s 1,050 square inches give more room. But remember: stated cooking area includes all grates, and grates can be stacked only so far before the upper one runs cooler — so check how much of the area is on the main grate, not just the headline total.

Charcoal smoker vs pellet smoker vs electric smoker: which should you buy?

Short answer: buy charcoal if you want the deepest smoke flavor and are willing to manage the fire; buy pellet if you want set-and-forget with wood flavor; buy electric if you want the easiest and cheapest path and do not mind lighter smoke.

Carry our three guides side by side: our Best Charcoal Smokers guide for the deepest smoke flavor and the most satisfying hobby, our Best Pellet Smokers guide for set-and-forget cooking with real wood flavor, and our Best Electric Smokers guide for the easiest and cheapest way to smoke at home.

Verdict: which charcoal smoker should you buy?

Buy the Weber Smokey Mountain 18-inch if you want the best all-round charcoal smoker for a first purchase. Buy the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 if you want the easiest charcoal smoker to run and are happy to pay for it. Buy the Pit Barrel Cooker Classic if you want a simple barrel that cooks ribs brilliantly. Buy the Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D if you need the biggest cooking area on a budget. Buy the Royal Gourmet CC1830S if you want a grill that can smoke and a smoker that can grill, on a smaller patio and budget. Buy the Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco if you want a drum smoker’s steady heat and a grill in one unit.

If you already own a grill you like and you want better smoke, do not buy a combo — buy the Weber Smokey Mountain and keep your grill for grilling. If you want the deepest smoke flavor and are willing to manage a fire, start with the Weber Smokey Mountain. And if you want set-and-forget with wood flavor, start with our Best Pellet Smokers guide.

Frequently asked questions

Which charcoal smoker is best for beginners?

The Weber Smokey Mountain 18-inch, for two reasons: it is forgiving, and it is documented. The water pan steadies the temperature, and if something goes wrong there are decades of forum threads and videos walking you through the fix.

Can you grill on a charcoal smoker?

Yes. Build a charcoal fire in the main cooking chamber and grill directly over it, or remove the water pan, lower the grate, and grill over the fire bowl. On a drum smoker, the same barrel can smoke and grill — the Bronco’s heat diffuser plate and grill grate make it explicit.

Can you set and forget a charcoal smoker overnight?

Not with a manual design — you need to check the fire every hour or two, and add charcoal as it burns down. The Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 is the closest to set-and-forget: load the hopper and let the fan hold temperature. This guide is a spec overview, not a hands-on test, so we have not verified overnight hold times.

How much does a good charcoal smoker cost?

Expect to spend roughly $150 to $650, depending on size, build quality, and electronics. We do not type prices into our articles — check the current price on Amazon before you buy.

Is a charcoal smoker better than a pellet smoker?

Charcoal gives a deeper smoke flavor than pellets; a pellet smoker is much easier to run, and the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 1050 sits between them: charcoal fuel with digital control.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability change — check the current price on Amazon before ordering. All product claims are based on manufacturer specifications; this guide is a spec overview, not a hands-on test.