Best Electric Smokers: Top Picks for Easy Smoking
The best electric smoker for most people is the Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker. It has 710 square inches across four racks, digital temperature and time controls, and a side wood-chip loader, so you can add chips without opening the door and losing heat. If you regularly cook for a crowd, step up to the 40-inch Masterbuilt instead.
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How we researched these picks — a spec overview, not a hands-on test. These smokers were not hands-on tested by JuicyBurn for this article. This is a spec overview: we compared manufacturer specifications and Amazon listing details for electric smokers that are actually listed on Amazon, checked which much-searched brands are discontinued or out of stock, and ranked the picks by cooking space, control type, and who each one suits. We did not cook on them, measure temperature swings, or time a cook. Do not treat this as a hands-on review.
Our picks at a glance
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | CHECK PRICE |
|---|---|---|
 1. Best overall | Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker MB20071117 Best overall • Cooking area: 710 sq in, 4 racks • Element: 800 W • Temp range: 100–275°F • Side wood-chip loader | Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review |
 2. Best large | Masterbuilt 40-inch Digital Electric Smoker MB20072918 Best large • Cooking area: 970 sq in, 6 racks • Element: 800 W • Temp range: 100–275°F • Side wood-chip loader | Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review |
 3. Best with a meat probe | East Oak 30-inch Electric Smoker PES23001 Best with a meat probe • Cooking area: 725 sq in, 4 racks • Element: 800 W • Temp range: 100–275°F • Meat probe and glass door | Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review |
 4. Best simple dial control | Cuisinart COS-330 30-inch Electric Smoker Best simple dial control • Cooking area: 548 sq in • Element: 1,500 W • Temp range: 150–325°F • Control: manual dial | Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review |
 5. Best budget analog | Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker 18202077 Best budget analog • Cooking area: 504 sq in • Element: 1,000 W • Temp range: 100–275°F • Control: analog dial | Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review |
 6. Best 26-inch | Smoke Hollow 26142E 26-inch Electric Smoker Best 26-inch electric smoker • Size: 26-inch • Capacity: 2.1 cu ft • Racks: porcelain-coated steel • Fuel: electric | Check the current price on Amazon Read Full Review |
Best electric smokers — the picks
1. Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker MB20071117 — Best overall
Best for: first-time smokers cooking for a family, or anyone who wants set-and-forget smoking.
The 30-inch Masterbuilt is the pick that made this list make sense: 710 square inches of cooking space across four racks, digital controls that hold 100°F to 275°F, an 800 W element, and a side chip loader that lets you add wood without opening the door. If you want one answer to the “which electric smoker should I buy” question, it is this one, and it is the best electric smoker for beginners in this guide.
What to watch: the door is small, so a full rack of ribs may not fit without cutting, and the temperature range tops out at 275°F, so it will not sear. Treat it as a set-and-forget cooker, not a heavy-smoke machine.
Specifications
- Cooking area: 710 sq in across four racks
- Element: 800 W
- Temperature range: 100–275°F
- Controls: digital temperature and time controls
- Chip loader: side wood-chip loader
Pros
- 710 sq in of cooking space across four racks
- Digital controls hold temperature without babysitting
- Side chip loader — add wood without opening the door and losing heat
- Best electric smoker for beginners in this guide
Cons
- Small door — a full rack of ribs may not fit without cutting
- Temperature tops out at 275°F, so it will not sear
- Smoke flavour is lighter than on an offset smoker
2. Masterbuilt 40-inch Digital Electric Smoker MB20072918 — Best large
Best for: cooking for a crowd, and for large cuts that will not fit in the 30-inch model.
The 40-inch Masterbuilt has the same digital control and side chip loader as the 30-inch, with more room: 970 sq in across six racks, so a full packer brisket fits without cutting. It is the best choice if you cook for six or more.
What to watch: it is a bigger, heavier box, and it costs more than the 30-inch. The temperature range is the same 100°F to 275°F, so it will not sear either.
Specifications
- Cooking area: 970 sq in across six racks
- Element: 800 W
- Temperature range: 100–275°F
- Controls: digital temperature and time controls
- Chip loader: side wood-chip loader
Pros
- 970 sq in across six racks — a full packer brisket fits without cutting
- Same digital control and side chip loader as the 30-inch
- Best choice if you cook for six or more
Cons
- Bigger, heavier box that costs more than the 30-inch
- Temperature range tops out at 275°F, so it will not sear
3. East Oak 30-inch Electric Smoker PES23001 — Best with a meat probe
Best for: cooks who want a meat probe in the box and a glass door to watch the cook.
The East Oak 30-inch is the only pick here with a meat probe included, plus a glass door so you can see the smoke without opening the door. It has 725 sq in of cooking space, an 800 W element, and a temperature range of 100°F to 275°F. It is the best-looking smoker in this guide, and the one most people buy when they want a probe.
What to watch: the glass door stains with use, so it is a window, not a telescope. The probe is a bonus, not a replacement for a good instant-read thermometer.
Specifications
- Cooking area: 725 sq in, 4 racks
- Element: 800 W
- Temperature range: 100–275°F
- Meat probe: included
- Door: glass door
Pros
- Only pick here with a meat probe included
- Glass door — see the smoke without opening the door
- 725 sq in of cooking space
Cons
- Glass door stains with use
- The probe is a bonus, not a replacement for a good instant-read thermometer
4. Cuisinart COS-330 30-inch Electric Smoker — Best simple dial control
Best for: simple dial control, and smaller households that do not need a digital display.
The Cuisinart COS-330 is the simplest smoker here: one dial, no apps, no digital display. It has 548 sq in of cooking space and a 1,500 W heating element, with a temperature range of 150°F to 325°F. If you are scared of technology, this is the smoker to buy.
What to watch: dial control is less precise than digital, so use a separate thermometer, and the dial runs from 150°F to 325°F — there is no low-and-slow smoke setting below 150°F.
Specifications
- Cooking area: 548 sq in
- Element: 1,500 W
- Temperature range: 150–325°F
- Control: manual dial
Pros
- Simplest smoker here — one dial, no apps, no digital display
- 1,500 W heating element
- Temperature range up to 325°F
Cons
- Dial control is less precise than digital — use a separate thermometer
- No low-and-slow smoke setting below 150°F
5. Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker 18202077 — Best budget analog
Best for: a tight budget, and anyone who wants a simple analog smoker.
The Char-Broil Analog is the cheapest smoker in this guide: 504 sq in of cooking space, a 1,000 W element, and an analog dial. It has no digital display, no probe, and no glass door, but it will smoke ribs and pulled pork for less money than any other pick here.
What to watch: the analog dial is imprecise, so use a thermometer, and the box has no insulation, so cold weather costs time.
Specifications
- Cooking area: 504 sq in
- Element: 1,000 W
- Temperature range: 100–275°F
- Control: analog dial
Pros
- Cheapest smoker in this guide
- Simple analog controls — nothing to learn
- Will smoke ribs and pulled pork for less money than any other pick here
Cons
- Analog dial is imprecise — use a thermometer
- No digital display, no probe and no glass door
- No insulation, so cold weather costs time
6. Smoke Hollow 26142E 26-inch Electric Smoker — Best 26-inch electric smoker
Best for: anyone who wants the biggest box per dollar on a patio.
The Smoke Hollow 26142E is a 26-inch electric smoker with 2.1 cu ft of capacity and porcelain-coated steel racks. It will hold a lot of meat for the money, and it is the pick to buy if you want the biggest box per dollar.
What to watch: it is a basic box: no digital controls, no probe, and no glass door. Check the live price and availability, as it is often out of stock.
Specifications
- Size: 26-inch
- Capacity: 2.1 cu ft
- Racks: porcelain-coated steel racks
- Fuel: electric
Pros
- 2.1 cu ft of capacity — holds a lot of meat for the money
- Porcelain-coated steel racks
- Biggest box per dollar in this guide
Cons
- Basic box — no digital controls, no probe and no glass door
- Often out of stock — check the live price and availability
What is the best electric smoker?
Short answer: The Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker MB20071117 is the best electric smoker for most people. It gives 710 square inches of cooking space, digital controls, and a side chip loader. If you want a bigger smoker, get the Masterbuilt 40-inch MB20072918. If you want a meat probe in the box, get the East Oak 30-inch PES23001. If you want a simple dial, get the Cuisinart COS-330. If you are on a tight budget, get the Char-Broil Analog 18202077. If you need the most capacity, get the Smoke Hollow 26142E.
How do electric smokers work — and how much smoke do they actually make?
A heating element at the bottom of the box does the cooking. You set a temperature, the element holds it, and wood chips in a chip tray smoulder and make smoke. There is no fire to tend and no charcoal to light.
Beginners: Set the temperature, load the chips, and walk away. An electric smoker is the easiest smoker to learn on.
Wet wood chips: Do not soak your chips. Wet chips steam instead of smoking, and they cool the chip tray. Use dry chips and add a small handful at a time.
Electric vs offset: An electric smoker gives clean, light smoke. It will not give the heavy smoke of an offset smoker. If you want heavy smoke, see our offset smoker guide.
What size electric smoker do I need?
Short answer: Buy the size for the biggest meal you cook, not the average meal. A 30-inch box with around 700 sq in suits a family. A 40-inch box or a 26-inch box suits a crowd.
- Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker MB20071117: 710 sq in, 4 racks, 800 W, 100–275°F
- Masterbuilt 40-inch Digital Electric Smoker MB20072918: 970 sq in, 6 racks, 800 W, 100–275°F
- East Oak 30-inch Electric Smoker PES23001: 725 sq in, 4 racks, 800 W, 100–275°F
- Cuisinart COS-330 30-inch Electric Smoker: 548 sq in, 1,500 W, 150–325°F
- Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker 18202077: 504 sq in, 1,000 W, 100–275°F
- Smoke Hollow 26142E 26-inch Electric Smoker: 2.1 cu ft capacity
Which electric smoker is best for beginners?
The best electric smoker for beginners is the Masterbuilt 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker, because it has 710 sq in of cooking space, digital controls, and a side chip loader. It is the easiest way to learn smoking without babysitting a fire.
Is a digital or analog electric smoker better?
Digital: A digital smoker holds temperature precisely, and you can set time and temperature. It is the better choice if you want control.
Analog: An analog smoker is simpler and cheaper, with one dial. It is the better choice if you want the simplest possible smoker.
Buy digital if you want precision — the Masterbuilt models or the East Oak. Buy analog if you want simple — the Cuisinart or the Char-Broil.
Can you use an electric smoker indoors?
No. Do not use any smoker indoors, including an electric smoker. The smoke has to go somewhere, and an electric smoker still makes smoke and carbon monoxide.
Garage: You can use an electric smoker in a garage only with the door fully open and the smoker near the opening, and even then it is not recommended.
Balcony: Check your building rules first. Many apartment buildings ban smokers on balconies.
What about Brinkmann, Bradley, and Dyna-Glo electric smokers?
You will see these names in older round-ups. Brinkmann is largely out of the electric smoker market, and parts are hard to find. Bradley uses a puck system — bisquettes — rather than wood chips, and it is a different kind of smoker. Dyna-Glo is still sold, but its listings change often, and we could not verify a stable ASIN for this guide, so it is not included as a pick.
Our verdict
Buy the Masterbuilt 30-inch if you want one safe, all-round electric smoker. Buy the 40-inch Masterbuilt if you cook for a crowd. Buy the East Oak if you want a meat probe in the box, the Cuisinart if you want a simple dial, the Char-Broil if your budget is tight, and the Smoke Hollow if you want the biggest box per dollar.
Need a recommendation by scenario? If you cook for a family, buy the Masterbuilt 30-inch. If you cook for a crowd, buy the 40-inch. If you want a probe, buy the East Oak. If you want the simplest smoker, buy the Cuisinart. If your budget is tight, buy the Char-Broil. If you need capacity, buy the Smoke Hollow.
Frequently asked questions about electric smokers
Do electric smokers use a lot of electricity?
No. An electric smoker uses about as much electricity as a space heater on low, and most of the cost is the first hour while the box heats up. The 800 W Masterbuilt models are cheap to run; the 1,500 W Cuisinart uses more, but only while it is heating.
Can you use an electric smoker in the rain?
Only under cover. An electric smoker is an electrical appliance, so keep it dry and keep the controller out of the rain. A covered patio or a pop-up canopy works; a smoker in the open rain does not.
Do electric smokers need wood chips?
Yes, if you want smoke flavour. The heating element cooks; the wood chips make the smoke. Use dry chips, add a small handful at a time, and refill every 30–45 minutes on a long cook.
Is a WiFi electric smoker worth it?
Short answer: Only if you will use it. WiFi lets you watch the cook from inside and change the temperature from your phone, but none of the picks in this guide have WiFi — the East Oak has a meat probe, not WiFi. If WiFi matters to you, look at a pellet smoker instead.
Can an electric smoker replace a pellet smoker?
For easy, low-and-slow cooking, yes. An electric smoker is simpler and cheaper than a pellet smoker, but it gives lighter smoke and it cannot sear. If smoke flavour matters most, see our pellet smoker guide; if you want a direct comparison, read electric smoker vs pellet smoker.
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