Best Barrel Smoker Review & Buying Guide [Picks 2022]

For smoking or grilling your foods, the barrel smoker is one of the best cooking units. They are easier to use and also easy to assemble. You can also use them as girls or pits yet. 

On the market, there are different designs and different types of barrel smokers available. Each of them has some advantages and shortcomings too. 

For this reason, sometimes, peoples find it pretty hard to select the best barrel smoker for their needs. To get your desired barrel smoker according to your needs, continue reading this article. 

Review of 10 Best Barrel Smoker

In this section, we’ve shortlisted the 10- best barrel smokers available in the market. We will review them and mention their pros and cons to help you get the best finding of the market. 

This review also includes a FAQ section and a buying guide section to assist you in getting the answer to relevant queries and understanding the basic features of a barrel smoker.

After reading this review, we hope you will be able to choose the best barrel smoker as per your requirements. 

• User Choice: Real cook Charcoal BBQ Smoker Grill
• Budget-Friendly: PK Grills PKO-SCAX-X Charcoal BBQ Grill and Smoker
• Our Recommendation: Dyna-Glo Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D

1. Dyna-Glo Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D

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The Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker & Grill is an outdoor smoker by Dyna-Glo.

Using a cool-touch spring handle, this smoker makes it easier to get food out of the smoker. Besides, its pre-installed sausage hooks also provide additional cooking flexibility.

It has 1382 square inches of total cooking space, and the primary cooking space is 1098 square inches. Furthermore, its grilling area is 128 square inches.

The vertical offset smoker uses charcoal as its fuel. Besides, it also features a side tray to provide a better and easy cleanup.

The DGSS1382VCS-D Heavy-Duty Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker has five chrome-plated steel grates and a smoke zone indicator.

Also, this offset smoker provides a steel cooking plate with a porcelain coating for perfectly baking foods. The noteworthy feature of this Signature Series DGSS1382VCS-D charcoal smoker is its black powder coat finishing.  

Besides, this smoker comes with a heavy gauge steel construction. The offset lid and door of this charcoal smoker are made with 13-gauge steel.

And also, both bodies of this smoker are made with 17-gauge heavy-duty steel. Overall, it is a heavy-duty smoker indeed.

Pros & Cons

2. Real cook Charcoal BBQ Smoker Grill

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Real cook charcoal 20-inch BBQ grill vertical smoker is one of the best barrel smokers on this list. It has a multi-layered design which allows you to use it for grilling, streaming, fire pit in cold weather, and roasting in a way that you want.

The actual cook charcoal smoker has two parts. This double-chambered charcoal smoker provides 636 square inches of cooking space with two cooking racks.

It also provides hooks at the underside of the lid for hanging meats. This smoker features a built-in and highly accurate thermometer for controlling the temperature.  

Besides, it has two access doors that allow convenient access to the food and reloads more wood or charcoal in the lower fire chamber without removing the whole layer. 

The noteworthy feature of this charcoal BBQ is its latch locking system. Besides, it has heat-resistant & durable handles that allow you to move it while it’s warm.

This real cook charcoal BBQ smoker grill comes with a porcelain-enameled water pan and doubles adjustable air vents. Also, it has an ash collector in the bottom, which ensures easy cleanup of ashes in a second.

Pros & Cons

3. Oklahoma Joe’s 19202089 Barrel Drum Smoker

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Oklahoma Joe’s 19202089 Barrel Drum Smoker is one of the uniquely designed barrel smokers. These barrel drum smokers come with a design featuring a closed lid and airflow system, making cooking or grilling relatively easy.

When you close the lid, the air comes from the air pipe and stays in the smoker until it is overflowed. When the amount of air is high, the air will push through its lid. For this ability, grilling chicken or beef in this smoker takes less time than other smokers.

The grill has many sections for different purposes. Along with a charcoal tray and grill tray, some hooks are attached to the grill to offer a better experience to its user.

You can hang the meat on the grill’s hooks. Also, you can smoke small pieces on the upper tray of the smoker. Moreover, this smoker weighs only 136 pounds, and there is a removable ashtray at the bottom of the smoker.

Again, this smoker is easy to transport for its bottom wheels.

Pros & Cons

4. Barrel House Cooker Smoker BHC 18C

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Barrelhouse is a USA-based cooker manufacturing company that assembled this BHC 18C cooker smoker. This smoker is ideal for grilling and searing.

The barrel house cooker smoker BHC 18C is constructed with both sides porcelain-enameled 20-gauge metal barrels. It has traditional wire-type handles and a nonabrasive stand and also contains stainless steel components.

This smoker needs 8lbs of charcoal for 6+ hours of burning. Its noticeable feature is it can cook faster than most other smokers.

This smoker set includes 1-manual & instructions booklet, 1-full grate, 1- built-in thermometer, 1 H-Frame, 1-accessory wand, and 8-meat hooks. Again, for faster cooking, 275 – 310 F is the suitable temperature for this smoker.

The unique feature of this barrelhouse cooker smoker is its patio-friendly design and its 45 pounds weight.

It can maximize its cooking space with the help of vertical hanging methods, and also, you can move around this smoker easily.

Pros & Cons

5. BBQ 7062425 4-in-1 Grill Barrel BBQ

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The BBQ 7062425 4-in-1 Grill Barrel Black smoker is the most excellent option for barrel BBQ. This barrel BBQ set combines all the things that you need to smoke, grill, and cook.

BBQ 7062425 4-in-1 Grill Barrel BBQ smoker comes with a portable, foldable feature. It is easy to store and transport to any place like beach, camping, or picnic.

Also, this barrel has a temperature gauge that ensures a stable temperature inside the barrel. Besides, it can be used as a calm fireplace on the outside where it’s so cold. 

This grill barrel comes with a complete set of equipment which includes a 4grill barrel consisting of 3 segments, 1-chrome plated grill rack, 1lid, 3-heat resistant handles, 1fire shield, 1-removable ventilation flap, 1-steel water pan, 1-charcoal bowl, 1-heat resistant base plate, 2-Thermo sticker and 1-stainless steel cross bracing.

Charcoal is the fuel of this barrel. Its weight is 20kg, and its height is 60cm. Hence, this BBQ 7062425 4-in-1 Grill Barrel BBQ is constructed with stainless steel, and it also has a powder coat finishing yet.

Pros & Cons

6. Char-Broil 140 871 – Traditional Bullet Smoker

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Char-Broil 140 871 Traditional Bullet Smoker is a high-quality grill and smoker. It offers superior smoking performance than most regular smokers.  

This black smoker features a robust steel cooking chamber and an innovative airflow control system. The airflow control system simply controls the internal cooking temperature.

Besides, it is constructed with a high-class porcelain-coated steel body. Also, it has two enameled steel cooking grates that provide plenty of cooking space inside the smoker. 

The noteworthy feature of this Char-Broil 140 871 Traditional Bullet Smoker is that it has the mounted temperature gauge in its lid. This gauge is easy to read and influential in monitoring temperature. 

Also, it includes a 42cm diameter cooking grate. Charcoal is the fuel source of this black bullet smoker. Besides, it has a convenient removable ash pan that collects ash and makes the smoker easy to clean.

Hence, its dimension is 55cm in length, 54cm in width, and 99cm in height. 

Pros & Cons

7. Pit Barrel Cooker Classic Package

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Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned outdoor chef, this Classic Pit Barrel Cooker Package will provide you with the best-smoked meats experience.

It has an 18.5-inch steel cooker, a spin on the conventional ugly drum smoker design. Since it’s a vertically constructed drum cooker, it cooks in all directions.

It’s a set it and forget it type smoker, so it makes cooking a breeze. In addition, to produce delectable meat, slow cooking in this drum smoker is an excellent way.

This grilling set includes a charcoal basket, eight stainless steel hooks, two hanging rods, and a regular BBQ grate. These hangers provide enough capacity for eight racks of ribs or two 16-pound turkeys.

Moreover, this cooker set includes a UDS, allowing quick meat cooking sessions. As a result, you won’t have to worry about maintaining a consistent temperature when cooking.

This beautiful pot barrel cooker’s superior-grade porcelain enamel finish makes it more durable and intended to endure anything from internal heat to weather extremes.

Pros & Cons

8. Barton Multi-Function Barrel Pit Smoker Grill

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Barton barrel pit charcoal BBQ smoker grill is one of the best smoker grills available, and You can use this grill for making grills, BBQ, and pizza. It is also effective to use as a fire pit yet. 

The grill has a vast space where you can cook a 6-pound chicken easily. Also, you can grill stakes. One other specialty of this grille is that it has a heat counting meter attached to its lid.

So after you close the lid, you can monitor the temperature of your grill. Also, you can set your desired heat in this grill.

Barton’s multi-functional grill weighs only 19.6 pounds, and it is 17 x 14.5 x 29.5 inches in dimension. The grill contains a set of grilling utensils, such as one port utensils, clamp, and grill tongs.

Also, with this set, you will get 6-hooks that can be used to hang chicken and other items. 

Furthermore, this grill can also be used as a smoker grill. It is easy to transport, and you can adjust its height by simply removing the lower part of the grill.

For these reasons, this grill is preferable for camping and backyard BBQ parties.

Pros & Cons

9. AMERICAN GOURMET 21201715 Portable Charcoal Barrel Grill

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If you are looking for the best barrel smoker, then the American Gourmet portable charcoal barrel grill is the perfect choice for you.

Though the grill has a simple design, it is suitable for cooking a gourmet-style grill. It is preferable for those people who like American gourmet cooking. 

This 225-inch grill is made out of cast iron. The grill weighs 37 pounds. So that you can take it with you wherever you go, this grill is equipped with a cast-iron gate that is used for opening the smokers.

Also, the grill has a small side window that you can use to decrease the smoke from your smokers. Again, it is 18 inches wide and has a massive area for grilling. It is worthy to serve up to 15 to 20 people simultaneously. 

Also, it is easy to clean, and the grill contains a side-mounted drawer. You can open the drawer to clean the tray. Besides, 2 steel stands are used to mount this smoker, and they are portable.

As a result, you will have no difficulty mounting this smoker.

Pros & Cons

10. BarrelQ – BQ-S – Multifunctional Charcoal Barbecue

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This beautiful barrel-style kebab smoker has a shape that has never been used in any other barbecue before. It is like an oil drum with a clipped tray at the top. You can also use it as a fire pit if you wish. 

Moreover, it is available in two distinct sizes. Its small size measures 360mm in diameter, and its large size is 480mm in diameter. It’s also available in a variety of colors.

However, many people prefer its black color. Its grill plate can be positioned in two different ways. There’s a low one and a high one. As a result, you can also use it to prepare barbecue.

Furthermore, this barbecue smoker has a lid, closing ring, and protective cover, and there is also a grill and fireplace. Its fire basket is made of perforated steel.

So, coal and wood are the prime sources of energy here. With this griller, you can serve 2 to 5 people easily. Also, you can use it to burn the garbage in your garden.

Pros & Cons

Buying Guide

Before buying the best barrel smoker, you need to know some characteristics that will help you make the right decision to buy a perfect smoker.

You should keep in mind that there are a lot of factors such as temperature control, construction material, and size that are important for smoking or grilling meat.

So you need to analyze a few things that are mentioned below before making your final decision.

Material and durability

Barrel smokers are available in a variety of different materials. If you want good lifetime longevity, you have to choose a model made of rust-resistant materials. 

Stainless steel is rust-resistant, practical, and durable material. And it also heats evenly. That means it will increase the performance of cooking and ensure the long-lasting performance of the smoker.

Besides, some models have an interior coating and porcelain enamel. It makes the barrel easier to clean as well as improves the heat capacity.

Size

Size is the most crucial factor to consider before buying a barrel smoker. Some large model smokers are too heavy to move.

Besides, larger models will have larger fireboxes. It means you can put more fuel to the grill and cannot move around this smoker easily.

On the other hand, smaller models are easy to move, and they provide a smaller capacity. That’s why they are the best option for outdoor camping, picnic, and trips down to the beach.

Price

The price depends on the barrel’s size, quality, features, etc. So price is another crucial factor for choosing the best one.

Usually, expensive models are better than the cheaper models. These models provide extra features that more affordable models cannot offer.

Also, a simple smoker with effective design costs less but provides you with good service.

Temperature Control

There are numerous methods for controlling the temperature of various smokers. Gas-powered and electric grills smokers have an easy temperature control system.

It is effortless to control the temperature with the help of the knob. On the other hand, water smokers cook food at a low temperature for an extended period. They release heat very slowly.

Besides, the tightness of the lids on the firebox is significant in charcoal grills or smokers. Here you need to ensure a tighter seal to keep the heat inside. To monitor the temperature, here added a temperature control system. 

FAQ

Q. Do I need to Season, My Smoker?

Ans: Seasoning, your smoker, is essential for long-lasting use. If you don’t take care of your smoker when it is new, then you might not be able to enjoy its service for long.

So to keep clean and to make healthy food, you have to season your smoker. Because if you don’t clean your barrel smoker, you will face stickiness and an unhealthy environment for cooking. Make sure you clean your smoker after use and season it before cooking.

Q. How to use a barrel smoker?

Ans: Using a barrel smoker is easy if you know the tips to use the smoker. You will need wood or charcoal to produce heat, and if you use wood, you will have to burn the wood and make coal.

After you have done making coal, you have to put the charcoal or wood in the firebox. The wood or charcoal produces heat and smoke. This heat and smokes run through the barrel to cook the meat.

Q. Is it worth buying a smoker?

Ans: The best barrel smoker is an essential appliance for your kitchen. It enhances the ability to cook. As the oven improves the beauty and reduces the kitchen’s workload, smokers will do the same.

Such as if you’re throwing a backyard BBQ party, then if you have a smoker, you will not have to buy any items. You will be able to make BBQ in your home with the help of a smoker.

So you can say that it is worth purchasing a smoker.

Q. How Do Barrel Smokers Work?

Ans: Barrel smokers usually cook food by indirect grilling. It has two chambers. One of them is a large chamber where food is kept, and the other is a smaller firebox chamber where fuel is placed.

Generally, wood or charcoal is the fuel source. This source produces heat in the firebox, and the heat and smoke flow through an entrance into the food chamber.

There this smoke and heat travel up to around this food and cook the meat. Then exit this warmed smoke through the chimney. 

Q. How Can I Clean My Smoker?

Ans: First of all, before cleaning your smoker, you need to wear rubber gloves. Then remove all the grates, smoke baskets, and drip tray of your smoker.

Now you can clean your residue food that sticks to your grate. A grill brush will help to clean the grates as well.

After that, fill up your sink with hot soapy water and scrub the sink constantly to remove the black residue of the smoker. Then rinse it carefully and leave it to drip dry, and sweep out all ash residue.

Conclusion

The best barrel smoker ensures an outstanding performance for you. Therefore, to make your smoking or grilling process pleasant, it is wiser to consider your need and preference while choosing the barrel smoker.

However, all the smokers on the above list are good-looking and made with premium steel. You can pick any of these smokers for your backyard or outdoor party under the sun for sure.