Are you on the look out for the best offset smoker for you? Are you new to the world of smoking and find yourself investigating the different types of smokers in your quest to find the right one? Or perhaps you’re familiar with the term ‘offset smoking’ and are hungry for more information before you commit to purchasing one for yourself.
Either way, you’ve come to the right place.
Today we’ll be taking a detailed look at offset smokers: what they are, how they work, their pros as well as how to go about picking one to meet your needs. We’ve also rounded up the best offset smoker choices on the market to help you narrow down your options to the best of the best.
Are you ready to dive into the world of offset smokers? Let’s go!
Table of Contents
Comparison Chart
| Name | Image | Total cooking area (in square inches) | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Charcoal Offset Smoker |   | - 100lbs capacity - 6 adjustable cooking grates | Buy on Amazon | |
| Royal Gourmet BBQ Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker |   | - Removable ash pan - Abundance of storage and working space | Buy on Amazon | |
| Char-Broil Deluxe Offset Smoker |   | - Can be used as a charcoal grill - Plenty of storage space | Buy on Amazon | |
| Oklahoma Joe's Charcoal - LP Gas - Smoker Combo |   | - Three pieces of equipment in one - Huge amount of cooking space | Buy on Amazon | |
| Dyna-Glo DGSS730CBO-D-KIT Charcoal Grill |   | - Collapsible front table - Oversized steel wheels | Buy on Amazon |
Offset Smoker Reviews
There are many top rated offset smokers available. The sheer amount of options can feel overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what to look for.
Luckily that’s what we’re here for.
We’ve rounded up the five best offset smokers to help you narrow down your options. In our offset smoker reviews the following information will be presented to you:
- A bit about the manufacturer
- Total cooking space in square inches
- Temperature control features
- Materials used
- Available storage space
- Fuel type needed
- Weight and dimensions
- Warranty information
By reading through our offset smoker reviews you’ll get a good idea of what the best offset smoker is to meet your needs.
The Best Offset Smokers
Dyna-Glo DG01176BDC-D Offset Smoker
Features we like
- Impressive 100lbs capacity
- Six adjustable grates
This vertical offset smoker is brought to you by Dyna-Glo, a leading manufacturer of offset smokers. If you plan on smoking plenty of meat at one time, you’re best off with a vertical smoker that allows you to stack multiple grates of food on top of one another.
The Dyna-Glo DG01176BDC-D offers a total of 784 square inches of smoking space and can smoke up to 100lbs of food in one go—which is hugely impressive. This offset smoker can be used by at-home smokers as well as those who smoke meats professionally.
On top of being able to smoke an impressive amount of meat, it also generates a substantial amount of heat. The cast iron burner can reach temperatures of up to 15,000 BTU. Featuring a built-in temperature “Smoke Zone” indicator, an adjustable flue on the smokestack and a dual-door design to prevent heat loss, this vertical smoker is easy to control.
The Dyna-Glo DG01176BDC-D is constructed with heavy duty steel and is finished with a high temperature resistant black powder coating. It has a porcelain enameled steel chamber so you can tightly stack your charcoal briquettes. It also has six height-adjustable grates that enable it to smoke such large quantities of meat in one go.
Since the DG01176BDC-D is purely an offset smoker it is void of the bells and whistles. It has a dual door design to ensure no heat is lost while adding additional wood chips when needed. This offset smoker uses a combination of charcoal and wood chips as its fuel source.
The DG01176BDC-D weighs 57lbs and is 20.2 x 34.52 x 47.03 inches so it’s relatively easy to carry—although there are no wheels, so you’ll more than likely struggle with this task.
Even though the DG01176BDC-D isn’t portable and there is no space for direct cooking or searing, this classic offset smoker is worth every penny & will look incredible in anyone’s yard or on their patio. The Dyna-Glo DG01176BDC-D is covered by a 1-year limited warranty, which is the industry standard.
Royal Gourmet CC1830S BBQ Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker
Features we like
- Removable ash pan
- Abundance of storage and working space
This next product is brought to you by Royal Gourmet, a Georgia-based company that specializes in indoor and outdoor grilling tools. The CC1830S is a combo charcoal grill with offset smoker, which means you can enjoy barbequing your food as you traditionally would while still getting the most out of smoking.
With the CC1830S comes 800 square inches of cooking space which means it’s ideal for most backyard family barbeques and for feeding small groups of people.
A professional thermometer is built into the heavy-duty lid which is easily opened thanks to the cool-touch spring handle. Two adjustable dampers allow you to control the heat and smoke needed to get a successful smoke & even cook.
The CC1830S is constructed with stainless steel and has an adjustable porcelain coated wire cooking grate. The risk of paint chipping is eliminated thanks to the heat resistant black process paint used to coat the CC1830S.
The firebox is accessed by its own door so you can tend to your coals quickly and easily. This combo grill and smoker weighs 54lbs and measures 55.1 x 27.2 x 48.4 inches & the sturdy wheels mean that lugging this piece of equipment around is a breeze. The CC1830S is fueled by charcoal and a small amount of wood chips.
Another attractive feature found in the CC1830S is its abundance of storage space. A steel mesh swing-away front table, side table, bottom shelf to store your fuel source and hooks for hanging your accessories is featured in the combo grill’s design.
Its combination of grilling and offset smoking capabilities as well as its impressive storage facilities make this our best cheap offset smoker. The Royal Gourmet CC1830S BBQ Charcoal and Offset Smoker comes at an attractive price suited towards most budgets & is covered by a 2-year warranty.
Char-Broil Deluxe Offset Smoker
Features we like
- Can be used as a charcoal grill
- Plenty of storage space
Char-Broil has been operating since 1948, so it’s safe to say they know a thing or two about manufacturing grilling gear. This Deluxe Offset Smoker allows its users to get back to the basics of traditional smoking, in style.
The Char-Broil Deluxe Offset Smoker provides a total of 895 square inches of cooking space, making it suitable for the needs of most grillers. Char-Broil’s Deluxe Offset Smoker can accommodate up to 36 burgers or a 40lb pig at one time—perfect for bigger barbeques.
A lid-mounted temperature gauge and an adjustable top damper means you have control over your temperatures & smoke. The firebox features 3 charcoal grates so while not technically classed as a combo griller and smoker you could easily get away with grilling on it.
The Deluxe Offset Smoker is constructed with powder-coated steel, porcelain-coated wire cooking grates and boasts stainless steel handles.
The Char-Broil Deluxe Offset Smoker features a front table as well as a bottom shelf, so you won’t need to worry about sufficient storage space. Plus, the transport handle unofficially doubles as a tong holder. The Char-Broil Deluxe Offset Smoker also features an ash drawer for easy cleaning. Charcoal is its source of fuel.
This offset smoker weighs in at just under 105lbs and measures 57.9 x 46.2 x 29.3 inches. The Char-Broil Deluxe Offset Smoker features two 8-inch wheels and a side transport handle, but it is relatively heavy so you may have a hard time moving it around.
Char-Broil’s Deluxe Offset Smoker is competitively priced and ticks most of the boxes needed in an offset smoker. This model is backed by a comprehensive 1-year warranty.
Oklahoma Joe’s Charcoal/LP Gas/Offset Smoker Combo
Features we like
- Three in one combo
- Huge amount of cooking space
If you’re on the hunt for a charcoal, gas and offset smoker combo, look no further than Oklahoma Joe’s three-in-one combo. This model features a cooking chamber for smoking, a cooking chamber for gas grilling, a side burner and an offset firebox. Both cooking chambers have their own temperature gauges.
With this combo smoker comes a total of 1,060 square inches of cooking space which is perfect for people who frequently host large-scale barbeques and even those who take part in competitive barbeque contests.
Three 12,000 BTU burners can be found in the gas grilling chamber. In the side burner you’ll get an additional 12,000 BTU. A damper in the firebox as well as the smoking chamber mean that you have total control over your smoke and heat. Cool-touch handles allow you to access all three chambers safely.
Oklahoma Joe’s Charcoal/LP Gas/Smoker combo is crafted from 12-gauge black oil pipe and features six porcelain-coated cast iron grates.
Just like the other options listed, the firebox has its own access door. In terms of storage, this combo grill and smoker features a solid bottom shelf as well as a small workspace area. You can cook with gas, charcoal or wood depending on which chamber you make use of.
This beast weighs 205lbs and measures in at 31.5 x 74 x 50.6 inches. While the Oklahoma Joe’s combo offset smoker has two wheels, we recommend keeping it in one place given its substantial weight. Because of this factor, as well as its features, we find this to be the best backyard offset smoker.
As it is to be expected, this hefty combo grill and smoker comes at a hefty price & is by far the most expensive option featured on our list. But the Oklahoma Joe’s team stands behind this product firmly and its 2-year warranty would make this investment a sound one.
Dyna-Glo DGSS730CBO-D-KIT Signature Barrel Charcoal Grill & Side Firebox
Features we like
- Collapsible front table
- Oversized steel wheel set
If you know your smokers or have visited our website before, you won’t be surprised to find another Dyna-Glo product on our list of best offset smokers. The Dyna-Glo DGSS730CBO-D-KIT is a perfect blend of grill meets offset smoker which is the best of both worlds for many grillers.
The DGSS730CB0CBO-D-KIT offers a total cooking space of 730 square inches. In terms of temperature control, the analog temperature gauge will let you know when you’ve reached the sweet spot for your “Grill Zone” and “Smoke Zone” respectively.
The DGSS730CBO-D-KIT is constructed with heavy-gauge steel, features porcelain coated cooking grates and includes a set of two sturdy steel wheels.
This combo grill and offset smoker has a collapsible front table and a bottom shelf to accommodate your storage needs. Cool-touch spring handles allow you to safely access the cooking chamber as well as the firebox. The DGSS730CBO-D-KIT uses both charcoal and wood as its source of fuel.
The DGSS730CBO-D-KIT weighs 123.2lbs and has dimensions of 52 x 33.9 x 59.8 inches. The oversized steel wheels enable you to cart this offset smoker back and forth as you need to, but its heavy weight mean that this is best suited to usage in one spot.
Dyna-Glo’s DGSS730CBO-D-KIT is backed by a 1-year limited warranty so you can enjoy your grill and offset smoker with peace of mind.
A Buyers Guide: What You Need to Know
What is an Offset Smoker?
In case you aren’t familiar with what an offset smoker is and how it differs compared to other smokers, allow us to break it down for you. An offset smoker is a two-part smoker that features a classic design.
One section of the smoker is an indirect cooking chamber while the remaining section is the firebox, where the magic happens.
Offset smokers are specifically designed to feature a very large cooking surface area so large quantities of food can be smoked in one session. Due to the indirect method of cooking it takes a while to cook your food on an offset smoker—but the results are worth it.
An offset smoker can be found anywhere. In a pitmaster’s backyard, at large functions, neighborhood barbeques and even on the professional & competitive grilling circuit.
How Does an Offset Smoker Work?
To operate an offset smoker wood and charcoal are added to the firebox & ignited. The heat generated in the firebox is the only heat source used to cook the meat in the cooking chamber.
Between the firebox and the cooking chamber lies a tiny hole through which the firebox’s heat and smoke flows. Temperature is controlled by a damper on the firebox. Smoke is expelled by means of a chimney and controlled by a vent found on it.
Why Choose an Offset Smoker
There are many reasons why pitmasters pick an offset smoker as their smoker of choice. Let’s take a look at some of the main reasons so many people choose an offset smoker and why you should too:
- An offset smoker allows you to cook up a storm in just one go. This is because they typically feature an extra large cooking area and most models include multiple racks. Not only does this mean that you can cook a large amount of food, but it also means you can cook large cuts of meat.
- When you smoke food on an offset smoker, you’re practically guaranteed to get that authentic smoky taste that other smokers try to replicate. In our opinion, nothing comes close to the taste of meat that has been cooked on an offset smoker.
- We all know that smoking takes time and sometimes the heat source will need to be replenished. With an offset smoker, you can refill your fuel without ever having the lift the cooking chamber’s lid—meaning you won’t jeopardize the smoke of the meat or add extra time to your cook thanks to heat loss.
- Plenty of modern offset cookers act as both a smoker and a charcoal grill, so there’s no need to invest the time, space & effort into two separate pieces of equipment. A combo smoker and grill is also a great option for people who aren’t keen on changing the way they’re used to grilling. You’ll find plenty of combo offset smokers in our offset smoker reviews.
- If you’re a person who prides yourself on your MacGyver skills, you’ll be happy to hear that a cheap offset smoker is incredibly easy to modify and customize.
Things to Consider Before Buying an Offset Smoker
After reading our offset smoker reviews you probably can’t wait to get one of your own. But before you go ahead and purchase a top rated offset smoker there are a few factors that need to be considered. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- If you have limited space, an offset smoker won’t work for you. Most offset smokers are large which means if you live in an apartment or have a small yard an offset smoker will be too big for your available space.
- Offset smokers are used outdoors so they’re at the mercy of the elements. If the area you live in is prone to heavy rains, strong winds and other unfavorable weather conditions an offset smoker won’t perform optimally.
- Operating an offset smoker is not as straight forward as operating a gas or charcoal barbeque. There is a learning curve involved with even the best offset smoker and it can take a few tries to hone your skills.
- Because of the indirect method of cooking, an offset smoker will typically use up more wood and charcoal than what another type of smoker of the same size would.
- An offset smoker is not a “set it and forget it” type of smoker. When cooking on an offset smoker you’ll need to monitor your temperature and smoke regularly as well as replenish the fuel source. For many people this isn’t an issue, but if you’re after a quick fix then you’ll need to look elsewhere.
What to Look For in an Offset Smoker
If you’ve decided that the pros of an offset smoker outweigh the cons and that this is the smoker for you, here are some features & characteristics to keep your eyes peeled for.
The Material
An offset smoker needs to be made with the highest quality strongest, most durable metals available. To ensure an even distribution of heat and smoke, lightweight metals just don’t cut it & won’t last as long as offset smokers constructed with heavy duty materials will. On top of the materials used to construct the body, it’s important to note the cooking grate material too. Porcelain-coated wire cooking grates are easy to clean and will last a fairly long time.
The Paint
Heat resistant paint needs to coat the offset smoker. If cheap paint is used it won’t be able to withstand the high heats generated by an offset smoker and will chip off leaving bits of your smoker at the mercy of the elements. In no time your once smooth, sleek and shiny offset smoker will resemble a rusted, ancient, worn down smoker. Not only is this an eyesore but the rust can compromise your meat, risk the structural integrity of your smoker and lead to decreased performance.
The Ventilation
Temperature is controlled in an offset smoker by limiting or exposing the firebox to oxygen. Because of this, proper ventilation options are vital. Vents need to be properly sized and easy to adjust. In addition, you want to be able to control the temperature and level of smoke as much as possible when using an offset smoker so features like adjustable dampers should never be overlooked.
The Thermometer
Without a built-in temperature gauge, you’re going to have an incredibly difficult time using an offset smoker. Monitoring and controlling temperature is a crucial element to smoking in general and especially when smoking on an offset smoker. You can buy a thermometer, but this is just one feature that we insist on being included on an offset smoker.
The Wheels
There’s no denying that an offset smoker is a heavy piece of equipment. If you know that you’ll need to move your offset smoker around a decent set of wheels is a must. This is especially true for people who tend to smoke solo, if you have a big group of barbeque buddies the maneuverability of an offset smoker won’t be as much of an issue.
The Space
The best offset smoker will offer an abundance of space. We’re not just talking about the space provided by the large cooking area but also about the storage space. Look out for a storage rack between the legs to place your wood or bags of charcoal and plenty of space to place your sauces, spices & serving dishes. And as we’re sure most grillers will agree, a spot to place your beer is invaluable.
The Price
Offset smokers vary in price with some costing less than $100 and others surpassing the $1,000 mark. Unfortunately, an offset smoker isn’t something you want to skimp on. In this situation it really is a case of “you get what you pay for” and you should avoid purchasing a low-cost offset smoker. Very cheap offset smokers are typically made with low-quality materials and won’t perform well at all.
Are You a Visual Learner?
Offset smokers may look intimidating but once you nail the element of controlling the temperature, you’ll be surprised at how enjoyable it is to cook on one. If you want to learn more about the basics of using an offset smoker and how to control its temperature, be sure to check out this short video. Check this article if you look for an entry level offset smoker.
Conclusion
Picking the best offset smoker to meet your needs is no easy feat. There are many factors that need to be considered the choice boils down to your own needs, budget, personal preference and availability of space.
After reviewing all the options, we’ve awarded the title of best offset smoker to the Dyna-Glo DG01176BDC-D. Those who want a genuine offset smoking experience can’t go wrong with this well-designed offset smoker from one of the best brands in the industry.
If you want an offset smoker that does more than smoke and are willing to pay for the additional features Oklahoma Joe’s Charcoal/LP Gas/Smoker combo is your dream come true. In terms of versatility, it doesn’t get much better than this.
We’ve provided you with the lowdown on the best offset smoker the market has to offer but ultimately the decision on which of these top rated offset smokers to pick is yours alone. Which one will it be?
