Best Offset Smokers 2021{Reviews and Buying Tips}
Are you a barbecue lover? You love to do smoking stuff or want to learn about offset smokers? then you are at the right place. We have researched the best offset smokers that provide you the best smoking results. Either you are a beginner or professional, no worry; these offset smokers are for both beginners and professionals.
Read: Best Electric Smoker
Read: Best Charcoal Smoker
If you are facing any problem related to smoking, here we will provide you a solution. We have selected the best smokers available in the market with outstanding qualities and economical prices. The good thing about these offset smokers is they can heat up quickly and, you can cook your desired food with great zeal. Without delaying further, let’s read about the smokers.
Read: Best Pellet Smoker
If you are in hurry go for the smart pick.
The Best Offset Smokers
- The Best Offset Smokers
- 1.Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Vertical Offset Smoker -Best Overall
- 2. Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Offset Smoker -Runner up
- 3. Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker -Best Value
- 4. Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Reverse Flow Smoker -Best Features
- 5. Dyna-Glo DGSS1382VCS-D Vertical Charcoal Offset Smoker -Best Commercial
- 6. Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Reverse Flow Smoker -Best Reverse Flow
- 7. Dyna-Glo DGSS730CBO-D-KIT Grill & Side Firebox -Best with Firebox
- What is an offset smoker?
- How Does an Offset Smoker Work?
- Why Choose An Offset Smoker?
- Things to Consider Before Buying an Offset Smoker
- What to Look For in an Offset Smoker?
- Advantages of an Offset Smoker
- Disadvantages of an Offset Smoker
- Editor’s Recommendation
- Final Thoughts
1.Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Vertical Offset Smoker -Best Overall
|47.03 x34.52 x 20.2 inches dimension|
|Weight 57lbs|
|1176 sq inches cooking area|
|784 sq inches smoking area|
|Fuel type charcoal and wood|
|Steel material|
|6 adjustable grates|
|Heavy duty cast iron burner|
|1 years warranty|
Overview
Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Wide Body Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker is one of the best offset smokers. If you don’t have a hefty amount to invest in an offset smoker, this offset smoker will be a considerable choice for you. This smoker is a great smoker for beginners with a low price range, and the performance is up to the mark.
We considered the quality and functions of this offset top notch. It’s a slow cooking smoker, which makes the food well smoked. This smoker has a heat function that prevents the food from direct heat, yet you can adjust the temperature to low and enjoy the well-cooked meat. You can cook your desired steaks with a distinct smoking flavor and enjoy your delicious food.
Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Wide Body Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker has six adjustable grates that entertain different food sizes. It occupies 784 square inches of smoking area out of 1176 square inches of total cooking area. You can throw a barbecue party and gather your friends and family to enjoy your heavy meal as you can smoke 25 pounds capacity per grate.
It is made of porcelain-enameled steel charcoal to improve burn efficiency by keeping the briquettes stacked tight. This function makes the smoker unique and enhances the durability of this smoker.
It has an ash and charcoal control system with a removable steel ash pan, a grate and sliding, and a charcoal chamber. This management system helps in maintenance-free smoking.
If you want to cook perfectly smoked food, you need an easy-to-read gauge. Dyna provides you a stainless steel thermometer to infuse a smoky flavor to your food by indicating an ideal temperature.
Top Tip
Use a thermal seal to avoid smoke leakage.
You can buy a barbecue gasket and temperature gasket to prevent heat from escaping through the holes.
Editor’s Verdict
If you are a pro, you can install various parts for your ease. Everyone likes to eat grilled and barbecue food and slow smoking help food to cook well. This smoker is built in keeping in mind the priorities of the grill and barbecue lovers. Dyna-GLO is the best slow offset smoker available in the market that provides you tremendous food results at an economical price.
2. Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Offset Smoker -Runner up
|2.5mm steel barbecue material|
|Porcelain coated wire grate material|
|57*33.5*53 dimensions|
|178lbs weight|
|Charcoal or wood fuel type|
|619 sq inches primary cooking capacity|
|281 sq inches secondary cooking capacity|
|Total cooking capacity 900 sq inches|
|2 years warranty|
Overview
If you’re looking for a reliable and spacious smoker, then Oklahoma Joe’s Highland offset smoker is a suitable candidate. It provides you the best-smoked food to save money and time. You can enjoy grilling and smoking in any area of your yard. This smoker is a heavy-duty smoker with moveable features.
The cooking capacity of this smoker is 619 square inches. You can smoke a good amount of meat in it. It has a lid that covers the inside chamber of the smoker. This lid helps to keep the temperature constant inside the smoker.
This smoker has multiple dampers, which help to control the temperature. It can adjust the temperature because it has thick steel that holds the heat well in cold weather. This smoker comes with a firebox which has its door. The separate door of the firebox won’t change the temperature inside the smoker. So, the smoke flavor will give a better taste to your food.
Moreover, this smoker provides you the shelves that hold plenty of space to prepare the food. You can remove these shelves and create more space, but it can give you small space for your utensils. Apart from size, these shelves are sturdy.
Oklahoma Joe’s Highland offset smoker is a durable smoker that can hold a smoker chamber and firebox. It has sturdy legs that help to let you keep the utensils, food, woodchucks, and many more things. Moveable wheels are a plus point; you can transport them anywhere you want.
Top Tip
It is difficult to clean such smoker so you have to keep a hose, spray, and scrub with you to clean it.
To control the leakage problem, additional modifications can help you.
Editor’s Verdict
Oklahoma Joe’s Highland offset smoker has good capacity and space for cooking many foods. It is a durable smoker available in the market at a reasonable price. The temperature can handle to make a good smoked meal. Besides this, it has a disadvantage that is difficult to clean. This is a sturdy smoker with best qualities.
3. Dyna-Glo DGO1176BDC-D Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker –Best Value
|20.2 x 34.52 x 47.03 inches|
|57lbs Weight|
|15,000 BTU Heavy Duty Cast Iron Burner|
|100F-350F Temperature Range|
|6 Cooking Grates|
|Charcoal Fuel Type|
|1176 square inches cooking space|
|784 sq inches smoking area|
|25 lbs Cooking Capacity per Grate|
|Porcelain-enameled steel charcoal chamber|
|Stainless steel Built-in thermometer|
|Fuel Type Charcoal/Wood|
|3 Years Warranty|
Overview
Dyna-Glo brings you the best slow cooker because it has an off-set design allowing you to keep the food restricted from the direct heat. Cook slow and low and enjoy the bone leaving meat from your Smoker.
Whether it is a huge party or some family gathering, you can smoke heavy brisket with 25 lbs per grate capacity at once. You can also satisfy your soles by smoking a different style of cuts as it has a huge smoking area of 784 sq inches.
A porcelain-enameled steel charcoal chamber is designed to improve the durability of this apparatus. The briquettes are stacked tightly with this design and hence last longer, which lowers your long-term operating cost as well.
Reviewing the common issues of grillers and smokers, Dyna Glo makes it convenient for the user to instantly clean the apparatus. The charcoal and ash management system is designed in such a way as to handle a large amount of ash without any hassle.
An easy-to-read gauge is there to achieve perfectly smoked food by observing the correct temperature reading in a go.
Top Tip
- To avoid heat escaping, put a thermal seal around each door.
- The other way that you can buy the high temp gasket and the bbq gasket to prevent leaking smoke and heat through the holes.
- If you are mechanically sound, you can install a meat probe for your convenience.
Editor’s Verdict
Not everyone likes the high-temperature grilling. The real traditional bbq lovers loved to slow and low smoking. The dyno-glo is built keeping in mind the priorities of smoking veterans. For the money, you won’t get any better off-set smoker for your backyard. This is one of the best off-set smokers for the price. It may not complete the once with a $500 price range, but it can produce equally better food results in the longer run.
4. Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Reverse Flow Smoker -Best Features
|57*33.5*53 inches dimensions|
|180.8lbs weight|
|2 years warranty|
|619 squares primary cooking capacity|
|281 square secondary capacity|
|Charcoal and wood fuel type|
|2.5mm steel barbecue material|
|Porcelain coated grate|
Overview
If you are a beginner and want to produce tasty smoking food, a good offset smoker can help you. You don’t need to break your bank, but you have to invest in a good smoker. While on the other hand, an expert wants to buy a smoker with excellent results.
Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Reverse Flow is one of the best offset smokers for both beginners and experts. It will give you quality results at a reasonable price. This smoker is versatile; you can use it as a flow smoker or as a small grill. You can take this smoker to another level by doing the minor modification.
The reverse flow smoker features make it different from other traditional offset smokers. It has an excellent ace for heat distribution and isn’t prone to overheating. If you put more fuel to the fire, the temperature remains consistent under the lid.
It runs by using charcoal and woods as fuel. However, charcoal is convenient to use because it can light up the fire quickly. Wood is economical fuel, but it takes time to fire up. This reverse smoker keeps the meat moist by placing a foil pan on the baffles that produce steam.
This smoker is portable because of its ten-inch wheels, which help the smoker move on the ground with no problem. However, it is a 181 pounds heavy smoker. It has a handle attached to the main chamber that helps with ease in lifting. Before moving this smoker, let it cool completely.
The smoking area of this smoker is 619 square inches of the total cooking area. To increase the smoking area, install a second rank as there is no upper rack in this smoker. This smoker has a grilling rack, but we recommend a charcoal rack for your firebox.
This smoker comes with all the accessories like baffles and a firebox. It has a gauge metal that helps to hold the temperature well. For less fuel consumption and fire tending, it requires gasket tape and silicon material.
Top Tip
To control the leak issues, use a high heat silicone seal or a gasket.
Use a grilling rack for the firebox as an additional charcoal rack because a grilling rack can cause a grease fire.
Editor’s Verdict
Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Reverse Flow is pretty unbeatable because of its price, looks, and effectiveness. This smoker is strong, sturdy, versatile, and easy enough for beginners to pick up.
5. Dyna-Glo DGSS1382VCS-D Vertical Charcoal Offset Smoker -Best Commercial
|58.8*45.5*24.9 dimensions|
|124lbs weight|
|1382 sq cooking capacity|
|Powder-coated|
|17 gauge (1.4mm thick) steel|
|13 gauge (2.4mm thick) steel for the door and firebox lid|
|Charcoal fuel type|
Overview
Dyna-GLO DGSS1382VCS-D Vertical Charcoal Offset Smoker is an affordable offset smoker representing exceptional quality. It’s a heavy-duty smoker specially made for monumental events, but you can use it for minor events too.
The design of this smoker is a combination of a vertical smoke chamber and an offset firebox. This design helps to generate a good smoke flow and heat. The smoke flow will give you a smoke flavor, and hence you will enjoy your delicious food. This smoker can cook great quality smoked meats rather than a traditional offset smoker.
The best thing about this smoker is it has a slide-out tray. While loading the charcoal and wood, it releases heat to tending the fire. The solution to this problem is to get a firebox basket that helps with the cleanest smoke.
Wood and charcoal work as fuel in this Dyna-GLO DGSS1382VCS-D Vertical Charcoal Offset Smoker. By adding woodchucks with charcoal enhance the wood smoke flavor. We prefer wood or charcoal fire smoking foods compared to electric or pellet burners because wood fire creates the best-smoked food. However, constant attention is required to get the desired results. Vertical chambers enhance the area for low-profile foods like steaks, ribs, etc.
This smoker is a 125 pounds weighing smoker with enormous wheels. It works opposite to the metal handle because when the metal handle gets warm; it is still usable. This smoker has 1382 sq inches total space, 1098 sq inches for five racks, and 284 sq inches firebox for grilling. If you are cooking high-profile foods, remove two racks for better results.
The insulation process is not a problem; you can seal the smoker. This smoker comes with all the accessories. Hanging hooks are an additional part of it. There is no need to worry about the warranty; this smoker provides you a 1-year warranty.
Top Tip
A Lava lock gasket should be use to overcome the leaks issue of door while for overall smoke release a seal can help quickly.
Editor’s Verdict
Dyna-GLO DGSS1382VCS-D Vertical Charcoal Offset Smoker is a beginner-friendly smoker and a great value for the price. If you seal the smoker, it will give you tremendous results. We can recommend this smoker to beginners as it’s a budget-friendly and easy-to-use smoker.
6. Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Reverse Flow Smoker -Best Reverse Flow
|55.5*64.25*35.5 inches dimensions|
|226lbs weight|
|1060 sq inches total cooking capacity|
|751 sq inches primary cooking capacity|
|309 sq inches secondary cooking capacity|
|Charcoal or wood fuel type|
|Porcelain coated grates|
|2 years warranty|
Overview
If you are looking for an impressive offset smoker Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Smoker is one of the best offset smokers. It comes with a massive cooking space better than other offset smokers. It includes a heavy stainless steel gauge coated with porcelain enamel that provides rust-free equipment.
This smoker is a reverse flow smoker, which means additional plates install to protect the food from too much heat. It reverses the smoke and sends it towards the food before getting out of the chimney. This smoker can help at big events since it cooks more food than other traditional smokers.
Longhorn has four removable baffles that can control the temperature. These baffles bring the heat and smoke to the same place. To adjust the smoke and heat level there are multiple dampers and a quality thermometer works for it. If you want to convert this smoker into a traditional smoker, simply remove the baffles and adjust the smoke stacker to barbecue the food.
Longhorn offers a massive 751 square inches of cooking space in the main chamber and 309 square inches in the firebox. For cooking and grilling, this smoker provides a total 1060 square inches for cooking space.
It comes up with a lid-mounted gauge, easy access firebox, two storage shelves, and an advanced smoke control for flavoring and cooking, and 10 inches wheels to move around. It offers you a perfect experience for such excellent value. In short, it’s the best offset smoker!
Top Tip
To control the smoke, use several dampers and buy additional modifications. It’s a bulky smoker, yet it can be movable because of wheels and you can move it to your backyard by using a minor force.
Editor’s Verdict
Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Reverse Flow Offset Smoker is an extremely versatile, huge cooking space and proper parties grill. All the seasoned smokers and beginners will like this high quality product.
7. Dyna-Glo DGSS730CBO-D-KIT Grill & Side Firebox -Best with Firebox
|Heavy gauge steel barbecue material|
|Porcelain coated grates|
|59.84*52*33.86 inches dimensions|
|Charcoal or wood fuel type|
|730 sq in Total cooking capacity|
|443 sq in main cooking capacity|
|287 sq in secondary cooking capacity|
|123 lbs weight|
|1 year warranty|
Overview
When you have limited space and want a traditionally shaped smoker, Dyna Glo barrel is the best offset smoker for you. This small smoker can make great smoked meat. It has a small main cooking space and a firebox which comes with a grill for meats and vegetables. This smoker is an affordable smoker with great qualities, and its versatility is unmatched.
It is a small smoker that occupies 730 square inches of total space. The charcoal grill spread over 443 square inches while offset uses 284 square inches of cooking space. This smoker is not for massive events; this is for small family events. The addition of the smoking feature provides an additional dimension to cooking.
This DYNA-GLO Smoker is made from heavy-duty steel and porcelain-coated to control the high temperature. It is a durable smoker with porcelain-coated racks that helps to resist rust. The fireboxes of this smoker transfer the smoke to meat and retain heat inside the chamber.
It has a grease management system that keeps the smoker clean. You can save fuel due to its smaller size but can adjust the height. You can take this to your backyard and can cook there for a small gathering.
This smoker comes with two burners, one is the main chamber, and the other is for grilling in the firebox. It has a temperature gauge to monitor the temperature inside the smoker. Besides this, a removable ash pan allows to disposal of the ash.
Top Tip
This smoker has heat loss issue but you can solve it by purchasing additional modifications.
Editor’s Verdict
Dyna-Glo Barrel and Offset Smoker provide you smoke and grill meat in single equipment. This smoker can provide you enjoyment for the casual smoked meat enthusiast; you should learn to control the heat.
What is an offset smoker?
If you already made your mind to buy an offset smoker, you already have an idea of what you can do with it. An offset smoker is a device that can help you to cook food at low temperatures in a smoky ambiance. These smokers not only cook food, but they can smoke the food generated by the cooking fire.
There are three main categories of smokers:
- Horizontal offset
- Vertical offset
- Cabinet offset
A regular charcoal grill typically looks like an offset smoker, but an offset smoker has two chambers. One chamber is for cooking, and it attaches a small firebox with another one. And this firebox makes it a horizontal smoker.
How Does an Offset Smoker Work?
To ignite the fire, charcoal and woods added to the firebox. The fire generates heat and smoke, which cook and smoke the food inside the main chamber. It involves no direct heat in the cooking process. A chimney and a vent attached at the end of the firebox to control the heat and smoke.
This chimney and vent helps to control the heat and smoke inside the smoker. It gives you a perfect smoky flavor for your food.
Why Choose An Offset Smoker?
Offset smokers have large cooking spaces, consist of two or three additional racks, which means you can smoke a large amount of meat at one go.
You want to smoke turkey, ribs, and chops? Make sure you buy a perfect size offset smoker to enjoy your barbecue.
Smoking is a long process; you might consume your hours to grill and smoke the meat because the cooking process is slow. It is necessary to add fuel to your firebox while you are cooking.
You don’t need to find a room for smoking and grilling, the one thing which we like about these offset smokers. Many offset smokers provide you a combo of grilling and smoking at the same place; you need to put charcoals in the firebox for smoking purposes.
Things to Consider Before Buying an Offset Smoker
There are some essential points to keep in mind before you choose an offset smoker. As you know, there are cons along with pros, and they must be in your mind.
A weather condition can affect your grilling process; consider the weather condition where you live. Heavy rains, high winds, and low temperatures can negatively affect your smoking and grilling process.
Most of the offset smokers got large cooking spaces, and if you have a small yard, then think before you buy an offset smoker. These offset smokers are large and heavy, so these smokers are not for people with a small apartment and tiny yards.
The fire needs attention throughout the cooking process. Charcoal and woods help to fire up and generate heat and smoke for your food. So consider fuel consumption.
Smoking is a skill, and every skill requires time and attention. If you can’t invest your energy, you won’t get an excellent result.
What to Look For in an Offset Smoker?
If you have decided to buy an offset smoker, here are general features to look at before settling on.
Heavy Metal
Always buy a heavy-duty smoker because there are some drawbacks of light-weight offset smokers. Heavy-duty smokers minimize the heat and smoke loss and keep the temperature consistent.
Many budget-friendly smokers are made of thin metal that does not keep or transfer the heat. Grilling and smoking are all about holding the heat and cooking the food at low temperatures. It’s a need of the hour to have a smoker that can work efficiently on heat management.
Good ventilation
The ventilation of smokers is another important part of perfect smoking. If the vents are small or hard to adjust, you can’t manage the temperature. Holding a consistent temperature in offset smoking is the only key to good smoking.
The connection between the main chamber and the firebox is an important part of internal venting. If the connection meets at a higher place, then you won’t get good heat. Look for a lower connection for better heat distribution. It’s better to look for a reverse flow smoker where smoke and heat go to the cooking chamber twice.
Paint
Paint is another necessary point not for smoked meat, but it’s important for heat. If the paint can’t bear the heat, you will see the metal that gets the rust. It’s not only the rust thing; it will also cause thinning of the metal. You will see lower performance and heat loss due to the thin layer of paint.
Thermometer
As you know, the temperature is very important for barbecue. To check the internal temperature of the smoker, a thermometer is an extremely helpful gauge. A good quality temperature gauge is a complete element of a smoker because it helps to find out how much meat it cooks.
Handy Rollers
Most offset smokers are heavy; a set of handy rollers can help you move these smokers quickly. If you want to move your smoker to the yard, you would like to have good sturdy wheels.
Storage Space
Exemplary models have some space for shelves or grates for keeping the items off the ground. The most important thing is the front or side shelf, yet hooks for utensils are also a brilliant choice. I would like to have space for storage for plates, spices, and beverages.
Advantages of an Offset Smoker
- Offset smokers are best for heavy events because of large size and you can cook maximum amount of meat.
- Firebox is assembled individually; it helps you to add more fuel without losing the internal heat.
- Offset smokers work efficiently when we use charcoal and woods both as a fuel.
- Some offset smokers provide both grilling and smoking option. A firebox can fit with grill grate to convert into smoker.
Disadvantages of an Offset Smoker
- Offset smokers are bulky, and they are not easily movable. But, you can use sturdy wheels to move them.
- They need a lot of outdoor space as these smokers are huge and bulky.
- Offset smokers provide you slow cooking process, and it takes hours to cook a lump of perfect meat.
- Weather can also affect smoking. They don’t work in cold, windy, and rainy places.
- You have to understand the process of offset smoker to get your desired results
Editor’s Recommendation
Dyna-Glo DGO1890BDC-D Wide Body Vertical Offset Charcoal Smoker is best offset smoker. It is a heavy-duty, durable, and high quality smoker. It’s a versatile smoker with various features and a good value for your money. If you are a beginner or a professional this smoker is a great choice for big events. So get up and enjoy your barbecue!
Final Thoughts
Well, that’s all! Inoffensive? We hope so you have a good idea of what to look for in a smoker. You are close to your first rack of ribs so taste it!
If you want to know about the best offset smoker, read our article above.
Happy grilling!
