Best Electric Smoker Under $200

Last Update: October, 2023

You want to make a delicious smoked meal to relieve your craving. Sure, you can cook meat at home and add liquid flavor to it to mimic decadent smoked meat. But, that is not the same as the real thing, and we all know it.
If you’re on a budget or just want to get a smaller smoker for dinner nights for your family, then continue reading to find the best electric smoker for you that is budget friendly.

More About The Cuisinart COS-330

This Cuisinart electric smoker is ideal for everyone – beginners or even seasoned smokers. All you have to do is plug this bad boy in, place your prepared meat on the smoking racks, select the temperature that you need, and let the smoker do its thing.
The interior has 548 square inches of cooking space so you will be able to fill this smoker up for even large gatherings.
The 1500-watt heating element products temperatures between 100-400 degrees Fahrenheit, which is perfect for almost every meal you will want to smoke. A thermometer is located on the front of the smoker for easy reading to allow you to monitor the internal temperature.

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More About The  Smoke Hollow 26142E

This Smoke Hollow electric smoker with fully adjustable temperature control is great for even, consistent cooking. It comes with two chrome plated cooking that can be easily adjusted to the height you need for your meal.

For safety purposes, the side handles and door handle are created with cool-touch technology to help prevent unnecessary burns.
The wood chip pan and water pan are made with porcelain for optimal heat consistency. Commercial quality heat indicator is also included to help you achieve the best smoke-style home cooking meal.

Temperature settings range from 175 to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature gauge is fully adjustable and removable.

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More About The Dyna-Glo Bluetooth Electric Smoker

Dyna-Glo knocks it out of the park on all features with this digital electric smoker. This is a quality smoker that does not skimp out on any of its included features.

You can track the internal temperature of food without disrupting the cooking process due to the included integrate meat thermometer. The digital thermostat and control panel display makes it easy for you to keep track of what's happening inside the smoker. Not only that, but there is a nifty LED light that illuminates the cooking area so you can see inside as well.

The door latches are flexible and adjustable with a wonderful seal that minimizes smoke loss. Open the door to find a large cooking space of 951 square inches and removable rib racks and sausage hooks. This smoker has it all.

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More About The Masterbuilt Electric Bullet Smoker

This is a smaller sized vertical electric smoker by Masterbuilt. It has two porcelain coated smoking racks inside the 395 square inch compartment. This is the perfect size for most family meals and won’t take up too much space in storage. The two smoking racks included can fit a nice sized meal.
The powerful 1,650-watt heating element heats up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for fast cooking. There is a temperature gauge installed right on the lid to make it easier to read.
Lightweight and easy to move around, this smoker weighs in at 17.58 pounds.

More About The Old Smokey Electric Smoker

Old Smokey created a quality vertical, electric smoker with this unit. It is fitted with a flat lid, so all juices drip right back down onto the meat. This makes for juicy meat every time.
It is compact and lightweight, so storage and moving it to different locations should be simple. If you want to bring it along with you to a long cookout, that should not be a problem at all.
This unit’s temperature is controlled via a heat thermostat so you can adjust it according to your needs. This smoker does not have fancy digital reading or Bluetooth connection, but don’t let that fool you. This is a quality smoker that will bring you juicy, flavorful meat – whether you’re cooking fish with a bit of butter or a full-on steak meal.

About the Electric Smoker That Costs $200 or Below

You will not miss out on quality when getting a smoker that is $200 or below. The main difference between the smokers included on this list and their more expensive counterparts is the size. It is the difference between being able to host a large barbeque party and cooking for a single family.
Many inexpensive smokers will not have automated cooking time or electric thermostats. Some of them on our list do, as you can see, but most of the more expensive models will automatically have those features.
These aren’t issues that will interfere with the quality of the food you turn out, however, so you can still crank out some delicious, juicy meals.

How to Pick the Best

Cooking and smoking your delicious food is the easy part. Choosing the right electric smoker for your budget is much more difficult. Anyone of these electric smokers may be a good option for you, but that doesn't exactly help to narrow it down.
Knowing about these features below can help with your decision making.

Price

Well, all of these are under $200 of course. There’s still variation in price though. You don’t need to spend all $200 of your budget to get a good smoker, depending on whether you actually need all the features your chosen option offers. Decide which features you most need before you just spend your entire budget on getting all of them.

Power and Temperature

Now, onto the specifics like power and temperature. These are fundamental features of any smoker. The power refers to the wattage, which will control how fast your smoker heats up and how high the temperature can get. This is incredibly important, since the more power you have, the higher the temperature you can have to cook your foods. There really is a very little learning curve with an electric smoker. But to use it most efficiently, remember these tips.
For one, refill the water pan. This will produce the actual smoke and needs to be refilled every few hours. The same goes for the wood chips and the drip tray so you don't have any spills while you're cooking.
When you first begin using your smoker, rub everything down first to ensure that it’s cleaned and working properly. Then you can turn it on and preheat it, which will generally take around 45 minutes. If you’re still feeling a little lost, there are pl
For the most part, you’ll find that these electric smokers hit a maximum temperature of 275 degrees. This should work just fine for any smoking, but there are options that reach as high as 400 degrees.

Usability

If you’re looking at an electric smoker, you likely will appreciate how convenient it is. You don’t need any fuel type to act as a heating element. Do make sure that your chosen option has clear instructions on how to use it though, and look to see if the controls are simple enough for you to learn quickly.
For the most part, all of these smokers will be simple to use, but perhaps you don’t like digital controls or the panel is in an awkward place. Think about when you actually use the smoker and how you’ll operate it. Also, think about how whether your smoker will be easy to clean. You’ll want to make sure that it’s wiped down properly after all.

Temperature Control

 Speaking of usability, think about your temperature controls. Many options have electronic temperature controls that let you set the temperature of your smoker. This can be perfect if you want more control, but there are also options that set the temperature using analog dials.
Your temperature can possibly be shown as part of a digital thermostat. Check to see the LED readout, set the temperature and let it work by itself. Otherwise, if there is no thermostat, you’ll simply have to set the temperature to a low, medium, or high setting. This means messing with the dials on your own and learning to adjust the temperature depending on wind conditions.

Cooking Space

Check to see how many inches of cooking space you will have. If you’re only cooking small amounts of meats for your family, you may not need something too large. If you’re cooking for an entire party of people, you might need something that can accommodate more meats.
Also, think about the types of food you like to smoke. Those of you smoking entire racks of ribs need enough space for that.

General Design 

Look at your electric smoker. Check to see if it has cooking racks for more food, what materials it’s made out of, and if it will be durable enough to withstand all the time it will be spending outdoors.
Try to find something that had stainless steel, meaning that it won’t rust, and look to see how well the smoker is insulated. The better the insulation, the better the heat retention. This means a better final product.

Benefits of Having an Electric Smoker

The big reason why people love electric smokers is often that they're easy to use. They can be plugged into a wall outlet and don't use expensive fuel. Using electricity will mean that your smoker is up and running faster, and will also be safer compared to dealing with gas lines or an open flame.

You Don’t Need Other Fuels

Honestly, the flavor you get in your meats comes from your choice of wood chips, not what fuel sources you’re using. You don’t need other fuels to get the flavor you want, which means you don’t need to spend the money on these other fuels.

For the Environment

Since you're using electricity, you'll be able to save the environment while you cook. Well, you won't do as much damage anyway. Electric smokers produce fewer pounds of carbon dioxide per hour. Your neighbor will appreciate not smelling charcoal while you cook as well.

Easy to Clean

There are no ashes or charcoal to clear out once you’re done with your smoker. Just clear the woodchips out of their box and you’re done. Food shouldn’t be able to drop into any hidden spaces, so just take out the shelves, wash and clean, and you’ll be ready for next time.

Usage Tips

There really is a very little learning curve with an electric smoker. But to use it most efficiently, remember these tips.
For one, refill the water pan. This will produce the actual smoke and needs to be refilled every few hours. The same goes for the wood chips and the drip tray so you don't have any spills while you're cooking.
When you first begin using your smoker, rub everything down first to ensure that it’s cleaned and working properly. Then you can turn it on and preheat it, which will generally take around 45 minutes. If you’re still feeling a little lost, there are plenty of videos that will help you learn which components go where to keep your smoker working well.

Conclusion

Choosing the best electric smoker is difficult as it is, and picking out the best one under $200 can seem even more difficult. You have many great options here though to choose from, not to mention all the information you need to make your choice. Consider the features you need, make your pick, and get to smoking!