Best Vertical Pellet Smoker 2023: In-Depth Expert Reviews
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Vertical pellet smokers are becoming more and more popular among BBQ enthusiasts for several valid reasons.
They are considered one of the most convenient ways of cooking a wide range of foods with delicious tastes and wood-fired smoky flavors. Also, they are an impressive option to consider if you have just entered the meat-smoking world.
What’s most challenging about them is choosing the best vertical pellet smoker because there are several good options. Well, not all of them are worth the price you pay.
You will mainly see the Pit Boss brand on the top when the goal is to manufacture a high-quality vertical pellet smoker. That’s why we have included three out of four Pit Boss smokers on our list.
This article will provide a comprehensive guide about what to look for in a vertical pellet smoker and the four best options available.
Our Top Picks
Before we move on to the review, here’s a quick overview of each product we have included on our list.
Best Overall
Runner Up
Best High-End
Best Budget
Top Tip by FaveGrills
To achieve better and unforgettable food smoking results from vertical pellet smokers, it is essential to choose one that suits your cooking experience, budget, and preferences.
We recommend you spend more time analyzing the product you are willing to bring to your home. For example, see if it has a good hopper capacity, a reasonable cooking surface, easy to use, and has precise temperature control.
4 Best Vertical Pellet Smokers Reviewed
Let’s move towards an in-depth review of each product to enhance your smoking experience.
1. Best Overall – PIT BOSS PBV3P1 Vertical Pellet Smoker
If you are searching for pellet smokers in a vertical shape that allows for memorable smoking sessions, you should explore the aspects of PIT BOSS PBV3P1 Smoker. It has several exciting features, that’s the reason it is the best overall vertical pellet smoker on our list.
One of the most loveable features of this smoker is its giant hopper, which can hold up to 40 lb of pellets at once. Ultimately, you can confidently smoke thick meats like brisket constantly without refilling the hopper.
Once you have entirely filled it with pellets, you can typically smoke your food for around 24 hours.
It has four detachable grids that provide an ample space of 901 square inches through which you can smoke a variety of food items at once.
Moreover, the porcelain coating on the grids prevents food stickiness, rust, and corrosion. It also makes the grids heat-resistant and makes cleaning easier for you.
Two other accessories have porcelain-coated material, a heat deflector, and a water pan.
The heat deflector allows for consistent and even heat distribution, which lets you smoke meat more professionally.
The water pan produces steam for a moist environment inside the smoker. It helps in temperature regulation and prevents your meat from drying out. We recommend you fill the pan with water, especially when smoking more significant cuts of meat like brisket and turkey.
This vertical smoker has a wide temperature range of 150 °F to 450 °F, allowing you to comfortably cook various food items, such as meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, etc.
You get a knob to set your desired cooking temperature conveniently. Along with the knob, a digital interface outside tells you the current temperature, smoking time, etc.
Furthermore, this Pit Boss smoker comes up with a meat probe that you can insert into the meat to know its internal temperature. This is how you can prepare meat as per your requirements.
Another prominent feature of this smoker is its 300-watt igniter, which can start and shut off automatically. The users don’t interact with this feature manually while the smoker monitors the pellets’ ignition to make the cooking sessions safer.
It weighs 97 pounds, less than the Pit Boss 77550 5.5 Pellet Smoker. Also, it contains four wheels that make its portability easy on a flat surface. If you wish to transport it through an uneven surface, it might not be that easy.
Assembling this product becomes convenient as the manufacturer provides manual instructions. You will need a few additional tools like a screwdriver or wrench and one more person if you wish to assemble it faster.
Using wood chips instead of pellets may seem a good idea. But we don’t recommend doing it with this smoker as its auger and combustion system are specifically designed to ignite pellets, not chips. If you do so, you won’t be able to cook properly and may damage your smoker.
What do we like most?
- User-Friendly: This smoker is easy to use thanks to its auto start and shut-off igniter and a knob for precise heat control.
- Versatile: You can use it to smoke, bake, grill, and roast different food items because of its wide temperature range.
- Ample Cooking Space: Using its 901 square inches of space distributed in four grids, you can cook several food items at once, especially for large gatherings or family functions.
What do we dislike?
- Expensive: No doubt, this smoker furnishes you with many advanced and important features, but you may find it expensive. So, make sure it suits your budget.
- Heavy: Although it has less weight than other Pit Boss vertical smokers, but still, 97 pounds seem heavier and can make its portability a bit challenging.
Who should buy this product?
You should consider buying this smoker if you are looking for a cooking gadget that requires minimal effort and expertise to make delicious smoked meats. Its simple interface, precise temperature control, and some automatic features make it a suitable option for beginners.
Can you cold smoke on this smoker?
Cold smoking requires lower temperatures of around 65 °F to 85 °F, whereas this smoker’s lowest heat is 145 °F. So, you can’t cold-smoke your food with this product without modifications and additional accessories.
Can you cook pizza in this vertical pellet smoker?
Yes, you can easily cook pizza with this smoker. The only thing you are going to require is a pizza stone. Place the stone on the lower grid and preheat it for around 40 minutes at 400 °F. Once done, you can put the pizza on the stone and cook it with your preferences.
2. Runner Up – PIT BOSS Grills 77550 5.5 Pellet Smoker
The accessories, features, and designs of Pit Boss 77550 5.5 and Pit Boss PBV3P1 are the same. The major difference comes in their dimensions. For example, this vertical pellet smoker is more expansive and provides an extra grid that maximizes the space of the cooking surface.
Firstly, its hopper can hold 40+ lb pellets at once that will last for 24 hours if you cook constantly. As a result, your focus remains on cooking rather than refilling the hopper repeatedly.
As for the cooking space, you get five detachable porcelain-coated grids that give you 1548 square inches large area to smoke your food.
Due to its abundant space, we consider it an outstanding smoker for preparing various food items for larger gatherings and events at once. Moreover, you can specify the racks for different foods such as meats, veggies, seafood, etc.
If you wish to have more space for cooking, you can check out the Pit Boos 7 series. It has one extra grid and 267 square inches.
Like the Pit Boss PBV3P1 pellet smoker, this one also has a viewable window specially designed to monitor the food being cooked inside without opening the window. This functionality is also helpful in trapping the heat and smoke inside to create a smoking environment.
Smoking sessions with this smoker become more convenient with the presence of a heat deflector and water pan. They play an essential role in heat regulation and provide even and consistent heat while your meat is being smoked.
It has a temperature range of 150 °F to 420 °F, which is considered versatile for cooking food with different methods such as smoking, baking, and grilling.
Through its digital interface, you can easily set your desired cooking temperature using a knob. Also, it displays the current temperature inside the smoker. You can step up or decrease the heat by five °F, which is great for cooking meats with perfection and delightful smoky flavors.
You can also use its interface to insert the meat probe (for monitoring the food’s internal temperature), smoking time, current cooking temperature, etc.
It tends to be heavy because it weighs 131 pounds which you won’t like whenever you need to carry it from one place to another. The four wheels on its legs can minimize the difficulty on an even surface.
It is an excellent choice for preparing big meats like turkey or brisket because of its removable smoking racks. You can easily adjust them and maximize the cooking space per your needs.
You can struggle in grilling and searing your foods with this smoker because it can reach as high temperatures as 420 °F, which isn’t enough.
What do we like most?
- Huge Space for Cooking: It has a massive space that you can use for making a large number of foods for family functions, big parties, etc.
- Long-Lasting: The manufacturer applies porcelain coating on the cooking grids, and other parts obtain stainless steel, making it a robust and durable smoker.
- Easy Temperature Regulation: The heat control of this smoker is convenient and fully supports beginners. You can easily set the cooking temperature as per your needs through a knob.
What do we dislike?
Heavy: Although this smoker provides an extra grid for more cooking space, this addition makes it heavier. As a result, you can’t move it conveniently, especially on uneven surfaces.
Who should buy Pit Boss 77550 vertical pellet smoker?
If you wish to cook multiple food items at once, including larger cuts of meat, look no further than this Pit Boss 5 series pellet smoker. It offers an excellent smoking environment, massive space for food preparation, and an easy temperature-controlling system.
Can this Pit Boss model hold and cook 12lb brisket?
Yes, this giant smoker can easily hold a brisket of 12lb to 18lb and cook it with delicious taste and unique smoky flavors.
Can you use this vertical pellet smoker in cold temperatures?
Yes, it operates well in cold conditions if you modify the smoker a bit to ensure consistent heat, which is essential for smoking. In this case, you can get help from a thermal blanket or any other accessory that helps you retain the heat and smoke inside.
3. Best High End – Camp Chef PGVXXLC Wi-Fi Pellet Smoker
If the cooking area is your primary concern while looking for a vertical pellet smoker, you will love this high-end outdoor cooking appliance. In addition to its enormous cooking surface, this smoker offers many other notable features.
First and foremost, the manufacturer uses high-quality stainless-steel material for the construction, ensuring this product’s longevity.
Compared to the previous two Pit Boss smokers, this Camp Chef XXL pellet smoker has a hopper that can only hold 18 lb pellets. You will consider it a drawback when you plan to cook large meats like brisket and turkey.
The hopper capacity is smaller than some other vertical pellet smokers, but you can easily refill it when needed. So, it shouldn’t be a deal-breaking reason for most users.
One of the most admirable features of this smoker is its vast cooking area of 2408 square inches, which is rarely found in vertical pellet smokers.
You will need to find a horizontal smoker to have as much space for cooking as this Camp Chef smoker. Also, it is the major difference between vertical and horizontal smokers.
Top Tip by FaveGrills
We recommend you season your grills and griddles before the cooking sessions as it prevents food from sticking and saves you time during the cleaning.
You get eight racks, including four standard smoking racks, three jerky smoking racks, and one hanging rack with 12 sausage hooks.
As a result, you can load it with many different food items, making it ideal for serving larger gatherings, family events, etc.
The temperature range of this vertical smoker is 150 °F- 350 °F. Now, it can be advantageous if you are restricted to smoking, and a slight drawback if you wish to grill, bake, sear, and roast on the same device.
The temperature range of Camp Chef XXL Wi-Fi Pellet Smoker allows for professional smoking and low and slow cooking process. It lets you prepare a variety of meats, fish, and vegetables with a unique taste and smoky flavor.
Searing and grilling won’t be as satisfying as smoking because this product can’t reach temperatures higher than 350 °F, which is essential to sear and grilling your food.
Its digital control system helps you cook conveniently and consistently.
Moreover, heat regulation is easy, but it can take a bit longer when you instantly need to lower its temperature. For example, it can take around 35 minutes to cool down from 350 °F to 140 °F, which is notably a higher duration.
The inclusion of a Wi-Fi PID controller adds more convenience to your cooking procedure. By installing the Camp Chef app on your smartphone and connecting it to the smoker, you can set the cooking time and temperature and adjust the smoke number from 1 to 10.
The manufacturer provides several extra accessories that you will love. Such as two meat probes to know the food’s internal temperature, an ash cup for easy cleanup, a towel bar to keep things clean, a grease bucket to catch the drippings, and a bottle opener.
Last but not least, you get four strong wheels with locking casters that provide convenience to this smoker’s portability.
Unlike the previous two Pit Boss pellet smokers, you don’t need to conflict in using the water pan while smoking meat. This is because Camp Chef PGVXXLC supports the dry heat cooking method.
What do we like most?
- Cooking Area: You will see a few vertical smokers with as much cooking space as this one. It lets you cook your food on a 2408 square inches area which is comparatively more extensive than other products.
- Wi-Fi PID Controller: This feature decreases a lot of your effort, and you don’t need to babysit the smoker. You can look after your cooking sessions through your smartphone from anywhere.
- Two Meat Probes: Along with the smoker, you get two meat probes that are reliable for knowing the internal food temperature. It allows you to cook food at the minimal safest temperature.
What do we dislike?
- Not Versatile: Cooking methods like grilling and searing require higher temperatures (400 °F to 500 °F), which are missing in this smoker.
- No Viewable Window: Unlike Pit Boss smokers, you don’t get a glass window that can show your food’s condition.
Who should buy this smoker?
It is ideal for anyone who prioritizes a large cooking surface. Also, if you are looking for a smoker that mainly supports smoking and is convenient to use, it is worth the price you pay for this cooking appliance.
How long will the pellets last in it?
The life of pellets in this Camp Chef smoker depends on several factors, such as the temperature, weather, pellets size, etc. On average, it will burn about 18 lb pellets in 9-11 hours.
Can this XXL Wi-Fi smoker do cold smoking?
It can’t provide a cold smoking environment because its lowest temperature range is 150 °F. If you are interested in cold-smoking meats with this appliance, you will need to use a smoke tube that does not arrive with the package.
4. Best Budget – PIT BOSS 77220 2.2 Analog Smoker
Next, we have a vertical smoker that delivers excellent results, especially for beginners, and does not cost too much. Therefore, we have listed this as the best budget product on our list.
The smoking racks are made of the same porcelain-coated material, and the other parts consist of stainless-steel material. Cleaning it on a regular basis makes it a durable product.
What makes it different from the other Pit Boss vertical smokers is that it uses wood chips rather than pellets and does not have a hopper. Well, it is not problematic if it is just the start of your smoking career.
The wood chips are placed in a wood chip tray that fits in the smoker’s front part. So, accessing the chips is easier, and loading the tray each time will let you cook for around 2 hours at medium temperature.
However, you should remember that using wood chips instead of pellets will require more frequent tray refilling.
As for the cooking area, you get 514 square inches that are divided into four porcelain-coated grids. It is suitable for preparing smaller meats like ribs, chicken, vegetables, etc.
Moreover, the porcelain coating on the grids allows beginners to cook conveniently without food stickiness issues.
It provides a temperature range of 150 °F to 350 °F, which helps you smoke your desired food items and impart smoky flavors into them.
For heat regulation, you get a knob that lets you set the cooking temperature and change it as per requirements. Unlike the other upright pellet smokers, it has a temperature gauge on top of the window.
The gauge may not tell you the accurate inner temperature. As a solution, you can use a separate thermometer for a better cooking experience.
The water pan is also included in the package, which you can use to add moisture to the food you are smoking.
Furthermore, its glass-made window is a must-appreciate feature that helps you see through the smoker without opening the door. The doors have tight hinges that prevent the heat and smoke from escaping.
The total weight of this analog smoker is 58 pounds which is comparatively less. Though it has no wheels, still, you can carry it from one place to another with the help of a person.
Cleaning smokers can be challenging for newbies. Therefore, you get a front access drawer as a grease management system, which makes cleaning this little smoker easier.
In inclement weather, we all need to protect our grills and smokers to protect them from rust and other possible damages. Regarding this Pit Boss Analog Vertical Smoker, you will need to buy a separate cover as the brand does not provide you with one.
What do we like most?
- User-friendly: Its precise temperature control, meat probe, see-through window, and quick ignition make it a user-friendly smoker.
- Lightweight: Including legs, it weighs only 58 pounds which allows you to change its location quickly in bad weather.
- Easy to Clean: The smoking racks obtain porcelain-coated material for cooking your foods without stickiness. As a result, you can clean the shelves quickly and easily.
- Budget-Friendly: This analog smoker does not cost you too much, and that’s one of its most prominent advantages.
What do we dislike?
- No Digital Control Panel: A slight drawback of this smoker is that it does not have a digital control panel.
- Small Cooking Area: Like other Pit Boss vertical smokers, this one provides less cooking space which you may not like if you have to serve food in larger gatherings.
Who should buy this analog vertical smoker?
If you are a beginner looking for a suitable smoker at an economical price, you can rely on this smoker. It offers many beginner-friendly features such as precise temperature control, easy cleaning, quick ignition, etc.
Can you use wood pellets instead of wood chips?
With this smoker, you can’t use wood pellets because it does not have a hopper and works with a different mechanism than other pellet smokers. Moreover, using compressed wood pellets will create technical issues for the product.
Can you smoke a 12-14 pound turkey in this Pit Boss 77220 smoker?
Yes, you can. It has a 514 square inches surface that can easily hold a turkey of 12-14 pounds. When smoking turkey with this smoker, we suggest not including any other foods and using one rack only. It will smoke the turkey properly with moisture and smoky flavors.
Top Tip by FaveGrills
Cleaning and maintaining your vertical pellet smokers on a regular basis can prolong their life. So, you should keep an eye on your smoker’s condition and clean it thoroughly after each use from outside and inside.
How Does a Vertical Pellet Smoker Work?
A vertical pellet smoker uses wood pellets as the heat source to cook different types of food.
Several vital apparatuses take part in the working of these smokers. They consist of a hopper, an auger, an igniter, a fire pot, a fan, a heat deflector, and smoking racks.
The working of these smokers begins by filling the hopper with wood pellets. The pellets are then moved toward the fire pot through the auger.
The igniter (near the fire pot) burns the pellets to generate heat and smoke. Vertical smokers use convection fans to circulate the smoke and heat all over the cooking chamber.
Above the fire pot and below the racks is a heat deflector that allows for even heat distribution throughout the cooking sessions.
Moreover, there can be several racks for cooking food depending on the model of your smoker. You can place plenty of food items at once using these racks.
Some brands also provide water pans, which you place above the heat deflector. They help generate steam, creating a moist environment for your smoking session.
You get a knob for better temperature control, allowing you to cook foods at your desired heat levels. Also, they usually have a digital interface that tells you the set temperature, current temperature, cooking time, etc.
Moreover, they are kind of automated devices. You need to plug them into an electric circuit and fill the hopper with the pellets, and they will operate themselves the way we mentioned above.
No doubt, these smokers are user-friendly, but here are many other beginner smokers that you can explore with different designs and heat sources like charcoal, gas, and propane.
Vertical Pellet Smokers Vs Traditional Vertical Smokers
Both vertical pellet smokers and traditional vertical smokers are great ways to cook a variety of foods and inject smoky flavors into them.
The common thing in them is their vertical shape. Rather than the shape, there are a few significant differences that will change the outcome of smoking sessions.
The most apparent difference between them is that a pellet smoker of vertical shape uses wood pellets as the fuel source, whereas traditional vertical smokers can use charcoal, gas, and chips as the heat source.
Another difference you will commonly notice is the level of convenience in using. Vertical pellet smokers are famous because they are easy to use and follow the set-and-forget cooking style. Also, they require less effort because of their automatic accessories.
On the other hand, traditional smokers are manual and require more effort but provide outstanding results when the goal is to smoke different types of meat and food.
We can’t claim anything if you are looking for versatility in these smokers because numerous models are available with different temperature ranges.
In conclusion, it depends on your experience with smokers, cooking requirements, and preferences whether you should go for a vertical pellets smoker or a traditional one.
You might also like: Another heated debate among the BBQ enthusiasts these days is the comparison between pellet and electric smokers.
Relevant Articles
What to Cook on Vertical Pellet Smokers?
They are among the best outdoor cooking appliances to prepare plenty of food items with delicious tastes and unique smoky flavors. Let’s share some of the most popular dishes you can make with them.
Everyone admires the capabilities of vertical pellet smokers for the preparation of thicker meats like beef brisket, whole chicken, turkey, steak, etc. They will take longer to smoke, but they are worth your time.
The other meat options are ribs, fish, jerky, chicken wings, and lamb chops. Moreover, you can use different cooking methods, such as smoking, baking, roasting, and grilling, if your smoker’s temperature range is between 150 °F to 450 °F.
If you like to smoke chicken and ribs, visit our guide about smoking ribs and chicken at the same time.
Vertical pellet smokers operate evenly well when you use them for cooking seafood. For example, salmon and scallops are great recipes you should try with these cookers.
You can confidently smoke vegetables like pepper, onion, mushrooms, eggplant, carrots, etc., along with your favorite food.
Related: In case you are using a pellet grill for to fulfil your regular BBQ needs, follow our expert pellet grills tips and tricks to engance your grilling experience.
What to Look for When Buying the Best Vertical Pellet Smoker?
There are a few essential considerations that you should look for when buying the best vertical pellet smoker.
Hopper Capacity
The hopper capacity decides how long you can continuously cook.
If you often smoke large cuts of meat like brisket and turkey, we suggest you find a vertical smoker with a hopper that can hold 40 lb pellets or more at once.
This is because these kinds of meat require hours to smoke, which is achievable through a giant hopper. If refilling the hopper isn’t a big issue for you, you can go for a smaller hopper.
Moreover, food smoking requires medium temperatures of 200 °F to 250 °F. If that’s the heat range, you will be able to cook constantly for 24 hours, which is a fair trade.
Pit Boss PBV3P1 and Pit Boss 77550 5.5 are great options because they provide large hoppers with a 40 lb capacity.
Cooking Area
Another important consideration is the cooking area when buying a vertical wood pellet smoker. Well, it completely depends on personal cooking preferences and needs.
These types of smokers come up with racks. The more racks, the more space you get to cook your food. You will usually come across 3 to 8 racks depending on the model of the smoker.
So, if you have a small family and need to prepare a few food items, you can go with a space of around 600 square inches.
On the other hand, those who often arrange larger gatherings and events should find a vertical smoker with 6-8 racks and a cooking area of 1800 square inches or more.
Temperature Range and Control
With a wide temperature range, you can cook your desired food with different methods such as smoking, grilling, roasting, baking, etc.
If you also love exploring all these methods on the same appliance, we recommend you find a vertical-shaped smoker with a heat range of 150 °F to 450 °F.
A narrower temperature range, like 150 °F to 350 °F, is suitable for those who mainly like to smoke their meats. Furthermore, it is an ideal range for smoking and promises delightful smoky flavors and tastes.
Professional smoking sessions are somehow dependent on your temperature-controlling skills. It won’t take much time because vertical pellet smokers are known for their precise temperature control.
They provide you with a knob through which you can easily set your desired cooking temperature. Also, most vertical smokers come up with a meat thermometer that lets you cook meals perfectly.
Price
We all look for a budget-friendly option, whether for the best vertical pellet smokers or any other type of smoker or grill. These smokers come with different price tags. Their features and other functionalities set their price.
A typical vertical smoker will cost around $300 to $400 and give you good cooking space with fewer extra features.
If you are searching for a high-quality vertical pellet smoker, you may need to spend $800 or even more. It will have an enormous cooking space, easy temperature control, meat probes, and other advanced features.
In conclusion, you need to specify your budget and cooking requirements, and you can find one easily from our list of the best vertical pellet smoker.
Related: If pellet grills inspire you more than smoker, but you are tight with the budget, we have reviewed the best pellet grills under 500.
Winding it Up
Due to the availability of several best vertical pellet smokers, choosing a suitable one for your needs can be time-consuming and hectic.
Therefore, we have suggested and reviewed the best vertical pellet smokers available in the market with different features, functionalities, and prices. You can now easily find one that fulfills your cooking needs and suits your budget.
Moreover, we have also shed light on some of the most important considerations when buying a vertical pellet smoker, making it easier for you to make a wise decision.
Your Opinion is Valuable to Us
After extensive research, we have compiled a list of the best vertical pellet smoker, each with its unique features and advantages. So, you should see your budget and cooking requirements, and you will indeed find the best one. Also, feel free to share the performance if you use any product we have reviewed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Use Wood Chips in a Vertical Pellet Smoker?
No, you can’t use wood chips in a vertical smoker that is specifically built for wood pellets. The reason is the size difference, and the auger and combustion system of these smokers only accept smaller pellets.
Do you need a water pan in a vertical pellet smoker?
Using a water pan when cooking with vertical pellet smokers isn’t compulsory. But we recommend you use it because it creates a friendly moist environment inside the smoker, helps in heat regulation, prevents the meat from drying out, and adds moisture to it.
Do Vertical Pellet Smokers Need Electricity?
Yes, they need electricity because the auger, igniter, and the digital interface in them require electricity to operate. You will need to plug it into the circuit, and then you can feed pellets into the hopper, turn it on, and start cooking.
