Gas vs Charcoal Smoker – Which is Better for You in 2023?

Gas Smoker Overview

Large gas units are frequently used in BBQ restaurants because they produce high heat. Many gas smokers follow the same pattern and are a fantastic option for those looking for speed and convenience at a reasonable price.

They use natural gas as the fuel source, indicating they can reach high temperatures quickly. The good thing about them is that their ignition is quick and doesn’t require manual steps like charcoal or offset smoker.

They have a vertical shape, meaning the fire comes from the bottom part and helps in even heat distribution. Most importantly, they are relatively portable because they are smaller in size, and you need propane tanks to use them anywhere.

Let’s quickly explain how these smokers operate.

How Do Gas Smokers Work?

First of all, they use gas or propane as a fuel source. It comes from a propane or gas tank that is connected to the smoker’s burner. 

When the tank provides gas, and you turn on the burner, a little fire spark begins the ignition process. 

As a result, the temperature inside your smoker begins to rise, and you start cooking the food items you have placed inside the cooking chamber. Unfortunately, you won’t get smoke flavors unless you burn wood chips during cooking.

To get smoky flavors in your food, you will need to add your favorite wood chips to the smoker’s wood chip tray, which is located above the burner. You can also use wood pellets on a gas smoker if you are more obsessed with wood flavors.

The heat from the burner will cause the wood chips to smolder and release smoke, which will then circulate throughout the cooking area and infuse the food with a delicious smoky flavor.

So, this is how a gas or propane smoker works, which is pretty straightforward. Regarding temperature control, you get simple knobs to set and adjust the cooking temperature.

Gas Smoker Pros

There are many advantages that you can get while using a gas smoker. Let’s highlight the most admirable ones.

• Easy to use: These smokers are beginner-friendly because they have quick ignition through the burner and easy temperature control through the knobs.
• Temperature range: They have a reasonable temperature range of 150 °F to 400 °F, depending from model to model. So, you can use them for smoking and low and slow cooking.
• Easy clean up: If you don’t burn wood chips and just cook your food with the gas, there will be no ash build-up. Even if you use chips, they will create less mess than a charcoal smoker. In both cases, the cleaning process remains quick and easy.
• Fast cooking: One of the most admirable features of a gas grill or smoker is that it can reach high temperatures quickly, which is helpful in faster cooking sessions. 
• Portability: Compared to other types of smokers, gas ones are relatively easy to carry and use outdoors or on picnics. The reason is they weigh less and have a vertical portable design.

Gas Smoker Cons

Although propane smokers have many benefits, there are also some drawbacks to consider when buying one.

• Less smokey flavors: Even if you use wood chips or pellets, propane smokers can’t provide as many smoky flavors as charcoal smokers.
• Propane tank refilling: When smoking large and thick cuts of meat, the propane tank can run out of fuel, and you will need to connect a filled one. 
• Maintenance required in cold weather: Although they perform well in different climates, in cold conditions, you will need to pay extra attention to maintain constant heat inside the smoker.

Charcoal Smoker Overview

Do you want to smoke meat in a traditional way? A charcoal smoker is one of the best options you have got. Smoking meat on a traditional charcoal smoker is challenging and time-consuming, but the food outcome is always worth it. 

They use charcoal as the primary fuel source, but you can also put wood chips or pellets on charcoal to ensure maximum flavor in your meat.

It is important to note that they require extra expertise because you need to ignite the charcoal manually and maintain the temperature through vents and dampers.

Let’s give you step-by-step instructions on how charcoal smokers work.

How Do Charcoal Smokers Work

You will see a few important parts in these smokers, such as the firebox, cooking chamber, vents, and dampers.  

First of all, you need to ignite the charcoal. You can either do that inside a chimney starter or directly inside the firebox, which is near the cooking surface. 

Once the charcoal starts burning, it produces heat and smoke, which enter the cooking area. Inside the cooking area, you will see grates or racks where you place your food items for cooking.

You usually get vents at the bottom of these smokers that are responsible for the airflow. You can keep them open for more airflow, allowing the charcoals to produce more heat.

Also, dampers on top the charcoal smokers help you adjust the amount of smoke. Again, keeping them open will escape more smoke, and closed dampers help escape less smoke.

The temperature control on charcoal grills and smokers is a bit challenging because you need to maintain it through the dampers. To cut it short, if you let more air enter your smoker, it will get hotter, and if you allow less air, it will get cooler.

Charcoal Smoker Pros

There are many advantages of using a charcoal smoker, which we have mentioned below.

• Flavorful foods: Charcoal smokers are a beast when it comes to providing flavorful and tastier foods. The burning charcoal produces unique smoky flavors, and you can also add wood chunks to enhance the flavors.
• Versatility: These smokers can maintain low temperatures between 220 °F to 270 °F, which gives extraordinary smoking results. Also, some models can reach 700 °F, which helps you grill, bake, or roast your food items.
• Inexpensive: Compared to gas smokers, charcoal ones cost you less because they consist of inexpensive components.
• Portable: Most pellet smokers are portable because they are relatively lightweight and don’t depend on electricity or a gas tank. Also, some models have wheels or handles on the side, which help you carry them from one place to another.

Charcoal Smoker Cons

These smokers also have a few drawbacks which you should consider.

• Skills required: If you don’t want your brisket to come out undercooked, you need to be skillful in controlling temperature, as most of the traditional ones don’t provide knobs or control panels for temperature regulation.
• Creates more mess: When charcoals burn, they create more ash than pellets and wood chunks, making cleaning a bit annoying and time-consuming. 

Which is Safe for Your Health and Environment – Gas or Charcoal Smokers?

It’s essential to know that burning charcoal produces more carbon dioxide than burning propane gas. That’s the reason CPSC warns not to use charcoal grills and smokers indoors.

So, considering health, gas smoking is better than charcoal.

Due to the convenience and simplicity, we prefer using gas smokers. In addition to their performance, gas appliances are popular with homes due to their energy efficiency, minimal environmental effect, and stylish designs.