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The Best Electric Smoker Under 200: A Complete Buyer’s Guide
If you are a fan of smoked recipes like jerkies, slow-smoked barbecues and smoked ham, investing on a smoker is a wise move. An electric smoker is an even better purchase as it tends to be easier to manage and cooks cleaner than other types of smokers.
However, many of us are daunted on purchasing this device. For me, the biggest reason for the hesitation of some is due to the price. Most of the electric smokers today ranges from $500 to $1000.
Fortunately, you don't have to break your bank account just to get these devices. You should know that there is the best electric smoker under 200 that can perform well like just its high-end counterpart. These particular units may not have flashy features. But they are really worth investing in!
My first electric smoker is within the entry-level category. And for the years that I had used it, I never encountered any troubles with it. Through this experience, I can say that it is a misconception that inexpensive smokers are no good. You just have to know how to choose the right units and varieties. Trust me: there are several inexpensive electric smokers on the market today that come with unbelievable efficiency and performance.
Would you like to know my recommendations? Read on!
Best Electric Smoker Under 200: Top 6 Options
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Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker, 30...
LANDMANN MCO 32954 Landmann Smoky Mountain 26" Electric...
Smokehouse Products Little Chief Front Load Smoker, One...
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LANDMANN MCO 32954 Landmann Smoky Mountain 26" Electric...
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The following electric smokers that I listed here are among the most reputable units on the market today. They have different designs, features, and build. But overall, they are quite known for their capability to produce evenly cooked smoked products. I got the opportunity to test these smokers by myself. You could check out what I have found out from each of them in their respective reviews.
#1. Best Overall: Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker
Whether you’re a certified pitmaster or a newbie smoker, this Masterbuilt digital electric smoker is sure to catch your fancy. From its black matte-finished, heat-retaining fully-insulated body, to its shiny chrome-coated smoking racks, it’s a thing of beauty that is sure to gather compliments from guests when in use in your backyard. It’s smoking capabilities are supplemented by state-of-the-art technology such as a digital control panel that regulates its cooking temperature and time to ensure even and consistent cooking. Also among its more notable bells and whistles are its side wood chip loading system so you won’t have to open the smoker just to add wood chips, an air damper to help you control the amount of smoke, a water bowl that will help add in moisture and flavor as well as a wood chip tray to help you take out the ash after cooking.
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#2. Best Budget Friendly Electric Smoker- Landmann USA Smoky Mountain Electric Smoker
If you are still quite tight on budget, you might want to turn onto this electric smoker. The Landmann USA Smoky Mountain Electric Smoker offers great value for the limited price. It has a three-in-one tray that houses the wood chip box and water pan. There is also a grease catching tray integrated on the tray, making it a multi-purpose item.
One of the most ergonomic features of this device is its double wall door. It allows you to peek easily inside to monitor the smoking without bending your back too much. It also features portability, as its iron side handles enable you to move it anywhere you want. Since it has a 443 square inch of cooking surface, you can guarantee that it can cater large servings, too.
The Landmann USA Smoky Mountain Electric Smoker features an external temperature controller. You can use this accessory so that you can control and maintain the optimal temperature for your smoking. Specifically, the heat that this device can emit ranges around 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 260 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature range is already ideal for common smoking recipes.
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#3. Runner Up: Char-Broil Analog Electric Smoker
Did you know smoking meat dates back to the paleolithic era as a means of preserving them? Well, this analog electric smoker makes that tedious but ultimately rewarding task of smoking meat so much easier. This Charboil Analog Electric Smoker is a dream with its spacious cooking space spread across three chrome-plated grates in a well-insulated chamber, making this ideal for cooking for large groups. For ease of use, the water tray, grease cup and wood chip tray are all front-accessed. A door-mounted temperature gauge helps in regulating heat for optimal cooking.
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#4. Best Indoor: Presto 6013 Slow Cooker Indoor Electric Smoker
While you would usually picture smokers as these huge contraptions that hold vast quantities of meat while cooking in great outdoors, sometimes you just want to chomp your way into great-tasting smoked meat without going through a big production number or going outside. Well, this Presto 6013 Slow Cooker Indoor Electric Smoker lets you do just that! It can smoke your meats - hot, cold or a combination of both - while sitting on your kitchen counter. It also doubles as a slow cooker! So whether you want to enjoy a smoked ham or a pulled pork for dinner, you can do that with this smoker-slash-slow cooker
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#5. Best Large Capacity: Royal Gourmet SE2801 Electric Smoker with Adjustable Temperature Control
Some people just want to cook for a battalion, and this device is perfect for that! Imagine filling its three chrome-coated smoking racks with your favorite meats. Its fully adjustable and removable digital controller, integrated thermometer, heat-retaining insulated body and latch system help you manage the meat-smoking process to come up with optimal results. Whether you want to do smoked barbecues, firewood grilling, drying or even steaming, this unit can get the job done!
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#6.Best Starter: Smokehouse Products Little Chief Front Load Smoker
If you’re a newbie at smoking meats and have no patience for assembly and other complications, this Little Chief Front Loader Electric Smoker would be right up your alley! It’s just so easy to use: you can start using it as soon as it comes out of the box. It even comes with a recipe/instruction booklet and 1.75-pound bag of Chips n' Chunks hickory flavor wood fuel! With its embossed aluminum construction, easy slide chrome-plated grills and a large capacity flavor fuel pan, it makes smoking meats easy! Start your meat-smoking journey with this little number.
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How to Choose an Electric Smoker
It is not just enough that you know the best names when it comes to electric smokers. There is also a need for you to know what makes them the "cream of the crop" and what makes these devices tick.
Electric smokers may have the same function, but they are not really similar. Most of the models that you can see on the market today vary in design, features, and sizes. Considering these aspects, the choosing process might become difficult, especially for those that are clueless about what to get.
If you want to become a wise consumer, take my advice: learn these products down to their cores. I have a short but comprehensive guide below that will teach the ropes of electric smokers. Let's get started!
Cooking Space
Electric smokers vary in sizes and you will have many options to choose from in terms of size. However, take it from me: it would be more practical if you will get an electric smoker that has an appropriate cooking space that matches your need. Always remember that the larger the smoker is, the costlier it becomes. I have learned that lesson the hard way. Of course, there is no need for you to follow that same mistake that I did.
If you expect to feed a lot of people, investing on large smokers is best. Vast cooking surfaces allow you to smoke all your food in one sitting. It maximizes the potential of the device without using too much electricity or wood chips. You should also for larger units if you intend to use them for commercial purposes.
For smaller applications like camping and outdoor smoking, compact and portable devices are the best choice. They won't burden with their weight and size. However, you can still guarantee that they can still smoke your items efficiently!
Control
Electric smokers provide more control than to their traditional counterparts. Specifically, the smoker should come with a thermostat that allows you to adjust and maintain the ideal temperature of the smoker. If possible, a smoker that you choose must have a temperature setting so that you can either lower or increase the heat freely.
It would also be great if there is a temperature gauge attached to the door of the electric smoker. This component removes the need for you to guess the internal temperature of the device.
Design
Since the electric smoker will be used on outdoor applications, it should be durable and rugged. The entire structure should be rigid enough to withstand external detriments. The body should not be easily scratched or dented. Of course, those electric smokers that come with double walls are expected to be sturdy. They also have amplified heating efficiency.
One of the most ignored aspects of a smoker is its legs. These parts hold the entire structure in one piece. Therefore, it should have an ergonomic design that ensures balance and stability. Otherwise, the device would be rendered wobbly. There is a good chance that it could stumble, especially when breezed by strong wind gusts.
Take note that an electric smoker should have handles on their side so that you can transport them easily. Meanwhile, its door should have a magnetic latch system, too. You don't want the smoke to leak out from the device. That's a waste of heat and power. Fortunately, a foolproof door can keep this from happening.
Lastly, it is essential that the electric smoker has an air damper. It would enable the moisture to escape, which allows an optimal smoking process.
Final Verdict
Among all the items I featured, the Masterbuilt MB20071117 Digital Electric Smoker produces the best smoking performance. It’s impressively built with its matte finishing. Meanwhile, it has a spacious cooking surface that can cater large servings.
This electric smoker offers maximum control to its users. With its thermostat and temperature gauge, you can definitely oversee the entire cooking process! It is also notable that this device has moderate power consumption. Because of these feats, the Masterbuilt MB20071117 is indeed the best electric smoker under 200.
Of course, you should still try all the options I have listed here. You might want something else for your smoker. One of them can certainly meet your requirements!
Do you have any questions, comments, or suggestions? Just shoot them in the box below. I will try to answer them for you!
The Best Meat Grinder for Deer Meat: My Top 5 Picks
Deer meat or venison is by far the healthiest red meat that you can ever consume. It is not as marbled as beef or lamb. In fact, deer meat's fat level is less than 2%; even skinless chicken breast has a higher fat level than that. Another advantage is the zinc; you can gain your daily dose simply by eating 3.5 oz (100 gr) venison. It is a total protein boost, and also includes Iron, Niacin, Omega-3, Phosphorus, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin B6.
After a successful deer hunt, it is time to prepare a healthy venison burger that is tasty and low in fat and cholesterol. Whether you hunt or buy your venison makes no difference when it comes to processing it. You will need a high capacity electric meat grinder for that since it takes a piece of sturdy equipment to be able to stand against the tough deer meat. Manual grinders can be good for low capacity tasks at home, but game meat is sure different. Once you grind the venison the right way, you can prepare yourself some of the most exquisite recipes ever.
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The Best Manual Meat Grinder That You Can Get Today!
Some of us just love to prepare dishes that have ground meat. I am among those folks. Fortunately, this ground meat or mince is widely available in any local market.
But what if I told you that you could grind your own meat? Still doubting? Well, if you have the best manual meat grinder, this is possible and easy to do!
There are many manual meat grinders today that are sold for home applications. These units have reasonable prices and perform as well astheir commercial and electric counterparts!
Do you want to learn more about these meat grinders? Then hop on! In this article, I will reveal all the ideal machines that could help you grind meat like a pro! Let's get started!
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5 Of The Best Gas Smokers For Every Smoked Food Enthusiasts!
Any barbecue and smoked food lover would agree that there’s only one way to get the taste right – smoking.
This cooking method used to require quite a bit of patience and work, but the flavor and texture of smoked food is worth all the effort.
But now, smoked food and BBQ lovers out there can definitely say that it’s a good time to be alive.
Why? Because there’s no need to spend a whole day smoking your food – from collecting wood in the heart of the forest to creating a fire and then watching over the cooking meat until a succulent and flavorful dish is produced.
The invention of gas smokers has allowed amateur smoked food enthusiasts to join professional smokers in indulging five-star caliber smoked food easily and conveniently.
These gas smokers are also great for creating jerkies as the smoke they emit gives extra texture, flavor and aroma to a jerky.
With all the gas smokers currently out in the market, it can be tricky to find the one gas smoker that can satisfy your inner gourmet. That’s why I curated this list of gas smokers that are worth your pennies. I’ve also laid down their important features to give you an idea of what makes them the best gas smokers available in the market.
Before we run through these devices, let’s go through the things that you should know about gas smokers. After all, you don’t want to go shopping for a gas smoker without having some background intel about the product you’re going to buy, otherwise you’ll risk ending up with a flimsy or cheaply-made unit.
The Best Food Dehydrator For Jerky: A Complete Round-Up!
It is not a lie that a food dehydrator is not a mandatory kitchen tool. However, it is not also undeniable that with this amenity, your versatility in cooking will improve. If you love meat jerky, having this appliance will come handy. It allows you to prepare and preserve healthy food for you and your family in the most advantageous way.
Looking for the best food dehydrator for jerky is quite a difficult process. This is simply because there are a lot of options that you can see in the market today. If you don't know the proper gauge of measuring a dehydrator's quality, then you are headed to some tough zone. However, the decision process does not have to be this complicated if you know the ins and outs of a quality food dehydrator.
I was once subjected to such predicament. Getting baffled by multiple choices is not a good feeling at all. That's why I learned my lessons and did my research. You are lucky though; I will share my knowledge about this product magnanimously.
In this article, I have rounded the food dehydrators. I also included a short course that will teach you how to choose a dehydrator properly. In this way, you can shop as quick and convenient as possible. So, what are you waiting for? Let's get started!
