Checklist · 10 picks · 4 categories

smoker starter kit

Edited by Zach · updated Oct 30, 2026 · How I pick

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. I earn a commission if you buy, at no cost to you, and it never decides a pick. How I make money

Easiest smoker Masterbuilt MPS 340/G ThermoTemp XL Propane Smoker Best for set-it-and-forget-it smoking with no charcoal$300-500Shop on Amazon
Classic charcoal Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker 22" Best for classic charcoal barbecue that can grow with you$500+Shop on Amazon
Walk-away temps ThermoWorks BlueDOT Alarm Thermometer Best for smoking and roasting without hovering$50-100Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link.

Brisket, ribs, pulled pork: smoking is the barbecue main-character arc. The big choice is fuel.

America's Test Kitchen's easiest smoker runs on propane, so you just pick a temperature. Its best overall pick, the Weber Smokey Mountain, is charcoal and makes competition-worthy barbecue, though its door lets some smoke and heat escape. Want wood-fired flavor from an app? Reviewed cooked on pellet grills for a full week each, and the Traeger Ironwood XL came out on top. Whatever you pick, a wireless thermometer lets you leave the smoker alone for hours, and an instant-read checks the thick spots. Each card shows the drawback the testers called out. Start with a smoker and a wireless thermometer, then add the rest as you go.

Who this is not for. Skip this if you mostly want burgers and steaks over direct heat; the Grilling Starter Kit has kettle grills, tongs and brushes.

plan my budget pick an amount ↓

Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.

My budget

Pick a budget to see your plan.

see the plan, item by item

Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 30, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.

The must-haves

0 of 3 on your list · tap one to see your options

Showing all 10 picks

More filters

01 Smoke

the first pick is the one I would start with

Compare these 3

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Masterbuilt MPS 340/G ThermoTemp XL Propane Smoker	budget	$300-500	set-it-and-forget-it smoking with no charcoal	1 outlet
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker 22"	mid	$500+	classic charcoal barbecue that can grow with you	1 outlet
Traeger Ironwood XL Pellet Grill	splurge	$500+	wood-fired flavor with app control	1 outlet

Best smoker

budget pick · 4 racks

Masterbuilt MPS 340/G ThermoTemp XL Propane Smoker

Best for set-it-and-forget-it smoking with no charcoal

America's Test Kitchen's easiest-to-use smoker: just turn on the gas and select your temperature, and it held that temperature accurately.

Heads up. The wood chip chamber is small, so it needs frequent refills, and assembly took about an hour and a half

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen easiest to Use smoker.

$300-500

Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link. I may earn a commission at no cost to you.

mid pick · 22 in

Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker 22"

Best for classic charcoal barbecue that can grow with you

America's Test Kitchen's best overall smoker: a durable, well-designed charcoal smoker that makes great-tasting, competition-worthy barbecue.

Heads up. The door doesn't seal tightly, so smoke and heat escape and it burns through fuel faster

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Overall smoker.

$500+

Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link.

splurge pick · XL

Traeger Ironwood XL Pellet Grill

Best for wood-fired flavor with app control

Reviewed's best overall pellet grill: a strong all-around pick for wood-fired flavor with little effort, after a full week of cooking on it.

Heads up. Takes longer than expected to reach high temperatures

1 outlet. Reviewed best Overall pellet grill.

$500+

Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link.

02 Light it

Best chimney starter

budget pick · 6 qt

Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter

Best for lighting charcoal without lighter fluid

Serious Eats' best chimney starter: lights charcoal faster and cleaner than lighter fluid, and holds enough to cover a 22-inch Weber.

Heads up. Serious Eats gives no drawback detail for this one

1 outlet. Serious Eats best charcoal chimney starter.

$25-50

Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link.

03 Temp it

Compare these 4

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
ThermoWorks BlueDOT Alarm Thermometer	mid	$50-100	smoking and roasting without hovering	1 outlet
Typhur Sync Dual WiFi Wireless Meat Thermometer	splurge	$150-200	two cuts of meat at once	1 outlet
ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2	budget	$25-50	double-checking doneness in a few spots	1 outlet
Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo	mid	$25-50	reading temps from any angle	1 outlet

Wireless thermometer

Best wireless thermometer

mid pick · 1 probe

ThermoWorks BlueDOT Alarm Thermometer

Best for smoking and roasting without hovering

Serious Eats' best Bluetooth meat thermometer: so simple everyone in the tester's family used it, with a huge temperature range.

Heads up. Only one probe

1 outlet. Serious Eats best Bluetooth meat thermometer.

$50-100

Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link.

splurge pick · 2 probes

Typhur Sync Dual WiFi Wireless Meat Thermometer

Best for two cuts of meat at once

Serious Eats' best double-probe wireless grill thermometer: sleek, compact and simple to set up and use.

Heads up. The app is cluttered, with an AI helper that pops up too often

1 outlet. Serious Eats best double-probe wireless grill thermometer.

$150-200

Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link.

Instant-read thermometer

Best instant-read thermometer

budget pick · Compact

ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2

Best for double-checking doneness in a few spots

America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy: a no-frills model that's quick, accurate and dead simple to use, a bargain for the price.

Heads up. Handle could be a tad larger, and the long probe doesn't fold out

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy instant-read thermometer.

$25-50

Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link.

mid pick · Compact

Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo

Best for reading temps from any angle

America's Test Kitchen's best midprice instant-read thermometer: the big, clear display rotates two ways, and the long probe worked great at various angles.

Heads up. A tad slower and a tiny bit less accurate than America's Test Kitchen's top choice

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Midprice instant-read thermometer.

$25-50

Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link.

04 Protect

Best grill gloves

budget pick · Knit

Comsmart BBQ Gloves

Best for occasional grilling

Serious Eats' best budget gloves for occasional grillers: they beat pricier knit gloves on heat resistance and grip, and they're machine-washable.

Heads up. Polyester is less comfortable than aramid knits

1 outlet. Serious Eats best budget grill gloves.

$15-25

Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link.

mid pick · Knit

Blackstone Griddle Gloves

Best for handling hot grates and skillets

Serious Eats' best grill gloves: a double-sided silicone grip and a tidy, comfortable fit.

Heads up. Dry-clean only, though the silicone wipes clean

1 outlet. Serious Eats best grill gloves.

$15-25

Shop on Amazon

Affiliate link.

means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me

Questions people ask

Charcoal, propane or pellet smoker?

Propane is easiest: America's Test Kitchen says you just turn on the gas and pick a temperature. Charcoal, like ATK's top-pick Weber Smokey Mountain, makes great-tasting, competition-worthy barbecue. Pellet grills run on wood pellets, and Reviewed's top pick, the Traeger Ironwood XL, has a touchscreen and a WiFi app.

Which wood should I smoke with?

America's Test Kitchen calls hickory a balanced though intense smoke that works with almost any food. Apple and cherry give a lightly sweet, mild smoke for seafood and poultry, oak is the traditional pitmaster choice, and mesquite is best with stronger-tasting beef, pork, lamb and game.

Do I need a wireless thermometer for smoking?

It helps a lot, since long cooks mean hours of waiting. Serious Eats' best Bluetooth pick, the ThermoWorks BlueDOT, has a huge temperature range, and the Typhur Sync has two probes for two cuts at once.

smoker starter kit

plan my budget pick an amount ↓

The must-haves

01 Smoke

Masterbuilt MPS 340/G ThermoTemp XL Propane Smoker

Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker 22"

Traeger Ironwood XL Pellet Grill

02 Light it

Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter

03 Temp it

Wireless thermometer

ThermoWorks BlueDOT Alarm Thermometer

Typhur Sync Dual WiFi Wireless Meat Thermometer

Instant-read thermometer

ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2

Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo

04 Protect

Comsmart BBQ Gloves

Blackstone Griddle Gloves

Side by side

Questions people ask

Charcoal, propane or pellet smoker?

Which wood should I smoke with?

Do I need a wireless thermometer for smoking?

Buy my list

plan my budget pick an amount ↓

The must-haves

01 Smoke

Masterbuilt MPS 340/G ThermoTemp XL Propane Smoker

Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker 22"

Traeger Ironwood XL Pellet Grill

02 Light it

Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter

03 Temp it

Wireless thermometer

ThermoWorks BlueDOT Alarm Thermometer

Typhur Sync Dual WiFi Wireless Meat Thermometer

Instant-read thermometer

ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2

Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo

04 Protect

Comsmart BBQ Gloves

Blackstone Griddle Gloves

Questions people ask

Charcoal, propane or pellet smoker?

Which wood should I smoke with?

Do I need a wireless thermometer for smoking?

Related lists