Vertical smokers are different from horizontal pellet grills not only in design and appearance but also in how they can cook meat, fish, vegetables or whatever else you want to smoke. Watch the video below to see the differences.
Vertical pellet smokers are designed to smoke and roast foods but cannot grill. The heat source is usually further away from the meat. Horizontal pellet smoker grills can smoke, bake, grill, and some offer direct flame broiling. Vertical smokers tend to be superior meat smokers.
My first experience with any kind of smoker was back in the early 80s when I was a kid living in Alaska. My dad bought a Little Chief electric smoker and made a batch of beef jerky. The smoker was about three feet high and made of thin aluminum. I can still remember it on our porch quietly puffing out smoke.
The first round of jerky was a bit too salty from the brine as I recall but still good enough to keep snacking on it for the next week till it was all gone. I think he attempted to smoke some salmon but that was about it. After taking up semi-permanent residence in our shed for a few years, that Little Chief made its way to a yard sale.
Smoking meat is not like a typical backyard barbecue event. It requires more planning and patience to get great results. Here are some of my recommendations not only on the choice of smokers but also some realities of meat smoking in general.
How Long Does It Take To Smoke Meat? Patience, My Friend…
The Little Chief electric smoker story at the beginning has a purpose. My dad didn’t have the interest or patience to keep learning how to smoke meats. Many years later, with a family of my own, I thought I’d try meat smoking myself. I found a lightweight electric vertical smoker that was on clearance and started experimenting.
The process involved soaking small wood chips in water, putting them into a little metal container, and setting the container on the electric rods at the very bottom. The smoke would soon rise up to where the meat was at the top. About every half hour or so, I’d need to add more wet wood chips to the container to keep the smoke going.
I had hit and miss results. My biggest challenge to overcome was being patient. For some reason, I found it too difficult to wait the 10-12 hours for a hunk of beef to fully smoke to pull apart goodness. I remember one occasion where I thought the meat “looked” done enough so I pulled it out and served it for dinner. I think it had only smoked about 6 hours. Big mistake! And then I was upset that the brisket was rubbery and tough to cut.
Before getting serious about which smoker to get, make sure you’re up to the patience challenge. And if you’re not sure about all this, don’t invest $500 – $1200 on a nice, big smoker grill. Start cheap. You can find inexpensive smokers or smoker grills to test the waters at this link here.
What’s The Best Smoker For A Beginner?
If you’re completely new to all this, start with a cheap electric wood smoker. The electric units offer consistent heat and smoke is added by adding wood. But if you think you’ll keep at it or if you have more to invest, then I suggest a wood pellet smoker. Wood pellet smokers are the most convenient way to smoke meat.
Unlike electric smokers and grills, the wood is both the heat and the smoke. The electricity is needed to ignite the pellets at first, then to run the augur and fan. All you really have to do while the meat is smoking is keep the hopper filled with wood pellets, check the thermometer now and then, and watch your time. That’s really about it whether you have a vertical or horizontal pellet smoker. Now, do you need just a smoker or a smoker grill combo?
Vertical Smoker Grills
If you’re just looking for a great smoker, then go vertical. Both my wife and I find that what whatever we smoke in the vertical smoker comes out with a richer smokey flavor.
I have a Pit Boss Copperhead Smoker and it’s terrific. I’m sure there are many others out there that are just as good. Compared to my horizontal smoker grill, it is lighter, easier to maneuver around, is easier to clean and easier to use overall.
But you cannot grill with a vertical smoker. The dial tells me it’ll get up to 450+ degrees but it’s still like a roaster or an oven. You can bake, roast, and smoke, but you can’t sear meat like you can on a grill.
Horizontal Pellet Smoker Grill Combo
I started with a Traeger Li’l Tex Elite smoker grill. It was a great little unit for me after deciding to upgrade from my slightly broken electric smoker. The convenience of a pellet smoker is just great. That Traeger lasted for about three and a half years till something went wrong, overheated, and stopped working properly. I later upgraded to a Pit Boss Austin XL. Both are combo smoker grills. You can grill burgers, steaks, fish, veggies, you name it. You can also smoke whatever you want on it. The Austin XL is unique in that allows for direct flame broiling. Very few smoker grills offer that feature.
It’s a good smoker, but not as good as the vertical smoker. I think it has to do with the horizontal design. The smoke is directed to the meat and is more confined around it before escaping out the top smoke stack. This gives the meat a richer, more smokey flavor.
Top Rated Pellet Smokers and Pellet Smoker Grills
I’ve used charcoal, propane, wood, electricity, and wood pellets. Wood pellet smoking and grilling is by far my favorite way to cook. My personal experience with wood pellet cookers is limited to Traeger and Pit Boss. There are so many different models out there now and everyone has their own preference. In my opinion, they all work pretty much the same way and I’ll bet you’ll get similar results no matter which grill or smoker you get. Pit Boss offers great looking smokers and grills at reasonable prices. There are some gorgeous top-rated models out there but the prices are unreasonably high in my opinion.
The real factors that will determine the outcome of your smoked meat are not which model you choose, but rather the cut of meat (how well marbled), rubs and seasonings, brines, time, and temperature.
What Are The Best Pellets For Smoking Meats
Many will ask about the best pellets to get such as hickory, cherry, apple, mesquite, etc., I honestly can’t taste any difference, but that’s just me. Someone else might be able to. I think your rubs, seasonings, brines and sauces are going to influence the overall flavor much more than the wood pellets. I’ve used Pit Boss’s Competition Blend and CookinPellets with excellent results. Check prices and availability here.
Some Final Thoughts
I have a vertical smoker and a pellet smoker grill. I use them both. The other day, I got some steaks for dinner a ribeye for me and NY strip for my wife. I seasoned the meat the day before, then smoked them in the vertical for about 90 minutes, and finished them off on the grill at about 2-3 minutes per side. Absolutely delicious. The vertical smoker gave them a great smokey flavor and the grill seared the meat.
Before buying a smoker grill combo or vertical smoker, think about how you’ll use it. Then look over the features so you’re not missing something you’ll want like a glass view of the pellet hopper or built-in digital thermometers, or a beefy appearance. Read the reviews and the Q&A’s and sift through the opinions. Compare warranties. Then make your best guess and enjoy the results.
I wrote about other considerations here: What To Know Before Buying A Pellet Smoker Grill – Tips From An Owner
Stay smokey, my friends!