Electric Smoker Vs Pellet Smoker – Which one is better?

Seeking for Electric Smoker Vs Pellet Smoker? Smokers are a popular method of cooking with many different options on the market. Electric smokers and pellet smokers are two types of smokers that have become increasingly popular in recent years. Although both have their benefits, there are some key differences between the two types of smokers. In this blog post, we will compare electric smoker’s vs pellet smokers to help you decide which one is the best fit for your needs.

Below is the specific comparison to have a look at Electric Smoker Vs Pellet Smoker…

What is an electric smoker?

An electric smoker is a device that cooks food by surrounding it with heat. The heat used in all electric smokers comes from heating elements, metal plates charged with an electrical current. Electric smokers are also known as automatic or “set it and forget it” smokers because they usually require very little monitoring after the initial setup.

Features of an electric smoker:

Materials: Most electric smokers are made from porcelain enamel, stainless steel or other high-quality materials. The outside of the smoker should be able to withstand heat and resist corrosion.

Warranty: A good smoker will come with a warranty. A long, comprehensive warranty is usually a sign of a well-made product.

Design: Electric smokers usually have a similar design. Many electric smokers will hold racks of wood chips alongside the heating element and metal chamber where food is cooked. Some models include a lid that can be closed during smoking or left open to allow for more airflow.

Ease of use: Electric smokers are often “set it and forget it” devices, meaning that they require very little monitoring once the process has begun. Automatic temperature control is usually included with electric smokers, meaning that users can set the desired cooking temperature and let the smoker do its work.

Flavor: Most electric smokers are made from thin metal, which can allow some smoke to escape. If you want the taste that only wood-smoked meats can provide, then an electric smoker may not be the right choice for you. However, many high-end electric smokers come with thicker insulated walls to help better contain the smoky flavor.

Cost to Operate: Electric smokers are known for being cost effective because they do not require any extra fuel sources besides electricity. If your electrical source has a steady stream of power, you will not have to worry about continually buying more expensive fuel or additives like propane or charcoal.

Versatility: Electric smokers offer flexibility in how they cook food because there is no set heat level. Most electric smokers have a temperature range between 100 degrees Fahrenheit and 275 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to cook your food hotter or colder, all you must do is adjust the settings so that more or less power goes to the heating coils.

Easy To Assemble: When purchasing an electric smoker, most are already completely assembled except for one small component. Electric smokers are typically easy to assemble because they usually require some simple assembly that involves twisting electrical wiring into place.

Temperature: Most electric smokers come with built-in thermometers that allow you know exactly how hot it is inside of the cooking chamber at any point in time. This makes it easier for you monitor the internal temperature of whatever meat you are cooking., many modern electric smokers offer remote temperature control.

Temperature Control: Most modern electric smokers come with remote temperature control and digital controls that allow you to adjust the heat settings with just a few presses of a button. Some modern units will even show internal temperatures on an LED display so that you can easily monitor your food while it cooks.

Temperature Range: The most important aspect of any smoker is its ability regulate the heat range in which it cooks food. Because different types of meat require specific temperatures, having a wide range is vital for cooking different styles of barbecue.

Power Source: Electric smokers do not require any additional power sources like propane or charcoal because they use electricity as their main source of fuel. If you have access to AC current, then you will be able to use your electric smoker.

Weight: Electric smokers tend to be a lot lighter than their propane or charcoal counterparts because they do not require any extra fuel. Most units only weigh a few pounds and are very easy to transport from place to place.

Fuel and Electricity: Because electric smokers use electricity as their primary power source, you will have less of an impact on the environment. In addition, most electric smokers cost significantly less money over time because you do not have to constantly purchase additional fuel sources like propane or charcoal.

Range of Food: Electric smokers are great for cooking meat with even heating throughout. With a wide temperature range between 100 F and 275 F, you can cook everything low-and-slow barbecue ribs to crispy skin-on chicken.

Cooking Capacity: Electric smokers are typically smaller than other types of smokers, so they have less cooking capacity. If you’re looking for a large smoker that can cook enough food to feed the whole neighborhood, then electric is probably not the best choice for you.

Portability: Most electric smokers are lightweight and easy to transport, which makes them great choices for tailgating or camping. Some high-end models even come with carrying cases so that you can easily take it with you wherever you go.

Area Covered: Electric smokers work by heating up metal coils to produce smoke. This means that there is no need to build an entire firebox inside of your chamber because the heat source will be the metal coils themselves. Because of this, electric smokers cover a small area and cannot cook as much food.

Environmentally friendly: Electric smokers require little to no propane or charcoal which means that they produce less gas and carbon monoxide than propane and charcoal smokers do. Having to constantly add fuel sources can be harmful for the environment.

Heat source: The heat source for most modern electric smokers is generated by heating up metal coils. The metal coil heats up and transfers heat throughout your cooking chamber. Some high-end models even come with additional infrared burners to make sure all areas of your meat are cooked evenly.

Smoke source: Some modern electric models allow you to add wood chips directly into your chamber so that they can produce smoke. Because they do not burn wood directly inside of your smoker, this makes for an eco-friendly cooking experience.

Run Time: The run time for electric smokers is usually limited by the size of your cooking chamber. Some models have larger capacities that can cook food for several hours, but most high-end smokers only last about 6 hours.

Warm Up Time: Most electric smokers take 10 minutes to warm up before you can use them. This allows you enough time to get all of your wood chips or heating coils started so that they are ready to use when you need them.

Smoking Time: Modern electric smokers have fully automated temperature controls which allow users to set a desired temperature and walk away until their meat is cooked. Without any interference, most modern models can smoke food inside for 8 – 12 hours.

Power: Electric smokers require AC power from a wall outlet to function. You can run them using a generator if you’re camping, but most users just plug them into an outdoor extension cord.

Cleaning: Electric smokers are very easy to clean because they do not have any internal chambers that require ash removal. This means that food does not burn onto the walls of your cooking chamber, and it is much simpler to wipe out after smoking your meat.

Extra Features: Many modern electric models come with features like built-in thermometers and automatic wood feeders for convenience purposes. These additional features are great if you want to be able to sit back and relax while your smoker is running or worry less about maintaining smoke levels during your cookout.

Handling: Because electric smokers are much smaller than other types of smokers, they are significantly easier to handle. They only weigh around 50-100 pounds and come with wheels attached for easy transportation.

What is a pellet smoker?

Pellet smokers are the largest family of recreational and competition-style grills. Pellet grills run on electricity or alternative fuels such as wood pellets, fruitwood chips, or propane gas. The whole family can enjoy these non-traditional grills which make barbequing and smoking food easy and fun while eliminating the mess and smell of traditional charcoal grills.

Features of a pellet smoker:

Materials: The materials used to make pellet smokers vary greatly depending on the manufacturer and the model. Some models come with stainless steel cooking chambers while others come with porcelain-coated cooking chambers which prevent food from sticking and provide extra durability.

Design: The design of pellet smokers varies greatly between models. Many come with cooking chambers that are stick-resistant and easy to clean, while others require minimal assembly or can be completely mounted on a wall.

Ease of Use: Pellet grills are the easiest grills to use because they require little to no interactions once your grill is turned on. Users simply load up their cooking chamber with wood pellets and set the temperature at which their meat will cook before walking away. When you finish smoking your food, the only thing left to do is clean out your grill so that it’s ready for next time!

Flavor: Pellet smokers produce flavorful, high-temperature barbecue by smoldering wood pellets at a controlled rate, which creates smoke to cook the food. Pellets are available in several types of wood flavor profiles. Each type of pellet imparts a unique flavor to foods cooked on it. The only drawback is that pork products taste best when smoked with hickory or mesquite.

Cost to Operate: A propane smoker costs about $220 -$270 per year to run while an electric or pellet one costs between $75-$150 per year. An average propane grill costs about $350 dollars annually, while an electric one costs around $120, and a gas grill averages around $860 for the same period.

Versatility: Pellet smokers can do everything but cook the food for you and it will not take up much space either. You could even use a pellet smoker to grill your favorite vegetables or sear a steak. Many find this type of grill offers more cooking options than traditional electric or propane smokers in addition to burning wood pellets in the process.  A pellet smoker is also great for indirect heat smoking like in a home oven and very easy to clean compared with other types of smokers.

Temperature: The temperature range of most models available from 220F – 500F which enable users to smoke, grill, roast, bake, braise, barbeque, or char-grill just about anything they want. Temperature is controlled by the number of pellets in the hopper and can be regulated to anywhere within a range of 10F – 20F.

Temperature Control: A pellet smoker has a built-in thermostat that controls the number of pellets and air flow to maintain consistent desired temperatures. For example, if you set your thermostat for 200F, it will let in just enough air and pellets for optimal cooking conditions.

Temperature Range: The temperature range is usually between 140°- 500°F but may be higher depending on the model. Temperature is regulated by how much wood pellets are set in the firebox and can be regulated from anywhere within a 10° – 20° range.

Power Source: Pellets or electricity power most models with some exceptions such as propane smokers. Some models even have a multi-purpose power source that enables users to use either electricity or propane by switching out the side fire box that holds a 1 lb. or 20 lb. propane tank.

Weight: These units usually vary between 35- 100 lbs. depending on the model. The average weight of a pellet smoker is around 60 lbs.

Fuel and Electricity: Pellet smokers are powered by wood pellets, electricity, or propane gas to fuel the fire which is burned inside an auger system for optimal performance. The auger feeds large amounts of pellets into the firebox that will be heated to high temperatures that impart one of three different flavors into foods cooked.  A majority of designs even have a ash cup below the hopper so you can empty it out without having to take the food out, saving time and energy.

Range of Food: Foods can be smoked at any temperature from cold smoking cheese or cheese cloth right up to hot smoking fish, jerky, brisket, pork shoulders and ribs.

Cooking Capacity: Pellets smokers can cook from two hamburgers or a 12lb. turkey at one time without a problem. Some models have a cooking capacity of a regular oven meaning you can cook for a family of four easily! This is great if you want to use the pellet smoker as an oven after it cools down.

Portability: Most models on the market are on wheels with some being made completely of steel and others with lighter aluminum housings depending on size and weight.  The average width of these units is around 24″ which enables them to fit into most car trunks space allowing for transport.

Area Covered: Most pellet smokers cover an area ranging from 150 square inches to 700 square inches. Models cover up to 2,500 square feet of space depending on the model chosen.

Environmentally friendly: Since wood pellets are used instead of gas or electricity, these units produce only about 10 – 40% of the emissions than similar products who use alternate heat sources. It is recommended that you read all manufacturer manuals before using any unit for environmental issues because different manufacturers have different requirements.

Heat source: Wood pellets are burned in a firebox at around 800F to produce smoke which passes over & through food cooking it slowly and allowing it to develop deep layers of smoky flavor making it great for smoking meat. The auger system feeds large amounts of heated pellets to sustain smoke production for hours.

Smoke source: Pellets are the smoke source in these models and can be flavored with Mesquite, Alder, Pecan, Apple, or hickory wood chips which are available to purchase at any hardware store. The pellets are burned at around 900F producing a cool smoke that produces about 50% less emissions than traditional charcoal smokers.

Run Time: Run time is determined by how many wood pellets your smoker uses and the size of those pellets. A high-quality brand will use around 7-10 lbs. of pellets per hour and lesser brands will use around 4-5 lbs.  If you smoke for 8 hours nonstop, it will take anywhere from 60-100 lbs. of pellets to operate a unit producing smoke continuously.

Warm up Time: These models usually take about 30 minutes to warm up or heat to operating temperatures.

Power: The average smoker will use between 8 – 20 amps of electricity assuming it’s powered by electricity.  If your home circuit breaker is 25 amps, then you need to make sure the unit consumes less than 16.7A which means buying a 15-amp rated smoker if you want to do all 3 simultaneously on separate circuits. It’s recommended that you read all manufacturer manuals before using any unit for power issues because different manufacturers have different requirements.

Cleaning: High quality models are easy to clean but cheaper designs may be difficult to clean out after extended use. All pellet smokers should be cleaned every 50-100 hours depending on how much you used the smoker. Therefore, I recommend that you buy a high-end unit if you plan on smoking more than twice a week.

Extra Features: High end models usually have extra features like automatic pellet feeds, touchpad controls, built in meat probes and even Wi-Fi which allows users to monitor their smoker from any location. Most entry level models don’t come with all these features, but they are available as addons.  Some addons include ash cleanout systems, nonstick pans for the wood pellets, grills, or racks to cook additional items when required etc.

Handling: This is very important especially when transporting this unit from one place to another. Make sure that it is easy to carry and has a sturdy steel housing instead of aluminum because it will be much heavier. These units are heavy, and you should also consider that before purchasing any unit.

The similarities of electric smoker and pellet smoker:

Both use electricity as a heat source which means that you don’t need to use any fuel to run these units without producing harmful emissions. This is one of the reasons why more people are opting for these types of smokers today.

It’s easy to use and maintain plus it also produces very little odor when in used making it perfect for those who like their food smokey but want less odors in their house or backyard.

The differences of electric smoker and pellet smoker:

The main difference lies in how they produce smoke. Electric heat sources generate electromagnetic heat waves which is then directed towards the wood chips and pellets to burn them slowly and produce smoke. On the other hand, charcoal heat sources generate infrared heat which is then used for smoking in traditional charcoal smokers.

The winner: 

We all know that electrical energy is much more efficient than charcoal, so the winner here is electric smokers. But if you are looking for a smoker that doesn’t require electricity, then pellet smokers are what you should consider buying.

FAQs:

What is the primary difference between a electric smoker and pellet smoker?

The major difference is the method of smoking because electric heat sources generate electromagnetic heat waves to slowly burn wood pellets and chips to produce smoke while charcoal heat sources are used in traditional charcoal smokers.

Which it is right for me?

Electric smokers are right for you if you want something that doesn’t require any fuel to run but produces very little smoke and is easy to use. On the other hand, pellet smokers are what you should consider buying if your goal is to produce thick plumes of smoke without too much flavor.

Pros and Cons of an electric smoker and pellet smoker?

Electric smoker pros:

Produces very little odor

Easy to use and maintain

Produces less smoke than pellet smokers

Electric smoker cons:

Expensive than traditional charcoal and pellet smokers.  You should expect to pay 4 times as much for an electric smoker than you would for a good quality pellet, charcoal, or wood smoker.

Pellet smoker pros:

Produces thick smoke without too much flavor. This is perfect if you like different flavors in your meat such as hickory, apple, maple etc. plus the wood pellets don’t add any flavors of their own which means that you can use any type of pellets depending on what kind of meat you want to cook.

Pellet Smoker cons:

The pellet smokers are more expensive than other types of smokers because you need to also invest in a pellet hopper and meat probes.

You don’t get the same smoke ring effect when cooking with pellets as opposed to using traditional heat sources like charcoal or wood.

Conclusion:

The world’s best electric smoker and pellet smokers are the ones that produce thick smoke for longer periods without too much flavor. The greatest advantage of using electric smokers is that they don’t require any fuel to run but produces very little odor when in used. On the other hand, pellet smokers are what you should consider buying if your goal is to produce thick plumes of smoke without too much flavor but it’s expensive.

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