Cuisinart 36” Vertical Propane Smoker, 4 Removable Racks, Spacious BBQ Smoker with Wood and Water Trays, 15,000 BTU Heat for Smoked Meat, Brisket, Jerky, Fish, Perfect for Tailgates, Backyard, Camping

I'm new to smoking food. I have used my Weber propane grill to smoke a little bit, but I wanted a "real" smoker. I decided to go with propane since it seemed like there would be less work to maintain the temperature and smoke. Assembly was very easy and instructions were clear and easy to follow. I did go out and buy a set of four locking casters to install on the bottom of the legs. I did have to drill holes through the bottom of the feet to attach the casters. Smoker is heavy, so having locking wheels is a must since I will store this in my shed when not in use. Before my first use, I decided I should season the smoker. I was surprised that the manufacturer did not have any mention in the manual about seasoning the smoker. I found a lot of online recommendations for doing this and figured it would be worth it, plus I could get use to the temperature adjustments without risking any food... I wiped down the interior of the smoker with a lite coat of canola oil and filled the wood tray with dry apple would chips. I started the burner (first click on the igniter!) and let the smoker go on high for about two hours. It took about 15 min for the wood chips to start smoking. I also noticed quite a bit of smoke coming out of the edges on the main door, so I ordered some grill gasket tape, which I will install next week. The next day I smoked a pork shoulder for over 12 hours and some sausage links for about two hours. Both turned out perfect. I'll never have crock-pot pulled pork again.... The temperature was easy to maintain and having the separate door to add additional wood chips definitely helped maintain the temperature. I would highly recommend this smoker to any beginner. It will be interesting to see if the door gasket will help, not completely sure it's 100% necessary, but others have recommended it so we will see. One other thing, which is no surprise, the thermometer on the door was not very accurate. I used the NutriChef (PWIRBBQ80) (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076B36HF9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Bluetooth thermometer and monitored the temperature of the pork shoulder and the smoke chamber. Definitely a must have. Now I cant wait to use this more. Beef ribs are next! **Updated: Sept 24th 2020** After one full summer of smoking, I can honestly say that I love the food I have made with this smoker (and so does my neighbor). I have burned through at least a dozen propane tanks. I've smoked everything from salmon, beef, pork, chicken, vegetables, including eggplant for baba ghanoush, and even made my own chipotles and smoked cayenne peppers, which were awesome is my smoked cast-iron baked beans... My Bluetooth thermometer also held up all season. The smoker has held up well, there's a small brisket flat on there now. There is one burn spot on the outside rear of the smoker where the burner is, but has not hurt the integrity of the smoker box. I keep the smoker covered when not in use. The door gasket tape was a must and has definitely helped contain the smoke in the smoker. I used the "FireBlack Hi Temp BBQ Smoker Gasket Self Stick 15 ft High Heat 1/2 x 1/8 Black", from Amazon, which fit both doors perfectly. I think this is a pretty standard upgrade for any smoker, based on all the reviews I've read. I agree with a lot of the reviews about the poorly designed wood/water tray. I do not put water in the water/wood chip tray, I use disposable aluminum trays for the water on the bottom shelf and overload the wood chip tray with one or two larger wood chunks and a bunch of presoaked wood chips. I have not had any problems with not having enough smoke. I have not wanted for more shelves, but do think I will be upgrading to a larger smoker at some point, so I can fit full slabs of ribs and full briskets (just need the wife's permission). The shelves are a little too small for this (14 x 14 inches), so ribs have to be cut in half and it only fits smaller cuts of brisket. But as an intro to smoking, this was a huge success. I also built a cedar cabinet with a cement countertop to go with this smoker, that provides much needed counter space and storage for the propane tank, wood chips, and trays (picture attached). If you are thinking of trying out a smoker, as a beginner, I think this smoker is a good bet. It made me a smoking addict.

This is a nice smoker with a fairly compact footprint. Great for small patios or decks. It was very easy to assemble taking me less than 1 hour to put it together. It comes with a water pan with a circular wood chip holder in the middle. The pan sits in rails above the burner. A space saving design with a drawback. The pan holds small amounts of chips and water. So I found myself constantly going into the firebox to add water and chips. Also the lack of a drip pan means that drippings fall onto the chips. Enough drippings fall into the wood chip pan extinguishing the smoke. I used it for the first time to smoke a trimmed off brisket flat on one shelf. The point, for burnt ends, on another shelf and a rack of ribs on the third shelf. It was an 9 hour cook in total. Setting the burner dial down to 1/4 off the lowest setting held the temp at 275 F. A good amount of smoke was produced after 15 minutes. The smoke lasted 20 minutes tops and the temperature was creeping up. When I opened the firebox, the water had evaporated and the wood chips burned down too fast. After that I found myself in and out of the firebox every 30 minutes. Which was a pain because I also had a grill going with other stuff. One of my fellow reviewers suggested using the extra water pan and placing it on the lowest shelf, and using the combo pan for wood chips. Great suggestion, but the extra water pan I find too shallow so I'll be using a foil tray as a drip/water pan. The combo pan will be used for wood chips as suggested. As to the end result of the smoke; everyone raved about the smokiness and taste of the brisket, burnt ends, and ribs. So the Cuisinart cos-244 did its job. I will update this review after my next smoke using the foil tray as a water/drip pan. UPDATE: I smoked 12 pork chops on my next cook. I used the water/chip tray as strictly a chip tray. I used a small foil pan as a drip/water tray. The smoker maintained 275F during the 2 hour cook. Plenty of consistent smoke was produced with less opening of the doors to replenish the chips or water. At the end of the cook when the chops hit 140F, there was plenty of chips and water left. The chops had great color and were moist. Update 07/24/19: Had two more cooks in this smoker; babyback ribs, pork shoulder, flank steak and top rump roast. I used the included water/drip pan both times. I found that in a 4 hour smoke I had to fill it twice. Maintaining the temperature was not bad. Though there is a some smoke leakage top the top sides. I'm considering sealing the top with Lava lock sealant. So far so good. The meat is juicy and smokey. I've had nothing but compliments about the meat that comes out of that smoker. I am very happy with it.

First, this is a well built, easy to assemble smoker, that is quite efficient on propane use. I've smoked 3 picnic roasts, one Boston butt (all served as pulled pork) 4 whole chickens, numerous racks of ribs, two batches of smoked wings, and a Brisket. All were excellent except the brisket that I'm sure was my issue not the Smoker. The learning curve comes in controlling the heat, the amount of water in the chip pan and the flame (temp knob). The first thing you do after you put this in your Cart is GO BUY A GOOD DIGITAL BBQ Thermometer. When you get it set up, set the flame at its LOWEST setting, add your chips and NO water in the chip tray. I find that 9 out of ten times I can hold 225-230 just fine as is, with good smoke production. If you find yourself creeping up on Temp, open the lower door and add cold water about 1.5 cups at time to get your temp back where you want it. 2nd pro tip, DON'T OPEN THE DOOR unless you absolutely have too. It takes a bit of practice, (start with chicken, it seems to be the most forgiving) and learn the zen art of smoking. For the price, and if you are in the market for a propane smoker, I think you'll be pleased with this unit. It's got decent temp control, plenty of space, is efficient, and for the price I dont think can be beat. Rating it as 4 starts because I have not tried any lower temp smoking, (salmon), not true cold smoking, but lower temp smoking, Going to give this a try and if works, will update rating and review.

Very happy. I gave this a workout the day after I received it to test it out, and am going to use it again over the weekend. Assembly was easy, however, to tighten the vent damper in the back of the unit, I used a socket wrench with an extension because my arms are not long enough to hold the screw driver while reaching around and through the cabinet to hold the nut while centering the damper over the special nuts. And, it will be easier if you have someone hold the burner box in place while you center a couple of the screws. I also used "Lock-Tite", as there were no lock washers, and from experience, I know that screws tend to come loose during cycles of expansion and contraction. The directions are quite clear and easy to follow, however, they do not list the tools. For the screws, you can use either a common screw driver, or a #2 philips. I cheated and used an electric driver, but I recommend final tightening by hand so that the threads, or the screw head do not get stripped. Also, to make it easier when tightening nuts, use #9, #10 and #11 metric sockets. You could use an open end or box wrench, but I found using sockets to be easiest. This is solid construction, and all of the parts were packed securely, and fit into place without having to tweak anything here or there to make them fit. I do think that the chip bin is a bit small, but dumping and replacing with new chips was not a hassle; just be sure to use gloves. Unlike my old charcoal smoker, temperature recovery is very quick, if you have to open either the bottom or top doors for any reason. Most of the time, the control knob was set on the lowest setting, after preheating. I put the meat on the rack directly and put a catch pan on the rack beneath. The rack was easy to clean, and fit nicely in my dishwasher. In fact, I also put the water/wood chip pan in the dishwasher after a quick rinse. I do question the need for a "match holder" though. If the piezoelectric igniter doesn't work, I am not going to get down on my hands and knees to stick a match through a tiny hole. Instead, I would use my propane torch, or butane match to light it through the bottom firebox door. It must have been some sort of ISO requirement. Lighting with the piezoelectric igniter will take two clicks though, because I turn may gas off at both the unit and the tank, so that means that the line from the tank to the burner is going to have air in it, the first time you open the gas valve, so before the burner lights, all of the air has to be clear out of the line. The first click pushes the air out and gets the gas flowing, then turn the knob off, and click it again, and it will light. Anyway, I am very happy with the Cuisinart propane smoker, and it fits nicely beside my charcoal bar-b-que.

Cuisinart Vertical Propane Smoker, not the electric version. This is a great smoker at this price point. There are aspects that could be improved, but it's understandable that allowances were made to keep costs low. Pros: Large! Four racks that can be removed, so even a turkey will fit by removing a rack (or two). Heat control is decent. Low setting kept mine at 250^F. Easy to assemble, sturdy enough (again, price point). Temp gauge is pretty accurate, burner lights easily, temp control knob works fine. Cons: Costs were cut on the door handles. Not sure how to upgrade the closing mechanism, but I'm working on it. The unit doesn't seal well, but that's fixed with any after-market high-temp gasket. Other reviewers say not to seal the unit, but those must be for the electric model. Sealing the propane one is a no-brainer as there's an adjustable vent on the back to control smoke/heat. The tray that holds the wood chips also holds the water, which evaporates quite quickly. One fix for that is constant monitoring, the other is to use the included drip/water pan on the bottom shelf. When the water in the pan runs out, the temp can go up by 50^ or more. Thinking about a Rube Goldberg style automated water filler for the lower pan... So far everything I've smoked has turned out wonderfully. Bottom line: This is a great unit to start out with and possibly stick with. It's large, works great, is pretty bare-bones, and won't break the bank. The next step up in quality and features would be a leap, cost-wise.

I waited many months before posting this review so that I could get a better understanding of the product and to build up a history of smoking with it. In short, I do love it a lot. I bought this to replace a Masterbuilt GS30 that did a good job of smoking but was nigh impossible to keep clean. It turned into a rust bucket in far too short a time. By contrast, the Cuisinart was designed in such a way as to be easy to clean. The grease from whatever you smoke runs into the bottom pan that is easy to remove and clean. The racks are stainless steel and also easy to clean. As with any smoker, you have to take the time to work with it to figure out how it heats and produces smoke. Some criticisms have been aimed at that bottom pan that also makes it easy to clean. It is true that it needs more tending in terms of keeping the water in it and your wood for smoke replenished according to your cook. The additional water pan that sits on the bottom rack also augments your water supply. It is not set-and-forget, so if you are looking for that, go buy something else, but I'm not sure what that might be. The propane burner does a good job of heating and maintaining the temperature. I've done beed briskets in it as well as salmon. Mouth watering results. This propane smoker is a great buy at an excellent price.

Never owned a smoker before, but have used several of my friend's smokers. I was a little hesitant about purchasing one from Cuisinart but thought it was worth the risk for my first smoker. It is small, but for just my wife and me it's perfect. This smoker is great! Easy to assemble and use. And the end result is fantastic. I recently went to (what was) my favorite rib place and had to throw them out - mine from this little smoker is so much better. I did tweak it a little. I purchased a 4 probe kit and now don't have to check the smoker every few minutes. I use a small cast iron skillet for the chips. It burns the chips at the perfect smoke rate. I'm told the water/drip tray is just to regulate the temp, but I use carbonated mineral water and add juices or whiskey or rum, etc. and it adds unbeliveable tase and juiciness to the meats. Don't be put off because it's not a brand known for smokers. Take the chance. You will be very happy you did!

Bought for my birthday, lasted less than 6 months. Total piece of trash. Main Cabinet: - as others noted, and I assumed was random and decided to take the risk, the powder coating blistered, bubbled, peeled, and melted down the sides and off the top on the inside of the smoker. Obviously this is a health concern, as the top can fall right onto meat, and the sides can as well if above the meat. I said screw it, just jacked up the temp with an empty cabinet once it started to do this within only three smoke sessions, and proceeded to use a putty knife to scrape the rest off. This was a lot of work but finally resulted in a clean cabinet with no worries about stuff getting into my food. I simply thought, well...it is what it is....a metal box to heat and smoke things....nope. Read on.... Doors: - knew right off the bat that this thing looked as if it would leak smoke and heat (money and flavor is how you should read that) like a screen door on a submarine would leak water. I purchased a felt seal roll for smokers and grills the same day I ordered it. I am glad I did, as the gaps with the doors closed were about an eighth of an inch and would have leaked so much smoke and heat.... a lot of it. - during installation the cheap hardware that came with the door handles stripped, which resulted in the lower door not being able to rotate the latch mechanism to the cabinet and kept it from holding closed. No, it isn't a mistake on my part. I am a retired USAF aircraft mechanic and know how to install hardware properly. I have a ton of stock I could have rigged up something to make it work, but I am also a redneck and love simplicity so I just leaned a paver against it to keep it closed. lol Temp Gauge: - like every grill and smoker in existence that I know of (haven't heard anything to the contrary from anyone...ever) the gauge is a useless piece of ornamentation. I was smart enough to order a digital thermometer specifically for grilling and smoking the same day that worked like a boss - one probe in the meat and the other hanging in the open cabinet giving readouts of grill temp and meat temp. The difference between the stock gauge and accurate one was a whopping 30 degrees...consistently...and double checked with another digital instant read thermometer I use for quick pokes on the flat top grill. Ignition system: - piezo igniter stopped working the second smoke...lol. *click* *click* *click*....no spark....I am sure a lot have been there with these cheap things on grills. Grabbed a long Bic fireplace lighter and just lit it that way from thereon. Fuel Supply: - gas control valve popped off within a few smokes. The set-screw was useless and wouldn't tighten down to the stem anymore but didn't keep the knob from rotating, just staying on if tugged while turning and was loose. - gas control valve was the final nail in the coffin the other day. In less than 6 months it developed a crack at the body and was leaking propane under the cabinet which would periodically ignite and create a giant burst (caught my attention) and didn't take getting very close to it to smell all the propane leaking under my covered porch. This leak and burst cycle wound up melting the cheap housing the supply hose fed through, the plastic grommet that is supposed to protect the hose from chaffing, and burning/melting/blistering the supply hose as well. What a disaster. I had to transfer my pork shoulder for dinner that night for pulled pork bbq sandwiches over the flat top grill and rig up a truly redneck concoction of water pan, wood chunks, grate from the smoker to raise the meat form direct contact with the griddle, and covered with heavy duty foil to trap the smoke and heat. Guess what? It worked and while it was 'cooked' and edible it wasn't the same as delicious smoked and moist meat. Yet another cheap product from China that let down anybody who values their hard earned labor buying them something that lasts. What a hunk of absolute junk. As a simple redneck there is a LOT I can put up with and just make work, but with this thing...run. Run far. Spend your money elsewhere folks.