At Academy Sports + Outdoors, we offer a wide selection of high-quality smokers to help you craft delicious, flavorful barbecue. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pitmaster, our lineup includes pellet smokers, electric smokers, vertical smokers, and more to fit every grilling style. We carry top brands like Masterbuilt, Pit Boss, and Traeger, ensuring you get the best quality at great prices. Shop our in-stock selection to find the perfect smoker for your next cookout—available for both in-store pickup and online delivery.
Once you have an idea of the fuel type you prefer, look at these features to narrow down the perfect model.
Cooking Area + Size
A smoker's size is measured in square inches of cooking surface. A smaller smoker with around 300-500 square inches is great for a family of four. If you host large gatherings, look for a smoker with 700 square inches or more, often with multiple racks to cook different foods at once.
Build Quality + Materials
A good smoker is an investment in years of delicious food and fun. Look for models made from heavy-gauge steel, which holds heat more effectively. Check for tight-fitting lids and doors, as this prevents heat and smoke from escaping. Good seals mean more consistent cooking and better fuel efficiency.
Temperature Control + Range
The key to great barbecue is holding a steady, low temperature. Most smoking is done between 225°F and 275°F [1]. Pellet and electric smokers offer precise digital controls. Charcoal and offset smokers rely on manual adjustments to air vents. Also, consider if you want a smoker that can double as a grill, which would require the ability to reach higher temperatures for searing.
Your journey to becoming a backyard pitmaster starts with choosing a style of smoker. Each type offers a unique experience and flavor profile. Your choice depends on how hands-on you want to be and what kind of flavor you are looking for.
Smoker Type
How It Works
Key Benefits & Considerations
Best For
Pellet Grills + Smokers
Fill the hopper with food-grade wood pellets, set the desired temperature on a digital controller, and an automated auger feeds pellets into a fire pot to create heat and smoke.
Combines wood-fired flavor with modern convenience. Can smoke low-and-slow at 225°F or reach higher temperatures for grilling burgers. Offers consistent results with less fire management.
Beginners and busy cooks who want versatility and consistent results.
Electric Smokers
An electric heating element smolders wood chips in a tray, creating smoke inside an insulated cabinet. Plug in the smoker, set the temperature, add wood chips, and let it operate.
Simple and consistent with minimal hands-on work. Often compact and suitable for patios or smaller spaces. Produces a milder smoke flavor than charcoal.
Anyone looking for an easy way to smoke sausage, fish, cheese, and other foods.
Charcoal Smokers
Charcoal provides the heat and smoke, while the cook manages the coals and air vents to control the temperature.
Delivers a deep, rich smoke flavor and provides a hands-on cooking experience. Options range from affordable bullet smokers to versatile kamado-style grills.
Barbecue enthusiasts who enjoy hands-on cooking and authentic smoky flavor.
Offset Smokers
A large cooking chamber is connected to a smaller firebox. Wood or charcoal burns in the firebox, while heat and smoke travel across the cooking chamber.
Requires skill and dedication to operate but provides incredible flavor and a large cooking capacity. Designed for cooking substantial quantities of food.
Experienced pitmasters and cooks who need substantial cooking space.
Propane Smokers
A propane burner provides heat, while a tray above the burner holds wood chips to generate smoke. Temperature is controlled with a knob.
Heats quickly and maintains a steady temperature with straightforward controls. Provides the convenience of gas with real wood smoke flavor and less of a learning curve than charcoal.
Gas-grill users who want to start smoking meats with familiar controls.
A grill is designed for cooking food quickly over high, direct heat. A smoker is designed for cooking food slowly over low, indirect heat in a smoky environment. This 'low and slow' method is what makes tough cuts of meat tender and flavorful.
Some smokers, especially many pellet grills and kamado-style charcoal smokers, are designed to do both. They can hold a low temperature for smoking but can also get hot enough to sear steaks and grill burgers, making them a great all-in-one outdoor cooker.
To start, you will need your choice of fuel, like wood pellets, charcoal, or wood chunks. A quality meat thermometer is essential for knowing when your food is done. A good pair of heat-resistant gloves and long-handled tongs will also make your experience safer and easier.
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