The Best Reverse Flow Smokers in 2023

Anyone who’s ever worked the barbeque for a while knows how irresistible smoke-infused meat tastes and understands the importance of having a good smoker.

Reverse flow offset smokers, in particular, are a considerable step up from your traditional smoker in the sense that there’s far more control over the amount of smoke that runs over your food and the actual temperature of the smoker.

Reverse flow offset smokers use a baffle plate, a piece within the cooking chamber, to reduce the amount of smoke that runs over your food, separating the firebox and smoking compartment so that you never end up overdoing it.

Like any cooking unit, you want a product with high quality and preferably an affordable price range, but searching may be a daunting challenge with all the options available.

Fortunately, we’ve done the work for you, comparing much reverse flow offset smokers side by side to bring you our top picks.

Plus, we’ve stapled a short FAQ section for your convenience and chosen the best reverse flow smokers we think will benefit you most, so we can assure you this post is well worth the read.

Top Flow Smokers Reviews

1. Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Reverse Flow Smoker

Our first product up for review is one of two reverse offset flow smokers from Oklahoma Joe’s, a brand with the craftsmanship that puts care into providing the best reverse flow smoker under 1000 dollars for those looking for quality and affordability alike.

This smoker comes with all the stops, including heavy-duty construction, multiple baffles and dampers for optimal heat control, and customizability. With all the easy-to-use features, this smoker is a fantastic pick for anyone that wants a smoker that demonstrates more than just the basics.

Customers are delighted with the sturdiness of this smoker’s construction and the consistency of the temperature. According to the buyers, the smoker looks amazing, performs professionally, and is easy to modify to their heart’s content.

Some buyers claim the baffles are hard to clean and that the paint peels off the firebox over time. Otherwise, the smoker works like a charm.

For an affordable smoker with quality performance and fantastic reverse flow functionality, Oklahoma Joe’s has got your back. You’ll be getting a durable, customizable, and excellently performing product, so there’s little reason to wait on this purchase.

2. Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Reverse Flow Smoker

For a slightly smaller and more affordable smoker, Oklahoma Joe’s offers the Highland, an efficient and straightforward reverse-flow smoker among top-rated offset smokers.

Like the previous model, you get all the same desirable customizability, heat control, and sturdy construction, just with a tad bit less space but an affordable price tag to make up for it.

Buyers are pleased with the excellent construction of this smoker, agree that assembly is straightforward, and concede that the temperature stays where you need it.

Customers attest to the baffles working excellently and enjoy the thickness of their construction. Buyers do warn, however, that without installing additional sealants and latches, heat and smoke may end up leaking out of the unit in various places.

This product might be your best bet if you’re looking for a cheap offset smoker that still gives you a quality performance that lasts.

With fantastic heating, adequate spaciousness, and easily removable and customizable features, you’ll have yourself a smoker that pleases a crowd and doesn’t hurt your wallet.

3. Lang BBQ Smokers 36″ Original Patio Smoker

For competition-worthy smoking, Lang BBQ Smokers brings us this quality offset smoker with user-friendly features, perfect heat guidance, and construction to last you a lifetime.

With expert craftsmanship that considers your needs, you’ll be hooking yourself up with a smoker that you can use, whether you’re competing or merely trying to impress a crowd.

Consumers agree that this smoker is a quality unit made for competitive cooking and easy to use from setup to shutdown. According to buyers, the smoker gives their food a quality taste and puts off a pleasing aroma that attracts others.

If you have the money to spare and want nothing less than the best, this 36″-inch patio smoker is for a person like you.

From an award-winning brand, you’re getting a smoker that won’t only give you the quality of taste and smell, but the quality cooking experience that makes the process of smoking meat enjoyable to undertake.

4. Meadow Creek TS70P Barbecue Smoker

Our last reverse flow smoker is a professional offset smoker that comes from Meadow Creek that offers exceptional quality and features for the price.

Construction that lasts you for decades, massive space, secure latches, and an expert baffle system makes this a smoker you can use competitively.

At the same time, other helpful features enable backyard chefs to give this smoker a spin just the same. From the handles and the thermometer to the cooking grates and the paint finish, everything about this large offset smoker screams quality.

Consumers are impressed with the quality of the material this smoker provides and are delighted with how easy it is to clean after use.

Customers recommend heating the tank before you cook to get the smoke going and buying the charcoal grill pan to enhance your cooking.

Other buyers wish that this unit let them use propane to start their fires but otherwise agree that this smoker is a beautiful product both to look at and to use.

This smoker lands in a moderate price range and delivers ultimate excellence to ensure that you get every penny’s worth.

Whether you use the smoker for competitions and utilize the reverse flow system to its fullest or cook for guests in the backyard and show off the impressive design, this is a smoker sure to please you and anyone that can’t wait to try your cooking.

Factors to Consider

Space

Like any smoker, you want to consider how many you’re feeding. If you’re smoking food for yourself, a smaller smoker is ideal, but if you prepare for crowds or are in charge of the holiday meals, a bigger unit is most likely the better option for you.

Material

A smoker is nothing if it doesn’t hold up well over time, so you’ll always want to look into the construction of the smoker you’ve got your eye on and make sure to get your hands on a heavy-duty smoker.

Heavy-gauge steel or cast iron, for example, holds up incredibly well, and keeping your eye out for stainless steel features means dealing with minimal rust.

Pay attention to the material of the grates as well – stainless steel, iron, or ceramic, it all makes a difference – because those will be the parts you’ll need to worry about most when cleaning up.

Fuel Type

Many smokers are stick burners, which means their primary fuel type is wood, both for the fuel and the flavor. It takes a bit of effort to get these wood fires going, so if you know you aren’t the type to spend time figuring that out, you might want to look for gas-powered or electric smokers instead.

We do suggest taking the time to get the hang of a stick burner, however, because using natural wood provides smoke and flavor like no other.

Temperature Monitoring

Since most smokers need to shut down while smoking their food, you’ll want to make sure you have a way to monitor the temperature.

You could invest in a thermometer separately, of course, but there are smokers with temperature gauges built into them, so keep your eyes open for those features.

Latching

The last thing you’ll want is for the smoke and heat to leak out of your smoker. Some smokers come with latches that lock while others have secure lids that do the job. If you can find a smoker that promises secure latching, do so.

What is a Reverse Flow Smoker?

Ever wondered why all the fuss about reverse flow smokers? More often than not, reverse-flow smokers are touted as a superior alternative to regular offset smokers. But is it true?

In the United States, a delicious barbeque must undergo slow, careful smoking until it becomes fall-off-the-bone tender. And, with even smoke flow and rigorous temperature distribution, a reverse flow smoker seems like an excellent tool for incredibly sumptuous meat.

We won’t decide whether it’s the best for your outdoor smoked delicacies. Instead, read on to know how a reverse flow smoker works and why it may be the ultimate choice after all.

Everything You Need to Know About Reverse Flow Smoker

A reverse flow smoker is a conventional type of offset smoker that integrates an extra steel baffle plate into its design. The metal plate acts as a shield that protects the meat from any intense heat that may ruin its goodness.

At the same time, it directs smoke to go under and then over the food in an organized fashion, before it exits through the chimney.

How Does a Reverse Flow Smoker Work?

As we mentioned, these smokers have an additional plate underneath the smoking surface. Heat vents from the firebox and into the cooking chamber, and then drafts down under the baffle.

It is here that a ‘reverse flow occurs’ (which is where it got the nickname) before it is directed back over the piping hot baffle.

The flue or meat baffle is designed as a watertight pan or skillet. The cooking racks are then mounted on the skillet.

Remember, the idea is to sear any excess fat, which is made possible with the help of the welded roaster.

And what do you get with this process? Barbeque that is moist, tender, and bursting with a smoky flavor, without lingering fat.

In addition to regulating the flow of smoke, the steel plate:

Differences Between the Offset Smoker and Reverse Flow Smoker

It’s physics- heat moves upwards. So then, isn’t grilling on an offset smoker (vertical) better than on a reverse flow smoker (horizontal)? It’s easier said than done.

To avoid huff and puff, let’s go through the comparison guide and explore how each of these barbecues fairs against another.

Because after all, the sooner you buy an efficient smoker, the sooner yummy brisket will be coming your way.

Scour the internet for reverse-flow smokers, and you’re sure to get a mention of regular offset smokers under the same blog post.

A traditional offset smoker is set up with heat and smoke entering the cooking chamber on a single end, drafting across the meat, and leaving the smoking chamber via a stack on the opposite end.

Some of these utilize ‘turning plates’ underneath the meat to propel more heat toward the other end of the smoker.

Others have a direct opening between the cooking segment and the firebox with nothing separating meat from the direct fire except for distance.

You may be surprised to know that some high-end offset smokers have incorporated reverse flow technology. This feature makes it even harder to distinguish between these two grilling favorites.

Reverse Flow Smokers Vs. Offset Smokers

You’ll experience the difference in heat distribution. In a regular offset smoker, heat intensity depends on the area in the smoking chamber. There are areas where the meat will cook faster without charring, while others, like the spot furthest from the firebox, could slow down your cooking.

On the other hand, the intuitive design of the reverse flow enables you to maintain a consistent level of heat without having to monitor the temperatures regularly.

You could take a nap while your meat cooks to perfection!

A traditional smoker will have the stack positioned at the end of the smoking chamber facing the firebox. A reverse flow smoker has it at the same corner as the firebox.

What Is the Best Kind of Reverse Flow Smoker?

When it comes to picking the best reverse-flow smoker, you can’t turn a blind eye to your budget and expectations. Get them today at the stores for less than $699, or you can purchase a smoker built with reinforced stainless steel for a thousand dollars and up.

One thing is for sure; quality is paramount when choosing a reverse-flow smoker.

Go for the two market leaders within their range, Longhorn Reverse, Char-broil Oklahoma Joe’s, and Highland Reverse.

Imagine how easier it’ll be to sustain temperature in one of these beasts for a long cook, even in adverse weather conditions, like a blowy day!

Why would you compromise on what smoker to buy when you could have an unparalleled meat-smoking experience? Equipped with reverse flow technology, you can be sure of greatly cooked, moist, and tender brisket, while locked in irresistible flavor.

These kinds of heavy-duty, outdoor smokers come with multiple dampers and a high-grade thermometer to enable you to precisely control temperatures.

What’s more, the 2.5mm thick steel gives them the ability to retain heat for long spells, creating an ideal reverse-flow cooking environment.

Throw to the mix four full-range wheels, heavy-duty latches, an insulated chamber, four cooking racks, and hoisted fire grate enough to efficiently add fuel, and these smokers will see you through years of cooking to come!

The mere fact that you are penetrating the most flavor into your meat and that you can regulate the heat in the cooking chamber for more evenness, well to us, that’s a winner right there!

Everyone’s passion is to smoke fantastic food. And our best recommendation is for you to check out the best line of reverse-flow smokers and start creating some great, delicious, delectable food!

After all, a great cooking journey with your significant other, friends, and family starts with that one step- getting the right smoker to take your decent cooking skills to the next level.

Making the Decision

After learning everything you need to learn about reverse flow smokers, we hope you can see why we’ve concluded that the best backyard offset smoker is surely the Meadow Creek TS70P Barbecue Smoker.

With its heavy-duty construction, expert reverse flow system, and helpful features like cool-touch handles and a calibratable thermometer, you get hassle-free smoking worthy of competition.

We know not everyone needs an ultra-high-end smoker with a big price tag, though, so if you want a more simple product with a better budget, we’d recommend the Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Reverse Flow Smoker.

The smoker gives you superb heat control and customizable capabilities all at an affordable price.

When it comes to smoking meats, you want a machine that’s going to give you the power and quality you need to produce the perfect flavor every time.

A reverse flow offset smoker is the machine to get that job done, so if one of these smokers on this list catches your attention, don’t hesitate to add it to your cart so you can get smoking.