The Best Smoker Boxes in 2023

Nothing is better than foods with an authentic smoky flavor, but not all grills are automatically capable of this. When you have the best grill smoker box, you can smoke a variety of foods to get a deep and intense flavor. We spent hours looking at the smoker boxes that are available.

After evaluating their details, we found eight that are excellent choices. When you are working with the best smoker boxes for gas grills, you will get smoked foods that have a professional flavor and a high level of tenderness.

Top Smoker Boxes Reviews

1. Char-Broil Cast Iron Smoker Box

The Char-Broil Smoker Box is a good choice since it will work with the majority of grills, making it the best wood chip smoker box. The body of this box is cast iron, ensuring that it will last when you use it on a regular basis.

When you are cooking with this box, the smoky flavor that it imparts is intense for a very authentic taste. The wood will not catch fire when it is in your grill to ensure optimal temperature control.

Since there are vents on this cast iron smoker box for a gas grill, you can rest assured that the smoke is evenly coating all of your foods.

Multiple people talked about durability. This box is very thick so it will last for a long time even with frequent use. A lot of people mentioned the flavor. It provides an intense smoky flavor to the foods that you prepare on your grill.

2. Weber Universal Stainless Steel Smoker Box

The Weber Universal Smoker Box lets you add great smoky flavor to a variety of different foods. It takes wood chips, making it easy to refill. You can even add more chips to the box when you are in the middle of cooking.

Since it is relatively small, it is a good choice for grills of all sizes. The lid opens fast and easy so that you never have to worry about it getting stuck. Use this box often since it is comprised of a very strong stainless steel material that will not break down easily even when you use it often.

Multiple smoker box reviews about this product talked about its durability. You can use it frequently without the box starting to come apart. It is also easy to use, according to many consumers. This is because you can add more wood chips when you are still cooking with them.

3. Charcoal Companion V-Shaped Smoker Box for Gas Grill Wood Chips

The Charcoal Companion V-Shaped Smoker box has a very unique shape that allows for easy placement on almost any grill. Just place it with the top of the V in the grate of your grill and let it go to work producing a lot of smoke.

It is made from stainless steel. This material is very strong, and it is able to withstand very high temperatures without melting or deteriorating.

The lid has a hinge so that you can open and close it with ease. Just lift the lid and add the wood chips to keep getting a high level of smoke.

While looking at stainless steel smoker box reviews for this product, many reviewers said that it allows for a very high level of smoke. This ensures that it provides a distinct flavor. Many people liked the V-shape. They said that it made it easier to fit this box onto their grill

4. Cave Tools Grill Smoker Box Starter Kit for Wood Chips

The Cave Tools Smoker Box features a hinged lid that allows you to quickly get into the box to clean it or add more wood chips. You can add more chips to the box when you are actively using it to smoke foods.

The stainless steel helps to protect the chips from catching fire. This material is also very heat resistant so it can withstand high temperatures over the long term. This specific smoker uses materials that are 25 percent thicker than the average smoker box.

A lot of people said that this pellet smoker box for a gas grill is easy to use. You can quickly refill the pellets and clean them up when you are done using them. Many people discussed its durability. You can use this smoker for a long time without having to worry about it breaking down prematurely.

5. Grillaholics Smoker Box Add Smokey BBQ Flavor on Gas Grill or Charcoal Grill

The Grillaholics Smoker Box lets you make a smoker out of your gas grill. This box is relatively big, letting you smoke for longer before you need to worry about refilling it with more wood.

The stainless steel material is stamped and thick for a high level of durability. When you are ready to clean or refill the box, just lift the hinged lid to empty out the ash that has accumulated. Then, you can just spray or wipe it down so that it is ready for the next smoking session.

Several reviewers said that this wood chip smoker box for gas grills ensures a lot of smoke. This makes sure that you can cook foods exactly to your specifications. Multiple people mentioned the design. It has multiple holes throughout so that the smoke is able to easily escape and coat your food.

6. Charcoal Companion Smoker Box for Gas Grill

The Charcoal Companion Smoker Box ensures that all of your foods obtain a very intense smoky flavor. It lets the smoke come out easily since it has numerous holes that allow for the smoke to escape when you are using it.

You never have to worry about ashes getting onto your food since they stay inside the box. This also helps to reduce the cleaning that you need to do when you are done using your grill. Just lift the lid and empty the box before refilling it.

The V-shape lets you place it almost anywhere on your grill. The metal is nonstick so no foods will start adhering to it when you are smoking.

A lot of people liked how easy it is to place this box in your grill. The shape lets it rest on the grates without moving around. You can add more wood easily, according to several reviewers. Just lift the lid and pour it in.

7. MatSailer Pellet Smoker Tube for Grill

The MatSailer Pellet Smoker Tube is shaped like a hexagon and does not have a door. These features ensure easy placement on your grill and that it is easy to clean and refill with wood pellets.

Just add pellets to this smoker and light it to start using it. It provides a high level of smoke and an intense flavor. You can use this smoker for almost all grills.

Many reviewers said that this gas BBQ smoker box is a good addition to a gas grill. It allows you to smoke foods with minimal effort. Other people said that it is easy to clean this box. Once it cools, you just dump and wipe it so that it is ready for use again.

8. Cave Tools Tube Smoker Box for BBQ Grill

The Cave Tools Tube Smoker Box is easy to use. The unique design ensures that you are getting the maximum amount of smoke. It is also easy to put on various parts of your grill. The stainless steel material ensures optimal durability.

You can use this for both cold and hot grilling, depending on your preference. Since there is no door, just add more wood whenever you need it without worrying about a door that might not want to come open.

A lot of consumers talked about the durability of this smoker attachment for a gas grill. It is very easy to use so you can start smoking foods with it right away. Other people talked about how it distributes smoke very evenly. This is due to the shape and very open design of the box.

Factors to Consider

When you are grilling, you want your goods to get that authentic barbecue flavor. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is by making sure that your foods get a smoky flavor. To do this, you need to ensure that you pick the best smoker box for a charcoal grill or your gas grill.

Durability and Materials

Since this box is going to be in contact with fire, it is important that it is as durable as possible. You should look for materials like cast iron since this can withstand high levels of heat without deteriorating.

Those that have a rectangular shape are often a good choice. This is because the edges of the box tend to be very sturdy so that they will withstand frequent use.

Other good materials to consider include stainless steel. In many cases, this will have chromium in it to further enhance its level of durability.

Size

You want to ensure that you get the right size for the proper smoke volume when you are using it. Think about the size of your grill and how much smoke you want the smoker to produce.

It is also important to consider how much wood the box can hold. For example, if you are planning on smoking something over the course of several hours, you need a smoker that can hold enough wood for this so that you do not have to disrupt the smoking process to stop and refill the box.

Simple Lid

It is important that the lid on your smoker box is easy for you to use. It should either lift up or come off very easily. This will make sure that you can quickly lift or remove it when you need to empty, clean and refill your smoker box.

Easy to Clean

You will need to clean your smoker box regularly to help to maintain it, so you want to ensure that cleaning is as easy as possible.

Ideally, you want one that you can remove food drippings from with ease. This will ensure that you can wipe it down.

To clean these boxes, you have to first wait for them to cool. From here, water and soap are generally enough to clean it.

Just use a soap that cuts through grease-like dishwashing liquid. You can also soak them to make them easier to wipe down when you are done using them.

How to Use a Smoker Box

In the world of grilling meats, there is no flavor more irresistible than that which comes from smoking. With the aid of a smoker box, smoking meat is made easy for even smoking newcomers to enhance the flavor and aroma of whatever meat they choose to tackle.

Don’t know how to use a smoker box? Don’t worry; you’ve made your way to the right place.

A smoker box may seem simple enough to use, but with this how-to guide, we’ll walk you through the steps and offer helpful tips to ensure an excellent smoking experience.

How to Start a Smoker Box

If you’re wondering how to start a smoker box, you have to start with the wood chips. You can buy wood chips in just about any grocery store or even a hardware store. Just look locate the BBQ section, and you’ll find what you need.

Wet or Dry Chips

To prepare your chips before you put them in your box, it’s a good idea to soak them for about 30 minutes in water, completely submerged. Wet chips may take longer to heat up and start smoking, but the smoke is long laster, and thicker for a much richer flavor.

If you prefer using dry chips, however, you’ll have to replace the chips with new ones periodically to keep the smoke going.

Heating Up the Chips

You’ll want to fill the smoker box up entirely with wood chips once you’ve settled on wetting them or leaving them dry. If you overfill the box, it’s alright.

It’s better to have a little more than not enough. Just make sure you can still shut it.

Your smoker box will work for any grill, as long as it’s able to heat the box. You’ll likely have to go somewhere toward 220 degrees Fahrenheit to get the chips to start smoking.

Usually, it only takes a maximum of ten minutes to get going, but the size of your chips, the length of time you soaked them (or didn’t), and the temperature you set all affect the time.

Remember that once your box starts smoking, you want to lower the temperature back down to the typical temperature for the meat you’re grilling.

Where to Put the Box

How to start your smoker box depends on the type of grill you have, but it’s relatively simple. For a gas grill, you’ll want to put your box in between the burners. For a charcoal grill, it’ll go directly onto the coals.

Preventing Fire on Your Wood Chips

Generally, your wood chips shouldn’t catch fire. A wood chip smoker box is made from durable metal and possesses holes only on the top, not the bottom.

If the chips in your box do catch fire, chances are you may:

• Have your temperature set too high – though typically you have to get to 600 degrees Fahrenheit for a terrible fire to start
• Have too much charcoal piled around the box. If the charcoal is too high around your wood chip smoker box, embers could fall into the holes on the top of the box.
• Have a warped box. Heat slowly melts your box over time. If you have a warped smoker box, the lid won’t close properly, and burning debris might get in easier. It might be time to get a new box if this is the case.

Another reason soaking wood chips is a good idea is because it prevents these fires. Dry chips are a lot more susceptible to being burnt.

Wood Chips Flour (Sawdust) & Smoking Chip Types

An alternative to wood chips is using sawdust. Sawdust is less expensive than wood chips, burns slower, can’t be soaked, and needs to be replaced often.

You can grind sawdust out of any wood type, so here are a few smoking wood flavors that might help you figure out the best smoking chips for your grilling preferences:

Grilling Preferences:

• Oak: The classic wood type. Oak gives the meat a medium to strong character and works best for lamb, beef, and sausages.
• Alder: Gives a light and sweet flavor. Alder works well for Salmon and other similar fish.
• Hickory: Gives off a savory flavor. An excellent choice for ribs, pork shoulders, and red meat in general.
• Mesquite: Adds a robust and intense flavor best suited for red meats.
• Maple: Adds subtly sweet flavors that work for pork and poultry.
• Cherry: Gives mild and fruity flavors that work wonders for holiday meats like turkey and ham.
• Applewood: Adds mild and sweet hints best for meat like chicken and pork.
• Pecan: Gives meat a rich and nutty flavor. This flavor works best for things like roasts, briskets, and ribs.

Using a Smoker Box on Different Grills

Whether you have a gas or a charcoal grill, your smoker box will work.

Charcoal Grills

If you’re wondering how to use a smoker box on a charcoal grill, place the smoker box directly on top of the coals.

This is, of course, assuming your grill is already appropriately filled with charcoal and the box with wood chips.

Remember not to put too many coals around the smoking box. It might take a few minutes to start smoking, but it’s better to have patience than potentially burn the chips.

Gas Grills

If you’re wondering how to use a smoker box on a gas grill, you need to be a bit careful. You’ll typically place your smoker box between the burners, so if you have to take it out to replace the wood chips, make sure to use something like tongs to remove it and avoid burning yourself.

Gas Grill Smoker Box Tips:

• Close the lid to your grill when smoking to trap in the aroma and get a stronger flavor.
• It’s best if your smoker box does not directly touch the flame of your grill. Not only will the chips risk burning less, but the smoke comes out more evenly.
• Some gas grills come with a smoker box already. Check your grill out before you go out and immediately buy one.

Consider some of these final tips:

• To get the best smoker box, check out boxes made from cast iron or steel.
• Have a backup box handy to make the smoking process go faster by cutting out the time it takes to replace the chips.
• Check out video tutorials and other blog posts to make sure you’re making the best use of your smoker box.

Smoking meat using a smoking box is a simple thing. It can be done by anyone, and it’s a lot less complicated than you might think. Follow this guide, and you’ll be on your way to cooking up some great things.

Conclusion

When you are using the best smoker box, you are able to achieve the exact level of smoke that you need. This allows you to get the perfect smoky flavor for all of your foods.

The Char-Broil Smoker Box imparts a nice flavor to all of your foods. It is made from a cast iron material to ensure a high level of durability. Due to the vents in this box, the smoke easily goes right toward your foods so that you get the maximum level of smoke.

You can put this in your grill when you are cooking to take advantage of the flavor. Use real wood without worrying about it catching fire and causing temperature issues in your grill. This smoker box is compatible with most grills too.

The next step is to buy your smoker box. This will help to take your grilling game to the next level.