A good smoker box can turn your propane grill into a fully functional barbecue smoker. Here are 7 of the best smoker boxes for gas grills to bring in the smoke.
A good smoker box is a fantastic way to convert your regular gas or propane grill into a full featured grill smoker .
They serve to hold wood chips and are placed over the burners of the grill. Smoker boxes have holes in the top that allow the smoke to escape and add flavor to the food.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
If you’ve read any of my other posts on smoking meat, you know how much I love the style of grilling.
Don’t get me wrong, I love to grill, but there’s something special about smoking meat.
Smoker boxes offer barbecue fans a simple and inexpensive way to enter the beautiful world of smoking.
They turn your regular gas grill into a grilling machine, and today I’m going to go over my top 7 picks for the best smoker boxes for gas grills.
Best Smoker Box: Cave Tools
Cave Tools have been making quality specialty grills for years, so it’s only fitting that this beauty is at the top of my list.
It measures three by nine inches and can hold up to two cups of wood chips. This is more than enough to hold a good amount of wood shavings to turn your grill into a smoker .
The key to a good smoker box is not mastering the grill, and this box from Cave Tools fits that bill perfectly.
It fits comfortably between the grates of most gas grills and can even be used on charcoal grills. It has a lid that allows you to easily add new wood chips while cooking. This is very important as a smoker box needs to be refilled regularly during the smoking process.
Standard barbecue smokers are notorious for taking their time to heat up to temperature, but the beauty of a smoker box is that you don’t have to wait that long. With the Cave Tools Box, it only takes about 10 minutes for the wood chips to start burning.
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- Smoked Flavor: Perfectly sized wood smoker, whether you need large or small boxes, this grill cart…
- Durable metal, easy storage: Hinged lid gives access to baskets for adding wood chips;…
- Works with both charcoal and gas grills. Use the style and size of splitter YOU need! Occasionally…
Runner Up: Cave Tools Smoker Box Maximum Wood Chip Capacity
Not the first Cave Tools rotisserie on this list, but these guys really know what they’re doing.
What I really like about diem is its grilling potential. Its size means its smoke performance is extremely impressive, outperforming most other boxes on this list.
It’s a big box, which means its chipping capacity at three cups is excellent. Not only does this mean you have less to fill up your fuel supply, but your smoke performance is much better.
Its dimensions are wide but flat. This helps to keep the heat distribution within the grill very even, reducing the risk of those dreaded “hot spots” (or even cold!) and cooking a larger area of food.
Its size means it may be too big for some grills, so be sure to check the size of your grill before purchasing.
If your grill fits, by all means get it.
This is a great option for people who want the best possible performance. The only potential hurdle is getting it to fit on your grill.
- Smoked Flavor: Perfectly sized wood smoker, whether you need large or small boxes, this grill cart…
- Durable metal, easy storage: Hinged lid gives access to baskets for adding wood chips;…
- Works with both charcoal and gas grills. Use the style and size of splitter YOU need! Occasionally…
GrillPro 00150 Cast Iron
Smoking meat really is a simple approach to cooking, so why make it too complicated? The GrillPro is a simplified box that has a classic and elegant look.
It is available in either stainless steel or cast iron. This makes it extremely durable and robust, while its wide openings ensure you get a good flow of smoke through your grill. This helps infuse your food with the rich flavors of your wood chips.
- Cast iron construction
- Gives a great smoke flavor
- Easy to use
Charcoal Companion Long V Shape Stainless Steel
Don’t let the name fool you – it actually fits gas grills perfectly.
One of the first things that strikes you when you see this smoker box is that it looks very sturdy. Constructed of heavy gauge stainless steel, it’s built to last. It is extremely durable and easily withstands the temperatures of smoking when grilling.
It has a V shape and is designed to fit perfectly on your gas grill, between the struts and the cooking grates.
It’s quite large, about 14 inches long. It’s wide enough to ensure even heat distribution and increased cooking capacity. However, this length could be prohibitive for users with small grills , so be sure to measure before purchasing. If your grill is big enough to fit on, then it’s a winner.
It has an easy-open lid on a hinge, making it easy to replenish your wood chip supplies while smoking.
- V-shaped settings between the flame guide rods on gas grills provide the most intense smoke flavor
- The robust stainless steel construction withstands high grilling temperatures
- Hinged lid allows easy access for adding wood chips (not included)
Weber 7576 Universal Stainless Steel
Hardly any BBQ list would be complete without Weber. Their grills are high end, and this smoker is no different.
It’s said to fit Weber grills perfectly, but in reality it can be placed on any grill as long as it fits.
It’s made of stainless steel, so it’s extremely durable without being too heavy.
Its upper part has wide holes to facilitate the flow of smoke while catching all the ash and keeping it in its base for easy cleaning.
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- Material: stainless steel
- An ideal addition for all gas grills
- stainless steel
Grillaholics Smoker Box
This box fits comfortably on almost any gas grill and is deep enough to hold a good amount of wood shavings.
The case walls are quite thin, which has a few side effects. One is that it produces a lot of smoke. This is great for adding a thick, rich smoke flavor to your food. Perfect to reproduce the flavors of an authentic barbecue.
The other consequence of this is that your wood chips will burn faster, which means you will have to replace them. This can be inconvenient, but over time it also means higher wood chip costs.
- [Turn your gas or charcoal grill into a smoker!] Simply add your choice of wood chips to our…
- [Made of extra thick stamped stainless steel] Many cheaper smoker boxes warp from…
- [Hinged lid for easy access] Just flip it open (we recommend wearing a pair of our grilling gloves…
Charcoal Companion Large V-Shaped Nonstick
It is V-shaped, which allows it to fit perfectly between your grill’s flame guide rods and grates without slipping at an angle.
It has a large 13 inch long surface. This ensures your meat is smoked evenly while boasting 25 smoke holes that give your food a strong, rich and beautiful smoky flavor.
It has a hinged lid that helps you access your wood chips quickly and easily when you need to replace them.
- The Charcoal Companion CC4056 V-Shaped Smoker Box is made of durable, non-stick coated metal.
- V-shaped settings between the flame guide rods on gas grills provide the most intense smoke flavor
- Hinged lid allows easy access for adding wood chips (not included)
What is a smoking box?
These little metal boxes might not look like much on their own, but they’re a great way to get started in the world of barbecue smoking for beginners and gas grill owners alike.
With small round smoker boxes you can control the use of wood chips more efficiently
A smoker box is characterized by a small steel box containing wood chips. The chips are turned on and brought to the slow fire. As they burn, the lid of the box closes and the holes and vents in the lid allow smoke to flow into the gas grill chamber.
Because they are so simple, they can be used with almost any gas grill and even charcoal grills.
This smoke stream makes YOU an easy and inexpensive way to get fantastic smoke flavors out of your grill that YOU might not otherwise get.
How to choose your smoker box
What YOU should consider when choosing your smoker box
Shape and Size: Some smokers are flat, others are V-shaped . Not all racks fit well with flat boxes, while V-shaped boxes tend to fit between burner covers well.
The depth of the box is crucial. It should be able to fit between the burner and the cooking grates. Also be sure to measure this distance before you buy your smoker box.
Material: While at its core a smoker box is a really basic tool, there is a big difference between the cheaper and elite models. This difference is usually found in the type of metal they are made of.
Stainless steel or cast iron are your best choices as they retain heat well and prevent the chips from overheating and burning. What’s more, they’re also durable, helping to withstand the high cooking temperatures time and time again without rusting or falling apart.
How to use a smoker box?
As with any form of cooking, preparation is key. Start by soaking your chosen wood chips about half an hour before smoking. This will help smoke and keep the chips from burning too quickly. Check out our complete guide to using a smoker box for more information .
Which wood chip flavor you choose will largely depend on the meat you are smoking. As a rough guide, oak or hickory pair well with red meat, while mesquite pairs well with fish.
Once your chips are ready, start transferring them to your box. Get to fill it a little over half.
The key is to position it so that it is between the flame deflectors and the cooking grates. It should stand firmly and be positioned in the center of the cookbox. Luckily, many of the best smoker boxes are V-shaped, which helps them stay in place securely.
Turn up your grill and preheat the box. Different smokers and grills take different amounts of time to start, so there’s no hard and fast rule. A good rule of thumb is as soon as you see smoke coming out of your box, turn the heat down and you’re good to go.
When grilling, be sure to keep the grill lid closed. This keeps the condensed smoke in your grill barrel and helps your food become rich with smoky grilled flavor.
Different types of meat take different amounts of time to cook, so be sure to check out How to Smoke My Meat for help .
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
