The Pit Barrel Cooker and Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco are two of the best charcoal drum smokers I’ve used, but they suit different people.
The Pit Barrel Cooker is the simpler, more hands-off smoker. The Bronco gives you more temperature control, a better grilling setup, and a few nicer usability features.
Both can make very good charcoal-smoked BBQ, so this comparison is really about how you want to cook — set-and-forget smoking, or more control and versatility.
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Quick Verdict
Both can make very good charcoal-smoked food — the decision comes down to simplicity vs control.
Choose Pit Barrel Cooker if:
- You mainly want to smoke, not grill
- You like set-and-forget charcoal cooking
- You want fewer parts and less to adjust
- You want the lighter, easier-to-move option
- You care more about simplicity than versatility
Also available at: Walmart
Choose Oklahoma Joe Bronco if:
- You want more control over cooking temperature
- You want to smoke and grill properly
- You prefer a hinged lid and side shelves
- You want an ash pan included
- You don’t mind adjusting dampers
Also available at: Walmart
Table of Contents
Pit Barrel Cooker vs Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco: Key Differences
| Feature | Pit Barrel Cooker | Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco | Does It Matter? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature control | One bottom vent set by altitude | Adjustable intake and exhaust dampers | Yes, if you want control |
| Cooking style | Mostly smoking | Smoking and grilling | Yes, if you grill often |
| Temperature range | Fixed, usually around 250–300°F | Adjustable | Yes, if you prefer true low and slow |
| Temperature gauge | Not included | Built in | Useful, but not essential |
| Lid design | Removable lid, hangs on side | Hinged lid | Bronco is easier during a cook |
| Side shelves | No | Yes | Handy for trays, tools, and thermometers |
| Ash pan | Not standard in basic package | Included | Bronco is easier to clean out of the box |
| Portability | Lighter and easier to move | Heavier, yard-friendly wheels | PBC is better for camping or tailgating |
| Grilling setup | Possible, but awkward | Proper raised charcoal basket setup | Bronco wins for grilling |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years | Bronco has the longer warranty |
What’s the Same?
This is where most people overthink it.
Both the Pit Barrel Cooker and Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco are charcoal drum-style smokers. Both use vertical space really well. Both can hang meat. Both can cook on a grate. And both can make bold, smoky BBQ with good bark and strong charcoal flavor.
They both give you:
- Charcoal drum-style cooking
- A small backyard footprint
- Large vertical cooking capacity
- Hanging hooks for ribs and other meats
- A cooking grate
- Stainless steel hooks
- Porcelain-coated charcoal baskets
- Strong charcoal-smoked flavor
- Enough capacity for proper backyard BBQ
Neither one is the wrong choice if you want a drum smoker. Both are also good enough to feature in our Best Drum Smokers guide, so this isn’t a case of one being good and one being bad.
They’re just different to cook on.
The Pit Barrel Cooker is simpler and more hands-off. The Bronco gives you more control, more convenience, and a better grilling setup.
That’s the real decision.
What’s Different?
Temperature Control
The Pit Barrel Cooker is designed to run in its own temperature range.
There’s one vent at the bottom of the drum. You set it based on your altitude, fill the charcoal basket, light it according to the instructions, load the meat, and put the lid on.
That’s about it.
In our experience, the PBC usually sits around 250–300°F. Pit Barrel says you can get up to 12 hours from a full basket, but we get more like 9 hours.
That’s still plenty for a lot of backyard smoking.
It does run hotter than the traditional 225°F low-and-slow temperature a lot of people talk about. But that’s part of how the Pit Barrel works.
It cooks a little faster. And because the meat hangs vertically, you’re not exposing the whole surface to the same direct heat you would if it were sitting flat over the fire.
Think of it like holding your hand flat over a fire compared to holding it vertically. The way the heat hits is different.
The Bronco works more like a regular adjustable charcoal smoker.
It has dampers you can change during the cook. The air intake sits at the top of the smoker but pulls air down below the charcoal basket to keep the fire burning steadily.
That means you can run the Bronco at a more traditional low-and-slow temperature, or run it hotter if you want to.
The upside is control.
The downside is that you do need to watch it more than the Pit Barrel. It’s not hard to manage, but it is not quite the same “load it and leave it alone” experience.
Heat Diffuser
The Bronco has a heat diffuser plate. The Pit Barrel Cooker does not.
This matters more than it sounds.
On the Pit Barrel, ribs can sometimes get that borderline charred bottom edge because of the direct heat below. It’s not always a bad thing, and a lot of people like the way the PBC cooks ribs, but it is something you notice.
On the Bronco, the heat diffuser takes the edge off the heat.
We find you don’t get that same borderline charred bottom rib as easily on the Bronco.
That doesn’t make the Bronco better for smoking overall. It just gives you a slightly more buffered heat setup.
Grilling and Versatility
This is one of the biggest differences.
You can grill on the Pit Barrel Cooker. Some people use it that way out of the box, and some modify theirs to make grilling easier.
But there’s no getting around the fact that the PBC is mainly built as a smoker.
You can’t lift the charcoal basket up close to the grate. The cooking grate sits down inside the barrel. So when you’re trying to place food, flip meat, or grill properly, it feels a bit awkward.
If you want to grill regularly on a Pit Barrel, you’re better off using one of Pit Barrel’s grill grates that holds more heat, or using a cast iron pan or griddle.
The Bronco is much better here.
Oklahoma Joe’s designed it so you can flip the heat diffuser and place the charcoal basket higher up. That moves the fire closer to the grate.
The grate also sits in line with the top of the barrel because of the taller hinged lid.
So grilling on the Bronco doesn’t feel like a compromise.
You could honestly use the Bronco as a grill first and a smoker second if that suited your cooking style.
Lid Design
The Pit Barrel Cooker has a removable lid that hangs on the side.
It works fine. It’s simple. There’s not much to go wrong.
But the Bronco’s hinged lid is nicer to use during a cook.
When you’re checking food, moving ribs around, taking something off the hooks, or grilling, the hinged lid feels more convenient. You don’t need to find somewhere to put the lid, and it makes the Bronco feel more like a finished backyard cooker.
This does not change the food.
But it does change how the smoker feels to use.
Side Shelves
The Bronco has attached side shelves. The Pit Barrel Cooker does not.
Again, this isn’t a cooking performance feature. But it is one of those small things you appreciate when you’re actually cooking.
Having somewhere to put a tray, gloves, tongs, a thermometer, or a beer is useful.
With the PBC, you’ll need a separate table or workspace nearby.
Capacity
Both smokers use vertical space well, especially when you’re hanging meat.
Pit Barrel now has two main size options:
- Pit Barrel Junior: 14-inch
- Pit Barrel Cooker Classic: 18.5-inch
Oklahoma Joe’s also gives you two size options:
- Bronco: 18-inch grate
- Bronco Pro: 21.5-inch grate
So, the size range is more even than it used to be.
If you want the smallest and most portable option, the Pit Barrel Junior is the one that stands out. It’s better suited to camping, tailgating, or cooking for a smaller household.
For standard backyard smoking, the Pit Barrel Cooker Classic and standard Bronco are the more natural comparison. They’re both big enough for regular family BBQ, and both make better use of space than the grate size alone suggests because you can hang meat vertically.
The PBC Junior will do 4 racks of ribs, while the Classic can do 8 racks.
The standard Bronco comes with 9 hooks, so you can hang up to 9 racks of ribs. The Bronco Pro also comes with 9 hooks, but the larger body gives you more room when you’re cooking on the grate or when you want to take ribs, pork, brisket, or other meat off the hooks and finish flat.
For most backyard cooks, both the Pit Barrel Cooker Classic and the standard Bronco have plenty of capacity.
The Bronco Pro is the better choice if you want more grate space.
The Pit Barrel Junior is the better choice if you want something smaller and easier to move.
Portability
If portability matters, the Pit Barrel Cooker is the better option.
The Bronco is big and heavy. The wheels make it easy enough to move around your backyard, but loading it onto the back of a truck is not really a one-person job.
The Pit Barrel Cooker is much lighter. Even the Classic is fairly easy to take camping or tailgating, and the Junior is better again if you want something genuinely portable.
[image of the Pit Barrel Cooker being carried or set up outdoors]
The only annoying thing is that the Pit Barrel stand is not fixed to the barrel.
So if you want to move it, you need to lift the barrel, move the stand, and then place the barrel back on top unless you weld it together yourself.
That’s not a huge issue, but it is one of those small practical annoyances you notice.
Cleaning
Cleaning both smokers is fairly simple.
Scrape the grates while they’re still a little warm, then deal with the ash once it’s completely cool.
The Bronco is easier out of the box because it comes with an ash pan. You lift it out and tip the ash away. It catches most of it, which makes cleanup pretty straightforward.
The Pit Barrel Cooker does not include an ash pan in the basic package.
You can buy one separately, and I would recommend it. Without the ash pan, you’re either tipping the barrel out or using an ash vacuum.
The hooks on both smokers are stainless steel and dishwasher safe.
You also don’t need to scrub the inside of the drum. The natural seasoning inside helps protect it.
Build Quality
The Pit Barrel Cooker is made from 18-gauge steel with a porcelain exterior coating.
There’s no paint to peel off, and the whole design is so simple that there really isn’t much to go wrong. If you look after it properly, the PBC should stay in good shape for a long time.
That simplicity is one of the reasons I like it.
Oklahoma Joe’s does not always have the best reputation for long-term quality. Their steel isn’t usually the thickest, and some of their smokers can rust if they’re not looked after.
And yes, the Bronco can rust if you don’t season it properly.
We took a shortcut with seasoning, and it happened to us. It can be fixed, but it’s still worth saying because it’s the kind of real-world thing that matters when you’re buying one.
That said, the Bronco is surprisingly well-built for an Oklahoma Joe’s smoker.
It feels solid. The parts fit together nicely. The lid opens smoothly. The gasket is decent. And although the outside isn’t porcelain-coated like the PBC, our Bronco has smoked and been left in the rain on numerous occasions without rust on the outside of the drum.
I’m not recommending you leave it in the rain. You should still cover it and look after it properly.
But for the price, the Bronco feels like a decent-quality smoker.
The internal components, including the grates, charcoal basket, ash pan, and heat diffuser, are porcelain-coated where it matters most.
Real Cooking Experience
Cooking on the Pit Barrel Cooker
The Pit Barrel Cooker feels very different from most charcoal smokers because there’s not much to do once it’s running.
You set the bottom vent, light the charcoal basket, hang your meat, put the lid on, and leave it alone. That is the whole point of the PBC.
It usually runs hotter than a traditional low-and-slow setup, sitting around 250–300°F for us. That means food can cook faster than you might expect.
Pit Barrel’s brisket method, for example, can have a brisket done in about 6 hours.
The nice thing is that you don’t need to sit there adjusting dampers all day.
You can watch the game, play with your kids, get something else done, or just not spend the whole cook staring at a thermometer.
I do still recommend using a wireless meat thermometer with it. The PBC does not have a built-in temperature gauge, and although it’s designed not to need one, a wireless probe makes the whole experience easier because it tells you when the meat is actually done.
The main quirk with the PBC is the direct heat from below.
Because there’s no heat diffuser, hanging ribs can sometimes get a slightly charred bottom edge. It’s not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it is something you notice.
The PBC has its own cooking style, and you need to let it do what it does instead of trying to force it to behave like a standard offset or cabinet smoker.
It is simple, fast, smoky, and easy to trust once you know how it runs.
Cooking on the Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco
The Bronco feels more like a regular charcoal smoker, just in a drum shape.
You still get the vertical hanging setup, and you still get that strong charcoal-smoked flavor. But instead of letting the smoker run in a fixed range, you can adjust the dampers and decide where you want the temperature to sit.
That makes it more flexible.
You can run it lower and slower than the PBC if that’s what you prefer. You can also run it hotter.
The heat diffuser softens the direct heat, and we find ribs don’t get that same borderline charred bottom edge as easily as they can on the Pit Barrel.
The trade-off is that you do need to keep an eye on it.
It doesn’t need constant babysitting, but it’s not as hands-off as the PBC. If the temperature starts drifting, you adjust the vents.
That is normal charcoal smoker behavior, but it’s worth knowing before you buy.
The Bronco also feels nicer when you’re actively cooking.
The hinged lid is easier. The side shelves are useful. The ash pan makes cleanup better. And the ability to raise the charcoal basket for grilling means you can use it for more than just smoking.
If you want one charcoal cooker that can smoke ribs and brisket, then grill burgers, steaks, or chicken without feeling awkward, the Bronco makes a lot of sense.
Price vs Value: What Are You Actually Paying For?
Because the Pit Barrel Cooker and Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco are usually in a similar price range, this isn’t really a “cheap one vs expensive one” decision.
It’s more about what type of cooking experience you want.
The Pit Barrel Cooker gives you simplicity. You’re paying for a solid, easy charcoal smoker that takes a lot of the usual fire management out of the process. It’s not fancy. It doesn’t have shelves, a hinged lid, a temperature gauge, or a proper grilling setup. But, that’s also part of why it works so well.
The Bronco gives you more features and more control. You get adjustable dampers, a built-in temperature gauge, a hinged lid, side shelves, an ash pan, a heat diffuser, and a better grilling setup.
But you are not paying for better smoked food.
That’s important.
Both smokers can make bold charcoal-smoked BBQ with good bark, strong smoke flavor, and nice results. The Bronco doesn’t automatically make better ribs, brisket, or pork. It just gives you more control over how you cook them.
Smoking Results Are Similar
For smoking, both the Pit Barrel Cooker and Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco can turn out very good BBQ.
You can expect strong charcoal smoke flavor from either one. If you prefer a lighter, more subtle smoke flavor, a pellet smoker might suit you better. Our Best Smokers Under $500 guide has more options if you’re still comparing different smoker types in this price range.
The PBC tends to run hotter and faster. In our experience, it usually sits around 250–300°F and gives us about 9 hours from a full charcoal basket. That means food can cook faster than it would on a more traditional low-and-slow smoker.
The Bronco gives you more control. You can run it lower and slower if you want to, or hotter when that suits the cook. The heat diffuser also softens the direct heat from below, which helps reduce that borderline charred bottom edge you can sometimes get on ribs in the Pit Barrel.
So, if your only question is “which one makes better smoked meat?”, I wouldn’t say one clearly wins.
The Pit Barrel is better if you want simple, hands-off smoking.
The Bronco is better if you want more control over the cook.
The Bronco Wins for Grilling
This is one of the clearest differences between the two.
You can grill on the Pit Barrel Cooker, but it’s not what it’s best at. The charcoal sits low, the grate sits down inside the barrel, and flipping or moving food feels more awkward than it should.
You can make it work, especially with grill grate that’s an optional extra or the cast iron. But it always feels like the PBC is being asked to do something it wasn’t really designed for.
The Bronco is different.
You can flip the heat diffuser, raise the charcoal basket, and grill with the fire much closer to the food. The cooking grate also sits closer to the top of the barrel, and the hinged lid makes the whole setup feel more natural.
If you already have a good grill and only need a smoker, this might not matter.
But if you want one charcoal cooker that can smoke ribs and brisket, then grill burgers, steaks, or chicken without feeling awkward, the Bronco is the better choice.
The Pit Barrel Wins for Simplicity
The Pit Barrel Cooker is the easier smoker to live with if you want less to think about.
You set the bottom vent based on your altitude, light the charcoal basket, hang the meat, put the lid on, and let it run. That’s the whole appeal.
You don’t need to keep adjusting dampers. You don’t need to decide exactly what temperature to run. And you don’t need to treat it like a normal charcoal smoker.
It does run in its own temperature range, so you need to be okay with that. It’s not the smoker to buy if you want to sit at exactly 225°F all day.
But if you like the idea of charcoal smoking without constantly managing a fire, the PBC makes a lot of sense.
The Bronco isn’t hard to use. But because it gives you more control, it also asks a little more from you. If the temperature starts drifting, you adjust the vents. That’s normal charcoal smoker behavior, but it’s not as hands-off as the Pit Barrel.
Cook Times Are Different, But Not a Dealbreaker
The Pit Barrel Cooker usually cooks faster because it runs hotter than classic low-and-slow temperatures.
That can be a good thing.
Ribs, pork, chicken, and even brisket can be done faster than you might expect from a traditional smoker. Pit Barrel’s brisket method, for example, can have a brisket done in about 6 hours.
The Bronco behaves more like a regular adjustable charcoal smoker. Cook times depend on where you set the vents and what temperature you choose to run.
So, if you want faster, simpler cooks, the PBC has the edge.
If you want to choose your temperature more precisely, the Bronco makes more sense.
Build and Warranty
The Pit Barrel Cooker feels like the simpler, more durable design.
It’s made from 18-gauge steel with a porcelain exterior coating. There’s no paint to peel off, and because the design is so basic, there’s not much to go wrong.
The Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco has more parts and more features, but it still feels surprisingly solid for an Oklahoma Joe’s smoker. The lid opens smoothly, the parts fit together nicely, the gasket is decent, and the internal parts like the grates, charcoal basket, ash pan, and heat diffuser are porcelain-coated.
[image of the Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco assembled in backyard, or close-up of lid/gasket/inside parts]
The Bronco does need to be seasoned properly. We took a shortcut with seasoning, and ours developed some rust. It can be fixed, but it’s worth knowing before you buy.
The Bronco has the longer warranty at 2 years, while the Pit Barrel Cooker has a 1-year warranty.
Longer is better, but I’d still feel comfortable with the PBC because it has no electronics, no paint, and fewer moving parts.
Pit Barrel Cooker vs Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco: Which Should You Choose?
Choose Pit Barrel Cooker if:
- You want a smoker
- You like hands-off charcoal cooking
- You want a lighter, more portable drum smoker
- You want a simple design
- You’re happy using a separate grill for grilling
Skip Pit Barrel Cooker if:
- You want precise temperature control
- You want to grill often
- You want side shelves and a hinged lid
- You don’t like the idea of no temperature gauge
- You want an ash pan included
Also available at: Walmart
Choose OKJ's Bronco if:
- You want more control
- You want to smoke and grill on one cooker
- You like the hinged lid
- You want side shelves
- You want easier ash cleanup out of the box
- You don’t mind adjusting dampers when needed
Skip OKJ's Bronco if:
- You want the most hands-off option
- You need something easy to take camping
- You mainly want a simple smoker
- You don’t want to season it properly
- You prefer fewer parts and less setup
Also available at: Walmart
Final Verdict
Both the Pit Barrel Cooker and Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco are good charcoal drum smokers.
The Pit Barrel Cooker is the one I’d choose if I wanted the simplest smoking experience.
It’s basic in the best way. Set the vent, light the charcoal, hang the meat, put the lid on, and let it run. It’s not the most versatile cooker, and it’s not the best grill, but it does what it was designed to do very well.
FAQs
Is the Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco better than the Pit Barrel Cooker?
Not exactly. The Bronco gives you more control, a hinged lid, side shelves, an ash pan, and a better grilling setup. But the Pit Barrel Cooker is simpler and more hands-off. If you mainly want easy charcoal smoking, the PBC can still be the better choice.
Does the Pit Barrel Cooker make better food than the Bronco?
No, I wouldn’t say it makes better food. Both can make bold, smoky charcoal BBQ with good bark and strong flavor. The difference is more about how they cook. The Pit Barrel runs hotter and more hands-off, while the Bronco gives you more control over temperature.
Can you grill on the Pit Barrel Cooker?
Yes, but it’s not the best setup for regular grilling. The charcoal basket sits low, and the grate is set down inside the barrel, so flipping and moving food can feel awkward. It works better as a smoker than a grill.
Can the Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco be used as a grill?
Yes. This is one of the Bronco’s biggest advantages. You can raise the charcoal basket closer to the grate, and the cooking grate sits at a more natural height, so grilling feels much easier than it does on the Pit Barrel Cooker.
Which is easier to use, the Pit Barrel Cooker or Bronco?
The Pit Barrel Cooker is easier if you want set-and-forget charcoal smoking. The Bronco is still simple enough, but because it has adjustable dampers, you’ll need to keep a closer eye on the temperature and make small vent adjustments when needed.
Jared Brown is a barbecue enthusiast with hands-on experience across a wide range of grills, smokers, and outdoor cooking setups. He enjoys testing different styles of barbecue and helping readers choose equipment that suits the way they actually want to cook, rather than chasing a one-size-fits-all answer. His practical, open-minded approach makes him a trusted voice for backyard cooks looking for honest guidance and better results.
