Don’t get us wrong, it’s definitely awesome to have a stand-alone smoker in your backyard. But, when it comes to barbecue set-up, having an outdoor kitchen with a built-in smoker is the creme de la creme! Not only does it look the part, but, having a smoker integrated with a work bench, storage space and maybe even a shelter to protect you and your smoker is super practical and makes the whole smoking experience even easier. So, what are the best built in smokers for your outdoor kitchen?
This article will help you find the best unit for your yard. Here you’ll find detailed reviews along with stats and the pros and cons of the best built-in smokers on the market today.
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Table of Contents
Memphis Grills Elite Built-In - Best Pellet
When it comes to building an outdoor kitchen, sometimes it really pays to just install the best of the best straight off the bat. And, in this case, you’re looking at it! The Memphis Grills Elite Built-In Pellet Smoker has been designed with perfection in mind and that it does deliver.
Made from double-layered, high-quality stainless steel, this beauty offers excellent heat retention making it suitable for use in cooler climates. But, it’s also got an oven grade gasket and dual fans to circulate the heat evenly inside, reducing the amount of fuel it uses making this pellet smoker a very economical choice.
And, if you’re hesitant to go a built-in pellet smoker because you want a versatile ‘cue that can grill as well, don’t write this one off! The Memphis Grills Elite can be dialed up to 700 degrees to sear steaks, kebabs, burgers or even a pizza directly over the 100% wood fire thanks to the perforated insert that’s included as standard.
As you’d expect of a barbecue of this caliber, the Built-In Memphis Grills Elite is also WiFi enabled so you can control your cook directly from your phone. With a large, dual pellet hopper with double auger that can feed the fire for up to 62 hours, it really is a set and forget unit that’s perfect for anyone who would rather be fully focused on the game, entertaining or doing anything else that doesn’t involve babysitting a more manual smoker.
Stats for the Memphis Grills Elite Built-In Pellet Grill and Smoker
Barbecue material: Double walled #304 stainless steel
Grate material: 6mm nickle plated steel
Cooking capacity: 862 sq. in. in basic, 1,274 sq. in. with optional grate expanders
Pellet hopper capacity: 24lbs
Heat Range: 180-700°F
Fuel type: Wood pellet
Model: MEMB1B
Assembled size (in): 28(H) x 39(W) x 29(D)
Weight: 235lbs
Warranty: 30 days on meat probe, 3 years on electronics, 7 years on remaining parts
Pros of the Memphis Grills Elite Pellet Smoker and Grill:
- 100% high-quality 304 grade stainless steel design to give the durability you want from a built-in smoker
- Double walled design creates excellent insulation making it ideal for use in cooler climates
- Oven-grade gasket and dual convection fans also help to reduce fuel usage for maximum efficiency
- Very large pellet hopper allows for up to 62 hours of cook time
- Dual pellet hopper design means you can mix and match different fuels for a unique flavor
- Huge temperature range for low and slow cooking to high heat grilling
- Includes a perforated insert so you can grill directly over the pellet fire
- WiFi enabled for simple control straight from your smartphone
- Comes with 1 meat probe to monitor internal meat temperature to prevent over or under-cooking
- Built-in drawers allow for easy storage of utensils right next to the grill
- Sleek design suits any backyard
- Great warranty
Cons of the Memphis Grills Elite Pellet Grill and Smoker:
- Must be wired into your outdoor kitchen as it needs electricity to run
Kamado Joe Stand-Alone Big Joe - Best Kamado
Love the versatility of the Louisiana Grills Estate but simply can’t go past a good old charcoal barbecue? Well, luckily for you, that’s what the Kamado Joe Big Joe II Stand-Alone delivers!
This highly efficient and easy to use kamado has all the stand-out features of the Kamado Joe range. But, it comes without the stand are side trays so it’s ready for you to slot it into your outdoor kitchen setup without having to make time-wasting mods.
With innovative features including the Air Lift Hinge, weather-proof Kontrol Tower top vent, unique six-piece firebox design industry-leading gasket and stainless steel latch the Big Joe II Stand-Alone is durable and easy to use.
And, if a lack of technological features has been putting you off buying a kamado for your outdoor kitchen, then simply add the nifty iKamand to your basket along with your purchase. This awesome little gadget monitors the cooking temperature of your kamado and sends updates straight to your phone so you can just sit back and relax, watch the game or get carried away being the life of the party. The iKamand also gives you a range of programmable cooking settings so you can follow the expert advice or actually remember how you got that brisket so good last time around!
Topping things off is the Divide and Conquer cooking system. This unique feature allows you to split the cooking space inside your egg by mixing and matching different half-circle plates are grates giving you total flexibility over what you can cook at the same time.
Stats for the Kamado Joe Big Joe II Stand-Alone
Fuel type: Charcoal
Barbecue material: Glazed ceramic
Grate material: 304 stainless steel
Cooking capacity: 452 sq. in. in basic setup, 604 sq. in. with grill expander, 904 sq. in. with 2 sets of grates or 1,056 sq. in. with 2 sets of grates and expander
Heat Range: 225°F-750°F
Model: Big Joe II Stand-Alone
Assembled size (in): 28” W x 33.75” H x 34.25” D
Weight: 395lbs
Warranty: Lifetime on ceramics, 5 years on metal parts, 3 years on heat deflector and pizza stone, 1 year on thermometer and gasket
Pros of the Kamado Joe Big Joe II Stand-Alone:
- Suitable for grilling, smoking, searing, baking and braising – you can literally cook almost anything on this one ‘cue
- High-quality and durable build with ceramic shell and stainless steel cooking grates
- Cooking capacity can range from moderate to really large by utilizing system of add-on grates
- Air Lift Hinge reduces lid weight by 96%
- Kontrol Tower gives precise control of temperature in any weather conditions
- Suitable for cooking in very cold climates
- Unique six-piece firebox design means that this fragile part is less likely to break if you run the barbecue too hot
- Easy to clean ash removal door
- Excellent warranty
Cons of the Kamado Joe Big Joe II Stand-Alone:
- None – awesome and versatile ‘cue that you won’t regret building into your outdoor kitchen
The Good One Gen 3 Heritage Smoker Oven - Best Offset
For offset smoking that’s a permanent feature of your backyard, the Good One make this awesome Gen 3 Heritage Oven that can be built right into your patio setup. And, with a high-quality, large capacity build, this built-in offset smoker is one you’ll be proudly smoking and grilling away on for years to come.
While most offset smokers are quite standard, the Heritage Oven has a number of features that make this one stand out from the crowd. First off, there’s a uniquely designed firebox that runs the entire length of the cooking chamber and has an internal damper that does the same. Not only does this give you excellent heat and smoke dispersion for maximum efficiency, the firebox comes with additional grates so you can grill directly over it while the brisket does it’s thing.
To adjust the heat, the Good One have integrated these innovative spinner vents to both the bottom of the firebox and the top of the cooking chamber. And, while they do take a bit of time to get used to, the spinner dampers are so easy to use while giving you the preciseness you’ll want to perfect your smoking art.
In terms of capacity, the Gen 3 Heritage Oven boasts 1,199 square inches of cooking space. If that’s still not enough for your appetite, there’s additional grates you can buy which up the total area to just over 1,500 square inches total.
All of that is housed in a high-temp powder-coated steel box with stainless steel doors, backed by a 10 year warranty to give you peace of mind that your outdoor kitchen will be the envy of all your mates for years to come.
Stats for the Good One Heritage Oven Generation 3
Fuel type: Charcoal and/or wood
Barbecue material: Powder-coated steel with stainless steel doors
Grate material: Plated steel
Cooking capacity: 1,199 sq. in.
Model: Heritage Oven Generation 3
Dimensions: 45in H x 32in W x 29in D
Weight: 295lbs
Warranty: 10 years
Pros of the Good One Gen 3 Heritage Oven:
- Offset smoker that creates that true smoky barbecue flavor
- High-temp, powder-coated steel build with stainless steel doors for longevity
- Large firebox means you don’t need to keep filling it up every hour or so during cooking
- Internal damper runs the entire length of the firebox and cooking chamber to allow heat and smoke to filter through evenly, eliminating the need to turn the meat
- Unique spinner vents allow for precise and easy temperature control
- Large cooking capacity with removable racks for total flexibility
- Firebox can be used as a grill
- Drop in ash pan makes cleaning easy
- Great warranty
Cons of the Good One Gen 3 Heritage Oven:
- None – awesome smoker and grill
BrickWood Box Smoker Grill - Best Smoker Box
Now this one requires a bit more DIY than the other built-in smokers on this list. But, for your effort you’ll be rewarded with a truly heavy-duty smoker that’s totally versatile and will last a lifetime! Even if you don’t have much/any DIY experience, this package smoker comes with an extensive 100 page instruction manual that makes building it pretty simple. It’s quite fun too.
But, before you break out the toolbox, what will you get?
The BrickWood Box Smoker is no ordinary smoker. It’s strong, it’s well insulated, versatile and traditional. This baby runs off of pure wood. So, forget having to buy expensive charcoal or pellets and look for a free or cheap source of local firewood that’s suitable for smoking.
Using locally sourced bricks and other supplies, you’ll be able to build a traditional pit smoker with 2-4 inches of insulation surrounding the cooking chamber which sits directly on top of the firebox. Here you can hot smoke or cold smoke. Plus, with the right add-ons you can also grill, boil, fry, bake or set it up as a giant rotisserie. There’s really no limit on what you can cook on this unit.
Plus, with such a solid build, the BrickWood Box Smoker Grill is designed to last 150-200 years. It’s truly a one-off investment that’ll become the must-loved feature of your backyard for not only you, but your kids and their kids too.
Stats for the BrickWood Box Smoker Grill
Fuel type: Wood
Barbecue material: Masonry with stainless steel doors
Grate material: Stainless steel
Cooking capacity: Up to 1,095 sq. in.
Model: Meat Smoker Package
Dimensions: 48″ W x 7″ H x 24″ D
Weight: 75lbs
Warranty: 10 years
Pros of the Brick Wood Smoker Pit Box:
- Masonry and stainless steel design will last more than a lifetime for seemingly endless hours of barbecue enjoyment
- 2-4 inches of insulation minimizes fuel usage and allows you to smoke in freezing conditions if you wish to
- Uses 100% wood logs which can be very cheap or free to run if you’re able to locally source them
- Using 100% wood gives off that true smoky flavor of incredible barbecue
- Large cooking capacity to feed a crowd
- Comes with a very detailed construction manual that makes building it fairly easy even if you don’t have any DIY experience
- Add-on components allow you to use the one pit as a giant rotisserie, pizza oven, pit smoker, regular or Uruguayan Grill
- Long warranty
Cons of the Brick Wood Smoker Pit Box:
- Requires quite extensive DIY building and installation
For more reviews of this type of smoker, read our full article on the best Weber barbecues.
Kate Brown, the founder and voice behind Burning Brisket, is not your typical pitmaster or restaurateur. Her expertise in barbecue grew from a humble desire to cook exceptional meals for her family. From overcoming burnt brisket mishaps to establishing her boutique cattle ranch, Kate shares her passion to help 'ordinary' individuals cook extraordinary barbecue, believing that simplicity often yields the best flavors. Kate is commited to making great barbecue accessible to all with the right resources and some tasty practice.
