Willy Smoke is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Stovetop smokers are great for people who want to cook small quantities of food outside but don’t want to buy a big grill or smoker.
Stovetop smokers give food the authentic smokey flavor everyone loves. These devices can cook chicken, steaks, pork chops, salmon, vegetables, and more. They are perfect for taking on camping trips, BBQs, and even on boats.
In this article, you will learn what to look for when buying a stovetop smoker and how you can find the best stovetop smokers.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Stovestop Smokers
Comparison of the Best Stovetop Smokers
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
Our Top Pick  |
| View Latest Price → |
Best Budget Option  |
| View Latest Price → |
 |
| View Latest Price → |
Types of Stovetop Smokers
There are many different types of stovetop smokers. Stovetop smokers are also known as rangetop smokers. This type of smoker is great because it is typically easy to travel with, effective when cooking, and most importantly, affordable. These sit on top of an existing stove and smoke various types of food.
Characteristics of a Great Stovetop Smoker
- Easily portable.
- Durable (solid steel construction).
- Can be used with both wood chips and smoke dust. This will help the cook get their desired taste. For example, there are different wood chip and smoking dust flavors. Some of the flavors include cherry, oak, and mesquite.
- Seals smoke well. No one wants a smoker that doesn’t retain heat, smoke, or moisture.
Stovetop Smoker Limitations
There are a few limitations with stovetop smokers. If you are looking to cook large chunks of meat, buying a stovetop smoker is not for you. Stovetop smokers are fairly small and can only cook a limited amount of meat (i.e. under ten pieces of chicken).
Another limitation is that all stovetop smokers do not work on all flat-top stoves. When purchasing your stovetop smoker, make sure to keep your stove in mind.
Another aspect to keep in mind is that these stovetop smokers give meats/vegetables a different taste than other smokers. These smokers use wood chips and smoking dust, so they will not produce the same taste as smokers that use logs, wood pellets, and/or gas.
This does not mean the flavor of food cooked using a stovetop smoker is bad, it is just different than the other types of smokers. Along with a different taste comes a different feel in texture.
Stovetop smokers keep moisture trapped inside when heated. This causes the food inside to stay very moist while being cooked. So if you’re looking for a bark-like crust, you may want to explore other smokers. The last limitation is the small amount of smoke that will appear in your kitchen from the use of a stovetop smoker.
This is just something that happens when using smokers, and when bringing one inside of your home, you can’t expect it to go away.
Some ways to make this more bearable include opening a window, turning on a fan or vent, and even taking the smoker outdoors when you are done smoking your food. The benefit of this is that your house will smell delicious!
Willy's Top Picks - Best Stove Top Smokers
Here's the top three best stovetop smokers:
Review of the Best Stovetop Smokers
Below is a list of stovetop smokers you may consider buying:
Best Overall:
Nordic Ware 36550 Indoor/Outdoor Kettle Smoker
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers were satisfied with this stovetop smoker because it smoked their food well and very tasty. A few customers reported that the coating of the non-stick tray was prone to flaking off. However, it did a great job for professionals, as well as beginners for indoor and outdoor cooking experiences.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The product is manufactured with chefs in mind, allowing for both professionals and beginners to experiment with their culinary creativity for indoor and outdoor cooking purposes. It has high-quality imported handles and thermometers. The product helps transform your simple ingredients into smoked, tasty main course dishes.
This stovetop smoker is great for indoors and outdoors. This smoker works on indoor gas, electric, ceramic, and induction burners or on outdoor grills.
This stovetop kettle smoker is great because it has a high dome lid which allows for maximum capacity.
Who Will Use This Most
The product is best suited for people who want to cook delicious smoked food, both indoors or outdoors. It is also good for people who have small apartments or houses because it does not make your place smoky or foggy.
Bottom Line
With an amazing price, it gives your food a flavor like it was BBQ smoked. You can cook your food outdoors with convenience since it is easy to carry and has a good height and high dome to add more cooking space. It is also good for indoors, even for small apartments, as it does not make your place foggy and humid. Hence, it is a good investment to make if you are looking for a stovetop smoker.
This product is a inexpensive option that can be used with a lot of different heat sources. However, it doesn’t come with extra racks but can be purchased at an inexpensive price.
Runner-up:
Cameron's Products Indoor/Outdoor Stovetop Smoker w/Wood Chips and Recipes
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers reported that this smoker cooked amazing smoked food in an appropriate amount of time. According to them, the cleaning process was very easy and did not need a lot of evacuation. There were a few complaints that it was a bit small for some food items, but it did a great job for a wide range of dishes like salmon, meat, etc.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This product can be used for three amazing purposes like poaching, roasting, and steaming food in a very time-efficient manner. When it is not being used, all the components of this stove can be kept inside the stove to ensure easy storage. It works well with all sources of heat like gas, electric, or campfire. Moreover, it comes with a recipe book and the steel construction makes cleaning very easy.
This stovetop smoker is great for smoking meats, fish, and vegetables on the stove. It comes in four different sizes, which allows buyers to get exactly what they want. It also includes a recipe guide and two wood chips (alder and hickory).
Who Will Use This Most
It is well-suited for both professional and home chefs to desire delicious smoked flavor in their food. It can be used by people who want to use it at their homes and apartments, as well as those who occasionally go camping.
Bottom Line
This stovetop smoker allows you to infuse a smoky BBQ flavor to your meat, fish, and vegetables in a healthy way. Because of its stainless steel construction, cleaning not only becomes a piece of cake, but it also helps retain moisture in your food so that it remains tender. You can easily carry it with you on camping trips and use it at home without smoking up your whole house. Hence, the product is definitely worthy of your valuable investment.
This affordable stovetop smoker is durable, easy to wash, and includes two woods chips and a recipe guide. However, it does have a flat-top lid, which does not allow for maximum use.
Best for the Money:
Charcoal Companion CC4132 Kitchenque Stovetop Smoker
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers were quite happy with its performance, considering the taste produced in the food and its timeliness. The product worked well for both indoor and outdoor uses. A few buyers complained that its lid did not fit properly. However, the average customer feedback remained positive and its performance was appreciated by many.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This product, with its steel-coated body, silicon handles, base, and thermometer produces very moist, tender, and healthy meals for you. It is compatible with different stovetops, including electric stoves and induction cooktops. Its smoker can reach 400 degrees to cook and smoke your food at the same time. You just need to follow four easy steps, and this stove handles the rest of the job well.
This stovetop smoker reaches a whopping 400 degrees and is perfect for smoking brisket, ribs, fish, chicken, and more. It includes a thermometer, a hickory Instasmoke tube, and superfine wood for smoking your food.
Who Will Use This Most
The product targets customers who want to use this stove for indoor cooking purposes. Those home cooks and professional chefs who want to go for a healthy option for tender, juicy meat and vegetables can use it easily in their kitchen.
Bottom Line
This product can reach a temperature as high as 400 degrees and comes with a drip tray and thermometer. Primarily designed for indoor purposes, it allows home-based and professional cooks to prepare healthy meals that are good in taste in a timely manner. It works well with most stoves, but make sure you check its compatibility with your kitchen stove. Overall, it is a profitable deal if you are hunting for a good stovetop smoker.
This stovetop smoker is reaches 400 degrees, includes a drip tray, and comes with a thermometer. However, it is not compatible with all stovetops, so if you’re interested in purchasing, double check your stovetop will work as a heat source for this stovetop smoker.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Stovetop Smokers
Since we have already discussed some of the best stovetop smokers, we can now shed some light on the advantages and disadvantages of these.
Pros
We will now further go into detail and see what pros can a stovetop smoker offer to its customers.
Easy to Use
Stovetop smokers do not need a complex, lengthy process to follow. Commonly, you just have to follow three to four easy steps and cook for different times, as suggested by their recipe books. So basically, it is an easy way to prepare healthy meals that taste great.
Portable
Because of being lightweight and having a reasonable size, these stovetop smokers are convenient to carry when you are going camping or on trips with your friends. Even for indoor purposes, it is quite easy to place these at different spots in your kitchen.
Durable
These products are manufactured with stainless steel that not only makes cleaning easy, but also ensures durability. Their solid steel construction keeps them in good condition for a long time.
Nordic Ware 36550 Indoor/Outdoor Kettle Smoker, 7 by 13 inches, Red
Cons
Before jumping into making a purchase, you should be well aware of the limitations that stovetop smokers have.
Small Size
Stovetop smokers are a good option only if you want to smoke a limited amount of meat, fish, or vegetables. They do not allow people to prepare main course meals in bigger proportions and bigger sizes. Because of their limited cooking space, you cannot cook big chunks of meat if you are hosting your friends.
Aspects to Consider Before Buying
Before you invest in a stovetop smoker, you need to consider the following aspects that may help you make an informed decision about your purchase:
Amount of Food to Be Cooked
Before choosing a stovetop smoker for yourself, you need to think about the people you will be hosting and serving food to. If you are a person who likes to invite friends over or have a big family, then you need to consider the size of the stovetop smoker accordingly. Consider the number of people you will be serving food to on a regular basis, and it will be easier for you to choose a smoker that offers your desired cooking capacity.
Compatibility
You need to confirm whether the stovetop smoker you are going to buy is compatible with your stove or not. Not all smokers work well with flat surface stoves. Some are compatible with gas stoves, while others are compatible with electric stoves. If you travel often and want to take it with you, you also need to check if it is suitable for campfires or not.
Preferred Type of Fuel
A stovetop smoker works with different types of fuel that include lump charcoal, wood chips, wood pellets, and many more. You have to make the choice of your purchase based on the type of fuel you prefer. For example, if you want to continuously manage your food while it is being smoked and prefer a slow cooking process, you should go for charcoal fire or wood fuel. If you want to use charcoal fuel in your apartment, you should check if your apartment allows the use of such type of fuel.
Conclusion
When purchasing a new stovetop smoker, make sure to keep in mind the price, the durability, the size, if it’s portable, and its ability to produce the perfect meat or vegetables for you.
We hope this article gave you insight on some great stovetop smokers. Remember that smoke cooking methods take practice and should be fun!
