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There is really no better way to show off the fish you just caught than preparing it in a smoker. Ever thought about this but also thought getting a smoker is too much of an investment, both in terms of money and space? Well, think again. Today, we present to you 5 different smokers that are perfect for smoking fish. They are all in different sizes as well as in different price ranges, so you’ll surely be able to find one smoker perfect for you. So let’s take a look!
Table of Contents
In a hurry? This is our winner!
Runner Up
Best Smoker For Fish – Comparison Table
Best Smoker For Fish – Reviews
The Little Chief smoker was first introduced in 1968, and it instantly became very popular among anglers. This is a simple and easy-to-use electric smoker. This model is not too big, its energy consumption is only 250 watts, but at the same time, it lets you smoke as much as 25 pounds of fish at a time.
This is possible thanks to the vertical design (a vertical pellet smoker is also an option) with 4 cooking racks. The racks are chrome-plated and easily slide out for cleaning. You can also easily arrange them any way you like. The Little Chief also includes a fuel pan and a dishwasher-safe drip pan. The fuel pan has its own little door, so you don’t need to open up the whole smoker to add more fuel.
With that being said, this smoker is a little different than other electric smokers in one regard – there is only one temperature setting. This smoker will keep a consistent temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and it’s the one and only thing it can do. This is actually all you need to slowly smoke fish without overcooking it, but it will definitely not be enough heat for large chunks of meat.
Ever since it was first made more than half a century ago, the Little Chief smoker has been accompanied by a line of wood chips made by Smokehouse specifically to be used in this smoker. To make sure you don’t miss out on this, Smokehouse also includes a 1.75-pound bag of Chips n’ Chunks hickory flavor wood fuel with this smoker.
- Front loading electric smoker comes with recipe/instruction booklet and 1.75-pound bag of Chips n' Chunks hickory flavor wood fuel
- Consistent low temperature setting using a 120V, 250W heating element for approximately 165 F.
- Easy-slide chrome-plated grills; maximum capacity flavor fuel pan; dishwasher safe drip pan
- Durable, embossed aluminum construction; for outdoors use only
- UL, CUL, and CSA listed; no-assembly required; 2-year limited warranty
- Designed specifically for smoking fish
- Durable and lightweight aluminum construction
- Low energy consumption
- No assembly required
- Made in USA
- Comes with a bag of wood chips to get you started
- Only one temperature setting
- Only for small cuts of fish and meat
The Weber Smokey Mountain is a great choice for those who prefer smoking over charcoal. This classic model is really good at smoking pretty much anything, but that’s not the end of it. The Weber Smokey Mountain also doubles as a grill (making it a solid smoker grill combo).
Truth be told, some users have complained that smoking fish in your WSM will impart a smell to the smoker that just doesn’t go away. We found that with some cleaning and leaving the WSM running empty for a while gets rid of the smell, but that’s something to keep in mind if you are very sensitive to the smell of fish. In the worst case, you can use your WSM exclusively for smoking fish with great results, and that’s the aspect we are concerned with most today, after all.
The Weber Smokey Mountain comes in three sizes. We’ve chosen to recommend the medium size which has a diameter of 18 inches. It’s not the biggest model of WSM, but it still offers plenty of space. The WSM has two round grill grates that can be placed one above the other – each offering 240 inches of cooking space. This way, you can smoke your fish on two levels at the same time.
- Material Type: Steel
- The Weber Smokey Mountain charcoal smoker helps you achieve an authentic smokehouse flavor at home
- It can accommodate a whole turkey and an entire ham at the same time. Item weight- 39.1 pounds
- Made of porcelain-enameled steel, this smoker comes with 2 nickel-plated 18-1/2-inch-wide cooking grates
- Includes a water pan, thermometer, individual vents on bowl and lid, and heat-resistant nylon handle
- Functional and versatile
- 480 square inches of cooking space on two levels
- Good airflow control using 3 adjustable dampers
- Easy to assemble
- Made in USA
- The door is a little flimsy
This model from Masterbuilt is a full-sized electric smoker with digital temperature controls. You can use it to smoke fish on four levels at once since you get 4 chrome-coated racks when you buy this smoker. In total, this gives you 730 square inches of cooking space to work with. Not bad, right? At the same time this smoker is not too huge and it’s as lightweight as it can be without being unstable.
This smoker from Masterbuilt is powered by an 800-watt heating element. That’s quite a lot of power, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that the smoker can maintain a stable temperature anywhere between 100 and 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Thanks to the digital controls, you can easily adjust the temperature just the way you want it with perfect precision.
Overall, this is a great smoker for smoking fish, but it’s not where its capabilities end. The Masterbuilt 20070910 30-Inch Black Electric Digital Smoker can also accommodate some pork butt or a whole turkey in case you decide to try out something different.
- 730 sq. inches of cooking space with 4 chrome-coated racks and 800 watt heating element
- Digital temperature and timer controls
- Thermostat temperature control for even cooking from 100 to 275 degrees F
- Convenient side loading wood chips, removable drip pan and top air damper
- Ideal smoker for all experience levels
- Lots of space for smoking
- Powerful 800-watt heating element
- Precise and flexible temperature control
- Wood chip box with side access
- Easy to use
- Not the most durable smoker out there
The Camp Chef Smoke Vault is a good choice for beginners who’d like to try smoking fish but don’t want to invest thousands of dollars in order to start. This is a smoker that runs on propane which means you can use it anywhere you want – in your backyard, on a camping or tailgating trip, or wherever else your adventures take you.
This is not a small smoker, though. It provides plenty of space inside. With the smoker, you get two cooking racks and one jerky rack (making it also a smoker for jerky), but you can actually fit more racks inside if you want to. At the same time, the whole unit weighs 75 pounds which is really not bad for a smoker this size.
As we have mentioned, this smoker runs on propane. Just attach a standard propane tank and you can start smoking (while adding some wood chips of choice, of course). You can adjust the temperature to be low or high as you want. According to user reports, the highest temperature this smoker can reach in optimal conditions is 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This is much more than you need for smoking any kind of fish, so you should definitely be covered.
- Custom fit cover
- Weather-resistant liner
- Protects Smoke Vault from the elements
- Patio Cover Fits Smoke Vault Models: SMV24S, SMV24B
- 30.5"x24.25"x17.5"
- Easy to use
- Includes a chip tray and a water pan
- Good value for money
- Easy to move around
- Getting the temperature just right takes some fiddling around with the settings
- The smoker can fit more cooking racks beside the 2 that are included
As our final pick for smoking ish, we chose a tabletop smoker. While aficionados could argue whether this is a real “smoker” or not, a tabletop smoker is a great little gimmick. It’s perfect for those who don’t have space for a full-sized smoker. You can use this tabletop smoker on any kind of heat source, and anywhere you like for that matter. The manufacturer even says it’s fine to use it indoors, but this should be done only in well-vented spaces just in case.
This tiny smoker is basically a metal pan with a tight-fitting sliding lid and a rack inside where you put the fish. Thanks to this simple and versatile design, the Camerons tabletop smoker also doubles a roasting pan or even a steamer or a poacher in a pinch.
This tabletop smoker is 15 inches long and 11 inches wide, but a smaller version is also available in case this is too big for you (it is quite compact anyway, but we thought you should know this).
Another great thing about this smoker is that you can use it right out of the box. If you order this bundle, you also get 3 packs of wood chips, all with a different flavor – apple, alder, and hickory. Definitely a practical solution!
- Camerons Original Stovetop Smoker (11” x 15” x 3.5”) Includes the Stainless Steel Stovetop Smoker, Stick-Free Rack, Drip Pan, Lid, Recipe Guide and BONUS Apple, Alder, and Hickory Smoking Wood Pints.
- Indoor and Outdoor Smoker - Camerons Stovetop Smoker can be used in your kitchen or on your grill! This revolutionary design allows you to enjoy delicious smoked meals prepared in the comfort and convenience of your home. Smoke meat, fish, vegetables, and more right on the stovetop or BBQ!
- The Stovetop Smoker can be used on any heat source (gas, electric, campfire, barbecue grill) and doubles as a steamer, poacher, or roasting pan.
- Easy to Use - Just line the tray with any flavor of Camerons Fine Smoking Chips, add your ingredients to the cook rack, and place it over heat for a perfectly smoked meal. The smoking box is designed to keep food moist while smoking and the lid keeps smoke inside to infuse food with rich wood flavors.
- Quick clean up and easy storage - Camerons Stovetop Smoker is dishwasher safe for easy clean up. All components nest inside the smoker when not in use and the handles fold away for easy storage. The Camerons Stovetop Smoker is a great grilling gift for men, Father's Day, birthdays, holidays, or just because for the BBQ lover in your life!
- Ready to use right out of the box
- Comes with wood chips and recipes included
- Affordable
- Dishwasher-safe
- Can be used indoors or outdoors on any type of heat source
- Not a full-sized smoker
Best Smoker For Fish – Buyers Guide
What Type Of Smoker Is Best For Fish?
Can you smoke fish in any smoker? Yes, you definitely can. However, smoking fish requires good temperature control as the required temperature is often lower than with large cuts of meat like pork butts.
Now, there are many types of smokers out there. We decided to ignore offset smokers for now, and focus on 4 types of standard smokers that are perfect for fish.
Charcoal Smokers
Smoking over charcoal is definitely the old-school way. It has been done for ages and it definitely works. The Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Charcoal Smoker is a classic example of charcoal smoker that has gained amazing popularity across the world. The reason for this is simple: even though there is a bit of a learning curve, smoking over charcoal gives amazing results and lets you get creative if you want to.
Electric Smokers
For those who prefer not to deal with charcoal (or any kind of fuel, except for the wood chips, for that matter), electric smokers are the perfect choice for smoking fish. Electric smokers are really the “set it and forget it” type of device. Just load up your smoker, set the temperature, ad your job is done!
Propane Smokers
Propane smokers are similar to electric smokers. The heat source doesn’t actually have anything to do with what is going on inside the smoker. Gas smoker or electric – it’s pretty much all the same in terms of results you can get. The advantage of smokers that use propane is the fact that you can use them anywhere you want.
Tabletop Smokers
Just like the name suggests, a tabletop smoker is a mini version of the real thing. No, you can’t smoke a pork butt in a tabletop smoker. You can’t even smoke a big fish in one piece. However, if you are craving some smoked fish or want to try a recipe that calls for it, you can get a tabletop smoker and try it out.
Final Thoughts
Smoking fish is somewhat of an art in itself. Smoking fish you caught yourself is even better. If you have never tried smoking fish before, now just might be the right time. Our research has shown that you can find amazing smokers at reasonable prices these days. And once you get a good smoker, half of the work is done!
When it comes to choosing the perfect smoker for you, it’s probably a good idea to first decide what kind of heat source you want to use (maybe a pellet smoker will work for you). If a charcoal smoker is what you are after, we suggest you consider the amazing Weber Smokey Mountain Charcoal Smoker.
If, on the other hand, you want a no-hassle smoker that you basically just need to plug into a power outlet then the Smokehouse Products Little Chief Front Load Smoker is definitely worth looking into. This little smoker is really energy-efficient while also maintaining a stable temperature at all times.
And if you think it’s best, you can make a smoker yourself.
