If you love that sweet, smoky flavour, then the best cold smoke generator is a must-have for you. This method, unlike hot smoking, does not cook but imparts your food with exceptional flavor for authentic wood-fired taste.
A cold smoke generator operates at lower temperatures below 85 degrees F, ideal for smoking foods such as cheese and sausage. The right one for you should allow you to smoke without the heat spoiling your food.
But with hundreds of options out there, choosing the right one can be challenging. Luckily, we’ve sifted through and expertly handpicked the top 6 products out there. Plus, there’s a buying guide section to ensure you make an informed decision.
Table of Contents
Best Cold Smoke Generator – Top 6 Picks for the Year
Smokehouse Products 9500-000-0000 Smoke Chief Cold Smoke Generator
Earning our top spot is the Smoke Chief Cold Smoke Generator, whose incredible design delivers impressive smoking efficiency. It boasts a long smoking session with a cup of wood pellet.
Talking about pellets, this smoke generator works well with pellets instead of hard-to-find chunks or chips. Besides, pellets are available in a wide variety to infuse your food with a sweet smoke flavor for a sumptuous meal.
Furthermore, it’s a small, compact smoke generator designed to be mounted into your smoking cabinet or grill with a ⅜” hole. This way, users don’t have to bother about drilling new holes into their grilling machine’s frame. However, its narrow hole easily gets clogged and means constant cleaning of the ashes.
According to several users, the frequency of cleaning or how quickly it gets clogged with ash depends on the type of wood. On the upside, this device can be mounted to your grill, which makes it perfect for hot and cold smoking.
Another exciting thing about this smoking device is that it connects easily with a 12V DC or standard wall outlet for a wide range of use and is perfect for an on-the-go experience.
Pros:
- It can be filled with wood pellets
- Operate with both DC and AC power outlet
- Long smoking session – up to 3 hours
- It comes with a pre-drilled hole
Cons:
- Get clogged easily
Smokehouse Products Big Chief Electric Smoker
Another spot, another electric cold smoke generator from Smokehouse; this product is designed to deliver a consistent low temp setting below 165 degrees F, which guarantees you’re smoking and not cooking your food.
This device is engineered to deliver incredible smoke ventilation and dehydration. Hence, you can expect the perfect texture and deep smoke flavor out of this electric smoker. This model is one of the few units out there that offers reliable performance without having to worry about ruining your gourmet batch of sausage or salmon.
Furthermore, this smoker offers a massive 50 pounds capacity, enough room to hold a batch of elk jerky, freshly caught salmon, sausage recipe, etc. The Smokehouse Products Big Chief Electric Smoker is an excellent choice if you intend to feed a hungry crowd.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Excellent smoke ventilation for better result
- Consistent low smoking temperature
- Large 50lbs smoking capacity
Cons:
- Build quality could be better
Smoke Daddy Big Kahuna Cold Smoke Generator
The Smoke Daddy Big Kahuna Cold Smoke Generator is a passive device that delivers an incredible performance as an add-on. This model is basically a firebox and an air hose. This model generates a massive amount of smoke with chips or chunks of any wood type.
However, it’s not designed to feed on pellets and sawdust. With the correct adjustment, the Smoke Daddy Big Kahuna Cold Smoke Generator is suitable for indoor and outdoor smoking. It comes at a much more affordable price and has a small fuel capacity to hold three cups of wood chips or chunks.
With its small fuel capacity, this device only delivers 60 – 90 mins of smoking. Hence, it’s best for people looking to smoke their food for a short period. This model won’t be helpful for anyone not looking to babysit their smoking machine.
Like many of its competitors, mounting this accessory to your grill or smoking cabinet requires you to drill a 1-⅛” hole. This way, the generator can directly deliver a massive amount of smoke to the box for a sumptuous result. This mounting procedure should be a breeze.
Pros:
- Perfect for cold and hot smoking
- It runs on chips and chunks of any wood type
- Easy to use and refill
- Sturdy and durable construction
Cons:
- Short smoking time
- Need to drill a permanent hole into the container
A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker
When it comes to the best cold smoker generator for convenience and ease of use, the A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker is your best bet. This unit helps take your grilling skill to the next level by delivering delicious aroma and smoky flavor.
This accessory has a versatile design to allow you cold or hot smoke instantly. Thanks to its small, compact size, the A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker is perfect for the on-the-go smoking experience.
What’s more? This unit features a high-quality stainless steel construction that guarantees rust-free and extreme durability. If you are not looking to drill holes in your container, the A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker is the way to go. Plus, you don’t have to waste any more time with the tubing process.
On the same note, this smoker is effortless to mount since there’s no need for fitting pipes or cords. More so, its lightweight and portable design makes it a breeze to carry and wash.
Older models from this brand feed on sawdust, but this upgraded smoker runs on sawdust and wood pellets. So, you can fill the A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker with whatever works for you – pellets or sawdust.
That’s not all: the upgrade models work well with smokers and grills, and not just electric smokers like the previous smoke generators. Further, it delivers up to 12 hours of smoking time, meaning you won’t have to babysit the device.
Pros:
- Suitable for cold or hot smoking
- Lightweight and portable design
- Up to 12 hours of smoke time
- Sturdy stainless steel construction
Cons:
- Keeping the wood pellets lit can be a bit challenging
Smokemiester BBQ Smokers
The Smokemiester BBQ Smokers is arguably the best pellet tube smoker. It does not require a connection to a power supply or air pump. This model turns your covered grills into an outstanding BBQ smoker.
This grill offers pure dense cold smoke and has an automated cleaning process without having to disassemble the unit. This generator features a burn screen to promote better smoke circulation and prevent outlet clogging.
In addition, it features stainless steel construction with a visual-appealing fine paint polish. The Smokemiester BBQ Smokers consist of simple components that make assembling them a cinch. The knobs are wooden for high heat resistance, which allows you to control the generator when smoking.
However, the mounting process requires you to drill a 1-⅛” hole for tubing. It feeds on wood chips or wood pellets, depending on your taste. Even better, you can combine both types of wood to enjoy the best of both worlds.
Best of all, Smokemiester BBQ Smokers has a 4-cup fuel capacity to generate smoke for up to 8 hours. Hence, you don’t have to refill often or babysit the smoker.
Pros:
- No power supply or air pump required
- Offers up to 8 hours of smoke on a full fuel tank
- Compatible with wood chips, chunks, and pellets
- Easy to assemble
Cons:
- It tends to rust
A-MAZE-N AMNTS12 Oval Pellet Tube Smoker
When it comes to passive smoke generators, this simple device from A-MAZE-N is a decent choice. It does not require a heating element, which means no blower or fan. Just fill with pellets, drop in your smoke chamber and ignite.
The A-MAZE-N AMNTS12 Oval Pellet Tube Smoker brings deep, rich smoke to impart your food with a mouth-watering smoky flavor. Brilliantly, this pellet tube smoker features an oval design that stays in place without rolling off.
Its functionality and simplicity allow you to use it straight out of the box and transform your grilling machine into a smoker without plugging in, mounting, or drilling.
Moving on, this best cold smoker generator offers about 4 hours of smoking for a more pronounced smoke flavor. This model rocks a stainless steel construction, ensuring it’s corrosion-resistant and durable enough to last many years.
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Great for cold or hot smoking
- Ultra-portable
- Works well with any cooking machine
Cons:
- Challenging to ignite
- Poor smoke circulation
Things to Consider When Shopping for the Best Cold Smoke Generator
Before splurging on a cold smoke generator, you need to consider a couple of factors to ensure you are making the right choice.
Type of Smoker
Smoke generators are available in two distinct types – manual and electric. The latter are equipped with fans to keep the wood lit and promote better smoke circulation. Also, electric versions are very portable, making them suitable to use in any container for quick smoke.
On the other hand, the manual version is best for a more extended smoking period and works well with your existing smokers or grills without a fuss.
Fuel
Smoke generators feed on wood regardless of the type. However, manual models run on wood pellets or chips while their counterparts have fine wood shavings or sawdust fuel options.
Smoking time
How long a smoke generator will keep generating smoke before refilling the fuel is another worth considering factor. Some models offer up to 12 hours of smoking time per load, which is perfect for anyone who wants to cook for a crowd. However, some electric cold smoker generators’ smoking time max out at 4 hrs for a quick smoke.
Cold Smoking – Everything you need to know!
FAQs About Cold Smoke Generator
What are the best woods for a cold smoke generator?
There is a wide range of options depending on your taste, from Mesquite to Hickory, Pecan, Oak, Alder, Apple, and Cherry.
Which foods can I cold smoke?
You can smoke anything you grill, such as Cheese, Fish, Garlic, Lemon, Limes, Nuts, Peppers, Oils, Olives, and Peaches.
What’s the difference between hot and cold smoking?
These two methods can easily be mistaken to be the same approach. The intention and process are different. Hot smoking cooks your food while the other helps preserve your food.
In the formal, the heat source is kept closer to the food to cook it at a temperature around 225 degrees F for a couple of hours. On the other hand, cold smoking involves a lower temperature between 80 – 90 degrees F and the heat source located further away from the food.
Which Cold Smoke Generator Is Best?
It’s hard to pin down the best cold smoke generator for you. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all model. They are available in different sizes, shapes, types, prices, and more to suit specific customers. Therefore, it’s best to check out our top 6 best cold smoke generators and buying guide to ensure you make an informed decision.
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