I'd like to get a smoker. Never used one. Id like to spend 200-300 bucks. Ill be using it mostly on venison and fish. Would you recommend getting a propane or electric? Id like electric just for the convenience of not having to fill propane tanks but read that propane does a better job. Thanks for any pointers.

Electric gives a more consistent heat. The propane or gas ones can introduce unwanted moisture in a product. I love my Bradley Smoker.

Marlboro Reds or Camels

I like my electric smoker lots of models out there in that price range.

What i would look for kinda of a make or break type thing has to have

Digital controls
Meat temp probe
Way to load chips/ pellets from the outside without opening smoker
At least 4 shelves
Rods to hang summer sausage from 1.5 lbers as 3 lbs are way long takes much bigger smoker

Nice to have not needed
Water pan
Window
Side box to cold smoke

Costco had one this spring i really like but about double your price
https://louisiana-grills.com/shop/grills/vertical-smokers/lgv7pc1

Better link


https://louisiana-grills.com/shop/grills/vertical-smokers

Built my own.1" rough cut bull pine
46"x70" ' front wall tall 72", back wall 58" tall. Double door in front wall. Wood heat.
I can do 100 pounds of fiah at once

I have a propane model from Lowes. I can put a dozen whole chickens in it. Works for me,

I have a 4x4 trailer im gonna have the weld shop convert into a smoker. Already bought all the propane gear off Amazon for it. Still working out the design and picking out hardware.

Some of you guys are serious! Thanks for the pointers

I prefer the Kelley Smoke Cloud.

webber smoky mountain cooker

masterbuilt

WWII Army field oven . Double wall stainless 24 wide 30 deep 48 tall built in racks works with electric or wood.
Takes a hind quarter of elk or about thirty Kokani salmon.
Might be able to find one at the army surplus. I was gifted mine by an old man in Helena Mt.

Neither propane or electric!...CHARCOAL.
Bass Pro was having a huge sale a couple yrs ago
When I asked the Dept Mgr which one they had the LEAST returns/warranty repairs he showed us this one
Makes perfect sense, since there is NOTHING TO GO WRONG.
Just pile charcoal around it and in the lil cap on top and in 2 hrs we have a turkey and 2 ducks done to perfection.

don't understand why it turns sideways, when it starts upright!

I have the Bradley electric smoker that uses the biscuits. I'd never switch after I used this one. I've smoked everything from cheese to whole turkeys. I like the digital controls and the fact I can start it at 7 am go to work then take the meat out on my lunch break.

I also like the fact it's insulated so I can use it in the winter and still have all the heat I want. I've used other no insulated electric smokers in really cold weather and they didn't heat very well.

I have a bradley ..piece of junk ..uneven heating .. pucks wont advance now either ..bought a louisiana pellet grill last year and never looked back ,love it

I have a propane model from Lowes. I can put a dozen whole chickens in it. Works for me,

ELECTRIC (my masterbuilt gen3 electric has worked great for the last 2yrs)

I do mostly fish(salmon) and venisson( snack sticks and bacon) I tested a propane masterbuilt and it burns too hot for what I make the most of. I was tending to it every 10 min to cool the temp off(opening the door or turning the burner on and off) and still over cooked too much of it. I could not control temps in the 160-200 degree range where what I make needs to cook. The burner was too big, it would run 220 at its lowest setting.

I make pulled pork and ribs occasionally and they cook perfectly on the electric but do lack something when compared to the same made on charcoal or wood.(nobody that has come for my bbq has ever told me this, it's just an observation I have made on my own) when feeding myself I will pull the ribs early and finish them in my Weber charcoal grill.

I am not one who wants to sit and tend a cooker for the entire process. I enjoy the products I create, but prefer a machine that does what I tell it when I want it. I do a lot of large batches(20lbs of snack sticks or bacon) at a time. I use an "amazin smoker" inside my masterbuilt for smoke. It's a tray that burns wood pellets, rather than filling the smokers small chip burner I can light the amazin smoker and it will run up to 12 hrs if full.