Electric Smoker Vs Propane Smoker

 1. Temperature Range

On average, propane gas smokers will have a relatively wider temperature range than the electric ones as most can provide anywhere from 150 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the model and efficiency of the burners.

With electric smokers, on the other hand, you will get a temperature range of around 100 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit which despite not being very wide is still more than enough for smoking.

From the temperature ranges, it is clear that propane smokers can attain a significantly higher temperature than electric ones which makes them ideal for other things like searing and will also cook relatively faster.

But, electric smokers also offer the advantage of being able to cook at relatively lower temperatures which makes cold smoking easy, but with a propane smoker, it would be hard to cold-smoke as it is difficult to get the low temperatures required.

2. Temperature Control

Besides the difference in the temperature range, these smokers will also differ when it comes to temperature control as they use different mechanisms for this.

With propane smokers, temperature control will require you to twist the burner knob to increase or decrease the temperature. And while this is effective enough, it is not always very precise.

For electric smokers, temperature control is more precise as most models will be equipped with a digital controller, and you can easily select the temperature you want to cook at. And on top of this most models will also include a timer to give you more control over the smoking process.

3. Ease of Use

Both electric and propane smokers are fairly easy to use as they will not come with extra work of having to light up the charcoal before you can start smoking like charcoal smokers.

However, there is a steeper learning curve with propane smokers as you will need to master how to alter the temperature to get to your preferred cooking zone which is not as easy as when using an electric smoker. But, you should be able to master it in no time.

With electric smokers, on the other hand, things are more straightforward as most models are more of plug and play. Everything from the ignition to the temperature control is simple which makes them generally easier to use.

But, also note that it will take a little longer for the electric heating element to get to the ideal temperature to ignite the wood chips.

4. Safety

Both smoking methods will come with significant risk given that both the highly inflammable propane gas and electricity pose a significant fire hazard.

But when comparing the two side by side, electric smokers will be the safer option, and you can hence leave it unattended for many hours. And this is even more so if you are using a model that comes with a built-in timer.

With propane smokers, you will need to pay more attention to safety as any accidental gas leaks can be catastrophic. However, using one of these smokers should still be safe enough provides you with follow the basic safety procedures.

5. Food Flavor

Both propane and electric smokers will have no direct impact on the food's flavor, and this is why most models will come with a wood chip box for producing smoke to add flavor to the food.

With that said, propane smokers will deliver foods that are relatively more flavorful than electric smokers and will be closer to what you would get with a traditional charcoal smoker.

Because propane smokers will deliver higher heat output, they will often produce more smoke and hence add more flavor to the food. Also, the overall quality of food that you get with the electric smokers will be much better than what you get with the electric smokers.

6. Starting Prices

Despite providing relatively better quality food, propane smokers will also come at a relatively smaller price tag than the electric models

Prices for propane smokers will typically start at around $150 but given that they are more widely available and prevalent, it is also possible to get something for as little as $80 although it will be smaller and less efficient.

For electric smokers, on the other hand, you should be ready to spend at least $200 to get a simple model while the larger and more feature-rich ones can cost thousands of dollars.

7. Approximate Operation Cost

Buying a smoker is just the first step of the process as you will also need to use it, and here there is also some cost that comes with it as you have to buy propane gas or pay for your electricity.

When it comes to the cost of operation, several factors come into play from the size of the smoker to the model, and so it is hard to come up with an accurate cost. The best you can get is an estimate.

While it does not cost much to refill a tank of propane in most places, electricity is still cheaper in most places.

When you take into account the cost of refilling a propane tank and the average number of cooking hours you get from it, the cost of operating your propane smoker will be between $0.4 and $0.5 per hour. And for electric smokers, it will be around $0.06 and $0.15 per hour.