Weber Searwood 600
$899Our score: 9.4 out of 10
Smoke at home.Save every day.
Beginner-friendly smoking recipes, straight-talking picks for the best grills and smokers of 2026, and the real math on how one Sunday smoke can cut your weekday food bill.
- 10 grills compared, prices checked September 2026
- Cost per serving on every recipe
- Free smoking time calculator
Brisket, by the pound
Sept 2026- BBQ restaurant, sliced$28.00
- Home-smoked Prime packer$15.22
- You keep$12.78/lb
14 lb Prime packer at $6.68/lb, about 50% cooked yield, rub and fuel included. See the math.
Your daily habits, smoked
The biggest savings don't come from one big brisket. They come from the small things you buy every day: the lunch out, the gas-station snack, the Friday takeout. A smoker turns one cheap cut and one afternoon into a week of those meals.
- Weekday lunchSmoke 5 lb of chicken thighs on Sunday and pack 10 lunches.
- SnacksHomemade jerky costs about a third less per ounce than a mainstream bag.
- Weekend takeoutRestaurant brisket runs $25–$32 a pound. Yours costs about half.
Weekday lunch
per workday- Bought lunch$15.00
- Smoked chicken meal-prep bowl$2.02
- You keep$12.98
That's about $3,115 a year at five lunches a week for 48 weeks. Get the recipe.
Beef jerky
per 3.25 oz bag- Mainstream brand$9.00
- Smoked at home$5.82
- You keep$3.18
BBQ night
per ½ lb brisket- BBQ restaurant$14.00
- Smoked at home$7.61
- You keep$6.39
The best smokers of 2026
Ten grills and smokers compared on temperature control, build, capacity, fuel cost and warranty. Here are the top three.
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 18"
$419Our score: 9.2 out of 10
Weber Original Kettle Premium 22"
$229Our score: 9.0 out of 10
Most-smoked recipes
Every recipe lists the pit temperature, the finish temperature and what it costs per serving at September 2026 prices.
Texas-Style Smoked Brisket
Salt, pepper, oak smoke and patience. The Central Texas classic, step by step.
Smoked Pulled Pork (Pork Butt)
The most forgiving first smoke, finished with a tangy Carolina vinegar sauce.
3-2-1 Smoked Spare Ribs
Three hours of smoke, two wrapped, one to glaze. Tender every time.
Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings
Smoked low, crisped hot and tossed in buttery buffalo sauce.
Poor Man's Burnt Ends (Smoked Chuck Roast)
Brisket-style burnt ends from an easy 3–4 lb chuck roast.
Smoked Chicken Thighs for Weekday Meal Prep
One Sunday smoke, ten weekday lunches at about $2 each.
Every smoke comes down to four numbers
Learn these and you can cook almost anything low and slow. The full guide explains the why behind each one.
225–275°F
Pit temperature
Low and slow for tough, fatty cuts. Poultry runs hotter, around 325°F, for crisp skin.
150–170°F
The stall
Big cuts plateau for hours as moisture evaporates. It's normal. Wrap to push through.
195–205°F
Done for pulling and slicing
Brisket and pork butt become tender when the collagen has melted, well past "safe."
1 hr+
Rest
A wrapped rest keeps juices in the meat instead of on the board.
Pick your wood
Oak
Brisket and beef
Hickory
Pork and ribs
Cherry
Ribs and color
Apple
Chicken and fish
Pecan
Poultry and pork
Mesquite
Steaks and grilling
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