To start with, both propane smokers and electric smokers are equally good. Both produce tasty food, though different from each other. They both are built uniquely.
Predominantly, propane smokers are much cheaper and easier to use than the rest of them. Coming to the contrasting features of electric smokers and propane smokers, there aren’t many.
But we have here tried to bring about the differentiating factors between an electric smoker and a propane smoker. Hope this article helps you in which smoker to choose – propane smoker or electric smoker.
Propane Smoker v/s Electric Smoker – Compared
1. Built – The regular propane smokers we see have a steel chamber built. A gas burner is placed underneath a box or tray. This box is filled with wood chips that generate smoke when switched on. A typical propane smoker box has few openings on the top.
When we turn it on,it stops the oxygen supply to the wood chips. This makes the wood chips produce smoke rather than burning. The water bowl, placed in between the wood chips and cooking tray provides steam to the meat which keeps the food moist.
While electric smokers though made of steel chambers, are equipped with a heating element with integrated thermostat temperature control for consistent and controlled smoking at monitored temperatures.
Electric smokers also have a wood chip tray, water pan, and one or more cooking racks. When the electric smoker is switched on, the wood chips burn to produce smoke while the water helps in maintaining required smoking temperatures by adding humidity to the smoke chamber.
One of the major advantages of an electric smoker is that the temperature can be maintained at the desired level without further checking, as these are equipped with a thermostat.
2. Heating the Smoker – Heating a propane smoker is pretty much similar to that of an electric smoker. Both can be switched on, the desired temperature can be set and left for the food to cook.
The advantage with an electric smoker is that it is equipped with a thermostat. The temperature will be maintained while propane smokers do not have that feature.
Nevertheless, since there aren’t many fluctuations in the process of heating, propane is as easy as an electric smoker to use.
3. Biggest Challenge – The biggest fear accompanied by using a propane smoker is that the smoker might run out of fuel.
The process of cooking meat in even a best propane smoker takes much longer than any other smoker. Also, if the fuel isn’t checked before hand, chances are aplenty that the smoker might run out of fuel midway. This leaves the food uncooked.
Electric smokers do not carry any such fear of running out of fuel. They run on electricity. Well, the fear of a power cut always accompanies an electric smoker. It is as good as a propane smoker running out of fuel.
4. Spare Parts – The parts of both propane and electric smokers are breakable. Yet it is much easier to replace the parts of a propane smoker. The spare parts are easily available in every other hardware shop for a propane smoker.
But replacing parts of a broken electric smoker is a herculean task. Leave alone finding spare parts in a hardware store; it is difficult to get replacement even from the manufacturers.
Charges of repair for a propane smoker are way too less unlike charges of repair for an electric smoker. One need not burn a hole in the pocket to repair a propane smoker!
5. Portability – One of the best features of a propane smoker is its portability. It can be carried anywhere, outdoor camping, barbecue at the garden, practically anywhere and everywhere.
This smoker doesn’t need electricity. It can just be carried about anywhere and cook delicious food.
This is not the case with an electric smoker. It isn’t as portable as a propane smoker as it has limitations of being bulky. Electric Smoker also needs electricity without which it cannot run.
Summary
We have compared propane smoker and electric smoker. You may buy either of them on the basis of your choices and preferences.
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