The Weber Smokey Mountain 18 inch is the most forgiving way into real barbecue, because its water pan physically damps the cooker against running away. The Pit Barrel Cooker is the closest thing to set and forget. Choose an offset only if tending a wood fire is the point rather than the cost.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no cost to you. How this works.
| Grill | Best for | Cooking area | Heat range | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weber Smokey Mountain 18" | Best charcoal smoker | 481 sq in across two grates | 95 to 175°C (200 to 350°F) | See shop |
| Pit Barrel Cooker Classic | Best set and forget | 8 hanging rods plus a grate | 125 to 160°C (260 to 320°F) | See shop |
| Oklahoma Joe's Highland Offset | Best entry offset | 619 sq in main, 281 sq in firebox | 105 to 205°C (225 to 400°F) | See shop |
Weber Smokey Mountain 18"
The most forgiving way into real barbecue. A water pan sits between the fire and the food, and water cannot exceed 100°C (212°F), so the cooker is physically damped against running away from you.
- Water pan makes temperature very forgiving
- Holds within a tight window for hours unattended
- Two grates, real capacity for the footprint
- Huge community knowledge base
- It is a smoker, it will not sear
- Water pan is a messy cleanup
- Access to the lower grate means moving the upper one
Pit Barrel Cooker Classic
A 30 gallon drum that hangs meat vertically over the coals and self-regulates near 135°C (275°F) to 150°C (300°F). You set one vent by altitude on day one and essentially never adjust it again.
- Genuinely close to set and forget
- Hanging gives large capacity in a small footprint
- Distinctive drum flavour from drippings
- Very hard to get a bad result
- Effectively one temperature band
- Not a searing cooker
- Fixed vent means limited fine control
Oklahoma Joe's Highland Offset
A real offset at an entry price, with the compromises that implies. If you want to cook with wood splits and learn to run a fire, this is where most people start.
- Burns real wood splits
- Large cooking area for the money
- Firebox doubles as a grill
- Well supported by aftermarket mod kits
- Thin steel, significant temperature swings
- Uneven heat without tuning plates
- Needs constant fire tending
- Usually needs a gasket kit to seal properly
How we chose
This site does not run a test kitchen, and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise. What follows is where these recommendations come from.
Every pick is built from manufacturer specifications, the published findings of outlets that do run structured testing, long-running owner communities, and a working knowledge of what each format is physically capable of. Where a cooker has a known weakness it is listed in the Against column, including on the models we recommend most.
Nothing is ranked by a score out of ten, because a portable grill and a ceramic kamado are not competing at the same task. Prices are indicative bands from public listings, checked July 2026, and they move constantly, which is why every one is paired with a live link rather than a hard figure.