Guide to the Best Cold Smokers (2024)

Are you interested in cold smoking and shopping for the best cold smokers? Or would you like to convert your existing charcoal or electric smoker into a cold smoker so you can smoke cheese, salmon, bacon, and more? If so, you’ve come to the right place.

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What Is Cold Smoking?

• A Method of Food Preservation – Paleolithic people discovered that hanging meats to dry in their smoky dwellings slowed down spoilage. The wood smoke provided antimicrobial effects, and it kept insects away. This method, known as meat curing, allowed them to preserve meats for longer periods of time.
• A Way to Add Flavor – With modern refrigeration, we no longer need these food preservation techniques. Today, we cold-smoke foods for flavor and consistency. Smoked salmon (lox), bacon, and cheeses are the most common items. However, foods like nuts, cheese, roasts, and steaks can be cold-smoked to infuse flavor.
• What Cold Smoking Isn’t – First and foremost, here is a big word of warning. Cold smoking is not a cooking process. It does not kill bacteria. It happens at temperatures where bacterial growth of botulism, listeria, and other pathogens can occur. Because of this, many food safety organizations say that cold smoking should not be done at home using non-professional equipment by untrained individuals.

What Is A Cold Smoker?

A cold smoker can be made from almost anything. All you need is a box to hold in the smoke and a means of producing the smoke. Smokehouses were traditionally used for this purpose, and they can still be found across the country and worldwide. On the commercial level, cold smoking is done in sterile, temperature-controlled facilities that eliminate the risks. For the rest of us, some smokers can be used for cold smoking. And there are smoke generators that produce the smoke with minimal heat. These can be used in an existing smoker or grill.

Cold Smoking Temperatures

Cold smoking occurs at temperatures below 86°F. The method that most people refer to comes from Europe, where 86°F is 30°C. Thirty is a nice round number. But this number is the maximum temperature. Not the target temp. When cold smoking, stay below this temperature. Why 86°F or 30°C? Because most bacteria of concern will flourish above this temperature and up to 112°F or 50°C. If you have ever taken a food handler’s course (which you should do at least once in your life), you will learn that the danger zone temperature range for food safety is between 40°F and 140°F. Cold smoking occurs within this temperature range. Staying below 86° F keeps food outside of the most dangerous range. (1, 2)

Smokers vs Smoke Generators

• Smokers – Most of the smokers capable of cold smoking will need an attachment to do it. These are generally electric smokers from companies like Bradley or Masterbuilt. These attachments are cold smoke generators that sit outside the smoker box and pump smoke inside. The advantage of going this route is that you have a hot smoker that you can use for barbecue and other types of smoke cooking with the added ability of cold smoking. Most people will cold smoke occasionally. Smokers, like those from Cookshack, can be fitted with a cold smoke baffle. This metal plate separates the smoking enclosure from the heat and smoke source. It allows smoke through but deflects much of the generated heat. They suggest adding a tray of ice to the smoker to hold down the temperature.
• Generators – The other option is to buy a smoke generator for an existing unit, like a gas or pellet grill. Smoke generators can be simple smoker tubes or full-on electric-powered smoke makers. A smoker tube typically burns wood pellets, while smoke generators burn wood chips, sawdust, or other types of combustible hardwood. This option is basically a DIY cold smoker, but it can be done for a small investment, provided there is something to hold the smoke and food properly.

The Difference between Hot Smoking vs Cold Smoking

What is Hot Smoking?

• Temperatures above 185°F/85°C
• High Moisture Environment
• Food cooks to safe temperatures

What is Cold Smoking?

• Temperatures below 85°F/30°C
• Low Moisture Environment
• Foods do not cook through and must be kept food-safe by other means.

Be Advised! Cold smokers are not refrigerators. If your smoke is sitting out on the porch on a 95°F day, it will not be capable of cold smoking. This is why many people choose cool or cold days or do this overnight. You want the air temperature to be well below the cold smoking range, which tops out at 86°F. 

Cold Smoking Precautions!

Did I mention that The Health and Safety Bureau does not recommend cold smoking? They have their reasons, but we can take precautions to make it safe. After all, the rules for cold smoking were written for hams and other meats that are cold-smoked for weeks or even months. We are not talking about that here.

• Keep it Clean – Everything that comes in contact with food must be kept sterile. When using a smoker or grill, they should be heated to a minimum of 300°F for thirty minutes, then allowed to cool down before you place the food inside. All utensils, tools, wire racks, etc., should be run through your dishwasher before being used. Wash your hands before and after handling food. Use food-safe disposable gloves when possible.
• Keep it Cold – All items that are cold-smoked should be prepared and then refrigerated until you are ready to start the smoking process.
• Keep it Small – Smoking foods in small amounts. You need at least one inch of space between each item for smoke to get to the surface. Do not overcrowd items and keep different food items from coming in contact with each other. For instance, do not let the meat come in contact with cheeses or other items.
• Keep it Quick – Cold smoking times can be very long. Traditional ham can take months to reach perfection. On the other hand, a few hours in the cold smoke can impart a lot of flavor. Cheese can go anywhere from 2 to 6 hours.

Best Cold Smokers

There are two choices when it comes to cold smoking. You can purchase a smoker, typically an electric smoker, that can perform cold smoking out of the box or with the help of an attachment. Or you can purchase a smoke generator that you place inside your existing piece of cooking equipment, like a grill or hot smoker. Either of these will work fine if you follow all the rules.

Full Cold Smokers

Bradley Digital 4-Rack + Cold Smoke Generator

If you desire the full cold-smoking solution, this is your unit. The Bradley 4-Rack is an electric smoker that can do both hot and cold smoking. It has precision temperature controls and is fully programmable. It will run for ten straight hours without needing any help from you, and it costs around $600 for the smoker and another $130 for the cold smoke generator. So, yeah, that’s a lot. And that isn’t the only issue, but let’s get to that in a minute.

The Bradley Smoker Digital has stainless steel construction in a completely enclosed unit. This really looks like a professional piece of cooking equipment. If you are familiar with Bradley smokers you are familiar with the smoke generator that hangs off the side. This allows for a separation between heat and smoke. With the additional smoke generator, you can smoke without adding heat. It will still need to be done on a cold day away from the sun to achieve real cold smoking temps. However, this unit does a great job.

The Secret Ingredient

The big question with this versatile smoker is the smoke source. Most of the units on this list use wood chips or wood pellets to produce smoke. Bradley uses their proprietary ‘bisquettes.’ These are hockey puck shaped wood disks that fall into a combustion chamber and produce a great amount of consistent smoke. These bisquettes are available in multiple flavors like oak, hickory, cherry, ad apple. However, you you will need to purchase them directly from Bradley, but keep n mind that this process will burn through three bisquettes an hour.

If you are serious about cold smoking, this is the model for you. It does it all, and very well. There is even and option to generate personalized smoking programs and upload them. There is no WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity, but it still remains advanced technology for a serious slow smoker.

Specifications

• Maximum Temperature 280°F/138℃
• 1.6 cubic feet of smoking space on four grill grates
• Stainless steel construction
• Two 500 Watt Heating Elements
• Two 125 Watt Smoking Elements
• 9 Hour Maximum Operating Time without Intervention
• Weight of 61 pounds
• Total size of 19 × 22 × 37 in

Masterbuilt Digital with Slow Smoke

There is a reason that Masterbuilt makes the most popular electric smokers on the market. These reasonably priced units offer easy, no-fuss smoking. Generally, these are hot smokers, but Masterbuilt offers an external smoke generator for their Digital Smoker line. If you are familiar with these smokers you know that there is a small drawer on the side that allows you to add wood chips without opening the door. The Masterbuilt ‘Slow Smoker’ unit replaces this drawer. With this in place, you can turn off the smoker and generate the smoke outside the box. And, it offers plenty of smoke without the heat.

The Slow Smoker unit costs around $80, and if you already have a Masterbuilt smoker, it is a great investment. The Masterbuilt Digital Electric Smokers start at around $250 for the most basic model. All in all, a more affordable solution to the Bradley above. You can run this generator for up to six hours before refilling it with wood chips.

Cookshack Amerique with Cold Smoke Baffle

Cookshack makes some of my favorite electric smokers. While designed for hot smoking, Cookshack offers a cold smoke baffle to convert any of their electric smokers into cold smokers. Cookshack is an investment. The Amerique is their top-of-the-line model, and runs well over $2,000. Add another hundred for the baffle and this is an expensive way to cold smoke. Though, no other electric smoker has this level of quality, solid construction, or durability.

The cold smoke baffle works by deflecting heat away from the smoking chamber. To keep things extra cold, Cookshack recommends filling the water pan with ice. This will keep the interior nice and cold and allow you to perform longer smokes at low temperatures. You will need to open the unit up to refill the wood chip pan, but you can run this unit for a long time without worry.

See my Full Review of the Cookshack Amerique

Smoke Generators

A-Maze-N Pellet Smoker Tray

There are plenty of options for adding extra smoke to your outdoor cooking, including pellet smoker tubes. These metal mesh tubes hold wood pellets that are burned slowly and even.The A-Maze-N smoker is a track filled with pellets and lit on one end. The fire burns slowly through the maze and can produce smoke for up to 12 hours.

Smoke makers like this one will produce heat, but not a lot. Place this inside your grill or smoker and use it to produce smoke. With the grill off, the heat will remain low (as long as you are cold smoking on a cold day). It is also a great product for boosting smoke in your pellet grill, where the smoke flavor might not be as strong as you like. Best of all, you can buy this durable product for around $30.

Smoke Daddy Big Kahuna Cold Smoke Generator

The Big Kahuna Cold Smoke Generator from Smoke Daddy is a mini electric smoker that uses an electric heat element to burn wood chips. The smoke funnels through a small pipe attached to the intake vent of your smoker. Yes, it costs around $150, but the construction is stainless steel, and there are several power options for the electric smoke pump.

This device produces smoke for up to two hours without a refill. That doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but it will produce a lot of smoke during that time. If you are cold smoking in an enclosed space, this unit will fill it with smoke that can last for hours.

How to Cold Smoke Foods?

Remember, cold smoking is done at temperatures below 86°F in a clean and controlled space. You need a smoke source that doesn’t produce heat. Do it in a well-ventilated space. Though there is little combustion involved, you do not want carbon monoxide or smoke accumulating in an enclosed space. Aside from these points and the rules below, cold smoking is just another low and slow smoking process.

How to set up your Grill (or Smoker) for Cold Smoking

If you are using one of these cold smokers, follow the instructions exactly. Do not deviate from them. Period.

If you are using a smoke generator with a smoker not designed for cold smoking, follow these instructions. One point: the better your piece of cooking equipment is at holding in smoke, the better. Gas grills and pellet grills are not ideal choices. These units pump heat through but do not hold onto smoke for very long.

1. Choose a Cold Day (or Night)—Cold weather is your friend. Let it help you keep temperatures down while you are cold smoking.
2. Clean Everything—Thoroughly clean the grill and then fire it up. Heat it to at least 350°F for 15 minutes, then let it cool down completely. Use only clean cooking grates or cookware for the food you will cold smoke.
3. Install the Smoke Generator—If you are using an external smoke generator, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and install it on the cooker. If you are using a smoke tube or the smoke maze I listed above, fill it with fuel and place it inside, away from the food.
4. Set your Vents—Charcoal grills (or charcoal smokers) are perfect for this purpose. These units have achieve limited airflow. With a little practice, you will be able to get the right airflow that keeps the fire burning but holds in the maximum smoke.
5. Load your Food—With the temperature low and smoke generated, load up the cooker and let it go.
6. Remove When You Are Ready—We are not cooking here. There is no done temperature. I recommend that you start with short smoking times and learn as you go. Over time, you can increase the time you cold smoke, but keep it short at first.

Why You Should Trust Me

I have written about Barbecue & Grilling since 1997. I have cooked on almost every type of grill or smoker ever built, and I match people with the best grill or smoker for their needs. I believe that the right product is one that you find easy to use, capable of handling what you need, and reliable for the long haul. If you have a good first experience, you’ll be back to learn more. In this way, we can grow the barbecue tradition for the next generation. I want you to create memories that you and your loved ones will cherish.

Affiliate Disclosure

This article and the website it appears on use sales affiliates to cover the cost of operation. If you choose to purchase a product through the links provided, a portion of that sale will go to me. It helps me create content, so I can help you and others have the best barbecue experience. I am grateful to all my readers over the years that have been so kind as to assist me in my exploration of outdoor cooking. Thank you.