Charcoal is often preferred by purists as one of the best fuel sources for an outdoor smoker.
While charcoal can impart a unique flavor on your favorite recipes, the reality is that charcoal can be difficult to work with, as it requires more effort to start and maintain the temperature in a smoker.
If you want a better option, then you will need to choose from either gas powered or electric smokers. This LP Gas Dyna-Glo Smoker falls into the earlier category.
It can be connected to your LP gas source, giving you an easy and convenient way to control and maintain smoking temperatures for any kind of food that you want to prepare at home.
If your idea of the best smoker is one that provides plenty of room and excellent cooking abilities, then this Dyna-Glo Smoker deserves a closer look.
Key Product Features
Some smokers are simple in design and offer nothing more than the most basic smoking abilities. This is perfectly fine in some situations, but there are some users who need more out of a home smoking appliance.
If you will be regularly smoking or just want something large to take care of the biggest cuts of meat, then the Dyna-Glo Smoker could be perfect.
Here are the Standout Product Features.
- 20,000 BTU heat rating from an LP Gas fuel source.
- 6 adjustable cooking grates for all your home recipes.
- Compatible with a fitted Dyna-Glo Smoker
- Dual cast iron burners for temperature control.
- Integrated temperature gauge.
- Porcelain enamel steel wood chip box with lid for efficiency.
- Included hooks and racks for more cooking options.
Construction and Design
The appearance and design are the first things that you will notice about this Dyna-Glo Smoker.
While some smokers on the market go for a modern design, the Dyna-Glo goes for something more conventional.
It looks similar to older cast iron smokers, although it is made from more modern materials that make it lighter and easier to care for.
The smoke stack on the top is a nice touch that indicates the tradition that exists in food smoking.
For thousands of years, people have smoked food as a way to preserve and flavor it.
Today, it’s mostly about the flavor, but it’s nice to see a small touch like this.
It’s a highly presentable unit and you won’t be afraid to display it outdoors for dinner parties and gatherings where you will be serving your home smoked food.
The overall design is both functional and attractive.
The heat controls are on the front of the unit, and all access is provided from two front doors.
The clear and easily readable temperature gauge is also on the front of the unit, making it quick and easy to check the temperatures during a long smoking session.
Some of the more affordable smokers on the market can feature construction quality that is good, but not exactly impressive.
The Dyna-Glo is different because it has weight and heft that gives you confidence in the longevity of the product.
The black painted steel gives a classic look, and all of the components fit together perfectly.
Fit is important on a smoker because it reduces smoke and heat leakage.
This particular model features strong heat resistant door seals that will help you to maintain temperatures inside.
This not only increases fuel efficiency, but it also ensures that the food will get maximum flavor from whichever wood chips or smoker pellets you decide to use.
Small parts like the wood chip box are of high quality, as are the cooking grates, racks, and hooks.
Overall, you won’t be disappointed by either the design or the construction quality.
This smoker looks great, is made to last, and requires minimal assembly.
Cooking Features and Results
However, there are limitations when it comes to the size and variety of food that can be cooked.
Smaller smokers may also be limited in temperature, which could make it more difficult to cook larger cuts of meat that require higher heat or long cooking times.
The Dyna-Glo Smoker is large by anybody’s standards, so the size of your food is never going to be a problem.
It is also high in the heat rating department, with 20,000 BTU of heat produced by two gas burners.
This means that it can get up to temperatures that some of the most basic smokers won’t be able to achieve.
The efficient heat delivery leads to excellent results for whatever it is that you are cooking.
Whether you want to produce smoked ham, a smoked turkey, chickens, or even pork butt and other large cuts of meat, this smoker will perform without question.
It’s also a great smoker for jerky and sausages, and the meat hangers make it perfect for specialties like salami, pepperoni, and other cured food.
The results you get in a smoker are reliant on a few different factors.
Heat is one thing, but heat consistency is even more important. Smoked food is cooked low and slow, meaning lower temperatures over a long period of time.
You could be cooking for two hours or even half a day, depending on your recipe and the type of food you are smoking.
The gas valves make it simple to control the heat on this smoker, so you won’t need to worry about not being able to get a steady temperature.
The gauge on the front also helps out in this respect.
The design of the unit also helps to improve cooking results, or at least make them more convenient. While many smokers come with just a single front facing door, this smoker has two of them.
The reason is that the bottom door is used for refilling smoker chips when you need to. This means that you can get quick access to the wood/pellet tray without needing to open the main cooking door.
This stops excessive temperature drops and allows for more consistent results in your food.
If you will likely be using this smoker for longer sessions, then the addition of a second door will be appreciated.
Overall there’s nothing to fault about the features or the results that this smoker can produce.
When you prepare foods right, and use your favorite smoker chips, you will get consistently cooked food with all of the mouthwatering smoke flavor that you love.
Results are better than store-bought smoked products, and you may even find that this becomes your new favorite cooking appliance.
Ease of Use
With no need for charcoal fuel, this is one of the most convenient smokers that you can buy today.
While the Dyna-Glo Smoker is not quite as simple to use as an electronic smoker, it’s still not difficult by any stretch.
You can get great results without the need for regular checking and maintenance during the cooking process.
Top Pros and Cons of the LP Gas Dyna-Glo Smoker.
There’s a lot about this smoker that makes it worth a buy. Here are the top pros and any cons that we found during the review.
Pros
- Simple to use with gas controls and consistent temperatures.
- Large internal cooking area so you won’t feel limited.
- Double door design is better for long smoking sessions.
- Excellent construction quality and minimal assembly required.
- Durable internal shelves that can last for years when properly cleaned after each session.
Cons
- Still not quite as convenient as an electric smoker.
- Door seals may need replacing after a season or two (depends on environment and frequency of use).
Customer Feedback for this Dyna-Glo Smoker
In addition to our detailed professional reviews, you should also take the time to consider customer feedback when you are looking for a smoker, grill, or even a meat slicer.
Consumers can have a unique view of products, simply due to the fact that they are often using them weekly, or in some cases every single day.
The reviews for the Dyna-Glo Smoker have been overwhelmingly positive, with 76% of all reviewers giving the unit a 4 or 5 star review.
Owners have been particularly impressed by the large size, which doesn’t create any limitations in terms of the food that you can cook.
Owners have also commented positively on the construction quality and durability of the unit.
A smoker doesn’t have many complex parts, so quality is something that every manufacturer should be able to get right.
Dyna-Glo has a lot of experience with outdoor cooking appliance design, and it is clear that their expertise has gone into making this one of the best smokers currently on the market.
Owners love that there is very little smoke or heat leakage, and it is easy to get the temperatures that you want by adjusting the gas burners and monitoring the temperature on the front facing gauge.
Longevity is something that every manufacturer aims for, but not every company can get it right.
In the case of the Dyna-Glo Smoker, it is clear that the company has gone to extra effort.
Some owners have reported parts like the steel grates lasting for three cooking seasons while still looking as good as they did when the unit was first purchased.
Final Thoughts and Recommendation
This is a great smoker when you need something large and capable.
Although it’s not the most inexpensive smoker on the market, it competes on price when compared to other smokers of the same size.
There are few limitations on what you can cook, and even the biggest smoker/grill fanatic will be satisfied with how much food you can fit in the Dyna-Glo Smoker.
If you need a large smoker that is more convenient than charcoal, then this is a great option.
Good construction quality, cooking ability, and ease of use all help to make it an excellent buy at a competitive price.
