This is a Cuisinart Vertical Electric Smoker review, including both PROs and CONs.
Cuisinart Vertical Electric Smoker Review
About 9 years ago, we ditched our propane gas grill and went exclusively to the Big Green Egg that Dr. BBQ gave to us and a Memphis Pellet Wood Grill. During our cross country move from Florida to Nevada, we hired a moving company to move just our essentials — which included both of those grills.
The BGE ended up at my brother’s house just a few miles down the road. He loves smoking brisket and tri-tip. The Memphis pellet grill is one of our main weekend cooking appliance, since it is so versatile. We grill, sear, smoke and BBQ in that thing!
For Thanksgiving this year we tried out the Cuisinart Vertical Electric Smoker. It was a super quiet holiday for us – my parents were in Hong Kong and my brother in Colorado. So it was just the four of us and a 10 pound organic turkey. Plus, I had minor surgery the day before Thanksgiving, so it was up to Scott and the kids to create the holiday feast, without my help. Well…..I’m kinda bossy….so I may or may not have constantly shouted instructions despite being drugged up in bed. I think I did, but I have a feeling they just ignored me.
Cuisinart 30″ Vertical Electric Smoker
LWH: 22 x 19 x 37.5
UC Weight: 59
UC LWH: 19.88 x 17.32 x 33.3
MC Quantity: 1
MC Weight: 59
MC LWH: 19.88 x 17.32 x 33.3
- This smoker is convenient and easy to use, great for beginners and seasoned smokers. Simply plug it in, place your meat on the racks, set the temperature and let the smoker do its job
- Features an easy-to-read thermometer on the front door that helps monitor the internal temperature
- Light weight frame and two side handles for ease of mobility
- 1500-watt heating element will produce a temperature from 100°F to 400°F
Setting up the Cuisinart Vertical Electric Smoker
PRO: The day before, Scott set up the smoker. Super easy. Screw, screw, screw, screw. Done.
CON: We felt that some of the welding really was inadequate. Like this spot on the door. There are two hinges. Each hinge is connected by just one small dot of welding. Same with the four legs. If we had welding equipment (sounds like a fun experiment), we would reinforce the door and the 4 legs.
An essential step is pre-season the smoker. Pour a bit of high heat cooking oil (we used canola) onto a wad of paper towels. Wipe everywhere inside the smoker. Let the smoker run on high temperature.
Oh hello Lainey! Good girl knows what a smoker is for….TURRKEEYYYY!!!!
PRO: The racks are very sturdy. The wood chip pan and water pan as well. The racks slid in smoothy, now problems. We had absolutely no worries about the weight of food collapsing the racks.
Smoking with the Cuisinart Vertical Electric Smoker
My favorite part of the bird is the wings, and the wings can get really tough and dry if over-smoked. Scott’s favorite part is the breast. The kids love the thigh, and two dogs don’t really care which part they get.
So, I’m trying to holler drug-induced instructions to Scott from my bed, “Get some twine! Use the garlic herb rub, not the lemon pepper rub! Did you inject the turkey??? Tie them legs tight!”
And he rightfully ignored me and decided to just spatchcock the turkey, cutting the backbone out and reserving to make gravy. But then he didn’t want to over cook the wings, so he ch0pped them off. But they the bird looked ridiculous, and in the end, just separated out the legs from breast.
This allowed us to smoke the turkey in record time AND get perfectly cooked parts that we each liked. The wings smoked for 3 hours. The breast took the longest at 6 hours.
Look at those big beautiful breasts.
The results?
OOOOMMMMMGGGGGGG.
PRO: OMG. Best smoked turkey EEEVVVVVEERRRRRRRR. And it was super easy.
Juicy, smoky, moist (ugh, I know I hate that word too). We never got this type of intense smoke flavor from our Memphis Pellet Grill.
PRO: Cleanup was just as easy. Nothing stuck to the racks. We just popped the into the dishwasher.
PRO: Cost $99. For a hundred bucks, you can smoke anything you want in your backyard.
CON: There’s a really nice walking path behind our house, and only a fence and shrubbery separates our yard from the path. Do you know how many owners lost control over their leashed dogs when walking past our house?
Buy the Cuisinart Vertical Electric Smoker here on Amazon (and thank you for using our affiliate link!!)
