2024’S BEST Gas Smokers Under $200: Top 3 Picks For Your Budget

Here at Fire Food Chef we love a good gas smoker. While you don't quite have the ease and convenience of an electric or pellet smoker, you can still make amazing meals with a little practice.

One of the main benefits of a gas smoker is the price.

We have put this small guide together to showcase all the best propane smoker under $200. 

For the past 5 years we have been using all kinds of smokers - for our families, for parties and for commercial functions. This means we have used and tested A LOT of smokers, so are more than qualified to recommend our top picks.

In a Hurry? This was our Winner:

editors pick
Masterbuilt GS30D Propane 2-Door Smoker

Why is it better?

  • Tons of cooking space
  • Reliable temperature control 
  • Cooking performance infusing smokey flavor

97/100
our score


researched sources

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Last Updated: January 3, 2024

By William Clay: This article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information regarding our choices for propane smokers that cost less than $200. Information has been added to assist individuals in finding the best affordable smokers currently available on the market.

After testing literally hundred of smokers over the years, we have concluded that the Masterbuilt 20051311 2 Door is the best gas smoker (under $200) on the market.

Best Gas Smokers Under $200

After testing so many gas smokers over the years we have come to the conclusion that the Masterbuilt 20051311 GS30D 2-Door Propane Smoker is one of the best.

It combines a great amount of cooking space, with the high quality you would expect from Masterbuilt. All of this is bundled up into a very competitively priced unit.

TOP Pick: Masterbuilt 20051311 GS30D

Masterbuilt 20051311 GS30D 2-Door Propane Smoker

Smokey and reliable smoker

"This cheap gas smoker gives an amazing taste with a smokey flavour. If you are looking to get into the world of smoking, this unit is for you"

Quick Summary:

The Masterbuilt 20051311 GS30D 2-Door Propane Smoker has a whopping 717 square inches of cooking space - compared to traditional pellet smokers, this is massive. But this is not all the Masterbuild has to offer.

One of the main reasons this is our top gas smoker pick is because you get great features at a ridiculously low price - in fact it is the cheapest smoker out of the three in this review.

Some of the great features include a great temperature controller, awesome heat seal-in technology and very easy clean-up. Apart from these, you can always guarantee this smoker will give you smoky and flavourful results that will change the way you cook forever. 

We are very impressed with this gas smokers performance and build quality.

While it doesn't come with a long warranty, it has loads of loads of positive reviews. This leads us to believe that that it has high customer value and you wouldn't regret buying it. 

Overall, in our opinion, this is the best gas smoker under $200.

Pros:

  • Very affordable way to get into smoking
  • Comes with lots of free accessories
  • Very large cooking space - 717 square inches
  • Durable construction by a great manufacturer
  • Very easy to assemble

Cons:

  • 90 day warranty - probably because of the low price

Why Is This Our Best Propane Smoker Under $200?

The Masterbuilt 20051311 belongs at the top of our list for a number of reasons:

  • We have analysed and tested tons of different smokers over the years, but the Masterbuilt stood out for its build quality, easy of use and low price. In the past 38 days, this smokers has received over 30 positive reviews which leads us to believe that we aren't the only ones who hold this unit in high regard.
  • The Masterbuilt is the cheapest in this review - an affordable price of under $170. Despite its low price, it still comes with tons of great features. It's warranty is relatively short at just 90 days, but it is more than enough for you to decided if this smoker is for you.
  • The Masterbuilt comes with a few accessories that you would usually have to purchase; a gas supply regulator and cooking control temperature. Both of these accessories make it really easy to control the temperature throughout the smoking process.
  • It has over 1,000 reviews on Amazon. This makes us confident that this product is truly 'tried and tested' by literally thousands of happy customers.

RUNNER UP

Runner Up: Camp Chef SMV18S

Camp Chef SMV18S

A great 'all-in-one' gas smoker

"This is a must-have, compact smoker with an amazing price tag. All of your dishes will be full of delicious smokey flavour!"

Quick Summary:

If you love to customise things to exactly suit your preferences, then the Camp Chef SMV18S if the gas smoker for you.

It has damper valves which allow you to control the heat. It has several smoker racks and adjustable heat control dials. 

How smokey do you like your food? How much flavour do you want to infuse your meat with? You can control all of this with the Camp Chef meaning your food is cooked exactly to your liking.

While the price is super affordable, it delivers top 'chef-level' performance with a little practice.  It is suitable for both home and outdoor thanks to being so compact, and as it is only 65 pounds, you could even use it as a portable gas smoker.

While this smoker came very close to being our top pick, after doing extensive research we came to the conclusion that price is the main difference. While not expensive - just over $180 - it is a little more than the Masterbuilt. The features and quality of food you can make is pretty much the same.

Overall, in our opinion, this is a close second best gas smoker under $200.

Pros:

  • Very cheap price
  • Has a large cooking space
  • It is light-weight and portable
  • You can self-assemble it quickly and easy
  • Has multiple heat controls

Cons:

  • Doesn't come with any accessories

Why Is This Our Runner Up Gas Smoker Under $200?

The Camp Chef Smoke Vault came a very close second because of the following great features:

  • The cooking space is very impressive for such a portable and compact smoker. Thanks to the two adjustable cooking racks, you can cook a whole large turkey or four chickens at once. This means you can easily cook for groups of 4 to 5, making it ideal for entertaining.
  • While you could use this gas smoker at home as your main unit, you could just as easily use it as a portable. It is very light and compact making it ideal if you wanted to take it camping etc.
  • The unit is powered with up to 18,000 BTU's which means it is great for cooking low and slow - this is important to properly infuse your meats.
  • While it doesn't have the 1,000+ reviews the Masterbuilt does, it does have over 200 happy customers. We are sure that if it didn't disappoint them, it certainly won't disappoint you if you choose to purchase it.
  • Temperature control is one of the most important ingredients when it comes to great tasting food - and the Smoke Vault has some awesome controls. With the temperature gauge and dumper, you can quickly and easily control and maintain the internal temperature.

Alternative (Beginner-Friendly): Char-Broil, The Big Easy

Char-Broil The Big Easy

Easy to use and easy to clean

"If you are new to smoking then this gas smoker is perfect for you. It's TRU-Infrared technology  makes it easy to cook pro-level meals"

Quick Summary:

As the name suggests, the 'Big Easy' really does make cooking super easy - that is why it is our Best for Beginners choice.

The main feature which makes smoking easy on this model is the TRU-Infrared Technology. It really does elevate your smoking experience and takes all of the effort out of your hands.

With the Char-Broil you can be safe in the knowledge that your food will be cooked to perfection, bursting with flavour and be extra succulent and juicy. 

While it looks quite small, it can hold as much as two whole turkeys - perfect for most beginners. But even if you aren't a beginner, we would still recommend this gas smoker - you are going to love the smart technology. 

Overall, in our opinion, this is the best gas smoker under $200 for beginners.

Pros:

  • Super easy to use for beginners
  • TRU-Infrared Technology
  • Superb construction 
  • Very easy to maintain and clean

Cons:

  • No warranty

Why Is This Our Best Gas Smoker Under $200 for Beginners?

The Char-Broil, Big Easy is one of the simplest gas smokers we have ever used.

However, it also comes with some great technology which makes it our best beginner pick:

  • This smoker is super simple to use - you won't be guessing or trying to figure out "which adjustable rack goes where" - you can literally be up and cooking within 10 minutes.
  • You don't need to understand all the different nuances of temperature control - thanks to the Smart TRU-Infrared Technology, you don't have to mess around constantly adjusting the temperature. This means your meats are cooked to perfection every time.
  • The size of the Big Easy means you could use it as both a home or outside smoker. Thanks to it's simple and quick use, it would make a great addition to any family trips.
  • It does cost a little more than our Top Pick - however we feel that it is more than worth it to have the TRU-Infrared technology.

To Wrap It All Up...

Whether you are a new or seasoned Pit Master, a gas smoker is a great addition to your outdoor cooking equipment.

Not only are the usually cheaper than both charcoal and pellet smokers, but they produce the same savoury, authentic flavour that you love. 

They are quite popular in restaurants because they produce clean heat - and none of the mess of charcoal. They also don't require as much maintenance as an electric but has the similar 'set it and forget it' features. 

After testing literally hundred of smokers over the years, we have concluded that the Masterbuilt 20051311 2 Door is the top propane smoker on the market.

It always produces super high quality food that tastes amazing. It has some amazing features, and surprisingly is one of the cheapest you can buy. It is built to last, and we are sure that you wouldn't regret the decision to purchase. 

About the Author William Clay

William Clay is a BBQ enthusiast dedicated to sharing his grilling (and overall cooking) expertise with FireFoodChef's readers.