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Home » This Is What a Private Chef Picked as the Best Smoke Tubes for Grilling

This Is What a Private Chef Picked as the Best Smoke Tubes for Grilling

The LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube is our top option because it provides five hours of smoke duration and optimal smoke distribution—plus, it’s cheap. We suggest the 6-inch KampFit Pellet Smoker Tube if you have a tiny grill.

Buying a smoke tube (also known as a pellet tube smoker) is a terrific way to add a heavy hand of smokey, succulent, delicious flavor to your meats, vegetables, seafood, and cheeses. You may use a smoke tube to produce a very smokey atmosphere when cooking on a gas or charcoal grill, which will permeate the food and release an extremely fragrant experience.

You can use a smoker tube to create a smokey cooking experience regardless of your outdoor cooking setup, as long as you have a grill. If you want to enhance your outdoor cooking game without investing in an expensive, big smoker, smoke tubes are a simple, inexpensive tool that can help you imitate that classic smokey taste. There are many shapes and sizes to pick from, so consider your grill setup and what you want to smoke before making a purchase.

1. Best Overall: LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube 12 inches

 1. Best Overall: LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube 12 inches

  Get it now on Amazon.com

What We Enjoy

Five hours of smoking

  • Will not be rolled around
  • Smoke diffusion that is effective
  • Inexpensive

What We Dislike

  • Cleaning is difficult.

Who else endorses it? Bob Vila chose the LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube as well.1

What do purchasers think? This product received four stars or higher from 92% of the 12,500+ Amazon reviewers.
This smoke tube is as appropriate for a seasoned smoker as it is for a novice outdoor cook. Its 12-inch length allows for lots of pellets, which implies up to five hours of smoking time. The hexagonal shape’s flat sides enable you to effortlessly set it on any kind of grill, including gas, charcoal, or electric. The spherical form also provides for more equal dispersal of smoke, allowing the smokey taste to permeate the whole contents of your grill.

It’s also quite economical and a wonderful addition to any smoky-loving cook’s tool bag. The tube is composed of strong stainless steel that has a sleek appearance and is very simple to clean. Reviewers are amazed by how easy this equipment is to use and how much flavor it can give to the meal they’re grilling.

2. Best Rectangular: Dimeshy Pellet Smoker Tube

 2. Best Rectangular: Dimeshy Pellet Smoker Tube

  Get it now on Amazon.com

What We Enjoy

  • Positioning is simple.
  • Five hours of smoking
  • Cleaning brush is included.

What We Dislike

  • Rectangle shapes are less effective for smoke dispersal.

While the rectangular form is somewhat less desired than the hexagonal shape (since a rounder shape diffuses smoke better than a rectangular shape), the fact that this tube is exceedingly simple to arrange on your grill grates is a big benefit. The tube also comes with a cleaning brush, making it simple to keep it looking fresh new. The tube is 12 inches long, so there’s plenty of space for a lot of pellets that can last up to five hours of smoking. The long-lasting stainless steel material is exceptionally easy to clean and should not need to be replaced for many years.

3. Best Small : KampFit Pellet Smoker Tube 6 Inch

 3. Best Small : KampFit Pellet Smoker Tube 6 Inch

  Get it now on Amazon.com

What We Enjoy

  • Simple to transport
  • Inexpensive
  • Ideal for tiny grills

What We Dislike

  • Burn time is limited.

If you’re looking for a tube that’s a little smaller, this 6-inch pellet smoker tube is the way to go. Because of its tiny size, it will most likely only be able to burn for around two hours depending on the quantity of pellets that it can store, but it’s an excellent choice for a chef who prefers shorter smoking projects or has a smaller outdoor grill. It’s a terrific item to carry on your next camping or RV excursion to add some delicious, smokey flavor to anything you’re cooking because of its tiny size and low weight.

It is hexagonal in form, so it will not roll about and will properly distribute smoke. This tube may be used on any charcoal, gas, or electric barbecue. Reviewers were astounded by how long this gadget could smoke (some reported up to two and a half hours). They also reported powerful and consistent streams of smoke throughout the duration of their use.

4. Best Oval-Shaped: A-MAZE-N Oval Expanding Pellet Tube Smoker

 4. Best Oval-Shaped: A-MAZE-N Oval Expanding Pellet Tube Smoker

  Get it now on Amazon.com

What We Enjoy

  • Use at a length of 6 or 9 inches.
  • Smoking period of two to three hours
  • Consistent, even airflow

What We Dislike

  • Awkward shapes may be difficult to fill.

Unlike conventional smoker tubes, which have a fixed length and capacity, this oval-shaped tube can extend, allowing you to use it at 6 or 9 inches in length. The length will impact how long you can smoke with it, but it should last between two and three hours. While the oval form lacks a solid flat side like the rectangular and hexagonal shapes, the circle is simpler to hold stable on the grates since it is somewhat flattened.

Some consumers complain that its spherical form is burdensome and particularly difficult to fill, yet it does not roll about on the grill grates. Most customers use this tube for a range of smoking tasks, from meats to cheeses, and they praise the uniform, consistent airflow.

Best Pellet Smokers to Flavor Your Meat in 2023

5. Best Kit: OutdoorGears 12-Inch Pellet Smoker Tube

 5. Best Kit: OutdoorGears 12-Inch Pellet Smoker Tube

  Get it now on Amazon.com

What We Enjoy

  • The hexagonal form is simple to manipulate.
  • Affordable
  • Would be an excellent present

What We Dislike

  • Pellets are not included.

Looking for a barbecue starter kit or a present for the grill lover in your life? This system contains two 12-inch hexagonal pellet smoker tubes, S-hooks for convenient hanging storage, a grill tong, and a brush for quick cleaning. The tubes are composed of stainless steel for a long-lasting, strong finish. For extra-long smokes, stagger the tubes so that when the first one runs out, the second one is already filled.

This kit does not contain pellets, but you may substitute your preferred flavor of smoking chips, such as cherry, hickory, mesquite, apple, or pecan. If you’re at a loss for what to get a buddy who appreciates outdoor cooking, a smoker tubing kit might be a pleasant surprise.

6. Best for Long Smokes: Kona Wood Pellet Smoker Tube

 6. Best for Long Smokes: Kona Wood Pellet Smoker Tube

  Get it now on Amazon.com

What We Enjoy

  • Upwards of 8 hours of smoke time
  • Diamond-shaped inlets great for airflow
  • Affordable

What We Dislike

  • Smaller grills may not work.

If you plan on doing any extended smoking endeavors, you’ll need a smoker tube that can provide you with lots of smoke time. This 12-inch tube uses unique dry pellets that may provide up to eight hours of smoke time, which is almost twice the duration of most of its rivals. In reality, just 12 cup of chips may provide up to two hours of smoking, so you won’t be consuming a lot of chips.

The diamond-shaped air inlets are engineered provide the optimal amount of airflow, keeping the pellets burning and smoldering while giving the appropriate amount of smoke for excellent meals.

What to Look for When Buying a Smoke Tube

Size

The bigger your smoker tube, the more pellets it can store, resulting in a longer smoking duration. Most 6-inch versions have a smoking period of two to three hours, but as you approach closer to a 12-inch model, you may smoke for up to five hours. Even while the actual smoke duration relies on other aspects such as the kind of pellets used and the state of your grill, it’s safe to assume that bigger smoker tubes are preferable for lengthy periods of smoking. If your grill is tiny, a smaller tube may be preferable since it will fit better.

Shape

Smoke tubes with flat sides (rectangular or hexagonal) are perfect since they don’t roll about. However, a circular cross-section is advantageous since it better controls the rate at which the pellets burn by using less surface area. Hexagonal shapes are an excellent balance since they have a small surface area but a flat side that makes them much simpler to arrange on the grates.

Maintenance

Depending on the size and form of your tube, various cleaning procedures will be required. The bigger the tube, the more difficult and time-consuming it might be to clean. With a bigger tube, you’ll have more residue, which means you’ll have to properly dispose of it before you can totally wipe it off. A smaller tube will need less effort to thoroughly clean.

FAQs

What exactly is a pellet smoker tube?

A smoker tube is a perforated metal canister into which pellets are loaded for hot or cold smoking meals. The pellets gently burn in the tube, emitting aroma and heat. The ends are normally accessible so that the pellets may be lit once they’re within the tube. The pellets burn for a few hours, although the amount of time depends on the capacity of the tube and the quantity of pellets. The tube’s purpose is to keep the pellets close together while restraining excessive airflow to keep it from burning too hot.

How should a smoke tube be used?

Fill the metal container with pellets and fire it at the open end to utilize a smoker tube. Once the fire is created, blow out any flames to allow the pellets to slowly smolder. This slow burn will impart a smokey taste to the dish, making it succulent and delectable. “Although you can ignite the wood pellets with a grill lighter, a small butane or propane torch will get the job done more efficiently,” says Paul Sidoriak. Each smoke tube differs somewhat, however it is advised that you let a small portion of the pellets to burn for ten minutes before blowing out the flame and allowing the pellets to smolder.”

On a gas barbecue, how do you utilize a smoke tube?

Even if you don’t have a smoker, you can get the same smokey flavor by utilizing a gas grill and a smoke tube. A gas grill is usually too hot for the proper temperature to smoke meats, but you may still get the same results as a smoker with the convenience of your gas grill. To accomplish this, use the gas grill burners on low heat and fill the smoke tube with pellets for aromatic smoke, resulting in well-cooked, delicious meats.

How long can a smoking tube be used?

The quantity of burn time provided by a smoke tube is determined by the capacity of the tube as well as the number of pellets loaded into the tube. This may range between one and five hours of steady smoldering and smoking.

Final Verdict

Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned grill expert, the LIZZQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube is a flexible, cheap, and all-around solid solution. If you want to carry a pellet smoker tube on your next RV trip, choose the more portable KampFit Pellet Smoker Tube.