The wheels are adequate for rolling the 33.4kg weight of the Azuma BBQ smoker around on flat surfaces or on even ground, but I wouldn’t want to try moving it over any particularly bumpy lawns or overly soft ground. Aluminium has been used for a lot of the smaller parts of the ProQ elite BBQ smoker such as the baffle hatches, and other parts such as the bolts are stainless steel. All together this makes the ProQ are well built and durable piece of kit. Weber are a trusted name when it comes to all things barbecue related, and their smokers are no exception, this is easily the best smoker with exception of maybe the portable cosmo charcoal barbecue.

I take a look about 6 hours in, keeping an eye on temperatures that stay very stable with correct adjustment of the vents. It already looks superb. Here’s a look for yourself: Beef short rib 6 hours in the bbq smoker

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Personally, I’m a bit lazy and I like the results without too much hard work. Then again, for some people the challenge of getting it right the hard way is all part of the fun so I guess it comes down to the individual. What is a BBQ Smoker?

BBQ smokers can be fuelled by charcoal, wood, propane, or electric. Propane and electric models are the easiest to set up and use but you might find it hard to get that really authentic smoked taste with them, especially the electric kind. There are extra things you can buy that will give food cooked in an electric smoker more of that coveted bbq flavour but they usually have to be bought separately and the products offer varying levels of quality. The smoker is approximately 31cm x 30cm so you can get a decent sized piece of meat in there. However, this is a low cost BBQ smoker and the low price means that you have to pay in another way- with your time. If roll-ups aren’t your thing and you prefer to smoke at home then take a look at our bongs, bubblers, and desktop vaporizers. Do I need a stash box for my weed? Or, do you prefer the hands on approach and want to be able to control every minute and aspect of the cooking process? Whichever model you decide to go with, it is always worth spending a bit of time online watching videos on YouTube and such, to give yourself the best chance of getting your smoked meat just right.

Temperature control is handled by adjusting the air vents in the side firebox and smoke levels can be adjusted by opening and closing the chimney baffle.

Like the Weber Smokey Mountain, the body of this BBQ smoker is made of porcelain coated steel ensuring a great cooking environment inside the main chamber. Despite its modular nature, it still regulates temperature very well, and the slightest adjustment of the air vents will have an effect on the internal temperature, giving you a nice level of control. Attention all fish smoker addicts: PRO TIP: Dont forget to soak your preferred wood for as long as possible before using your favoured bbq smoker to maximise the amount of smoke that will be imparted in your meat – you don’t want your wood to just ‘burn away’ 🙂 It’s got plenty of weight and sturdy enough if you put it together well. It takes about an hour to setup and the instructions aren’t too difficult to come to terms with. You can easily be a rank novice DIYer and put this together with no drama. Overall, people have rated it one of the easier bbq smokers to assemble. I have to say the test is a complete success. You really only have to look at the pictures to see just how well this came out. But I am by no means a professional – this is something that every one of us can achieve with a quality smoker. The best BBQ smokers that are out on the UK market at the moment will make it much easier for you to attain the smokehouse flavour you’re looking for, and the cheapest of them are easily affordable by most people. Of course, there are also high-end models out there costing hundreds of pounds, and they work incredibly well and I cover both options and some sensibly priced professional options in between, so I guess it all comes down to how serious you are about your smoked meat. But before taking the plunge, to familiarise and help you compare, please take a look at my what you need to know before buying a bbq food smokersection too. Best bbq smokers – my professional opinion:

The ProQ elite BBQ smoker is an excellent product and well worth 300 pounds of anyone’s money. It’s as manoeuvrable and easy to use as a the simplest portable gas bbq but with all the flavour and benefits you get from charcoal. That’s some compliment by the way.

Take my advice, it’s better to spend a little extra in something that is made of high quality materials and put together solidly, than to save a few quid on something with low quality parts. It is possible to get good results with a cheaper model, though it requires more skill, practice, patience and time to get it right. This example controls temperature like its just too easy: This BBQ smoker is not a barbecue grill. It is a machine designed to slow smoke meat, and that is something it does incredibly well. Once stationary it is stable enough if on level ground, but it is a little top heavy so care has to be taken to find a good spot to sit it down. The reason that this model retains heat so well is its design and construction. The outer shell is made from porcelain enamelled steel which is not only extremely solid, but also does an excellent job of spreading the heat out evenly and also keeping it consistent. The water pan that you place inside the main cooking chamber is also made of this robust material.As for extra features, the wooden shelf in front of the main grill is a nice addition, as is the wire shelf on the bottom of the unit. There is also a thermometer on the lid of the barrel barbecue and large wooden handles on the lid and sides. The offset smoker works well if you keep rotating the meat around every now and again so that the nearby firebox doesn’t cause one side to burn. Either that or place the meat to the far side away from the direct heat. With smokers, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for so if you’re serious about getting your meat perfect without having to spend hours in front of the grill, you’re going to have to bite the bullet and shell out for a good spec model.