Weber Smokey Mountain Review

by Joost Nusselder | Last Updated:  June 24, 2021

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Weber is one of the leading manufacturers of smokers and grills in the market. And because of the increasing demand for the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 22 Inch models, the brand has decided to upgrade this model.

The new super-sized model comes with a cooking area of 726 square inches, making it an ideal unit for anyone who wants to cook a massive amount of barbecue!

Reading my Weber Smokey Mountain review is the best way to determine if indeed the smoker works according to what the manufacturer claims.

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This new Smokey Mountain vertical Smoker works in the same way as its predecessor but comes with much better temperature control and longer unassisted cooking time.

Above all, it’s so much easier to use. Another new feature that the smoker has is the lid-mounted thermometer as well as the bottom-mounted heat shield which keep the surface below the smoker fully protected from heat.

Indeed, this is a great smoker that’s easy for everyone to use!

Weber Smokey Mountain Review

First, let’s find out what its pros and cons are.

Pros

How to buy a bbq smoker video
How to buy a bbq smoker video

  • Comes with multiple vents that compensate for the wind.
  • It has an excellent airflow design that maintains a constant and even temperature.
  • Its large cooking space means you can cook a lot of food for a huge crowd.
  • The sealed design feature allows you to cover the smoker, which saves the remaining charcoal for the next time.

Cons

  • The front access door is a bit flimsy.

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Build Quality

As stated, the overall design of the Weber Smokey Mountain cooker is one of the best in the market today.

The design has been barely changed in the past 40 years, which is a testament to how great it really looks. It works really well and is extremely easy to use for everyone.

Just like with the other Weber smokers, the main material used for this model is the porcelain-enameled steel, which is capable of retaining heat extremely well and allows for consistent smoking.

It comes equipped with a water pan that’s made from the same material and feels very solid and sturdy. The overall solid construction plus the beautiful finish makes it one of the best looking smokers in the market today.

As for the cooking grates, they are nickel coated, which allows for strength and resiliency and an improved cleaning system.

In the new model, the dampers are now made of aluminum material, which prevents the build-up of rust. Read here how to manage the dampers and vents on a smoker.

Furthermore, the new design has a specially made nylon handle that’s heat-resistant and works extremely well.

One of the things that customers would love to improve on the Weber charcoal smokers is the charcoal door. The door is a bit flimsy and has the tendency to leak smoke and heat.

The Weber brand has been around in the market for quite a long time, you can easily understand why the brand has survived despite the numerous brands that have come out of the market.

There are only a few complaints of the unit not functioning well or encountering serious problems.

Furthermore, most of the problems have something to do with rusting on the dampers and the handles tend to wear out. Both problems are pretty minor and can be easily fixed.

The company is confident that the products they are offering are good and have offered a 10-year warranty for the parts.

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Smokey Mountain: Easy to Use

The Weber Smokers grills are known for their ease of use, which is why they are a highly recommended smoker for beginners.

The Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker comes with features that make using it very easy. For instance, its charcoal door allows you to easily add more charcoal to the grill without the need to move the grill around.

On the other hand, the silicone grommet allows you to attach a temperature probe into the grill without the need of grill homes or having to clamp the lid into the probe wire.

Making the Most Out of Your Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker

Here are some tips to help make the most of your smoker from Weber:

  • It’s highly recommended that you get a wireless thermometer and chimney starter to go with the smoker grill. The chimney starter allows you to easily power up the smoker while the wireless thermometer allows you to easily monitor the smoker’s internal temperature wherever you may be.
  • It’s highly recommended to add enough wood chunks to the grill to add more flavor to your meat. You can refer to the temperature chart and ideal smoking times to help cook your meat to perfection.
  • Season the Weber Smokey Mountain cooker before you start cooking your meat on it. This means heating the smoker without any meat inside in order to burn any of the remaining debris and oil. The grill will come with an instruction manual on how you can go about this so you simply have to follow the instructions.
  • You’ll get a free cover when you purchase the Weber Smoker grill. Use it to keep the grill covered when not in use. Since the lid sits just inside the main chamber, there’s a good chance that water will accumulate so keep the cover on to prevent this.
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Accessories for the Weber Smokey Mountain Grill

The Weber brand has been around for a long time and has produced an impressive number of accessories to go with their smoker grills.

Here are some of the best:

DigiQ DX2

This accessory allows you to set your smoker to the desired temperature and then totally forget about it. The device works by controlling the airflow into the smoker with the use of thermometers and fans.

If you’re looking for something much better than this, you should go for the Flame Boss.

Expandable Rack

Another accessory that’s worth investing in is the expandable smoking rack which allows you to easily hang food into the smoker. This is a great accessory for smoking sausages, fish, and beef jerky.

Rib Rack

This is another accessory that’s a favorite of many customers who own a smoker grill, most especially the Weber smokers since it goes perfectly well with the smoker.

With this rack, you’ll be able to cook up to five racks of ribs in just one cooking grate.

But if the simple design doesn’t appeal to you, choose the Rib-O-Later. This is a great accessory to use for cooking longer ribs.

Simply load the ribs and turn the motor on. Leave it to rotate in order for the ribs to be cooked perfectly.

Water Pan Cover

This is a simple accessory that helps keep the drippings from falling into the water pan. It’s recommended to wrap the tray with tin foil for easy cleaning.

Conclusion

All in all, it’s easy to see why the Weber Smokey Mountain 22″ Charcoal Smoker is considered the best in the market.

It’s truly worth the price and if you consider yourself a fan of smoky grilled meats, then this is the best cooking device to buy!

The smoker comes with a simple interface design with high functionality, which means that it’s great for both beginners and advanced grill enthusiasts.

If you’re going to do research on this smoker online, you’ll find that most customers are very satisfied with the way the product works.

Indeed, Weber has made a great job with this excellent smoker that doubles as a grill. The Smokey Mountain range of products is truly the best in the market, especially the new 22-inch model.

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Lakeside Smokers is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with BBQ Smoking (& Japanese food!) at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.