Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Cuisinart isn't exactly a name I associate with outdoor cooking, but I was still very excited to try this propane smoker. I've been smoking food at home for several years and have tried a few smokers out over the last few years, including the Char-Broil Digital Electric Smoker with SmartChef Technology, the Char-Broil Simple Smoker with SmartChef Technology, and my favorite go-to smoker, the Masterbuilt 20050211 Black Propane Smoker, 40-Inch. I know a lot of traditionalists might balk at the use of a propane smoker, but it really does help make smoking much easier and convenient. The need to check the fire and temperature throughout the cooking process is all but eliminated, and that saves a lot of trips out to the smoker when you're smoking something that takes a while, like a beef brisket. As soon as I started unpacking this Cuisinart smoker, I could tell the build quality was excellent. All of the pieces are quite sturdy and should hold up for many years. The actual smoking box is very solid, not flimsy metal like a lot of other brands. And assembly could only have been easier if someone else would've done it for me. I especially liked the clear and concise assembly instructions and the fact that all of the screws and nuts were packaged separately in their own little compartment in the box of hardware (see included photo). That made it very to know which screws/nuts were which! The first thing I wanted to try in this smoker was brisket. I prepped the meat, put a mixture of beef broth and water in the water pan, filled the wood chip bowl with hickory chips, and got everything started. One thing I really like about the Cuisinart smoker as opposed to my Masterbuilt is the fact that the wood chips have no direct contact with the flame. This allows the chips to burn and smoke slowly at an even temperature. With my Masterbuilt, the wood chip pan has openings that allow the flame to touch the chips. This can sometimes result in flare-ups, which produce a high level of smoke and cause temperature fluctuations. No such trouble with the Cuisinart! I also like that the Cuisinart's doors seal pretty tightly. This means there is minimal heat/smoke loss around the edges of the doors. The two separate doors also make it easier to check the flame and add wood chips without opening the main door. This helps keep the smoker temps steady. One suggestion: If the wood/water pan had a bit of a handle on it, it would be much easier to get out of the smoker while wearing silicone gloves or using a pot holder. But that's a minor gripe. It was easy to maintain a constant temperature while smoking the brisket, even over the course of 12 hours on a cold Michigan day/night. And the finished product was every bit as delicious as other briskets I've smoked in other smokers. (See the photo I've included.) The Cuisinart COS-244 smoker is a solidly built smoker that should serve the purposes of almost everyone. The four racks allow you to fit a lot of meat into the smoker at once. They are also removable, so you can fit bigger, taller things like a turkey inside. The handles are study, stay cool to the touch, and lock the doors tightly. Even the metal plate with the Cuisinart name on it is high quality. Like I said before, I expect this unit to last many years. Purists may not be too keen on propane smokers, but I love them. And this Cuisinart, even though it's a bit smaller than my Masterbuilt, will be getting a workout from me going forward. I highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for a well-built, excellent performing smoker. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced smoker, the COS-244 is an excellent choice! P.S. A word about Cuisinart's customer service: When I unpacked my smoker, one of the brackets was broken off one of the racks. It was obvious that the weld just came apart somehow. So I emailed Cuisinart and got a response right away saying they would send a replacement rack out ASAP. I had the new rack in three days. Ya gotta love that!