When I was putting together the list of the best propane smokers I almost included the Dyna Glo products but in the end decided against it. The Dyna Glo propane smokers have a lot going for them and are pretty popular but some of the reviews I have read make me hesitant to recommend them.
Dyna Glo offers three different propane smokers: 36 inch Standard, 36 inch Wide and 43 inch Wide
36 Inch Standard Propane Smoker Specifications
- Burners: Single 15,000 BTUs/hr burner
- Cooking Grates: 4 Grates, 14 x 13 inches, 784 square inches
- Dimensions (H, W, D): 50 x 27 x 19 inches
- Weight: 54 pounds
- Construction: Powder coated steel
The 36 inch standard is a budget friendly, single burner smoker that is a it too small for my taste. The 14 x 13 inch grates are fine for chicken and pork butts but you will have to cut larger pieces of meat in half.
36 inch Wide Propane Smoker Specifications
- Burners: Dual 10,000 BTUs/hr burners (20,000 BTUs total)
- Cooking Grates: 4 Grates, 22.5 x 13.5 inches, 1,235 square inches
- Dimensions (H, W, D): 50 x 31 x 20 inches
- Weight: 74 pounds
- Construction: Powder coated steel
The 36 inch Wide is the sweet spot in the Dyna Glo product line. The grates are much larger than on the 36 inch Standard and will easily fit a whole slab of spare ribs or a packer brisket. The two independent 10,000 BTU burners give you better access to lower AND higher temperatures than the single 15,000 BTU burner on the Standard.
43 inch Wide Propane Smoker Specifications
- Burners: Dual 10,000 BTUs/hr burners (20,000 BTUs total)
- Cooking Grates: 6 Grates, 22.5 x 13.5 inches, 1,904 square inches
- Dimensions (H, W, D): 57 x 31 x 20 inches
- Weight: 90 pounds
- Construction: Powder coated steel
The 43 inch wide is the same as the 36 inch wide but has been made a little taller to accommodate two more cooking racks. This is a fine smoker but is a little bit overkill for most people. The 36 inch Wide can handle four full packer briskets at one time. If you need to cook more than four briskets at once then the 43 inch Wide is what you need.
Here is a nice video walk through of this smoker from Dyna Glo.
Positives About the Dyna Glo Propane Smokers
All three smokers have the dual door design that allows you to refill the water tray and smoker box without opening the main cooking chamber. The primary door is gasket lined and actually seals up the smoke quite nicely.
The smokers have a one year limited warranty which is better than most cookers in this price range.
While the prices for these cookers vary depending upon who is selling, time of year, etc. they are typically much cheaper than the equivalent Masterbuilt products. Other smokers in this price range are the Pit Boss propane smokers.
Negatives About These Smokers
While the majority of the reviews for these smokers (over 70%) are 5 and 4 stars on Amazon about 11% are 1 star. In general it looks like a lot of these smokers get shipped without all of the screws and parts needed for assembly. Dyna Glo does a nice job of following up and getting customers the parts they need but it does look like a hassle.
These smokers are also limited to about 350F on the top end of the temperature range. While 350F is more than hot enough for cooking barbecue some folks like to use their propane smokers as outdoor ovens for baking and that really isn’t an option with these. Speaking of temperatures, the temperature gauge on these smokers are, like all other smokers in this category, a joke that should not be trusted.
The build quality on these smokers is a mixed bag. These are designed like Dyna Glo gas grills so they are inexpensive products and you should NOT expect them to have double walled construction and last for ten years. So, while I do not like to recommend products that are not designed to last a long time, the reality is that at these price points it is hard to complain about materials.
