I took my time with this review for a couple of reasons. First, it was my first time properly smoking meats and foods. I have owned a dual-function grill before that had a propane side, charcoal side, and a side smoker — and I used that to smoke some meats — but it’s not the same. Also, I wanted to make sure I used it enough to discover its nuances, because sometimes a quick review doesn’t turn up various challenges and experiences you might have during long-term ownership. At any rate, this review took me a while. We’re talking months spent using the East Oak Ridgewood versus weeks for other products.

I can honestly say I love this smoker and I think everyone should have one. But let’s get some things out of the way, first.

This is not meant for advanced smokers or meat masters

If you’re a master griller, a meat perfectionist, must have total control or prefer conventional smoking methods, then the East Oak Ridgewood is probably not for you. I say probably because it’s super convenient. If those monikers describe you but you value convenience above all, then you might like this smoker — it’s super easy to use. The point I’m trying to make is that it’s not really for advanced users. It’s for novices and everyone in between. Now, that doesn’t mean advanced users can’t get a lot out of it, it just means if you have a certain way of doing things and don’t want change, well, you get it.

It has no smart features. You don’t connect with an app. There’s no WiFi or wireless connectivity at all, and the digital controls are relatively simple. But I’m okay with all of that. Not every device on the market has to be the most advanced piece of technology. It works, and it works well.

In addition, the meat probe that comes with it is great. But you’re going to want to pick up something more advanced when you have the opportunity, like a MEATER smart probe. I’ll explain why in more detail later.

The East Oak Ridgewood smoker is built for convenience

This is very much a set it and forget it type of device. No, you don’t want to leave a smoker unattended for hours upon hours, you should still check in. But, once you set the temperature, let it preheat, and then put in your meat, you can pretty much leave it for a while. Sure, you can do that with conventional smokers, too, especially with the legendary tales of multi-day smoking sessions. The biggest difference is that, here, with the East Oak Ridgewood, there’s nothing to fuss with. The electric heating element at the bottom keeps the inside of the smoker hot. You don’t have to replenish wood, charcoal, or stoke a fire.

Yes, you load wood chips — chips, not nuggets or pellets — and fill a water reservoir for steam and smoke, but that’s it. Once you get it going, load up your foods and meats, you just check in to make sure it’s cooking, or it all reaches the appropriate temperatures. You can turn up the Ridgewood’s internal temperature at any time, but it only hits a maximum of 275 degrees Fahrenheit (135 degrees Celsius). Once it’s up there, you can’t fiddle with the temperatures any more, besides lowering them.

Some assembly is required, and by some, I mean you have to put it all together when it first arrives. The process is easy enough, but also tedious. I would say it’s all worth it, however. Remember to turn the box over if you get the model with legs; some smaller parts are hidden under the styrofoam at the bottom, and I almost missed them.

What can you smoke in the East Oak Ridgewood?

So far, I used the East Oak Ridgewood to smoke a full-size brisket, about 12 pounds, a whole chicken, some burgers and hot dogs, vegetables, and a few other sides, like pre-cooked macaroni. I used Apple and Cherry flavored wood chips, which I soaked in water for about five to six hours each time before loading into the wood chip basin. The smoker worked wonderfully. It held the programmed temperatures, as it should, and the food was absolutely delicious — the smoky flavors were nice and bold. Again, I soaked the wood chips for maximum flavor. I also seasoned my meats beforehand with various mixes of dry rub and barbecue.

For the first smoke, we made a whole family day of it. I prepped the night before and started cooking at 3 AM. Everyone came over for a pool day, and I kept checking the meat until it was ready. The brisket came out perfectly, so juicy and tender but with just the right amount of crispy bark.

How much space is there?

There’s about 725 square inches of cooking space, broken up between four layers or four racks. You can either put the food right on the rack, or use pans or foil, whichever you prefer. To cook the brisket, I put it right on the rack to start, but also wrapped it in butcher paper to help reach the appropriate temperatures inside the meat. I did have to cut the brisket in half and spread it across two racks.

The racks can come out individually. I took out the topmost rack, for example, so I could fit my whole chicken in there. It’s all pretty modular, versatile, and easy to adjust or swap out.

Getting started

As for getting started, you set the desired temperature on the digital control panel at the top and wait for it to heat up. Before you do that, you want to fill your water reservoir, which helps produce smoke, and fill the wood chip tray — if you’re going to use wood chips. With certain chips, like hickory, you’re going to get a strong, bold flavor without doing much. For other flavors, like apple or cherry, you want to soak the wood chips beforehand. It basically helps create a more concentrated flavor for the smoke that’s produced. Even if you don’t use wood chips, and it’s not required, you still need the wood chip tray locked into place.

When the smoker reaches the desired temperature, you load your meats or your veggies, and then you let them sit. That’s about it. Of course, you need to know cooking times for the various foods, which usually go by weight. For brisket, it’s about 1 to 2 hours per pound at 225 degrees. That’s about 24 hours at the top end for the 12 pound brisket I got. I actually smoked it about 10 hours with the temperature a little higher and started it at 3 AM the day of.

For longer smokes, you definitely want to keep an eye on the water reservoir. It can run out mid-smoke, but also the meat juices and fat falls down and can pool up in the basin. It’s not a big deal, it just makes it harder to clean up when you’re all done. There is a drip tray and pan at the bottom to help funnel some of those juices away from the burner, which is needed.

What are the East Oak Ridgewood smoker’s digital controls and features?

The control panel at the top is simple, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. There are physical buttons to turn it on, or off, change the temperature, with up and down buttons, set the timer, and control the temperature probe. Using it is straightforward, too. To set the temperature, you turn it on, hit the temperature button, then use the up and down keys to adjust to what you want. The timer works the same way, but you adjust by hour and then minutes in separate increments.

With the probe, you have to make sure the probe is plugged into the appropriate port on the side, then you just jab it into your meat or food and press the button — it will provide a readout of the current temperature it’s detecting. You could probably leave the probe in, but I don’t. It’s not automatic either, you have to press the button each time you want a temperature reading.

And this is where I recommend getting a smart thermometer or probe like the MEATER. The probe built into the East Oak Ridgewood is extremely basic. A smart probe would allow you to monitor the cook remotely, from something like your phone. I did find myself wishing I had such a thing setup for that first, 10-hour brisket cook. Before I do another long cook like that, it’s something I’m going to invest in. To use the built-in probe, you have to plug it in, open the smoker, jab your meat, and wait for the readout. A smart probe would just keep this process continuous and keep you informed throughout the entire cook.

You should minimize opening the smoker doors

One thing you have to realize is that every time you open the door or window, you’re exposing the food inside to cooler temperatures. Some of that heat escapes, and when you close it again, it needs a minute or two to get back up to the right temperature. Luckily, I live in Florida where it’s always warm, so it worked quickly and the temperatures were reliable.

The downside of that is I’m not sure how well it would work in a colder area or climate. You might find it needs more time to get to the right temperature. On a really cold day, I could see this system struggling to keep the temperatures consistent. There is an exhaust at the top, which you can open or close. It doesn’t affect the temperatures much either way. Once you’re locked in to a temperature, you’re locked in, unless you open it all up. So, it’s crucial to plan ahead, just to minimize how much you’re opening up the smoker during the cook.

The door seals nicely, and continues to do so after many uses. The front glass can get a little messy, and tints over time, but it’s nothing a quick cleanup can’t mitigate. Also, and this is a big deal in my opinion, after months of use, lots of time spent outdoors in muggy Florida weather, and many, many smokes, there’s no paint peeling. Keeping the exterior clean is as easy as wiping it down with a wet cloth. You might see some light debris in the pictures and video, and most of that is just from being stored outside.

How’s the cleanup?

Barbecues are messy as hell. It doesn’t matter whether you’re grilling or smoking, the juices from the meats, veggies, and other foods spill over and make quite a mess. It’s no different here. The good news is that the East Oak Ridgewood was designed to be effective, which means it’s pretty easy to clean.

How do you clean it?

Here’s the process: You take out all the racks, which I clean in the sink with soap and water, along with the drip tray, pans, and water reservoir. I also clean out the wood chip tray, which gets the messiest, but it makes sense. Then I wipe down the inside of the smoker with a wet cloth using warm water and soap. I dry it all off, then wipe down the inside with a thin layer of oil. Finally, I install the racks and trays, after they’re dry, of course.

The whole process takes me anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour depending on how messy the cook was, and it’s really not bad.

Does it need to be cleaned, often?

Yes, you want to keep the smoker clean, especially if you store it outside like I do. So, you really want to take your time making sure it’s scrubbed down inside after every smoke. The inside will stain over time, even with a good scrubbing. That doesn’t bother me, but if you hate that kind of thing, it’s worth noting.

From top to bottom, there are four wire racks, a flat drip tray, a water reservoir resting atop the flat tray, the wood chip tray, and a bottom-seated drip tray. After using the smoker several times, I’ve noticed the bottom drip tray barely gets anything in it, but it’s nice that it’s there.

Can you use it indoors?

The next question, I’m sure, is could you use this inside? No, not really. But it can work in spaces with cover, like a patio or deck area. You still need that ventilation and somewhere for the smoke to escape.

I will say when you have meat smoking, it makes the entire area smell amazing. In our neighborhood, my brother-in-law lives about four or five houses down, and he could smell the brisket smoking all the way down where he lives.

What’s the verdict, and the price?

Ultimately, the East Oak Ridgewood makes the smoking process super easy, super convenient, and I love mine. It’s also fairly easy to clean when you’re done, which, for a multi-hour smoke, is certainly an achievement. When you see how much buildup of fat and juices there is after a ten-plus-hour smoke, you’ll immediately understand why that’s a talking point. I would absolutely recommend the East Oak electric smokers to anyone interested in smoking meats and veggies. It also makes the entire experience more accessible for beginners. You don’t have to be a pro, and you can rely on some Googling to get started. East Oak does have a lot of guides and recipes on its blog, too.

There are three models to choose from: The standard 30-inch smoker with no window for $230, a 30-inch smoker with a glass door for $300, and the Ridgewood 30-inch smoker with a glass window and bottom legs for $300 — I have the latter. If you want to save money, the windowless version would work exactly the same as the one I have. East Oak also hosts deals pretty regularly, so if you’re not in a hurry, that’s a great way to save.

I also have a Blackstone grill which I use for standard grilling, while the East Oak Ridgewood is used exclusively when I feel like smoking. If you have a similar setup, you’ll be happy. Moreover, the price of the East Oak is reasonable, and that makes it an excellent alternative to buying an expensive, full-size grill and smoker combo.

• Recommended Buy: Yes.
• For Who: If you like to grill, want to learn how to smoke or you’re ready to dive in headfirst, get one of these. It simplifies everything about the process.
• MSRP: From $230