Cuisinart COS-244 Vertical 36" Propane Smoker, Black

3.0 out of 5 stars

By Chreighvon Rodgers - Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2017

Good smoker bad water/wood chip tray.

My main gripes with this unit are the temperature gauge on the front and the water/wood chip tray. The temperature gauge on the door isn't very accurate but I guess that's the norm with smokers. However the wood/water tray is a problem. If you add water then the tray doesn't get hot enough to produce ample smoke. Not only that but the fat drippings fall into the wood chips cause ignition issues as well. If you run out of water you have to refill the tray which will drop the tray temperature and kill any smoke production. My work around was to put a water tray on the bottom rack to catch drippings and separate the wood chips from the water tray.

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Deanokat - Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2016

Well-built, excellent performer. And great customer service.

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!

4.0 out of 5 stars

By Heatherna - Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2018

came packed in a very organized manner and the instructions were extremely easy to follow

I just got this smoker yesterday and have yet to fire it up, but wanted to leave my initial impressions. Material seems to be top quality. In total it weighed 75 lbs. came packed in a very organized manner and the instructions were extremely easy to follow, although I recommend you have someone to assist, not because it’s hard, but holding the burner and doors on while you get you screws started will make things easier. Still not difficult by yourself but easier. They do include a tray for extra water, which some reviews mentioned the water reservoir was small. Chip bowl is pretty small but I think will be fine as it is easy to add more. I’ll be cooking with it this weekend and will add additional info then. UPDATE: Okay I have now cooked a couple of times and here is what I find. I still give this smoker a 4* rating, however you do have to make a few small adjustments. 1st time using I simply could not get the temperature above 200 on high with my tank turned all the way up. After several hours of fiddling with it I finally pulled the bottom water/wood pan out and the temp shot up to over 350 almost instantly. It appears the issue is the bottom pan is pretty thick and fits just above the burner that it doesn't allow heat to flow up into the smoker very well, creates and essential blockage and the heat just leaves through the bottom. The 2nd time I used it I took the extra water pan and placed it on the bottom just above the burner, this proved to work a lot better, but what to do with my wood chips. I went out and bought two small bread pans from the dollar tree and placed wood chips in one of those pans and sat it on the bottom rack. The problem with this was the wood wouldn't heat up enough to smoke, so about halfway through I moved the wood/break pan into the water pan. Once the water ran out the wood would create the smoke I was looking for, but you need water, so this solution wasn't ideal. FINAL SOLUTION: placed the extra water pan just above the burner, by removing the original, thick black pan from smoker, placed a small break pan with wood chunks inside that pan and then another small break pan with water inside it as well. This allowed the wood chips to heat up enough to provide lots of smoke and still provided the water you need to keep food moist. With these minor adjustments that cost $3 at the Dollar Store this machine is perfect. Maintained 250 degrees for 5 hours set on low and gas about 25% on all while cooking short ribs, turkey breast, and a whole chicken.

5.0 out of 5 stars

By Ed Kohlegk - Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2017

Couldn't be happier!

I read horror stories about being damaged in shipping and the thermometer on the do it being way off. This could not be farther from the truth! The package had 2 puncture/dents but the smoker was packed so well there was no damage! It was very easy to assemble the directions were great! Very strong/sturdy construction! I have already used it twice , only had it a few days, and everything was great. Just received my digital remote thermometer for the meat and the smoker and the thermometer on the door is right on! I love it!