Add Some Mystery to Your Drink With the Best Cocktail Smokers
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Gramercy Kitchen Company Cocktail Smoker -
Homia Smoking Gun Wood Cocktail Smoker -
TMKEFFC Smoking Gun Portable Cocktail Smoker -
THOUSAND OAKS BARREL Foghat Cocktail Smoker -
Buyer's Guide
I once had a cocktail whose creator claimed one of the main ingredients to be “science.” He didn’t specify what part of the cocktail was “science,” but I concluded it was the smoke swirling around the glass above my cocktail and cascading over the rim of the glass.
I suspect the other cocktails that include “magic” and “mystery” use the same smokey effect. The truth is that magic, mystery, and science were all present in those fabulous cocktails in the form of flavored smoke.
With a massive amount of cocktail smokers available, you can create some cocktail magic in your home. Alternatively, add extra smokey deliciousness to your favorite bourbon or whiskey. Some cocktail smokers will also smoke meats and cheese.
Choosing the best cocktail smoker doesn’t need to be more difficult than selecting a tasty drink from a cocktail menu. However, there are several factors you should consider to make finding a cocktail smoker easier, and we will discuss this later in the article.
First, you should check out our list of the best cocktail smokers in 2022. We have done extensive research, so you don’t have to.
Check them out below!
Gramercy Kitchen Company Cocktail Smoker
- It comes with all the accessories you need
- Handheld portable smoker
- Downloadable recipe guide
- This cocktail smoker uses a lot of power, and you will need to change the batteries regularly
Homia Smoking Gun Wood Cocktail Smoker
- It comes with a variety of flavors of wood chips
- Has everything you need to smoke cocktails out of the box
- Access to online recipes
- It does not come with clear instructions
TMKEFFC Smoking Gun Portable Cocktail Smoker
- It comes with many accessories
- Wood chips combined with tea, spices, and dried flowers
- Compact size makes it very portable
- Produces less smoke than some of the other options
THOUSAND OAKS BARREL Foghat Cocktail Smoker
- It comes with everything you need
- High-quality smoke flavor
- Stylish set
- It can sometimes taste burnt instead of smoky depending on how you torch the chips
The Best Cocktail Smokers Models of 2022 in Detail
Gramercy Kitchen Company Cocktail Smoker - Best Overall
The Gramercy Kitchen Company Cocktail Smoker can be used to make smoke for cocktails and a variety of foods. It is a handheld smoker that comes with everything you need to get started. The extras include a cleaning brush, replacement parts, and wood chips. These accessories come in a stylish black velvet storage bag. This fabulous product comes with a downloadable recipe guide full of recipes and tips for smoking great scotches and craft cocktails, or appetizer spreads, and sous-vide meats. The portable infusion smoker is made of professional-grade plastic and easy to clean aluminum. It also includes a specially designed chamber for the correct number of wood chips for smoking.
- It comes with all the accessories you need
- Handheld portable smoker
- Downloadable recipe guide
- This cocktail smoker uses a lot of power, and you will need to change the batteries regularly
Homia Smoking Gun Wood Cocktail Smoker - Runner Up
The Homia Smoking Gun Wood Smoke Infuser comes with 11 items. These include the smoking gun, a convenient stand, disk lid, a flexible hose, four flavors of wood chips, tweezers, cleaning brush, a set of meshes, and a screwdriver for maintenance. It even includes the batteries you'll need to power the device, so it truly does come with everything you need to start smoking impressive cocktails. The metal fan and metal burning chamber are a nice touch; this makes them more durable and easier to clean. The fan can operate at up to 5200 RPM, meaning this device is capable of generating a significant amount of smoke to flavor your cocktails.
- It comes with a variety of flavors of wood chips
- Has everything you need to smoke cocktails out of the box
- Access to online recipes
- It does not come with clear instructions
TMKEFFC Smoking Gun Portable Cocktail Smoker - Honorable Mention
Here's another cocktail smoker that comes with a wide range of accessories for use and maintenance, and it even comes with wood chips to get you started. It can be used for more than just cocktails, too - the cold smoke can be used to flavor sous vide meat, vegetables, salmon, and cheese without altering the texture of the food. It's compact and easy to assemble and disassemble, making it a great choice for everyday use. The only thing that it doesn't come with are the AA batteries that it needs to operate, but we can forgive this omission given that it's nearly half the price of the Homia smoker.
- It comes with many accessories
- Wood chips combined with tea, spices, and dried flowers
- Compact size makes it very portable
- Produces less smoke than some of the other options
THOUSAND OAKS BARREL Foghat Cocktail Smoker - Contender
This smoker takes a different approach to smoking cocktails - rather than a disk, it includes a Foghat for a more traditional touch. The Foghat itself is handmade in Manassas, Virginia, with skilled craftsmen operating wood lathes to make each one. Thus, each piece is unique, but they'll perform exactly the same. The kit includes the Foghat, a smoking torch, lighter fuel, and wood shavings, though you can always use the Foghat with another smoker if you prefer not to use an open flame. It's not the cheapest option around, but sometimes the experience is worth the added cost.
- It comes with everything you need
- High-quality smoke flavor
- Stylish set
- It can sometimes taste burnt instead of smoky depending on how you torch the chips
Buyer's Guide
Things to Consider When Choosing a Cocktail Smoker
With so many cocktail smokers on the market, selecting the best product might seem like a daunting task. However, by considering the following factors, you will find an excellent device with ease.
What’s Included
Cocktail smokers can be bought as an individual item or bought as a kit with accessories included. A kit will consist of the cocktail smoker and should include batteries, lighter fuel, wood chips, a Foghat, a smoking box, or a dome lid.
Wood Chips
You can always buy wood chips separately if you do not like the ones included in the kit. Some whiskey and bourbon companies make their own infused wood chips to create a smoke that complements their particular drink. Most cocktail smoker kits come with wood chips infused with tea and spices.
It might be tempting to buy a device based on included wood chips that will flavor your drink. However, there are many wood chips available that you can buy separately, which may be closer to your tastes. Therefore, it is better to purchase based on the device rather than the flavor of the wood chips.
Foghat
A Foghat is made from wood and sits on top of a glass. It is filled with natural fuel such as wood chips. Once the fuel is ignited, it will cause a cascade of smoke to fall through several holes and onto your drink. It looks impressive at parties and flavors just as effectively as other cocktail smoking devices.
Smoking box
Some cocktail smokers come with a smoking box. The idea behind a smoking box is you place whatever you want to smoke in the box, and the smoke will flavor it. When placing a cocktail in the box, you need to remove it carefully not to let the smoke fall from the glass.
A smoking box can be made of wood or glass. Opt for glass if you want to watch the magic happen. Alternatively, a wood smoking box adds a certain class and style to a traditional home bar.
Smoking dome
A smoking dome is an alternative to a smoking box. The smoke is typically funneled into the dome using a tube. A smoking dome will have a hole where you can connect the tube. You may want to buy a smoking dome cloche. It is taller than a regular smoking dome and perfect for cocktails in a tall glass.
If you only have a smoking gun and a tube, you could just use a regular bowl to smoke your cocktail. However, it will not flavor your cocktail as thoroughly as a more airtight smoking box or dome.
Smoking gun
A smoking gun is placed on a flat surface, and the fuel is usually lit in the top compartment. You then press a switch and watch as cold smoke leaves through the tube and infuses your cocktail or food with smoky deliciousness.
Torch
Many sets simply come with a torch and a small accessory to hold the fuel like the Foghat we mentioned previously. This type of model is often much cheaper than a smoking gun model and usually produces less smoke.
Portable
A portable cocktail smoker will allow you to move it easily to the room you are entertaining guests or going to a friend's house. If you own a bar, a portable cocktail smoker will save you some counter space. When choosing a portable cocktail smoker, ensure it has a transport bag if you plan to move it from your home or workplace.
Power Options
Some cocktail smokers need to be plugged in. Before purchasing a product like this, make sure the location you plan on using your cocktail smoker has a suitable power source. However, most cocktail smokers run on batteries. Therefore, you may like to look for a chargeable cocktail smoker that can be charged using a USB charger.
Style
Consider the style of the device you want to buy. For example, a cocktail smoker is often on display. Choose one that matches your decor if you can. There are plenty of modern-looking options and some transitional-looking options too.
Customer reviews
When choosing the best cocktail smoker, it is important to read the customer reviews of the device you wish to buy. Customer reviews will let you know if the product has any recurring faults and how well the product performs. With such a wide selection of products to choose from, you should take the time to make sure you are picking the right cocktail smoker for you.
Warranty
Ensure the cocktail smoker you buy comes with a lengthy warranty. If a company is confident in its product, it will lose nothing to provide a warranty. However, be aware that some warranties only cover certain parts of a product and not everything.
How we choose the best cocktail smokers
To choose the best cocktail smoker, we considered several factors. First, we compare the number of accessories the cocktail smokers come with and how durable the device seems. We also compared how many cocktails we can smoke at once and how well smoke is contained in a box or dome.
We also read countless reviews and only suggest products with a high majority of positive reviews. We only recommend products we would be more than happy to buy ourselves.
Cocktail smoker price range
You should budget between $50 and $250 for a cocktail smoker. If you choose to buy a cocktail smoker kit for less money than this price range, you will find that you spend the difference on accessories.
Cocktail Smoker FAQ
Q: What cocktails can I make with a cocktail smoker?
A: You can turn any cocktail into a smoked cocktail. Still, some popular cocktails that come smoked include a smoked Manhattan, smoked bloody mary, smoking cinnamon cocktail, dragon’s breath, and smoky martini.
You can find the recipes for these cocktails online. As we mentioned earlier, many cocktail smokers come with a recipe book or access to online recipes for cocktails. It is worth perfecting the recipes that come with your purchase before moving on to more complex recipes.
Q: Are cocktail smokers better than using dry ice?
A: Dry ice does create beautiful and magical steam on the surface of your cocktail, in a similar way to a cocktail smoker. However, we believe that using a cocktail smoker is more beneficial than using dry ice for several reasons.
Dry ice takes up a lot of space compared to a cocktail smoking kit. In addition, dry ice melts quickly, and a lot of the ice you have paid for will be wasted. There is less waste with a cocktail smoker.
Another benefit to a cocktail smoker is the flavor it infuses a cocktail with. Dry ice does not impart flavor to the cocktail. You can change the flavor of the smoke by changing the wood chips used.
Q: How long should I smoke a cocktail?
A: How long you smoke a cocktail depends on your tastes. The longer you smoke a drink, the stronger the smokey flavor will be. However, most of the smoke will dissipate after a minute. Therefore, we recommend smoking your first cocktail for 20 seconds and adjusting according to taste in the future.
