Cold smoking is another great and unique way to add flavor to your food while also preserving it. It’s a cooking method you can use if you want to smoke cheese without melting it, fruits, vegetables, tofu, sausages, and even meat.
It’s different from the usual smoking because it mainly uses low temperatures and doesn’t cook the food. It’s a pretty challenging and risky technique, which is why it’s essential to have the best cold smoke generator on hand.
Below, we have gathered the five best cold smoke generators we can find on the market. We have considered the durability, versatility, features, and performance of each to pick out the best. Feel free to weigh the pros and cons to find the best for you.
Comparison Table
1. Smoke Daddy Big Kahuna Cold Smoke Generator
2. Smokehouse Products Smoke Chief Cold Smoke Generator
3. Lanney Pellet Smoker Tube
4. Kuuma Premium Stow N’ Go
5. A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker
Smoke Daddy Big Kahuna Cold Smoke Generator
- Dimensions: 10 x 7.99 x 5 inches
- Weight: 5 lbs.
- Material: Aluminum, stainless steels
- Fuel: Wood chips/chunks
More features: Made from heavy-gauge SCH 40 6061 precision-machined aluminum; includes a stainless steel cleaning brush; suitable for hot and cold smoking; attaches to anything
Right on top of our list is the Smoke Daddy Big Kahuna Cold Smoke Generator. If you’ve been cold smoking or hot smoking for years, the versatility of this cold smoke generator is something you’d appreciate. Made of heavy-gauge SCH 40 66061 precision machined aluminum, you can rest assured that the product will last for years.
This product is ready to be attached to any grill and smoker at home. Just drill about a one and ⅛ inches hole on your grill or smoker (specifically on the lower side part), then attach the product with the provided tools. That’s it. You now have your very own cold smoker. The best part is, this product can support both hot and cold smoking.
It has a large fuel capacity and will allow you to cold smoke for 3-4 hours. It’s also perfect to use for big smokers of 6 cubic feet or larger than that. You can only use wood chunks or wood chips as fuel, and you should not use wood pellets.
Other features you’ll enjoy are the smoke outlet tube right on top of the fuel source to prevent clogging, the removable end cap, so it’s easy to light, and the wide space so there would be no problems with the product’s airflow. There’s also an adjustable air pump that helps adjust airflow inside.
Pros
- Cold or hot smoking (burns anything)
- High-quality construction that will last for years
- Easy to install
- Generates a lot of smoke
- Adjustable airflow
Cons
- Has to be mounted to the smoker (not portable)
- Need a place for the air pump to rest
Smokehouse Products Smoke Chief Cold Smoke Generator
- Dimensions: 9.5 x 4 x 12.13 inches
- Weight: 7 lbs
- Fuel: Wood pellets / BBQ pellets
More features: Operate on 110VAC or 12Vdc power; includes a cleanout tool and instructional manual; hanger mount; BBQ pellets with measuring cup; and plunger to help keep move down
Next on our list is the Smokehouse Products Smoke Chief Cold Smoke Generator. It’s best used for smoking cheese, so if you love smoked cheese, this is for you. But of course, you can cold smoke whatever you want using it, too.
It’s also portable, which is excellent if you need to place it from one smoker to another. You just need to simply hang it on the side, and you’re good to go. On top of that, it’s universal, so it’s compatible with any griller or smoker you have.
There is no need to use matches or any lighting material to burn fuel as the product already has its own heating element. As long as you have access to a power source, you can take this generator anywhere you want.
You’ll also notice how efficient this cold smoke generator is. Just one cup of fuel, and you can already cold smoke for 3 hours.
Pros
- Includes a heating element
- Makes smoke quick
- Creates a steady, long-lasting supply of smoke; can last for 3 hours
- Free-standing
- Hanger mount for easy application
Cons
- You need to have access to a power source nearby
- Hard to clean
Lanney Pellet Smoker Tube
- Dimensions: 12 x 2 x 2 inches
- Weight: 0.6 lbs
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Fuel: Wood Pullet
More features: Made of heat-resistant 304 stainless steel; includes a cleaning Tube Brush, two S-shape Hooks, and one silicone basting brush; a hexagonal tube that does not roll over the grill
Next on our list is the Lanney Pellet Smoker Tube. If you’re looking for something that looks simple but is of high-quality and does the job, this is for you.
As the name implies, this smoke generator is elongated. The hexagonal shape of this tube is perfect in preventing the tube from rolling over. The open cap on one end of the tube allows for easy access when lighting the product. You’ll then find that the other end is closed to ensure that the pellets stay inside.
Despite looking really simple, this is a high-quality product that will last for years. It is made of 304 stainless steel, which means it has anti-rust and heat-resistant properties. So, no matter how many times you use this, it will not break.
Another great thing about this tube is that it allows air to come in easily. It’s also designed so that fuel will burn consistently, providing efficient and efficient smoking. It has a huge pellet capacity inside and can continue to produce smoke for 5 hours.
You can use various wood pellets as fuel, and you even have the option to use wood chips. It’s also not designed for only cold smoking because you can do hot smoking with this. It’s also compatible with many grills, whether electric, charcoal, gas, or pellet grill.
Pros
- High-quality stainless steel construction that can last for years
- Efficient, even, and long-lasting smoking
- Hexagon tube to prevent the product from rolling
- Compatible with many types of grills
- Designed for both hot and cold smoking
Cons
- Holes may clog
- Few users think that the product is too thin
- Wood chips won’t work as good as wood pellets
Nak Cold Smoke Generator
- Dimensions: 8.27 x 7.28 x 1.57 inches
- Weight: 0.66 pounds
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Fuel: Wood chips and dust
More features: 304 stainless steel construction; maze-like design
Another simple yet great product overall is the Nak Cold Smoke generator. If you’re looking for something budget-friendly, this is the cold smoke generator for you.
This cold smoke generator from Nak is highly durable. It’s made of 304 stainless steel that is known not to rust and is resistant to heat. Therefore, when it comes to durability, this product can indeed last for years.
You can add different kinds of wood chips on the surface of this cold smoke generator, and you can even use it on any grills or smokers. The best part is that it requires no drilling into your smoker’s surfaces for the product to work.
The product is designed to resemble a maze. So, you just add some wood chips, light the other end, and you’ll see that the wood chips will slowly burn until it reaches the center. What’s even more impressive is that smoke can last for up to 7 hours.
There’s no heater inside or fan, so it will need to rely on your smoker or grill’s airflow. On top of that, you need to make sure that the chips are really dry.
Pros
- High-quality stainless steel construction
- Can be used on any type of smoker or grill
- Easy to use
- Budget-friendly
- Smoking lasts up to 7 hours
Cons
- Will need to rely on the airflow in the container
- Wood chips and dust should really be dry
A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker
- Dimensions: 5 x 8 x 1.5 inches
- Weight: 0.9 pounds
- Material: Stainless steel
- Fuel: Wood chips
More features: Stainless steel construction; produces creosote-free smoke
Last but not least, the A-MAZE-N AMNPS Maze Pellet Smoker. It also has a very straightforward design that anyone can easily use.
It is made with overall stainless steel construction that is heat-resistant, rust-resistant, and corrosion-resistant. Therefore, it’s very durable, and you’ll surely get your money’s worth as it can last for years.
It’s also very lightweight. So even if you’d like to carry it anywhere you go, it would be no problem. Plus, it is compatible with any type of grill because of its average size.
It’s a rectangular-shaped product with two vertical separations at the center. It somehow forms like a digital number “2”. It’s very simple to use. Simply fill the product with wood pellets and light it up through two openings – one on the upper right corner and the other on the lower-left corner. So, you can light just one opening so that the wood chips burn slower, or you can light both.
You’ll just notice the pellets burning until it eventually meets at the center. The smoke can last for up to 12 hours, and you get full smoke with this cold smoke generator. When you’re done, it won’t even cause you a lot of stress as it is very easy to clean.
Pros
- High-quality stainless steel construction
- Can be used for hot and cold smoking
- Can be used for any type of grill
- Compact, lightweight, and portable
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Few users complain that it doesn’t last until 12 hours as claimed
What is Cold Smoking?
Cold smoking is a technique you can use to add flavor, color, or preserve your food without cooking it. It’s a technique that not a lot of people practice because it can be challenging. But it’s a very effective technique to enhance flavors on various foods.
Before you start cold smoking, you will first need to cure the food to get rid of any moisture, as this may cause bacterial growth. After that, expose the food in the smoke to add or enhance the food’s flavor and also preserve it.
The Difference Between Hot and Cold Smoke
Cold smoking, as mentioned above, is a technique more commonly used to preserve food. Food is first cured before being exposed to heat, but temperatures should always be under 90 °F .
Hot smoking, on the other hand, is more commonly done than cold smoking. With this technique, you use higher temperatures of 225 °F to 250 °F to cook your food and give it flavor.
This technique also doesn’t need curing beforehand because you kill the bacteria and other harmful pathogens with the high temperatures. But if you wish to marinate or cure to bring more flavor, that’s no problem, either.
What Foods Can You Cold Smoke?
You can cold smoke a variety of foods. However, it’s highly recommended to cold smoke food according to your cold smoking ability.
If this is your first time trying cold smoking, it’s highly recommended to start with the easier ones:
- Cheese
- Nuts
- Vegetables and Fruits
- Tofu
There are many techniques and guides you can find on the internet on how to cold smoke each of these. And once you master this and want to do something more challenging, you can try:
- Cuts of beef
- Country hams
- Bacon
- Sausages
- Fish
Another crucial thing you should know is the type of wood to use. Hardwoods are highly recommended, and try to experiment on what flavors would work best on what you’re cold smoking. You can also try mixing them for a unique flavor.
The Dangers of Cold Smoking
Please note that there are a number of serious health concerns that can occur from cold smoking food. We do not recommended to cold smoke any food, if you are not a trained professional.
However if you’re a beginner at cold smoking, it’s best not to start with fish and meat. It’s very risky as you’re not cooking the food. You’re operating on low temperatures that are not hot enough to kill any bacteria.
Curing is necessary because the salt somehow helps inhibit the bacteria, but it doesn’t kill them. Also, this allows moisture to come out so that no more bacteria can grow. So, if the cold smoking process is not done correctly, you can potentially die because of botulism, a bacterial infection caused by eating raw meat.
Again we can not stress this enough if you are not trained professional you should not be cold smoking any food.
What is the Best Temperature for Cold Smoking?
Cold smoking used very low temperatures of no more than 90 °F. If you’re cold smoking meat, seafood, and dairy, 50-80 °F would be the best choice.
Our Verdict
Cold smoking is very challenging, and carries a number of serious of health risks. This is why if you’re going to do this, you should not only be a trained professional but also be accompanied by a top quality product.
After considering many factors such as versatility, performance, and quality, we found the Smoke Daddy Big Kahuna Cold Smoke Generator the best out of the five other products.
It also provides a dual purpose as you can hot smoke or cold smoke using it. It has a large fuel capacity that allows you to smoke for 3-4 hours. It can also be used on any grills and smokers, which is not a hassle for many grill owners.
So, if you’re looking for something that can provide superior cold smoking performance, this is worth buying.
