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Wide Open Spaces

The 3 Best Bullet Smokers for Wild Turkey & More

Editor's Note: Products featured on Wide Open Spaces are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

These bullet smokers are going to get you eager to marinate your game.

It's time to pull your wild game out of the freezer. Some people like to make slow cooker recipes with wild turkey, but nothing compares to smoked turkey. Ditch the slow cooker recipes and get to smoking. Bullet Smokers are unmatched in the grilling department, and happy customers use it every year. If you're looking for a small-scale smoker, these are perfect for you.

Please, don't go throwing your turkey in the air fryer. And while it may be tempting to just use the oven again, you'll be glad you used a smoker instead. We're big fans of smoked turkey, and you'll soon see why.

Now is the perfect time to get a smoker. Turkey is a holiday staple - whether it's for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve dinner, turkey is expected. Of course, you can smoke all sorts of meats, but nothing beats smoked turkey.

Grab this as a gift for Dad, Mom, your husband, or for anyone who loves to cook! These portable smokers will come in handy for summer barbecues, camping trips, tailgates, and all kinds of celebrations.

1. Our Favorite for Travel

Masterbuilt Charcoal Bullet Smoker - Walmart, $127.97

  • Two smoking racks
  • Porcelain-coated charcoal pan
  • Water bowl

The Masterbuilt Charcoal Bullet Smoker has 395.4 square inches of cooking space, leaving you with plenty of room for all of your tasty food. If you have a negative experience with adding charcoal in your previous smokers, you won't be disappointed with Masterbuilt. There's a front-access door for easy charcoal loading. It doesn't get better than that. Customers are praising this smoker for its built-in thermometer. Cooking temperature is crucial when it comes to smoking. The easy-to-read temperature control system is also a win. Many people are comparing the charcoal smoker to Weber's Smokey Mountain Smoker. Masterbuilt has it beat out by price.

2. Best Splurge for Ample Cooking Space

Weber 18" Smokey Mountain Cooker Smoker - Walmart, $419

  • Porcelain-enameled bowl
  • Built-in lid thermometer
  • Cookbook

This smoker has a large cooking surface! With 481 square inches of cooking area, you can barbecue ribs and turkey at the same time! Wow. And best of all, you can refuel fire from wood chips as many times as you'd like without losing smoke. The heavy-duty cooking grates are what wins over a lot of outdoorsmen.

3. A Top Pick Under $200

Char-Broil 18202075 16" Bullet Smoker - Walmart, $183.98

  • Removable ash pan
  • 2 porcelain coated cooking grates
  • 388 square inches of cooking space

Another top-contender is from Char-Broil. Their bullet smoker is a favorite for novice and veteran grillmasters. It's only 16 inches tall, making it the perfect size for traveling, however it's twice as heavy as the Masterbuilt option. Although, there are plenty of specs worth every penny. The removable ashtray is a plus, along with the top-notch airflow system. (This will help maintain cooking temperatures.) A customer left a five-star review and said, "Keeps a constant temp going for smoking." This budget-friendly smoker is under $200 and has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.

This post was originally published in 2020.