Best smoke generator?

[Azone]

After a few years of procrastinating (three kids later) I'm finally getting around to building my new electric smoker. My old Master Built is set for retirement as soon as the new one is completed. I have a good game plan on everything, but the one thing I cant make my mind up on is what style of smoke generator to run.
I would like to be able to use everything from sawdust to chips or even small chunks of wood, pretty much whatever I can get my hands on. I plan on using this smoker for cold smoking and hot smoking so temp control is important.
I've been kicking around getting a Smoke Daddy or an A-MAZE-N, but I have no experience using one.
If any of you folks have been down this road or have any suggestions I would appreciate some feedback. I work in and have access to a fabrication shop for this build so I'm definitely open to whatever homemade ideas some of you backyard engineers might be willing to share.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Michael54]

Propane will give you the easiest temperature control. Im a fan of the wood chips myself. Ive been thinking of getting one of those tubes that holds wood chips. Ive tried the pellets and those compressed pucks and it doesn't give me the same flavor as the chips do IMO. I only hot smoke stuff though. Ive never tried a cold smoke.

 

[MeatBuck]

I tossed an oven style element in a 50s fridge unit. Thing has a temp control dial on the cord much like a crockpot. I used metal flashing/ducting tape on any openings or holes and just let the heat vent out around the door since the seal is 30+ years gone. Pretty stable temps when door is left shut.
Gonna follow this thread as getting good smoke has been an issue for me in my build. Was putting cookie sheet of chips directly on the element but results were poor at best.

 

[Michael54]

I tossed an oven style element in a 50s fridge unit. Thing has a temp control dial on the cord much like a crockpot. I used metal flashing/ducting tape on any openings or holes and just let the heat vent out around the door since the seal is 30+ years gone. Pretty stable temps when door is left shut.
Gonna follow this thread as getting good smoke has been an issue for me in my build. Was putting cookie sheet of chips directly on the element but results were poor at best.

Try torching your chips to where they are smoking beforehand and then put them in. It helps.

 

[jmez]

Masterbuilt makes a small smoke generator. Works really well. Generates a lot of smoke and doesn't affect the temp in the smoker.

 

[Stalker69]

I use a smoke daddy, but I use it on a tragger. I don’t think it would be big enough in a refrig. But they do make a bigger one, I would get the biggest they make. You do have to baby sit them though.

 

[huntingfishingarchery]

I really like the a-maze-smoke generator. They work very well and you can get up to 10+ hours of smoke if you want. I found that microwaving the pelets for 5 minutes ahead of time helps a ton.

I also built an old refrigerator smoker with electric elements similar to MeatBuck. I added the heatermeter control with mod for electric control its incredible for precise control of temps.

 

[huntingfishingarchery]

I really like the a-maze-smoke generator. They work very well and you can get up to 10+ hours of smoke if you want. I found that microwaving the pelets for 5 minutes ahead of time helps a ton.

I also built an old refrigerator smoker with electric elements similar to MeatBuck. I added the heatermeter control with mod for electric control its incredible for precise control of temps.

Also you can light on both ends to increase smoke output if needed.

 

[huntingfishingarchery]

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[Azone]

I really like the a-maze-smoke generator. They work very well and you can get up to 10+ hours of smoke if you want. I found that microwaving the pelets for 5 minutes ahead of time helps a ton.

I also built an old refrigerator smoker with electric elements similar to MeatBuck. I added the heatermeter control with mod for electric control its incredible for precise control of temps.

Which model are you using?

 

[huntingfishingarchery]

Which model are you using?

I use the 5x8 maze and primarily run pellets. But have used sawdust as well

 

[Incahoots]

Love my A-MAZE-N. Have the tray but thinking about getting the tube also

 

[Stalker69]

The thing with pellets is it don’t give you the true “ smoke” flavor that chunk fruit wood does. Almost all pellets are oak saw dust compressed with a flavor additive added. The tragger is great but the smoke daddy ( true chunk wood) makes it soooooo much better. Pellets have an off taste if yo ask me, it’s not bad, but it’s not completely right.