It’s never crossed my mind that its possible to have a grill, smoker, and fire pit all in the one unit. Once I saw The Realcook Vertical Charcoal Smoker I was eager to see how it was received in the community. Here’s everything I found out about it, and I’ve compared it to my use of charcoal smokers, both budget and top of the line.
The name is Realcook, but we’ll be the judge of whether it cooks real. All jokes aside, let’s get into it!
What Is The Realcook Vertical Charcoal Smoker?
Why buy a separate grill, fire pit and smoker when you can have all three in the same unit? That’s what sets the Realcook Vertical 17 Inch Charcoal Smoker aside from other smokers on the market. Plus, I’ll be honest, this smoker has a much more attractive price tag than your standard run-of-the-mill bullet smoker.
This grill isn’t the most technologically advanced in the industry, but it has the fundamentals which make it a quality grill, smoker, or fire pit. Overall, it’s a great utility smoker that helps backyard grillers cook the perfect barbecue every time.
You can also get the Realcook Vertical 20 Inch Charcoal Smoker if you are looking for that little extra bit of space but still want the fundamental features of the 17 Inch model.
To start, light up your best lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes. If you want to use your Realcook Vertical Charcoal Smoker for low and slow smoking add a couple of your favorite wood chunks to impart that classic homestyle flavor. If you don’t feel like waiting for low and slow smoking, convert it into a grill, or even two grills to set up two separate stations, or treat it as a portable charcoal smoker.
To wrap up the night, you can convert this smoker into a fire pit for roasting brats, s’mores, and other campfire essentials, or just to up the atmosphere in your backyard. Having your smoker double as your fire pit is great for an easy clean-up, as you just empty the charcoal pan as you would normally. So good.
Realcook Vertical 17 Inch Charcoal Smoker Review
- Can be converted into four different pieces of equipment making it a highly unique addition to your backyard.
- Comes with two doors so you can check on your meat and add more charcoal while cooking easily.
- Offers over 450 inches of space for meat and vegetables.
- Made from sturdy materials like chrome plated stainless steel and porcelain.
- Can be difficult to control the temperature.
- Not an insulated as premium models.
- Doesn’t come with the most advanced features.
- Hinges on the grill that lock it together are a bit fiddly.
Specification Breakdown
- Dimensions: H 35” x L 17” x W 22”
- Weight: 18.55 lbs
- Fuel: Charcoal
- Cooking Space: Medium-Large
What Matters The Most
Ultimately, you can’t beat this grill for convenience, cost, and versatility. You can smoke, grill, roast, sear and bake your meat and even cook it over a fire pit. The capsule shape makes this grill easy to haul and transport. Unlike more advanced grills, this smoker weighs less than twenty pounds. It’s round and compact, making it easy to store in your garage or on your front porch.
A set of latches hold this smoker together. If you want to separate the smoker into two grills or convert it into a fire pit, all you have to do is unlock the latches and take the grill apart. The lack of fancy settings makes this grill easy to use, even if you’ve never smoked or barbecued meat before. To load more charcoal into the grill, all you have to do is open the bottom door without disturbing the meat at the top.
With over 450 square inches inside, you can cook just about anything with this smoker. If you’re feeding a large group, you can separate it into two grills to cook twice as much meat at once. This smoker is large enough to fit whole chickens, turkeys, racks of ribs, pizza and more. You can also cook traditional barbecue foods like steaks, brats and hamburgers as well as roast vegetables.
Our Concerns
While this smoker is affordable, versatile, and easy to use, it also has a few drawbacks. Some customers have noted that it’s difficult to control the temperature of their smoker. And it’s much harder to keep a steady temperature due to the lack of insulation. The temperature tends to rise while you smoke your meat, which could more easily oversmoke your meat if you’re not careful.
Most customers have reported that the grill is convenient and easy to use, but the smoker might not be the best choice for people who smoke large quantities of meat, or larger briskets or pork butts.
Others have noted that some pieces of equipment aren’t made from the best materials. Some customers have claimed that the grates and latches aren’t particularly strong and don’t hold up to repeated use. You might have to adjust or replace parts of this grill to get the best experience. This smoker probably isn’t the best choice for frequent grillers, but it’s good for people who only barbecue on a monthly basis.
Overall
The Realcook Vertical Smoker isn’t the toughest or fanciest smoker on the market, but it’s not a bad choice for your money. Taking both lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes, you won’t find many smokers that combine a smoker, two grills and a fire pit all in one. It’s a good choice for beginners who don’t need a fancy, elaborate grill and just need something that they can take on camping trips. You can’t load a massive grill into the back of your truck, but you can take this smoker just about anywhere.
While it has a compact design, this grill has enough room to tackle large amounts of meat and vegetables. You can cook meals for small groups as well as large gatherings. Latches secure both parts of this grill together, although some customers have reported that the latches are a little flimsy. With a convenient two-door design, you can add charcoal or check on your meat without interrupting the cooking process.
You might not get twenty years out of this smoker, like you might from a Weber Smokey Mountain, Masterbuilt smoker, or even a drum smoker, but you could try it out for a few summers and see if it works for you. Some people find this smoker easy to use because it doesn’t come with any unnecessary features. With a simple, streamlined design, you’ll be throwing meat on the grill in no time.
