How It Works

Cookers ship free

Thousands of 5-Star Reviews

Grill Now, Pay Later

Cookers ship free

Thousands of 5-Star Reviews

Grill Now, Pay Later

Cookers ship free

Thousands of 5-Star Reviews

Grill Now, Pay Later

how it works?

The Pit Barrel® Cooker Explained

Want to know how it works? Check out this video and learn about the Pit Barrel® Cooker!

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WHAT THE EXPERTS THINK

5/5

2300+ Reviews

Perfect for Our Family

This is my second PBC. We sold the first one when we sold our house. After the move, I immediately regretted it and my wife urged me to purchase another. I opted for the 14" compact as our new home had limited outdoor space for a smoker.It still amazes me how much you can do with one of these. Our friends rave over the charcoal flavor. I can cook two racks of baby backs and a whole chicken in one go. Easy!My only wish is a better way to BBQ over the charcoal (burgers and steaks). I place one of the grilling racks in the PBC then place the charcoal basket on top of that so it up high, near the meat for searing. I insert the two hanging bars and place the second grilling rack on top of those. That way I don't have to reach down 10" to flip a burger in a small space. It works...but perhaps the design could be tweaked a little to make searing over charcoal easier. Photo included to illustrate what I'm trying to describe.Otherwise LOVE the PBC and have recommended them to many friends and family. If something happens to mine tomorrow, I will order a replacement same day!

I IM.

verified buyer

14" Pit Barrel® Cooker Junior

$329.99

Absolutely Incredible!!!

First cook on the Pit Barrel Cooker. Best chicken and ribs of my life. Hung over charcoal and smoked with a blend of hickory and cherrywood chips.I’ve never smoked a single piece of meat in my entire life, but this thing made it stupid easy. This is insane. The food was so good it didn’t taste real. Like, it was so good, that it shouldn’t be possible for me to make food that good at home by myself. And I’m a pretty good cook normally. I've never smoked anything before, so I'm just blown away by how good everything turned out.

Adam M.

verified buyer

18.5" Classic Pit Barrel® Cooker

$429.99

MY PBX

I absolutely love my PBX! Ive had my Standard 18. 5 Pit Barrel for several years and for all those years it has been my Favorite smoker . I have 5 of them . 2 Oklahoma Joe’s , 1 Vision Kamado and my 2 Pit Barrels. I’m getting rid of all the others because of the ease of use and smaller footprint of my Barrels . My smaller one needs some work so I bought the Big one and at a lesser price than the others . It seemed like a no brainer to me . Thank you Pit Barrel for a great product and the MANY amazing cooks and experiences we’ve had with you . I highly recommend this amazing product!!!!

Greg D.

verified buyer

22.5" PBX

$599.99

Watch And Shop

18.5" Classic Pit Barrel® Cooker

$429.99

Hinged Grate

$25.99

Custom Fit Cover

$37.99

3-Hanger Value Pack

$36.99

How It Works
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Frequently asked questions

  • Yes, the Pit Barrel Cooker is widely considered one of the best values in BBQ smokers, with hundreds of thousands of owners and consistent five-star reviews across major retailers. The simple design, lifetime durability, and ease of use mean most owners cook restaurant-quality BBQ on their first attempt and use the cooker for years. For most buyers comparing options under $1,000, it delivers more performance per dollar than nearly any other charcoal smoker on the market.

  • Pit Barrel Cookers range from approximately $329 for the 14 inch Pit Barrel Junior to around $600 for the 22.5 inch PBX Cooker, with the flagship 18.5 inch Pit Barrel Cooker priced in the middle of the lineup. All cookers qualify for free domestic shipping on orders over $99.99.

  • Most buyers should choose the 18.5 inch Pit Barrel Cooker, which feeds 10 to 20 people and handles every standard BBQ application from ribs to brisket to whole turkey. Choose the 14 inch Pit Barrel Junior for couples, small patios, or tailgating. Choose the 22.5 inch PBX Cooker for large gatherings, catering, or competition use. The 16.5 inch Badger Barrel is a strong mid-size option.

  • Yes, the Pit Barrel Cooker is one of the most beginner-friendly smokers available. There is no temperature dial, no water pan, and no fire-tending required during a cook. Most first-time owners produce restaurant-quality ribs and pulled pork on their very first cook, which is virtually unheard of with traditional charcoal smokers.

  • The Pit Barrel Cooker is simpler, faster to set up, and more forgiving than offset smokers, kamados, or traditional bullet smokers like the Weber Smokey Mountain. Compared to pellet smokers, it produces more authentic charcoal smoke flavor and does not require electricity. The vertical hanging design also delivers more capacity per square foot of footprint than most competitors.

  • You can cook nearly anything on a Pit Barrel Cooker, including ribs, brisket, pork shoulder, whole chicken, turkey, sausages, jerky, vegetables, seafood, and grilled items like steaks and burgers. The hanging system is especially well suited to ribs, whole birds, and jerky, while the included grill grate handles traditional grilling for steaks and burgers.

  • The 18.5 inch Pit Barrel Cooker comfortably feeds 10 to 20 people per cook. The 14 inch Pit Barrel Junior feeds 4 to 8 people. The 22.5 inch PBX Cooker feeds 20 to 40 people. The 16.5 inch Badger Barrel feeds 8 to 14 people.

  • Yes, every Pit Barrel Cooker comes with a manufacturer warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship for one year

  • With basic care, a Pit Barrel Cooker lasts well over a decade. The porcelain enamel coating resists rust and weather damage, and the simple design has very few parts that can wear out. Many original owners are still using their Pit Barrel Cookers from 10 plus years ago.

  • You can buy a Pit Barrel Cooker directly from PitBarrelCooker.com with free shipping on orders over $99.99, or through authorized dealers nationwide. Use the Find a Dealer page on the website to locate a local retailer. The Pit Barrel Cooker is also available on Amazon

  • Yes, Pit Barrel Cooker offers free domestic shipping on orders over $99.99. All cookers qualify for free shipping when ordered directly from PitBarrelCooker.com.

  • Every Pit Barrel Cooker ships with everything needed to start cooking, including the cooker, charcoal basket, steel hanging rods, stainless steel meat hooks, a grill grate, a wooden hook remover, and a starter rub. No additional accessories are required for a first cook.

  • Most owners successfully cook their first meal on a Pit Barrel Cooker within an hour of unboxing. There is essentially no learning curve because the cooker self-regulates temperature and there is no need to adjust dampers, manage water pans, or babysit the fire. The Award Winning Ribs recipe has been used by over 100,000 first-time cooks.

  • Yes, the Pit Barrel Cooker cooks excellent brisket and is one of the easier smokers to use for first-time brisket attempts. The 18.5 inch Pit Barrel Cooker accommodates 2-3 full packer briskets up to approximately 14 to 16 pounds, hung vertically for even cooking. The natural drip flavor adds richness that is hard to replicate on horizontal smokers.

  • Yes, the Pit Barrel Cooker is one of the best smokers for whole turkey thanks to the vertical hanging design. The bird hangs, allowing fat to self-baste the meat and gravity to keep the breast moist. The 18.5 inch Pit Barrel Cooker fits (2) whole turkeys up to approximately 16 pounds with the use of the Stainless Steel Poultry Hangers.

  • No, Pit Barrel Cookers are coated in a porcelain enamel finish specifically engineered to resist rust and high heat. With basic care including covering the cooker when not in use, the finish lasts for years even in humid or coastal climates.

  • No, the Pit Barrel Cooker is designed for set-and-forget cooking. Once lit, the cooker holds a steady temperature for 6 to 8 hours without manual adjustment. Most cooks require zero intervention from the cook until the food is ready, which is the primary reason busy people and beginners choose the Pit Barrel over more demanding smokers.

  • Yes, the Pit Barrel Cooker performs well year-round including in cold weather. The sealed steel construction holds heat efficiently, and the vertical orientation makes it less affected by wind than horizontal smokers. Cold weather may extend cook times slightly but does not impact quality.

  • A Pit Barrel Cooker is professionally manufactured from new food-safe materials with a porcelain enamel coating, comes ready to cook, includes a warranty, and ships in days. Building an Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS) requires sourcing a 55 gallon drum of unknown chemical history, welding skills, paint, parts, and significant time, with no guarantee of food safety or performance. For most buyers, the Pit Barrel is a better value once you account for time, risk, and quality.