The merger of technology and food has led to entirely new dishes and presentations using one of the most primordial ingredients: smoke. Think about it. Ever patronized a slick new bar where your Manhattan comes resting beneath a smoky mist clinging to the glass? Or visited a white tablecloth restaurant where a waiter removes a cloche to reveal your dry-aged steak enveloped in the stuff? To achieve those results at home, use a smoking gun.
The best of these small, nimble tools allow you to get those same impressive effects (and flavors!) into just about any dish or cocktail. It might seem extraneous at first glance, but it provides so much flexibility. The lack of a grill will never again prevent you from making ribs with that unmistakable wood-fired flavor.
Smoking guns tend to be an investment, so picking the right model has some increased stakes. That’s why we’ve taken the time to round up our four favorite models available on Amazon.
1. Breville Polyscience Smoking Gun
As good as anything the pros use, Breville’s smoking gun has an elegant anodized aluminum smoking chamber that produces cold smoke suitable for any food or drink. Able to smoke everything from fine wood chips to teas, it creates countless options for flavoring food which can penetrate especially well thanks to a powerful fan. Plus, a stand means that you can give your hands a break as you go about cooking. Try filling a shaker with smoke before mixing to impart a distinct flavor worthy of the best cocktail lounge.
Pros: The heavy-duty metal blower allows the smoke to cover food and cocktails completely.
Cons: It’s the priciest option on our list.
Courtesy of Amazon
2. MITBAK Portable Smoking Gun
Want to create intense barbecue flavor without igniting the fire pit? Let MITBAK’s device do the work in seconds. Complete with a clear dome that allows the smoke to penetrate more deeply, it also comes with wood chips and three different speed settings. Featuring a cordless design, it runs on a long-lasting lithium-ion battery that quickly recharges so you can take this tool around your kitchen without the need of plugging it in over and over again. Simply ignite whatever material is in the hopper to get cooking.
Pros: The handle has a comfortable ergonomic design.
Cons: Not every cook will want the additional components.
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3. Breville Smoking Gun
Constructed with a solid base, Breville’s smoker has a silicone extender that’s perfect for infusing smoke into the bottom of long-stemmed glasses. Its dual-speed action means you have great control over its smoke output and the removable burn chamber allows you to swiftly clean it. Sneak the nozzle beneath a domed lid to create a stellar presentation when you unveil a completed drinks flight.
Pros: Easily disassembles without tools for cleaning.
Cons: It only has two speeds.
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4. Homia Smoking Gun
Homia’s smoking gun has everything a serious foodie could need—from a glass dome to a smoking ball to a cleaning brush, it’s all there. Its large smoking hopper easily stores the wood chips of your choice and five extra mesh make it easy to replace parts once they’ve worn through. Use this model to give a juicy T-bone a boost of flavor or take the specially designed flat lid to infuse smoke over your favorite cocktail.
Pros: Features unique add-ons like a smoking bowl not included with any of our other picks.
Cons: This model takes up more counter space than other models on our list.
Courtesy of Amazon
