Simplicity: boon or bane? While some corporations take excellent pains to keep entry-level devices simple and inexpensive, others begin to diminish the user-experience beyond repair. Weber intends to head down this track with the Smoque (pronounced “smoke”), luring would-be pellet grillers with promises of predictable performance and smart features at a price below their Searwood series. Does it deliver? The Smoque remains on the cusp of offering just the right amount of power to seduce both amateur grills and master pitmen. The value proposition, however, ain’t so smoky as it used to be.
Weber/Engadget
Weber Smoque
This entry-level Weber brand smart pellet grill gives you quality barbecue that doesn’t cost an arm and leg. The Weber is a hardworking grill with easy-to-operate technology and simple grilling basics that both seasoned pitmasters and backyard grillers will find easy to accept.
Pros
- Simple controls
- Reliable performance
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- New cook chamber design
Cons
- No storage without upgrades
- SmokeBoost only works at 180 degrees
- No fuel monitoring
$799 at Weber
Basic, functional design
Perfectly fine as a quick description of Smoque, the improper sizing might suggest Searwood’s compact cousin. Sporting one knob control similar to Searwood, this grill gives an even more simplified interface for pitmasters who want precision without fuss. Unlike its competitors, it is equipped with an easily readable LCD, displaying at one time grill temperature, food probe readings, or timer, forcing the pitmaster into an hourglass mode while reading.
That’s one of those “don’t fall on your sword” situations when it comes to the Weber Connect app, but do keep in mind what’s shown on the screen if you’re watching the cook-out from afar. Weber is counting on those bare-bones controls to push you toward the app – nice thinking, especially since the Smoque excels at smoking and roasting, not searing. I’ll touch on that again in a little while.
Below close tinder grates, Smoque and Searwood regale two utterly different stories. Weber traded away their iconic Flavorizer bars in favor of a common pellet grill grease sheet. Searwood sports a single wide bar while Weber’s gas grills and SmokeFire have several bars running lengthwise front to back. Instead of a solid sheet to catch grease, Weber opted instead for vented covers acting almost like miniature Flavorizer bars, providing a faint hint of flavor as the drippings sizzle away. The vents assist in drafting, so smoke circulates efficiently inside the cooking chamber.
Smart grilling features
Billy Steele for Engadget
Picture it: Hours into a brisket smoke, and the thick aromas are intoxicating. Suddenly, panic! Pellets running low? Or is it carpool chaos calling your name? Fear not, pitmaster! Weber Connect, the brain of the smart pellet grills by Weber, had your back with the Smoque, too.
Your grill is actually able to whisper sweet nothings (temperature updates, that is) to your phone via the Wi-Fi connection. In this way, you can monitor the ambient grill temp or the internal temp of your precious cut from anywhere. Low on pellets? Temperature spike? Time for kid’s soccer practice? Doesn’t matter!
You can set timers, pump up the SmokeBoost, get an alert at a perfect temperature, and even start cooling down on your phone with the weird connect app. So go ahead! Run errands, pick up the kids, and relax, knowing that your Smoque and brisket are being taken care of.
The Weber Connect app is really like a digital sous chef, filled with recipes that detail step-by-step guidance. Toss the guesswork out; alerts given at perfect times by the app will ensure you’ll never incinerate that investment-worthy steak again. Since 2020 until recently, such smart features were always a Weber standout, but they went so far as to transform the grilling landscape. Weber Connect can now compete with, and maybe even dethrone, Traeger’s WiFire technology, which I used to unanimously call first.
Cooking with Smoque
Backyard barbeque breakage anxieties? Not to think of it! The Smoque is not only reliable but also a temperature-taming beast. Weber claims sub-15-minute preheat times, which is actually an understatement. This grill will rocket to your set-point in less time than it takes to say “low and slow.” Every cook is like a magic trick-they’re prepped in a blink. With thanks to the Rapid React controller, inherited from Searwood, for boasts-fast preheat and recovery time. Say goodbye to temperature tantrums and hello to good, smoky consistency.
Smoque provided excellent temperature control. The temperature graphs of Weber Connect plainly demonstrate the fact: the ambient grill temperature remained almost perfectly straight. There was a slight dip with the opening of the lid; however, the graph shoots right back up because the Smoque cools at lightning speed to the temperature set.
Weber Smoque cooking results
A nice, uniform smoke ring on baby back ribs.
SmokeBoost works at the same low temps of 180°F, much analogous to the searing function in the Searwood. If you enjoyed the extra layer of smoky flavor, take it as the warm-up. Brisket and pork shoulder fans want to steak and stagger for an hour or two low and slow before firing up the temps. The real thing to remember is not to overthink it. Smoque offers that wood-fired music to your ears already. My ribs, pork butt, and wings-they were all singing smoky tunes, even the chicken kabobs cooked at higher temps! Let the pellets do their thing; forget about the boost.
The Smoque pellet grill keeps it simple, but this means some bells and whistles have had to go. Remember the Searwood’s manual mode? That was the feature that let your inner grill master go wild by searing steaks with the lid open, or cooking up breakfast on a flat-top. In its quest to be cheap and easy to use, Smoque hadn’t considered that level of versatility. So while flame-grilling the burgers is out of the question, you can look forward to nicely set-it-time-and-walk-away cooking.
The competition
Ciao to sky-high pricing! Weber and Traeger are launching the smart grill hue in 2025 with another surprising price point below $1,000. While the earlier models burned one’s pockets, the first affordable options of around $800 are now being served by these companies. Remember the hue about the $699 Smoque? Well, Traeger’s Woodridge, originally going for less, is now $900 if ever not on sale. Blame it on a global economy; even grilling must get the price hike.
The Traeger’s Woodridge are just about the best-smoked meats in the world. The issue, however, is the one of having a steady temperature: here, Weber basked in uninterrupted consistency. So, Weber wins an almost slight advantage in a head-to-head duel. The current $100 discount on the Smoque could certainly go a long way toward buying you more accoutrements to fuel your grilling passion.
Wrap-up
Forget compromise. One proves that with Weber’s Smoque, you do not necessarily need a tricked-out behemoth. This intelligent smoker-grill combination can smoke and roast exceptionally well, and all through Weber’s very intuitive app, for a price that undercuts the bulkier sibling, the Searwood. Want to stretch your legs? The Smoque is offered in multiple sizes, so there is a model for even the biggest of dinners, although the 594 square-inch tested model feels somewhat cramped. After the success of the Searwood last year, the Smoque by Weber shows that this is not a one-trick pony. The best thing is that it does amazing things without emptying your wallet.
The news: Heads up, grill masters! Weber has now unleashed its Smoque, a brand-new smoking installation promising pit boss-level results. The 22-inch version will be shipping to retailersnow, and you may order yours directly from the company in early June for $799. If you want to go really big, the 36-inch giant will drop for down $999 in mid-summer. Time to seriously cook some smoky foods!
Weber Smoque review
A removable top grate is handy for keeping food further away from the heat.
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