Smokeslinger Full-Size Review: The Swiss Army Knife of Smokers

What’s going on, everybody? I’ve been waiting a long time to get my hands on the Smokeslinger Full-Size, and let me tell you — this thing checks a lot of boxes. It’s built like a tank, looks incredible, and can handle just about any kind of cook you throw at it.

After selling one of my offset smokers to make room for it (yeah, that was tough), I finally got this beast delivered. Since then, I’ve uncrated it, seasoned it, and spent some solid time exploring all its features. If you’re curious about how it performs and what makes it special, this review breaks it all down.

Unboxing and Setup

Anyone who’s ever bought a big smoker knows the hardest part is often just getting it off the crate. The Smokeslinger ships bolted to a heavy wooden pallet with four caster brackets — two locking swivel casters up front and two straight casters in the back.

I removed the top and bottom bolts on each bracket, locked the casters, and rolled it off slowly. Frank from Smokeslinger (check out his channel on YouTube and Instagram — he’s a great resource) recommended rolling it caster-side first so the rear wheels follow naturally. Worked like a charm.

If you’re doing it solo like I did, install the handles and vent knobs first so the doors don’t swing open when you move it. Once it was off the crate, I used a few boards to roll it across my lawn and onto the patio without issue. For how heavy it is, the balance is really good.

Pro tip: Keep the front casters locked while you remove each bracket so the pit doesn’t drift.

Build Quality and First Impressions

The first thing you notice with the Smokeslinger is the craftsmanship. The welds are clean, the finish is even, and everything feels solid. This isn’t thin-sheet metal — it’s heavy-gauge steel meant to last.

I added the upgraded planchas (around $300 for the set). These are large flat-top griddles with grease channels, perfect for breakfast, smash burgers, or veggies. You basically get a built-in Blackstone without needing an extra grill.

Smokeslinger also switched to bar-style cooking grates, a big step up from expanded metal. They’re sturdier, easier to clean, and give better sear marks. You get two full-size cooking racks — a lower and an upper — which effectively doubles your cooking area. Ribs, briskets, pork butts, mixed proteins — load it up without playing Tetris.

Design and Layout

Inside the cook chamber, the layout is all about flexibility. Each side has its own fire basket and vent controls, and you get removable deflector plates to run multiple cooking styles.

There are vents on both sides, giving you control over airflow direction — push smoke across the chamber, vent evenly for grilling, or isolate one side as a cooler zone. You can treat it like an offset, a reverse-flow, or a dual-zone grill depending on how you set it up.

Cooking Configurations

Here’s where the Smokeslinger earns its “Swiss Army knife” title — you can run this thing in just about any configuration you can imagine.

Reverse Flow

Close off the side vents, fire up one basket under the deflector plates, and you’ve got true reverse-flow smoking with even heat and consistent smoke across the food.

Standard Offset Flow

Prefer classic offset vibes? Start your fire on the opposite side, open the vents, and let the heat/smoke travel directly across your food and out the other end. It’s all about where you position the baskets and which vents you open.

Direct Heat Grilling

Pull the deflector plates and you’ve got an open grill setup. Cook burgers, chicken, or steaks directly over the coals. For a reverse sear, smoke steaks on the cooler side, then slide the fire basket under the grate and finish hot — no teardown required.

Hybrid Cooking

My favorite: one side indirect (plates in), the other direct. Smoke ribs or pork on one side while grilling veggies or searing steaks on the other. With vents dialed in, you can see up to a 150°F temperature difference between sides.

Fire Baskets and Drawers

The dual sliding fire baskets are one of the smartest features. Each basket slides out independently and includes a removable ash tray underneath.

Adding fuel mid-cook on many pits is a pain. Here, you pull the basket, add charcoal or wood, and slide it back without removing food or disrupting airflow. You can even pull one basket completely and run a full offset setup with fire on one side only. Clean, flexible, and a big reason I bought it.

Airflow and Vent Control

Both sides have adjustable intake and exhaust vents so you can fine-tune temps and smoke. Crack the intakes for steady low-and-slow; open everything up for hot-and-fast or hard sears. The side vents let you choose between cross-chamber smoke for smoking or even venting for grill mode.

Seasoning the Smoker

Before the first cook, season it properly:

• Exterior: Thin coat of boiled linseed oil (protects and darkens). Only use on the outside — it’s not food-safe.
• Interior: Light coat of a high-heat, food-safe oil (I used Pam; avocado oil also works).

Run the pit at about 400–450°F for 2 hours to polymerize the oils. As it bakes in, the shiny look settles into a durable matte patina.

Safety note: Don’t wad up linseed-oil rags — they can self-ignite. Lay them flat to dry outside or seal in a metal can.

Heat Performance and Cooking Feel

The Smokeslinger comes up to temp quickly and holds steady once it’s dialed. The flat lid throws a bit more radiant heat from above than a rounded barrel or Kamado dome. For long smokes like ribs or brisket, you may prefer the lower rack to avoid extra top-down heat; for chicken or steaks, the added radiant heat helps crisp and finish beautifully.

Between the radiant heat and adjustable airflow, you can shift from gentle convection to high-intensity grilling in one session — that’s the real magic here.

Ease of Use and Maintenance

• Fueling: Sliding baskets make mid-cook top-ups simple.
• Cleanup: Ash trays catch debris; bar grates lift out for quick scrubbing.
• Mobility: Heavy, but the casters glide; lock it down when parked.

Compared to my offsets or a Kamado, the Smokeslinger feels simpler day-to-day while offering more cooking flexibility.

Price and Value

At around $2,900 for the full-size when I picked it up (there’s also a single-chamber model), the value is strong. Comparable pits with this build and versatility can run much higher. It’s made to last, and you can tell as soon as you touch it.

Final Thoughts

After a few test burns and an early cook, I’m impressed. The Smokeslinger Full-Size isn’t just another smoker — it’s a serious piece of gear for people who love to cook.

It combines the precision of a modern design with the flavor and feel of traditional offset cooking. You can smoke low and slow, grill hot and fast, or do both at once without compromise.

If you want one pit that can actually smoke, reverse-flow, grill, and sear — and make it easy — this belongs on your shortlist.

Stay Tuned

I’ll be posting more videos and recipes soon featuring cooks on the Smokeslinger — different setup styles, wood choices, and full walkthroughs.

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