Why We Build American- Made Smokers

When I first got serious about barbecue, I didn’t have some fancy American-made pit sitting in my backyard. Like a lot of folks, I started out with a cheap big-box store smoker. On the surface, it looked the part: offset firebox, shiny paint, and enough space for a few racks of ribs. But it didn’t take long to realize that looks and performance aren’t the same thing.

That first smoker taught me something the hard way—thin metal and sloppy construction make for a long day of babysitting your fire. The heat leaked out, the firebox warped after a handful of cooks, and the smoke never flowed right. I spent more time adjusting dampers and chasing the right temperature than actually enjoying the process. Sure, I still managed to turn out some decent barbecue, but it always felt like I was fighting my equipment instead of working with it.

Fast forward to when I finally saved up enough to buy a real American-made smoker. The difference was night and day. Thick steel that holds heat steady. Welds that are as clean as the first cut into a brisket. A firebox that burns smooth and clean without fighting back. I could focus on the cook, not on patching the weaknesses of my pit. And my food showed it.

That’s exactly why, when we started Superior Smokers, we made a promise to ourselves: every single smoker we build would be 100% American-made. Built by people who care about the craft. Designed for people who truly love to barbecue.

We build our smokers with heavy-gauge steel that lasts. We insulate our fireboxes so they perform in the dead of winter or the heat of summer. We design features like our Super Collector, Scoop, and auxiliary stack to keep heat distribution even across the entire cook chamber. These aren’t shortcuts, they’re what I wish I had when I was learning the ropes.

The truth is, most of the smokers you’ll find mass-produced overseas are built for one thing: to be cheap. Lightweight materials, thin fireboxes, sloppy airflow, and a focus on how it looks on a showroom floor rather than how it cooks in your backyard. They’re made for people who barbecue twice a year—not for those of us who live and breathe it.

American-made smokers outperform because they’re built by folks who understand barbecue. People who’ve been up at 4 a.m. adding splits to the firebox. Who know what it feels like to work for that perfect smoke ring. Who care enough to build something that’ll last you a lifetime, not just a couple of seasons.

And beyond the craftsmanship, buying American-made means something bigger. It means supporting jobs in our local communities. It means giving American welders, fabricators, and craftsmen the ability to keep making a living doing what they love. And it means preserving the kind of quality that built the barbecue world we all love today.

At the end of the day, the smoke tells the story. I’ll put an American-made smoker up against anything on the market—and I know it’ll hold its own every single time.

If you’re ready to stop fighting your smoker and start focusing on your barbecue, take a look at The Evolution. It’s the smoker I wish I had when I started. And it’s proudly built right here in the USA.