Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 22-Inch Charcoal Smoker
ELITE tier
The 22-inch Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker is the smoker Weber has refined and barely altered since 1981.
Origin
Made in USA
Warranty
10-year warranty on bowl, lid, and center ring against rust-through and burn-through; 5-year warranty on plastic components excluding fading; 2-year warranty on all other parts
Price
~$549 (Premium)
Community
Reddit r/BuyItForLife Approved
The porcelain-enameled steel construction is the same approach Weber pioneered for the original kettle in 1952, and the 22-inch body comfortably handles two full pork shoulders or a brisket and ribs simultaneously while holding 225°F all night on a single load of charcoal. Weber backs the bowl, lid, and center ring with a 10-year warranty against rust-through and burn-through — the only failure modes that actually matter on a smoker — and stocks every door, grate, thermometer, and damper as a replacement part for decades after purchase.
The aftermarket is even larger: gasket kits, fan controllers, and stack mods all install without modification. r/BuyItForLife treats the WSM as a settled question, with twenty-year-old units still in regular weekend rotation.
At approximately $549, cost-per-year over a conservative 25-year lifespan is $22. The Smokey Mountain is competition-grade equipment that ended up on countless suburban patios because nothing better exists at the price.