Simple devices can be a blessing or a curse. Sometimes companies streamline entry-level products to offer the best core features at a lower price. Other times they pair down the experience so much that it becomes a hindrance. With the Smoque (pronounced “smoke”), Weber wants to give prospective pellet grillers access to reliable performance and basic smart features for less money than its more versatile Searwood series. In the end, the company offers enough capabilities to appeal to beginners and expert backyard pitmasters alike, although the Smoque isn’t as much of a value as it was a few months ago.
Basic, functional design
The Smoque may look like a smaller Searwood on the outside, but there are a few noteworthy differences. First, this model has a simplified controller that, like its predecessor, is only operated with a single knob. The smaller LCD panel is easily read from a distance, and it can show grill temperature, food probe temperature and timer info. The catch is the limited real estate can only display one of those stats at a time.
This isn’t a problem if you’ve got the Weber Connect app handy, but you’ll want to be mindful of which item you leave on the screen if you’re planning to glance at the progress from across the deck. The company is actually hoping the limited onboard controls will encourage grillers to use the app on their phone more during the process. This isn’t a far-fetched scenario since the Smoque is more for smoking and roasting than high-heat cooking, but I’ll get to that in a bit.
The other main difference between the Smoque and the Searwood is underneath the cooking grates inside. Weber replaced its trademark Flavorizer bars with a grease sheet that’s typical in most pellet grills. The Searwood has one large bar stretching from side to side, while Weber’s gas grills and the SmokeFire have several of them going front to back. The company opted for vents instead of a solid sheet of metal, and their covers are basically mini Flavorizer bars. This means you still get the effect of infusing flavor back into foods when grease and juices hit the hot metal and sizzle, albeit on a smaller scale. And those vents facilitate better airflow around the cook chamber, which means efficient smoke circulation.
Smart grilling features
Billy Steele for Engadget
Weber Connect, a trademark feature of Weber’s smart pellet grills, is available on the Smoque via Wi-Fi. Once your grill syncs with your home network, the mobile software can be used to monitor ambient and food temperatures from anywhere. This is handy if you run out of pellets before your brisket is done or when it’s time to hit the school carpool line. You can set timers, activate SmokeBoost mode, add a temperature alert and initiate the shutdown process from the app, too.
For beginners, or for cooks just looking for inspiration, the Weber Connect app also provides a wealth of recipes. Those come with step-by-step instructions, and the software offers readiness alerts so you don’t overcook those pricey cuts of meat. All of these software features have been a staple of Weber’s smart grilling lineup since the debut of the platform in 2020. The company has greatly refined them in the years since, and Weber Connect is now just as handy and reliable as Traeger’s WiFire tech, which I previously considered the gold standard.
Cooking with Smoque
Speaking of reliability, the Smoque is a barbeque workhorse in the backyard. Weber promises preheat times of under 15 minutes on the grill, and that holds true. In fact, most of the time the Smoque will arrive at the desired temperature well before that. Every time I use it, I’m shocked by how quickly it preheats, recovers from the lid being open and adjusts to a higher temperature. This is all thanks to the Rapid React tech in the controller, an upgrade that first appeared on the Searwood.
During cooking sessions, the Smoque held its temperature reliability, too. The Weber Connect app has graphs for the various temperatures, and the ambient grill temperature trajectory is almost always a straight line. Sure, you’ll see the dips any time you open the lid, but you’ll also see the sharp incline that indicates how quickly the grill returned to the set temperature.
Like the Searwood, the SmokeBoost feature that’s designed to add more smoky flavor to your food only works at 180 degrees Fahrenheit. This is lower than you’d want to cook things like brisket or pork shoulders, so you have to plan additional cook time for the 1-2 hours at the lower setting. However, you don’t really need to use it all. The Smoque imparts plenty of wood-fired flavor from the pellets at the appropriate cooking temperatures. Ribs, pork butts, wings and chicken kabobs all had ample smokiness during my tests — even though the latter two items cooked at higher temperatures without using SmokeBoost first.
A useful feature you’ll need to decide if you can live without on the Smoque is manual mode. Weber introduced this on the Searwood and the tool allows you to cook with the lid open for things like direct-flame searing and flat-top griddling. It makes that pellet grill more versatile, undoubtedly, but we’re talking about a more affordable, more streamlined model with the Smoque. As a result, that’s not available here.
The competition
Both Weber and Trager have taken an interesting approach to their new smart grills in 2025. The companies have built options that are more affordable than previous devices, and the cheapest models from both of them start at $800. The Smoque was initially announced at $699, and Traeger now lists the Woodridge for $900 when it’s not on sale (it currently is). Given the current global economic predicament, it’s no surprise both companies have raised their prices since their January announcements.
Traeger’s Woodridge also excels at the basics and will help you churn out some deliciously smoked meats. However, the temperature fluctuates during cooking on that grill, so I give a slight edge to Weber in a head-to-head matchup for its rock-solid consistency. And given the fact that the Smoque is now $100 cheaper at full price, those savings could go towards additional accessories.
Wrap-up
With the Smoque, Weber proves that a basic grill doesn’t have to offer a subpar experience. This model offers reliable smoking and roasting performance with smart features in the company’s app for less than its more robust Searwood model. The Smoque is even available in two sizes, so there’s an option if you need more than the 594 square inches of cooking space on the unit I tested. Weber really hit its stride with pellet grills last year with the Searwood, and Smoque is proof the company has more compelling ideas in the hopper. Thankfully, this one saves you some money without sacrificing any of the culinary results.
Weber says the 22-inch Smoque is headed to retailers now and will be available on its website in early June for $799. The larger, 36-inch model is coming mid-summer for $999.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/weber-smoque-review-a-simplified-smart-grill-thats-still-a-workhorse-160023349.html?src=rss
