Bullet smokers explainedwater pans, who they suit and ugly drum smokers

A bullet smoker is a dustbin-shaped charcoal smoker with a water pan in the middle, and it's the family hatchback of the smoking world. It isn't glamorous, it won't impress the neighbours as much as a big offset, but it does the job reliably, fits in a small garden and is hard to get badly wrong.

How a bullet smoker works

From the bottom up, a bullet smoker has:

1. A charcoal bowl or ring at the base, with adjustable vents underneath.
2. A water pan sitting above the fire.
3. One or two cooking grates above the water pan.
4. A domed lid with a top vent.

On many designs, the middle section is a separate cylinder with a door on the side for adding charcoal and wood without lifting the lid. Heat and smoke rise from the coals, around the water pan and over the food, then out through the top vent. You control temperature by opening and closing the bottom vents, mostly leaving the top vent open.

Because the food sits directly above the fire but shielded by the water pan, a bullet behaves like a cross between a kettle set up for indirect cooking and a small vertical cabinet. It suits the classic cooks: pork shoulder, ribs, brisket and chicken.

What the water pan does

The water pan is the bullet's party trick and the reason it's so forgiving.

• It stabilises temperature. Water can only get so hot before it turns to steam, and evaporating it absorbs a lot of heat. That puts a soft ceiling on the temperature and smooths out spikes when the fire flares.
• It adds humidity. Moist air helps smoke stick to the surface of the meat and slows the drying of the outside during long cooks.
• It catches drips. Fat lands in the water instead of on the coals, so there are fewer flare-ups and less acrid smoke.

There are trade-offs. A full water pan makes it harder to get the smoker hot for chicken or turkey, and the humid air can soften bark and skin. Many cooks change what goes in the pan depending on the cook:

Top the pan up with hot water, not cold, on long cooks, or you'll knock the temperature down. Lining it with foil makes the clean-up much less grim.

Getting long cooks out of a bullet

The vertical layout suits the minion method: a ring full of unlit charcoal with a few lit coals tipped on top, so the fire slowly spreads and burns for many hours. Some cooks arrange the charcoal in a ring around the edge for a similar effect to the snake method. Done well, a decent bullet can run overnight without refuelling.

Wood chunks go in among the unlit charcoal so they catch at different times. A few chunks is plenty. Vent control is the main skill, and our guide to smoker temperature control covers it.

Who should buy a bullet smoker

Good fit:

• Someone stepping up from a kettle who wants a dedicated charcoal smoker without the price or footprint of a kamado or offset.
• Small gardens and patios. Bullets take up very little floor space for the cooking area you get; see smokers for small gardens.
• Cooks who want to learn charcoal fire management on something forgiving.

Probably skip it if:

• You want set-and-forget. A pellet grill or electric smoker suits you better.
• You often cook for big crowds. Bigger bullets exist, but an offset or large pellet grill gives more flat grate space.
• You want one cooker for everything, including fast, hot grilling. A kettle or kamado is more versatile.

If you're still weighing up the main types, our offset vs kamado vs pellet comparison and the smoker picker are good next stops.

Bullet vs other smokers at a glance

Ugly drum smokers

An ugly drum smoker, often shortened to UDS, is a DIY smoker built from a steel drum. A charcoal basket sits at the bottom, a grate sits near the top, a lid goes on, and air inlets drilled near the base control the fire. There's usually no water pan, so it runs drier and often a little hotter than a bullet. They have a loyal following because they're simple and cook surprisingly well.

They are also where a lot of people get hurt, so a clear warning:

• Never use a drum that has held chemicals, fuel, oil, solvents, paint or anything you can't identify. Residue can burn, release toxic fumes or contaminate food for a long time after the drum looks clean.
• Avoid drums with an internal lining. Many drums are coated inside with plastic or epoxy-type linings. Burning them off produces harmful fumes and is not something to do in a garden. If you can't be certain a drum is unlined bare steel, don't use it.
• No galvanised steel anywhere near the heat. Galvanised fittings and grates give off harmful zinc fumes when strongly heated.
• Only use a new or food-grade unlined drum from a source that can tell you exactly what was in it.

If you can't confirm the drum's history and that it's unlined, buy a bullet instead. It costs more than a free drum and a lot less than a trip to A&E.

For anyone who isn't already comfortable with metalwork, a shop-bought bullet smoker gives you nearly the same cooking for much less risk. Read our smoker buying checklist before you buy either.

If a bullet sounds right, run through the smoker picker to double-check it against your garden, budget and cooking habits.

FAQs

Do I have to use water in a bullet smoker?

No. Water gives the steadiest temperatures and suits beginners and long cooks. For hotter cooks like chicken, leave the pan empty and lined with foil, or use sand for a dry heat buffer.

How long will a bullet smoker run on one load of charcoal?

That depends on the size, the weather and how you set the fire up. With the minion or ring method, a well-sealed bullet can often manage a long overnight cook without refuelling.

Can I grill on a bullet smoker?

Some let you remove the middle section and use the base like a small kettle grill. It works, but a kettle or kamado is better for regular hot grilling.

Are ugly drum smokers safe?

They can be, but only when built from a clean, unlined steel drum that never held chemicals or fuel, with no galvanised parts near the heat. If you're unsure about the drum, don't use it.