A barbecue smoker can cost a couple hundred (if not a thousand) dollars. It is expensive, requires maintenance, and might not be used often enough to justify the price.
If you’re on a tight budget or don’t feel like buying a smoker yet, you can easily make your homemade backyard smoker with various items.
We’ve compiled a helpful guide that includes ten BBQ smokers you can make at home. I’ve also included recipes that work well with each unit.
Read on to find out what they are, what you’ll need, some basic skills you may require, and how to build them all!
Table of contents
Old Fridge Smoker
A cold smoker, also known as a smoking cabinet, is an extremely useful appliance to have at home. Unlike conventional smokers, cold smoking accomplishes a multitude of different tasks.
We have a simple DIY homemade cold smoker here. See below for the fridge cold smoker!
For example, it can smoke ham, cheese, jerky, and much more! You can use it as a warming rack to ensure your food remains warm. We’ve even tried baking a cake in one of these, and it works!
Materials You Will Need
- BBQ thermometer
- Bolts (6 mm)
- Iron rods
- Nuts and washers
- Old fridge
- Paint
- Silicone sealant
- Steel sheet
- Steep pipe (1 to 2 feet / 30 mm diameter)
- Wine corks
- Wooden slats
Tools needed
- Bench vice
- Circular cutter
- Coping saw
- Cordless drill
- Hammer
- Hacksaw
- Metal filer
- Screwdriver
- Sealant gun
- Tin snips
- Utility knife
Basic Skills Needed
You’ll need to know how to use a drill, saw, and metal filer.
Guide to Building It
Before you do anything, you’ll want to ensure the entire fridge is clean inside and out.
Next, you’ll need to decide on the number and length of the shelves you install inside.
Then, you’ll need to cut the metal rods to the appropriate size. Then, you’ll want to make and install the chimney pipe, letting the smoke stream escape. You’ll need to cover up any unwanted openings with sealant and ensure the fridge is fireproof.
For your convenience, you might also want to attach a temperature gauge.
Click here to view the full step-by-step guide to building your cold smoker out of an old fridge.
Build your Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS)
An old oil drum or barrel is a standard DIY item for making BBQ smokers. A classic drum or barrel smoker you can buy is the Pit Barrel Cooker.
Why would you pay much for one when you can easily make a DIY drum smoker home for way less?
Drum smokers are fantastic because they’re generally faster at smoking meat, and they’re able to hold a lot.
In BBQ drum smokers, people highly recommend smoking brisket, chicken, and ribs. Here’s how you can make your ugly drum smoker from scratch!
What to Cook On It?
Materials You Will Need
- Baling wire
- Ball valve
- Bushing (½ inch)
- Expanded steel
- Grill lid
- Handles
- High-temperature paint
- Nuts and bolts
- Oil barrel or stainless steel drum
- Shelf clips
- Shelving rail
- Smaller grill grate
- Circular grill grate (preferably steel)
- Washers (M20 and Fender)
Tools Needed
- Drill
- Drill bits
Basic Skills Needed
You will need to know how to use a drill.
Guide to Building It
Before drilling any holes, you should ensure that the inside of your 55-gallon drum is completely clean.
Next, if your drum has no removable cover, cut out the top and strip off its existing paint. Leave the barrel bare or give it a coat of heat-resistant paint.
After that, drill a hole at the bottom of the drum and install the ball valve.
When you’re done with that, you can begin on the shelving. Then, you can create and insert a charcoal basket.
Install your temperature gauge — so you can read the internal temperature — cover the barrel with the lid, and that’s it!
Here is the full guide on how to build your own UDS.
DIY Smokehouse Built from Pallets
A busted fridge or metal drum isn’t the type of ‘look’ you want your DIY smoker to have, which is perfectly understandable! Then how about constructing a rustic-looking BBQ smoker out of wood pallets? (Not to be confused with wood pellets!)
While you shouldn’t use wood pallets to smoke your food directly —they are treated with chemicals and will emit toxic fumes—it’s perfectly safe to make a smoker out of this material.
Sure, this has been one of the trickier DIY projects we’ve tried, especially compared to the fridge cold smoker or the ugly drum smoker.
But it’s gratifying to turn an ordinary pile of wood pallets into something much more!
Materials You Will Need
- Aluminum flashing
- Aluminum screen
- Corrugated metal roofing (4 by 3 inches)
- Deconstructed wooden pallets (30 pieces)
- Door handle
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Hinges (3 pieces)
- Outdoor screws (1¼ and 2½ inches)
Tools Needed
- Drill bits (⅛ bit and countersink)
- Drill gun
- Measuring tape
- Reciprocating saw
- Stanley knife
- Staple Gun
- Table saw
- Tin snips
Basic Skills Needed
You must know how to use a drill, reciprocating saw, staple gun, and table saw.
Guide to Building It
You’ll first need to cut the pallets into the desired sizes. Next, set up the foundation for your frame.
During this process, you’ll want to remember that there should be a door and an angled roof. remember
Once you’ve installed the panels, you’ll insert all the racks inside. Before the BBQ smoker is complete, you must line the smoke chamber with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Then, cut out vent holes on the side. The finishing touch will include attaching a tin roof on top. If you’re looking to smoke large amounts of meat, this is the DIY smoker for you.
Visit this link for the complete step-by-step guide.
DIY Smoker on a Budget
We’ve got you covered if you’re on a budget or want to make a makeshift BBQ smoker for camping trips.
While our other suggested guides are cheap, you might not want to spend $100 on materials. Or you might not have tools like an angle grinder or a welding torch.
Don’t worry—this DIY BBQ smoker is an ingenious idea requiring only a handful of items.
Materials You Will Need
- Aluminum foil
- Aluminum trays (2)
- Charcoal or cedar wood
- Cooling rack
Tools Needed
- Stanley knife
Basic Skills Needed
You can try this DIY as long as you know how to use a normal Stanley knife safely!
Guide to Building It
Please cut out two flaps on the side of one of the aluminum trays. Place inside the sizeable cooking rack and then poke through the metal skewers on the other side of that tray.
Next, fold up a piece of aluminum foil as a divider between the skewers and the cooling rack.
Finally, you can move on to the other aluminum tray. Cut a flap into the bottom of the tray and use it to cover your first tray. Then, all you have to do is place it on a direct heat source or have some heating element beneath it, and voilà! That’s it!
Click here to watch the entire process of making and using your cheap DIY BBQ smoker!
DIY Flowerpot Smoker
If you’re on a tight budget and don’t want to handle complicated tools, we recommend that you try this DIY idea.
All you need are a couple of large flower pots as your basic materials, and you’re now ready to make your simple smoker.
You won’t need to drill any holes because most terracotta pots already have a drainage hole at the bottom. This flower pot smoker works just as well as any other DIY smoker on this list, and the best part is that anyone can make it.
You can use it to smoke pork, salmon, chicken, beef brisket, and much more!
Materials You Will Need
- Big terracotta pots (2)
- Bricks (3)
- Grill grate
- Grill thermometer
- Heavy-duty metal tin or circular ceramic dish
- Hot plate or some other heat source
Tools Needed
You don’t need any special tools for this project.
Basic Skills Needed
You don’t require any special skills to make this DIY.
Guide to Building It
Start by situating the first pot on the three bricks. Then, set the hot plate or heat source inside the pot.
If you’re using a hot plate, you can thread the power cord through the hole at the base.
Next, you’ll want to place your tin/ceramic dish filled with wood chips on top of the heat source.
After that, you must balance the grill grate so the pot walls can suspend it. Then, you can cover the entire thing with the other terracotta pot. With that, you’ve made your own budget-friendly BBQ smoker!
Please click this link for a thorough step-by-step guide.
DIY Filing Cabinet Smoker
Every business office clears out their old items from time to time. And amongst the items that get thrown out, you are guaranteed to find an unwanted filing cabinet.
If you find yourself with an old filing cabinet, take the opportunity to try your hand at making this simple DIY filing cabinet smoker.try
The pre-installed drawers mean that you won’t have to worry about making shelves for your smoker. Your only challenge will be finding the perfect-sized grill grate to place inside.
Materials You Will Need
- Grill thermometer
- Metal filing cabinet (one that has multiple drawers)
- Metal hinges
- Propane burner
- Rectangular grill grates
- Water pan
- Tools Needed
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Sandpaper or scouring pads
Basic Skills Needed
You need to know how to use a drill.
Guide to Building It
We think this might be one of the easiest DIY smokers to assemble. All you’ll need to do is sand off any existing paint, as it’ll be toxic to inhale once you introduce it to heat, and then drill in a few holes for ventilation.
That said, we understand that you’ll probably want to check out the detailed instructions for building this smoker. Please click this link to read the in-depth guide.
Cinder Block Smokehouse
If you don’t want to deal with any drills or pesky drill bits, but the flower pot smoker is a little too simple for your tastes, check out this DIY cinder block smokehouse idea!
While it looks expensive, cinder blocks are reasonably cheap. If you have some basic bricklaying skills, we recommend making this DIY smoker.
Materials You Will Need
- 48-inch flat metal bars (4)
- Bricks (25)
- Cinder blocks (45)
- Metal grates (2)
- Metal sheet
- Plywood
Tools Needed
No special tools are required.
Basic Skills Needed
You will need basic bricklaying skills.
Guide to Building It
Jirby BBQ has an excellent step-by-step video that walks you through constructing your cinderblock BBQ smoker.
Propane Tank Smoker
Empty propane tanks aren’t the easiest to dispose of. So, why not breathe new life into the old thing by transforming it into your very own BBQ smoker?
If you’re comfortable using an angle grinder and a welding torch, this is the DIY for you. Depending on the size and length of your propane tank, you can fit quite a few cuts of meat in there to smoke.
Materials You Will Need
- Empty propane tank
- Steel box sections or smaller gas tank
- Steel pipe
- Steel sheets
- Circular metal grates or clean grill grates
Tools Needed
- Angle grinder
- Metalworking lathe
- Drill
- Pivot drill bit
- Steel bench vise
- Welding torch
Basic Skills Needed
You will need to know how to use an angle grinder, bench vise, drill, metalworking lathe, and welding torch.
The most important thing to remember when making this DIY is to ensure that the tank is empty before beginning.
After that, you should wear work gloves throughout the entire process. You certainly do not want to cut yourself on the sharp metal edges.
Guide to Building It
Please watch this video for the complete step-by-step guide on how to turn an old propane tank into a BBQ smoker.
Trash Can Smoker
If you have about $50 or $60 to spare, how about creating a trash can smoker. Don’t judge this DIY because it involves a trash can. It’s really not gross.
Just make sure that you clean it before you begin the process—or you could always buy a new one, as they’re inexpensive.
One thing’s for sure. It’ll show how thrifty and creative you are!
Materials You Will Need
- Aluminum foil tape
- Aluminum foil pans
- Charcoal grate
- Grill thermometer
- Latch and hinge
- Metal washers
- Nuts and bolts
- Tin cans
- Trash can (with the lid)
Tools Needed
- Angle Grinder
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Hacksaw
- Hammer
- Ruler
- Screwdriver
- Tin snips
- Wrench
Basic Skills Needed
You will need to know how to use a drill and a hacksaw.
Guide to Building It
Firstly, you should cut a rectangle near the bottom part of the metal trash can.
This opening will allow you to safely and easily access the heat source. You’ll also use the latch and hinges to make it a functioning door. Using the six-inch hex bolts, you’re going to have 4 of them poking through the trash cash.
These will help support the charcoal grate, which will hold and suspend your meats. For the finishing touches, you’ll want to install your temperature gauge and tin can vents.
For the complete comprehensive DIY trash can smoker guide, click here.
Have Fun DIY-ing a BBQ Smoker
As you can see, you don’t have to break the bank to own a backyard BBQ smoker.
These DIY guides show you can make your smoker out of old or unwanted items! Such as filing cabinets, flower pots, or even a worn-out fridge.
Author: Charlie Reeves
Hi, I’m Charlie, I am head taste tester at Simply Meat Smoking! I love it grilling, smoking, and getting out in the yard with the kids! The family also love to test all my recipes (especially my EXTRA CRISPY pulled pork, smoky pork loin, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill)
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling adventures with you!
You can read more on our About Us page.
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