Here is one of the tough questions that you are going to have to ask yourself when thinking about purchasing an electric cooker of any type. There are those that prefer an electric smoker and others prefer electric roasters. Both options may seem similar, but there are differences in both heating element and quality that you will get from each one. They can provide great tasting options on either end, but it’s important that you understand the difference on each path. If you have enough room in your home for both, get both, otherwise, you may want to assess what your needs are and what you will get more joy out of.
What Do You Want To Eat?
First and foremost, you will want to look into what you want to feast on. A roaster can provide a great opportunity to enjoy rotisserie chicken, pot roast, and so much more. On the other hand, you will find that smokers can deliver on the premise of amazing barbecue flavor that comes from a large variety of different sources. Either side is good, which is why you need to first select what you want overall. If you pick one over the other, which one would it be?
The Heat
For both of these solutions, heat comes from a variety of locations. Starting with the roaster, you are going to get a light source most often, and that gives off radiant heat. A high heat bulb is used with several coils and a slow moving fan. The meat is turned and cycled through the heat that is more of a convection than anything else. The heat is somewhat humid and allows the meat to cook thoroughly, and within a short span of time.
On the other side, however, electric smokers provide a dry heat. It doesn’t dry out the meat, but rather infuses flavor profiles within the rub or marinade that you utilize. It emulates combustion that you would get from making food with wood chips and more. The heat source here chars the outer layers of the meat without burning the interior, and causes it to tenderize over time. The heat source is the biggest difference maker when you compare the two.
Similarities Don’t Suffice
Yes, there are some similarities to be had with both smokers and roasters, but they are not the same. The heat and air quality in each one is completely different. While one uses the heating element to create a wind tunnel of kinetic energy, the other utilizes it to char and smoke the meat over time. One is slow cooking the molecular elements and the other is distributing the heat to create a faster solution overall. Either way, you’re going to get a solution that can create great food, but it depends on what you want for the end result. If you want something that resembles barbecue, then a smoker will give you a better flavor profile. However, if you want rotisserie style cooking, a roaster will definitely be better.