Best Smoke Tubes: Add Real Wood Smoke to Any Grill

What a Smoke Tube Does

A smoke tube is a perforated stainless steel tube you fill with wood pellets, light from one end, and place inside any grill — gas, charcoal, or pellet. It smolders for 3–5 hours producing genuine wood smoke without adding heat.

This is the single best $20 you can spend if you own a gas grill and wish it could smoke. It's also useful on pellet grills, which produce minimal smoke above 250°F — a tube adds smoke flavor during high-heat cooks.

Best Overall: A-Maze-N 12-Inch Pellet Tube Smoker ($24)

12-inch hexagonal shape (the hex shape prevents rolling). Burns for 4+ hours on one fill. Heavy-gauge stainless steel that won't warp.

The A-Maze-N brand essentially invented the category and remains the standard. A-Maze-N also makes a maze-style version for cold smoking cheese and salmon.

Best Premium: LizzQ Premium Pellet Smoker Tube ($26)

Same idea, slightly heavier construction, comes with a hook for hanging in vertical smokers. Lifetime warranty.

Functionally similar to the A-Maze-N. Pick whichever is in stock and on sale.

How to Use a Smoke Tube

1. Fill the tube to the top with pellets (don't pack them). 2. Stand it vertically on a heat-safe surface. 3. Light one end with a butane torch — burn for 5 minutes until pellets are clearly glowing. 4. Blow out the flame, place horizontally in your grill, away from food. 5. Smoke for 3–5 hours; refill if needed for longer cooks.

For cold smoking (cheese, salmon), use the tube in an unlit grill — no fire needed elsewhere.

Pellet Selection for Smoke Tubes

Use 100% hardwood pellets — same as for pellet grills. Lumberjack, B&B, Bear Mountain are reliable. Avoid "blends" or pellets with added oils.

**Hickory** for ribs and pork. **Oak** for brisket and beef. **Cherry** or **apple** for chicken and turkey. **Pecan** for everything (the universal wood).

Read our full [A-Maze-N tube smoker review](/review/a-maze-n-pellet-tube-smoker).