I love the taste of smoked foods, but hate babysitting a smoker all day. Plus, I live in Michigan: smoking outdoors is out of the question for half the year. After using the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker for over a year, I think it's the perfect solution for beginner smokers or anyone who can't cook outdoors.
Over the years, I've used several of the best BBQ smokers. The GE Indoor Smoker infused my food with real smoke flavoring without forcing me outdoors. The user-friendly app gives you smart control over the cooking process, and the results are consistently delicious.
The GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker is a revolutionary kitchen appliance that uses advanced filtration technology to deliver wood-smoked BBQ results indoors. It combines genuine pellet smoking, smart monitoring capabilities, and precise temperature control in a countertop unit.
- Allows you to smoke food indoors year-round
- App-based temperature tracking
- Maintains consistent temperatures
- Easy to use, even for beginners
- Hard to install the temperature probe
- Some smoke odor escapes into the room
- May be too small for larger cuts of meat
Getting started
At first, I was intimidated by the GE Indoor Smoker. It's a serious-looking appliance, but my fear was quickly dispelled: the design, interface, and instruction manual are all clear and intuitive. The smoker has a recipe book for popular smoked foods, like brisket and wings, including easy dry rubs and sauces. I found the recipes were accurate and flavorful.
The SmartHQ app (available for iOS or Android) was easy to install and connect to the smoker. I liked that the appliance has built-in safeguards to ensure you don't screw up too badly. For example, when programming your cook, on-screen prompts remind you to put wood pellets in the top and water in the collection bin for spent pellets.
Smoke ventilation
The GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker utilizes an "Active Smoke Filtration" system, a multi-stage process that turns wood smoke into warm filtered air. The wood smoke passes through several filters before it leaves the smoker, capturing 90% of the smoke and reducing odors. At any time, you can select "clear smoke," and the system will remove any lingering smoke in the chamber before you open the door.
Even with the impressive filtering abilities, some smoke still escaped, and there was a lingering, though not unpleasant, odor. If you live in an apartment or are particularly sensitive to smells, you might consider running the smoker near a window or under a range hood to minimize the impact on your space.
Cooking performance
Each item I made in the GE indoor smoker was virtually indistinguishable from those made in a traditional outdoor unit. The results were juicy and flavorful, featuring the trademark smoke ring and bark formation.
Chicken drumsticks
The GE indoor smoker preheated quickly, reaching the target temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit in 15 minutes — a fraction of the time a standard smoker might take. I spread three pounds of dry-rubbed chicken drumsticks on the racks and inserted the built-in probe thermometer into the thickest one.
The cooking process is almost entirely automatic. Using the app, I monitored the chicken's internal temperature and the chamber's cooking temperature. The chamber never deviated from 250 degrees. The drumsticks were ready in an hour, much faster than a typical smoker. Yet, it still nailed the flavor penetration. The meat was juicy with deep, complex flavoring and a hint of a smoke ring.
Pulled pork
The true test of any smoker comes with larger, tougher cuts that demand constant attention — a challenge the GE indoor smoker handled like a champ. I prepared a seven-pound pork shoulder and set the temperature to a low-and-slow 225 degrees.
What makes this unit unique is the genuine "set and forget" capability. Case in point: I was at a movie theater watching "Paddington in Peru" when the app notification indicated the meat had reached its target temperature. About seven hours after starting, the smoker automatically switched to warm mode and held the perfect temp until I returned home.
The resulting pork shoulder developed an exceptional bark while maintaining interior moisture, which I think was in part due to the recipe's recommendation to add a foil wrap for the last few hours of the smoke. It shredded effortlessly with just a few minor tough spots deep inside. The smoke and rub created a complex profile that permeated throughout the meat.
Brisket
I figured a Super Bowl party was the ideal time to test the GE smoker's brisket-making abilities. Using the included recipe, I cooked an eight-pound dry-rubbed beef brisket at 235 for 10 hours. I didn't have to watch the unit at all, other than occasionally checking the app to ensure the cook was proceeding as planned (it was.) Halfway through, I added more wood pellets.
The brisket took longer than the recipe suggested, but it was worth the extra time. The quality was identical to some of the best BBQ restaurants I've visited. The meat featured a textbook smoke ring with the rendered fat producing a melt-in-your-mouth texture. An impressive bark formed on the outside, while the interior was plenty moist. I'm drooling as I write about it.
Smart features
The intuitive SmartHQ app supplies real-time monitoring from anywhere — checking internal temperatures and remaining cook times while you see Paddington in Peru or pick your kid up from school. For safety reasons, you must initiate cooking on the unit, but once started, the app allows remote adjustments. It even lets you activate the smoke-clearing function when cooking completes.
The built-in temperature probe eliminates guesswork, communicating directly with the unit and app to ensure precise cooking. The system provides remarkable versatility through six preset smoking functions (Chicken Breast, Pork Butt, Brisket, Salmon, Chicken Wings, and Pork Ribs) and five adjustable smoke intensity levels that let you tailor the flavor profile from subtle to robust.
Cons to consider
Despite the advanced filtration system, the smoke management isn't perfect. The appliance includes a "clear smoke" function that operates for about 10 minutes after cooking, significantly reducing but not eliminating smoke and odors. Without activating this function, considerable smoke can escape.
In terms of design, the most frustrating oversight is the temperature probe installation. When starting a cook, you'll need to attach the probe to the smoker's interior while it's already hot — I felt like I was risking burns during the precarious operation.
What are your alternatives?
The GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker doesn't have many direct competitors — truly indoor-safe smoking appliances remain scarce. Some outdoor options, like the Traeger Pro 575, one of the best BBQ smokers in our guide, offer similar "set-it-and-forget-it" smart capabilities but require outdoor space and favorable weather. The closest alternatives include:
Portable electric smokers: While technically designed for outdoor use, these can also be run in well-ventilated garages or on balconies. While we haven't tested it yet, the Masterbuilt Electric Portable Charcoal Grill and Smoker is popular.
Indoor smoke infusers: These gun-style smoke generators add smokiness to pre-cooked foods, but the results lack the depth of the real deal. The PolyScience Breville Gun Pro Smoke Infuser is a good option.
The bottom line
At $699, the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker is pricey for a countertop appliance, but mid-range in terms of traditional outdoor smokers. I think it's worth the premium for folks who live in apartments, newcomers to smoking, and experts who want to keep at it in the cold weather. The unit's convenience, penetrating smoke flavor, and consistent results make it worth the splurge.
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