The reason smoke flavor doesn't get to the meat in an electric smoker(or it just doesn't taste the same), is combustion. There needs to be fire to get the best results. Just having smoke floating around in an oven won't do it.  To me, it almost tastes synthetic. A pellet grill will come closer, but it still has the same flaw. These "set it & forget it" style of machines are a shortcut to an inferior result(I don't know who said it, but I always liked the quote, "If you take a shortcut, you're cutting yourself short!"). I would put a $70 P.O.S. offset smoker from Walmart up against ANY electric style any day!All of that being said, these are good cookers to start out on...Or if you don't have the time/knowledge to tend a fire. They're also great for jerky, cheese, and fish. One alternative I would suggest to those wanting to get a smoker, would be a UDS(Ugly Drum Smoker). They're very inexpensive, and are easy to run and maintain. As for quality of the food they produce, I would put them somewhere in-between electric and(but closer to) a wood/charcoal fire. And before someone ridicules me for knocking their smoker, let me apologize...That's not my intention at all. I'm really happy that people take an interest in it, whatever method they choose. Yes, I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to Q...But I feel it's just.  I've cooked on/with almost every conceivable cooker & method possible over the years. Life's too short for bad BBQ.
 4951