Best Bee Smokers for Beginners

The smoker is one of the simplest tools in beekeeping—and one of the most frustrating when it doesn't work right. A smoker that goes out mid-inspection forces you to rush, makes bees defensive, and ruins your focus.

A good smoker stays lit for an hour without babysitting. Here's what separates the good ones from the bad.

How Smokers Work (30-Second Primer)

A smoker is basically a fire chamber with bellows. You light fuel inside, pump the bellows to push air through, and smoke comes out the spout.

Smoke triggers bees to gorge on honey (their instinctive fire-escape response), which calms them and makes them less likely to sting. Smoke also masks alarm pheromones, preventing the "chain reaction" that makes an entire colony defensive.

That's it. Simple concept. But getting a smoker to stay lit is an acquired skill—and a poorly designed smoker makes it harder.

What Makes a Good Smoker?

Size Matters

Smokers come in different sizes, measured by the fire chamber diameter and height:

• Small (3" x 6"): Light, portable, but goes out easily. Must be refueled often.
• Medium (4" x 7"): Sweet spot for most hobbyist beekeepers. Big enough to stay lit, small enough to handle easily.
• Large (4" x 10"): For commercial beekeepers managing many hives. Overkill for 1–5 hives.

Recommendation: Get a 4" x 7" smoker. It's big enough to stay lit through multiple hive inspections, but not unwieldy.

Material

Stainless steel is standard and best. It resists corrosion, handles heat well, and lasts for years.

Galvanized steel is cheaper but can rust over time. Adequate if budget is tight.

Copper smokers exist but are more expensive with no practical advantage.

Bellows Quality

This is where cheap smokers fail. The bellows pump air into the fire chamber. Good bellows:

• Have thick, durable leather or synthetic material
• Maintain their shape after thousands of squeezes
• Are securely attached to the canister

Cheap bellows crack, separate from the canister, or collapse and lose their "spring." A smoker with dead bellows is useless.

Heat Shield

A heat shield (or guard) wraps around the fire chamber. It serves two purposes:

1. Protects you from burns (the canister gets HOT)
2. Protects hive components if you set the smoker down on something

Most decent smokers include a heat shield. Don't buy one without it.

Hook

A hook on the bellows lets you hang the smoker on the edge of a hive box while you work. Sounds minor, but incredibly useful in practice. You need somewhere to put the smoker that's not on the ground (tip-over risk) and not on the hive (hot metal on wood).

Smoker Reviews

How to Keep Your Smoker Lit

Even a great smoker will go out if you light it wrong. Here's the technique:

1. Start with good tinder. Newspaper, cardboard, dry pine needles—something that ignites easily.
2. Light the tinder and let it burn. Don't add more fuel until you have a good flame going.
3. Add smoker fuel gradually. Pine needles, wood shavings, burlap, cotton, dried grass. Pack it loosely—fire needs oxygen.
4. Pump the bellows while adding fuel. You want the fire climbing up through the fuel.
5. Keep adding fuel until the chamber is full. A full smoker lasts longer than a half-full one.
6. Test it. You want thick, white, cool smoke. If it's thin or hot, add more fuel on top.

Common mistake: Packing fuel too tightly. Fire needs airflow. Loose is better than dense.

Another mistake: Not pumping enough while lighting. The bellows provide oxygen. Keep pumping until you're confident the fire is established.

Best Smoker Fuels

• Pine needles: Excellent. Easy to find, lights easily, produces good smoke.
• Wood shavings/chips: Pet bedding (untreated) works great and is cheap.
• Burlap: Classic choice. Burns slow and steady.
• Cotton: Dryer lint, cotton balls, old cotton rags.
• Commercial smoker fuel: Pellets or cartridges designed for smokers. Convenient but unnecessary.

Avoid: Anything treated with chemicals, synthetics that produce toxic smoke, anything that burns too hot (like straight cardboard for extended use).

Smoker Safety

• Never leave a lit smoker unattended. It's a fire in a can.
• Keep water nearby when lighting and using.
• Extinguish completely after use. Plug the spout with a cork or grass, or dump contents into water.
• Don't set on dry grass or wooden surfaces. Heat shields help but aren't foolproof.
• Let it cool before storing. A smoker that seems out can still have embers.

The Bottom Line

Don't overthink this. A mid-range stainless steel smoker from Mann Lake, Dadant, or Betterbee will serve you well for years. Spend $35–$50 and move on.

If you're on a tight budget, a cheap Amazon smoker will get you through your first season. Just expect to replace the bellows or the whole unit eventually.

And remember: the tool matters less than the technique. Practice lighting your smoker before you need it at the hive. A confident beekeeper with a mediocre smoker beats a fumbling beekeeper with the best gear.