Realcook 8" Cold Smoke Generator, Hot or Cold Smoking on Any BBQ Grill and Smoker, Perfect for Smoked Salmon, Cheese, Pork and More, Smoke Time up to 4-7 Hours

I was skeptical of the small size at first, but this worked very well for cold smoking salmon in my kettle grill. Make sure that you use wood chips (not pellets), a tea candle below for sustained heat, and be patient when you first start the fire. It was 20 deg. Fahrenheit with high winds both times I used this, but once you get the smoke going, it works. First semi circle of the largest ring lasts about 3 hours, so no need to fill this up entirely if you are not doing a long smoke. Starting the fire takes some patience, I had to hold the lighter on the chips for a few minutes and the tea candle is a good fail-safe. Keep the top vent of grill just cracked to observe smoke - do not open while smoking (especially if it’s cold and windy). I also like that this is not smoke-overload like the pellet tubes - it’s gentler.

Why did you pick this product vs others?:I tried it out and using a tealight to start seems to work better then other methods. It really did burn for just a little over 6 hrs. I like the long burn time with minimum material. The tubes use a lot of pellets and only burn about 2-3hrs. For large pieces of meat you have to refill smoker tubes several times.

The media could not be loaded. I've spent some time with the Realcook 8" Cold Smoke Generator, using pure hickory sawdust from The Sausage Maker, and I've been quite satisfied. The natural, authentic flavor provided by the hickory sawdust is a distinctive touch and contrasts with the experience you'd get from processed pellets.In the quest for perfect smoldering and continuous burning, I found it beneficial to heat the wood sawdust in an oven at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes before use. Not only does this process dry out the sawdust, making it more combustible, but it also brings the sawdust close to its burning temperature, easing the lighting process.One of the main features I'm looking forward to exploring more is the capacity for cold smoking. This smoke generator seems to be perfectly built for such tasks, as I've seen in numerous YouTube videos showcasing cold-smoked items like salmon and cheese, thanks to the minimal heat it radiates.That said, achieving a perfect setup requires careful attention. The sawdust should be lightly placed in the spiral channel—avoid tamping or compacting it—to ensure the necessary airflow.When used in a basic gas grill range, the smoke output is more on the lighter side. If you're seeking a heavy smoke environment, you might be better served by a hot smoker or a tube pellet smoker.Maintenance is also a consideration, as the screens attached to the spiral frame can accumulate residue from burned sawdust, which requires regular cleaning.Despite these minor cons, the Realcook 8" Cold Smoke Generator shows great promise once you've mastered the setup. The authentic hickory wood smoke flavor it provides is absolutely worth the initial effort.I've included four photos and a video along with this review to provide a better idea of how the Realcook 8" Cold Smoke Generator functions in real time. The photos were taken at different stages of a 1-hour burn: a couple of minutes in, at the halfway mark, and at the end of the hour. There's also an image of what the smoke generator looks like after it's been cleaned of ashes and loose saw dust. The video I've added showcases the smoker just after lighting it, so you can see the saw dust smoldering and the smoke output.

This smoker woks for a long period. Found that it worked better when I preheated the whole filled unit in a 212 degree oven for 15 or 20 minutes before lighting it. Also got more smoke by lighting it in 2 places . It raises the temperate of the smoker abou 2 degrees, so it’s really good fo fish. The smoke flavors I get are good but more delicate than I wanted.

It seems like such a simple and reasonable concept, however that which looks good on paper doesn't always work out so well in practice.I really wanted this to work. Lighting the sawdust was not too difficult, but keeping it lit was seemingly impossible. It would give off nice smoke for two or three minutes and then die completely. I'd very gently blow on the embers and it would glow spectacularly and begin smoking like mad for a couple of minutes, then die. It was a horrid cycle that was getting me nowhere.After some research, including from some who have provided reviews here, I decided to bake my sawdust for several hours in the oven in order to ensure that it was as dry as it could be. It made absolutely no difference. Smoke a little, die, re-light, repeat.If I could come up with some way to apply very gentle direct air to the embers, even puffs every few seconds, it might actually work. I'll let you know if I come up with anything.

Great thing, but you need to learn, practice how to use it. Major difficulty - smoke dies out.One mistake that I learned.Not enough oxygen. I’m using a classic Weber round grill. I was putting it on the grate, where charcoal would be, with vents fully open. Wrong. Need to remove it and put it at the very bottom, right on top of the intake vents.

This thing works pretty good. I use with my pellet smoker.

This works great adding extra smoke to a nice set of ribs. Washable and quality was great.