Lone Star Grillz: Insulated Vertical Smoker vs. Pellet Cabinet Smoker

On September 12th, 2023, we shook up the barbecue and Lone Star Grillz Communities when, Chris dropped a sneak peek at a look of the new LSG Pellet Cabinet Smoker.  Since then, we have been monitoring the forums and social channels.  The reoccurring theme we keep hearing about, is the conversation of the Insulated Vertical Smoker vs. the Pellet Cabinet Smoker. Well on today’s blog, we are going to dive into the details between the two units and break them down in a side-by-side comparison.  

*Capacity is estimated and includes use of all available cooking space in the cooking chamber.

*Means option not available.

Alright, so there’s a side-by-side comparison of the standard features of the Lone Star Grills Insulated Vertical Smoker and the Pellet Cabinet Smoker.  Let’s start the conversation with grill space.  The Pellet Cabinet Smoker comes standard with 1,048 sq/in. of more cooking space, than the Insulated Vertical Smoker.  However, the Insulated Vertical Smoker can be equipped with three optional cooking grates. This gives the IVS an additional 902 sq/in. more cooking space than the Pellet Cabinet Smoker.  Many of our Insulated Vertical Smoker customers elect to order their smoker with the additional three cooking rails, however, forgo the cooking grates.  This option makes the unit more versatile.  Some of our customers have ordered the additional cooking grates at a later date giving it the maximum of 4,550 sq/in. of cooking space.  


Let’s talk wood fire flavor.  The Insulated Vertical Smoker and the Pellet Cabinet Smoker both produce some great quality barbecue.  Many of our customers like the flavor of charcoal, however, want the option to add some wood fire goodness with the use of wood chunks.  The amount of wood fire flavor can vary based on the amount of wood that’s added to the charcoal basket. 

The Pellet Cabinet Smoker primarily runs on wood pellets.  Some pellet manufactures have brought charcoal pellets to the market to replicate the charcoal flavor on a pellet cooker.  Normally, we would give the edge of wood fire flavor to the Insulated Vertical Smoker, but not so fast.  The LSG Pellet Cabinet Smoker is equipped with a hollow auger which allows wood chips to be mixed into the pellets and added to the hopper for a more robust woodfire flavor.  This is an absolute game changer in the pellet grill industry and lessens the gap between the Pellet Cabinet Smoker and Insulated Vertical Smoker.


Ease of use.  It’s obvious the Pellet Cabinet Smoker is a lot easier to use in the sense that it’s a set it and forget it cooker.  It’s not that the Insulated Vertical Cabinet smoker is difficult to set up and use, but it takes some time to set up and even more time to get to proper cooking temperature.  The set it and forget it mentality can be achieved on the IVS with the addition of a temperature controller and fan.  This piece of tech is not required but offers the convenience and peace of mind to those looking for it.  


What about the Warranty?  The Insulated Vertical Smoker and Pellet Cabinet Smoker both have very similar warranties, other than the controller on the Pellet Cabinet Smoker.  Lone Star Grills warranty their workmanship for a period of 5 years. *Note: This does not include wear items or the finish.