There’s no shortage of portable grills that you can use to cook your steaks and burgers even while on the go. As good as grilled food is, however, we all prefer a little variety at some point, prompting people to experiment with other cooking options. If you have the patience for it, smoking can be an excellent alternative to grilling, as it can impart food with a truly different flavor. And while it’s not easy to find a smoker that you can conveniently bring to the outdoors, Ziv’s Portable Smoker genuinely makes it possible.
Designed to collapse for easy portability, the rig folds down into a carrying case that looks no bigger than the case electric drills typically come in. That leaves it small enough to conveniently squeeze inside the boot of the car or strap to a backpack for taking anywhere you’re going this summer, whether you’re camping in the woods, partying at the beach, or staying overnight at a scenic campsite.
When assembled, Ziv’s Portable Smoker takes on the shape of a square box with a pyramid-shaped roof, making it look like a small dollhouse for your daughter to play with. Well, if your daughter plays with all-black dollhouses that look like a haunted house or something. To use, simply remove the pyramid-shaped lid and place the grates at their designated section, after which you can then set it on top of whatever heat source you’re using to start pre-heating.
According to the outfit, the rig can work with any heat source, from charcoal and gas grills to any type of stove that produces heat. Heck, you can burn twigs, branches, and other random fuel at camp, start an open fire, place it on top of stones to elevate the smoker, and it’s good to go. Just as long as it’s getting heated from the bottom, the darn thing will cook your ribs, chicken, or salmon to smoked perfection.
Once Ziv’s Portable Smoker is assembled and pre-heated, all you have to do is lay down your food on the grates, insert some non-burning coals to the base of the smoker (via holes on the side), and set down the lid. A built-in thermometer on the lid allows you to monitor exact temperatures at all times, so you can adjust the heat source in case it’s getting a little hotter than what the recipe calls for.
If you’re familiar with smoking, then you’re well aware of the long cooking times the activity requires. That’s no different here, with most recipes likely to take you close to two hours (including pre-heating) from start to finish, so if you’re the impatient sort, maybe think twice if this is the kind of gear to add to your outdoor cooking arsenal. According to the outfit, the smoker has been proven to work great not just with meat and fish, but other food items like vegetables, tofu, and hard cheeses even cooked beautifully using the device, so this thing can really expand your cooking arsenal.
First, let us try to understand how a smoker works so that we can properly evaluate this offering from ZIV.
What is a smoker and how does it work?
A smoker is essentially a device used to cook foods of your choice at low temperatures in a controlled smoky environment. Smoking of a food item is essentially the process of cooking the food by exposing it to smoke and this process takes place inside a smoker.
Smokers come in all shapes and sizes, the working of a smoker entirely depends upon the type of the smoker that you are using. The most common types of smokers burn wood to create the required heat and smoke. Nowadays you can find smokers that rely on electricity, natural gas, charcoal, pellet and even propane for their working. No matter the shape or type of fuel used, the main element that defines a smoker is the ability to hold a low temperature for several hours to create a smoke.
Given Below are the most common types of smokers available in the market for purchase:
- Vertical Water Smokers
- Horizontal Offset Smokers
- Box Smokers
- Drum Smokers
- Smoker Ovens
- Kamado Grills
- Pellet Grills
You may be wondering that with so many options available in the market, why you should use this offering from ZIV. Mentioned below are some points that explain why you should use this product:
Portability – The portability is one of the key selling features of this device. Thanks to the ergonomic design, this product can be taken anywhere with ease. This unique product makes use the patented foldable design that no other smoker can offer. This full sized smoker can be folded into a briefcase shaped body that is easy to carry around. This feature makes it ideal for campers and travelers who want to enjoy a perfectly smoked meal during their trips.
Ease of Use – The process of setting up and usage for this Smoker is simple and straightforward. This setup process does not require any special expertise. The setup process just requires you to take apart the briefcase and connect all the required parts with each other to complete a jigsaw puzzle of sorts. The process takes no more than three minutes of your time, everything required for the setup is included with the product. The cleaning process is also a breeze thanks to the detachable parts. This smoker makes the cooking process easier as well. You are not required to turn the food at all during the cooking, as the smoker evenly distributes the smoke throughout.
Versatile operation – The versatile nature of this smoker allows it to work with any source of heat. Now you do not need to worry about the availability of a heat source and can enjoy your camping trips with the peace of mind. This Smoker from ZIV has the ability to work with Gas stoves, open fires, BBQ grills and many other sources of heat. This feature makes it ideal for use under any scenario, no matter if it’s the camping trip with friends or family, a Jeep adventure, a night at the beach, a party or just a family gathering in the backyard, this Smoker from ZIV will satisfy all your foodie needs with perfectly smoked food.
Lets take a closer look at the device itself to see if it deserves a spot on your buying list or not.
Build Quality and Design – This smoker comes is built with great attention detail. Both in the fully opened and closed state, the product feels sturdy and well built. The product is rugged and feels like it can easily handle a hit or two. The complete housing for the smoker is odor free. The product comes with dimensions of 11.8 x 10.2 x 19.7 inches and weighs in at just 13.9lb. The size of mesh that can be used for placement of food measures in at about 11.4″ x 9.65″.
The design is the most interesting aspect of this device. The ZIV portable smoker makes use of a patented folding design. This form factor allows it to be folded into a small briefcase when not in use. It is the first smoker on the market that comes in a foldable form factor. When fully assembled, the device looks unique and unlike any other portable smoker that is currently available in the market.
The rugged design and small footprint make this product ideal for camping sessions and regular usage in thehome as well. There is no mess what so ever, just open the briefcase and connect the parts and you have a full-blown smoker assembled and ready for service in just a matter of minutes.
Setup, Usage, and Working – The setup and usage of this product require no prior knowledge unlike most other complex smokers present in the market. The setup requires you to open the briefcase and connect all of the required parts with each other just like a jigsaw puzzle. The complete assembly process takes no more than 3 minutes. Full instructions for the assembly can be found inside the briefcase.Once the cooking is complete, thanks to the patented folding briefcase design, the smoker can be folded into a compact briefcase that is easy to carry around. All of the parts of this portable smoker are detachable and can be folded into the briefcase after usage with great ease.
The best thing about this portable smoker is that it can work with any heat source. Unlike most other portable smokers, it does not depend on a single source of heat for working. It has been tested to work with Gas stoves, open fires, BBQ grills and many other sources of heat. The usage requires no special skill and operating this device is quite a simple task.The included stopwatch gives you an estimate of the time used so that you can smoke the food according to your liking. With this smoker, you are not required to move the food around as the smoker has the ability to distribute smoke around the food evenly. It works on the same principle as most other smokers. It keeps a low temperature inside for many hours and provides ample amount of heat and smoke to the food in order to produce the best results. It uses no preservatives or additives, just pure natural cooking.
Conclusion – This portable smoker from ZIV offers a great value for money. It offers all the features of a full-fledged smoker in a compact build at abudget-friendly price.
The patented foldable briefcase design makes it stand out of the crowd. The easy assembly and usage are some things that any foodie will appreciate. Add to that a detachable and easy to clean body and you have a winner. Such features make it ideal for usage in any case scenario, you can use it at the beach, in the backyard, at parties and even while camping. The ability to work via any heat source is an added bonus. All these features combined make the ZIV portable smoker a great buy for any foodie who wants a compact and versatile smoker that is unlike anything else on the market.
