Smoker box

A smoker box is a small, perforated metal container, often shaped like a shallow tray or a hinged pouch, that holds wood chips close enough to a grill's heat source for them to smolder and produce smoke without catching fire outright. It is mainly a way to add real wood smoke flavor to a gas grill, which otherwise has no natural source of smoke the way charcoal or a wood-fired smoker does.

In use, the box sits directly over a lit burner or on top of hot coals, with the lid closed so smoke builds up around the food rather than escaping immediately. Once the chips inside start smoking, the box keeps producing smoke for anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour or more before the chips burn out, which is usually enough time to add noticeable flavor to a shorter cook like chicken or vegetables.

Cast metal and heavier gauge steel boxes tend to hold up better and smolder more evenly than thin, flimsy ones, and a box with a tight-fitting, perforated lid controls the smoke release better than an open tray. A common mistake is soaking chips in water first, which mostly delays smoke production rather than extending it, and can lower the grill's temperature as the water evaporates.