GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker Review

About the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker

The GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker is a countertop appliance with several rack positions and a digital control panel that allows users to smoke foods from the comfort of their kitchens.

The machine weighs about 45 pounds and its dimensions are 16.5 inches wide, 20.5 inches deep, and 16.25 inches high. It comes with a built-in temperature probe, counter guard, and drip pan, as well as three wire racks and two removable ladder racks.

The wood pellets are added to a dedicated slot at the top of the machine, and during the cooking process, they're extinguished into a capture system that's filled with water below it. While GE Profile sells a variety of wood pellets, any pellets can be used.

The machine cooks food through a system that catalyzes wood smoke into warm air, smoking the food inside without emitting any smoke into the surrounding area. It also has a separate heating element at the bottom of the smoker to achieve fast results.

There are five pre-set options to choose from: Brisket, Pork Ribs, Pork Butt, Chicken Wings, Chicken Breast, and Salmon. Users can also set time and temperature at will. There are also five adjustable smoke levels to achieve the desired flavor results.

The machine is compatible with GE's Smart HQ app, which means users can be notified when their food hits the ideal temperature, or when a timer goes off. They can also remotely control the interior light and other settings.

How we tested the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker

We used the accompanying manual and recipe guide to get us started using the indoor smoker. We smoked a four-pound brisket, a rack of pork ribs, and a batch of chicken wings, utilizing the temperature probe and accompanying Smart HQ app to assist us.

We smoked all three items on the same day, adding the brisket first, and then the other two items to follow the recommended cooking instructions. We then taste-tested all of the smoked meats, evaluating the smokey flavor and tenderness to see how the GE Indoor Smoker compares to traditional outdoor smokers.

We then cleaned the machine and its accessories according to the manual's instructions, gauging its difficulty to clean and monitoring for any deterioration along the way.

What we like

The results are on par with outdoor smoking

You may be skeptical to hear that a device that fits on your kitchen counter can produce smokey and tender cuts of meat that rival outdoor smoked creations. But we're here to tell you that it's possible.

We cooked a beef brisket, pork ribs, and chicken wings all in the smoker (on three separate racks), utilizing the premium blend of GE Profile pellets. The results were impressive.

The brisket had a smokey flavor throughout the interior; the pork ribs were tender and flavorful; and the chicken wings practically fell off the bone after just over an hour of smoking.

Given that all of these results were achieved in a fraction of the time it would have taken in a traditional outdoor smoker, we were impressed with the level of flavor. If you served these to a room of guests at a game day party, they probably would never know the difference.

It has a large capacity

The smoker comes with three wire racks and a multitude of rack positions to best accommodate whatever you're cooking. (We were able to smoke a brisket along with a rack of ribs and a batch of wings at the same time, spacing them out adequately.)

The interior dimensions are spacious: It measures 11.75 inches wide, 8.5 inches deep, and 11.25 inches high. That means there's plenty of room to multitask, making this appliance especially useful when entertaining.

The app and temperature probe simplify the smoking process

Even if you don't consider yourself a seasoned smoker, you'll likely be able to get started easily and achieve delicious results with this machine—even on your first try.

That's because the built-in temperature probe, app compatibility, and pre-programmed modes mean there's no guesswork or babysitting involved. Simply connect your app to the smoker, choose one of the settings on the control panel, insert the temperature probe, and let the machine do the rest of the work.

You'll get notified when the food has reached the ideal temperature and it's time to take it out. (Don't forget to let large cuts rest!) Plus, the app has plenty of helpful features to take advantage of, including access to step-by-step recipes.

There's no smoke output

Our primary concern going into testing this appliance was its smoke output. Was our test kitchen going to look like a cloud of smoke while this machine was running?

Luckily, we were happy to find our kitchen smoke-free throughout the cooking process. What GE calls its Active Smoke Filtration technology works just as intended, and all the smoke stays in the meat, where it belongs.

The only evidence of an indoor smoker at work was the pleasant smell of smoked meat cooking throughout the kitchen. (Which might be a downside for some, but food smells are to be expected with virtually any indoor cooking method.)

What we don’t like

The control panel isn't very intuitive

Despite the digital interface of the machine and its easy-to-read pre-programmed settings for different varieties of food, we struggled to get started with this machine right away.

Firstly, although everything is digital, it's not a touchscreen. The dial doubles as a button and is the only way to unlock the machine's functions. Using that came with a bit of a learning curve, as it took a while to understand how to navigate between the different settings while also selecting them as we went.

We also found it unusual that the machine doesn't automatically start cooking once the preheating is complete—especially after the door is open, the food is inserted, and the door is then shut. (It took us a few minutes to realize the cooking hadn't actually started yet.)

It's tough to clean

This likely won't come as a surprise for any seasoned smokers or grillers, but cooking marinated meat and seafood often comes with a tough clean-up process.

But this experience was particularly difficult, thanks to the inherent design of the appliance. Even after removing all the wire racks (which, luckily, are dishwasher-safe) scrubbing the oven's interior was a challenge.

The manual recommends wiping down the interior with a wet, soapy rag, but by the time it all cooled down, the remnants started to cake on and were difficult to clean.

We would have appreciated a self-cleaning feature in this appliance, or at least more sufficient cleaning instructions that would safely incorporate steam or something similar to achieve a complete clean after each use.

The door can be difficult to keep open

Another frustrating part of the cleaning process? Keeping the door open while we worked.

The door hinge does not have a lock, and given the light build of the door, it often swung closed when not manually held open. This proved to be especially frustrating as we tried to place a heavy brisket in the smoker (with two hands), and as we cleaned the interior.

As we used the smoker more, we learned how to hold the door in place (open it slowly, and hold it open for a few seconds before letting go). But be mindful that this issue could come up for other users as well.

Should you buy the GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker?

Yes! Especially if you love smoked foods but don't love the time-intensive (or outdoor) aspect

This indoor smoker is certainly a first of its kind. Its ability to cook a large quantity of meat with a mouthwatering flavor—without having to leave your kitchen—is undoubtedly attractive. And its user-friendly app and built-in temperature probe only add to its convenient design.

Although it requires some elbow grease when it comes to clean-up, that's par for the course whenever you're smoking or grilling marinated foods. And since you'll be able to scrub that down without facing the outdoor elements, we don't think that's too much of a downside.

Once you get used to the learning curve that comes with the digital control panel, you can easily start creating flavor-packed foods, like smoked salmon and fall-off-the-bone wings, without the time and effort required from more traditional smokers.

If you prefer to keep your smokey food smells outdoors but are attracted to the fast turnaround of a small appliance, check out the Ninja Woodfire ProConnect XL instead.