Which grade?
Match the chip to your smoker
Wood dustFine powderCold smoking: mazes, tubes and smoke guns
Fine chips7/20 · ~2mmHot smokers, stovetop smokers and smoking guns
Coarse chips You're here20/160 · ~8mmBBQ smoke boxes, grills and charcoal
1 / 4
Wood: Oak6 woods · swipe
Oak at a glance
Oak
The all-rounder. Robust, classic, versatile.
StrengthSmokeSweetness
Best withBeef · Lamb · Game · Cheese
Colour on foodDeep golden-brown
Good to knowVery forgiving — only delicate white fish risks being overpowered.
Details
About this product
These are our barbecue smoking chips: coarse grade 20/160, averaging around 8mm. They're made for BBQ smoke boxes and flip smoke boxes, and you can also sprinkle them straight onto charcoal.
Choose from apple, cherry, chestnut, hickory, maple and oak, in a sampler (about 40g), 100g, 500g or a 5L tub. The wood is chemical-free and ground to smoulder gently, so a small handful goes a long way.
For smoking ovens, stovetop smokers and smoking guns, choose our fine wood chips. For cold smoking mazes, choose wood dust.
Made for the barbecueThe larger chips smoulder gently in a smoke box or on the coals.
A little goes a long wayA small handful is usually enough for a smoke box.
Try a wood firstTest a wood with a sampler or 100g bag before buying 500g or a 5L tub.
Resealable packsEvery size reseals, so the chips stay dry between cooks.
Specifications
The details
Product typeCoarse smoking wood chips
GradeCoarse 20/160, around 8mm
WoodsApple, cherry, chestnut, hickory, maple, oak
SizesSampler (about 40g), 100g, 500g, 5L tub (filled by volume)
Smokes per packSampler: 1, 100g: around 2, 500g: around 10
Works withBBQ smoke boxes, flip smoke boxes, charcoal
TreatmentChemical-free
PackagingResealable bags; the 5L tub is resealable and tamper-evident
Find your wood
Which wood suits your food?
All six woods come in the same coarse 20/160 grade. Start with what you're smoking, then pick how strong you like it.
WoodStrengthSweetnessBest withColour on food
OakThe all-rounderBeef · Lamb · Game · CheeseDeep golden-brown
AppleSweet & gentlePork · Poultry · FishLight gold
CherryMild & rosyPoultry · Pork · SalmonRich mahogany red
MapleMild & forgivingPoultry · Pork · VegPale goldChestnutSweet & nuttyPork · Poultry · CheeseWarm amber-brown
HickoryBold & classicRibs · Pork · BrisketDeep brownHow to use
Pick your setup
SoakNot needed
AmountSmall handful
Smoke time20–45 min
- 1Fill the box with a small handful of coarse chips — no soaking needed.
- 2Get it smoking over the burner or coals until you see a thin blue smoke.
- 3Add your food and close the lid, keeping the BBQ around 110–130°C.
- 4Top up with another handful if you want a longer or stronger smoke.
Every setup at a glance
How much, how long
Resealable bag5 litre size comes in a tamper-evident tub
Keeps ~2 yearsStore sealed and dry between smokes
Goes a long waySmoulders slowly; a small handful is plenty
Reviews
4.6from 207 reviews
5★159
4★31
3★12
2★2
1★3
Customers mention
Bought as a gift 33Fast delivery 17Well packaged 8Good value 5
Newest first
Would buy again
The smoky flavour landed better than I expected for a first try.
L. Khan · 11 Oct 2026
Expected more
Bit disappointed.
Daisy · 10 Oct 2026
Spot on
Nice smoke flavour. Will buy again. Handy bit of kit. They made more sense to me with the smoke box.
Samira Brown · 10 Oct 2026
FAQs
Questions before you buy
Which grade do I need?
Coarse chips for BBQ smoke boxes and charcoal. Fine chips suit smoking ovens, stovetop smokers and smoking guns, and wood dust is for cold smoking mazes and hot smoking ovens.
Do I need to soak the chips?
No, it's optional. A short soak slows burning in some boxes, while dry chips smoke sooner. Either way, aim for thin, steady smoke.
How should I store them?
Keep the bag or tub sealed and dry between cooks, so the chips smoulder properly next time.
Still deciding?
Message our team
Not sure which wood or grade suits your smoker? Tell us what you're smoking and we'll point you to the right one.
Send us a message support@downthecove.comDelivery and returns
Before you order
Packed and posted by our own small team.
Tracked 48£3.50Free over £30Usually 2–3 working days
Tracked 24£4.50Free with Cove ClubAims for the next working day
Returns30 daysFree in the UKUnused and complete; start it from your order
Order by 3pm on a working day and it usually leaves the same day. Remote Scottish areas and the Isles of Scilly £14.95 · Europe £15 · rest of the world £25.DeliveryReturnsTrack an order
Complete your setup
Goes well with it
In stock today, picked to go with this one.
Est. 2012Down The Cove · founded in Cornwall, 2012
A small family-run shop with Cornish roots
- Order by 3pm on a working day and we usually dispatch the same day
- Questions answered by our own small team
- Cove Club members get free delivery and member discounts
- We donate 1% of all profits to Compassion UK
We donate 1% of all profits to Compassion UK, supporting its work with children and communities facing poverty: clean water, healthcare and education. Compassion UK is an independent charity. Visit Compassion UK