Okay you've convinced me I need to just buy a grill like I'm used to for when I want to grill no problem. But what I'm not sure on is the models and I don't feel like spending hours researching models. I've never done an smoking before so it's all new to me.
"Smoking" meat is a chemical reaction that occurs when the wood smoke contacts the meat. This chemical reaction stops when the meat hits about 140 degrees. Smoking is best done at lower temps, 180 to 225 degrees as, it gives the meat more time to react to the smoke.
Using different wood or pellets for smoking is misunderstood. Using apple wood/pellets don't give the meat an apple flavor. Apple wood is a mild smoke, so the meat has a milder smoke flavor. Mesquite wood/pellets is a very strong smoke giving the meat a very smoking flavor. I like hickory pellets/wood as it gives the meat a strong but good flavor. Oak is also a good smoking pellet/wood with good flavor. Cherry gives a mild smoke flavor like apple.
Cooking is defined as, temperature and time. Lower temperature means longer cook time. Higher temperature means shorter cook time. When in doubt, cook at 250 degrees. It is a good all-around temp good for any meat. Experimenting with different cook times and temps is a good way to learn what works best for you. Get a meat thermometer like a Thermapen as it will help you get the internal temp correct for safety and for flavor.
When cooking thin meats like hamburgers, pork chops/steaks or beef steaks, a good seasoning works well. When cooking thick meats like Boston butt, or cooking long cooks like with ribs, a good rub is necessary as it protects the surface of the meat and keeps the meat from drying out. Sweet rubs have a lot of sugar and will burn at higher temps so keep the temps at 250 degrees or lower.
Always remember that cooking is defined as, temperature and time.