Different Strokes For Different Folks!
Personally, I don't like the taste of charcoal, and neither do my wife or kids. Since they are who I mainly cook for, I gotta side with them.
I've been at comps, where the same team cooked briskets and ribs side x side on charcoal smokers and pellet grills/smokers. The food that came from the pellet grill/smoker went to the judges. It was a wood flavor vs. a charcoal flavor. Very distinct difference in flavor.
Charcoal selection will play a part in flavor of the finished product. Charcoal can be made from a variety of woods, including hickory and mesquite. Not sure what trees they use for the imported charcoal.
2 of my neighbors have BGE's. They prefer the food off their BGE's and We prefer the food off my pellet grill/smoker. At the neighborhood party, nobody complained about any of the meet, cuz it was "FREE"!!!
So, if you dig your charcoal smoker.....Use It
If you dig your gas smoker....Use It
If you dig electric smoker....Use It
If you dig your pellet smoker.....Use It
It's All Good My Friend!
TJ