Best Pellet Grills & Smokers
In this article, I have listed the 10 best pellet smokers & grills currently available. The list includes the products I have used and other good options based on features, customer reviews, and overall feedback.
Pellet Grills & Smokers work by pushing tiny pieces of compressed wood from a hopper and into a firebox under a tray that is fixed under the grates. They were invented in the 1980s by the people who would eventually found Traeger, which remains one of the most popular brands in the category. Most come with onboard computers and fans that regulate temperature, and some even send cooking and temperature data to smartphone apps.
It is the only grilling category that has fully embraced such technology in even its entry-level products, technology that has made the category as a whole the simplest, most relaxed path to properly smoked meat there is. However, as pellet grilling has grown in popularity, so have the grills that enable it. These are the best pellet grills and smokers you can buy, ranging from great value to simply great.
Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker, Bronze
Features
- Never use gas or charcoal again: cooking with wood just tastes better. Traeger created the original wood-pellet grill as the ultimate way to achieve wood-fired taste
- Versatile barbecue cooking: hot and fast, or low and slow, the Traeger Pro Series 22 pellet grill offers 6-in-1 versatility to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and BBQ food to juicy perfection
- Precision temperature control: The Digital Pro Controller rocks Advanced Grilling Logic, which maintains a +/- 15 degree F temperature control to precision grilling. 450 °F Max Temp
- Sturdy and durable: powerful Steel construction and durable powder coat finish, Easy to clean porcelain grill grates and all-terrain wheels
- Large cooking capacity: 572 sq. In. Cooking capacity that can accommodate 4 chickens, 5 racks of ribs or 24 burgers.
PIT BOSS 10514 PB820D3B Wood Pellet Grill, 820 Series, Black
Features
- 21 Pound Pellet Hopper Holds Enough For Low and Slow Cooks
- Digital Control Board With LED Read-Out
- 849 Square Inches of Cooking Surface, Porcelain-Coated Cast Iron Cooking Grids
- 2-In-1 Side Shelf With Serving Tray and Folding Front Shelf
- 2 Meat Probe Ports (1 Meat Probe Included)
PIT BOSS PB440D2 Wood Pellet Grill, 440 SERIES, Black
$328.49 in stock
Features
- Pit Boss 440 Deluxe Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
- Premium Gauge Stainless Steel Construction
- Removable Side Shelf/Serving Tray
- Two large Wheels
- Digital Control Board w/ LED Readout
Z GRILLS Wood Pellet Smoker, 700sq in 8-1 BBQ Grill, Auto Temperature Control Pellet Smoker(Cover, Oil Collector Included)-ZPG-7002B
Features
- 8-in-1Pellet Smoker(2021 New Model)----Grill, smoke, bake, roast, sear, braise, barbecue and char-grill. Just set it and let it work: No more babysitting. Enjoy the cooking!Cover and Oil collector included.
- Huge Grilling Area----330 Square inches main grilling area and 270 square inch Smoking/Warming Rack; Foldable working shelf; You can cook for about 20 hours per 20 lbs. of pellets. When you do the math, you will find that pellet cooking typically costs less than a comparably sized GAS or CARBON grill.
- Searing Enable----Temperature can goes as high as 1000℉. Just open the air door to sear and adjust the temperature control to the Maximum, then then grill will change to searing mode.
- Accuracy(PID Controller )--Most stay within 10 degrees of the set temperature, no matter if its 10 degrees or 110 degrees outside; Temperature and Auto Pellet Feed Control System with PID CONTROLLER. The new upgrade digital control board auto ignites the grill and allows you to set the cooking temperature from 180°F to 450°F.
- US-Based Brand and Customer Service--We’re a U. S-based Brand that has been making high-quality grills and smokers for more than 30 years. With warehouses in Los Angeles, California and Atlanta, Georgia, we’ve exported top-of-the-line products to Europe and all around the United States. We’re proud of what we do and stand behind everything that we build.
Ozark Grills - The Razorback Wood Pellet Grill a Smoker with Temperature Probe, 11 Pound Hopper, 305 Square Inch Cooking Area
Features
- Wood Pellet Grill
- Cooking Area: BBQ Grate: 305 Square Inch
- Product DimensionHeight: 35" Length: 37" Width: 19"
- Hopper Capacity: 11 lbs
Z GRILLS Wood Pellet Grill Smoker with Digital Controls, Cover, 700 sq. in. Cooking Area for Outdoor BBQ, Smoke, Bake and Roast, 700D
Features
- BUILT TO LAST - Sturdy steel construction with a high-temperature powder coating finish makes the pellet grill long-lasting, bringing you years of ultimate wood-fired grilling experience
- HUGE COOKING SPACE - 700 sq. In grilling space that can accommodate 30 burgers, 6 rib racks, or 5 chickens effortlessly. Great for Home, party, and tailgating, easy to assemble and move
- EXTRA STORAGE - Z GRILLS' uniquely designed bottom cabinet provides ample space for barbecue tools, seasonings, pellets, and more, keeping everything you need within reach
- SMART TEMPERATURE CONTROL - PID TECHNOLOGY allows precise temperature control, achieving consistently delicious, smoke-flavored dishes with minimal effort
- 8-IN-1 GRILL&SMOKER - Offers more versatility to smoke, bake, roast, sear, braise, barbecue, and char-grill food with healthy wood pellets. Just set it and let it work. No babysitting the grill! Infuse your food with a rich smoky flavor
Z GRILLS ZPG-450A 2020 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker 6 in 1 BBQ Grill Auto Temperature Control, 450 Sq in Bronze
$399.00 in stock
Features
- ★Ultimate 6-in-1-- barbecue wood fire pellet grill: bbq✓bake✓roast✓braise✓smoke✓grill
- ★Fan-forced Convection cooking-eliminates the need for a rotisserie and creates a versatile environment for grilling, roasting, smoking, braising and baking.
- ★2019 UPGRADE--Temperature and Pellet Feed Control System. The new upgrade digital control board auto ignites the grill and allows you to set the cooking temperature from 180°f to 450°f.
- ★Automated electric feed system-maintains the heat for you from 180ºf to 450ºf and produce the optimal amount of smoke. Just set it and let it work: No more babysitting. Enjoy the cooking!
- ★HUGE GRILLING AREA--450 Square inches grilling area; 15-pound hopper capacity. Foldable working shelf; heavy duty all terrain wheels; rust proof cover & racks
PIT BOSS PBV3P1 Vertical Pellet Smoker, Copper
Features
- Monitor internal temperatures with digital LED readout and meat probe
- Four porcelain coated cooking grids, 901 sq in. Includes porcelain coated water and heat Deflector
- 40+ lb hopper capacity with pellet Purge. 24+ hours of use
- Fully programmable 150 - 450 temperature range
- Auto-start 300 watt igniter with auto shut-off
PIT BOSS PB5000SP PG5000SP Wood Pellet Smoker, Black
Features
- Pit Boss 5-Series Vertical Smoker
- All-natural hardwood pellet fuel
- 150°F to 420°F temperature range
- Great for smoking, roasting, baking, braising, and barbecuing
- 1,721 sq.in of cooking capacity
Z GRILLS ZPG-7002BPro Wood Pellet Grill BBQ Smoker for Outdoor Cooking with Meat Probe and Cover, 2022 Upgrade
Features
- Upgraded Grill&Smoker: Equipped With The Latest Visual Stand-Alone Meat Thermometer, Users Can Preset The Desired Temperature For Multiple Cooking Methods Through The Z Grills App. Just Set It And Let It Work. Infuse Your Food With Better Smoky Flavor.
- Versatility 8-in-1 Pellet Grill: Smoke ribs, jerky, fish; bake biscuits, pizza; Grill burgers, vegetables anything you would like to cook, 8-in-1 versatility allows you to cook hot and fast or low and slow. When you fire up your Z GRILLS, you ignite the power to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and BBQ – you're the master of all trades.
- Advanced Wood Fire Technology:Z Grills wood pellet technology gets you wood fire flavor at the convenience of propane or gas. Put enough pellets into the hopper then, turn the dial to any temperature mode, enjoy the wood faver food with your family.10 lbs pellets can be used for 8 hours while stay at smoke dial.
- Huge Grilling Area & Hopper Capacity: Great for home, party, and tailgating: 513 sq.in. main rack & 187 sq in warm rack, 20lb hopper capacity that can accommodate up to 20 burgers, 5 whole chickens, or 6 racks of ribs.
- Easy to Use and Clean: Super easy cooking even for beginners: electronic auto-start ignition, digital auto temperature control & real-time LED temperature display.Special designed waste oil collector to assist you with safe and easy cleanup.
Pellet Grill Buying Guide
How will you choose the best pellet smoker for your needs now that you’ve learned about the common features of a pellet grill? Continue reading to clear up any confusions.
Size
This is entirely dependent on your requirements. If you have a small family or only cook for small groups, it makes sense to invest in a less expensive grill with a lower cooking capacity.
A larger grill with increased cooking capacity, on the other hand, can be a life-saving decision if you regularly host large BBQ gatherings. You will not only save time, but you will also be able to cook multiple dishes at the same time.
Clean-up
Cleaning your grill after cooking can be a chore if it lacks the necessary features. Look for a grill with a proper grease management system or removable grease trays to make your life easier. Aside from that, many grills have an ash removal design as well as dishwasher-safe adjustable grates for your convenience.
In addition, look for hoppers that make it simple to clean and replace your wood pellets.
Portability
There are many grills on the market that have fantastic features. However, they are heavy, making it difficult to transport them from one location to another. For easy transportation, look for grills with sturdy wheels, locking casters, foldable legs, and carrying handles.
If you want a grill that is portable, look for one with features such as the Country Smokers Pellet Grill. They should be small, light, and easy to transport.
Temperature Controls
If you can afford high-priced pellet grills, you can have the most cutting-edge temperature controls at your disposal. A PID controller can be installed in your grill to accurately maintain the temperature. It could have an LED readout for the temperature, sensitive meat probes, and a temperature gauge.
Luxury and high-end grills, such as the RT-700 and Memphis Elite Grill, also provide remote Wi-Fi temperature controls via your phone.
If you want a low-cost grill, you can find some of the best wood pellet grills with non-PID or multi-position controls. Choose one with an accurate temperature gauge and a wider temperature range.
How Do You Select Wood Pellets for Smoking?
After you’ve chosen your pellet grill, it’s time to choose the best wood pellet for your dishes. Keeping in mind that high-quality pellets can make or break your recipe, let’s look at what separates a good pellet from a low-quality one.
Hardwood versus softwood
When it comes to choosing between hardwood and softwood pellets, both have advantages and disadvantages. Hardwood pellets, on the other hand, are stable and burn at a consistent temperature. As a result, they burn for a longer period of time and produce pure, thick smoke.
Softwood pellets, on the other hand, are higher in lignin content and burn at higher temperatures. They have higher BTUs, which causes them to burn out faster than hardwood.
Choose hardwood if you want to smoke your dish slowly and at low temperatures. However, if you’re going to cook for a large group in a short period of time, softwood pellets are the way to go.
Ingredients You should consider the contents of your pellets before purchasing them. Many brands attempt to reduce production costs by including alder, oak, and chemical fillers in their pellets. It may save them money, but it has a negative impact on the flavor. Furthermore, they burn at a lower temperature and produce more ash.
To get the best smoke from your BBQ, make sure to buy 100 percent natural flavored wood pellets.
Flavor
Different woods provide different flavors of smoke for your meat. We’ve compiled a list of the best woods for your pellet grill.
Hickory is a widely used wood that imparts a classic, robust BBQ flavor to your meat. Its mild smoke flavor is ideal for grilling pork, beef brisket, or even poultry.
Applewood, which grows in the Northeast and Midwest, emits a mildly sweet smoke that is ideal for cooking pork, poultry, fish, and vegetables.
Although birch is a softwood that burns quickly, it is ideal for cold-smoking fish.
Cherry, like applewood, provides a bold yet sweet smoke. These wood pellets can be used for low and slow smoking dishes such as duck, salmon, and even chicken.
The Amount of Ash
The amount of ash produced by a wood pellet in comparison to burnt wood is referred to as its ash content. The more ash there is, the lower the quality of the wood pellet. Aside from that, ash reduces the efficiency with which the stove or burner burns.
You should choose a wood pellet that has a high BTU output while burning at a low rate.
Moisture Level
This feature influences how long it takes to light the grill. Wood pellets with a low moisture content ignite and heat the grill much faster than those with a higher moisture content. The moisture content of high-quality pellets will be less than 6.5 percent.
The Benefits of Using a Pellet Grill
Let’s go over the standard features of a pellet grill.
Design
To ensure durability, the best wood pellet grills are made of high-quality stainless steel. Their rust-resistance allows you to use them for an extended period of time. Because pellet grills are quite heavy, the grill also includes sturdy wheels for easy transportation.
Furthermore, the best grills have heavy-duty cast-iron or tempered steel cooking grates that distribute heat evenly and quickly.
Cooking Space Depending on the size of your pellet grill, you can get a substantial primary cooking space as well as a secondary warming rack. The latter, in general, is smaller and better suited for indirect heating.
While some pellet grills allow you to attach a sear box, others have a separate sear box on the side for searing meat at high temperatures.
Hopper
The hopper holds the wood pellets and is equipped with an auger that automatically feeds them to the fire. This feature aids in precisely maintaining the temperature of the grill. The hopper capacity, on the other hand, is determined by the grill’s size as well as the manufacturer. Large hoppers allow you to cook indefinitely without stopping.
Temperature Regulation
Temperature control is unquestionably one of the most important aspects of a pellet grill. Different brands of grills will have different types of controllers. The three-position temperature control is the most basic, with options for low, medium, and high temperatures. Aside from that, the multi-position controller enables you to adjust the temperature in small set increments.
Then there are the non-PID and PID controls, which provide a greater degree of control. The former assists in adjusting temperatures in predetermined increments by feeding wood pellets in a predetermined pattern. The latter, on the other hand, is the gold standard of control. It provides precise temperature control by consistently feeding pellets and employing smart meat probes.
What Is the Process of Using a Pellet Grill?
Although they may appear to be similar to charcoal or gas smokers, wood pellet grills operate in a different manner. To begin, they fire their grills with longer-lasting, natural wood pellets. They are fed into a hopper, which transports them to the cooking chamber via an auger powered by electricity.
The wood pellets are then burned, either with an electrical ignition system or with lighter fluid and matches. The smoke and heat from the burning pellets are dispersed throughout the chamber by the convection fans. As you cook, the auger rotates at predetermined intervals to replenish the fire with new pellets.
Aside from that, pellet grills provide precise temperature control, either through a dial knob or digitally. They have a wide temperature range, allowing you to cook on low heat or sear your meat on high.
Furthermore, handy meat probes continuously measure the temperature of the internal chamber as well as the meat. The probes are linked to your control board, allowing you to fine-tune settings as needed.
Aside from that, some manufacturers have incorporated smart technology into their grills. Complex control boards, for example, allow you to control the temperature from your phone, allowing you to keep a close eye on your lean meat. They may also include smart shut-down and faster grill cooling.
What Is the Best Way to Use a Wood Pellet Smoker?
To begin, fill the hopper all the way to the top with high-quality natural wood pellets. While most grills can use any type or brand of pellets, some require specific ones from the manufacturer.
After that, correctly assemble your cooking grates inside the chamber to keep them in place, set your desired temperature using the control panel, and connect it to a power supply. Maintain a higher temperature if you want to cook quickly.
After that, you must light the grill. If your grill has an auto-ignition button, press it down for a few seconds. Alternatively, you can manually light the pellets with a lighter.
The internal temperature of your smart meat probes will be measured and displayed on the LED. When the heat is turned up, place your meat on the grill and follow the directions on the package.
You can even insert the probes inside your meat to monitor the temperature without opening the thermometer. While you relax with a drink, the set-it-and-forget-it grill will do the rest of the cooking for you.
Simply keep an eye on the hopper and refill it with pellets as needed. Turn off the grill after the timer goes off, remove your dishes, and wait for the grill to cool. After that, you must clean the grills before storing it until the next time you may require it.
How to Care for a Wood Pellet Grill
After cooking on your favorite pellet grill, you must clean it to extend its life. Most of the time, food and grease become stuck on the grill grate, ruining the flavor of the next dish. As a result, it is critical to wash them before or after cooking your meat.
To clean the grates before cooking, raise the temperature to 200 to 300°F and wait 10 minutes for the grease to melt. After that, use a brush to remove any food particles that have remained on the grates.
Next, remove the grates and use a scraper to clean the grease drip tray. Instead of cleaning it every time, place tin foil pans over the tray the next time to catch all the grease. Scrape and clean the grease shoot with a long wooden stick.
Use a vacuum to remove any remaining ash from the inside of the chamber and the firepot. To finish, use a lightly damp cloth to wipe down the chamber and the metal probes. Some pellet grills may also include an ash-removal system for easier cleanup. Simply empty the bucket of ash and replace it.
You should clean out the chimney once a year with a brush and a damp cloth. Along with this, make sure to wipe the grill’s exterior and use a polish to keep the stainless steel surfaces in good condition.
The Advantages of Using a Pellet Smoker
- Pellet smokers, as listed below, can be a life-changing investment for you. Continue reading to learn how they can help you improve your cooking skills and make your life easier.
- Because of the grill’s versatility, you can smoke, grill, BBQ, roast, bake, and even braise on the same grill. You will not need to purchase additional appliances such as a griddle if you invest in a pellet smoker.
- When it comes to quick preheating, pellet grills compete with some of the best gas grills. It takes them no more than 15 minutes to reach the desired temperature.
- Because these grills run on natural wood pellets, you can experiment with different woods to add different flavors to your dish, such as hickory, applewood, or maple.
- The built-in meat probes on the set-it-and-forget-it pellet grill measure temperature, eliminating the need for wireless meat thermometers.
- The fan’s convection currents distribute heat evenly throughout the chamber, allowing you to place a large amount of meat on the grate.
- The grills provide accurate temperature control, allowing you to adjust the heat in three to five-degree increments.
- They are extremely fuel-efficient, requiring far fewer pellets than charcoal to cook for the same amount of time.