Do you love to barbecue often with your friends and family? Does the smell of smoky meat get you all excited? Are you looking for a new pellet grill to replace your old and worn-out grill? If yes, then you have come to the right place.
To throw a successful BBQ party in your backyard, you need the right equipment for perfectly grilled food. Apart from the meat and recipe aside, a high-quality grill can make all the difference. Who does not want a fantastic cooking experience?
This is where we come in. In this article, we have reviewed eight of the best pellet smokers and discussed everything you need to know about them. Whether you are a beginner or an expert at BBQ, the best pellet grill‘s user-friendly features will make grilling a breeze.
Without further due, let us get right on to learn more about these grills.
Table of Contents
- How to Choose the Right Pellet Smoker Grill?
- Top 8 Best Pellet Smoker Grill for the Money In 2020
- 1. Camp Chef PG24MZG SmokePro Slide Pellet Smoker
- 2. Camp Chef SmokePro Stainless DLX Pellet Grill
- 3. Traeger Pro Series 780 Pellet Smoker Grill
- 4. Grilla Grills Silverbac Alpha Model Bundle
- 5. Z Grills ZPG-7002E 2020 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
- 6. Camp Chef SmokePro LUX Pellet Grill
- 7. PIT BOSS 700FB Pellet Grill
- 8. REC TEC Grills RT-700 Pellet Grill
- Benefits of Using a Pellet Smoker
- How Does A Pellet Grill Work?
- How to Use a Pellet Smoker?
- How To Clean And Maintain A Pellet Grill?
- Wrapping It Up
How to Choose the Right Pellet Smoker Grill?
If you are a beginner at grilling or just looking for a new one, it is no secret that choosing the right pellet grill can be a hassle. How do you make sure that your investment does not go to waste? What factors do you look for in your grill?
Well, do not worry. Read the following section to learn how to choose the right pellet smoker.
Price
Before you start looking at grills, you need first to set a budget for yourself. While a large budget can help you get a grill with the best possible features, it gets tricky when you have to find one on a smaller budget.
Keep in mind that there is a marked difference between affordable and cheap grills with low-quality construction. Although they are not advanced, an affordable grill will give you multiple user-friendly features in a sturdy body. You can find a good quality grill at around $500 or even a high-end grill under $1000.
Size
You need to consider two factors in a grill when it comes to the size. Firstly, decide if you want a grill for a large backyard, balcony, porch, a built-in one, or make portable for camping. The size will depend on your needs.
Secondly, ask yourself if you will cater to a small group or a large crowd often. If it is the former, you can even save money by buying a grill with lower cooking capacity.
Construction
If you want your pellet grill to last for a long time, you need to make sure that it has a durable construction. These include ones with a stainless steel body and powder or porcelain-coating to withstand rust-resistance and high temperatures.
Temperature Settings
Not every grill will have the same temperature control or range. On the one hand, high-end and luxurious grills will offer you digital controls, heat sensors, an LED screen for read-outs, PID controls, or maybe even Wi-Fi technology to control the cooking remotely.
On the other hand, mid-range and affordable pellet grills will not come with the most innovative control features. However, you can easily find ones that offer consistent temperature control using their multi-position or digital control panel.
Top 8 Best Pellet Smoker Grill for the Money In 2020
With hundreds of pellet grills from various brands available in the market, it is quite challenging to choose one for your backyard. Keep reading our top eight pellet smoker reviews to find one that suits your needs.
1. Camp Chef PG24MZG SmokePro Slide Pellet Smoker
Founded in 1990 by Ty Meason, Camp Chef is a US-based company specializing in high-quality, powerful outdoor cooking appliances. Their Camp Chef SmokePro Smoker is the best one on our list.
It has a stainless steel body, which makes it durable and sturdy enough to resist rust for a long lifetime. Meanwhile, the brand has added two robust caster wheels to move the heavy 145-pounds grill with ease.
With its slide and grill feature, the grill offers you the best of both worlds by allowing you to smoke and grill in just one appliance. While its direct flame mode can give the perfect sear on steaks, the convection style heating is ideal for uniform smoking.
Besides this, the primary and secondary cooking area gives you a total of 811 square inches of cooking space. The second level cooking shelf is fully adjustable inside the 3788 cubic inches chamber.
On top of all this, Camp Chef has used a smart digital temperature control and an automatic auger that feeds wood pellets to the fire. Using the two stainless steel meat probes, you can maintain temperatures between 175 and 400°F.
Moreover, the hopper and ash cleanout system is quite useful in removing the ash or changing the pellets. You can just use a lever to collect the leftover ash from the smoker or the pellets from the hopper in a bucket.
Apart from this, the brand has added a stylish foldable, front-facing shelf and a side shelf.
Pros
- Sturdy construction
- Easy assembly
- Front-facing and side shelves
- Efficient pellet consumption
- Easy ash and hopper cleanout
- Built-in probes
- Compatible with accessories
Cons
- No hooks for tools
- Temperature sensor might be faulty in some grills
2. Camp Chef SmokePro Stainless DLX Pellet Grill
The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill comes close to our best pellet grill with its multiple features and sturdy construction.
Similar to other Camp Chef grills, it also has a stainless steel body for durability and rust-resistance. The two caster wheels make it easy to move the 140-pound grill from your storage to the backyard.
Moving on to the cooking capacity, the Camp Chef DLX Pellet Grills comes with a 429 square inches primary cooking area, and a 141 square inches of an upper smoking level. Hence, you get an ample cooking capacity of 570 square inches for all your cooking needs.
Furthermore, the grill also features a dual LED temperature control, various low and high smoke settings, and an automatic auger backed by an 18-pound hopper capacity. Meanwhile, the integrated sensor and the stainless probe measure the internal and food temperature, respectively.
As a result, you can maintain temperatures ranging from 160 to 400° F for a long time without the need for pellet refills.
Besides this, the grill includes a smart electrical ignition system for faster and safer start-ups. You also get a smart grease management system and a hopper and ash cleanout system to make it easier to clean-up after every cook. Simply slide down the lever to catch the leftover pellets or ash.
If all this was not enough, a convenient side shelf helps keep your utensils or sauce close to the grill.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Large hopper capacity
- Electrical ignition
- Built-in sensor gauge
- Automatic auger for wood pellets
- Temperature probe
- LED temperature read-out
Cons
- Less cooking space
- Temperature varies during cooking
3. Traeger Pro Series 780 Pellet Smoker Grill
Traeger was the first brand to invent the technology for manufacturing wood pellets in 1985. The Utah-based company later went on to create multiple innovative pellet grills for customers globally. Their Traeger Pro Series 780 offers some of the best features at its high price.
Besides having a durable and rust-resistant body, the heavy 146-pound grill comes with sturdy all-terrain wheels to help move the grill. And if you are looking for versatility, the grill has 6-in-1 options to grill, smoke, roast, bake, braise, and BBQ.
Overall, you get 780 square inches of cooking capacity on the grill’s primary and additional warming rack. The space is enough to cook 34 burgers, six rib racks, or six chickens.
Along with this, the 18-pound hopper allows you to cook continuously with a refill. It even has a magnetic cleaning door to switch pellets if needed.
The best quality of the grill, however, lies in its temperature control. The grill uses a D2 Direct Drive with a powerful convection fan and automatic auger to maximize flavor and get consistent temperatures.
Meanwhile, the WiFire Technology connects the grill to its app on your phone, allowing you to set temperatures and monitor food remotely. Since the grill is also compatible with Alexa, you can use your voice to change temperatures or even set a timer.
Pros
- Consistent temperature results
- Powerful D2 controller
- Wi-Fi technology
- Compatible with Alexa
- Durable meat probes
- Tool hooks
Cons
- Slow connection to the app
- Need to purchase the shelf additionally
4. Grilla Grills Silverbac Alpha Model Bundle
Established in 2012 by two friends, Grills Grills is a US-based company that manufactures pellet grills and ceramic Kamado grills. The Grilla Grills Silverbac Alpha is the best pellet grill among their line.
It has a double-walled, stainless steel body that offers durability and provides thermal insulation. Additionally, the brand has added a powder-coating for rust-resistance too.
Overall, you get a primary cooking area and an upper warming rack, giving you a total of 900 square inches of cooking capacity. Besides this, it comes with a 20-pound hopper that feeds pellets automatically.
For temperature control, Grilla Grills has used PID digital controls, sensitive probe thermometers, and an LED screen for consistent results. Hence, you can use the versatile grill for cooking multiple dishes with a temperature range of 180 to 500°F.
Moreover, you get a grease drip cup, a convenient side shelf, and a large bottom cabinet to hold all your utensils close to you. Lastly, the whole Alpha Bundle comes with Silverbac Pellet grill, four 20-pound wood pellet bags, a durable cover, and an upper rack to bump the cooking space.
Pros
- Large cooking space
- Good temperature control
- Includes wood pellets
- Wide temperature range
- Consistent results
- Efficient double-wall construction
Cons
- No Wi-Fi technology
- Flimsy hook for drip cup
- No ash removal system
5. Z Grills ZPG-7002E 2020 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Even though Z Grills was established in 2017 officially, it still has 30 years of experience producing pellet grills for companies globally. It is an affordable grill brand with the Z Grills 7002E 2020 Upgrade Pellet Grill being the best budget-friendly grill.
The grill has stainless steel construction for durability and rust-resistance and gives you 8-in-1 versatility in the kitchen. Hence, you can grill, roast, smoke, sear, braise, BBQ, bake, or chargrill on the same pellet grill. Along with this, Z Grills has used porcelain-coated cast-iron cooking grids for efficient heat distribution.
The grill includes a primary cooking space of 504 square inches and a secondary cooking rack, giving a total of 700 square inches of cooking capacity. Besides this, it has a 20-pound hopper, which feeds augers automatically to maintain the temperature.
With easy-to-use features like the digital control board, you can set your desired temperature between 180 to 450°F. While the LED screen displays the temperature, a powerful fan distributes the heat evenly for the best temperature control.
Moreover, the grill includes a convenient electrical ignition system, a waste oil collector for easy clean-up, and keeps temperature variations within 10 degrees efficiently.
Pros
- 8-in-1 versatility
- Ample cooking space
- Quick start-up
- Automatic pellet feeder
- Precise temperature control
- Powerful convection fan
- Inexpensive
Cons
- No meat probes
- Quality control is lacking
- No proper ash disposal
6. Camp Chef SmokePro LUX Pellet Grill
If you are looking for the best pellet smoker for the money, look no further than the Camp Chef SmokePro LUX Pellet Grill.
The third and largest grill from Camp Chef offers a massive 875 square inches of cooking capacity. Apart from the main cooking area, you also get a secondary warming rack to keep your food warm or prepare your sides.
Besides this, it has a stainless steel body for durability and comes with locking caster wheels to move the heavyweight grill. The brand has added convenient bottom and side shelves to keep the sauces, plates, and other utensils close to the grill.
Moreover, the grill includes an 18-pound hopper that feeds pellets automatically to maintain temperatures till 400°F in the smoker. Its smart temperature chip provides consistent smoke and keeps temperature variations to a minimum.
Meanwhile, the dual sensors and stainless steel meat probe measure the internal and food temperatures, respectively. These are displayed clearly on the dual-LED screen. Additionally, you can even add a sear box on the side for higher temperatures.
Camp Chef has also included an easy ash cleaning system and an automatic electronic ignition for faster start-ups.
Pros
- Large cooking space
- Convenient shelves for storage and prep
- Durable construction
- Quick start-up
- Dual sensors and temperature read
- Ample hopper capacity for longer cooks
Cons
- Temperatures might vary
- Quality issues from user
7. PIT BOSS 700FB Pellet Grill
Based in Arizona, the US, Pit Boss is a subsidiary of Dansons, Inc., which was founded in 1999 to manufacture some of the most high-quality and durable grills in the market. Their excellent craftsmanship reflects in the Pit Boss 700FB Pellet Grill.
It has a high-grade steel gauge body and porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grids for durability, rust-resistance, and strength. Meanwhile, two steel caster wheels help to move the 126-pound from storage to your backyard with ease.
Besides this, the grill has 8-in1 versatility, allowing you to sear, grill, smoke, bake, roast, broil, BBQ, or chargrill on the same appliance. While powerful fans help to force hot air for even heating, the flame broiler offers both direct and indirect heat on the grill.
As such, you can maintain temperatures between 180 to 500°F on the set-it and forget-it grill. You can use the innovative digital control board and the LED screen to select the cooking temperature and style with ease. Moreover, the internal temperatures are also displayed over the LED.
Most importantly, you get ample cooking space and an 18-pound hopper capacity to cook food for four to six people simultaneously. The grill comes with a primary cooking area and an upper warming rack, giving you a total of 700 square inches of cooking capacity.
Apart from all this, it also has an electrical ignition and a cleanout door to easily clean the hopper.
Pros
- 8-in-1 versatile cooking
- Large cooking space
- Pellet cleanout door
- LED display and digital control
- Broil feature for searing
- Ample hopper capacity for longer cooks
Cons
- Difficult to adjust broiler
- No side shelf
8. REC TEC Grills RT-700 Pellet Grill
REC TEC Grills was founded in 2009 in Georgia, the US, to manufacture high-quality grills for their customers. Although it is quite expensive, their REC TEC RT-700 Pellet Grill is one of the best wood pellet grills.
It has a very sturdy stainless steel construction and comes with locking caster wheels to move the heavyweight grill with ease. Along with this, you get horn-shaped bull handles on the side, a convenient towel ring, a few tool hooks, and a shelf at the bottom to hold your utensils.
The RT-700 grill comes with a primary 702 square inches cooking area and an additional warming rack of 350 square inches to help you prepare your dishes. Moreover, it has a 40-pound hopper which allows you to cook continuously without a break.
Most importantly, the grill gives you excellent heat control with its Smart Grill Technology. Meanwhile, the Wi-Fi Pellet Technology connects the RT-700 grill to its app on your phone, helping you control your cooking, temperature, and smoke settings remotely.
Hence, you can select temperatures between 200 to 500ºF via five-degree increments. The dual meat probes will measure and display the temperatures of two pieces of meat on the LED screen simultaneously.
Besides this, the grill comes with a Hotflash Ceramic Ignition System for faster start-ups, and a convenient shutdown setting for safety. You even get a drip tray to minimize mess and make clean-up easier.
Pros
- Large cooking space
- Durable body
- Two meat probes offer versatility
- Remote Wi-Fi temperature control
- Removable drip tray
- Larger hopper capacity
- Six-year warranty
Cons
- Very expensive
- Firepot cannot be removed for cleaning
Benefits of Using a Pellet Smoker
There are various benefits of a pellet smoker, including easy temperature control, consistent results, set-it and forget-it function, and versatility. Keep reading to learn more about some of them.
- Similar to gas grills, pellets grills are also quick to preheat. You only have to wait for 15 minutes to start grilling your meat.
- Instead of purchasing additional meat probes, the pellet grills come with integrated thermometers to measure the internal and food temperatures.
- The grill offers consistent temperature control within five-degree increments using its thermostat and heat sensors. Since they are connected to the control board, the automatic auger adds wood pellets whenever needed.
- Pellet grills offer exceptional versatility, allowing you to grill, smoke, bake, braise, BBQ, or roast on just one appliance.
- Unlike charcoal smokers, the smoky flavor is more subtle using the natural wood pellets. You can select your taste from hickory, maple, or applewood.
- The grills are quite fuel-efficient and consume fewer pellets. It makes them more economical and eco-friendly.
- Since the grills employ convection fans, heat is spread to all corners of the smoker. You will never have to experience hot spots again.
How Does A Pellet Grill Work?
Instead of running on charcoal or natural propane gas, a pellet smoker uses long-lasting wood pellets to give your food a smoky flavor. Hence, they have a different mode of operation.
In the place of a firebox, you have a large hopper on the side of the grill where you dump your wood pellets. This hopper works on electricity to power the rotating auger, which delivers the pellets to the fire chamber.
Here, an automatic igniter rod burns the pellets to make heat and smoke inside the smoker. Meanwhile, a powerful convection fan brings in the air to distribute the heat evenly to all corners of the pellet grill.
Depending on your settings, the hopper will automatically add the pellets at regular intervals to maintain the set temperature. You can set the temperature or smoker settings using digital control or dial knobs. Moreover, the built-in meat probes will measure your food temperature and display it on the LED screens.
Keep in mind that controls vary from grill to grill. While some smokers will offer basic, user-friendly features, others might come with complicated controls. These include Wi-Fi technology, compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant, and automatic shutdown for safety too.
How to Use a Pellet Smoker?
If you think it is challenging to use a pellet smoker, let me tell you that you are way off. Pellet grills are notorious for their user-friendly control panel and their temperature control. Let us look at the reason behind why they are called set-it and forget-it grills.
- Start by filling the hopper with your favorite flavored wood pellets. Keep in mind that some grills might work with only specific brands of pellets only.
- Then, assemble your pellet grill and keep the cooking grids in place.
- Connect the grill to the power supply and set the temperature using the control panel.
- Next, turn on the grill using the automatic ignition system present in your grill. Instead of using lighter fluid to ignite the pellets, your grill could either have a dial knob or a push button.
- Meanwhile, the built-in heat sensors will measure and display the internal temperature on the LED screen.
- When your smoker has reached the desired temperature, keep your steak or hamburger on the grid. Some grills might even come with a meat probe to measure the temperature of your food.
- Your grill will cook your food for you while you relax until the timer is up. However, make sure that your hopper does not run out of pellets in-between.
- When your food has cooked, shut off the grill, and remove your food.
- Only clean the grill when the grill has cooled down enough.
How To Clean And Maintain A Pellet Grill?
Now that you have grilled your favorite dishes, you must clean them before storing the grill again. You do not want the grease to harden up and become a bacterial infestation. Besides this, they will affect the taste of your food the next your grill too.
Follow these instructions if you want to clean your grill and improve its life.
- Heat the grill to a temperature of 200 to 300°F, and let the grates sit for 10 minutes.
- Remove the melted grease and leftover food particles using a brush.
- Then, take out the grease drip tray to clean it with a scraper. If you find it tedious to clean the tray every time, place aluminum or tin foils to make clean-up easier.
- Moving on to the chamber, many pellet grills include a convenient ash removal system to remove the ash. For those which do not, you can either use a vacuum or a damp cloth to remove the ash from the firepot.
- Make sure to clean the delicate built-in meat probes with a damp cloth too.
- Next, you can use a wooden stick to scrape off the grease from the grease shoot and wipe the chimney using a brush or damp cloth.
- For the exterior, wipe it regularly and polish it often to maintain its pristine condition.
Wrapping It Up
To summarize, pellet grills offer the best cooking experience for both beginners and experts alike. If you truly enjoy grilling your favorite food and enjoying it with your family, the set-it and forget-it grill is perfect for you.
Not only do they offer the best user-friendly features, but some grills also come with innovative technology that makes cooking easy for everyone. Our top eight pellet grill reviews include only the highest quality grills with the most sought-after features.
Before investing in any grill, make sure to learn about each grill’s features to find the one that suits your needs. Our buyer’s section is sure to answer any of your questions.
Happy reading!
