What Is The Best Wood Pellet Grill

How We Designed Our Wood Pellets

When it came time to make a pellet for the Grilla Grills line of products we took it very seriously. We wanted to make the best wood fuel pellets on the market. We tested all the top brands, took pages and pages of notes comparing everything from heat output and flavor to efficiency and ash created. We also went to several factories and asked the hard questions concerning the use of flavor oils, additives, fillers, and woods such as Alder. We wanted to ensure what we put our name was hands down the best pellets for our grills.

Once all the data was compiled and the interviews were done we found some commonality between the top brands.

1. They only used high-quality wood and nothing else in their pellets. No flavor oils, binders or any other additives were used or needed when the best woods were used.

2. Hardwood species such as Oak was the primary ingredient used even in their blended pellets. Alder avoided since it was determined to not create as much heat and could attribute to flameout issues in some pellet smokers.

3. This keep it simple but honest philosophy of pellet manufacturing hands down created not only the best burning pellet but the most flavorful food. The rich flavors of the right pellet fuel was genuinely a difference you could taste.

Best Overall Traeger Grills Pro Series 575

Joe Traeger founded this company in 1985 to manufacture the worlds first wood pellet grill. Based in Oregon, the US, Traeger is now one of the leading producers of smart grills and accessories in the world.

Their Pro Series 575 Grill has a durable, rust-resistant body and comes in both black and bronze colors. Apart from grilling your food, it offers 6-in-1 versatility by allowing you to bake, smoke, braise, roast, and BBQ on the grill too. The grill uses 100% natural wood pellets to give consistent temperatures during your cooking.

Besides this, you get about 575 square inches of cooking space, which is enough to fit either five-rib racks or 25 burgers. With easy and simple controls, you can just set the temperature and enjoy your day.

Most importantly, Traeger 575 Grill includes a WiFire Technology that connects your phone to the grill. It allows you to adjust the temperature, set timers, check the pellet levels for refills, and even read their recipes.

Apart from all this, the set-it and forget-it grill feature a D2 Direct Drive train and an auto-ignition to fire the grill faster and quicker. An 18-pound hopper and an automatic auger system feed the pellets to keep the temperature in control, and a fan circulates the heat evenly inside the chamber.

The Pro Series also comes in another variation, called Pro 780. Both girls offer almost the same features, but Pro 780 is bigger than Pro 575.

Pros

• Requires a vacuum for removing ash

Top 5 Best Pellet Grills Under $500

Are you wondering if you can get a quality pellet grill for under $500?

Youve come to the right place!

In this TheGrillingDad.com guide, youll learn:

• Which pellet grills you can get for $500
• How to use it
• And much more!

Are you excited to have the best barbecue party with your family and friends?

While its not as famous as charcoal grilling, grilling and smoking foods with wood pellets gives you a wide range of benefits from flavor to ease of use.

You dont even have to spend a fortune to get a quality setup.

In this guide, I share the best pellet grills for under 500 dollars.

Our Overall #1 Rated Pick

Our top pick is the Pit Boss 700FB pellet grill because Pit Boss produces high-quality and beautifully designed smoker grills, and they are located right here in the USA.

With 700 square inches of cooking space, this pellet smoker offers the best bang for your buck when it comes to cooking space per dollar.

Its built to last a lifetime, but still easy to move around the yard when you need it to.

Demand is high for Pit Boss wood pellet grills and smokers right now, so get your hands on your favorite model and have it shipped to your doorstep from Amazon today.

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Are You Ready To Fire Up Your Pellet Grill In 2021

If you want to enjoy some fantastic meals this year, cooked low and slow in a smoker, or have that wood-fire flavor in your grilled food, youll definitely want to pick up a pellet grill sooner than later.

Want to learn more about pellet grilling? Click here to Learn The Science behind pellet grilling.

Weve looked at a variety of pellet grills here, from luxury models to budget friendly grills, and weve seen units that offer some special features .

Which one do you love?

Our Reviews Of The Best 5 Inexpensive Pellet Grills Under $500

Pit Boss prides themselves on delivering the most cooking space for the dollar, and they didnt miss here either.

While one of the cheapest pellet grills out there, this beast offers 700 square inches of cooking space and an 18-pound hopper capacity.

Additionally, they have a slide plate that allows for direct flame searing. The ability to sear is rare with pellet grills, so this is a huge benefit.

Another neat feature is the bottom shelf for storing your accessories.

Though it has wheels, its not extremely portable. The smaller wheels make it difficult to move other than on smooth surfaces.

This particular model is the Pit Boss 700FB. Theyre selling quickly, so if this is the one, order it today to have it shipped to your doorstep.

Pros

With its digital thermostat, you can easily adjust the cooking temperature. You can make precise temperature adjustments in 5 degree increments.

The Traeger Tailgater offers 300 square inches of cooking space and an 8-pound hopper capacity.

But note, this Traeger grill does take time getting up to temp during the colder months. When using it in the summer, it can reach its max temp of 450ºF easily.

This particular model is the Traeger Tailgater and it has foldable legs. They also have an even more portable option, which is the Traeger Ranger. The Ranger can be put in any trunk or placed on any tailgate.

Pros

Its foldable legs fold up into something that looks like a bag of luggage. Its the best portable design youll find.

Pros

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Cooking Capacity How Much Cooking Space You Really Need

The number of inches of cooking space, or as well call it, cooking real estate, is important to consider. A large smoker will handle large amounts of foods but will also need more fuel to get to temperature and sustain that temperature.

Think about a hot air balloon. Bigger air balloons can carry more people but require more hot air to fill a larger area. The same goes with a pellet smoker. The larger the cooking chamber, the more pellets it needs to burn to fill the chamber with hot air, get it to temperature, and sustain that temperature.

If you are more likely to smoke and cook small meat cuts, having less inches of primary cooking area can benefit you. Consider a pellet smoker with a larger cooking space if you intend to smoke large meat cuts or for large crowds.

The point here is to only spend money on a pellet smoker with the inches of cooking space you will use. Anything bigger can be wasteful.

The bottom line is to be realistic about what youre getting and not be fooled with thinking bigger is better.

Traeger Grills Pro Series 34

Traeger is the original pellet cooker brand, so it stands to reason that they still make one of the best wood pellet grills out on the market today. Weve seen it with their Tailgater and Renegade Elite models, and here we see it with their Pro series.

The Traeger Pro Series 34 is one of the largest, most powerful units out there, and this new version in the form of the Pro Series is another sign of the pellet grills progress.

Gone are past issues with warm up speeds and heat retention, all in favor of a reliable, study, smoker that locks in smoking temperatures.

Whats changed? The new Traeger engine has been developed to turn the pellet auger quicker, which means that more fuel can get into the firebox faster. This means a quick heat-up time, and more responsive controls.

It include a built-in temperature gauge to allow you easy temperature readings for your smoker surface and ambient temperature. However I would always recommend investing in your own specialist temperature meat probe for reliable accurate readings.

The smokers digital controller allows you to tweak temperatures in 5°F increments, making aiming for that ideal 225°F relatively easy.

Whether you think you need this added connectivity or not is up to you, but even with this put to one side there is no denying that is an extremely efficient and powerful pellet cooker.

Read Also: Grilling Steaks On Traeger

Traeger Grills Renegade Pro

• Company: Traeger
• Cooking Area: 380 sq. in.
• Hopper Capacity: 18lbs
• Price: $$

This smaller wood pellet grill is one of the most popular of the smaller Traeger grills. With a cooking area of 380 sq in. cooking area, its a great choice for use at home, as it can cook enough for a large family, but not quite for a crowd .

Some aspects that youll love are:

• Its as easy as turning a dial to set your temperature, and the integrated Digital Pro Controller keeps temperatures within +/- 15 degrees F the whole time youre cooking.
• You can do a lot of different styles of cooking on the Renegade smoke low and slow at 180 degrees, or grill hot and fast at 450 degrees or anywhere between!
• Its built to last, with heavy duty steel, porcelain grill grades , and large wheels that will allow you to move the smoker easily. And theres a handy lift bar on the side that will give you that extra bit of security during transporting.
• It has a simple to use hopper clean-out system, which lets you change pellet flavors easily.
• The sawhorse chassis is sturdy
• It comes with dual meat probes to let you keep a perfect blind eye on your food.

The price of the Renegade is, I think, fair for what youre getting. And with the Traegar brand name , you can be sure youre getting a good buy. Want to see more, or compare the models? Click below:

What Is The Cheapest Pellet Grill

• Camp Chef SmokePro
• Green Mountain Davy Crockett

Many brands provide quality pellet grills at lower prices, while other brands offer more features as the products get more expensive.

Camp Chef is known for offering pellet grills for under $500.

• They offer the SmokePro and Woodwind series.
• They have their patented ash removal feature, making it easy for you to clean the grill and dispose of ash immediately after cooking.
• However, extra features can be limited given the price.

One of the other cheapest pellet smokers also comes from Green Mountain.

The Davy Crockett model is priced at $299 only with perks like portable Wi-Fi control features.

• This allows you to monitor and control the smokers temperature even if youre inside the house.
• The grill is also easy to transport, given its adjustable legs.
• However, it has its corresponding disadvantages like limited Wi-Fi technology.

Overall, brands, like Camp Chef, Pit Boss, and Cuisinart offer some of the cheapest pellet grills you can find on the market.

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Buying Guide For Best Pellet Grills

Who doesnt love a delicious rack of ribs or juicy burgers hot off the grill? Being able to barbecue every day is one of the best parts of summer, but cooking the food to perfection depends on having the right equipment. Even if youre not a pitmaster, you can cook and smoke consistently great meats and vegetables with a pellet grill.

But shopping for a pellet grill can be a challenge because there are so many different models to choose from. You have to figure out what size, temperature controls, and other factors will work best for your grilling routine.

If youre ready to buy a pellet grill, please consider our highlighted picks. But if you want some general advice on what to look for in a pellet grill, our shopping guide has all the details.

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The Features Of A Pellet Grill

Let us take a look at the standard features of a pellet grill.

Design

The best wood pellet grills are made from the highest quality stainless steel to ensure durability. Their rust-resistant feature allows you to use them for a long time. Since pellet grills are quite heavy, the grill offers sturdy wheels for easy transportation too.

Besides this, the best grills contain heavy-duty cast-iron or tempered steel cooking grates to distribute heat evenly and quickly.

Cooking Space

Depending on the size of your pellet grill, you can get a sizable primary cooking space and an additional secondary warming rack. Generally, the latter is smaller and best suited for indirect heating.

While some pellet grills may provide the option of attaching a sear box, some of them include a separate sear box on the side for searing meat at high temperatures.

Hopper

The hopper holds the wood pellets and comes with an automatic auger to feed them to the fire. This feature helps to maintain the temperature of the grill precisely. The hopper capacity, on the other hand, depends on the size of the grill as well as the manufacturer. Large hoppers allow you to cook continuously without taking a break.

Temperature Control

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Best Overall Pellet Smoker

1. Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill

Why youll love this:

Set it and Forget it! Perfect for beginners

With a ton of quality of life features , this pellet grill makes smoking easier than ever. Even better, you get top level performance at an entry level price

While it may not look like much, its whats on the inside that counts, and the classic, simple layout and easy to use temperature meat probe controls more than make up for any aesthetic shortcomings.

What We Liked

• Large Hopper Capacity: An 18 lb pellet hopper capacity give you freedom to only load this pellet grill once for an entire grilling or smoking day, making it an efficient use of your time and effort.
• Electronic Ignition: Easily ignite and keep aflame the pellets with the electronic heat rod ignition from just one twist of the knob. Other internal components keep the flame hot and pellets cycling through for long term, no hassle smoking and grilling.
• Convenient Side Table: Attached side table give you a place to sit your utensils and sauces without needing another table, though there is not enough space for full prep work to be done just on the grills attached table.
• Ash Catcher: Ash catcher is bottom mounted and slides out to easily empty and replace without getting in the way.

What We Didnt Like

Our full review: Camp Chef SmokePro DLX

Camp Chef also incorporates a unique ash removal system. Users simply pull a lever to remove old ashes.

Camp Chef Wifi Woodwind 36inch With Sidekick

Camp Chef is a remarkable brand for manufacturing quality products. The organization is famous for producing sturdy, solid, versatile, and reliable products.Camp Chef wifi Woodwind 36Inch With Sidekick has exceptional features that make it unbeatable in-the-line excellence. It is the first choice of those who want a pellet grill that contains all the features. Due to its incredible features, it ranks second position in our list of best pellet smoker 2021.

Construction

The unit is sturdy enough that it will last for several years to come. Stainless steel and powder-coated steel have been used for the construction. Stainless steel material keeps the unit safe from rust. The enamel-coated steel has been used for the lower rack, upper rack of nickel-plated and sear rack of enamel coated cast iron.

To add this, cooking capacity is good enough that you can serve 8-10 people in a single shift. Its total cooking capacity is 1236 square inches. This capacity saves you from cooking in several shifts.

Heat Level

Camp Chef wifi Woodwind 36Inch With Sidekick has been powered by a PID temperature controller, one of the efficient temperature controllers in todays market. It is reckoned as the best one for balancing the heat level even when you intend to alter the smoke level.

Portable

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Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker

• Company: Z Grills
• Cooking Area: 513 sq. in. + 187 sq. in. warming rack
• Hopper Capacity: 20lb
• Price: $$

This pellet grill & smoker is a fantastic option for you if youre looking for a mid-range grill thatll do it all: grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, sear, and bbq!

Its a set and forget grill with Smart Smoke Technology and an automatic electric feed system youll being able to walk away from your grill and enjoy the day without worrying about feeding it pellets. And you can also trust that the temperature will stay where you want it !

Some other great features are:

• The cart has locking caster wheels, and an enclosed storage cabinet thats perfect for bags of pellets and grilling gear.
• It comes with a 3 year warranty, meaning your investment is nicely protected!
• Its a nice sized grill for backyard grilling , and has a big hopper for long and slow cooks.
• 2020 saw some new upgrades the newly updated electric digital control board is really easy to use, taking away guesswork, and they fixed some known issues with the pellet feed control system.
• It comes with a heavy-duty waterproof grill cover designed to fit it perfectly, so you dont have to waste time and money playing the frustrating will this cover fit game.

This is a well priced item, I think. Not exactly cheap, but you get a lot for your money. And if you buy it right on the ZGrills website, you can take advantage of the free shipping, free included cover, and their registered 3 year warranty!