Why Are Pellet Grills So Expensive
The best pellet grills were able to crisp-up chicken wings without burning them when we used the highest heat setting
While some pellet grills can be found under $500, most range between $1,000 and $2,000 depending on the size and features. They have more moving parts than other types of grills, and controlling the temperature is a bit more complicated than a grill that uses dials or vents. A thermostat and an onboard computer control the grills auger, fan, and ignition system.
If it doesnt come together correctly, the automated pellet delivery system will fail to deliver pellets to the fire pot, and the grill wont reach appropriate heat levels. Worse yet, the grill could turn off mid-session, or the ignited pellets can back up into the hopper, creating a fire hazard.
Modern pellet grills are also smart-capable. They have built-in probe thermometers that connect to smartphones via Bluetooth or WiFi, allowing users to monitor long-cooking items like brisket or pulled pork remotely. These apps also allow you to change the grills temperature, activate any smoke boost functions, set a timer, monitor the pellet level in the hopper, and turn the grill off. Thats convenient, but it comes at a price.
How To Use A Wood Pellet Smoker
To start, you need to fill the hopper to the top with high-quality natural wood pellets. While most grills can work with any type and brand of pellets, some require specific ones from their brand.
Next, assemble your cooking grates correctly inside the chamber to keep them in place, set your desired temperature using the control panel, and connect it to a power supply. If you want to cook in a short time, keep a higher temperature.
After this, you have to turn on the grill. If your grill contains an auto-ignition button, press down on the button for a few moments. Otherwise, you can ignite the pellets manually using a lighter.
Your smart meat probes will measure the internal temperature and display it on the LED. When your heat levels are up, place your meat inside the grill and follow your recipe step-by-step.
You can even insert the probes inside your meat to keep an eye on your dish without opening the temperature. The set-it and forget-it grill will do all the rest of the cooking for you while you enjoy a drink.
Just make sure to keep an eye on the hopper and refill it with pellets if needed. After the set time, turn off the grill, remove your dishes, and wait for the grill to cool down. Next, you have to clean out the grills before storing it away until the next time you might need it.
Pellet Smokers: What Makes Them Different
Pellet smokers are designed to be all about convenience, and they are by far, the most convenient smoker on the market. What makes them convenient? You dont have to babysit. You can fill up the hopper, plug in the grill, and let it do most of the work for you.
You dont have to worry about managing the flame or air flow or maintaining consistent temperatures with pellet grills. The grill does all that for you, and you get pretty dang good barbecue. Beginners and piit masters alike get great results with a pellet grill.
Wait, is it pellet smoker or pellet grill?
Every industry has its quirks, and the barbecue world is no exception. While some experts believe that these machines should only be called pellet smokers, and not pellet grills, really the words are used interchangeably.
Since youre not traditionally cooking with direct flame the way you would with a gas grill, technically you arent grilling, per say. But you are cooking at grilling temperatures on a product thats designed to cook outside. So we here at the Barbecue Lab say that you can call it either a pellet smoker or pellet grill. Trust us, if youre making great food on it, no one really cares what you call it.
Read Also: How Long To Grill Chicken Breast On A Gas Grill
Weber Grills Smokefire Ex6 Wood Fired Pellet Grill Company: Weber Grills Now Available
- Company: Weber Grills
- Cooking Area: 1,008 square inches of dual grilling space
- Hopper Capacity: 20lbs
- Price: $$$
As this pellet grill was just recently released to the public, theres a lot of talk about it. The hype about this new pellet grill by Weber has been HUGE, so Im going to tell you a bit about it and if youre interested, you can click through and read more about it and check out any reviews that have started coming in by the time you read this.
Weber does some of the best gas grills around, hands down. They have several that made my best gas grills of 2021 list. And now with this EX6 they are starting in on pellet smoker grills, and if they are willing to put the Weber name on a product, you can bet that it has been designed by the best, and tested thoroughly to make sure the quality fits the brand.
Heres some info about it, gleaned from sources all over the web:
Weber consistently makes high quality grills, theres no contesting that. No doubt the SmokeFire EX6 and EX4 tows that line as well, giving good reason for the many excited pellet grillers out there to check it out.
Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill Review
Complete with a variety of spectacular features, the Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker redefines the whole concept of smoking. At a reasonable price, this smoker gives you more than what you paid for. It offers top technology-rich features that ensure consistent smoking for that great smoky flavor. Plus, many customers including ourselves have attested to its durability. This smoker will serve you without failure for a very long time.
Every outdoor cooking enthusiast wants an affordable pellet smoker that has all of the key features that even a high-end unit would have. In most cases, this is just a dream and a result of false advertising, because most impressive smokers typically cost a hefty sum of money. The Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker claims to be a reasonably-priced smoker that offers top-of-the-line features, and many users have agreed with those claims. With this pellet smoker review of the Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker, well find out if it really does what it claims to do.
Some of the top features of this pellet smoker include:
Most traditional grills and smokers would have you struggling to reach the desired temperature, but with this unit, that problem is long gone. All you have to do is set your temperature using its digital controls, and press a button to get it heated up.
Pros
- Does not come with accessories
- Hopper quickly runs out of pellets
- Lack of convenient cleanup system
Also Check: How Long To Cook Pork Chops On Grill
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
Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Pellet Grill & Smoker
The name Traeger is a hallmark of quality when it comes to pellet grills. Theyre the leading brand for a reason and have an impressive range of different options to choose from. This grill the Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 is the perfect size for a small to medium-sized family. Its not the biggest grill in their range but it still has space for four chickens, five racks of ribs, or 24 burgers. That should give you plenty of space, even if youre entertaining. It also has a hopper capacity of 18lbs, which allows you to cook for longer.
One of the most impressive features of the Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Digital Pro Controller. This amazing cooking system allows for precision temperature control, taking the guesswork out of grilling. This turns the average cook into a world-class chef. Buy it now and impress your family and friends.
Grill dimensions 27 D x 41 W x 49 H
18lb hopper
Space for 4 chickens, 5 racks of ribs, or 24 burgers
Digital Pro Controller with Advanced Grilling Logic
Wooden utensil hooks
Recommended Reading: How To Clean Stainless Steel Grill
Best Pit Boss Pellet Grill Reviews For 2021
Pit Boss pellet grills have dominated the pellet grill market for a little over two decades.
With base pellet grills starting at $500 and premium models climbing to no more than around $900, Pit Boss pellet grills are some of the most affordable on the market.
Despite their budget-friendly price tag, Pit Boss grills are well made and packed with features like tool hooks, side tables, bottle openers, and a smart system that self-regulates the cooking experience.
Every pellet grill on this list uses a smart PID controller to lock in temperatures and self-feed wood pellets when the system detects temperature fluctuations. So these grills truly facilitate a hands-off grilling experience without the learning curve.
Pit Boss offers many fantastic pellet grills that fit almost any budget, need, and preference. Read on to find your ideal unit!
Best Pellet Grill For Searing In 2021
Outdoor cooking for everyone seems to be a fun activity. Whether its a family picnic, get together or just a solo cooking-self-pampering session outdoor going always works out.
On a bright sunny day, cooking over pellet grill and smoker is the best option, and it is loved by all. The fact that grills and smokers can be used to cook some of the most delicious smackers and meals.
Barbeque steak, chicken and fish and more makes the chore of cooking all the way more fun. It is not very difficult to cook, when you have the correct equipment.
Also, cooking is just another skill that can help you in life. When it comes to outdoor or garden cooking, there is nothing best than grillers and smokers.
We know that everyone likes to do the same. Hence in this article we have complied 5 Best pellet grill for searing that can light up your fun and amusement filled cooking session in a bliss.
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Camp Chef Smokepro Dlx
Camp Chef makes another appearance on our best pellet smoker list with their Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill.
With 429 square inches of main cooking surface area, its a more compact alternative to some of the other cookers weve listed so far. That could come in handy if youre a little tight for space on your patio. Theres also a 144 square inch warming rack which adds a little extra working area.
Like youd expect from a Camp Chef, it comes with their patented ash cleanout system so you dont have to worry about devoting a lot of time to your cleaning efforts.
The hopper has an 18 pound capacity, which is a pretty standard but generous size. Its more than enough to be able to feed pellets into your auger for extended smoking sessions without having to refill.
Camp Chef also has a great line of add ons and premium attachments that are compatible with this grill and add versatility. Two great ones that come to mind are the Sidekick Griddle and the Searbox that can get up to 900°F for scorching sear jobs.
Things We Like:
- High quality build and design
- Premium attachments available that add value and versatility to your grill
- Fair price point for a quality pellet grill
- Camp Chefs patented ash cleanout system included to minimize the amount of time spent maintaining
- 573 square inches of total cooking area is a perfect number for small to medium sized families or groups of friends
Things We Dont:
Best Wifi/app Pellet Grills Under $500
Ok, so if you only have $500 to spend on a pellet grill and you are specifically looking for a grill to provide you with WiFi/App functionality the best device I can recommend is the Davy Crockett from Green Mountain Grills . Why, well its definitely an excellent grill for its price point. However, as of writing this post, it is literally the only pellet grill you can get for under $500 with WiFi/App functionality. I do want to point out the control panel of the Davy Crockett also features a PID algorithm which constantly monitors and adjusts the pellet grill auger/fan to maintain an accurate temperature. Another feature which is not commonly found on a pellet grill under $500.
The Davy Crockett portable WiFi pellet grill from Green Mountain Grills: Image BBQGuys.com
Now, the Davy Crockett as a small/portable pellet grill is not going to meet everybodys needs as it only provides 219 square inches of grilling area. Hence, youre not going to be cooking a large family BBQ on this thing. However, for a couple or a small family its up to the task. The Green Mountain Grills app is available for both Android and Apple devices, with a rating of 3.6 stars out of 266 reviews at the time of writing on the Apple Store. Via point to point WiFi mode the GMG Davy Crockett can communicate up to 40m. However, you can also connect the Davy Crocket up a WiFi router for full functionality to control the pellet grill via the App from anywhere with a WiFi/Celluar connection via The Cloud.
Also Check: Best Temp To Cook Grilled Cheese
Pit Boss 71700fb Pellet Grill Review
With a massive 700 square inches of primary grilling space, this grill impressed us when compared to other Pit Boss grills we reviewed. Its size is large enough to cook for large groups of people. It features a Flame Broiler that uses slide-plates which allow for direct flame grilling, which means you get an even cast-iron cooking each time. If the 700 square inches isnt enough, you can make use of the additional upper cooking rack space. The racks are made of porcelain-coated cast iron for optimum grilling as well as easier maintenance.
Pit Bosss real wood cooking lets both beginners and pros cook and smoke everything from ribs to fish, bake biscuits to pizza, grill burgers to vegetables, sear and charbroil steaks and more. Its an 8-in-1 beast that will spice up your kitchen.
The flame broiler uses a digitally controlled burn system. Its Digital Control Center lets you set the temperature ranging from 170F to 600F with ease. The desired temperature is set and maintained through an electric auto-start and fan-forced air mechanism. These, in addition, give that flavorful smoky taste to all of your foods. The auger automatically feeds pellets into the smoker, so you can pretty much let it take care of everything.
- Some users on Amazon reported that its temperature fluctuates from time to time
- No PID controller
Best High End Pellet Smoker Traeger Timberline 850
This is a really hard selection to make, and were confident well get some flack for picking the Traeger Timberline 850.
The truth is once you get up to this price point you are spoiled for choice with a wealth of great options from the likes of REC TEC, Memphis Grills, and Yoder.
The Traeger Timberline ticks all the boxes for us because its well built and packed with tech thats actually useful.
Traeger has the best app out of any pellet grill manufacturer, plus you get access to 1600+ recipes in the Traeger app.
The Timberline is a big step-up in quality and features from the Pro. Besides you the larger size you get better insulated construction, more prep areas, a pellet sensor, the dual position sear grate, and super smoke mode.
One thing to note is that the Timberline includes a folding front shelf, while this is an optional extra on the Pro.
You can choose between the 850 and 1300 which come with 869 and 1343 square inches of cooking space respectively. There are no significant differences besides the amount of grill space and a small price hike.
For comparison, the larger model can fit 15 racks of ribs compared to 8 racks on the 850. If you plan on cooking for a large crowd get the 1300, otherwise, go for the 850. The 1300 is more pellet hungry because it needs to heat up a larger space.
You also get a three-year warranty and one of the best customer service teams in the industry in case you have any problems.
What we like:
What we dont like:
Also Check: How To Cook Pork Chops On Charcoal Grill
