Pellet grills and smokers are the best outdoor cooking appliances to use for a variety of reasons. They produce better tasting food and can be used all year round, unlike gas or charcoal grills. For those who want to spend as little time as possible putting together meals out in the backyard, these machines are perfect. One thing to consider before buying one is what kind of design you prefer: cabinet style or open-air?
Read on for more information about which type might work best for your needs.
Why Should You Buy A Pellet Smoker/Grill
Pellet smokers and grills are best described as any electric or gas oven that cooks with real wood. Pellets burn hotter than regular hardwood creating an intensely aromatic smoked flavor. Pellet smoking is cleaner, easier to control, and produces consistently delicious results than other types of smokers.
Pellet smokers and grills offer a unique cooking experience that delivers great tasting results every time. With a pellet smoker, you can fire up the unit and walk away without worrying about overcooking because the temperature is maintained automatically. The only thing you have to do is set up all of your ingredients in accordance to what the manufacturer’s instructions are.
Pellet smokers are great for cooking large amounts of food, especially meats like brisket or pork shoulder that take hours to cook. Grilling with wood pellets is also a very unique way to flavor your foods because it gives off a natural aroma and infuses your meat with the deep smoky flavor of hardwood.
List of 8 Best Pellet Smokers and Grills Reviews
#1 Traeger Grills Pro Series 22 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
Get professional Traeger-quality grill mastery with this Traeger wood pellet smoker. You won’t have to worry about any of the work, thanks to careful programming from the advanced grill logic module in this electric grill’s Digital Pro Controller.
The dimensions are 27x41x49 inches, so it’s perfect for accommodating a 572 square inch cooking capacity. It is wide adjustable, so you can easily fit four whole chickens or five racks of ribs into a single load area if you wanted.
This model also features a main rack at 418 square inches and an extra rack at 154 square inches―making it able to cook 24 burgers if needed! And while the Traeger has plenty of space inside, it also has three outside handles for convenient transport.
What we liked:
- It’s equipped with durable construction for stability when working on difficult dishes like pork ribs or brisket.
- Its porcelain grill grates make for easy cleaning time.
- The advanced digital meat probes will help you get more flavorful results.
#2 Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill Smoker
You’re looking for a great family grill? There’s nothing better than enjoying grilled steaks, sausages, vegetables or desserts out of this 22″ Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill Smoker. Operated by automatic feed system it will air cook your favorite dish to perfection in the range from 180° F to 450°F. And you’ll experience steady drip control with help of powerful digital controller which also makes cooking temperature as easy as turning a dial.
Make sure to take care: Chrome stainless steel and porcelain coated grates make your grilling and smoking effortless and mobile! Also check the 8 in 1 barbeque model with double doors; it is perfect for all those meat lovers who can’t decide between steak or ribs!
What we liked:
- The temperature controlled smoker makes it possible to cook delicious food over any type of heat source.
- The advanced auger system combined with automatic feed pellets keeps your protein from drying out as well as conserves energy for up to 10 hours.
- Easily control the temperate from anywhere with this smart digital controller that features an LCD readout display.
#3 Traeger Grills Pro Series 780 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker with Alexa and WiFIRE Smart Home Technology
The Traeger Pro Series 780 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker really does it all. The WiFIRE technology allows the user to be in control of their grill from not only home but anywhere with WiFi connection – houseguests included! Whereas the old school style grills typically required messy, rigorous clean up, this BBQ is porcelain-coated for a simple cleanup.
If you want to manually adjust the temperature or customize your smoke profile, there’s an easy-to-use LED display. No matter what your cooking needs are: meat smoking, high heat searing and roasting, baking and braising; this pellet grill has got you covered with options that won’t steer you wrong. From syncing to smart devices using the Traeger Smoke app and now with the Pro Series, we definitely think it makes the perfect grill to buy for anyone looking for a reliable smoker that can do anything.
What we liked:
- It can handle both low and high temperatures, meaning you can vape your meat as well as cook it slowly with smoke to infuse those delicious flavors of the outdoors into your food.
- The WiFIRE controller includes monitoring and control from anywhere at any time for perfect results.
- The easy to read LED lit digital touch screen lets you monitor the temperature.
#4 Traeger Grills Tailgater 20 Portable Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
Pork, beef, and lamb are your favorites – but you don’t have a grill. Well now with the Traeger Tailgater Grill, food never has to come second again. Finally there is a way for bbq masters of all levels to unleash their passion on some good old fashioned meat until it tastes just as good as at home.
Create those perfectly grilled steaks with precision temperature control from high heat sear to low and slow barbecue so that every dish cooked on this smoker grills up beautifully without being dried out or overdone. Sure, we know you love your gas grill but who doesn’t want the option of going portable? If anything goes wrong at home – no worries! With Traeger’s latest innovation in tailgating, you will have the power to take your grilling on the road.
What we liked:
- This wood-fired pellet smoker’s compact size and folding legs make it easy to carry.
- With the help of Traeger’s Digital Arc Controller for precise temperatures and Keep Warm Mode to make sure your food is ready no matter what time it is.
#5 PIT BOSS 700FB Pellet Grill
The best way to tell you about the masterpiece of engineering that is the Pit Boss 700 series would be to only give you the stats. But I don’t want you to miss out on all of its greatness so let me start off by saying these pellet smokers are known for their sleek design and easy-to-use interface.
They come equipped with durable rack attachments that hold temperatures ranging from 180° F – 500° F, which can cook your most mouthwatering dishes in just minutes! The controls couldn’t be easier: select your desired cooking style using the digital control board and standard flame broiler system, then set it & forget it while this rugged beauty does all of your dirty work for you.
With an 8 in. wide-diameter smoke stack and a 12,000 BTU-per-hour input this pellet grill can be cooking from breakfast to dinner. While not exactly portable in size, the Pit Boss 700 is meant for those who crave portability from their smoker without sacrificing quality.
What we liked:
- This grill is easy to operate with a dial-in control that can be set from 170 F to 600 F.
- The safety features include electric ignition and fan-forced air which both work to create convection heat for an abundance of flavor.
- With the Flame Broiler, there is not only direct grilling but indirect grilling as well.
#6 Cuisinart CPG-4000 Wood BBQ Grill & Smoker
The Cuisinart CPG-4000 Grill & Smoker is one of the most efficient wood pellet grills on the market. It is an elegant and timeless design with easy to use functions. With a large 450 square inch cooking area it will meet any size need, even for large parties or events.
This innovative grill offers many amenities, including side shelves perfect for anything from paper goods to condiments. With all this extra space you’ll be able to fully stock your fridge without turning half your kitchen into just a charcoal station!
The Cuisinart Grills offers versatility that is sure to please anyone with diverse tastes or dietary preferences – whether they prefer deliciously smoked ribs or perfectly roasted vegetables, both are easily accessible using all the marvelous functions offered by this machine.
What we liked:
- It is an elegant and timeless design with easy to use functions.
- Large 450 square inch cooking area it will meet any size need, even for large parties or events.
- The folding shelf makes room for every major accessory needed during your next grilling experience.
- This innovative grill offers many amenities, including side shelves perfect for anything from paper goods to condiments.
#7 Masterbuilt SH19260319 WG600B Pellet Grill
Now you can grill a feast without all the fuss! This Masterbuilt pellet grill has 16.5 pounds of wood pellets in its hopper, meaning that you won’t have to come back every thirty minutes to reload your fuel supply for hours on end. With two locking swivel caster wheels, the cleaning out process is as easy as releasing a latch and sliding it out from underneath the unit.
Easy dial temperature control lets you regulate your cooking for how many people are attending your party with an integrated digital readout telling you what’s going on inside! You’ll also enjoy porcelain coated grates and warming rack meaning less time scrubbing round by round after a long day at work or waiting for guests to arrive before dinner begins!
What we liked:
- The large grilling surface allows for spanning an entire brisket or roast at once.
- This powerful product offers you a whopping 604 square” of cooking surface.
- It features an intelligent digital LED thermostat with precision temperature control which lets you monitor and limit smoke levels to make it easy on your cookware.
#8 Camp Chef PG24MZG SmokePro Slide Smoker with Fold Down Front Shelf Wood Pellet Grill
The Camp Chef PG24MZG SmokePro Slide Smoker is an upright, easy-to-use smoker for the backyard. With a gen 2 PID Controller 1-10 Smoke Setting, you can choose between low and high smoke levels to meet your smoking needs.
For convenience, this digital control lets you toggle the grill temp with the push of a button. You won’t find hard to clean ash that sticks to everything else but this camp chef product because it has exclusive ash cleanout system–cleaning between cooks will be much easier than before!
What we liked:
- Simple assembly, Folding Front Shelf accessory pack, PID controller for even cooking temperatures between 160 – 500 Fahrenheit.
- With its nifty built in meat probe accessory, you can always be sure that your dish will turn out perfect every time.
- The built in thermometer allows you to monitor the actual cooker temperature while cooking.
What To Look For In Pellet Smokers and Grills
When shopping for pellet smokers and grills, there are some key features you need to consider.
- First, what size smoker do you need? If you’re cooking for your family or friends, a large smoker is needed to feed everyone at once; whereas if it’s only yourself or part of your family that will be eating smoker food, then smaller might suffice.
- As far as the output goes – BTUs (British thermal units) should be your main measure of power used – with bigger sizes having more. Next come its operation – electric powered smokers are great but again require electricity; whereas for concrete barbeques or brick ovens , they can be fuel-free. Pellets used in pellet smokers and grills vary depending on the brand, with some preferring a softwood blend while others swear by a hardwood variety.
- A pellet smoker and grill can provide you many benefits over traditional grills and smokers. The chief benefit is the ability to set it and forget it; pellet smokers cook your food automatically at the temperature you select until it’s done, then maintain that temperature by feeding wood pellets into the fire chamber. This means there’s little to no chance of scorching meat if an error occurs – plus, you’re guaranteed juicier meat than traditional smokers can provide.
- Many can be connected to your home network or even operated via smartphone so you can monitor cooking remotely . Of course these features aren’t necessary – but sure do make life easy when trying to get a pit master started!
FAQs
How do pellet smokers work?
Pellet smokers are not the same as traditional charcoal or wood fired grills. They have a different construction and they offer different benefits. A pellet smoker is more like an oven with a small fire in the firebox that you use to generate smoke, which in turn heats up your food by blowing hot air around it.
How are they better than my gas grill?
You can set up a pellet smoker so all you need to do is put the meat on when the hopper starts getting low on fuel, but many people prefer to have some control over their cooking temperatures certain styles of cooking such as smoking or char-grilling require very low cooking temperatures.
With a pellet smoker you can control the temperature by limiting how much of the pellets are used, but most will let you be able to set it between 180°F and 400°F. Additionally many of them offer more precise temperature readouts than the typical ‘smoke’ or ‘medium high’ that are often displayed on gas grills.
What kind of meat is best for smoking?
It depends on your personal tastes, but generally anything that smokes well in an oven will work in a smoker so beef brisket, pork ribs, ham, chicken legs etc. all do great in a pellet smoker!
Pellet smokers work so much better than charcoal or wood smokers because they give you the ability to control the temperature of your cooking environment, which means you can smoke low and slow without having to leave it for hours at a time. If you are interested in long cooks I would recommend reading my article about how long to cook a brisket .
What do I need for my pellet grill?
A pellet grill usually requires a 12 or 16 gauge wire stand with wheels, a drip pan and a cover. Additionally if you want to smoke low and slow you will also need wood chunks or chips which can be placed in a metal box called a smoker box which sits over one of the burners.
What are the best pellet smokers?
It really depends on your budget, but my personal favorite is the Traeger Grills Pro Series 22.
Conclusion
The best pellet smokers and grills will allow you to cook your favorite meal with little effort. They are perfect for people who want the convenience of a gas grill without all the hassle that comes along with it. If you like cooking, but don’t have much time or patience, then this is an appliance worth checking out! We hope our list has helped narrow down your search. Let us know which one you decide on in the comments below!
