Top 10 Best Wood Pellet Smoker Grills - Oct 2023
Looking for a wood pellet smoker grill that will do a fantastic job? Look no further for we have listed the best pellet grills as rated by users. We have put in a lot of hours in research and we have graded each smoker grill according to positive reviews each grill has received, price, smoked food taste, ease of use, ease of cleaning among many other factors. We know the smoker grills listed here are the best but we encourage you to read the reviews yourself to ensure that you are buying something that you like.
The 10 Best Wood Pellet Smoker Grills Reviewed
Wood pellet smokers have gained popularity in recent years and we have have seen a rise in companies that are making them. But how do we know the best? Do not worry as we have spent tens of hours researching on these grills. We believe the ones listed on this page are the best of the best as we have gone through almost all online reviews for each grill and scored them according to their merits. Please read the detailed reviews of the best smokers below
Rank #1: Traeger TFB42LZBC Grill Lil Tex Elite 22 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
This smoker topped our list because of the positive reviews it has received. So far, it has a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Amazon. On other sites it has an overall rating of 4.6 that means this smoker grill is quickly gaining popularity.
It has 418 sq. in. of grilling space which is ample for grilling food a medium family. Also, with this grill, you can cook your food in 6 different ways: Bake, roast, grill, barbecue braise and smoke. If you have a tight patio, then this grill is perfect for you as it is compact. But that does not mean that it only cooks food in smaller portions. It can cook enough food to satisfy a nice sized party.
Traeger is a big name in grilling industry and they are known for creating grills that are of high quality that match the price. But sometimes things can go wrong and they have a good response team that support customers when they are in need. Such customer service has helped this grill to be praised by many.
It comes with a 3-year warranty which is a guarantee of how well this grill is built. If you are looking for a smoker grill that is easy to start and maintain temperature, then Traeger TFB42LZBC is the grill to go for.
Rank #2: Camp Chef SmokePro DLX
The SmokePro DLX is a mid-sized smoker with an ash removal system – a one of a kind feature with pellet smokers. While pellets generally don’t create much ash, they do require regular cleaning, which can be a pain on many other designs considering the greasy grates and the drip pans have to be removed to get to where the pellets burn at the fire pot.
The hopper also features a drain to empty pellets if the grill will be stored for extended periods or if you intend to change to different wood. The drain chute is ideally identical to the grease drain chute on the opposite side, and you can hang a bucket on the chute to hold the pellets.
The main cooking grate is made from rolled steel with an enamel coating. The drip pan, upper rack, and heat deflector are made from durable stainless steel. There’s also a 20-pound capacity hopper. The packaging is also excellent, with all the parts firmly held together by molded foam inserts. The whole thing comes almost fully assembled, and all you need to do is to attach the side shelf, legs, lid handle, and chimney.Rank #3: Z GRILLS ZPG-7002E Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
This unit has a pretty big grilling area for efficient use of your time. It features a 512 sq. main rack and a 187 sq. Warm Rack. Its 20 lbs. Hopper Capacity can hold up to 6 racks of ribs, 5 whole chickens, or 20 burgers at a time.
Undoubtedly, the Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker will be great for your next barbeque party or other outdoor parties. Further, it comes with a grill cover, which means that no matter what the weather is like, you can cook your BBQ the way you like it. The cover also protects the rack from other elements when it’s not in use. In other words, the Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker is a unique grill for BBQ lovers on any occasion.
It’s perfect for any grilling application, whether it’s at an outdoor party, home, or even tailgating. No matter whether it’s a special event or an ordinary day, the Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker won’t disappoint in doing what it does best. This unit is essentially your ultimate 6-in-one grill. It also has plenty of space inside, with 700 of cooking area that can really take in more with ease. With it, you can bake, braise, roast, and BBQ all at once.
Rank #4: Cuisinart CPG-4000
The CPG-4000 delivers a solid cooking experience without many bells and whistles, which is a good indication of the quality level the manufacturer provides. While it can’t be considered a perfect pellet smoker unit, it’s somewhat a model of what a good pellet smoker should be like.
The unit comes with a very wide cooking area, making it a perfect choice for large parties or big family gatherings. Aside from that, it features a 15-pound holder, which lets you cook for a long time without the need for filling in new pellets. It also comes with a wheeled base, which lets you move the unit around whenever necessary.
The wood chips from this appliance have no direct contact with the flame whatsoever. This allows the chips inside to burn and smoke gradually at an even temperature. Furthermore, the two separate doors make it easier for you to check the flame and add wood chips conveniently without the need to open the main door. This goes a long way in keeping the temperature of the offset smoker steady and stable.
Rank #5: Traeger TFB65LZBC Texas Elite 34 Series
This is the big boss here, and actually the largest grill that Traeger makes. Keep in mind that the grill unit is very large, and could be too large for some homes. If you want to set up the grill on a table or cart of your own, you can just pop off the included base, though many shoppers prefer using it on its own base, which comes with four wheels that turn into a cart. You can use this cart to move the unit around when you need to clean it up or when you need more room on your patio.
A staple on Traeger Grills is a dust bucket, which features a logo of the company on the front. On this unit, it collects all the ash falling and sliding out of the grill to lower the risk of these hot ashes catching fire. It also has auto ignition, digital temperature control, and the grates are coated in porcelain.
Rank #6: Traeger TFB38TCA Renegade Elite
This is one of the heavier grills on our list, though it does come with wheels for easier maneuverability. The whole unit weighs 120 lbs. with the following dimensions: 42.2 x 23.5 x 9.8 inches. The cooking surface area is 380 square inches, which means that you have enough space to cook for your whole family.
The Renegade Elite also comes with a handy caddy rack on the front side, which lets you keep all of your sauces and utensils to hand in a convenient location. It features a robust and strong wire prep rack at the front. You can use it when preparing your food, tasting it, or rest it while you unload it from the grill.
As standard, this product comes fitted with a Digital Elite Controller, and so is the auto ignition system. You can cook with temperatures up to 450ËšF just as with other Traeger products, and you can smoke with temperatures as low as 150ËšF.
Rank #7: Davy Crockett Pellet Grill
This grill is more portable, and it essentially combines the present day technology with the older, classic good looks. It’s also quite affordable, and setting it is super easy. In fact, the set up process shouldn’t take longer than 20 minutes even if you haven’t assembled a grill before.
The Wi-Fi set up process is also easy enough, and there’s ample documentation and instructional videos to take you through the entire process. The Davy Crockett Pellet Grill can be set up easily in your yard and put away when it’s not in use, which makes up one of its major benefits – it’s highly portable. It’s also a tailgating pellet grill that would be fine for home use with a small family, and for those with a small backyard or patio area. Alternatively, you can enjoy the best of both worlds and use it at home and for your outdoor adventures, pop in into the trunk of your car.
The ability to check and adjust temperatures while you’re away from the grill itself is such a great addition. The onboard computer will let you preset the temperature you want (from 150 to 550 degrees). The grill also comes with a meat probe that you can insert through an access hole. The inbuilt food controller will let you know the internal temperature of the meat, so that you’ll know exactly when it’s ready.
Rank #8: Pit Boss 700FB
This grill offers a bit more than that. It comes with greater versatility in cooking, and it isn’t expensive either. The LCD control panel makes the Pit Boss 700fb easy to use and you can make good use of the 700 sq. inches of available cooking space. If you’re a grill lover, you’ll be happy to know that it you can grill your meal the way you want with its 8-in-one grilling option. You can also adjust the temperature ranges from 170˚F to 600˚F.
The Pit Boss 700fb also features an advanced digital technology for more convenient cooking. Further, it’s much easier to operate than the traditional charcoal or gas grill. The wide cooking area of 700 sq. Inches allows you to prepare meals for up to 6 people. With the freedom of thermostatic control and multiple grilling options, the grill provides the ultimate cooking experience. Its electric ignition featuring an electric fire starter lets you ignite the fire without needing an external source. And once you’re finished, the digital control center will handle the temperature and cool down the unit safely.
All you need to do is push the power button and the machine will cool off and heat automatically. With the Pit Boss 700fb, there’s almost zero risk of accidental burning, especially with the included automatic flare protection feature. Its cooking surface is made from cast iron, which incorporates a dual tier rack.
Rank #9: Camp Chef Smokepro XT 24
This is a mid-level grill from Camp Chef Pellet Grills that comes with additional space, upgrades, and features. The Smokepro XT has a larger grilling area than the SE and STX, and comes with a warming rack, which is ideal for summertime parties and larger family gatherings.
The Smokepro XT provides a great compromise between features and price, with some truly awesome performance. Nonetheless, since its release, Camp Chef introduced the Smokepro DLX, which is simply an upgraded version with a few more features and a similar price point. So, you can opt to skip this option and get the DLX unless you get it at a great price.
There is also an in-built LED temperature readout along with a superior meat probe that allows for more precise temperature control and better usability. All of the standard Camp Chef features are also included, except the more advanced features.
Rank #10: REC TEC Grills Bull RT-700
The RT-700 comes with a Smart Grill Technology Controller, which helps to keep a precise temperature on the grill. Plus, you can control the grill from a far using a wireless device, thanks to its inbuilt Wi-Fi (Wi-Pellet) technology. Another thing, you can set the temperature increments for smoke, bake, roast, grill, dehydrate, and sear.
Grilling with the RT-700 is easy. You don’t have to worry much about lighting it. You only have to press the power button and voila! If you plan on smoking something overnight, you can reliably use this grill while you rest easy. You just need to install the RECTEC Grills app on your phone and connect it to your grill. It will give you automatic updated in case anything goes wrong.
With the ease of use of the RT-700 and the advanced technology, newbie grillers will be impressed. They can easily feel like experienced BBQ champs. With the ability to monitor and control the grilling session via a wireless device and the automating lighting, this grill is ideal for people with a busy lifestyle who still want the flavor of smoked foods. When you have the RT-700, you really don’t have excuses for not having time to barbeque.
A Guide to Buying the Best Wood Pellet Smoker Grill
Over the past century barbecues have been an excellent way to host a social get-together and also enjoy delicious food such as hamburgers and chicken cooked outdoors on an open grill. But are conventional barbecue grills the best method for cooking food? Although the best-known cooking system in the US are conventional grills, they are not the tastiest or healthiest ways to grill food. The best option by far are pellet grills. In many ways wood pellet grills are much better than regular charcoal grills and gas grills. The first thing that makes pellet grills far superior over conventional grills is that they use the indirect cooking method.
What Are Wood Pellet Smoker Grills?
A wood pellet grill is a kind of grill that uses cylindrical hardwood sawdust pellets as their fuel to grill. The sawdust comes from places like lumber yards and saw mills. The wood pellet resembles a long pill and has about a 1/4-inch diameter. The small size of these pellets allows them to burn clean without a lot of ash being left. Lignin is a chemical that is released into the smoke when you burn the wood pellets and a wood fired flavor is added to the meat. There are no other additives contained other than that.
What Are the Advantages of Using a Wood Pellet Grill?
- On a pellet grill, you can cook almost any kind of meat.
- The grill preheats within 10 to 15 minutes.
- The temperature can be set manually on the digital controller from 175 °s F up to 500 °s F. There are some pellet grills that allow you to adjust the temperature in 5 °s F increments.
- There are many pellet grills that come with a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi feature that enables you to use this feature for monitoring your cook. It comes with a meat probes as well to monitor your cooking time.
- There are different sizes of pellet grills that are available from commercial to household size units. The more complex its functions are, the more it costs. The commercial size units provide more space for grilling meat as big as a hog for a group of people. Some of the top brand names include Traeger, Camp Chef, Green Mountain, and Z Grills.
- The wood pellets that are used as fuel for grilling comes in many different kinds of flavors including hickory, bourbon, maple, apple, alder, and cherry. The pellets can be mixed to add multiple flavors to your meat.
- One 20-pound bag of pellets can grill food several different times. The grill, on average, will consume around 2 pounds worth of pellets per hour. However, the number of pellets that are actually consumed will depend on other different factors such as wind and temperature. If you are grilling outside and it is very windy, more pellets will be needed to provide fuel to the grill.
What Are the Features to Look for in Order to Get the Best Value for Your Money?
Let’s take a look at the features to look for in a good quality pellet smoker grill. Those factors can vary from one individual to the other and it depends on one’s preference and taste.
Portability, Cooking Area, and Size
When it comes to smoking, bigger is not always better. One of the very first things that you will want to consider when purchasing a pellet smoker is the size of the unit. What do you exactly need it for? Are you going to be taking it to an event, over to your neighbors, or out in your camper? Or will it be spending most of its time out on your patio? You should also determine how many people you will be cooking for on a regular basis. You will not need to get a big unit if you only planning on cooking for your family.
The Temperature Range of The Smoker
A very important aspect of a smoker is its temperature range. But that will be a bit different for everybody depending on what you want to smoke, how long you will be smoking and as well as the style of cooking that you usually do. Generally speaking, most pellet smokers sit comfortably at temperatures from 180-° F to 450 °s F. That range is ideal for grilling, smoking, roasting, and baking. Another thing you should consider when purchasing is the quality of the smoker’s built-in thermometer. If your smoker does not have a decent thermometer, it will not provide you with the best results.
Type of Controller
All of us want to be able to open up our smokers and see that we have the perfectly cooked piece of meat. The very best way to accomplish this is to have a smoker that is able to hold a constant temperature. That makes it possible to perfect your cooking times and take out your meat at the ideal time. The part on the smoker that monitors the cook time is the control board, and for a good smoker is an essential part. All pellet smokers have one of four controllers. Those four controllers are discussed below going from the most basic one up to the most sophisticated. When you are looking at higher quality smokers, they should come equipped more higher quality controllers. The more expensive smokers, as a general rule of thumb, should have a PID controller or one-touch non-PID controller.
Position Controller
Called LMH, or 3 position controllers, they have just 3 temperature settings – high, medium, and low – approximately 425° F, 325° F, and 225° F. Pellets are released in fix cycles are determine according to which setting you select. You do not have a lot of control over the smoke and cooking temperature, and is usually found on lower end smokers.
Multi-Position Controller
This type of controller features a knob that has temperature settings ranging from 180° F up to 420° F and may have an LCD display. Also, they run on fixed cycles, and are only able to maintain a range of around +/- 20°s F depending on what the specific conditions are, such as wind, for example.
One-Touch Non-PID Controller
There are one-touch buttons and screen display for setting your cooking temperature in 5 or 10 ° increments. The controllers enable you to set your desired cooking temperatures more accurately. Most likely you find these kinds of controllers come with an input for a meat probe, to allow you to monitor the internal temperatures.
PID Controllers
This controller is the most sophisticated kind for pellet grills on the market currently. PID controllers have been coded to get to and maintain your set temperature within just a couple of degrees. They all come with an LCD screen that has the ability for setting the temperature in 5 degrees F increments. They have a PID, fixed cycle, unlike the other controllers.
Quality of Construction
When purchasing, quality is definitely something to consider. You don’t want to purchase a cheap grill that will fall apart in one year. It is important to do some research upfront to see which smokers will best suit your needs. Now let’s examine some of the most important things to consider when looking into a smoker’s construction.
Weight of the Smoker’s Lid
You want it to have a heavy, substantial feeling, and not too flimsy. You do not want to have gaps and it should sit flush to ensure a good seal. If you ensure its snug, that means you will not lose any smoke or heat. Also check out the welding or other joints. Also, find out which material the smoke grill is made out from. Majority of pellet grills are made using painted steel; but you will find that the steel, paint and quality vary from one grill to the other. One good thing to watch for is a powder coat that can withstand high temperatures.
Add-ons and Additional Features
In the pellet smoker’s world, over the past couple of years there have been some significant technical advancements. Some individual might cringe at the idea of mixing cooking with new technology, while others may want to have all the most recent bells and whistles, and that comes down to what your personal preferences are if you are willing to pay more money to get all of the latest and greatest. A couple of add-ons and features that you can get these days include:
Wi-Fi – These days there are Wi-Fi capabilities on some of these grills.
Programmable Probes – There are probes now that will tell you once your food reaches a certain temperature.
Built in Meat Probes on Control Boards – To really automate your cooking, combine your control board and meat probe.
Cleaning and Caring for Your Smoker
After you have finally purchased your smoker, you will have to learn how to maintain it, clean it, and store it. Learn those small tricks and put a bit of elbow grease in it will help to dramatically prolong the lifespan of your new smoker. Honestly, I take great pride in my smoker, and making sure it stays maintained and clean. The following are steps to follow to keep your smoker maintained.
Read the Instruction Manual
It is very important to read your manual before you start cleaning. These days, with all of the additional features on your smoker, there are numerous parts, and many of those parts cannot get wet. Never hose your pellet smoker down.
The auger, fans, digital controllers, and igniter rod are not very water friendly. You should be very careful with those parts and only clean them by gently scrub at the dirt. Any hard knocks or moisture may cause damage. When you are cleaning be sure to be extra careful when cleaning around the thermostat, since is if very delicate.
Check and Replace the Gaskets
Some of the parts on a smoker will wear of much faster compared to other parts. The gaskets are part of the construction. It is very important that you check them every year for corrosion, splits, or cracks.
Before Turning on Your Grill Always Inspect the Burners First
It is very important to inspect the burners on the grill. If you notice any signs of corrosion, leaks, or blockages, make sure to wait until you know that it’s safe.
Make Sure the Exterior Is Kept Clean
Use a little dish soap mixed with warm water and use a soft sponge to keep the outside of the smoker glistening.
Keep Your Internal Components Well Oiled
Keep your belts, motor, and fans should be well-tuned and lubricated. The best place to reference for the best advice on your specific model is your instruction manual.