Best Pellet Grill Reviews: A Buyer’s Guide

A pellet smoker is a grill that uses different types of wood pellets to flavor food as you cook it. Wood pellet grills are versatile and provide a convenient way to flavor food in simple ways. These outdoor cookers are often a combination of gas grills, charcoal smokers, and kitchen ovens, making them a useful cooking tool whether you’re a novice or a pro. Most pellet smokers come equipped with an electronic control panel that makes setting your cooking temperatures a breeze which ensures that your food comes out tender and juicy. 

There are many different options on the market, and we have compiled some of the best pellet smokers available for the interested griller. Here is a look at why we chose these pellet smokers and some pellet smoker reviews to help you find the best pellet smoker of 2019.

Why Buy a Pellet Smoker

Pellet smokers are not your classic grill. These versatile cooking tools are seamlessly integrated with modern technology to make them very useful when it comes to properly smoking at a consistent temperature to provide tender and juicy meats. There are many aspects to know about owning a pellet smoker, including the difference between basic models and high-end pellet smokers. There are certain terms associated with pellet smokers that are not associated with other kinds of grills such as auger, hopper, and firepot. 

How They Work

Pellet smoker grills use wood pellets to flavor food as they are cooked on the grill. This style of smoking meats is different than other types of grills including charcoal, propane, or gas grills. The pellets are made of compacted sawdust and wood and they are used by modern pellet smokers to add distinct smokey flavors in a way that cannot be replicated by any other means. 

These grills are electric, they are plugged into a power outlet to supply the energy necessary to run the machine, unlike traditional charcoal grills. To fuel the smoking mechanism in a pellet smoker, you would add wood pellets to the hopper which dispenses the pellets into a rotating auger that is motorized for automatic dispensation into the firepot. The auger is controlled by the temperature panel which monitors the heat levels inside the smoker.

The loaded wood pellets in the firepot are ignited by a rod that produces a flame. The smoke which comes from the flame is then fanned into the smoking chamber from underneath the firepot which produces a convection current that evenly cooks your food.

Pellet Smokers and Flavor

There are many different flavors to choose from when it comes to using your pellet smoker. Pellet smokers are known for producing the best flavors possible and the quality of the food that is created by using a pellet smoker is next to unbeatable. Novice grillers who want to reach the level of a professional barbecue chef should know that professionals use wood because it creates the best flavors imaginable for your grilled food. When using a traditional grill, flavor is limited to the available seasonings, which prohibits you from creating a more diverse flavor profile for your food.

The choices when it comes to wood pellets are plenty, and if you’re looking to be more creative with your cooking, you are able to easily mix what types of wood you’d prefer to create a new and distinct mix of tastes. Wood pellet selections include hickory, cherry, apple, maple, oak, and many others. 

Using high quality pellets is ideal for any wood smoker because they are usually made with no fillers, additives, or oils. The best pellets available will provide the highest quality flavor for your food and will keep your clean up to a minimum as they create less ash. Using high quality pellets will guarantee that your pellet smoker burns these pellets properly and for as long as possible.

Temperature Control

Getting an even temperature that does not fluctuate dramatically while you’re smoking food on a pellet grill is essential to getting the perfect tender food. Grilling in cold or windy weather can make this process difficult, especially if you’re using a traditional gas or charcoal grill. Pellet smokers are particularly useful in the elements because of their heating mechanisms. 

Pellet smokers are automatically programmed to heat your grill to the temperature that you desire using the auger and firepot, usually maintaining a range within 15 degrees of what your grill’s heat setting is. This means that your food will not cook unevenly due to temperature fluctuations, providing the best methods for safely and expertly cooking your food.

Thanks to the heating mechanisms that pellet smokers use, you will not experience flare-ups of flames while you cook because there are no direct flames within the smoking chamber. The heating mechanisms in a pellet grill are also designed to heat the grill quickly, usually within 10 minutes, making grilling with a pellet smoker a quick possibility if you’re aiming to save time.

How We Selected the Best Pellet Smokers

Here are some of the best features for each brand within our selection of the best pellet grills of 2019.

Product Reviews

If you’re interested in purchasing a new pellet smoker, here is a look at some best pellet grill reviews.

Z GRILLS Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker

Features:

• A digital LED temperature control screen
• Easy to clean oil waste compartment
• Automatic auger system
• Fan-forced convection heating
• Large grilling rack

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The Z GRILLS Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker is a wonderful 8-in1 pellet smoker grill. This grill is very versatile, it is equipped to grill, smoke, bake, roast, sear, braise, barbecue or char-grill your food whenever you please.

The handy fan-forced convection allows your food to cook evenly, eliminating the need for a rotisserie and allowing the flavors from the wood pellets to be distributed freely.

The built-in pellet feed controls allow the temperature controls to stay active within the range of your grill’s desired temperature by 15°F.

The grilling area for this pellet smoker grill is 19.2” by 26”, making this a grill have ample space for cooking large meals.

The automatic pellet auger feeds pellets into the firepot to maintain your desired temperature from 180°F to 450°F while producing a steady flow of smoke.

In addition, this pellet smoker has a digital LED display to help keep an eye on the temperature, ensuring that your pellet smoker grill stays within your desired temperature range easily.

Pros

• Easy to keep an eye on grill temperature
• 8-in-1 cooking options
• Automatic heat controls
• Large grilling area
• LED display
• No flare-ups
• Excellent flavor
• Quick start
• Easy to clean

Cons

• Lengthy assembling process
• Occasional steep temperature fluctuations
• Heavy body 

Green Mountain Grills WiFi Enabled Davy Crockett Pellet Grill

Features:

• WiFi-enabled controls
• Built-in heat sensor by Sense Mate
• Controllable with Android or iOS device
• Stainless steel construction

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The Green Mountain Grills WIFI Enabled Davy Crockett Pellet Grill is a versatile portable grill that is WiFi-enabled and can be controlled from an Android or iOS device via a mobile application.

This grill comes with a built-in heat sensor by Sense Mate which consistently monitors your temperature settings for your grill. The grill is portable thanks to the foldable legs that can be turned into handles for easy carrying.

The Green Mountain Grills is great for tailgating or grilling in the park, which makes it a useful grill to have for any event.

The peaked lid that is built into the grill is great for standing up large cuts of meat, and it comes with a convenient tray to help store your cooking tools while you are using your grill. The stainless steel construction is durable and rust-resistant, making this a reliable grill for everyday use. 

Pros

• Heats food quickly
• Portable and durable
• Foldable legs
• Great for any occasion
• Easy temperature controls
• WiFi-enabled
• Can be controlled through a mobile app

Cons

• Quickly heats food
• WiFi-enabled features may become faulty
• Solid grease tray instead of perforated 
• Possible temperature fluctuations

Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill

Features:

• Built-in sear box
• Advanced temperature controls
• Versatile cooking settings
• Large cooking area
• Easy ash cleanup

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The Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill is one of the best high-end pellet smokers available on the market.

The automatic pellet auger feeds pellets into the grill to maintain a stable temperature throughout the duration of your cooking. This grill is very versatile as it allows you to bake, smoke, grill, roast, braise and barbecue your food, giving you the option of creating different styles of food.

This pellet smoker has a temperature range from 160°F to 500°F, making it possible to cook your food low and slow or fast and hot. With an 811 square inch cooking area, you’ll have plenty of space to grill for your friends and family without a hassle.

The built-in ash can makes cleaning a breeze, and with the built-in sear box that reaches 900°F, you can easily get that classic grilled crisp.

Pros

• Increased hopper capacity
• Dual meat probes
• Large cook space
• Smart technology
• Sear box
• Large temperature range

Cons

• High-end pellet smoker price tag
• Cleaning features are not seamless
• Occasional temperature spikes

In Conclusion

The best pellet grill of 2019 is easily the Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill due to its high-quality built-in features such as the sear box and the automatic temperature controls. This grill is a versatile option with many different ways to cook your food, making it a perfect addition to your home. With large cooking space, removable racks, and large hopper capacity, this is an all in one grilling dream come true. 

The best pellet grill under $500 is the Z GRILLS Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker. This smoker is versatile with an easy to control temperature, making it a worthy investment. This grill is large enough to cook big meals and holds the same amount of wood pellets as high-end pellet smokers. This is a great option for a novice griller looking to change their grilling methods as they see fit, and the price tag is reasonably low, making this an affordable option whether you’re just starting out or a grilling pro.