“Achieve the Wood Smoky Flavor Effortlessly and Without the Mess”
Pellet Smoker is the right solution for achieving convenient gas grilling and wood-smoked taste.
Unlike other grilling methods, it doesn’t need any propane gas or natural gas. All you have to do is – plug it into an electric socket.
Some of these appliances also come with App connectivity and control panel that let you regular the temperature.
If have made your mind to invest in this machine, we recommend considering below factors to choose the right model that suits your requirements.
- Cooking Area: One can determine their cooking area based on what type of food and for how many people they are cooking. The pellet smoker has a cooking area range of 300 – 1300 square inches. For instance, you need less cooking area when grilling steak or burger. While for brisket or beef ribs, you need a lot of cooking surface. So, choose accordingly.
- Hopper Capacity: A hopper is a container used for storing and feeding the pellets to the firepot through an auger. Its size is essential to determine how often one has to refill it and thereby to purchase more. So, choose a pellet smoker with proper hopper capacity, as per your cooking requirements.
- Temperature Range: Most of the pellet smokers come within temperature range of 180° – 500° Fahrenheit, which is perfect for baking, grilling, and smoking. If you want to sear or hot smoke your food, then ensure to choose a grill/smoker that reaches a temperature of 500° – 700°F.
Besides these factors, you should also consider other information like durability, capacity and warranty – which are clearly mentioned in the below “Buying Guide”.
Using the same information, our team has shortlisted the Best Pellet Smokers available. Take a look below.
7 Best Pellet Smokers
| pellet smokers | Cooking Area | Warranty | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z Grills Pellet Smoker | 700 Square Inches | 3 Years | Check On Amazon |
| Camp Chef Pellet Smoker | 219 Square Inches | 3 Years | Check On Amazon |
| Traeger Pellet Smoker | 884 Square Inches | --- | Check On Amazon |
| PIT BOSS Pellet Smoker | 465 Square Inches | 3 Years | Check On Amazon |
| Z GRILLS 7002E Pellet Smoker | 697 Square Inches | 3Year | Check On Amazon |
| Weber Pellet Smoker | 1,008 Square Inches | 5 Years | Check On Amazon |
| Cuisinart Pellet Smoker | 884 Square Inches | N.A | Check On Amazon |
7 Best Pellet Smokers Reviews
1. Z Grills Pellet Smoker
First on our list is a pellet smoker from the house of Z Grills. The Z Grills ZPG-7002B 2021 is an upgraded wood pellet grill and a smoker that comes in an 8 in one functionality. This rotisserie has a total of 8 features embedded into a single device.
Top Features:
- 8 in one model that serves as a BBQ, wood fire pellet grill, smoking machine, baker, Roast, Braise, and more.
- Upgraded technology for better temperature management that will keep your meat hot to within 10 degrees of the preset temperature irrespective of the outside temperatures
- 20 pounds of wood pellets can serve to cook food up to a whole of 20 hours thus being effective than gas or electric smokers
- The single button-based operation makes it very easy to operate and use by basically anyone and everyone
- Upgraded digital control board allows for auto ignition and has temperature settings to change from 180 degrees Fahrenheit to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. This upgrade also give you better pellet feed control systems as well.
- The automatic electric feed system will help you maintain the aforementioned stable temperature by optimizing the smoke output.
- LED screen for temperature readout and other data display as well
- Comes with a special waste oil collector that will allow you for easier and safe cleanup later
- The caster wheels allow for easier transportation from indoors to outdoors and beyond
- 700 square inches of large grilling area with a smoking rack of 6.9 inches x 27.5 inches.
- The hopper has a total of 20-pound storage capacity
- Made out of high-quality stainless steel material that has a polished finish and is heavily resistant against corrosion
- It also comes with a free cover that can be used to cover up the grill when you are out and not using it.
Warranty: Comes with a 3 years manufacturer’s warranty and also a 30 days return window as well
Concerns:
- None too specific to mention about
2. Camp Chef Pellet Smoker
Camp Chef has been providing a wide range of smokers for the past 30 years. Their DLX pellet smoker has made to our list because of its features and efficiency.
Top Features:
- This smoker comes with a unique design and complete black finish which adds elegance to your outdoor area.
- It has come amazing features as well that include ash cleanout system which makes cleaning much easier compared to others.
- Because of temperature control system and auger work, it provides consistent and precise cooking experience.
- It comes with a temperature range between 160 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. You can set the precise temperature effortlessly using PID controller.
- The control system of this smoker is quite simple and easy to operate.
- Comes with 2 meat probes.
- It has cord management and grease management system.
- A side attachment called sidekick or sear box is provided along with the smoker.
Warranty: It is backed by 3-years of warranty duration which is actually upgraded from 1-year recently.
Concerns:
- A little bit difficult to remove excess pellets. Size is comparably small compared to other smokers in the market.
3. Traeger Pellet Smoker
Next up on our list is a pellet smoker with a very large smoking/cooking area. The Traeger Grills comes with an 884 square inches large cooking capacity. The Traeger TFB88PZBO Pro Series 34 is a bronze-colored pellet grill of a heavy-duty nature.
Top Features:
- 6 in one mode of a smoking pellet grill. Can be used for grilling, cooking, baking, roasting, braising, BBQ and also for smoking as well
- Has a total cooking space of 884 square inches. To put things in perspective, it can accommodate up to 7 racks of ribs or maybe 8 chickens or maybe about 40 burgers.
- Comes with a precision temperature control option that will give you the ability to maintain the temperature and control it easily till a + or – 15 degrees Fahrenheit level. This enables you to grill perfectly
- The digital pro controller enables easier and simpler control of the smoker with functions such as “set and goes” etc.,
- Made out of high quality and durable stainless steel metal. It is given a neat powder-coated finish that will make it easy to clean, maintain, and makes sure it does not rust away easily.
- Has a total of 34 wood pellet capacity in all and the Hopper has a total of 18 lbs capacity
- The porcelain grill grates enable for non-stick cooking and are very easy to clean post cooking
Warranty: Though there seems to be a warranty, there is no proper mention of it in the literature
Concerns:
- Warranty is not specified anywhere
4. PIT BOSS Pellet Smoker
Pit Boss, for ultimate grilling and smoking experience. Crafted with precision from robust stainless steel. Its sleek two-tone design in black and mahogany adds a touch of class to my outdoor cooking setup. Its choice of fuel 100% all-natural hardwood pellets.
Top Features:
- Spacious 465 sq. in. cooking area
- Natural hardwood pellet for smoky flavor
- Easy digital control with LED display
- Versatile cooking for various foods
- Durable stainless steel construction
- Removable upper cooking rack for extra space.
- Fan-forced convection for even cooking.
- 5-pound hopper capacity for extended use.
- Two-tone black and mahogany finish for style.
- Environmentally friendly with fewer emissions.
- Precise temperature control for perfect results.
- Quick ignition and consistent heat distribution.
- Easy pellet reloading system.
- High-quality stainless steel construction for durability.
- Mobility with sturdy wheels for portability.
Warranty: Limited 3-year warranty.
Concerns:
- Initial cost may be high for some.
- Requires a power source for operation.
- Maintenance and cleaning needed regularly
5. Z GRILLS 7002E Pellet Smoker
Z GRILLS Wood Pellet Smoker Grill a powerhouse of versatility and convenience for your outdoor cooking adventures. Crafted with precision from stainless steel, this pellet grill is designed to elevate your grilling experience.
Top Features:
- Digital panel control for easy temperature monitoring.
- 697 sq.in cooking space and an ultra-large 20 lbs.
- 8-in-1 versatility for various cooking techniques.
- Unique smoking technology for rich smoky flavor.
- Sturdy stainless steel construction for durability.
- Superior mobility with wheels and handle.
- Effortless cooking with auto temperature control.
- Diverse cooking options for experimentation.
- Built to last with corrosion-resistant stainless steel.
- Mobility for outdoor BBQ enjoyment.
Warranty: Z GRILLS Wood Pellet Smoker come with a 3-year warranty.
Concerns:
- Heavier weight (84 pounds) may limit portability.
- Requires wood pellets as a fuel source.
6. Weber Pellet Smoker
Weber SmokeFire, is an incredible 1,008 square inches of cooking space, ensuring you have room to grill up a storm, be it a family dinner or a backyard party. Its temperature range, spanning from a low-and-slow 200 degrees Fahrenheit to a blazing 600 degrees Fahrenheit. It comes with Weber Connect, your very own grilling assistant.
Top Features:
- Spacious Cooking Area 1,008 sq. in.
- Wide Temperature Range 200-600°F.
- Smart grilling assistant.
- Easy Operation great for beginners.
- Cooks various dishes effortlessly.
- Sturdy construction.
- Simple to maintain.
- Wood Pellet Flavor infuses smoky taste.
- Precise Temperature Control accurate cooking.
- Large hopper capacity.
- Starts up rapidly.
- Even Heat Distribution.
- Equipped with sturdy wheels.
- Notifications on your phone.
- Environmental Friendliness.
Warranty: Typical warranty: Limited 3-year warranty.
Concerns:
- Initial cost may be high.
- Requires a power source.
- Regular maintenance required.
7. Cuisinart Pellet Smoker
Cuisinart is a well-known brand providing a wide range of kitchen appliances and outdoor cooking gear that includes grill and smokers as well. Their CPG-4000 has made to our list because of its amazing features and durability.
Top Features:
- This versatile appliance is suitable for grilling, smoking, baking, roasting, braising and barbeque.
- With two-tiered cooking grate, you can grill more food. It also has a folding which is handy for resting spices, serve ware and other essential tools.
- It has a unique portable design which makes it easy to transport it from garage to deck or any other pace easily.
- A handy grease bucket holder is provided where the hot grease can be collected.
- With precision temperature control, it can cook food slow, hot and fast as per your requirement.
- It comes with a thermostat feature which maintains the heat temperature. It also adds the wood pellets automatically based on the heat requirement.
- Unlike gas grills, this pellet grill doesn’t flare up causing a mess
- The outer surface or cover is wind and water resistant.
Warranty: Not provided
Concerns:
- Several people experienced issues with customer service
How To Choose The Best Pellet Smoker or Grill?
A pellet smoker is the most popular food smoking machine and gives a certain flavor to the meat that is unparalleled with most types of smoking methods. Though there are various factors to take into consideration while purchasing this pellet smoker.
Go through this guide to pick the best pellet smoker, as per your requirement.
1. Cooking Surface Area
How much cooking surface area do we need? It is a quite common question that arises while buying a pellet smoker. However, it depends on the type of food you grill or smoke and the number of people you are cooking for.
If you want to grill a steak or burger for an easy, quick and tasty dinner, then you won’t require a lot of cooking surface. While brisket or beef ribs (huge cuts of beef) is your favorite meats to smoke, then you need a lot of cooking space/chamber to accommodate and smoke it properly.
In general, the pellet grills/smokers come with a cooking space of 300 – 1300 square inches. The larger the cooking space of a smoker is, the more quantity food it cooks and is expensive. So, pick the one, as per your cooking requirements. Also, use a secondary rack to increase the existing cooking space, which is widely available in the market.
2. Temperature Range
Most pellet grills offer temperature ranges of 180° – 500° Fahrenheit, which is perfect for baking, grilling, and smoking. In case, if you want to smoke food slowly at a low temperature, then operate the pellet grills with a temperature range of 180°F – 400°F. If you want to sear or hot smoke your food, then ensure to choose a grill/smoker that reaches a temperature of 500° – 700°F.
3. Temperature Controls
Pellet smokers with digital controllers are the best option to choose, why because they have complete control over temperature and thereby makes perfect grilling. Also, you can set and forget the grilling/smoking of food in this grill, as the allows you to stay away from the grill while smoke progresses.
There are three main types of controllers available in the market.
- PID Controllers: This type of controller offers auto-pilot smoking. Here, complex algorithms are implemented to maintain the temperature within the specific ranges. Also, it features an LED read-out for warmth, temperature gauge and sensitive meat probes.
- Non-PID Controllers: They allow you to change the pellet smoker’s temperature to rise in 5 – 10°F temperature intervals. It features LED displays, meat probes and a one-touch button.
- 3-Position Controllers: This type of controller offers three different heat settings – high (425°F), medium (325°F) and low (225°F). It feeds pellets into the combustion chamber at fixed intervals, which means you have less control over the temperature. So, they are lower-priced models than the other two controllers.
Most pellet smokers feature outputs to plug-in meat probes, which let you easily read the internal meat temperature on the grill’s LED display. So, check and set the right temperature for perfect grilling.
A pellet smoker’s hopper is a container used to store the pellets that are ready for the auger to take to the fire-pot. The hopper’s size of pellet smoker will let you know how often you need to refill them and check out when to purchase more pellets. For instance, a pellet smoker with a 40-pound hopper capacity provides around 40 hours of cooking time at standard smoking temperatures. It would be problematic while using a pellet grill with an 18-pound hopper to cook food that takes around 20-hours. Also, the climatic condition will affect the pellets consumption. If you are living in a cold climate, then the cooker will make use of more fuel to maintain temperature while cooking food. Purchase the hopper extensions that are available for the pellet grill/smoker. Ensure that this hopper extender is compatible with your pellet smoker (prefer to purchase both from the same manufacturer). The durability of a particular pellet smoker depends on its construction material. So, prefer to choose a smoker, which consists of a powder-coated stainless-steel body with sturdy construction. Thus, its quality ensures it can last longer with weather-proof and rust-resistant. The flame deflector, fire pot, grates, and drip pan are the main components of the pellet smoker that are considered the most. If all these components are made with marine-grade 304-stainless steel, then your smoker will last for a longer time (lifetime). Apart from this, a grill having tempered steel or heavy-duty cast-iron cooking grates will distribute heat evenly and quickly. If you want to use a powder-coated steel grill, then make sure it is of high-quality coating. Or else whenever its paint blisters or chips, the smoker starts to rust and thereby may deteriorate gradually. Also, the pellet smoker made with high-quality material will ensure efficient pellet consumption, retain heat, and maintain proper temperature (especially in cold weather). So, prefer to choose a high-quality smoker to perform better. In general, the wood pellets get delivered into an auger tube and thereby to the combustion chamber to fire up the pellet smoker. So, the more pellets enter into the combustion chamber, the more heat it generates. Make sure that there is a safe distance from the tip of the electrical-powered auger tube to the combustion chamber to prevent catching any fire from unused pellets in storage. Also, choose a model with wide sized augers for free flow of wood pellets and to prevent them from getting jammed. Top-notch models offer excellent added features to enhance the grilling experience. Have a look at some of these features. Almost all modern pellet smokers offer Wi-Fi connectivity. Download the app, which is compatible with your smoker (manufacturer suggested). When once your smartphone and smoker get connected via WiFi, you can easily get control over the pellet smoker, irrespective of your distance (near or not near to smoker). You can change the grilling time, temperature and any other settings you want to change for a perfect smoking effect and to have an enjoyable grilling experience. This meat probe will let you easily check the temperature of meat, which you are cooking in a pellet smoker. Attach one end of the probe to the pellet smoker and the other end to the meat. When the meat starts cooking, its temperature will be displayed on the smoker’s LCD monitor. So, you know its temperature without opening the smoker’s cover and insert a thermometer to check manually. A few smoker models come with a sear box, which offers hot smoking and extra char-grilling capability. So, if you are looking for this feature, then check out whether your model possesses this feature or not before making its purchase. Lack of grilling capability is the main drawback observed in the traditional pellet smokers/cookers. So, to overcome this problem, most manufacturers designed their pellet smokers with either a dedicated grilling area within the smoker (or) place the grilling plate by removing part of the diffuser plate. Choose the one that is convenient and comfortable for your grilling. This feature is quite helpful in situations where you want to grill outdoors with low light conditions. Then this built-in lighting will let you cook food easily and quickly. These cooking racks offer differing heat levels on the smoker, which let you cook different types of food at a time. It is quite useful while having small get-togethers, or parties. Check for this option, if you want to cook different foods at a time. Other additional features for comfortable usage of pellet smokers include digital control buttons, tool hooks for storage, automatic start function and built-in shelves for preparation space. There are a lot of different pellets available in the market. You have to select the right one to achieve the perfect taste you want to have in your food. For instance, if you use apple pellets then it provides meat with some fruity smoke. Cherry pellets are perfect to cook some beef ribs. The hickory pellet is another most popularly used pellets while cooking some barbecues to provide a strong pleasantry smell to kick your meat. For cooking a few kinds of food, you can even mix some pellets to provide the perfect flavor and scent to your food. Though we call it a pellet smoker, this doesn’t mean to use exclusively for smoking. Most products are designed to be versatile enough, which let you use them for grilling, roasting, and braising, other than smoking. Also, they offer wide temperature adjustments, which allow you to change the heat level, as per the requirement of a specific recipe/dish. One has to check the space availability in their area before placing this pellet smoker. However, we find them in various sizes and forms, in which you have to pick the one that fits perfectly in your area. For this, you can either select from vertical smokers or traditional looking grills. Always check whether your pellet burner (or pellet hog) is consuming excessive pellets or not before you purchase a pellet smoker. Avoid purchasing a too thin or too thick pellet cooker. The reason is that if it is a too thin one, heat gets lost through the cooker body, while for too thick metal, its walls act as a heat sink. So, in both cases, they consume a lot of pellets to maintain the desired temperature in the cooking area. Also, the pellet consumption depends on the smoke/heat settings. Most experts suggest you choose a pellet smoker that uses a maximum of a pound per hour at smoking temperatures. So, check out how many pounds of pellets per hours your smoker burns while purchasing. Most grills offer various amazing features and one among them is portability. This lets you move the smoker from one place to another. So, look for a model that offers a locking caster, sturdy wheels, carrying handles, and foldable legs for easy transportation. A few models have only two wheels on their back, which makes it challenging to move around. Make sure to pick the pellet smoker that comes with four wheels attached to make it easy to maneuver around. While searching for a smoker for camping or traveling, then it should be lightweight, compact and easy to move. Usually, most pellet smokers are heavier than traditional grillers. With this heavyweight, it would be a bit difficult to carry it from one place to another. So, to know the exact weight of your pellet smoker, simply assemble it properly and fill up the hopper with pellets and then weigh it. Thus, you came to know if you can easily and quickly carry it around. It would be quite frustrating to clean your grill/smoker after cooking, especially when not having the right features. So, to make your cleaning process easier, check out the smoker that has removable grease trays or a proper grease management system along with ash removal design and dishwasher safe adjustable grates. Also, make sure your pellet hoppers will allow you to replace the wood pellets with ease and to be cleaned easily. Having a good customer support team of a pellet smoker will definitely improve your experience and resolve your queries quickly. For this, you have to read all the rating, reviews and customer feedback for each brand. This will provide a clear idea on which one provides the best support and which one won’t provide. So, choose it wisely. Based on the built construction and its features, pellet smokers have different price ranges. For a quality model, the price range will be $400 – $2000. With these huge price variations, you have to check out the essential features required by writing a checklist, and then choose a model that offers all these features within your price range. The warranty period of a given pellet smoker is essential to consider while purchasing the pellet smoker. Pick the one that offers a lengthy/long warranty. The reason is that various small moving parts may break/crack with time, and thereby makes it unable to use properly. So, do some research to know the warranty length and the things covered within the warranty range. Thus, check out different brands and select the best one. One has to understand the working of a pellet smoker, you have to learn all about its different components and their respective functionalities. Have a look at them. Till now, you came to know about its essential components. Now let’s know all about its working process. Pellet grills or smoker is undoubtedly a wonderful product that let you smoke or grill the food. Every product has its pros and cons based on various parameters. Here let’s know about the advantages and disadvantages of pellet smokers. Ans: The central difference between grilling your meat and smoking your meat lies in the temperature you use. Grilling is mostly high-temperature heating of your meat for very short intervals of time. Smoking is the low-temperature heating of meat for a very long time. While grilling cooks your meat faster, smoking adds a distinctive flavor to your meat. Ans: Almost after every use, a smoker gathers a lot of ashes and grease deposits. Hence it is vital that you clean up the grill or smoker after each and every use. Ans: Before beginning to smoke your meat on a new smoker, make sure you are curing or seasoning it. This is basically heating the smoker at high temperature so it will burn off any residual manufacturing process leftovers on the grill. This is to make sure that the grill is safe for food making. It usually takes about 2 hours or so and you need not do it again and again. Ans: For seasoning a smoker, you have to use high burning point cooking oil. For this, you can go for grapeseed oil or maybe even canola oil will do the trick as well Ans: Rust is the oxidation of the iron metal. While it is not toxic if it accidentally mixes in your food in very tiny amounts, it is always safer to be rust free as large flakes may end up causing injury to intestines or mouth etc., You can remove the rust of the smoker with proper oiling, painting, and other such techniques and then later, seasoning it before using it again. Proper regular maintenance is required to prevent rust from forming on your grill Ans: Mostly, we use food-grade wood pellets in a pellet grill. But won’t use heating pellets designed for pellet stoves, as they contain toxins and chemicals that poison your food. So, food-grade wood pellets are cheap and widely used. Ans: With its versatile nature, the pellet grills or smokers allow you to grill, roast, smoke, and bake the food easily. Also, it offers a wood-smoked food taste rather than burning wood pellets on a smoker. It is considered the best option than gas or charcoal. When compared with gas smokers, they won’t require much effort to start without requiring any gas or propane and has little maintenance (unless pellets run out). Ans: It depends on various factors like the quality of pellets, size of the hopper, and heat level. Usually, 1 – 2 pounds bag of pellets lasts for smoking. While for grilling, 2 – 3 pounds of pellets last for an hour of cooking food. Ans: Although, cleaning a pellet grill/smoker is quite easy when you do it as soon as you complete cooking/grilling. If not, the dirt gets harden and thus makes it more difficult to clean. So, to start your cleaning process, use a grill brush to scrub the surface of the grates. While for the body, use a sponge/cloth soaked in mild soap water. Ensure that don’t wet the electrical components when you are cleaning a pellet smoker. Ans: The pellet-consuming grills use a circuitous cooking technique that reduces the cancer-causing synthetic concoctions. Also, some people toss their favorite wood chips for getting flavor on the charcoal grills. There is no proof starting that pellet grilling is beneficial than other grilling strategies. Ans: We generally place the meat on the smoker whenever the smoke from wood chips is slight and seething. Nevertheless, using the wood chips, you can add these wood chips to charcoal to make the flame burn longer. So, include 1 – 2 cups of wood chips at regular intervals for perfect cooking. Out of all the smoker grills mentioned in the list today, the Z Grills Pellet Smoker is the best pellet grill and smoker out there. This 8 in one machine can be used as both a grill, a smoker for BBQ for baking, for braising, roasting and much more. With a very large 700 square inches cooking area, it is perfect for all occasions and a lot of people gatherings. It also has a great and upgraded digital control, perfect temperature control and also, 3 years of warranty too. All of these, and the absolutely promising reviews and ratings make it the best pellet smoker machine to buy online. While that was our list, we want to see if you liked it. Or even if you have any questions for us. Feel free to write to us in the comments section below and our team will write back to you as soon as possible.4. Hopper Capacity
5. Durability and Construction Material
6. Pellet Delivery
7. Additional Features and Capabilities
a. Wi-Fi Connectivity
b. Meat Probe
c. Sear Box
d. Grilling Options
e. Built-in Lighting
f. Multiple Level Cooking Racks
8. Types of Pellets
9. Versatility
10. Size and Built
11. Pellet Consumption
12. Portability
13. Weight
14. Clean-Up
15. Customer Support
16. Price
17. Warranty
How Does a Pellet Smoker Work?
Advantages and Disadvantages of Pellet Smokers
Pros of Pellet Smoker
Cons of Pellet Smokers
Pellet Smokers – FAQs
However, they come with a lot of different flavors, yet the most common ones are….
• Maple
• Cherry
• Hickory
• Oak
• Apple
• Alder
• Pecan
• Mesquite
Each flavor of this wood pellet will slightly have a different flavor on the food and you can figure out and use pellets to cook your favorite food. Also, use different types of pellets to enjoy different flavors. Test the different flavors before buying a full bag.
Also, wood chips are easy to ship and store than charcoal and propane tanks. Just like a gas grill, you can preheat the pellet grills quickly for about 10 minutes.Conclusion
One Response
Thanks for share. Can you telll me which is best for outdoor camping?