These grills are among the easiest backyard cooking appliances to use, just plug them in, set your temperature, and let them do all the hard work for you. You’ll get the taste and flavor of a wood smoker along with the convenience of a gas grill. And if you’re a barbecue nerd, rest assured, pellet grills are even sanctioned in Kansas City Barbecue Society contests. Since pellet smokers plug into a standard electrical outlet, they’re great for car camping and tailgating, as they can be powered with car batteries, battery packs, or gas-powered generators. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, here are the top pellet smokers. Traeger’s WiFIRE technology allows you to monitor and control your cook from anywhere via your smartphone, and a powerful D2 drivetrain helps this smoker get hotter faster, and maintain consistent temperatures in any condition. Its double-wall stainless-steel interior helps sustain a perfectly even cooking temperature and keeps smoke inside. It even has enough grilling space to hold up to 10 chickens or 7 racks of ribs, so you can cook for a crowd. The downside is that all this doesn’t come cheap, but this is a tool you’ll enjoy for many, many delicious meals over the years. Price at time of publish: $1600 Dimensions (LxWxH): 53 x 27 x 47 inches | Cooking Area: 885 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 20 pounds Reviewers comment on its ease of use, easy cleanup, and quality of smoke. To get a true high-temperature sear, you’ll need to purchase an additional Sear Box accessory. Another con: it can be difficult to get pellets out of the hopper for storage. Price at time of publish: $600 Dimensions (LxWxH): 50 x 20.5 x 47.5 inches | Cooking Area: 570 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 18 pounds This model comes with enough cooking space for 34 burgers and a hopper capacity for a full day of cooking. It can handle anything between 180 and 450 degrees, and heavy-duty locking wheels mean you can easily move it around the backyard if needed. Electronic auto-start ignition means one button is all you need to get cooking, and a real-time LED temperature display makes everything crystal clear. Price at time of publish: $640 Dimensions (LxWxH): 45 x 28 x 49 inches | Cooking Area: 694 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 20 pounds Its “slide and grill technology” allows for direct flame cooking with temps reaching up to 650 degrees. This doesn’t mean it skimps on low and slow cooking too. The grill’s 25,000 BTUs have a smoking range of 160 degrees to 500 degrees, with 10 different smoke levels to choose from. Equipped with PID and a Wi-Fi-enabled controller, you’ll be able to change the temperature, set timers, and receive notifications when your meat reaches its ideal temperature (it comes with 4 probe thermometers). Steak happiness achieved. Price at time of publish: $900 Dimensions (LxWxH): 42 x 30 x 49 inches | Cooking Area: 800 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 22 pounds With a cooking surface of 34 x 23 inches, it comes equipped with a digital Wi-Fi controller, a meat probe, and Sense-Mate, a thermal sensor that constantly monitors the grill temperature. Some reviewers complained of subpar customer service from Green Mountain, a company based in Tennessee. Price at time of publish: $400 Dimensions (LxWxH): 34 x 23 x 31.75 inches | Cooking Area: 219 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 9 pounds
What to Look for in a Pellet Smoker
Hopper Size
A pellet grill works its magic by generating heat from wood pellets placed in a chamber called a “pellet hopper.” The cylindrical pellets are made from sawdust that has been compressed under high pressure and come in varieties like hickory and mesquite. (Make sure to keep them dry; wet pellets are useless.) Those pellets move through an auger to a fire pot, which heats the grill’s cooking chamber. A fan system disperses heat and smoke in order to cook your food indirectly, which means the food is not directly exposed to fire. Pellets burn at about 1 to 3 pounds per hour.
Capacity
Meanwhile, every grill has cooking space measured in square inches. Pellet grills with between 200 and 400 square inches of space can handle a whole brisket or rack of ribs, but are usually light enough to be portable. Pellet smokers with up to 800 square inches of space are great backyard grills for small families and the occasional summer dinner party. If you regularly cook up multiple pork shoulders and dozens of burgers for a crowd, look for smokers with more than 900 square inches of cooking space.
Features
Pellet smokers tend to be higher tech than gas grills, and often come equipped with state-of-the-art digital PID (proportional integral derivative) controllers, Wi-Fi connectivity, and moving parts. This means more possibility of something breaking, making warranties important. Think about your grill’s controller, the brains of the operation. These will maintain a consistent temperature, essential especially for cooking in the cold, wind, and rain. Three position controllers, also called LMH controllers, have only three temperature settings: low, medium, and high. Multi-position controllers allow for more precision, at 25 degree increments. The most sophisticated type of pellet grill controller are PID controllers, which use sophisticated algorithms to achieve and maintain the desired temperature within a few degrees. They continuously measure the grill’s temperature and adjust its cycle accordingly, adding pellets when necessary to achieve the correct cooking temperature throughout.
Do pellet smokers need electricity?
Yes, pellet smokers do require electricity to operate. However, you don’t need anything beyond a standard plug for one, as the amount of electricity they require is minimal. A cable or extension cord will work with them.
Are there different types of wood pellets?
Yes, there are, and they have different strengths. “Most hardwoods will have subtle differences in the flavor they give onto the meat,” says Chef Derek Wolf of Over the Fire Cooking. “I love to use hickory and oak wood when I smoke most beef and pork. Apple, cherry, and pecan do really well with seafood and poultry.”
Why Trust Simply Recipes?
Hannah Howard has been writing about food and cooking for over a decade, including the memoirs “Feast” and “Plenty.” She is married to a Kansas City Barbecue Society-certified barbecue judge and dedicated meat lover. Read Next: The Best Mini Fridges
