If you’re looking for a simple-to-use yet versatile cooker without having to utilize your quality time tending to the machine, you should seriously opt for a pellet smoker. These products incorporate several technological advancements such as auto-ignition systems, Bluetooth connectivity, WiFi, and PID temperature controller.
A pellet smoker runs on natural hardwood pellets consisting of hickory, cherry, and apple sawdusts. These cost-effective machines are designed to produce excellent BBQ effortlessly, which makes them very tempting.
So, if this sounds like something that really interests you, read on to find out the best pellet smoker for you from our list. Plus, there’s a buying guide section to ensure you make a smart decision.
Top 10 Best Pellet Smokers and Grills for The Money
#1. Z GRILLS ZPG-450A 2020 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Features:
- Eight cooking functions
- 452 sq. in of cooking space
- Sturdy steel construction & a high-temperature powder coating finish
- Electronic auto-start ignition
The Z GRILLS ZPG-450A Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker is constructed using stainless steel, which shows how durable this product is. Plus, its sleek and polished finish makes this smoker awe-inspiring. Equipped with Advanced Wood Fire Technology, this model delivers wood-fired flavor at the convenience of natural gas or propane.
This unit is super versatile – thanks to its wide temperature range from 180 – 450 degrees F, allowing you to BBQ, braise, roast, bake, smoke, and grill. Furthermore, it has a decent cooking space of 452 square inches, perfect for small households.
More so, it’s a perfect pick for a novice as it’s extremely easy to use. This product comes with just about everything for a seamless cooking experience, from Digital Auto temperature Control, to Electronic auto-start ignition and Real-time LED temperature display.
#2. Traeger, TFB57GZEO, Pro Series 575, Grill, Smoker
Features:
- 575 square inches of grilling space
- Sturdy stainless steel construction
- Electronic temperature controls
- WiFi Enabled And Alexa Compatible.
This model comes with fairly standard Features and a decent-sized cooking area of 575 square inches to work with. Traeger TFB57GZEO Pro Series 575 Grill Smoker Features solid stainless steel construction and electronic temperature control to keep the temperature within a 15-degree range of the set cooking temperature.
Another impressive feature of this appliance is its WiFi control technology, which can be paired with Alexa to allow you to use voice controls to operate the appliance effortlessly and efficiently. This product provides you with a wood-fired taste and a versatile BBQ cooking experience. This unit allows you to cook low and slow or hot and fast.
That’s not all: it brings six different cooking options: roast, bake, smoke, grill, BBQ, and braise. Even better, this appliance is equipped with a Set-It and Forget-It feature to ensure it delivers reliable consistency and incredible wood-fired creations always.
#3. Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill
Features:
- Automatic pellet auger
- Total cooking space of 573 square inches
- Ashcan cleanout system
- Large capacity pellet hopper
The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX is equipped with advanced digital control to allow you to grill anything in a matter of minutes. With such smart digital temperature control, you can easily achieve an authentic wood-fired taste and a traditional grilling experience.
This product Features an automatic auger to consistently feed the grill pellets to maintain the heat levels and provide the optimal amount of smoke. Plus, you can easily set it and let the smoker do the work – no babysitting anyone.
What’s more? This arguably best pellet smoker offers other cooking functions, including BBQ, braising, roasting, and baking. This smoker has a decent temperature range from 160 – 500 degrees, which should be enough to cook a wide range of recipes.
Besides, it comes with several handy accessories, such as the meat probe to keep track of the smoker’s internal temperature. Plus, its patented ash cleanout makes cleaning this unit a cinch.
#4. Traeger Grills TFB89BLFC Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
Features:
- WiFIRE technology
- Double side-wall insulation
- Six cooking functions
- Large 885 square inches cooking space
The Traeger Grills TFB89BLFC is a high-standard pellet smoker in a sleek, elegant encasing. This model is fueled by 100% all-natural hardwood pellets to allow you to get away with wood-fired flavor into anything your appetite demands efficiently and swiftly – with a modern feel.
With this smoker, you can do more than just grill. It can bake, braise, roast, smoke, and BBQ food from steak to apple pie. This unit comes with simple controls to make wood-fired smoking easier. You just have to set your preferred temperature and allow Traeger Grills TFB89BLFC to do all the work for you.
Another thing to love about this smoker is its reliable results, which makes mastering BBQ easy and remarkable, thanks to its consistent temperature. This smoker also Features WiFIRE technology, allowing users to adjust the cooking temperature, set timers, keep track of the food, and create alerts with Alexa.
#5. Broil King 495051 Regal 400 Pellet Grill
Features:
- 5-year warranty
- Large 22 lbs pellet hopper
- WiFi and Bluetooth enabled
- Smart-Touch temperature buttons
If you’ll be using your pellet smoker to sear and rotisserie, you can go wrong purchasing Broil King 495051 Regal 400 Pellet Grill. This product Features a heavy cast iron cooking grids for incredible heat retention, ensuring it delivers an unmatched searing power.
That’s not all: the cast iron grids are reversible, which means two cooking surfaces for extra cooking versatility. This top pellet smoker is equipped with two stainless steel electronic meat probes to make keeping track of the internal temperature extremely convenient for a perfect outcome every time.
With Broil King 495051, you get long cooking sessions thanks to its large 22lbs pellet hopper. This machine sports a heavy-duty solid core auger for consistent pellet delivery without jamming.
#6. Pit Boss Classic 700 sq. in. Wood Fired Pellet Grill & Smoker
Features:
- Spacious 700 sq inches cooking surface
- Wide temperature range: 170–600 degree F
- Innovative ‘Flame Broiler’ for direct and indirect cooking
- 18lbs hopper capacity
If you want a model with a large cooking surface, the Pit Boss 700 Series is your best bet. This unit is ideal for cooking large amounts of vegetables, fish, meat, and whatever your appetite calls for. The pellet smoker’s design sports a digitally-controlled burn system and porcelain-coated cast iron grids.
Even better, it Features an extra upper cooking rack space without having to trade-off even heat distribution. This model Features a dome heat shield and exhaust system, which allows users to cook up to 600 degrees F to tackle any grilling job.
Also, it runs on 100% all-natural cooking-grade wood pellets, which means you don’t have to be bothered about the dangerous and foul smell of charcoal, propane, or gas. This product is another best pellet smoker for beginners – thanks to its easy-to-operate Digital Control Center dial.
#7. Oklahoma Joe’s 20202106 Rider Deluxe Pellet Grill
Features:
- Includes sear mode
- Super versatility: Flex Grate and Flex Racks Systems
- Heavy-gauge steel construction
- Over 1200 sq in Total Cooking Capacity
If you need a smoker to cook big pieces of meat for family gatherings or parties, go with Oklahoma Joe’s 20202106 Rider Deluxe Pellet Grill. This model has a tall-body smoker chamber with porcelain-coated cast-iron grates offering 578 square-inches of cooking space and 328 square inches on two adjustable racks.
What’s more? This model Features a durable steel construction to ensure it serves your purpose for years. Plus, it is easy to maneuver and transport – thanks to its two large wagon-style wheels. And, the lid-mounted handle delivers an easy and secure grip and handling.
Further, this smoker comes with a removable ash cup to make clean-ups a breeze. This model is equipped with dual lid-mounted smokestacks for more uniform heat and better airflow.
#8. Camp Chef PG24MZG SmokePro Slide Smoker
Features:
- Folding front shelf included
- Large 811 square inches cooking capacity
- Two stainless steel meat probes
- PID Controller with 1-10 Smoke Settings
This model comes with slide and grill Features to let you use it for indirect and direct flames. This smart pellet smoker offers braising, baking, roasting, and grilling cooking functions. It Features an automatic auger feed control to help maintain and optimize the smoke level automatically.
Camp Chef PG24MZG SmokePro Slide Smoker is easy and straightforward to clean with the patented ash cleanout process. This unit sports a digital controller, two stainless temperature probes to monitor your cooking process for perfect results every time.
Moreover, it comes with a total cooking surface of over 800 square inches and an innovative NEW GEN 2 PID digital controller to choose your desired smoke level: 1 – 10. Additionally, it’s easy to assemble and hassle-free to maintain.
#9. Z Grills 700D Wood Pellet Grill Smoker
Features:
- Automated electric feed system
- Three years warranty
- 20lb hopper capacity
- 700 sq. in. cooking capacity
The Z Grills 700D Wood Pellet Grill Smoker is an excellent mid-sized product. It comes with a digital control board for igniting the grill and setting the preferred cooking temperature from 180 – 450 degrees F. this generous range allows users to cook several recipes perfectly.
Another impressive feature is its fan-forced convection cooking, which is a decent mimic of the rotisserie cooking function and offers a versatile environment for baking, braising, smoking, roasting, and grilling.
As a matter of fact, it comes with a 20lb hopper capacity to hold enough 100% all-natural wood pellet to cook up to 15 hours. This machine requires the least maintenance, courtesy of the integrated spigot to catch hot grease instead of making a mess at the grill’s bottom.
Besides, its 700 square inches cooking capacity can hold 32 burgers, five racks of ribs, and six chicken, making it an ideal smoker for creating large family-sized meals.
#10. Z Grills ZPG-7002B 2020 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Features:
- 700 sq inches cooking area
- 180 – 475 degrees F temperature range
- 3-year warranty and 30-day refund
- Waste oil collector
- Internal temperature sensor with auto digital temperature control
This smoker comes with eight cooking functions, which means this BBQ smoker is perfect for char-grilling, barbecuing, braising, searing, roasting, baking, smoking, and grilling any type of food thrown on it. It adopts fan-forced convection cooking modes – a perfect replica of the rotisserie cooking mode.
Not to mention, Z Grills ZPG-7002B is equipped with the latest digital control board to ignite the smoker automatically by pushing the button and setting your preferred cooking temperature from 180 – 475 degrees F.
Another key feature is its Automated Electric Feed System engineer to keep an optimal amount of smoke, meaning you don’t have to keep track of the grill constantly. Even better, this versatile BBQ smoker has a 3-year warranty to protect you from any manufacturer’s defect.
Things to Consider When Shopping for the Best Pellet Smoker
Cooking Area
If you want to cook for a large number of people, it is best to opt for a pellet smoker with enough space to accommodate all the meat at once without deteriorating heat distribution. Models with two racks and an overall cooking surface of 700 square inches can be a more appropriate choice.
It’d also be great to have an extra rack aside from the primary cooking space for additional smoking space. A large cooking area allows you to cook a variety of meat at the same time. However, this enormous space will only mean a bulky pellet smoker that might take a lot of space or be challenging to store.
Temperature Range
With a wide range of cooking temperatures, you can cook a huge variety of foods. The best range is 180 – 500 degrees F. However, some models can go higher up to 600 degrees F.
The best pellet smoker should come with a dial for extremely simple temperature settings and also allow easy and reliable ignition. More importantly, you opt for a pellet smoker equipped with temperature fluctuation controls if you tend to adjust the cooking temperature while smoking.
Hopper Capacity
Grills are designed to run on pellets; therefore, it’s only reasonable to purchase a high hopper capacity model. Some models come with an average-sized hopper, which holds not more than 20 lbs of pellets for a couple of smoking hours. However, there are options with a large hopper capacity of up to 40 lbs if you want your smoker to hold lots of pellets.
Similarly, some units can only hold a small number of pellets, making them a bit cumbersome since they require refills several times during a smoking session.
Dimension
When shopping for a pellet smoker, you need to consider the unit’s dimension before to ensure you have enough room for the device. As said earlier, if you host BBQ events or just need to cook for many people, you need a massive cooking surface. This means the smoker will have a large dimension and occupy more space. Thus, it would be best if you determined how much space you’re willing to sacrifice before purchasing a smoker.
Build Quality
It’s better to splurge on a quality pellet smoker with a sturdy interior and exterior design. Some products feature an impressive, eye-catching exterior design but a flimsy interior design to cut costs, which does not pay off with time. Rather you should be cautious of the interior construction, as its appearance might be misleading.
Warranty
Going for an appliance with the brand backing it up is a smart decision. There are various warranty policies depending on the brand and the product. However, most warranty periods for a pellet smoker ranges from 3 – 5 years. Purchasing one of these machines is often a pricey investment; hence it’s important to consider the warranty policies for confidence and peace of mind in your purchase.
FAQs
How does a pellet smoker work?
A pellet smoker’s basic working principle is heating its cooking chamber, causing hot air to circulate and heat the food through convection.
How to use a pellet smoker?
A pellet smoker is one of the easiest and convenient ways of cooking. This machine is equipped with an auger to automatically feed the machine with pellets for maintaining the cooking temperature. With such a design, the smoker does all the work for you without having to babysit throughout the cooking session.
How to clean a pellet smoker?
Cleaning a pellet smoker is not much of a hassle, thanks to its easy-to-empty-out grease bucket. However, you can go ahead and scrub the cooking grate’s surface with a grill brush and use a shop vac to get rid of any ash.
How to use a pellet smoker tube?
A pellet smoker tube is another excellent way of infusing smoky flavor to your foods using your existing grill. However, you need to fill the box with the desired pellet before placing it on your grill and igniting the pellets for a smoking experience.
Are pellet smokers as good as wood smokers?
Pellet smokers are nearly as good as wood smokers. The latter is better at roasting and baking than the formal.
Can you use a pellet smoker in the rain?
If you want to cook on your pellet smoker in the rain, it’s better to place the pellet grill in a suitable shelter like a covered patio or porch.
Which pellet smoker produces the most smoke?
All pellet smokers offer a decent level of smoke. However, Traeger Grills TFB89BLFC Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker delivers incredible amounts of smoke while Camp Chef PG24MZG SmokePro Slide Smoker allows you to choose the preferred smoke level.
Do pellet smokers use propane?
No, pellet smokers’ fuel source is the pellets in the hopper.
Do pellet smokers need a water pan?
There’s really no need for a water pan, except you want humidity for a better smoke ring and penetration.
Do pellet smokers need electricity?
For models with some electronic Features such as digital control, electricity might be needed to run.
Are pellet smokers healthy?
A pellet smoker can be healthy and safe if you’re using only pellets from a reliable manufacturer. Some cheap manufacturers cut corners for an affordable price point, which means the pellets are unlikely made from pure woods.
How to light pellet smoker tube?
There are several ways of lighting a pellet smoker tube. However, one of the best options is using a blow torch.
Conclusion
Pellet smokers prove to be everything except a fad. This machine is easy and convenient to use without compromising the quality of the food, making it hard for amateur and enthusiast smokers to pass upon.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you in making the right choice. But if you’re still having trouble making a choice, we recommended Traeger Grills TFB89BLFC Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker – the best all-around pellet smoker on the market.