Pellet grills or smokers only require a little experience to prepare delicious slow-smoked foods. The challenge, however, is that you have to invest in the best pellet grills and smokers to enjoy their benefits. So what are some of the best pellet grills & smokers to get?
The top five best pellet grills & smokers to get include;
- Traeger Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
- Traeger Timberline Pellet Grill at Williams-Sonoma
- Weber Smokefire
- Recteq RT-700 Wood Pellet Grill
- Oklahoma Joe’s Rider DLX
- Z GRILLS ZPG-450A 2022 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Factors such as the ability to maintain a consistent temperature, heating up fast, and the extra features can make pellet grills & smokers more desirable to use. Read on for more information on getting the best pellet grills and smokers.
Best Pellet Grills & Smokers
The first step to purchasing the best pellet grills & smokers is to understand the essential factors to consider before making your decision. Always pay attention to the temperature range, unique features, hopper size, and the size of the cooking area before you can make your decision.
1. Traeger Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
The Traeger Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker is one of the best grills and smokers you can get in the modern market. In addition to originating from the top and popular brands, it has all the features you need in a perfect grill.
The Traeger Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker features a cooking surface of 885 square inches, porcelain coated grates to make it easy to clean, and numerous other features that make it more functional.
What We Like
- Ample top grate to provide an extra cooking surface
- Modern control panel loaded with unique features such as super smoke and keep warm
- Allows the user to switch out pellets easily
What We Don’t Like
- Low pellet indicator can sometimes be misleading
2. Traeger Timberline Pellet Grill At Williams-Sonoma
The Traeger Timberline Pellet Grill at Williams-Sonoma is well-rated by most of the buyers on Amazon. This clearly indicates it is one of the best grills and smokers that can easily handle any task. It comes with a 22-pound hopper, 880 square inches cooking surface, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, three tiers of grates, and excellent temperature probes.
Further, the Traeger Timberline Pellet Grill at Williams-Sonoma features a motion sensor for nighttime grilling, and it is highly flexible to meet your needs.
What We Like
- Excellent heat conduction and retention
- Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities for convenience
- Interior motion sensor for nighttime grilling
- Intuitive touchscreen controls
What We Don’t Like
- It is costly, hence not the best option if you are on a tight budget
3. Weber Smokefire
The Weber Smokefire is great equipment for enthusiastic grillers. It features an ample cooking surface with excellent temperature control to make it possible to cook a wide range of meals. In other words, whatever the level of doneness you want to cook your meat, the Weber Smokefire will not disappoint. Additionally, it produces more smoke than most pellet grills.
What We Like
- It has a large cooking space of 1008 inches square to make it possible to cook large volumes of meals.
- Two meat probes for ease of temperature monitoring
- A high temperature of up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit
What We Don’t Like
- Shallow grease drain
- It lacks a front shelf, which can make prep works a bit difficult
4. Recteq RT-700 Wood Pellet Grill
One of the primary strengths of the Rectec RT-700 Wood Pellet Grill is that it is made of stainless steel, which is durable and provides excellent corrosion resistance. The six-year warranty indicates that the Rectec RT-700 Wood Pellet Grill is sturdy enough to serve you for a long time.
Additionally, the grill can achieve a maximum temperature of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, making it possible to sear your meat. In other words, you can comfortably use the smoker to prepare various meals. The two probes, a 40-pound hopper, and a large cooking surface area make the smoker even more convenient.
What We Like
- Large hopper to make to eliminate the need of having to refill the smoker with fuel
- High-quality materials for durability
- Two probes for easy monitoring of temperatures
- You can connect it to your phone to make monitoring and controlling easy
- Easy start-up with a button
What We Don’t Like
- It is Expensive
5. Oklahoma Joe’s Rider DLX
The Oklahoma Joe’s Rider DLX has a temperature range of 225 -700 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning that you can use it for cooking a wide variety of meals comfortably. In addition to the flexible temperature range, the grill has a convenient pellet release system to give you a deep smoky flavor.
Although the Oklahoma Joe’s Rider DLX does not have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, using the smoker will make you realize that you do not need the connectivity. This is because the grill is easy to use and pretty effective.
What We Like
- Heavy-gauge construction guarantees durability
- Excellent temperature control
- Flexible grate and racks system that integrates easily for versatility
- Value for money
What We Don’t Like
- Temperatures spikes that require constant monitoring
Budget Options That You Can Buy
1. Z GRILLS ZPG-450A 2022 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
If you are on a tight budget and need a great pellet grill and smoker, then the Z GRILLS ZPG-450A 2022 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker will be a perfect fit for you. In addition to being a budget-friendly option, it has a modest temperature range of 180-450 degrees Fahrenheit. Hence, the grill will definitely yield flavorful meat if you want to prepare your meals low and slow.
With a cooking area of 450 square inches, the grill is a good fit for families. Moreover, its size makes it compact and, therefore, can fit into your cooking space nicely. The Z GRILLS ZPG-450A 2022 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker is highly portable if you love traveling.
What We Like
- It is affordable
- Make food pretty flavorful
- It comes with a rain cover to make grilling in the rain easy
What We Don’t Like
- Small prep tables
- It does not get hot enough to sear
Additional budget options that you can buy include;
- Z Grills 700D3 Wood Pellet Smoker
- Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill
- Traeger Tailgater Pellet Grill
- PIT BOSS PB440D2 Wood Pellet Grill
What To Look For When Shopping For The Best Pellet Grills & Smokers
When shopping for the best pellet grills & smokers, there are some critical factors that you must consider to make the right decision. They include;
The Cooking Capacity
The cooking capacity is critical because it determines the amount of food you can prepare on the grill. Always factor in the number of people you will be cooking for, the type of food you would like to cook, and whether you would like to cook multiple dishes at once.
The Size Of The Hopper
Different grills and smokers have different hopper sizes. The significance of the hopper size is that it influences the duration that you can leave the pellet grill unattended. A large hopper is convenient because it can accommodate more pellets so that you do not require frequent check-ins.
Level Of Temperatures
Another critical question you should ask yourself is how hot the grill can get. The best pellet grills & smokers should be able to get hot to allow you to sear your food whenever you want. Grills that do not get as hot as you would want are not the best choice because they limit the number of dishes you can prepare on the grill and the cooking styles.
Extra Features
Lastly, check for extra features. While extra features such as Wi-Fi capability and Bluetooth are unnecessary, they can make your grilling experience easy and convenient. Moreover, it is a sign that the grill is designed to serve you right.
Conclusion
With considerations such as the cooking capacity, temperature level, extra features, and hopper size, purchasing the best pellet grills & smokers should be a simple task. The Traeger Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker is our recommendation for the best pellet grill and smoker, as it ticks almost every box for the best grill.
Scot has loved smoking food in his free time for the last few years. Each major holiday or off-weekend, Scot spends days testing and prepping new recipes for perfection.