Credit:
Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
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Credit:
Reviewed / Lindsay D. Mattison
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Pellet grills are the ideal choice for anyone looking for an easy way to produce high-quality barbecue. These electric-powered grills might be more expensive than gas or charcoal grills, but they also offer set-it-and-forget-it functionality without sacrificing flavor. Simply fill the hopper with wood pellets, set the control panel to the desired temperature, and walk away.
These grills are not only wonderful for grillers of all skill levels, but they produce food that tastes as good as anything cooked over wood or charcoal. For a long time, the only downfall was that pellet grills could only provide indirect heat—so they were great for low-and-slow smoking but not searing. Many of today’s pellet grills have changed that stereotype, providing a built-in sear plate that transforms a pellet grill from a smoker to a multi-functional grill.
Pellet grills are not cheap, though. But our top pick, the Traeger Ironwood XL, (available at Amazon for $1,999.00) is an investment that should last years with proper care. With so much money at stake, we wanted to help you find the right pellet grill for your backyard, so we spent a full week cooking on each pellet grill. After the smoke had cleared, we found ourselves with a solid winner and a few quality back-ups if our main pick is out-of-stock.
This ultra-smart model features a touchscreen display, Wi-Fi compatibility, two meat probe thermometers, and more.
Precise temperature control
Quick to heat
Great WiFi-enabled app functionality
Outdated control panel
Maintains consistent temperatures
Excels at high-temperature roasting
Hard to move
No work tables or shelf
Limited cooking surface area
Great smoke flavor
Able to sear and smoke
Temperature swings while cooking
Doesn’t display correct temperature
Large cooking surface area
Large hopper capacity
App functionality
Struggled at maintaining low temperatures
Pellets slide down hopper ramp unevenly
Control panel buttons hard to push
Heats quickly
Easy to move
Built-in probe thermometers
Inconsistent temperature control
Poor build quality
Large cooking surface area
Precise temperature control
Built-in probe thermometers
Doesn’t perform well at high temperatures
We smoked brisket on each pellet grill to see how it could handle low-and-slow cooking temperatures
Hi, I’m Lindsay Mattison, a trained professional chef and a barbecue weekend warrior. You’ll find me outside almost every weekend, cooking over an open fire pit or smoking on a pellet grill. I’ve tested over three dozen grills over the years for Reviewed, so I’ve learned a thing or two about what works (and what doesn’t).
If the pellet grill produced enough smoke to create a smoke ring, we knew the brisket would be delicious before taking the first bite.
After selecting several top-rated pellet grills available online and at local retailers like Lowes and Home Depot, we got started with the tests. We used an iPhone XR on iOS 14.6 to connect to any apps that may work with each specific grill.
If the grill included a built-in probe thermometer, we used that to measure the meat’s internal temperature as it cooked. We also used a ThermoWorks ChefAlarm (our top pick when we tested probe thermometers) to double-check the built-in probe’s accuracy. Finally, we hooked up an ambient grill probe to check the grill’s actual internal temperature against the set temperature.
After building each grill, we ran it through the initial burn-off process specified in each owner's manual. This process removes any machine packing oils and ensures the auger and fire pot work properly. Then, we cycled the grill on and off dozens of times to test ignition times and see if there were any issues with the pellet auger system.
From there, we started cooking. We wanted to see how each pellet grill could handle low smoking temperatures and tough cuts of meat with a lot of intramuscular fat and connective tissue.
After setting the temperature to 250°F, we added a whole packer brisket, trimmed to have a 1/4-inch fat cap. When the grill’s meat probe reached an internal temperature of 165°F, we compared the built-in probe to the ChefAlarm, wrapped the brisket tightly in aluminum foil, and lowered the grill’s temperature to 225°F. We returned the brisket to the grill until it reached 202°F.
Next up, we wanted to know how the pellet grill worked with high-heat temperatures. We cranked the dial up to 500°F (or the highest setting if the grill didn’t have that setting). After preheating, we cooked a dozen chicken wings, hoping they would crisp up as well as they do in an indoor oven without burning.
During these tests, we were able to assess several crucial elements of a good pellet grill: Did it maintain its temperature during the entire cook time? Did the grill quickly adjust to temperature changes? Did we have to refill the pellets during a long cooking session? Most importantly, did the brisket turn out juicy with a deeply smoky flavor? Did the wings cook evenly and crisp up without burning?
Finally, we assessed each grill’s aesthetics and build quality, looking to see if it wheeled around easily without rattling and whether it was built to last. We also factored in if the grease tray was easy to clean, the grill grate design, and the location of side tables.
Wood pellets are used to smoke and smolder as you grill, creating flavors similar to grilling over wood or charcoal.
Wood pellet grills have been around since the mid-1980s when a wood-pellet stove manufacturer thought to use the technology to fuel grills. The biggest name in pellet grills is Traeger, the original manufacturer, and they were the only game in town for decades. When Traeger’s patent expired in 2006, the competition began to emerge.
Pellet grills are different from other grills because they’re dual-fuel. Instead of being heated by gas, propane, or electricity alone, an electric-powered auger moves wood pellets to a fire box, where they’re ignited to create the fire that heats the grill.
That process means pellet grills have set-it-and-forget-it functionality. There’s no need to fiddle around with dials or vents to reach the desired temperature like with other smoker grills. Simply ensure the hopper is full of pellets, select the temperature from the control panel, and let the grill do all the work.
When used at low-and-slow cooking temperatures, the pellets smoke and smolder, creating flavors similar to grilling over wood or charcoal. They can also be used at higher temperatures, and most manufacturers cap out at maximum temperatures between 400°F and 500°F.
That’s not far from gas grills (which often max out at 550°F), but the use of a heat deflector plate prevents direct searing and grill marks. If the pellet grill features a sliding sear plate, it can be used to access the flames and cook food like it’s on a traditional grill.
Pellet grills are powered by wood pellets that are similar to the ones used to fuel indoor pellet stoves. They’re made by compressing wood that’s ground into sawdust, and grill pellets are usually made with 100% hardwood or contain food-grade oils to add flavor.
To use the grill, the pellets are loaded into a hopper to the side of the grill. An electric-powered auger transfers the pellets to the fire pot inside the grill. The ignited wood pellets produce flames until the box reaches the set temperature, and the auger slows to drop fewer pellets into the pot to maintain the heat.
The grill’s heat deflector plate acts as a physical barrier to keep the food from being exposed to the flames, and it also keeps the grease from creating flare-ups. Then, the grill’s internal fans disperse the heat and smoke around the grill, surrounding your food and heating the inside of the grill similar to a convection oven.
At low temperatures, the pellets will smoke without creating a large fire. That infuses smoky flavors into the food, similar to what you’ll find when grilling over wood or charcoal. When set to higher temperatures, less smoke is produced, and the fire pot focuses on creating heat. Since the heat deflector plate prevents direct searing and grill marks, the food crisps up like it would when roasted inside a high-temperature oven.
The best pellet grills were able to crisp-up chicken wings without burning them when we used the highest heat setting
While some pellet grills can be found under $500, most range between $1,000 and $2,000 depending on the size and features. They have more moving parts than other types of grills, and controlling the temperature is a bit more complicated than a grill that uses dials or vents. A thermostat and an onboard computer control the grill’s auger, fan, and ignition system.
If it doesn’t come together correctly, the automated pellet delivery system will fail to deliver pellets to the fire pot, and the grill won’t reach appropriate heat levels. Worse yet, the grill could turn off mid-session, or the ignited pellets can back up into the hopper, creating a fire hazard.
Modern pellet grills are also smart-capable. They have built-in probe thermometers that connect to smartphones via Bluetooth or WiFi, allowing users to monitor long-cooking items like brisket or pulled pork remotely. These apps also allow you to change the grill’s temperature, activate any smoke boost functions, set a timer, monitor the pellet level in the hopper, and turn the grill off. That’s convenient, but it comes at a price.
Lindsay is a professional chef, recipe developer, writer, and developmental editor. After years of working in restaurant kitchens, she turned to writing to share her passion for local, organic, and seasonal ingredients with home cooks and food enthusiasts.
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