6 Great Pellet Grills That Will Take Your Cookouts to the Next Level

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SO YOU'RE ready to take your grilling to the big leagues? A pellet grill is a delicious next step to showing off your growing mastery of the tongs. You probably already know the popular grill works by burning small wood pellets to create a slow-burned smoky flavor, but knowing how to buy a great pellet grill versus a good pellet grills takes a little further knowledge.

Our testing and reviews team at Men's Health, combined with the help of grilling experts, put together six of the best pellet grills worth your money. When choosing the top pellet grills, we made sure to include models that reflect all types of price points and experience levels. We also considered grills that are smarter, meaning they incorporate some sort of tech to help you master smoking meats more easily. If you want to know our best overall pellet grill before getting to our guide below, that's going to be the Traeger Pro Series 22. It's a mid-tier pellet grill that really knocks it out of the park in terms of features, performance, and ease-of-use.

Even if you have vague knowledge of the pellet grill landscape, it's likely Traeger is the brand name that first comes to mind. We definitely fans of the brand, but we know there's no one-size-fits-all pellet grill that every guy should own. Call it weird, but we liken buying our pellet grills in the same way we buy cars—the performance is important, but the product should also reflect some level of personal expression. The pellet grills below will give you a diverse bunch of brands to choose from for your smoke-master journey. Let's get to the list.

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Pro Series 22 Electric Wood Pellet Grill

When it comes to the value you get for the price, it doesn't get much better than the Traeger Pro Series 22. We had the pleasure of testing this smoker for several months, and through the process we discovered what buying a Traeger is all about. For starters, the Pro Series 22 is the perfect size for couples and small families. The 572 sq. in can hold anywhere from 20+ burgers on the grill to 15+ chicken breasts. The dimensions of the smokers (24 x 41 x 49) and weight (125 pounds) are also good for those who are tight on space or don't want their pellet grill take up too much space.

When it comes to using the grill, the process is pretty straight forward. Before starting, all you have to do is load the pellets into the hopper and make sure the inner temperature probe is wiped clean. Once that step is done you then just flick on the power switch and turn the temperature dial to your preferred setting. After the grill was warmed up (it took us between 4-6 minutes for the Pro Series 22 to fire up), we could then just throw our meats on the grill and shut the latch to let the smoke do its thing.

The start-up process we just described is pretty similar to the other grills below, but what makes the Traeger stand out is how easy the controller is to use and how fast and reliable the grill is to heat up every time. As you graduate to higher levels of Traeger models, you will start seeing advanced features like double-wall insulation (for trapping heat better) and downdraft exhausts for kicking out the smoke (helps maximize the wood flavor of the pellets you choose). There's also Traeger's WiFIRE technology, which allows you to control your grill entirely from your phone.

The WiFIRE feature is incredibly cool to use, which leads us to highlight the biggest downside of the Pro Series 22 is it does not have the WiFIRE. The Pro Series 22 can only be controlled through its digital controller on the grill itself. The tradeoff of not getting the WiFIRE feature though on the Pro Series 22 is, of course, a much lower price. We found the grill is still tons of fun to use and incredibly reliable without the tech, and the fact you can save hundreds of dollars going without is an appeal we certainly can get behind.

Our opinion is you should start with the Traeger model you see here, then decide if you want the more advanced features and bigger surface area. For most of us who are just getting into the pellet grill game, the Pro Series 22 will do everything you need for quite a long time.

Read more: Best Traeger Grills

Wood Pellet Smoker Grill

Z GRILLS is known for making pellet grills with a lot of value for a much lower price than top competitors. The big appeal of this model is you get a massive 697 sq. inches of grilling space for under $550, which is a rare find when looking at pellet grills with this capacity. The surface area is thus suitable for small gatherings like tailgates and backyard barbecues. The fact the grill weighs less than 100 pounds also makes it friendly to carry to these events where your skills are needed.

In terms of performance, we leaned on Christenda Costa, the CEO of Gadget Reviews, to tell us about his testing experience. "I was impressed with how the digital temperature controller easily maintains a desired temperature and how the auto-start ignition system works effortlessly," says Costa. "It’s a fantastically designed product that combines a smoker and a grill into one handy unit, with added roasting and braising capabilities."

It's true the building process of this grill out of the box takes time and can be tedious. So be prepared to take on that challenge. The positive news is many reviews praised Z Grills customer service, so if you get caught in the snag they are more than willing to help.

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700 Classic Wood Fired Pellet Grill

The Pit Boss Classic has long been a top affordable pellet grill thanks to it's trusted performance and portable design. The pellet hopper actually holds an impressive amount of weight, about 20-pounds; and thanks to a second interior rack the surface area checks out to about 700 square inches, which can easily cook for groups of up to six people.

Amna Muqeem, Editor-in-Chief of Ravvy Reviews, a site that specializes in kitchen appliance reviews, told us she loves the Pit Boss Classic out of all the pellet grills she has tested. "It has ample cooking space which is great for gatherings, and is sturdy and solid thanks to the gauge steal build," Amna says. "I really like the digital temperature control system because it maintains a precise cooking temperature and ensures consistent heat distribution."

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Ironwood

Remember when we mentioned all those features the Traeger Pro Series 22 didn't have? Well, allow us to present the Traeger Ironwood, one of the brands top-line smokers that includes a double wall insulation, a down drift exhaust vent, and—best of all—WiFIRE technology. The Ironwood also incorporates elevated design notes like porcelain grates, an accessory side shelf, a bottom shelf, two wired meat probes, and a full-color controller display. To top it off, the Ironwood is compatible with virtually all of Traeger's useful and fun add-ons, allowing you to mod the grill out into a full-blown station.

Jessica Randhawa, owner and head chef at The Forked Spoon, is an Ironwood loyalist due to its ability to help her test and recreate a wide range of recipes. "I am a big fan of my Traeger Ironwood due to the fact it can also smoke, bake, roast, braise, and BBQ food," Randhawa says. "My favorite feature is it maintains a consistent temperature throughout the cooking process."

If you're wondering why the Ironwood didn't take the top spot over the Pro Series 22, the answer comes down to price. The Ironwood is one of Traeger's most expensive models, and so we recommend potential buyers be serious grill users already before diving into the Ironwood; otherwise, you won't be getting enough use out of it to warrant the cost.

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SmokeFire EX4 Wood Fired Pellet Grill

Forged with a glistening porcelain-enamel finish that traps heat like a pro, the SmokeFire EX4 is a beautiful smoker that delivers on performance time and time again. A spacious 20-pound pellet hopper feeds into a chamber that's controlled by an LCD display that can kick heat up between a range of 200-600 degrees Fahrenheit. One unique feature we enjoy on the EX4 are its "flavor bars", which help deliver consistent heat but don't block out the flame to the meat entirely, resulting in a greater chance you capture the smoky flavor of the pellets used. What else is great about this grill is it's compatible with the Weber Connect app, so you can control you temperature of the smoker, or shut down the grill entirely, from your phone. The Weber Connect app even has a "SmokeBoost" button that Weber claims will add more flavor to the meat, which is nice to use when you want to squeeze as much flavor out of a bag of pellets you spent premium moo-lah on.

Casey Bumpsteed, an editor of Ceramic Cookware Review and a chef for over 20 years, has been using his EX4 ever since he found himself tasked with hosting a big summer barbecue party for a group of friends. Bumpsteed chose a smoked brisket as the centerpiece of the party, and so he for a new pellet grill to prepare the main dish and landed on the Weber EX4. "Its outstanding in heat retention, has a generous cooking capacity— the straight forward setup instantly won me," says Bumpsteed.

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Elite ITC3 2022 Model

If you want to know just how far you can go in your pellet grill search, the Memphis Elite is pretty much the top of the top. This is an industrial level grill from a brand that does industrial best. The Elite comes with an enormous 1275 square inches of grilling space, a 24-pound pellet hopper, and a seven-inch touchscreen (a touchscreen for crying out loud!). You also get WiFi connectivity so you can whip out your phone and control your temperatures from inside the house if you need.

Chad Kelly, a retired chef with over 30 years of experience and founder of ChefMadeHome.com, bought the Memphis Elite when redesigning his backyard. As you can imagine, the man loves to cook, and although he's not running a barbecue joint in Texas anymore, he still pursues his passion from the comfort of his own home. His favorite feature about the Elite? The ability to takeover the cooking for your when started. "In between cooking the sides or other dishes I would pop out and double check the meats but I wasn’t worried about anything overcooking," Kelly says. "I treat my pellet grill the same way I do my sous vide—it gives me peace of mind that I have time to deal with everything else. The meats will be ready when I’m ready, not the other way around."

The one qualm Kelly had when testing the Elite was the app could use some work, but really the performance of the grill itself was well enough to overlook the work-in-progress. If you're building the dream setup, then you won't be disappointed by choosing this pellet grill.

What to Look for When Buying a Pellet Grill

Surface Area: Determining how many people you're going to be cooking for is the dominant feature to look at when shopping pellet grills. Most pellet grills have a surface area over 500 square inches, which is a good space for cooking for 2-4 people. (Any of the pellet grills on this list will cook at least for up to 4 people). If you plan on using your pellet grill for more entertaining, or you have a bigger family and need to cook for more members, then a grill area of 700 square inches or bigger is ideal. The good news is you don't always have to pay big bucks for more surface area. Christenda Costa's favorite pellet grill from Z Grills has a surface area of 700 square inches, yet it's less than $550.

Hopper Capacity: The capacity of the pellet hopper is not the biggest dealbreaker, but you definitely want a hopper that's going to hold around 20 pounds of pellets. This hopper size usually ensures you have more than enough pellets to smoke your meats and not have to worry about running out during the cooking process.

Maintenance: Some pellet grills are easier to clean, but oftentimes the ones that are easiest also are a little more expensive. If you don't want to have to navigate around weird nooks, crannies, and hard to reach areas, then a grill that has a simpler cleaning process is worth the extra bucks. The best way to determine how hard a pellet grill will be to clean is by looking at the design and reading reviews. Amna Muqeem says ease of cleaning is a "primary" factor for her when shopping for pellet grills.

Special Features: You can load up your pellet grill with as many features as you want these days. Deciding on what you actually will use depends on how frequent you plan on using your pellet grill and what luxuries you prioritize the most. If you are cooking a lot, then buying a pellet grill with an app that can control your grill is a great feature to pay up for. That way, you can keep an eye on everything inside the house and not have to get up and check if your food is ready every five minutes. When Chad Kelly was shopping for his built-in pellet grill, he had a list of features he wanted. The two most important for him came down to quality design: a thick insulated shell to trap heat exceptionally well, and a quality hopper that seals tight and keeps away moisture.

Comparing a Pellet Grill to Gas and Charcoal Grills

Pellets grills cook slower than gas grills, but they cook lower and more steady and deliver a nice smoky flavor that gas cannot achieve. Charcoal grills have an intense smoky flavor, and so pellet grills and charcoal are similar in that way. However, pellet grills have a more appealing smoky flavor because it's not as strong and can be controlled better than charcoal.

The one thing gas and charcoal grills have over pellet grills is the first two are easier to use. Once you learn how to use a pellet grill though the process becomes pretty easy. You can lower the pellet grill learning curve by buying a pellet grill with more features to help streamline the cooking process and make it more hands-off.

To give you an idea of how our experts think about the different grills, Casey Bumpstead finds the biggest difference between gas and charcoal grills to pellet grills is the smoky flavor pellet grills can achieve. "Sometimes, I want to grill some food quickly with the wood fire taste that's unachievable with a gas grill, and sometimes I wish to slow-smoke food and control the level of smoke imbued without being tied to the pit for hours," Bumpsteed says. "In cases like these, pellet grills are the answer."

How We Selected

The Men's Health editors and writers, including our Gear and Commerce Editor John Thompson, evaluated the best pellet grills for peak grilling season in 2023. When creating this story, we also tapped a diverse group of grilling and food experts who have knowledge in buying and using pellet grills. To narrow down our favorites, we considered our expert's favorite pellet grills and combined them with our own favorites. Some factors we looked at when curated these grills include surface area, design, special features, and price. We can confidently say this list reflects the best range of pellet grills you can buy in 2023.

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