Table of Contents
What to Look for When Buying an Inexpensive Pellet Grill
Capacity
Just like with other grills, cooking capacity is an important consideration. Will you only be using the grill for family dinners, or will you be hosting backyard parties where you’ll need to feed a crowd? While pellet grills cook food quickly, you don’t want to make your guests wait in line while you’re putting the second wave of burgers on the grill.
Portability
Even if you never take your pellet grill on a road trip, you might want to move it from one side of the yard to the other when you’re having a party, or move it out of the way when you’re not using it. While some pellet grills are light enough to pick up and carry, wheels make the job easier. Of course, if you have a permanent spot for your grill, portability is less of a consideration.
Unique Features
Though all of the pellet grills on our list perform the same basic function, each has unique features that make it stand out from the crowd—like Wi-Fi capability or foldable legs for portability. While some of these add-ons may be of little interest to you, others might make that particular grill a must-buy—so look closely.
FAQs
How does a pellet grill work?
Pellet grills operate a little bit differently than a gas- or charcoal-powered grill. These grills have a “hopper” that you fill up with hardwood pellets, and when you turn the grill on, the pellets are automatically fed into a cooking chamber by an auger. The pellets are burned in the cooking chamber, and heat and smoke are dispersed throughout the grill, cooking food with indirect heat instead of open flames.
One of the main differences between pellet grills and other fuel types is that they maintain their own temperature. Similar to an oven, you set the temperature you want to cook at using the grill’s control panel, and the unit holds the temperature on its own, adding more pellets when needed. This saves you from having to monitor the grill constantly.
Does a pellet grill need electricity?
Unlike a gas or charcoal grill, pellet grills do require electricity to function. Typically, a pellet grill’s control panel, thermometer, auger, and fans are all electric, so the unit must be plugged in before you can start grilling.
What are the advantages of pellet grills?
There are a number of reasons some people prefer pellet grills over traditional charcoal or gas models. One of the main benefits is that they provide precise temperature control with minimal oversight, which is useful if, for instance, you plan to smoke food for long periods of time.
Pellet grills also give food a wonderful smoky flavor, and you can use different types of pellets to control the flavor profile of your meals. Further, because pellet grills cook using indirect heat, they prevent flare-ups and result in more even cooking.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Freelance food writer and cookbook author Donna Currie is an expert on all things food, from cookbooks to cooking gadgets. She’s also a product tester for The Spruce Eats and has cooked with every type of grill out there, including pellet grills.
This article was updated by Camryn Rabideau, a grilling expert and product tester for The Spruce. She’s tested several pellet grills included in this article, including the Z Grills ZPG-450A Wood Pellet Grill, Char-Grill Wood Pro Pellet Grill, and Oklahoma Joe’s Rider Deluxe Pellet Grill, and she interviewed Jess Pryles, a grilling expert and author of “Hardcore Carnivore,” while researching grills for this article.
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