The best pellet smokers

Business Insider

17-07-2025

As a numbers person who likes precise measurements, I've struggled with the arts of smoking and grilling. I've watched the masters at work. They seem to magically know when to flip the meat and take it off for the perfect doneness. I've left the grilling to my pitmaster wife until I recently started using the best pellet grills. Thanks to the precise temperatures and hands-off user-friendliness, I find myself spending more time at the butcher finding the best meats to pop on the grill and less time babysitting the smoker.
We've smoked and grilled hundreds of pounds of meat and vegetables on countless models and talked to three experts to find the best pellet smokers for every need and budget. Our top overall pick is the Traeger Woodridge Pro because it has impressive temperature control and heat retention. For under $500, consider our budget pick, the Z Grills Pioneer 450B. It has a smoke setting that worked great for slow cooking and regulates temperatures well. However, it lacks WiFi connectivity.
Best overall
When Traeger introduced its line of Woodridge pellet smokers in 2025, it prioritized value. With tweaks to its engineering and design, the Woodridge Pro, specifically, became a cooking powerhouse at a price that most interested chefs can afford.
There are three different Woodridge pellet smokers, but the Pro model, priced between the entry one and Elite, hits a sweet spot — or smoky, if you will. It has a healthy 970 square inches of cooking space spread over two racks, so the overall physical size isn't too much for any backyard.
After using several Traeger pellet smokers over the years, I found the new digital control on the Woodridge Pro to be a great compromise between responsiveness and visual information. Most people will probably find themselves using the Traeger mobile app, which connects to the grill over WiFi and allows remote monitoring of long, slow cooks. Probe temperatures and the remaining pellet level are also shown in the app. Though checking on the wood pellet level is less necessary with a larger 24-pound capacity hopper.
The Woodridge Pro has a top temperature of 500 degrees. It's versatile for all kinds of food. It also features a neat grease and ash collection system that hides away the old hanging bucket so it's less likely to accidentally spill the waste.
You won't get the side burner or enclosed cabinet that are present on the Elite model, so there are those considerations. But in terms of the most capable pellet smoker at the best price, it's hard to beat the Woodridge Pro. —Tyler Hayes, contributor
If you want a hassle-free grill that can dazzle guests as much as yourself, the Traeger Pro 575 pellet grill is an appliance made for the ages. It's the heaviest-duty pellet grill we've found that could be called compact and costs under a thousand dollars. (Find our favorite fuel in our best smoker pellets guide, with Traeger landing another top spot.)
Heat retention and moderation are the most important things when it comes to how the best pellet smokers function. While the Traeger doesn't have the quarter-inch steel we like to see on a grill, it's far thicker and seals much better than anything else we've tried in this price range. We've kept temperatures steady within five degrees of our target temps in all kinds of weather, something even an experienced griller would have a devil of a time doing with charcoal or wood.
The Pro's temps range from 180 degrees Fahrenheit, which is just right for low-and-slow cooking, up to 500, which won't get a sear but will effectively braise. This is where the Traeger Pro series might fall short against more modular grills, but it still more than earned a spot in this guide.
The Traeger Pro Series grills hold heat well and are built for the long haul, so if you're working with a moderate budget and don't want to take up your whole backyard, you needn't look further.
Best budget
We've been testing the best pellet grills for years, and while the shortcomings of budget options were quick to show, the Z Grill 450B didn't have the same trouble regulating temperature that we found elsewhere. This grill was also easier to assemble than other options within this price range and beyond. Temperatures range from 180 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, but the "smoke" setting lets you cheat temperatures down to 170, which we love for extra low-and-slow cooking.
Some people might wish for the WiFi in Traeger and Camp Chef grills, but if you're keeping with a budget, you don't need the extra electronics on your pellet smoker. Careful positioning of the grill near enough to read an LCD screen or run a Bluetooth- or WiFi-enabled temperature probe can stand in for built-in electronics.
The real downside of this grill is that it's not very well sealed, so smoke seeps out. The quick fix for that is to add your own gaskets (a good solution for most grills, frankly), and Lavalock is a great option. We checked with grilling experts who said that the smoke leak can happen, but the fire won't burn its way past the auger.
If you're looking to barbecue for a small group and don't want to spend too much or fuss with gadgetry or accessories, the Z Grills 450B is a great, simple, and affordable solution.
If you want the most flawless barbecue with the least amount of effort, the Traeger Timberline series (go for the XL if you need the best pellet grill for large groups) is as good as it gets. It goes without saying that you'll pay dearly for it, but purchasing a cover and taking cursory care will keep this grill going for many years to come.
However, be forewarned that the Timberline is exceptionally heavy at over 250 pounds. This is a true outdoor cooking station, minus a sink — it's not something you'll want to cart around your backyard, but rather leave in place on a solid surface. Where a heavy-duty offset smoker with wagon wheels is your rough-and-ready all-terrain utility Jeep, the Timberline is more like a Cadillac.
Veteran grillers will find it hard to justify spending more than $3000 on a pellet grill, especially one with relatively thin metal. This grill isn't for them, but for anyone who wants as hands-off and foolproof an experience as possible.
While the grill does a good job of keeping a steady temperature and cooking evenly, the metal on the firebox is surprisingly thin, especially compared with the quarter-inch-thick stuff you'll find on charcoal or stick-burning pit grills around the same price. Accessorizing, starting with the $200 purchase of a grill cover, is almost prohibitively expensive. Still, this is the best upgrade pellet grill of nearly a dozen that I've tried, and it's built to last better than any other, too.
Best electric
The market for pellet smokers to use indoors might be limited, but that doesn't mean there aren't any good choices. The GE Profile Smart Indoor Pellet Smoker is a reliable workhorse, able to infuse meat with smoky flavor without clouding up the house, thanks to its active filtration system.
I've been using the countertop appliance for over a year with no regrets. Ribs, chicken, and pork meals have all come out tender and exactly as expected. The unit has a temperature range of 150 degrees Fahrenheit to 300. You won't be able to sear with this smoker, and it lacks any char from an outdoor wood-fire grill. Still, it's perfect for slow cooking and comes with various presets for different types of meat.
If there's a major downside, it's that the smoker only has a capacity of 293 square inches. Whenever I make a rack of ribs, I need to cut it in half so that it will fit. There are three removable trays to take advantage of the room that is available. The benefits this smoker offers, however, outweigh its limited size and hottest temperature capability.
There's an integrated temperature probe included, which will relay that info to the GE SmartHQ mobile app. With the app, you can also change the temperature and adjust the timer remotely. If you're into the smart stuff, the smoker is compatible with Alexa and Google Home. Since its debut, it's even come down in price to $699, which might feel like an even better value come wintertime, when you can smoke a meal without trekking outside. —Tyler Hayes, contributor
Best charcoal
Tending a charcoal fire is much easier said than done, and in almost every case of disappointing or failed grilling attempts, it is the cause of the downfall. Masterbuilt's towering Gravity Series is an imposing appliance with a large hopper and feeder that, thanks to WiFi connectivity, works just like a pellet smoker, but for charcoal.
Why go with charcoal over wood pellets? Many cooks argue that charcoal offers more flavor, but it's also a simple fact that charcoal burns much, much hotter than wood pellets. The Gravity Series ranges from about 150 degrees Fahrenheit (a great temperature for low-and-slow smoking) up to about 700 degrees, which is ideal for searing — something even the best pellet grills can't generally do.
Ultimately, it's a grill, griddle, and a (higher-temp) smoker all in one, earning the title of the best charcoal pellet grill. It also has two-sided cast-iron grates, with one thinner side dedicated to smoking and the thicker one for searing.
Monitoring the temperature with WiFi and Bluetooth was easy, and connectivity is about as steady as most grills we've tested — we couldn't go around the corner to the store, but we stayed connected around the house, adjusting temperature and even turning the grill off (though we recommend doing that in person).
The Masterbuilt Gravity Series grill has a few downsides like any other. Firstly, it's made of relatively lightweight metal, which isn't good for heat retention or longevity, and secondly, it took more than two hours to build. Expectedly, temperatures tend to fluctuate more than they do in a wood-pellet smoker, but that's charcoal for you (briquettes will burn more evenly than hardwood lump).
How to choose a pellet grill
Controls: An increasing number of grills offer state-of-the-art WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to monitor your brisket anywhere from your deck to miles away. However, some use simpler controls and don't require you to add another application to your phone. Tech gadgetry doesn't always correspond to better performance, so it's about your preference and cooking style.
Accessories: Many of the best pellet smokers we tested don't offer a ton of extras, or the brands require you to purchase them separately. If you are looking for a one-stop outdoor kitchen (minus the sink), be prepared to spend more for a side burner and extra shelves. The Traeger Timberline and the Camp Chef Woodwind series have the most extra features of the grills we tested.
Size: Grills are best measured in cooking surface area, usually in square inches of space. Smaller models in the 450 to 575-square-inch range offer plenty of space for four to six people, and larger ones, above 800 square inches, can cook for roughly a dozen people or more. Look for the best pellet grill brands to show diagrams of their grill layouts, depicting how many pork shoulders, chicken wings, briskets, and/or hamburger patties a grill can hold.
How we test pellet grills
Molly Allen/Business Insider
We spent more than two years building and testing pellet grills and smokers, speaking with experts like veteran TV host and author Steven Raichlen, Hey Grill Hey! founder Susie Bulloch, and Chef Shola Olunloyo of Studio Kitchen to find out what makes a good pellet grill and for whom they're made. We evaluated grills by cooking chicken drumsticks and pork shoulders "low and slow" and grilling zucchini at a higher heat.
Build quality: We considered the quality of materials as we built each grill, noting when metal was flimsier or more prone to denting. We also left each model out in the elements — some for more than two years on end. None of the grills or the electronics we've tested have failed. Installing quality gaskets on your own is a cheap and easy way to upgrade any grill.
Ease of use: From building and connectivity to operating and cleaning, we looked at the process of owning and maintaining these grills. We considered if it was easy for a beginner to operate the grill, if the controls were intuitive, and if the setup process was unnecessarily difficult.
Value: Many of the grills we tested came with limited accessories, some of them essential. While the budget-friendly pick on our list does come with a cover (that's survived two years outside), every other grill we tested required a cover be purchased separately. Add on shelves, hooks, and/or brackets that really should be included, and it gets expensive quickly. Still, build quality and warranty balanced out these pricier picks.
Pellet grill FAQs
What is the best pellet grill brand?
We hesitate to say one brand completely surpasses the rest, but Traeger grills and smokers routinely make the top of our lists. After testing grills from the Timberline, Ironwood, and Pro lines, we can confidently recommend almost any Traeger model.
What are the negatives of pellet grills?
Do pellet grills, also known as pellet smokers, compare with the best barbecue smokers favored by pitmasters or even the best charcoal grills? We asked Steven Raichlen, one of our favorite grillmasters, and he came back with a resounding "No." However, he did say that pellet smokers are great for the layperson who wants wood-smoke flavor without the associated sweat equity.
Is a charcoal or wood pellet smoker better?
Charcoal gives a stronger flavor, but pellet smokers are far easier to use. It comes down to time and labor investment. Backyard grillers can excel with a pellet grill, while pit masters aren't likely to swap out their charcoal.
If you do buy a pellet smoker, don't expect the same smokiness in your food that you would if you delicately fed furniture-grade, kiln-dried cooking wood to an immaculately glowing bed of coals for 12 hours. That's the kind of art that can only and will only ever be done by hand.
How do pellet grills work?
Pellet grills have a hopper that feeds an auger, which grinds compressed hardwood pellets into smaller chunks that fall into and ignite in a firebox, creating smoke.
Pellet grill and pellet smoker can be used interchangeably. Grills tend to work with direct heat, while smokers often use indirect heat. Modern pellet grills strike a balance between grills and smokers because they range between low-and-slow cooking temperatures (160-225 degrees Fahrenheit or so) and about 500 degrees, which is your average gas grill's highest heat.
What are the best pellets for smokers?
The pellet grill brand you buy will likely direct you to its own line of pellets, but the most important thing to consider is the term "additive-free" pellets. Lower-grade pellets, especially those without this distinction, can encompass a lot of impurities (down to even plastics and industrial scraps) because pellets are often forged from sawdust in commercial spaces.
The type of wood you buy is highly subjective. Brands tend to recommend different blends or species of wood for different foods, though. Check out our full guide to the best smoker pellets for more recommendations.