If you’re looking to make the most flavorful brisket and ribs at home, the best pellet smokers can take your barbecue game to the next level. By generating smoke and heat as the wood pellets burn, these nifty devices—also known as pellet grills—infuse a delectably smoky flavor into meats and vegetables. For most aspiring pitmasters, our top pick remains the Camp Chef XT 24 Pellet Grill, a moderately priced model with a wide temperature range and easy clean-out system.
The best pellet smokers allow you to be a pitmaster in your own backyard.
That said, all the models on this list are reliable options that are relatively beginner-friendly to boot. “Because pellet grills are electrically powered through the push of a button, it’s almost impossible to ‘mess up’ a cook,” say Canada-based grill masters Maddie and Kiki Longo. “If you can operate a stove or grill, you can operate a pellet smoker.” To choose the best pellet smoker for you, experts recommend considering factors like cooking area, hopper capacity, temperature range, maintenance and price. Below, find the best pellet smokers you can buy in 2024. (While you’re at it, check out our list of the best electric smokers.)
How We Chose The Best Pellet Smokers
To determine the very best pellet grills, we first consulted grilling experts for their input on the most important features to have in a home smoker. Then, we identified the most popular pellet smokers on the market, eliminating those that didn’t meet our (and our experts’) standards for quality. Considering ease of use, hopper capacity and cooking space, we finalized our list, ensuring it included an attractive model for every kind of grill master.
What To Look For In A Pellet Smoker
As we’ve explained, pellet smokers are vastly different from electric and charcoal smokers. Given that fact, you’ll likely have some questions as you shop. Consider the following features as you advance your search; you’ll be able to find just the right smoker.
Cooking Space
In general, the more people you like to cook for at once, the larger cooking space you’ll need. Experts generally recommend about 72 square inches of cooking space per person, so if you’re just cooking for yourself or yourself and one other person, you should be just fine with a smoker that has, say, a 200-square-foot cooking area. That said, if you have a larger family or tend to host friends a lot, you’ll want to aim for a larger cooking space. The Traeger Timberline XL Wood Pellet Grill has a massive 1,320 square feet of cooking space, just in case you tend to feed an army on a regular basis.
Hopper Capacity
Your hopper capacity dictates how much wood pellets you can put in your smoker at once, and it really varies by machine. If your budget allows, look for a smoker with a capacity at or around 20 pounds. So suggests Paul Sidoriak, founder of Grilling Montana, a website dedicated to grilling recipes and guides. “It’s nice to be able to load a whole bag of pellets in the smoker and not have to worry about storing them,” he explains. Of course, not everyone needs a hopper capacity that large. “Pellet smokers come in all different shapes and sizes, and the hopper capacities vary as well,” the Longos say. Just keep in mind that “the longer the cook, the more times a hopper will need to be reloaded with pellets.” However, if you’re not bothered by tossing more pellets into your cooker sporadically, you don’t need to stress about hopper capacity.
Temperature Range
Most pellet smoker range from 200 degrees Fahrenheit to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, making them good for “low and slow”-style smoking to faster grilling, the Longos say. “However, keeping the lid open on a pellet grill dramatically decreases the heat of the grill, making them difficult to get a very hot sear,” they continue. “Because of this issue, some pellet grill brands have developed a specific sear zone that ensures the grill remains hot enough to get that sizzling hot sear that produces the grill marks that we all know and love.” Sidoriak recommends looking for a pellet smoker with the “widest temperature range possible,” but adds that “there’s almost nothing you can’t accomplish between 165 to 550 degrees.”
Maintenance/Care
In general, pellet smokers are easy to care for, but they do require some maintenance. It’s best to read your manufacturer’s instructions to ensure you’re giving your machine the proper care, but there are some basics to keep in mind. “After you get a few cooks deep, you have to roll up your sleeves, take out the grills racks, and get to cleaning the fire pot and main body of the pellet smoker,” the Longos say. Cleaning a pellet grill usually involves using a shop vac to suck up spent pellets that are now ash, they say (note: it can be used as fertilizer for your plants once it’s collected). Overall, Sidoriak recommends planning to clean your smoker every two to three cooks.
Which Pellet Smoker Gives The Best Smoky Flavor?
A pellet smoker is designed to deliver plenty of smoky flavor to your meats, vegetables and other ingredients. While all of these should get the job done, some have the capacity to deliver a little extra smokiness. Our top choice, the Camp Chef XT 24 Pellet Grill, allows you to choose a smokiness number to select the level of flavor you prefer. But our choice for the best high-end smoker, the Traeger Timberline XL Wood Pellet Grill, has a specialized “super smoke mode” for those who like extra smokiness.
What Are Some Of The Cons Of Owning A Pellet Smoker?
In general, experts say that pellet smokers are a great choice for most grill fans. However, there are a few potential downsides to keep in mind. “While pellet smokers are awesome for low and slow smoking, baking and generally looking super cool in your backyard, they are limiting when it comes to having the ability to sear at scorching hot temperatures,” say the Longos. “One of the biggest calling cards of grilling is the beloved look of grill marks seared onto meat and vegetables. The pride that a griller feels when grill marks have been successfully applied to food is one of the happiest moments one can experience while cooking outdoors. Most pellet smokers do not have the capability of getting hot enough to produce grill marks.”
Pellet smokers can also be tricky for people who live in humid areas, Sidoriak says. “The pellets that fuel these smokers are basically compressed sawdust. So if you live in a humid, or rainy environment it’s only a matter of time before they wilt into a soggy mess like the Wicked Witch of the West,” he says. “Pellets that have been exposed to moisture simply do not burn as well as fresh, dry pellets.” They can also solidify and prevent your auger from spinning if they get wet, he says. “From there, it doesn’t take long before you’ve burned out the auger’s motor.”
Which Is The Best Pellet Smoker?
Best is a relative term, and everyone’s pellet smoker needs are slightly different. However, we like the Camp Chef XT 24 Pellet Grill for its moderate price tag and roomy cooking space. It’s also easy to clean and has enough bells and whistles to create a great cooking experience, but not so much that newcomers to pellet smoking will be overwhelmed. If you need a large cooking space, consider the Z Grills Pellet Grill. It features an impressive 1,068 square inches of cooking area—plenty of room for burgers, poultry and beyond.
Are Pellet Smokers Better Than Wood Chips For Smoking?
This comes down to personal preference, Sidoriak says. “Some pellet manufacturers use additives like waxes, caking agents, flavored oils and blends of various woods to make the smoke taste the way they think you want it to taste,” he says. “When you use 100% wood chips or wood chunks for smoking, there’s no mistaking that the wood you chose is actually the wood you will use.” But while wood chips usually add to the flavor of your food, the Longos say they’re not the best for fuel since they burn quickly and don’t retain heat well. “Typically, pellet smokers produce the least amount of authentic smoke flavor out of all the various outdoor cookers,” they say. “On a scale of smoke flavor, it starts low at pellet smokers, then wood chips, then charcoal grilling, then stick burners, then live fire pits.”
