We researched the best pellet grills currently on the market, looking for those with the best reviews, customer feedback, features, and durability. We couldn’t narrow our results down to a single best pellet smoker so we picked 3 grills for a pellet grill comparison that were ideal for different situations. The Green Mountain Grills Davy Crockett Pellet Grill is our pick for the best portable and budget pellet grill. It’s feature rich and extremely affordable. The Camp Chef Woodwind is our pick for the best affordable home pellet grill. Last the Memphis Elite Wood Fire Pellet Grill is our money is no object best available pellet grill on the market today. Continue reading to learn why.
Best Portable Pellet Grill:
Green Mountain Grills Davy Crockett Pellet Grill
If you’re an avid tailgater this is without a doubt the grill you need. The Green Mountain Grills Davy Crocket Pellet Grill provides all the great features of a pellet grill into a very convenient size that is still great for grilling. The legs fold up ingeniously to function as an ideal carrying handle. Also, it can be run via 110v or 12v and comes with 3 different power adapters to cope with whatever situation you may be presented with.
For the ultimate in convenience, it can be operated from your Apple iPhone or Google Android device via an app. You won’t even need to get up to make adjustments. Temperatures are monitored by an integrated thermal sensor called Sense-Mate. It also includes a temperature probe for precisely monitoring the internal cooking temperature of your meats.
Just because this grill is designed to be portable doesn’t mean it’s only good for tailgating and camping. It’s also great for use at home too. It’s more compact than some other home pellet smokers but it’s capable of handling a good amount of food for cooking.
The price is right for this capable pellet grill. It’s well constructed so don’t think the low price means it’s cheap. It’s also very feature rich for the money. If you’re looking to get into the pellet smoker game then the Davy Crockett Pellet Smoker is a truly awesome way to do so.
Best Home Pellet Grill:
Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill
The Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill truly is the ideal pellet smoker for the money. It’s a set and forget affair. Just pop your meat in the smoker, set the temperature, and wait for it to finish cooking. The controls are simple and intuitive and the integrated computer ensures the temperature is maintained accurately over the duration of cooking.
The Woodwind comes in 2 flavors, with sear box and without. If you plan to cook steaks or intend to cook anything that needs searing for that matter, the sear box is a must have addition. Pellet grills generally can only reach temperatures of 500 degrees but to get a proper sear you need temperatures that are much higher, like 900 degrees, which is what the optional sear box is capable of reaching. This is how the fancy steakhouses cook those fabulous steaks.
The Woodwind also circulates the air within the smoker similar to a convection oven. This helps keep the temperature throughout the grill consistent and also helps the smoke better permeate the meat or other foods being cooked.
The Camp Chef Woodwind beats out the Davy Crockett for it’s larger cooking capacity and better features, not to mention the optional sear box.
If you want to take your grilling to the next level, the Woodwind Smoker is where it’s at. It’s a well crafted cooking machine at a very reasonable price for the quality and features.
Without Sear Box
With Sear Box
The Best Pellet Grill Money Can Buy:
Memphis Elite Wood Fire Pellet Grill
Sometimes in life you decide to just throw caution to the wind and go all out on something your heart truly desires. In this case, there’s no need to throw caution to the wind as you’ll be assured you’ll be getting a true work of art capable of perfectly smoking whatever your heart desires. The Memphis Elite Wood Fire Pellet Grill is the top of the line product from the top of the line pellet grill manufacturer.
This pellet smoker is a precision tool designed to produce only the most perfectly smoked foods. The price is orders of magnitude beyond the competition so it’s not the ideal option for most people but if you play at the highest level then this is the grill for you.
Some of the great features of this pellet smoker are:
- Wide 180 degree to 700 degree cooking range
- Dual Convection Fans
- Intelligent Temperature Control
- Ability to monitor via WiFi
- Durable double walled 304 stainless steel construction
If you’re looking for the ultimate pellet grill then this is it. It’s a budget buster but it doesn’t get any finer than the Memphis Elite. While the Camp Chef Woodwind needs a sear box to achieve high enough temps for proper searing, the Memphis can do so in the main grilling area. It also bests the Woodwind in construction quality and attention to detail. This isn’t a knock against the Woodwind though but a testament to the engineering of the team at Memphis Grills.
Additional Information:
Things To Keep In Mind
How does a pellet grill work?
Pellet grills work by automatically feeding wood pellets into a firebox via an auger. The firebox has an igniter that lights the pellets. Then an integrated fan circulates the heat and smoke to more consistently cook and smoke the foods being grilled. The auger is controlled based on the temperature setting and will automatically adjust to maintain the proper temperature within the grill.
How many pounds of pellets does a pellet grill use?
Typically, a pellet grill will use 1/2 pound of pellets per when set to “smoke” and up to 2 1/2 pounds per hour when set to its highest setting. This will obviously vary from one model to the next and is just a rough estimate. Wind and cold will also increase pellet consumption.
Do pellet grills need electricity?
Yes. Pellet grills require being plugged in to work properly. They use electricity for the igniter and for monitoring and maintaining the proper temperature within the grill. They also need electricity to run the fan or fans within the grill that helps circulate heat and smoke.
Wrapping Up:
Results of Our Pellet Grill Comparison
Wood pellet grills are truly the ultimate solution to grilling. They bring together the benefits of smoking with wood, consistent temperatures, easy of use, and easy cleanup, not to mention meat smoked and grilled to perfection. This pellet grill comparison is meant for beginners and veterans alike. If you’re new to the concept of pellet grills we couldn’t recommend more purchasing the Great Mountain Grills Davy Crockett Pellet Grill. For the money you aren’t going to find anything better. If you have a larger budget and intend to be committed to the pellet smoking craft, the Camp Chef Woodwind is nearly perfect. Last, the Memphis Grills Elite Pellet Grill is the option if you have to have the absolute best no matter the cost.
