The 3 Best Pellet Grill Smokers To Suit Every Budget

Wood pellet grill smokers offer a more authentic cooking experience when compared to propane fueled smokers. The advantage of heightened authentic taste when it comes to smoked and barbecued food, especially when you use flavored pellets, offered by a wood pellet burner also makes them a popular choice among homeowners.

In our opinion top rated pellet smokers possess features which rank them head and shoulders above other products at their price point.

Blow are our 3 picks for top rated pellet smoker based on quality of product, the features offered and the price point.

1. Z Grills ZPG-7002B Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker With Patio Cover

The quality of this product is exactly what you would expect from Z Grills but there are some great additional features that make it stand out from the competition.

The smart smoke technology ensures a hands-off even cook without your input

The Smart Smoke Technology ™ feature allows the product to leverage technology that makes life easier for its users.

Smart Smoke Technology ™ eliminates the need to hang around while the smoker is in operation since wood pellets are feed automatically and the debris is also pushed down to free space for new pellets.

The Z Grills ZPG-7002B offers temperatures from 180ºF to 450º.

Fusing its automated electric feed system is left to go off once it reaches what you set.

The Z Grills has a huge cooking area and large hopper capacity

Provision is made for large parties with a 684 sq inch main rack main rack and a 187 sq inch Warm Rack.

This is in addition to an upgraded cart with locking caster wheels and a 20LB Hopper Capacity.

The autofeed feature offers hands-off smoking

There is an auger at the bottom of the hopper which pulls the wood pellets into a fire pot.

Here the wood pellets make contact with the hot rod when they ignite the pellet grill.

So simply set the temperature on your pellet smoker to the desired setting and let the smoker do the cooking.

You get 7-in-1 cooking options

You are spoiled for choice on how you want to cook with theZ Grills ZPG-7002B as it offers 7 different cooking options.

The Z Grills ZPG-7002B supports:

1. Grilling
2. Smoking
3. Baking
4. Roasting
5. Searing
6. Braising
7. Barbecue and char-grilling.

The Z Grills produces great smoke flavor through the convection process

Since it is fueled by premium 100% hardwood pellets the heat and smoke which it generates infuses food with a savory wood-fire taste.

You can take advantage of flavored wood pellets such as Apple Pellets or Hickory Pellets, to add even more flavor to your food.

The induction fan then circulates the wood smoked air into the chamber where its barrel shape creates a vortex of convection for perfect cooking every time.

The warm pellet-smoked air circulates around the cylinder cooking chamber surrounding the food with even heat to ensure it cooks evenly on all sides.

Cooking is tastier with the woody aroma & favored pellets

Wood naturally enhances flavor. This can be enhanced even more with flavored pellets.

Pellet smokers offer a more authentic BBQ feel when compared with propane smokers as they infuse the food with a delicious smoky flavor that propane burners just can’t provide.

This is the reason most modern propane grill and smoker combos also have wood pellet burning capabilities.

The low temperature/high temperature options provide a wide range of cooking options that make these type of smoker grills very versatile right out of the box.

Cleaning is easy with the innovative pellet purge system

The waste oil collector is made from high standard iron and is conveniently located to collect the oil from cooking and make it safe and easy for cleanup after cooking.

The Z Grills ZPG-7002B comes with a pellet purge system to ease the automated feed system and allow for easier cleaning.

The shut down cycle makes cleaning even easier

When finished your barbecue, you can set the ZPG-7002B to run its “Shut Down Cycle”.

Once it is set to this position the Z Grills smoker grill will leave the draft induction fan running for 5 minutes so it burns away any excess pellets in the firepot before it shuts down automatically.

Overview: Z Grills ZPG-7002B specs

• Wood pellet burner.
• 25,000 BTU/hr.
• Smart digital control with LED read-out & automatic start and cool down.
• Weather cover sheet.
• 2 level cooking rack design.
• 684 sq.in main rack : 25.9” x 19.3”.
• 187 sq inch smoking/warming rack: 27.4”x 6.7”.
• Cooking temperatures of 160F to 475F.
• Hopper capacity is 20 lbs.
• Waste oil collector.
• 7-in-1 cooking options: grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, searing, BBQ & char-grilling
• Set it then forget it with Smart Smoke Technology ™.
• 3 years warranty from manufacturer.

 

2. Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24B Pellet Grill and Smoker

The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX wood pellet smoker almost made it to the number spot on our top rated wood pellet smoker list!

Just like the other pellet smokers on our list it offers its users a lot of features than the competition which include:

The Camp Chef has a very generous 573 square inches cooking area

The SmokePro DLX has a 19.5 x 22 inches grilling area with a smoking and warming rack with dimensions of 6 x 24 inches.

So your cooking area is 429 square inches while the second cooking rack is 144 square inches.

That gives you a generous total rack surface area 573 square inches.

The autofeed ensures consistent cooking temperatures

The automatic auger feature of Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24B is capable of feeding pellets to the burner as and when they are needed.

This means the smoker and grill stay at a constant temperature for even cooking and in order to produce the optimal amount of smoke of heightened flavor.

You get 6-in-1 cooking options for lots of versatility

The 6 different cooking options include:

1. Grilling
2. Smoking
3. Baking
4. Roasting
5. Braising
6. Barbecue

You also get premium wood-fired flavor on a single grill along with digital control (with access to an electrical socket).

The Camp Chef has an excellent temperature range from 160° F up to 500° F.

The ability to use the meat probe for checking internal temperature or you can toggle the grill temp with the push of a button.

It offers advanced digital control through LED readouts

The smart digital temperature control is an excellent addition.

The dual LED temperature readout shows both the internal cooking temperature as well as the food temperature.

However the feature does require an electrical outlet so it’s not so useful if you want to bring the DLX PG24B on a camping trip or keep it at the bottom of the garden where there are no outlet sockets.

Obviously you can still use the SmokePro without it but then you will not have access to temperature readings.

The Camp Chef has a patented ash clean-out system for easy cleaning

The patented ash clean-out feature, available across the Camp Chef range, allows users to clean between cooks through the simple pull of a lever.

This ash clean-out system eliminates the need for a vacuum or dust pan and brush which is a very useful feature.

The easy assembly makes setting this smoker up simple

You do not need to be a techie person to assemble the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX pellet grill and smoker.

The walk-through assembly video on Camp Chef site lets you know all that is required to get cooking right away.

Overview: Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24B specs

• Electronic auto-start ignition.
• Grilling Area Dimensions: 19.5″ x 22″,Smoking/Warming Rack Dimensions: 6″ x 24″,Total Rack Surface Area: 570 sq. in.
• 6-in-1 cooking options.
• Dual LED temperature readout shows internal cooking temps and food temps.
• Automatic auger dispenses pellets as needed for improved smoker efficiency.
• Large capacity pellet hopper.
• Automatic auger dispenses pellets as needed for improved smoker efficiency.
• Ash clean-out system.

3. Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24S Pellet Smoker With Grill

The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX pellet grill is our top pick for wood pellet smoker because not only is it great value for your money that offers a truly authentic smoker but it is also a combo which offers you the ability to grill as well.

Compared to other wood pellet smokers at the same point Camp Chef’s SmokePro DLX includes more features.

The SmokePro DLX PG24S has a patented ash clean-out cup that sets it apart from almost every other pellet grill in the industry making cleaning the smoker a breeze and mess-free.

It is ideal for BBQs in the yard but can be used for camping as long as you have the room to fit it in your vehicle – it is quite large.

The SmokePro DLX has a large 570 sq inch cooking area

The SmokePro DLX PG24S has a large 570 sq inch cooking area with a very generous 141 sq inch second rack. Smokers at this price point usually offer only 418 sq inch cooking area and most offer a 149 sq inch secondary rack but in almost all cases you need to buy that separately.

So these larger cooking areas alone set the SmokePro apart.

There is an additional side shelf that offers convenience when cooking somewhere where tables/tops for placing cooking utensils and ingredients are not readily available.

The smoker has a built-in temperature probe for a even cook every time along with an auto shutdown feature

The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24S that are superior to its closest competitors with cooking temperatures of 160º right up to 500º.

Smokers at the same price point usually only offer a top cooking temperature of 400º.

In addition the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24S offers 25,000 BTU/hr versus the 20,000 BTU/hr offered by the competition.

The internal meat temperature probe that comes as standard is also a nice touch.

The built-in shutdown capability, which usually comes as an additional extra with other wood pellet smokers, comes as standard with the Camp Chef’s SmokePro.

The innovative cleaning system makes cleanup a breeze

Camp Chef have developed the “Pellet Purge” along with the patented “Ash Clean-out”, and “Grease Management Systems” that make cleaning the SmokePro DLX PG24S a breeze.

The ash clean-out cup offers extremely easy cleaning. Unlike most smokers and grills there’s no need for vacuuming out ash and debris with the Hopper clean-out system.

The DLX PG24S comes with a full bundle for amazing value for money

The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24S Pellet Smoker comes with a free Sear Box Bundle on Amazon includes extras that you have to buy separately with other smoker combos that are sold at a similar price.

So, it’s great value for money.

The SmokePro is a smoker and grill combo that offers everything you need to smoke or grill at home. And, if you have the space to transport it, it makes an amazing camping companion.

Overview: Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24S specs

• Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24S comes with Sear Box bundle.
• Our choice for best grill and smoker combo.
• Offers Pellet Purge.
• Includes patented ash cleanout system along with a grease management system.
• High 500º Cooking Temp and 25,000 BTU/h
• Large 570 Sq Inch Cooking Area with auto-ignite, free meat temp probe, and the EZ hopper release.
• Can also be used with propane gas.

Obviously the advantages of using a wood pellet smoker are numerous.

However, these type of smoker grills fall short if you want something that is easy to transport and use for tailgating like a grill such as the Coleman RoadTrip.

But for homeowners there is nothing better than a barbecue from an authentic wood pellet smoker.