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GrillingSetup

Pellet grills and smokers

Pellet, electric and propane. What the controller holds at a set point in cold weather matters more than the temperature range printed on the box.

What actually decides this purchase

Hopper capacity, against the cook you actually want to do

The reason to buy a pellet grill is that it holds a temperature for hours without you. A hopper too small to last the cook takes that away and replaces it with an alarm at two in the morning. Hopper size varies enormously between models that look otherwise identical, and it is rarely in the product name.

What the controller holds, not the range it advertises

Every controller advertises a wide range. What matters is how tightly it holds a set point, and how much it sags when the outside temperature drops. Manufacturers publish the range and almost never publish the swing, which is the figure that would tell you something.

Whether it can sear at all

Most pellet grills top out well below searing temperature unless they have a mechanism to open the grate to direct flame. If you expect one appliance to smoke a brisket and sear a steak, check specifically how the searing happens, because on many models it does not.

Pellet and electric smokers need power where they stand. Work out where the outlet is and whether an extension cord is going to be running across a walkway for eight hours.

Coverage

What I am covering

Tracked, not yet reviewed. Prices checked .

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Common questions

Pellet, electric or propane for a first smoker?
Pellet if you want to set a temperature and leave it, and you accept buying pellets. Electric is the cheapest way into low and slow and the easiest to hold steady, and it gives the least smoke flavour of the three. Propane sits in between, holds temperature well and needs a tank. All three are far less work than charcoal, which is either the appeal or the disappointment depending on why you are buying.
How much smoke flavour do pellet grills actually give?
Less than charcoal or a stick burner, and more than electric. Pellet grills produce the most smoke at low set temperatures, so a long cook at 225°F picks up much more than a fast one at 400°F. If smoke flavour is the whole point for you, that is worth knowing before you spend, because it is the most common complaint from people moving over from charcoal.
Does cold weather matter?
Yes, and more than most listings suggest. An uninsulated barrel loses heat to the air, so the auger feeds more pellets to hold the same set point, and consumption goes up sharply in winter. Some models sag below their set point in the cold rather than keeping up. Insulation is almost never a published specification, which is why it is hard to compare on paper.