The 8 Best Wood Pellet Grills of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Yoder Smokers YS640S Pellet Grill

4.6

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Wood pellet grills offer convenience and versatility, and they can do almost all of the work for you. And that's especially true with the Yoder Smokers YS640S. The impressive pellet grill's 1,040 square inches of cooking space and 20-pound hopper are behind its outstanding performance that dazzled our Lab testers. After all was said and done, this cooked up some of the best-tasting steaks and chicken wings during testing.

Once you look beyond the physical specifications, like the 10-gauge steel chamber and ceramic ignition, you'll enjoy its other features like two integrated food probes and amazing temperature control. That temperature control is thanks to the grill's ACS, or adaptive control system, which is able to respond to fluctuations via its microprocessor. It also makes the grill able to connect to your Wi-Fi and be controlled via Yoder's proprietary app.

After a 2-person assembly, our Lab testers noted how easy it was to begin using the YS640S. Navigating the plethora of features was nearly effortless and after the one-button startup, it was quickly time to start smoking. It reached its maximum temperature (600 degrees) in less than 12 minutes, and that heat circulated consistently during cooking, even when the testers smoked 10 pounds of chicken wings. It also outperformed when cooking a low-and-slow pork shoulder, where our testers remarked on the allowed wiggle room of 5 to 25 degrees when setting the desired temperature.

When it comes to searing, there's an adjustable heat shield for when you want direct heat, plus an easy-to-use heat diffuser that circulate heat directly over the sear plate. During our steak tests, this produced dark grill marks and a moderately smokey flavor. It is the grill's searing abilities that brings about a downside though—when you're first learning the grill, the searing grate creates a hotspot. Another downside will be cleaning as all the internal components need to be removed.

Price at time of publish: $2,399

Weight: 335 pounds | Grilling Area: 1070 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 20 pounds | Temperature Range: 150-600 degrees Fahrenheit | Dimensions: 61.3 x 36.1 x 55 inches

Runner-Up, Best Overall

Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill

4.8

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While there is a wide range of grills to choose from, we found that none compare to the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill. This model comes with a number of extra features, such as its included meat probes, adjustable smoke settings, large-capacity hopper, and side table for holding utensils, that make it stand out from the competition.

Incredibly easy to assemble, this grill offers a lower rack measuring 429 square inches and an upper smoking area of 141 square inches. One standout feature is the PID controller, a top-of-the-line feature that allows the user to adjust grill temperature more accurately (to within a few degrees). Our home tester specifically tried this out by measuring the grill's surface, and it mostly stayed within 10 degrees of the set temperature. It also gives users the ability to choose between a low smoke and high smoke setting, while also having the ability to reach up to 500 degrees.

While the automated auger worked well when full, our home tester did notice some issues when the 18-pound hopper was low, including it giving the user an error message. That was one of the few design flaws though. Our tester was won over by the little details, like a magnetic latch on the hopper lid, the secondary steel shelf, and the ash clean-out system.

Price at time of publish: $802

Weight: 140 pounds | Grilling Area: 570 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 18 pounds | Temperature Range: 160-500 degrees Fahrenheit | Dimensions: 45 x 21 x 51 inches

Best Splurge

Traeger TBB86RLG Timberline Pellet Grill

5

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BBQ experts place a great deal of trust in the Traeger brand. If you need a pellet grill that can feed a crowd, then the Traeger Timberline is the best version on the market today. “While it's not cheap, it's the ultimate in performance and convenience. It has fully-insulated construction for efficiency and year-round use, and it features easy cleanout that doesn't require a Shop Vac,” says Wes Wright, the founder and CEO of CookOut News, a news site that covers the BBQ industry. “Also, it comes with an induction cooktop that works great for searing or for cooking sides and sauces.”

The Wi-Fi capabilities of the Traeger Timberline increase the user-friendliness of this model. “It comes Wi-Fi enabled so I can monitor my cooking temperature and food temperature remotely from a smart device,” says Paul Sidoriak, a writer/grill expert of GrillingMontana. “This is convenient when I’m cooking large slabs of meat like brisket or pork shoulder (not to mention, it keeps me under the covers longer when I’m doing an overnight cook).” If you’re new to pellet grilling (or just don’t want to constantly monitor your grill’s pellet content), the Timberline comes with a pellet sensor that informs you when the pellet compartment needs refilling, and you’ll get those notifications on your smart device.

Experts aren't the only ones who love this great, but pricey, grill. It outperformed every other grill when we tested it in our Lab. During our tests, it maintained an even heat across the grill surface, with the sometimes-heavy smoke enhancing the flavor of both chicken wings and pepperoni pizza. When we used it to long smoke a pork butt, it had a few issues reaching our desired temperature of 225 degrees. Regardless, it produced the juiciest meat with a beautiful smoke ring.

Add to all of this a shockingly easy set-up and clean-up, plus intuitive controls, and our testers agreed that this is one of the best. If you need more space, this also comes in an extra-large version with 1,320 square inches of cooking space.

Price at time of publish: $3,500

Weight: 238 pounds | Grilling Area: 880 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 22 pounds  | Temperature Range: 165-500 degrees Fahrenheit | Dimensions: 59 x 25 x 51 inches

Best for Beginners

Weber Smokefire EX4 (2nd Gen) Wood Fired Pellet Grill

4.5

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The first-generation Weber SmokeFire Pellet Grill—a highly anticipated product from the trusted brand—was plagued with issues, including hopper jamming and poor grease damage. However, Weber has since addressed these problems and released the second-generation SmokeFire EX4, which performs notably better than its predecessor. This pellet grill offers 672 square inches of cooking space across its upper and lower grates, and it can be programmed anywhere between 200 and 600 degrees, allowing you to smoke, sear, and more.

Our Lab testers found the Weber Smokefire EX4 easy to set up, and our home tester attested that it can be assembled by just one person. The Smokefire features built-in Weber Connect, a handy grilling assistant that will walk you step-by-step through the cooking process—ideal for those who are just learning their way around the grill. During testing, Weber Connect even provided clear and actionable instructions for seasoning the grill, which set the home tester up for success right from the start. The app can be used to monitor the temperature of the grill itself and to keep an eye on the temperature of the meat (using the included meat probes).

While Lab testing, this produced an evenly crisp pizza crust, with a nice, light smokiness. When the testers used it for a low-and-slow pork roast, they emphasized that you can control the smoke level independent of the temperature. With a medium smoke level, they cooked up a delicious, subtly smoky pork butt with a slightly too-deep smoke ring. Aesthetically speaking, our home tester mentioned that the Smokefire’s shiny black exterior and stainless steel accessories have a clean and sleek look, as do the carefully designed pellet hopper and ash collector. 

All in all, the Weber Smokefire EX4 is a pellet grill that takes much of the guesswork out of the cooking process, that can be monitored and adjusted using Wi-Fi technology, and that manages to be both efficient and visually appealing on your patio.

Price at time of publish: $1,099

Weight: 160 pounds | Grilling Area: 672 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 20 pounds | Temperature Range: 200-600 degrees Fahrenheit | Dimensions: 47 x 43 x 33 inches

Best Large Capacity

Oklahoma Joe's 20202105 Rider 900 Pellet Grill

4.2

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If you regularly cook for a crowd, the Oklahoma Joe's Rider 900 Pellet Grill has more than 900 square inches of cooking space across its two porcelain-coated cast-iron grates. It's so big that it can accommodate six racks of ribs or multiple whole chickens at once, and it gets so hot, you can sear!

This pellet grill has easy-to-use digital controls, and you can choose between two modes: Timer Mode, which cooks food for set amount of time at your desired temperature, or Temp-Probe Mode, which indicates when your food has reached its target internal temperature. The grill has a QuickDraw hopper with a 20-pound capacity, as well as dual smoke stacks for more even heat.

After a somewhat time-consuming assembly, our home tester put it through its paces with steaks, hamburgers, chicken thighs, and racks of ribs. Its sear mode is activated by flipping a lever, which opens up the 17-inch-round heat shield and exposes direct flame. It's a large enough space for a few steaks, but you do have to monitor the heat level, as our home tester found out. The probe thermometers proved useful when doing a slow roast of ribs, which were infused with great smokey flavor.

Price at time of publish: $1,000

Weight: 185 pounds | Grilling Area: 900 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 20 pounds | Temperature Range: 170-650 degrees Fahrenheit | Dimensions: 35.2 x 49.4 x 55.1 inches

Best Portable

Traeger TFB30KLF Tailgater Pellet Grill

4.2

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By default, portable grills have a few limitations, but a really great portable grill can be key to a successful tailgating party or weekend camping trip. The Traeger Tailgater 20 Pellet Grill does have a few things to overlook, but given its size, it exceeded expectations when we tested it.

First, don't be fooled by its 3-foot-high size. Our Lab testers were able to get four 8-ounce steaks on the grill's 300 square inches, and it could hold up to five pounds of chicken wings at a time. It also has an intuitive control panel that rivaled those on more expensive models. The fold-out legs make it easy to set-up, though our home tester recommends having a second set of hands for getting it into position.

During testing, both our Lab and home testers experienced reliable control with a few temperature swings to watch out for. Our home tester noted that limiting the times you open the hood helped mitigate the swings, while our Lab testers noted it would lose heat through the exhaust ports. The swings didn't prevent our testers from smoking a pork shoulder or grilling up chicken drumsticks, but it's best to keep an eye on the internal temperature. When it's time to head home, cleaning this was a breeze with all the pieces easily removable.

Price at time of publish: $530

Weight: 62 pounds | Grilling Area: 300 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 8 pounds | Temperature Range: 175-450 degrees Fahrenheit | Dimensions: 37 x 18 x 36 inches

Best for Pizza

Ooni Fyra 12 Portable Wood-Fired Outdoor Pizza Oven

4.3

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If you’re looking for something smaller that still maintains high temperatures, this wood-pellet-fueled pizza oven is incredibly powerful and petite. Reaching temperatures up to 932 degrees, this compact, lightweight unit heats up in only 15 minutes. And the removable chimney and hinged legs make it easy to take along to a party or store away in your garage.

When we tested this in our Lab, it produced multiple gorgeous pizzas with a good char and bubbly cheese. The only limitations are from its fuel source. Being a wood pellet pizza oven means few more steps in assembly, and a little less heat control during the pizza making so they'll take you a few extra minutes. But afterward, you have a pizza with that slight campfire-scent that only wood-fired ovens can create. With a 12-inch cooking surface, it does come with a durable stone baking board. Also, the oven can be used for other foods besides pizza as well. This model also comes with a 3-year warranty when registered on the manufacturer’s site. 

Price at time of publish: $350

Weight: 22 pounds | Temperature Range: Up to 950 degrees Fahrenheit | Pizza Size: 12 inches | Dimensions: 29 x 16.25 x 28.75 inches