Pellet grills utilize an electronically-controlled thermostat and a feeding system that feeds wood pellets into a smoker. That allows the pellet grill to keep a predictable and even heat by adding some wood as needed. The convenience and the wonderful smoke flavor you get with a pellet grill are among the many reasons a lot of people are drawn to these products.
Selecting the best pellet grill can be challenging due to the numerous models and brands on the market, but if you are looking for a suitable pellet grill at an affordable price, this article will highlight the five best pellet grills under $500.
A Quick Look at Top Rated Pellet Grills
| Rank | Photo | Brand | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  | Cuisinart | |
| 2. |  | Z Grills | |
| 3. |  | Green Mountain Grills | |
| 4. |  | Country Smokers | |
| 5. |  | Traeger |
5 Best Pellet Grills Under $500 Reviewed
1. Cuisinart CPG-4000
With this pellet grill from Cuisinart, you don’t have to worry about flare-ups because the smoker will manage the amount of fuel it needs. All you need to do is pop the wood pellets inside the gadget, and you are good to go. You can create some more blue smoke when allowing your wood pellets to smolder if you utilize a low temperature. It’s a 6-and-1 grill and allows you and your family and friends to enjoy different meal options.
LED Display Thermostat – With the CPG-4000 model, you can rest assured knowing that all your food will be cooked at the appropriate temperature. The thermostat of this pellet grill has an LED screen display that functions by maintaining the heat. You can cook your foods in hot, fast, slow, or low settings. It can also add wood pellets to fire if it is requested.
Cooking area – With this grill, you don’t have to pack all things together. It comes with a 450-inch cooking space, which gives you enough room to space out without any worries. It also provides enough internal cooking area in the main chamber to hold pork shoulders, two chickens, and a flat brisket. If you make good use of the warming rack of the device, you can add in at least three racks of some pork ribs.
Design and portability – The exterior of the CPG-4000 grill is made of wind and water-resistant materials, assisting your smoker in resisting water retention and rust. The smoker and grill come with big storage space. It also comes with a collapsible front shelf and a side shelf, giving you an ideal place to store some cooking utensils and any food that’s ready to be cooked or smoked and waiting to get served.
The Cuisinart CPG-4000 grill comes with a sleek design that features two all-terrain wheels. That makes it pretty easy to move whenever you want. Also, it comes with a solid handle that enables you to move it around and also store when it is not needed.
Advantage- Easy installation
- It comes with an electric ignition
- It cooks food evenly
- It includes a weather-resistant grill cover
- It comes with a pretty easy display
Disadvantage- It has a low-quality door latch
- It is not Wi-Fi enabled
Summary: If you are looking for an automatic pellet grill with a large cooking area, then this product will be a great option. It comes with electric ignition, an easy-to-use display, and it’s easy to install.
2. Z Grills ZPG-450A
This grill can cook different kinds of food using auto temperature control. The product comes with an automatic electric feed mechanism that allows for effortless control of the wood pellets, which allows for easy addition of flavors. The grill is pretty easy to use because it enables you to perform various functions. The product comes in a flexible design that enables you to cook different kinds of food and try various recipes.
Cooking area and storage – The Z Grills ZPG-450A has 450-Square inches grilling space, and a hopping capacity of 15 pounds. The grill also comes with heavy-duty all-terrain wheels that enable you to move it around or store it. It also includes a foldable working shelf and rustproof cover and racks. The foldable shelf provides you with ample space to store your cooking utensils and the food items that you plan to smoke or cook. The rustproof cover and racks add to the durability of the pellet grill giving you value for your money.
Design and construction – The fan-forced convection cooking supported by the grill eliminates any need for rotisseries and creates a flexible environment for roasting, baking, braising, smoking, and grilling. The grill is pretty easy to use due to the electronic auto-start ignition and digital automatic temperature control. It also includes a waste oil collector that assists you with the easy and safe cleanup.
Automatic feed system – The Z Grills ZPG-450A grill has an automated electrical feeding system that maintains the heat between 180ºf and 450ºf to help you produce the highest amount of smoke you need. That means the grill can work on its own without babysitting it. The pellet feed control and temperature system come with an upgraded digital control board that ignites the pellet grill, allowing you to set the preferred cooking temperature.
Advantage- It has a versatile grill
- It includes an automated electric feed mechanism
- It is pretty easy to use
- It includes fan-forced convection cooking
- It has a big grilling area
Disadvantage- It is not Wi-Fi enabled
- It only offers three years warranty
Summary: If you’re looking for an affordable and multi-purpose barbecue pellet grill that is easy to operate, then this product is a great option. This pellet grill is versatile enough to roast, bake, braise, smoke, and grill your food.
3. Green Mountain Grills DCWF
The Green Mountain Grill Davy Crockett is an ideal grill for smaller families or people who are looking for a portable pellet grill for tailgating, camping, and traveling through RV or individuals who want to cook on a small scale. The Davy Crockett model is the most portable and the smallest product among the Green Mountain pellet grills. It can effectively run on a 12Voltage battery, which makes it perfect for grilling foods on the move.
Cooking area – This pellet grill is small in size, which means a small cooking area and a small pellet feeder. With this model, you cannot cook for a lot of people or cook for a long time without refilling the charcoal tray or the pellet hopper. However, the size of the tray and the hopper is usually enough for the cooking space it offers, which makes it a self-sufficient gadget for smaller gatherings. If you are preparing food for many people, you will have to take some time to clean the drip bucket, replace the charcoal, refill your pellet hopper, and also wait for them to heat before you can begin cooking your next batch.
Size and portability – This pellet grill weighs only 68lbs. With this pellet grill being light in weight, it has the benefit of being portable too. Also, it has foldable legs, which makes transportation even pretty easy since it can fit in any car’s trunk.
Ease of use – The Davy Crockett grill can be plugged into a vehicle battery, car cigarette lighter, or any other 110-voltage outlet, including any generator or the household outlet types.
Advantage- It comes with a thermal sensor
- It has a portable grill
- It includes three power options
- It is highly durable
- It has portable folded legs
Disadvantage- It requires electricity for the temperature controls to work
- The legs of the grill can tip accidentally
Summary: If you are planning to go camping but do not want to burn your food on a fire pit, then carrying this item along would be a good option. This pellet grill can cook a tasty meal for your family while providing you with the ultimate satisfaction of grilling food out anywhere. Since the product has low power consumption, it’ll save you some money. Altogether, the Green Mountain Grill Davy Crockett is a great and portable pellet grill and one of the best products on the market currently.
4. Country Smokers CSPEL015010497
Once you begin smoking or roasting meat, you will never want to use or even go back to the traditional way of cooking. The Country Smokers CSPEL015010497 Pellet Grill is usually compact and portable, and your food will be cooked in a few minutes. Its hopper holds a maximum of 3, 5-pounds of natural hardwood pellets.
Cooking area – This pellet grill offers 256-square inches of cooking area and can achieve a maximum temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Besides, it can also hold a maximum of five pounds of natural hardwood pellets. You can utilize it to sear, roast, bake, braise, smoke, and grill, as well as other sorts of food. According to most customers, this pellet grill is the ideal size for tailgating, smaller homes, RVs, and it delivers deliciously prepared meals every time.
Temperature range – While the 256-square inches of cooking surface offers enough room to grill all of your preferred food on the go. You can go slow and low, or hot and fast with a temperature that ranges between 180° and 500°F.
Size and portability – This grill usually measures approximately 24.4 x 13.6 x 17.5 inches, which makes it the ideal size to carry along when camping or going to your subsequent tailgate. This lightweight design makes it incredibly portable when you want to carry it along.
Advantage- It has a large grilling space
- It is lightweight and portable
- It includes a dial-in control
- It’s ideal for camping and tailgating
- It can handle high temperatures between 180° and 500°F
Disadvantage- It does not have a thermostat display
- It is not Wi-Fi enabled
Summary: If you are looking for an affordable pellet grill that you can use on the go, then this product is a great option. Its lightweight design makes it incredibly portable when you want to carry it along during your camping escapades or hiking. The Country Smokers CSPEL015010497 Pellet Grill is usually compact and portable, and your food will be cooked in a few minutes. It features a 256-square inch of cooking surface that offers enough room to grill all of your preferred food on the go.
5. Traeger TFB30LZB
This Tailgater by Traeger attempts to provide you with the flavor and convenience of cooking with wood pellets, in a very portable format. With the 300-square inches of cooking area, the Tailgater grill can handle three racks of ribs or a maximum of two whole chickens. It has EZ-Fold legs, which enable you to wheel the pellet grill onto your truck or outside the house.
Construction and design – This pellet grill is made from heavy-duty steel, which makes it withstand both external and internal elements. In terms of construction and design quality, the Traeger TFB29LZA model is a pretty solid grill. This unit is not only tough and durable, but it’s also portable as well. The grill has a digital thermostat that helps you gauge cooking temperatures when cooking different food items. However, the grill is prone to fluctuations in temperatures, particularly during cold weather.
Size – While most pellet grills weigh more than 100 pounds, the TFB29LZA by Traeger weighs around 60 lbs. This grill is lightweight, and it’s 18 x 37 x 36-inch dimensions usually make it pretty easy for the user to transfer it to a different place or store it.
Cooking area – Since the Traeger TFB29LZA is small in size, it has a more limited grilling area. However, the 15 x 20-inch or 300 square inches cooking area gives you ample room to cook some meat. That gives it ample space to serve as a medium-sized barbeque. This grill performs pretty well and can easily handle temperatures between 180 and 450 °F. The digital controller keeps the temperatures relatively stable within the range of 20 degrees of the set temperature.
Advantage- It is made of robust stainless steel
- It offers a versatile Barbecue Cooking
- It doesn’t use gas or charcoal
- It is extremely portable design
- It is ideal for tailgating, at home or camping
Disadvantage- It has temperature fluctuations
- It sits quite a bit low
Summary: If you are looking for a pellet grill that provides you with the flavor and convenience of cooking with wood pellets in an incredibly portable way, then Traeger Tailgater might be a great option for you. It has a robust construction and a thermostat that allows you to control your cooking temperatures easily.
Things to Consider when Buying a Pellet Grill
Purchasing one of the best pellet grills can be a challenging task, especially if you’re new to kitchenware items. That is because there are numerous pellet grills available in the market, and most of these pellet grills are uniquely designed for ultimate performance. However, other grills come with substandard or poor quality. Here are a few considerations you should put into account when shopping for a suitable pellet grill.
Design and construction – The design of a grill plays a vital role when it comes to determining the reliability and durability of the pellet grill. The best pellet grill to buy is one that has quality construction and is defined by quality materials that are incredibly resistant to wear and tear.
Cooking space and size – Pellet grills normally come in a wide range of sizes for varying needs, and that includes extra-large grills and portable grills used for commercial purposes. You should check the cooking space and the physical dimensions of a grill when considering a pellet grill’s size.
Weight and portability – Since a pellet grill is usually meant to be carried around when going for camping trips into remote areas such as forests, mountains, and deserts, then it should be portable enough to carry around.
Personal preferences – The best pellet grill to buy is one that suits your tastes and preferences. That is a grill that will offer you great value for your cash and also provide you with incredible reliable service in the grill’s lifespan.
Price – When purchasing a grill, it is essential to identify one of the best grills to buy, depending on your present budget. Having a budget when buying a pellet grill will make it pretty easy to identify one of the best and high-quality grills that are affordable to you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long will a 40 lb bag of pellets last in a smoker?
26.67 hours. Wood pellets contain approximately 8,000 BTUs per pound. So, if you’re burning 1 ½ pounds of wood pellets every hour on the “low” setting (or 12,000 BTU), one bag will last for around 26 hours total.
What smokes better chips or pellets?
In general, wood pellets are a step up from wood chips when smoking because they’re dryer and burn more slowly. That results in better temperature management and extends the amount of time you can smoke before needing to refuel. Plus, it produces tastier food.
Should you soak your pellets before smoking?
Don’t soak wood pellets before smoking, regardless of the type of wood. Wet pellets are especially problematic because they can clog the auger and ruin your grill.
What is the best size pellet grill?
The answer to this question depends on how much space you have and how many people you typically cook for. If you’re cooking for a large group, look for a pellet grill that has at least 500 square inches of cooking space. For smaller groups, a 300-square-inch grill should suffice.
What is the best wood for smoking?
There are a variety of woods that can be used for smoking, each with its own distinct flavor. The most popular woods include hickory, mesquite, apple, and cherry. For a more mild flavor, try alder or maple. And for a sweeter flavor, try pecan or oak.
The Final Words (Summary)
If you enjoy smoked food, purchasing grills will be among the best life decisions you make. Since we have discussed a lot about the different types of pellet grills, their benefits, and drawbacks, as well as the important factors that you must consider while purchasing a grill, you’re all set to start your journey of smoking meat.
This information will assist you in choosing the best pellet grill under 500 dollars based on your tastes and preferences. We hope that this grill review will help you make a wise decision during your purchase.
