8 Best Portable Pellet Grills 2020 [Reviews – Guide]

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Best Portable Pellet Grills. There are many options when it comes to the best portable pellet grills. You can buy a cheap portable pellet grill, or you can purchase a costly pellet grill.

You might wonder and curious about what the advantages or benefits of purchasing a portable pellet grill. Below are the benefits of pellet grill and why people choose a pellet grill over the other type of grill.

Wha are the benefits of pellet grill?

1. Easy to use

Many people fear using a pellet grill. A pellet grill is different from the standard gas and charcoal grills.

Many people do not know that the pellet grill is user friendly. Some pellet grill models have controls that you can set and forget. Those pellet grills provide several features that make grilling very easy.

If you want an entirely slow-smoked brisket, you do not require to spend twelve hours of your time and attention. With a pellet grill, you fill-up the hopper with your suitable flavor of pellets, push a button and place your meat on the grill.

The pellet grill will control the temperature, and you remove it from the grill when it is done. It is effortless to use!

2. Versatile

A pellet grill can be precise at controlling the cooking temperatures between 180 degrees to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. A pellet grill is very versatile where you can bake, roast, smoke, and sear with it.

Why buy a grill when you can do all in one well-constructed pellet grill? You can produce on a pellet grill, everything from burgers, hotdogs, brisket, steaks, shrimp, and pecan pie.

3. Provide flavor

The main benefit of owning a pellet grill is the quality and flavor of the food you can cook with them. The critical factor professional barbecue chefs use a wood pellet grill is because the pellet grill offers the best flavor.

You can choose any flavor you like with the type of wood pellets you choose. You can blend and match to create the perfect flavor for your meat.

What are the top portable pellet grills?

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Top 3 portable pellet grills

1. Z GRILLS ZPG-450A Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker 6 in 1 BBQ Grill Auto Temperature Control

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This portable pellet grill is built to perform a 6-1 function. You can smoke, roast, BBQ, braise, grill, bake with this portable pellet grill.

The cooking space is 450 square inches. This Z GRILLS split the cooking space into two, the warming rack and the primary grilling area. You can cook with cooking temperatures between 160 to 450°Fahrenheit.

The Z GRILLS ZPG-450A comes with a 15 pounds hopper. To start the cooking, you just have to fill the hopper with pellets.

This portable pellet grill features a fan that keeps your cooking temperature to have food perfection. There is a digital control board that helps the pellet grill get started. With digital control, you choose between 180 to 475°F.

The grill has an affordable price, compared to other portable pellet grills with similar features. This mid-size pellet grill is portable and can compete with other top-quality grills.

One of the reasons this Z GRILLS portable pellet grills is one of the best is that the manufacturing company has aimed the attention at improving the taste of your grilled and smoked food, and the ease of use.

The grill uses wood pellets to be cost-effective compared to charcoal and propane grill.

2. Green Mountain Davy Crockett WiFi Control Portable Wood Pellet Grill

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If you are planning for camping and tailgating, you want a compact and small grill that can be transported anywhere you go. This Green Mountain Grills Davy Crockett Pellet Grill is the suitable choice for a portable pellet grill.

There is the addition of a WiFi feature that connects to any device and provides you with more control over the pellet grill. The size of the grill is the right size for traveling and tailgating.

This pellet grill comes with a built-in shelf for storing and hooking your utensils. While grilling, you can collect the ash by the bucket below to avoid being spilled on the ground. The ash bucket becomes very handy when you are using the woods.

This portable pellet grill has legs that pull double duty as a set of handles. You can work with 12V and 120V adapters, where you can plug into a car outlet.

The weight is only 57 pounds. You grill those burgers for a small group of three to four people like the little family or a small number of friends gathering.

You are choosing the right choice if you love tailgating and cooking outdoor. Bring along the grill and create legs during your camping.

You can connect the grill to WiFi to monitor the temperature while grilling. The attached shelf provides extra space for seasonings and sauces.

You can power the grill from your car or RV or with an adapter.

3. Traeger Grills Ranger Grill TBT18KLD Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker Black

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The Traeger wood pellet grill weighs at a 60-pound grill which is larger compared to other portable grills models. However, with the dimension of 13 x 21 x 20 inches, it is compact enough to be transportable.

With this portable pellet grill, you will be provided with a cooking surface that can hold ten hot dogs or a rack of ribs, or six burgers. It is equipped with a hopper that takes up to eight pounds of wood pellets.

If you slow-cooked a slice of meat for four hours, there still be pellets left in the hopper. There is a digital control panel that has to be plugged in to allow you to control the grill.

There is a center button that turns the portable pellet grill on and off. The up and down buttons increase or decrease time or temperature for more convenience cooking.

You can monitor the probe cooking temperature, the remaining cooking time, and see the temperature on a status display window.

An indicator light located next to the temperature display confirms that the timer has been set, the warm mode is activated, and the meat probe has been plugged in.

By having these features you can stick the meat thermometer into the burgers with the result of well-done meat. You will have a temperature control with precision. There is an included cast iron grill to make this grill becomes a breakfast cooking machine and a dinner-making grill. You can cook bacon, eggs, and pancakes that are perfect.

 
 

Factors to consider purchasing a portable pellet grills

Pellet smokers or pellet grills are interchangeable terms. These pellet grills can do anything when having a BBQ party.

Many people are now looking for pellet grills, and the popularity has grown at a steep climb rate. The searches of pellet grills increase almost double.

There are now many brands are offering numerous pellet grill models. It could be not very clear determining which pellet grill is right for you.

With the market filled with pellet grills that claim similar features and capabilities, you can not separate one from another. However, if you know what features to look for and which factors to consider, the process of choosing the best pellet grill for you will be more comfortable.

You have in your mind to know what is best. The best smoker, the best grill, the best pellet grill are what you are looking for.

It would seem like an easy question, but there is no simple answer. Does the best-known brand make the best pellet grill?

Does the most expensive pellet grill is the best? Is there a cheap pellet grill that has excellent quality?

The answer depends on your requirements.

1. The quality of the construction

An excellent way to make sure your pellet grill lasts for years to come is to choose a pellet grill that features high-quality construction and is built well. A pellet grill does not need to be hefty and does not have to be delicate.

A pellet grill should be robust, and all the seams and joints should fit together snugly. The pellet grill should have no space or no gaps, so the heat would not escape.

Read reviews first. Compare the specification. Read testimonials.

Consider the material the pellet grill made from. Most pellet grills are made from painted steel. However, the quality can vary from one model to another.

A good high-temp powder coat paint can stand up to high heat without blistering or flaking. This is essential because once the steel is exposed, it will rust.

You can select the stainless steel pellet grills. They are rust-resistant, durable, and easy to maintain.

The most durable and affordable pellet grills are made from 430 stainless steel. These well-built pellet grills will perform better.

Pellet grills made from high-quality materials and excellent construction allow the pellet grill to keep heat better. This feature will make grilling more efficient and offering better pellet consumption.

2. Pellet grill controller

To produce perfect food, you need to adjust the pellet grill at a consistent temperature. To cook a steak on a pellet grill, the temperature needs to be at 250°F for the entire 13 hours of cooking.

This adjustment is determined by its control board, which works like the human brain. There are various types of controllers.

Most controllers can hold temperature in ideal conditions consistently.

a. PID Controllers

The most sophisticated pellet grill controller is the PID controllers. The controller uses algorithms to maintain and achieve the desired temperature within several degrees.

It features an LCD and one-touch buttons to set the temperature in 5° increments. A PID controller continuously measures the grill’s temperature then adjusts the cycle.

Pellets can be added when necessary to hold the right cooking temperature during the cooking. PID controllers can accommodate programmable meat probes. It is possible to lower the temperature automatically when food is done.

b. One-Touch Non-PID Controller

You can set the cooking temperature in ten degrees or five degrees increments, with a one-touch button and monitor with an LCD more accurately. The controller uses fixed cycles for providing pellets.

This makes the accuracy limited to +/-15–20°F. The controller has inputs for meat probes that track and monitor the internal temperature of meat or food.

c. Multi-position controller

Multi-position controllers come with a knob that can set the temperature between 180°F to 420°F in 25° increments. With more temperature control, it can run on fixed cycles.

d. 3 position controller

It is also called LMH controllers with only 3 temperature settings. The temperature is between 225°F, 325°F, and 425°F or low, medium, and high temperature. It is not an advanced controller because there are only three settings to choose from so you will have less control of the temperature.

3. The size of the cooking area

Pellet grills are made of various sizes for a wide range of needs. When you are considering grill size, you have to know your lifestyle and space’s dimension.

The cooking area and physical dimensions should fit the size. A smaller pellet grill usually comes with a 450 square inches of cooking area.

The upper rack with a 125 square inches dimension.

You do not have to purchase a big pellet grill because, in the end, you will be paying for space you never use. Consider only choosing the best pellet grill that is suitable to your requirements.

If you have two children, a pellet grill with a cooking area of between 450 to 500 square inches should be enough. For one person or two people, you can go smaller than 450 square inches.

If you are serving more than six people, you should consider larger pellet grills.

4. Features

There are many features provided by many models of pellet grills.

  • Wifi – to control your grill from your phone or tablet.
  • Cooking racks – for maximum space, racks usually the right option as an add-on.
  • Direct grilling option – to handle all their grilling and smoking.
  • Meat probes – programmable or non-programmable. The programmable meat probes mean you can set the pellet grill to lower the temperature when the food reaches its finishing heat.
  • Control board – you can monitor the internal temperature of your food on the digital display from the outside.

5. The price

You must want a good quality pellet grill at an affordable price! However, do not confuse affordable for cheap.

There are many inexpensive pellet grills available on the market today. When you look at a glance, they seem attractive.

If you are looking for a cheap pellet grill, you may save you a little money upfront. You will not realize that it will cost you more in the long run.

You will find some components break down, and many parts will rust. Not for long, you will find yourself replacing the affordable or cheap pellet grill within two or three years.

In this matter, investing a little more money up front and getting a quality grill will keep years to come. A more expensive with higher quality pellet grill is built to last and will deliver reliable performance years.

Cheap pellet grills have lower capabilities than better pellet grills. They are more likely to break down. It is recommended that you look for a pellet grill that’s constructed well and provides consistent performance.

High-quality pellet grills are available for under $500, and high-end pellet grills for under $1,000.

Henry Kaswandi, SS, M.Kom.

I had been doing gardening for the last 18 years. I enjoy writing reviews of many products and about gardening to give better experiences and accurate information.