Best Pellet Smokers: Five Grills Built for Low-and-Slow Cooking

A pellet smoker is a pellet grill doing what it does best. The auger feeds pellets, the fire pot burns them, the fan moves heat and smoke through the chamber and the controller keeps the temperature steady for hours. You load the hopper, set a temperature and let it run, which is why these grills have become so popular for brisket, ribs and pork shoulder.

Not every pellet grill smokes equally well, though. Steady control, a roomy hopper and a tight lid make a good smoker. This guide covers five grills worth looking at. Prices vary, so the table shows typical ranges. Confirm the current price on Amazon before you buy.

What makes a good pellet smoker

Temperature control. Smoking happens at low temperatures, usually in the 200s. A PID controller adjusts pellet feed and fan speed in small steps, which holds a steadier temperature than a basic controller. On a long cook, steady heat is the difference between tender and tough meat.

Hopper size. Low temperatures burn fewer pellets per hour, but a long cook still needs a big hopper. Running out in the middle of the night is the classic mistake.

Build and lid seal. Thicker steel and a tight lid hold heat and smoke. In wind and cold, a thinly built grill burns more pellets and swings more.

Cooking area. Brisket and pork butts take space. Plan for the biggest cut you will cook.

Probe and app. A built-in meat probe and app alerts let you watch the cook without opening the lid. Every peek loses heat and smoke.

Pellet flavor versus other smokers

Be honest about what to expect. Pellet smokers produce a milder smoke flavor than charcoal or offset smokers, because pellets burn cleanly and quickly. For most people that is a plus, since the results are clean and consistent. For people who love a heavy smoke ring and bark, tricks help: cook at the lower end of the range, use a smoke setting if your grill has one and choose strong woods such as hickory or oak for big cuts.

Our five picks

Pit Boss Navigator 850: best for long cooks

About 932 square inches, WiFi and Bluetooth control and a 30 pound hopper. The hopper alone makes it the best long-cook smoker in this group, since a big load of pellets can carry an overnight cook.

Few buyers have rated it so far, and it has a large footprint.

Buy it if you smoke large cuts regularly. Skip it if you want a long track record on this exact model.

Z Grills 7002B: best value smoker

About 700 square inches, a digital controller and thousands of buyer ratings. It is a popular first full-size smoker because it gives you room for the price.

It is a less established brand than Traeger, and it has fewer premium touches.

Buy it if you want a roomy smoker at a fair price. Skip it if you want app control.

Traeger Pro 575: easiest smoker to live with

A 572 square inch grill with a mature app, a huge parts and pellet network and thousands of ratings. If you want the lowest chance of trouble, this is the safe choice.

It costs more than similar-size rivals, and the cooking area is mid-size.

Buy it if you want support above all. Skip it if you need the biggest cooking area for the money.

Brisk Zelos-450: best budget WiFi smoker

A 450 square inch grill with a PID controller, WiFi, a meat probe and a 12 pound hopper at a modest price. Few grills in this price range give you that much control.

Brisk is a newer brand, and the cooking area is limited.

Buy it if you cook for two to four and want control on a budget. Skip it if you smoke full briskets often.

Weber Searwood 600: best smoker that also sears

Weber built the Searwood to smoke at low temperatures and sear at high ones in the same grill, with Bluetooth-enabled app control.

It carries a premium price, and fewer buyers have rated it. Our guide to pellet grills with searing goes deeper.

Buy it if you want one grill for smoking and steaks. Skip it if low-and-slow is the only goal.

How to get better smoke from a pellet grill

Start with dry pellets, since damp pellets smolder poorly. Keep the lid closed. Cook at the lower end of the range for the first couple of hours, when meat takes smoke best, then raise the heat if you want to finish faster. Let the grill preheat fully before adding food. Use a separate thermometer to check the meat, and use a smoke tube if you want a heavier flavor.

Our walkthrough on how to smoke a brisket on a pellet grill puts these tips into a real cook, and our guide to wood pellets for smoking covers flavors.

Common mistakes

Opening the lid too often, running out of pellets mid-cook, using damp pellets and skipping the cleanup of the fire pot. Another mistake is trusting the built-in probe alone, since cheap probes can drift.

Smoking times and temperatures in plain terms

Different foods want different settings. Ribs and pork shoulder run well in the 225 to 275 degree range. Brisket does too, with a longer cook. Chicken does best hotter, around 325 to 375 degrees, which gives crisp skin. Fish and cheese want low, gentle smoke. A pellet smoker holds each of these with little effort once the controller settles.

Time varies with the size of the cut, the temperature and the weather. Treat the numbers as rough guides and cook to internal temperature and tenderness. A reliable thermometer is your most important tool, more than any single grill feature.

Keeping a pellet smoker clean for better flavor

A dirty smoker makes worse food. Old grease and ash smolder and give off harsh smoke that can leave a bitter taste. Vacuum the fire pot every few cooks, empty the grease tray and scrape the grates. A clean grill lights faster, holds temperature better and gives you the thin, clean smoke you want. Our guide to cleaning and maintaining a pellet grill walks through the routine.

Common smoking mistakes

Oversmoking. More smoke is not better. Thick white smoke gives a harsh, bitter flavor. Aim for thin, blue smoke.

Adding food too early. Let the grill settle at the set temperature before you load the meat.

Opening the lid. It costs heat and smoke. Use a probe and check through the app if you have one.

Cooking by the clock. Cook to internal temperature and tenderness.

Skipping the rest. Large cuts need time to rest, so plan the schedule around it.

Our guide to how to use a pellet grill covers the basics for new owners, and our guide to wood pellets for smoking helps you match the wood to the meat.

Water pans, probes and extras

Some cooks add a pan of water inside the grill to raise humidity, which can keep meat moist on long cooks. It is optional, and it needs care, since a pan of water on a hot grill is a safety issue if it spills. Wireless meat probes are another useful extra, because they let you watch the temperature without opening the lid. Two probes, one for the meat and one for the grate, show you what the grill is really doing.

If you are new to smoking, start with a forgiving cut such as chicken thighs or pork ribs and work up to brisket. Each cook teaches you how your grill holds heat, how much smoke you like and how long your favorite recipes take.

Bottom line

For long cooks, the Pit Boss Navigator 850 is the best pellet smoker here. The Z Grills 7002B is the value pick, the Traeger Pro 575 is the easiest to own and the Brisk Zelos-450 is the cheapest way to get a PID controller with WiFi. Choose a hopper that matches your longest cook, and the rest follows. Our main guide covers every budget.