Best WiFi Pellet Grills: Six Smart Grills You Can Run From Your Phone

WiFi has become the feature that sells pellet grills, and it deserves a straight look. The app is genuinely useful for some cooks and mostly a gimmick for others. Before you pay extra, it helps to know which group you are in.

An app lets you change the temperature, watch the food probe and get an alert when the meat is ready, all from your phone. For long cooks, that means you can run an errand in the yard, mow the lawn or sit inside with a drink instead of standing beside the grill. For short cooks, such as burgers or chicken thighs, you are at the grill anyway, so the app adds little.

Prices vary, so the table shows typical ranges. Confirm the current price on Amazon before you buy.

What the app does well

Long cooks. A pork shoulder or brisket can take many hours. Being able to check the temperature from the couch is the main reason people pay for WiFi.

Alerts. A notification when a probe reaches its target temperature saves you from overcooking.

Small corrections. If the grill drifts in wind or cold, you can nudge the setpoint without walking outside.

Cook history. Some apps keep a graph of the cook, which helps you repeat a good result.

What the app does not fix

An app does not make a poor grill cook well. Wind, cold and thin steel still affect temperature control, and the controller still has to do the actual work. A PID controller holds steadier temperatures than a basic one, and that matters more than the app.

It also does not replace your attention. Pellet grills burn fire, so you should not leave one lit and unattended for hours. And apps depend on a reliable home network. If your WiFi is weak at the patio, expect dropped connections. Placing the router closer or adding an extender usually fixes it.

Our six picks

Pit Boss Navigator 850: best WiFi grill for space

About 932 square inches with WiFi and Bluetooth control and a 30 pound hopper. That hopper is the standout, since it supports long overnight cooks with fewer refills. It gives you a lot of grill at a mid-range price.

Few buyers have rated it so far, and the footprint is large.

Buy it if you want the most cooking space with app control. Skip it if you want a long track record on this exact model or have a small patio.

Brisk Zelos-450: best cheap WiFi grill

A 450 square inch grill with WiFi app control, a PID controller, a meat probe and a 12 pound hopper, priced modestly. It is the least expensive way into app control among our picks.

Brisk is a newer brand with a short track record, and the cooking area is modest.

Buy it if you cook for two to four and want app control without a big spend. Skip it if you often host large groups.

Traeger Woodridge: best for the Traeger app and support

An 860 square inch grill with WiFi app control from the brand with the largest pellet, parts and support network. The Traeger app is among the most established in the category, and replacement parts are easy to find.

It costs more than similar-size rivals, and it takes up patio space.

Buy it if you value brand support and a mature app. Skip it if you want the lowest price per square inch. See also our guide to Traeger pellet grills.

Weber Searwood 600: best WiFi grill 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. If you want pellet flavor without giving up a good sear on steaks, this is the grill to look at.

It is a premium price, and fewer buyers have rated it than the big sellers.

Buy it if you cook steaks as often as you smoke. Skip it if low-and-slow barbecue is your main goal. Our guide to pellet grills with searing covers more options.

Green Mountain Grills Trek Prime 2.0: best portable WiFi grill

A portable pellet grill with WiFi app control from an established brand. It is made for campsites, tailgates and small patios, and the app helps because you are usually busy with other things at those events.

It carries a premium price for a small grill, and the cooking area is limited.

Buy it if you want WiFi in a grill that travels. Skip it if the grill stays home. Our guide to small and portable pellet grills compares more compact choices.

Traeger Ironwood 885: best premium WiFi grill

Traeger's upper tier, with 885 square inches, WiFi app control and extra features over the entry models. Hundreds of buyers have rated it, and it is a polished, well-supported grill.

It is a premium price, and it is more grill than a small household needs.

Buy it if you want the upper-tier Traeger experience. Skip it if you are just starting and want to keep spending low.

How to choose

Start with cooking area, because you cannot add it later. Then look at the controller, since PID control holds temperatures better. Only then think about WiFi. Hopper size comes next, because a big hopper makes long cooks easier. Finally, consider brand support, which decides how easy it is to get parts and help.

If WiFi is the main goal and the budget is tight, the Brisk Zelos-450 is the value pick. If you want space and app control, the Pit Boss Navigator 850 stands out. If you want the safest long-term support, the Traeger models are the usual choice.

Setup tips

Put the grill where your WiFi signal is strong, and test the connection before a long cook. Update the app and the grill firmware. Keep the grease tray and fire pot clean, since a dirty fire pot causes ignition problems that no app can fix. Always use a separate thermometer to check the food, because probes can drift.

For first-time owners, our beginner guide explains the first-cook basics, and our main guide covers every budget.

Common mistakes

Paying extra for WiFi on a grill with a weak controller, ignoring hopper size, skipping a cover, and trusting the app instead of checking the food yourself. Treat the app as a convenience, not a substitute for good habits.

Privacy and updates

An app-connected grill is a connected device, so treat it like one. Use a strong password for the app account, keep the grill's firmware and the app updated and read what data the maker collects. Many people also place smart devices on a separate guest network. Updates can add features and fix bugs, and sometimes change how the app behaves, so read release notes before a big cook.

If you are unsure about connectivity, remember that a grill with a good controller still cooks well without the app. Many owners use the app only for monitoring and rely on the controller for temperature control.

When the app fails

Apps drop connections, servers go down and phones update. Keep a plan for when it happens: know the grill's manual controls, keep a separate probe thermometer and stay within earshot for long cooks. A good grill keeps running at its set temperature even if the app disconnects, but check your manual to be sure of how your model behaves.

Every pellet grill needs household power, WiFi or not, so if you are planning outlets and cords, our guide to the best electric pellet grills covers the power side.

Bottom line

WiFi is a convenience, not a requirement. The Pit Boss Navigator 850 gives you the most space with app control, the Brisk Zelos-450 is the cheapest way in and the Traeger Woodridge is the pick for support. Choose cooking area and build first, and add the app if the price is fair.