Who doesn’t want smoked meat? And that too in less effort of your own? Well, to ease your confusion, I’m talking about the best pellet grill under 500 that you can buy and smoke meat at your home.
$500? Surprised?
There are many charcoal and electric smokers to choose from. However, pellet grills are just what you’re looking for with extra premium features and usually under 500 dollars.
To cook food in charcoal and electric grills, one needs extra time and energy to cook amazing meals. But pellet grills do the same job in less time and cook the food just as good. With wood adjustments that give an extra aroma in your bbq and specific temperature control options, pellets are worth having.
Like all other products, pellets, too, come in various types. Some use WiFi control; others have sensors and sophisticated mechanisms to keep your pallet happy! Without further delay, let’s jump right into it!
Best Pellet Grill Under $500
I have chosen the 10 best pellet grills under $500 so far.
| S.No. | Product Name | Smoker Brand | Our Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ZPG-7002E | Z GRILLS | 4.9 | Check Price |
| 2 | Razorback Wood | Ozark Grills | 4.9 | Check Price |
| 3 | DCWF | Green Mountain Grill | 4.8 | Check Price |
| 4 | Tailgater 20 Portable | Traeger | 4.8 | Check Price |
| 5 | 8-in-1 | Z GRILLS | 4.6 | Check Price |
| 6 | CPG-4000 | Cuisinart | 4.6 | Check Price |
| 7 | Portable PPG20 | Camp Chef | 4.5 | Check Price |
| 8 | OUTDOORS Pellet | BIG HORN | 4.4 | Check Price |
| 9 | PG24XT Smoke Pro | Camp Chef | 4.4 | Check Price |
| 10 | Classic 700 sq | PIT BOSS | 4.2 | Check Price |
1. Z GRILLS ZPG-7002E – Best Pellet Grill under 500
The design of Z grills 7002E literally compels you to smoke food in it. With its flexibility and easy to use outlook, which makes food preparation exciting to its all-around features, It is one of the best available.
- 3-year warranty
- Large cooking area
- Large capacity to store wood pellets
- All-rounder
Z grills 700 in 8 in 1 as you can use it for smoking, BBQ, braising, baking, char-grilling, roasting, searing, and grilling. The best thing about this pellet grill is that the cooking area is over 700 square inches, which makes it very user friendly. Hopper capacity is worth admiring, too, as it is 20lbs, allowing you to stay easy while it refills by itself.
In addition, there are many features in Zgrills 700 that make your work way simple. There is a basic cooking area that is approx. 504 sq. Inches and a heating rack of 190 square inches. By introducing an electric feed system, the pellet adjusts the temperature in order to cook perfectly. You can choose from temperatures 180-450 degrees from the digital screen or the knob.
Although you might think that the features mentioned above are more than enough for you, Z grill 700 provides you with more! Its convection mechanism balances the airflow that makes the heat distribution equal. Allows the meat to cook just perfectly with a delicious smokey touch.
The body built of this product is worth your money. The stainless steel look and quality casing makes it unique and at par. The product comes with a grease bucket, making it a lot effortless to clean. You can get other good pellet grills if you can increase your budget. On our website, you will get the best pellet grill reviews as well.
Pros
- 3-year warranty
- Large cooking area
- Large capacity to store wood pellets
- Is durable
- Grease bucket
- All-rounder
Cons
- No separate ash container
- The smoker part is not perfect
2. Ozark Grills – Best Wood Pellet Grill
Ozark Grills have not failed to impress me as well. They have made a moderate size pellet with amazing features.
- Manageable size
- Ideal for family use
- Straightforward digital control panel
- Temperature monitor
The pellet has a cooking area size of about 305 inches and a hopper capacity of 11lbs. The digital control panel in the Razorback wood pellet allows you to maneuver the temperature with a 20-degree gap. The overall temperature range is the same as Zgrills 700, from about 180-450 degrees.
An additional feature of Razorback wood pellets is its temperature control sensors, which maintain the cooking temperature and air current. This makes it fairly easy to cook in this pellet. The overall casing is made up of steel and has a durable design. And the lower part of the grill has enough space to store all that you need. These features make this grill perfect for family use and household cooking purposes.
The steel exterior has orange peel powder on it that gives a nice finish. The pellet is available in bronze and black. The net weight of Razorback is 35 kgs. There is also a cleaning system that makes it very simple to maintain as the grease collector can be cleaned anytime with little to no mess. Customer satisfaction with Razorback is potentially high, making it among the best pellets to look for.
Pros
- Manageable size
- Ideal for family use
- Straightforward digital control panel
- Temperature monitor
Cons
- Frequent refilling
- Demanding
3. Green Mountain Grills DCWF – Best Pellet Smoker under 500
When it comes to innovation and smart assistance, Green Mountain Davy Crockett is one of the best. It is very convenient and allows you to fold all its legs. This feature is especially handy as it allows you to take it anywhere with you while traveling.
- Foldable
- WiFi supported
- Handy and durable
- Best for outdoor cooking
It has WiFi and remote control that allows you to adjust the temperature accordingly. The ios and android application can also be downloaded to use as a remote for this pellet grill. It gives users a lot of space and ease as the pellet is automated completely.
The best thing about this pellet grill is that it is relatively cheaper with superb quality. Davy Crockett has a generous 219 square inches area with a thermostat range of 150-550F. You can speed up the cooking process by adding 5F temperature intervals.
This pellet grill is definitely the one you’re looking for if you are a travel blogger or someone who simply loves to move around. Davy Crockett also has a server mode, which helps you to connect to the pellet easily. There are different hooks on the convenience tray where you can store your dishes.
Pros
- Foldable
- WiFi supported
- Handy and durable
- Best for outdoor cooking
Cons
- Small cooking area
- Dependent on the power source
4. Traeger Grills 20 – Best Pellet Grill for the Money
Digital pellet grills cook not only perfectly but also make cooking efficient. That’s where Traeger Grills Tailgater 20 comes in. It has a completely digital thermostat, which maintains the temperature automatically when the food is cooking. It also has a LED screen, which shows the temperature of the pellet grill.
- Durable steel casing
- Convenient
- Easy setup
- Automatic start
The surface area of the cooking surface is about 300 square inches, which helps you to cook more food in less time. Tailgater is also unique for the fact that it has a convection blower. The blower assists in distributing the heat and airflow to cook juicy meals.
Apart from that, the temperature scale ranges from 150 to 450 F, allowing you to choose freely. This pellet has a lot going on in terms of flexibility. It can be used for baking, braising, smoking, roasting, grilling and barbeques as well. Tailgater is only 62 lbs in weight, which makes it very lightweight and easy to move.
The packaging is of cold steel, which is powder-coated for the extra finish. Also, if you want a pellet with less energy consumption than Tailgater is the best so far. It only uses 300 watts to start up and then jumps down to 5 throughout cooking. The best part about this grill is that it gives the barbeque a woody smokey flavor that is especially strong.
Pros
- Durable steel casing
- Convenient
- Easy setup
- Automatic start
- Mobile
- Great price
Cons
- Small hopper
- Small cooking space
5. Z GRILLS Wood Pellet Grill – Best Inexpensive Pellet Grill
If you are into bbq, then this product is made for you. The features are pretty impressive, with an automated system that maintains temperatures regularly from 180 to 450 degrees.
- 3-year warranty
- Lifetime guarantee
- All-rounder
- 8in1 pellet
The cooking capacity that this pellet comes with is approximately 550 square inches in size, which are very useful and comes with 10lb hopper capacity. It has a great digital maneuver that controls the temperature at +-/20 intervals.
The unique part is the lower storage capacity that allows you to store different items while cooking. Zgrills 8 in 1 BBQ smoker can be shifted to your lawn for cooking, and its large wheels allow you to move it from one place to another.
Apart from that, you can do whatever you want to with your food as it can grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, sear, char-grill, BBQ your meals with an extremely delicious woody flavor.
Pros
- 3-year warranty
- Lifetime guarantee
- All-rounder
- 8in1 pellet
Cons
- Inefficient temperature gauge
6. Cuisinart CPG-4000 – Best Smoker Grill under 500
Cuisinart CPG -4000 is an inexpensive and amazing option for those who want portable pellet grills. The temperature is changed automatically according to the need, even if you’ve different items in the grill. The temperature control comes with a LED display that shows you the temperature inside the grill.
- Electric start-up
- Resistant grill cover
- LED display
- Easy storage
The surface area for cooking is 450 square inches. The design of the pellet is interactive and lets you move it around. It comes with a large storage capacity so that you may store your cooking items and has wheels that help it to move.
The packaging is hard and durable that protects against UV rays and is water-resistant. It provides exactly the perfect size, and it is about 45 inches.
One can perform six different tasks on this grill barbeque, braising, roasting, baking, smoking, and grilling. Apart from that, Cuisinart CPG 4000 does not ask for additional money to let you have important accessories. All the necessary accessories come with CPG4000, with no extra charges. This pellet has all things that are needed in a pellet grill and is extremely cheap in amazing quality. If you are looking for a pellet grill that does the thing and is nice in your pocket, then this one is worth your money.
Pros
- Electric start-up
- Resistant grill cover
- LED display
- Easy storage
- Simple directions
Cons
- Difficult to clean as it clogs
- The door is not smooth
7. Camp Chef Pursuit PPG20 – Cheap Pellet Smoker under 500
When it comes to camp chef PPG20, you’ll be impressed how much this pellet grill can provide you with, at much less price.
- Portable
- Easy maintenance
- Dual thermometers
- 2-year warranty
The coolest part about this product is its dual LED temperature checker. This allows not only to check the temperature inside the closed lid but also the temperature inside the meat. The temperature control is completely digital, which makes your work extremely less.
Apart from that, Camp Chef has really upgraded the game by its another dual function. It has a dual convection function that enables you to cook perfect meals via regulating heat currents in the pellet. This pellet grill is child safe with a lockable lid, so you don’t have to worry about your child around PPG20 anymore.
Furthermore, PPG20 can be heated up to 550F and has a surface area of about 500 square inches. Which, at this price, is pretty good. The pellet grill is heavy in weight.
Camp Chef really understands its customer’s needs while providing a lever-activated searing, which fires up the two grill grates pretty fast.
Pros
- Portable
- Easy maintenance
- Dual thermometers
- 2-year warranty
- High quality
- Classic wheel design
Cons
- Limited sear feature
- Heavyweight
- Price
8. BIG HORN Pellet Grill – best Pellet Grill under 400
As the name suggests, Bighorn outdoors pellet grill is huge enough to accommodate 20 burgers at once! Not only does it provide a large cooking area of about 700 square inches, but it also provides various cooking features. One can braise, bake, grill, roast, smoke, and barbeque in this pellet.
- Portable
- Durable
- Large surface area
- Efficient
The Bighorn pellet is very durable with a top-quality stainless steel casing. It has an LED display that allows you to read the temperature. It comes with automatic temperature control and a range of 225 to 450 degrees.
The wheels help you to move the pellet around. While the lower storage rack assists you so you can keep your stuff in it, smokestack dampers can be adjusted easily.
The hopper capacity is not satisfactory in the eyes of some buyers. Only 8lbs of hopper capacity makes this product an inexpensive option.
Pros
- Portable
- Durable
- Large surface area
- Efficient
- Affordable
- Steady heating
Cons
- Less hopper capacity
- No warranty
- No lid thermometer
- No upper warming rack
9. Camp Chef PG24XT
Camp Chef has time and again proved that its products look damn fine with some nice extra features. Keeping that in mind, their PG24XT smoke pro pellet is no exception. The appearance is classic with a stainless steel body built and smooth wheels, so you can move it to your garden anytime.
- User friendly
- Easy to maintain
- All-rounder
- Three years warranty
Less work and less price are two things all customers are looking for. With this pellet’s automated digital command, one knows exactly how easy it is to cook in it.
The cleanout system is pretty simple. All one has to do is throw the ash. No tedious vacuum or sweeping it with a wet cloth. This, by far, is what most pellets lack out there in the market. There are additional features such as grease and cord management systems that make you free from extra effort to maintain this pellet smoker. Smoking levels are also impressive, ranging from 1-10 points. There are two meat probes that help you check the temperature.
Overall, Camp Chef has done a good job with this one. The temperature ranges from 160º F – 500ºF. The cooking area is 570 square inches. Weight is 133lbs with 18lbs of hopper capacity.
The upper rack and lower rack areas are slightly different in proportions, with 141 square inches in the upper rack and 429 square inches in the lower rack. Lastly, the overall chamber capacity is a whopping 3778 square inches making it a unique pellet grill with awesome features.
Pros
- User friendly
- Easy to maintain
- All-rounder
- Three years warranty
Cons
- Mild smoke flavor
- Price
10. Pit Boss Classic 700 sq.
Pitboss Classic 700, as the name suggests, has a surface area of 700 sq. Inches. It is less in price but more in terms of size and capacity that makes it different than other pellets. Pitboss believes in giving the perfect woody flavor to the meat. Therefore it uses wood pellets solely. Another unique feature of this pellet grill is its flame broiler. The flame is used for cast iron cooking.
- Excellent temperature range
- 700sq inch cooking area
- Grease bucket
- Flame broiler
The heating system is completely digital, making it a good option. LED display provides a good way to read the temperature. The cooking area has two racks giving you more space. What’s exceptional about the classic 700 is that it doesn’t need gas to start up. It can be powered by wood pellets only. The temperature ranges from 180 to 550 F.
Classic 700 is also an 8 in 1 pellet grill that allows you to smoke, grill, bake, sear, braise, barbeque, roast, and char-grill your food. Essential for the people who are looking for a broad range of pellet that does everything at a less price.
The body is made of stainless steel with an extremely durable powder coat finish that gives it a beautiful texture. The wheels can lock into place, allowing it to stay where it is, and the racks are two-tiered. The storage is quite impressive, where you can easily store a bunch of stuff. The colors that it comes in are blue and black and bronze and black.
The hopper capacity is 20lbs, and the grid where you can cook has a porcelain coating on it. It allows for smooth cooking and durability.
Apart from that, customers are very satisfied with this product as it is good for people who just got into pellet cooking. The strong aroma and smokey flavor are what everyone wants to enjoy, and Pitboss provides just that. And that too, at a very reasonable price.
Pros
- Excellent temperature range
- 700sq inch cooking area
- Grease bucket
- Flame broiler
- Simple to use
Cons
- Less warranty
- Temperature fluctuates
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
Can we grill on a pellet smoker?
Yes, pellet grills are all-rounders. You can perform as many as eight tasks on your pellet smoker, depending on its features.
Are pit boss smokers good?
They definitely are. They have a feel like Traeger pellets but also are inexpensive and produce charming flavor.
Can a pellet smoker replace a gas grill?
No. As gas grills are often more efficient with less price and fast searing.
Can you cook burgers on a pellet grill?
Yes, you can. The benefit of pellet grills is that you can easily add the woody flavor in the meat. Burgers can be cooked in the pellet by setting the right temperature at 225 degrees F for about 20-30 minutes.
Are pellet grills worth the money?
Yes, and no doubt about that! Pellets come with some advanced features and with a wide variety of functions. You can choose the pellet you like according to your preference and budget. Many people find pellets more user friendly and effortless to maintain. So, if you’re a beginner, pellets are the ones that’ll suit you more!
Do pellet grills cause cancer?
Many people have the misconception that pellet grill food causes cancer. However, research suggests that there is less substantial evidence to prove this. Furthermore, pellet smoke is thought to have carcinogens (cancer-causing agents), but they only harm you if you eat smoked meat from pellets nearly every day.
What is the best pellet grill under $500 in 2021?
The overall best has to be Z GRILLS 700E, as its features and reliability is very high. Apart from that, Ozark grills Razorback and Green Mountain grills Davy Crockett are good options to choose from as well.