Which is the best portable pellet grill to buy this year? Read on for the top 5 options you cannot go wrong with.
If you are getting ready for that highly anticipated summer barbecue, it’s definitely worth considering investing in a portable pellet grill.
Being able to produce scrumptious barbecue food quickly and easily is just one thing you can expect when buying a portable pellet grill.
As the name suggests, they are also portable too so you can carry them around the garden as necessary, or pack it up and take it to your friend’s house.
So if you’re already sold on the idea of getting a portable pellet grill, you may be wondering what will be the best choice for you. How are you supposed to know what to look for?
Thankfully we’re here to take away a lot of the guesswork. Read on to find out some of our picks for the best portable pellet grills. We’ve also written a handy buyer’s guide to help you to make your decision.
In a hurry? Our number one pick is smokin’ hot!
Best Portable Pellet Grill (Winner)
REC TEC Grills Portable WiFi Wood Pellet Grill
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Best Portable Pellet Grills – Comparison Table
| Image | Product | Our Rating | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
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REC TEC Grills Portable WiFi Wood Pellet Grill | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
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Green Mountain Grills Davy Crockett Wifi Controlled Portable Wood Pellet Grill | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
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Camp Chef PPG20 Black, Silver Pursuit Portable Pellet Grill | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
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Traeger Ranger Portable Tabletop Wood Pellet | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | |
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PIT BOSS PB440TC 440 sq in Portable Wood Folding Legs Pellet Grill | CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON |
Best Portable Pellet Grills – Reviews
#1. REC TEC Grills Portable WiFi Wood Pellet Grill (Our Overall Top Pick)
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For a fantastic portable grill that you can take pretty much anywhere, you can’t go wrong with the REC TEC Grills Portable WiFi Wood Pellet Grill. This grill has a bunch of advanced features that really bring that essence of the 21st century into grilling.
WiFi controlled grills? Now that’s innovative!
The grills has WiFi connectivity that allows you to be able to see information about the grill right from your device. It also comes with 2 non stick metal grills mats that make cleaning that much easier.
There’s also a premium grill cover that comes with it so you can keep your grill protected when you are not using it.
If you want to move the grill there are wheels on one side so you can wheel it around to a new location with no problem. It’s a fantastic grill that’s ideal for easy moving.
Pros
- Non stick grill mats included
- Wifi connectivity
- Wheels make it easy to move
Cons
- Some users report some minor balancing problems
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#2. Green Mountain Grills Davy Crockett Wifi Controlled Portable Wood Pellet Grill
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This grill is most certainly one of the smallest portable pellet grills on this list. Its surface area is a little bit small, but because of this it weighs a small 58 pounds, making it super easy to transport.
Despite its small size, this grill is by no means lacking as far as features are concerned. Much like the REC TEC model, this also comes with Wifi compatibility.
With it, you can install an app on your phone that helps you to be able to completely customize your cooking profiles.
You are able to adjust the temperature from 150 degrees Fahrenheit to 550 degree Fahrenheit in 5-degree increments.
In addition to these features, you can get a bunch of fantastic accessories with it. You can even get a Wood Fired Pizza Oven Attachment! Pretty awesome for when you fancy having a pizza on your camping trip.
The whole grill is also priced very well, and it’s perfect for if you want to save a bit of money without sacrificing on great features.
Pros
- Lots of compatible accessories
- Wifi compatibility
- Adjustable temperature
Cons
- The cooking area is somewhat small
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#3. Camp Chef PPG20 Black, Silver Pursuit Portable Pellet Grill
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The Pursuit 20 Camp Chef portable grill has a huge cooking surface measuring 501 square inches. It is a little large for a portable grill so that is something to consider, but it has a bunch of great features that makes it a contender for this list.
To start with, the grill has a lockable lid design. This is important for when you are out camping and need a little bit of extra safety to prevent any issues with fire.
You also get dual shelves that will let you cook double the amount of food in the cooker at once. It comes with digital controls that help you to be able to accurately control different aspects such as temperature.
With this grill you are even able to switch between grilling and smoking all in the same session, which is handy for when you want your meat to have a slightly more smoked flavor instead of grilled.
The product comes with a great three year warranty and it’s also pretty easy to clean. Overall, it’s a fantastic choice for feeding slightly larger groups when you’re out camping or RVing.
Pros
- Digital controls help to easily control cooking aspects such as temperature
- Lockable lid for safer cooking
- Dual shelves to cook more
- 501 square meters of cooking space
Cons
- The auger could do with some improvements
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#4. Traeger Ranger Portable Tabletop Wood Pellet
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Traeger are pretty well known for their fantastic wood pellet grills, and the Traeger Ranger Portable Tabletop Wood Pellet Grill is one of the best options from them when it comes to portability.
This portable grill comes with a decently sized eight pound hopper capacity that allows for longer cooks with much bigger meat cuts. You could easily use it to feed a small group or two people.
The grill makes it very easy to smoke and grill food while on the go, whether for a hunting excursion or if you are going camping. The grill is very durable and overall measures quite small, with specifications of 13 x 21 x 41 and it weighs 60 pounds. Carrying it around with you won’t even break a sweat.
The grill is very easy to use. All you need to do is full up the hopper with the wood pellets of your choice and then when you press a button you’re on your way to getting your meats cooked.
It warms up pretty quickly and the temperatures are consistent as you use the grill. With this, expect some delicious grilled and smoked food from wherever you are in the world.
Pros
- Very versatile; 6 in 1 functionality. You can smoke, bake, braise, roast, grill and bbq
- Very compact and portable
- Nice wood fired taste as it uses wood pellets
Cons
- It can be hard to contact customer service when you need it
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#5. PIT BOSS PB440TC 440 sq in Portable Wood Folding Legs Pellet Grill
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Pit Boss has a reputation in the grill market for making high quality grill models, and you’ll be pleased to know that high quality carries over into the PIT BOSS PB440TC 440 sq in Portable Wood Folding Legs Pellet Grill.
The folding legs on this model allow you to be able to easily transport it wherever you want. You can put it in your car to transport easily, and this is essential for a portable grill.
It’s not a super large grill and it isn’t likely to be able to grill as much as your average grill that will stay in the same place in your garden, but with it you will get plenty of cooking space to feed the whole family and perhaps even more.
It’s also incredibly easy to clean out and wash no matter where you are.
Another extra feature worth noting is the dial in temperature controls. These allow you to be able to quickly and easily set the proper temperature that you need for all sorts of styles of cooking.
If you want a fantastic portable pellet grill that you can use no matter where you are going to make delicious meals and mouthwatering meats, this model is most certainly worth your time to consider.
Pros
- A 5 pound hopper capacity
- It features dial in temperature control functionality
- The legs are collapsible so you can easily store it or pack it in your trunk for effortless transportation
Cons
- Some users have reported that there are some small temperature control problems
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Portable Pellet Grills Buyer’s Guide
Who are portable pellet grills best suited to?
There are two main things that define portable pellet grills, and these are versatility and convenience. While they are slightly expensive with there being some price exceptions, portable pellet grills are incredibly convenient.
To put something on the grill, all you need to do is set the temperature and then you can do whatever you want to do without much concern, though it is probably best to check on your food every once in a while!
Pellet smokers also run off electricity so they are a pretty good choice if you reside in a condo or if you live somewhere that you are unable to burn wood or charcoal.
Things to Look for in A portable Pellet Grill
So now you know a bit more about portable pellet grills and you’ve read our ranking of the best ones, you may be wondering what the factors to consider are when you are buying a portable pellet grill.
There are a number of key factors to think about when buying your portable pellet grill, from price, to durability and hopper size.
Durability
While it is certainly nice to have a grill that looks good, you should be looking beyond that. A great grill should be one that is durable. While you may find that your grill of choice has a lot of stainless steel on the outside, some models may actually have used cheap materials that will easily rust on the inside.
The things that make up your pellet grill that you should be paying the most attention to include the fire pot, flame deflector, the drip pan, and the grates. If these elements consist of a high quality marine grade stainless steel then your portable pellet grill is going to last you quite some time.
If the grill you are considering buying is made out of powder coated steel then you should ensure that the coating is high quality, otherwise it is going to start rusting and deteriorating as the paint chips and blisters. You should also keep in mind that if your grill is made out of higher quality materials it is also likely to perform a lot better.
The materials will retain the heat, make sure the pellet consumption is more efficient and it will also help to regulate the temperature more effectively when the weather is cold.
Hopper Size
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the anatomy of a portable pellet grill, the hopper is the container where the pellets are stored in preparation for the auger to take them away to your fire pot. Of course, this then means that the hopper size you have can determine how long it will take for you to cook your food.
If you get a hopper that is too small you are likely going to have to wait a very long time to wait for your food to cook.
In general, if you get a pellet grill that has a hopper around 40 pounds it is going to give you around 40 hours worth of cooking time on normal smoking temperatures. Some cooks can take roughly 20 hours so in that regard an 18 pound hopper is going to be an issue.
You’re also going to need even more fuel if you live in a colder climate.
It’s also worth mentioning that it is possible to buy extensions for your hopper. You should try to ensure that the extender you purchase is going to be useable with the pellet smoker that you buy and that it comes from a reliable manufacturer.
In this case, you are looking for a portable pellet grill, so it’s naturally going to be smaller. With that being said they are certainly big enough to accommodate large meals for the whole family, you just may not get quite as much space as you would with a regular sized pellet grill.
Generally overall if you intend to take your grill with you RVing or camping for example, the whole grill should ideally weigh less than 65 pounds, so your hopper of course is going to be smaller because of that.
Quality of Auger
With grills that rely on wood pellets, the auger that you have is essential to making sure that the cooking experience you have is a clean one.
If you have an auger that is too powerful or one that doesn’t have enough power then your grilling experience is going to be affected quite dramatically, and your grill could end up either being too hot or not quite hot enough.
Price
Whenever you’re thinking about buying a grill, or any kind of product on that note, price is usually a factor. Thankfully even if you are on a budget there are some fantastic options on the market that will fit in with your budget.
When you are considering getting a grill, it is vital to think about the different pellet grills that are in your budget to check you you are going to get the best possible grill both for your budget and needs.
Consider the things that are the most important to you and what features you are happy living without.
Of course, you should keep in mind that usually the more expensive grills tend to be made with more high quality materials. This is not always the case but it is still something you should keep in mind as you make your decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of wood pellets can you use in portable smokers?
There are a number of portable pellet grills that you are able to buy that you can use with a lot of smoker grills, and they can help you to be able to get all sorts of different flavors into your food.
Of course, you should remember that some portable pellet grills are going to work better with certain types of pellets so before buying you should check if there are any limitations on the types of pellets you can use.
Is it better to have a grill with foldable legs or one that has a solid base that you can put on top of things?
A lot of grills and smokers tend to have folding or removable legs in some capacity that will make it easier to put them in your car to transport when you are travelling.
Whether you get a model with folding legs or one with a solid base is entirely down to your personal preference and it largely depends on where you plan on using the grill.
If I buy a portable pellet grill does it mean that my cooking area won’t be as large?
It is not necessarily the case that you will have a smaller cooking area if you get a portable pellet grill. A lot of smokers and grills are seen to be portable because they are much lighter in weight or they have additional features such as wheels so that they are easier to move around.
If you are concerned about the cooking size you will get with your portable pellet grill, then you should check out the dimensions before you buy it to ensure that you will have the amount of space that you require.
