Milton Greenaway
Here are the best pellet smokers in 2020:
Do you enjoy the flavor of well smoked meats? Are you concerned about everything you have heard about the dangers that are associated with smoking and grilling? If you are, you will want to know about a new method of outdoor cooking that might just be the holy grail of cooking at home. With a pellet smoker, special wood pellets, and a press of a button, you can smoke all kinds of meats in a variety of flavors, inexpensively. This review of five of the best pellet smokers will show you which they are, what features you will want to look for, and how to choose the perfect one for your use.
Why we use pellet smokers?
Pellet smokers are a rather recent invention in the world of grilling and smoking meat. They are an improved version of traditional wood and charcoal smokers. Pellet smokers are fuel by wood pellets, hence the name. These pellets are made from compressed wood shavings and saw dust. One of the reasons why pellet smokers are immensely popular is that fact that operating them is extremely easy. In fact, all you need to do is turn the power knob and let the electricity do all the work for you. A pellet smoker is virtually run by electricity, which makes it a very convenient method of smoking your meat.
5 best pellet smoker reviews of 2019 with comparison.
This review of five of pellet smokers will show you which they are, what features you will want to look for, and how to choose the best pellet smoker for your use.
Benefits of using pellet smoker over other types of smokers
Other than the convenience, controlling temperatures in a pellet smoker is remarkably easy. With these smokers, you can achieve remarkably high precision in temperature control. Most smokers come with thermostats which ensure that the temperatures never reach any extreme levels. Moreover, most of these smokers ensure that the meat cooks evenly, thanks to the precise temperature control. Even better is the fact that there are numerous pellet flavors to choose from, all of which ensure that your meat ends up being tasty and savory. Additionally, pellet smokers generally produce very little ash, and are highly unlikely to smoke out an entire room, which can be rather uncomfortable.
4 Important factors to consider while buying the perfect pellet smoker
1. Temperature control
One of the most definitive features of a pellet smoker is its temperature control. You want to buy a smoker that has as precise a temperature control system as you can afford. Buy a smoker with a digital control if you can. Some are even computer operated to give you even more precision while you are smoking your meat. When it comes to smoking meat, temperature control is important. Smoking your meat under exceedingly high temperatures will dry it out. Smoking it under low temperature will result in uncooked meat, which is both unpleasant and unhealthy. For your own good, you are better off picking a smoker whose temperatures you can control with great ease.
2. Air Flow Regulation
Another aspect of a smoker that you should consider before buying any is the heat and air flow regulation. You want to buy a smoker with a steady supply of hot air. This allows for even heating and cooking. If your air flow is not well regulated, it may cause your meat to cook unevenly, which is every cook’s nightmare. Pick a smoker with steady and even heat and air flow.
3. Fuel Consumption
Additionally, you should aim at buying a smoker that conserves as much heat as possible. When heat is conserved, this means that you will spend less energy, which in turn means that you will save some money. One of the ways to tell whether or not a given smoker will conserve heat is to look at its body. A smoker that is made of heavy metals will contribute to heat conservation and less energy expenditure for you.
4. Versatility
Most top quality pellet smokers are very versatile. You can roast, grill and smoke meat on them. Some even come with compartments for cold smoking. You might want to consider such a smoker as it is both time and energy- saving.
List of 5 popular and most rated brands
- Camp Chef PG24S Pellet Grill and Smoker Deluxe
- Camp Chef PG24 Deluxe Pellet Grill and Smoker BBQ with Digital Controls and Stainless Temp Probe
- MoJack 47104 Myron Mixon Pitmaster Q3 36-Inch Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker
- Smoke Hollow PS2415 24-Inch Pellet Smoker Grill
- Camp Chef Camp Chef Pellet Grill & Smoker LS
Camp Chef PG24S Pellet Grill and Smoker Deluxe
Full featured and big enough for virtually any meal, the Camp Chef PG24S Pellet Grill and Smoker Deluxe can tackle most needs at home.
Top Features
- Warmer/Smoking Rack Dimensions: 6″ x 24″
- 18 lb. Hopper Capacity
- Cooking Area Dimensions: 19.5″ x 22″
- Cooking Height: 32.5″
- Patented Ash Can Clean out and hopper clean out system
TheCamp Chef PG24S Pellet Grill and Smoker Deluxe ticks off virtually every one of the required features for a high-quality pellet grill.
It features an excellent electronic temperature control with digital readout and a patented ash can clean out system that makes cleaning up with this one one of the easiest out there.
For being sturdy, this is one of the best wood pellet smokers out there. For being robust and solidly made, this one beats many of its best competitors, hands down. A digital temperature chip allows a more steady smoke and even temperature, eliminating big temperature swings while giving steadier cooking temperatures.
And this one is really big. It has a 19.5″ x 22″ cooking area, which makes it one of the bigger models we have seen. This means that you can cook just about anything from a full roast to several chickens, and maybe even a few sausages at the same time, and still have some room to boot.
Camp Chef has also slapped an 18 lb. hopper on the side of this so you won’t have to refill this in the middle of a big cookout. And a really special feature on this one is an automatic clean out system that allows you to change one flavor of pellet for another at the touch of a button. This means that you can finish cooking with one flavor of pellet, then change for another flavor without cleaning everything out.
Our Rating 
(5 / 5)
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(5 / 5)Camp Chef PG24 Deluxe Pellet Grill and Smoker BBQ with Digital Controls and Stainless Temp Probe
For cooking that is lighter on the temperature side but still an amazingly good smoker, theCamp Chef PG24 Pellet Grill and Smoker BBQ with Digital Controls and Stainless Temp Probe is a great buy.
Top Features
- LED digital temperature control with a stainless steel food probe
- Offers both high and low smoke temperatures
- Cooking area: 560 cubic inches with upper removable rack
- Drop down cleaning system
Okay, so this one is not a lot different from the smoker above but it does have some really nice features that make it distinctively different.
Regardless, this is still an impressive smoker with things like an internal probe, a pizza brick, and other touches that make this go from just an ordinary smoker to something that is uniquely different. Whatever you happen to want to cook, all you have to do is set the settings and forget it. All the work is done for you, making this one of the best pellet smokers for the money.
The Camp Chef PG24 Pellet Grill and Smoker BBQ with Digital Controls and Stainless Temp Probe is made for the home griller who wants to take their cooking to the next level. Many of the controls that are unique to smoking are automatic and built-in to this unit, which makes it easier for the home griller to use.
Even the patented ash clean out system is unique in that it makes clean up easier than with practically any other smoker out there. From digital temperature controls to temperature sensors, this smoker is full of innovations that make smoking easier and more fun. With the Camp Chef PG24 Pellet Grill and Smoker BBQ with Digital Controls and Stainless Temp Probe you can learn what champion smokers have known for years, low and slow cooking beats everything else.
Our Rating (4.9 / 5)
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(4.9 / 5)MoJack 47104 Myron Mixon Pitmaster Q3 36-Inch Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker
The MoJack 47104 Myron Mixon Pitmaster Q3 36-Inch Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker is a relative newcomer to the BBQ and smoking world, but for entries into that business, this one packs a wallop. It could be easily called thebest value wood pellet smoker.
Top Features
- Cooking Area: 36″ barrel grill with 644 sq in (19.5″ x 33″)
- Storage Rack for pellets and tools
- Porcelain Coated Steel Grate
- 6″ Heavy Duty Rubber Wheels
When BBQing legend Myron Mixon was asked to create a grill/smoker that was up to the kind of cooking that he did but was easy enough to use that backyard chefs wouldn’t be intimidated, theMoJack 47104 Myron Mixon Pitmaster Q3 36-Inch Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker is what he came up with.
Simply put, the MoJack 47104 Myron Mixon Pitmaster Q3 36-Inch Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker was designed to help you cook like a champion because it was created by a champion. This grill/smoker was designed to be virtually fool proof since it does so many things automatically to help you concentrate on cooking. It doesn’t matter what you want to cook–pizza, roasts, meat loaf, chicken–anything you want to taste the best it has ever tasted.
The LED lit control allows you to concentrate on cooking while it concentrates on maintaining the low and slow temperatures that allow you to cook to perfection. Standards include a grease pan, storage area, and much more, just as you would expect from a master of his craft. This has got to be one of the best pellet BBQ smokers on the market today.
Our Rating (4.8 / 5)
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(4.8 / 5)Smoke Hollow PS2415 24-Inch Pellet Smoker Grill
Smoke Hollow includes a number of amenities with this model of grill/smoker to ensure you the best cooking experience possible.
Top Features
Digital LED thermostat as well as internal temperature gauge allows you manage the smoking and temperature control* Auger-fed pellet delivery system* Easy-drain grease system makes it easy and fast to clean-up* Heavy-duty, steel barrel construction with a sturdy tube cart frame* Porcelain-coated wire cooking grill gives you 440 sq in of cooking space.
Although the Smoke Hollow PS2415 Pellet Smoker/Grill, 24″is a good cooker/smoker, there are many things about it to like. The features listed above are only a good start on what it offers.
For authentic smoked flavor, the Smoke Hollow PS2415 Pellet Smoker Grill, 24″provides you with true BBQ taste. Like most smokers, the low and slow-style process of cooking using a wood pellet-fueled grill and smoker can take several hours to complete, but after one taste of an authentic BBQ smoked flavor, you’ll know it’s worth the wait.
All you do is just plug this electric smoker in, then the auger-fed pellet delivery auger is managed by the digital LED thermostat and control. This lets you, the BBQ chef, manage the desired amount of smoking and temperature control according to your own taste and recipe.
The large 440 sq. in. of cooking area is plenty big enough for briskets, roasts, full-size racks of ribs, and even whole chickens or turkeys. And don’t forget the fish or seafood.
There are a lot of different smokers/cookers around, but very few combine the size, capabilities, and versatility that this one does. It’s a great buy.
Our Rating (4.7 / 5)
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(4.7 / 5)Camp Chef Camp Chef Pellet Grill & Smoker LS
If you are looking for a good introduction to wood pellet grilling/smoking, theCamp Chef Camp Chef Pellet Grill & Smoker LS might be just the thing for you. Especially if you are just starting out in wood pellet cooking, and asking yourself what is a good pellet smoker under $2000 to buy, this is it.
Top Features
Electronic auto-lite* Choose your smoke setting and desired temperature* LED temperature readout for internal cooking temps* Dual temperature readout capable for internal food temps (meat probe sold separately)* Automatic pellet auger dispenses when needed and automatically shuts down when done
Would you like to try introducing yourself as well as introduce your family and friends to the tasty goodness of wood pellet smoking? The Camp Chef Camp Chef Pellet Grill & Smoker LS might be just the thing to get you started. This one will give you a good taste to pellet grill and smoking while allowing you all of the extras that make it happen. These include a digital control that makes everything operate.
All you need to do is to pick a temperature and everything works like it should. Just load this cooker up and you are in for the treat of a lifetime with a huge grilling area, safety shutdown, and grease drain. Low and slow is the way to go.
Our Rating (4.6 / 5)
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(4.6 / 5)Wood Pellet Smokers
These smokers use wood as their main source fuel. The pellets are fed into a burn pot using an electric system. The thermostats in the smokers determine how much wood goes into the burn pot at a time. These smokers also contain a heat exchanger which only allows heat in rather than smoke. This prevents your house or the place you are smoking meat from from getting smoked out. Staying in a smoky place can be very uncomfortable to say the least.
Pellet BBQ Smokers
Unlike wood smokers, pellet barbeque smokers allow the smoke to come into full contact with your meat. These have no heat exchanger. The smokers are ideal for you who love your meat to acquire the smoky and distinct flavor associated with wood. Additionally, if you enjoy barbequing and roasting your meat, and don’t mind having to turn it every once in a while, then this is the smoker for you. But just like with ordinary pellet smokers, these usually don’t produce a lot of ash. Cooking with them is also relatively easy. And there is also the guarantee that your meat will acquire a unique and tasty flavor.
The Best Pellet Smoker
Although most pellet smokers are highly likely to exceed your expectations, the smoker that deserves first place certainly has to be the MAK Grill pellet smoker. This smoker is one of the two earliest models of pellet smokers ever invented, the other being the Traegar pellet smoker. The MAK pellet smoker stands out in that it has unparalleled temperature control. It is made of stainless steel metal which has great insulation properties. Additionally, the smoker comes with a cold smoking feature, which is great for smoking salmons, nuts and cheese. This high quality smoker has certainly earned its place among the very best pellet smokers in the world.
Why You Should Use a Pellet Smoker?
One of the top reasons why you should use a pellet smoker is because it is incredibly convenient to use. With some smokers, all you have to do is place the meat in the smoker and let the thermostat control the temperatures for you. Additionally, meat that is smoked using a pellet smoker is generally full of flavor, especially since pellets come in a wide variety of flavors.
Why You Should Not Use a Pellet Smoker?
One of the major cons of using a pellet smoker is the fact that it needs electricity to work. This makes it difficult to use the smoker in an outdoor environment unless you have a generator. Additionally, most pellet smokers are rather expensive, compared to charcoal and wood smokers. Moreover, you need to be very patient when smoking meat using a pellet smoker. Ideally, the lower the temperature at which you smoke the meat, the more the smoke that is produced and hence the more flavorful your meat will be. The opposite is also true. So if you want to smoke your meat in a hurry and use high temperatures, you automatically make your meat less savory.