First things first
A pellet grill is a worthy investment. There aren’t many grilling systems where you can comfortably do the following.
- Plug it in
- Set the temperature
- Put whatever you smoking on the grates
- Step back and let the heat, fire, and smoke do the rest
- Get time back, go enjoy friends and family while the masterpiece develops
The grilling system in a pellet grill gives food a rich wood fired smokey flavor. It can be a brisket, or it can be an apple pie. The flavor palate is increased exponentially on anything that is smoked on a pellet grill.
The best part? Anyone can achieve professional results. So, to answer the question, “Which pellet grill is the best for beginners?” we need to unpack some of the variables.
There certainly are pellet grills that lend themselves to beginners. These pellet grills are sized right, priced affordably, and offer features that will leave you as the owner happy for years to come. A beginner pellet grill is not one that is small, lacks comfort, or leads you to another purchase in 2 years.
The larger point of a beginner pellet grill is to be happy with your purchase, and get to smoking beautiful creations that can be shared with family and friends.
Let’s get right to it then.
My top 5 pellet grills for beginners
Why is the Z Grills 700C2CE good for beginners?
Z Grills has been building pellet grills for the top manufacturers for a while and came out with their own unique line in 2017. What does this mean to you as a beginner? That means they know the industry and can offer a very affordable pellet grill.
I chose the 700C2CE because it boasts great features like
- 697 sq. in. cooking area
- Plenty of space for ribs, pork shoulder, brisket, and everything in between
- Digital PID controller
- Offers precise temperature control to +/- 5 degrees
- Large pellet hopper
- 24 lb capacity gets you 24 hours of continuous smoking
- Pellet view window with hopper cleanout
- Super convenient to know when you need more pellets or want to change the flavor out
- Dual temperature probes
- The real hero of pellet grills, knowing the internal temperature of your meat, knowing when the cook is complete
The 700C2CE is a straightforward, well-constructed workhorse that will deliver consistent results every single time it’s turned on.
This is great for beginners because it has everything you need to get started in the craft. Not only can you get started, but you can become refined, and push yourself to more and more challenging smokes as you get more seasoned.
2. camp chef dlx
Camp Chef was founded because of frustration with available camping cooking equipment. Though they spent a number of formidable years perfecting that craft, they have recently gotten into the pellet grill market.
The Camp Chef DLX is a prime example of what they have been able to achieve. The DLX has great features for a beginner pellet grill owner…
- 570 sq. in. of cooking area
- Plenty spacious for a first brisket and hosting family and friends
- Digital PID controller
- Precise temperature control to +/- 5 degrees
- Sidekick compatible
- Camp Chef offers an add on propane powered accessory with options to griddle, sear, or even have an outdoor pizza oven
- Ash cleanout
- This accessory lets you empty the ash build up without having to remove grill grates. In short it’s awesome.
- Pellet purge
- The ability to purge pellets into the firebox is a beginners best friend
Why is this pellet grill for beginners? It offers the best that Camp Chef has to offer in a cost conscious package. If I wanted to get started in the craft I wouldn’t go after a $1,500 pellet grill, I would go after something like this that I could grow into.
There’s no reason to. That’s what is awesome about pellet grills. You have great systems at a lower price point that offer the same experience.
3. Pit boss sportsman 820
Pit Boss is a recognizable name when it comes to pellet grills. They offer many different models within their pellet grill line-up. The Sportsman 820 is a great option for beginners because it has years of research and development behind it.
Pit Boss was one of the early competitors to Traeger and has been perfecting their craft since they could compete. You can expect a better than average constructed pellet grill with a claim of bigger, hotter, and heavier. The Pit Boss Sportsman 820 doesn’t disappoint with the following attributes.
- The sweet spot of size at 849 sq. in.
- This smoker is large enough to host family and friends with enough space for the largest cuts of meat
- Open flame searing
- With an adjustable flame broiler lever you can open up direct flame searing for the perfect char
- Dial-in-digital control board
- There are preset temperature settings that can be set with the turn of a dial (the grill does the rest)
- Prime function
- This is invaluable to either push extra pellets into the burn pot or clear a pellet jam
- Meat probes
- With one included and two available monitoring, the internal temperature of meats could not be easier
- Hopper viewing window
- Visualizing when your pellets are getting low and need a top off is valuable for beginners
This pellet grill is suited for beginners because it has all the familiarity of a gas grill, but is enhanced with the versatility of a pellet grill. It also has a simple user interface with dial operation. Though it doesn’t have app connectivity that can be an upgradable option.
4. recteq rt-590
recteq is a pellet grill manufacturer that you may or may not have heard of. They aren’t as well known, like other names, but those that own them won’t buy any other pellet grill. They position organic growth and offer premium grills at manageable prices.
You’d be hard pressed to find a more authentic and customer centric brand. If that matters to you, recteq deserves a look. The 590 is a perfect size, not too small, not too big, and is a premium pellet grill. This is what it can offer you…
- Stainless steel construction throughout
- Easy to clean, and will stand up against the elements
- WiFi backed PID controller
- You get a grill you can manage and monitor from the palm of your hand with precise temperature control.
- Large pellet hopper
- 30 pounds offers 30 hours of smoking enjoyment
- World-class customer service
- recteq prides itself on customer service, and you aren’t a number but a valued member of the company
- Ample space at 590 sq. in.
- The right size for a big family get together, or weekend nights with family and friends
The 590 is pricier than our other options thus far, but you honestly get what you pay for. The construction alone yields years of enjoyment. Like the other pellet grills, you can expect consistent operation.
All of this coupled with arguably the best customer service in the industry gets you a great beginner pellet grill.
5. Green Mountain Grills Ledge prime plus wifi
Green Mountain Grills (GMG) has a great product line. They have recently trimmed it down, but all for the best. They provide a high quality smoking experience. GMG is a company that prides themselves on listening to not only the customer, but the professionals that there winning barbecue competitions.
The Ledge is a good option for a beginner because it has all the accouterments of high end pellet grills at the right price. With the Ledge you get…
- Low pellet sensor and view window for hopper and cooking area
- You can see and hear when your pellets are low. Seeing your progress without losing heat…awesome feature
- Great pellet hopper to cooking area ratio
- 18 lb hopper and 458 sq. in. of cooking area is the perfect size for any occasion
- 12v direct power
- This allows for more efficient temperature control, and pellet use
- Venturi style firebox
- Heat distribution is maximized and the pellets are burned thoroughly
- Ash vac
- Easy process to vacuum the ash out of the pellet grill without having to remove the grates
- Adjustable heat shield
- After listening to the pro’s, implementing a heat shield that moves allows for better control of outside variables (wind, temperature changes)
The 5 pellet grills we went over in this article are beginner focused because the are within the 500 – 700 sq. in. in terms of size. This gets you the ability to host a gathering and smoke a large brisket, yet allow you to be comfortable on any day of the week or weekend with smaller fare.
These pellet grills have all the features found in top of the line pellet grills. Although not the most important factor in deciding on a pellet grill, features like ash cleanout, integrated temperature probes, and smoke control allow you to think about what is important to you.
The price range is within $600 – $900, which won’t break the bank and gets you a pellet grill that will last. There are plenty of cheaper options, however they are less likely to be built like the above. There are certainly more expensive options. In a beginner pellet grill I feel that its best to look out for that middle of the road compromise between features, size, and price.
Best,
David
