The Best Pellet Grill under $2000 | Best Pellet Smokers for 2024

[@johnnya3400]

HAH! I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR THIS YEARS REVIEW OF THESE YESTERDAY! Absolutely thrilled, keep up the good work!

[@caezarilaya6924]

I’ve been using the Searwood XL for a month and has 0 regrets. Amazing smoke ring and flavor every time. Goes up to temp easily for searing burgers and steaks.

[@trailheadjunkie]

I have the same Searwood 600 and its my first pellet grill ever. It has exceeded my expectations grilling and smoking meats. Smoke flavor and grill marks gets better after each use. No regrets and no issues so far after 60+ hours use.

[@ChrisChampion-zu7vu]

I have the GMG Peak 2.0. It has a hopper pellet dump, and the firepot ash dump is on the right by the heat shield adjustment rod. It's a swing door you open and vacuum out the ashes. I like how GMG Prime grills come with a heat shield adjustment rod to fine tune heat distribution. I started with a Traeger, had a warranty replacement about 6 months after. Same model grill and both had different hot spots on biscuit test. Great reviews, Thanks!

[@knotslip8862]

I have a Camp Chef Woodwind and I smoke St. Louis style ribs more than anything. I've been pretty happy with it.

[@brucekaufer]

I've got the Brisk-it 940, and LOVE it! Easy to use, and clean. Easy ash clean up, and pellet dump to change pellets. Best brisket I have ever had, and I did it myself! I use the overnight method of low @190-200 overnight to 165 internal temp, wrap in butcher paper to 205, and as long of a rest as possible before eating! Highly recommend it...but mine did not come with a front shelf. Best part is I bought for under $800 during black Friday discounts!

[@hoserking]

Would love to see a full review of the camp chef and Weber.

[@wgreenjr81]

I love my Camp Chef, but for it and any of the others with an "ash cleanout" you still need to pull everything out and vacuum. All of them, every single one. They run on a fan blowing on a firepot and that distributes the ash around the bottom of the barrel no matter if they have a dedicated clean out or not. The cleanouts are a nice addition but by no means do they remove the requirement to pull the grates, and deflectors and go to town with a shop vac.

[@kairu.kun.z]

That’s good to know, but it sounds like it’s more of once of the blue moon thing rather than every single time you cook

[@Joey_DiGs]

How come no recteqs?

[@mrfreezey1]

Was looking forward to a dual fire 1200 review.. not sure why there's not much out there

[@tommytude]

Too bad no recteq

[@MJay606]

Pork ribs on Camp chef woodwind pro is my favorite. Best grilling appliance that I have.

[@Jeffdoeswhat]

I’ve been a Pit Boss pellet smoker guy for a few years. I like my sear plate and removable ash clean out that they have had for many years. If/ when i get another pellet smoker i will end up going with Lone Star Grillz.

[@Hacky2447]

bummed that RecTeq didn't end up on this list of testers. for the price points, I am really looking for a comparison to those models too.

[@surfingonmars8979]

I’m not even in the market for a pellet grill, but when TBL puts out a video, I’m interested!

[@PoliticallyIncorrect90]

No mention of PID temp controllers? It's one of the most important features of a pellet grill, when present. Most people don't understand how the temp is controlled or maintained on a pellet grill. The lack of PID can cause huge temp swings and inaccuracy.

[@tannerhillier8003]

How do you have not have a Recteq??

[@Squiggly667]

The Recteq Dualfire 1200 is on sale for $1600 right now. It's the one with two separate chambers. One for up to 700 degree searing, and the other is for indirect-heat cooking. It also sports a 70lbs hopper. I'm looking to buy a pellet grill now, but I'm leaning towards the Lone Star Grillz 20'' x 36'' grill. Tons of space with 1062 sq/in of cooking area. Dumps out clean blue smoke throughout cooking. Also, 100% made in the USA. A bit more expensive at $2600, but I'd like to support those making their products here in the US, especially when the quality is so high. With it's auger style, you can always add wood chips to your pellet mix if you want more smokiness. Or, for any pellet grill/smoker you can add a separate 3rd party smoke box/pellet tube to infuse tons of smoke, more akin to an offset stick burner if you want, too.

[@michaelwillis4090]

would definitely love to see more of the weber searwood

[@stevent1074]

Most impressed with the Z Grills build. That level of insulation has to be the main reason for the superior temperature control and even heat distribution. I would think it should be more efficient in pellet consumption. I’m going to find out soon-just ordered one! Thanks for this review. It was exactly what I needed to make a decision!

[@Deanroy-mx8yj]

Can you test the rec teq?

[@ebonyman23]

Really love this review and ive been waiting for it. Only grill Missing is the Pit Boss Titan 1600. Will you do a revie on it?

[@allenbateman3518]

Why didn't you show a Recteq? Best product on the market!!

[@stevefisher8424]

Surprised not to see the PitBoss Titan. It has a lot of awesome features.

[@gosman949]

yes I would like to see what the lab thinks about the PitBoss Titan.

[@robertweitz2776]

I purchased the same Z Grill last year for $799 and a grill cover was included. Doubled Smoked Spiral Hams are amazing. The little extra work to clean is no big deal and you can get all the dust falls to bottom of the grill that doesn’t end up in the clean out attachments on some of the others. By the way my purchase last year was based on your video rating them. Thanks happy Smoker here in New Hampshire.

[@garretmarron5824]

Why no Recteq model?

[@pato655]

It's a conspiracy

[@craigjohnchronicles2504]

Really needed a Recteq in this review.

[@allenbateman3518]

came to say the exact same thing...

[@caithnessplace]

No rec teq? Mannnn, mine is a beast.

[@JordanRuff-s8y]

Where do you think the Rec Teq would rank with-in the grills you selected already?

[@skiffsumner]

Surprised to see Rec Teq Flagship 1100 missing from both last year and this year comparison.

[@michaelstewart9366]

I absolutely love my recteq

[@plantkiller312]

I have a GMG that is 6 years old. It has the same controller as your new one. This is a no go for me. I have had it fail me on a long overnight cook that I need up throwing out two pork butts. It has also failed on one day cook, but I was able to rescue the meat to the oven. When I say fail, the controler stopped feeding pellets to the pot. Nothing was mechanical wrong it just forgot what it was supposed to do. Thank you very much for this video, I am heavily leaning twards the weber for next year.

[@MrPhoenix1800]

I’ve read quite a few reviews stating problems with GMG I really wanted one but decided to go Weber Searwood. Really coming around to the pellet grills it my first time on this platform. Made amazing ribs and brisket got few videos up on those cooks by the way.

[@tylerolear2098]

I like my Weber searwood. However it’s not as easy to clean as he describes. You need to clean the ash out of the deflector and there is an ash pan as well as the grease pan. A lot of grease can build up in the grill itself too which needs to be cleaned to avoid fire.

[@dllanzy]

I was pretty shocked when I recently got to see the Weber searwood and camp chef woodwind pro. They were like a tin can. Very thin metal. Especially the Weber. My Weber gas grill lid is much heavier than the pellet grill

[@thealmightytuna3239]

I just compared the Woodwind pro and the recteq and there.wasnt much difference in the materials

[@santiagoaguilar8429]

No pitboss or recteq?

[@stevew3151]

So I can only assume Recteq is missing because it outclasses all of these to the degree as to be no comparison? If you watched this video and are in the market for a pellet grill do yourself a favor and at least check out Recteq. I’ve had mine for close ten years with zero issues. Clean smoke, even heat, PID control that’s rock solid regardless of ambient conditions.

[@gihonda127]

New to the smoking scene as I borrowed my neighbors smoker yesterday for the 4th of July. I have a Santa Maria style wood burning grill that I use with oak wood, I have a Weber gas grill that we often take camping with us, and my go to meals are baby back ribs, and tri tip. IT was a Pit Boss smoker that I borrowed and we did tri tip and I have to say it turned out amazing. I am considering the Weber Searwood 600, but also I am looking for a more affordable option. Great reviews of the grills.

[@YoungC432]

really wish the pit boss titan would have been in this test!

[@cybernode33]

Having switched from Traeger+ to Asmoke, I can honestly say the differences are night and day. The precise temperature control allowed by Asmoke's digital controller with FlameTech patent has made grilling an absolute breeze! The variety of flavors from different wood pellets have also greatly enhanced the taste of my meals. But my favorite feature is the portability. With the rechargeable battery, I've been able to grill during road trips and camping outings. It's been a game changer to be able to take my grilling with me wherever I go! Asmoke's convenience, distinct flavors, and portability really make it stand out from other grills. I highly recommend making the switch! #Asmoke

[@Nutintoitbut2doit]

No RecTeq ??

[@adammaciejewski6919]

I’d love to see full reviews of the Camp Chef and Weber

[@joelcopeland3018]

I would really like to see you do the Weber Searwood 600 XL... I use my pellet grill for everything... I currently have the Pitboss 850...

[@gosman949]

he did it on small one. Good enough.

[@joelcopeland3018]

​@@gosman949 He said to let him know if we would like to see a more detailed review of any of these grills so this would be my pick. I would like to see an in-depth review.

[@andrewgutierrez8551]

I second Joe’s initial comment

[@LearningtoSmokeBBQ]

Love how thorough this is. Great work!

[@gosman949]

The Searwood is the most promising since it had such a disaster with Weber's first pellet grill that came out a few years ago.

[@eddiedunn5670]

Great video. I would like to see you do the Pit Boss Titan model. Really interested in this smoker.

[@jdkotkin]

Do you Plano. Doing a Weber XL video? This was so helpful thank you very much.

[@andywazy4383]

The Broil King Regal 500 pro is definitely one that you should check out!

[@darryld1283]

You forgot the recteqs, can’t compare without them…

[@gosman949]

The only thing I don't like about Recteq is that you have to order and then shipping and then assembly. And they don't have a pellet dump!

[@dannyswanson7431]

Yeah, recteq and pitboss are two that were left out. Pellet dumps are not as important as how a pellet smoker grill cooks and produces smoke flavor. Also, even heat across the grates and accurate temp reading. I use my grill enough to where there is no pellets to dump. The best part of a grill, is assembling it.

[@rodawg25]

Definitely have to agree here. Great that you posted so many different smokers but my whole neighborhood is full of recteq.

[@rickcormier9160]

I was surprised too. He needs to research customer service and warranties. The Back Yard Beast has a 6 year warranty which is fantastic.

[@PaulSmith91850]

The Searwood

[@GrillingwithGrove]

. My $1600 pellet pro vertical 2300 with heavy D attachment would put smoke and flavor all of these smokers. If people are looking for the best smoked meats and don't care about grilling things like burgers or steaks it really is the best flavor.

[@rpbonnette]

Favorite item I love to cook for myself and friends is ribs: spare ribs or baby backs. I’m also the guru in our park for making smoked appetizers such as Pork Candy or Pineapple Pig Shots.

[@clownpuncher29]

Do a comparison of heavy duty pellet grills. yoder, lonestar, pits and spits

[@wakemiamigreatagain]

I've been torn between the Weber Searwood and the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro and sadly I am still torn. I don't think I could go wrong with either one. I guess it will come down to price including cost of accessories. I like a front shelf but I can't have that with the CC because of the smokebox. The front shelf is an additional cost on the Searwood.

[@RokBenni]

Definitely pork chops for me, my go too to smoke/grill on my Pellet grill, just something about chops on a smoker that's undeniably tasty. I use my smoker to cook just about everything, from meats, seafoods to veggies. I'm surprised not to see a RECTEQ in the lineup. Great review/video....😎

[@IanDeRanieri]

Can you do one of these for vertical smokers? Either way, super helpful. Camp Chef seems like the way to go for me.

[@carlg7295]

Italian meatloaf is my family favorite,,; personally I like short ribs on my pellet pit boss titan before I do my briase. Please review the titan.. Your astute reviews will put this wonderful pellet smoker in a perspective that a backyard smoking follower of yours will appeciat. Also ,please do pellets....I'm new at this. Peace David, thanx for all you do!! For all!!

[@greezy619]

Would love to see a brisket cook off and comparison to include 3rd party temp readers to test how accurate the built-in temps are in a long cook

[@mikesr3011]

This comparison video couldn't have come at a better time. I just sold my Grilla OG and want to replace it with either a Woodwind Pro or the Weber Searwood. I'm leaning toward the Camp Chef mainly for the stainless steel, the easy ash clean-up, and the wood smoke box. I like the ability to add a rotisserie on the Weber. Being you have tested the two I am interested in, can you tell me if there is enough headroom to smoke a whole beer can chicken on the WW Pro? I have the stand for it but not sure if there is enough space inside from the lower grill grate to the lid. TIA.

[@markalan9368]

It would be really helpful to discuss build quality and weight. I know most of the grilla grill internal parts are stainless steel but not sure about the other grills.

[@hectorsalcedo9246]

Review the ReqTeq Flagship model

[@TheBarbecueLab]

I’d love to, but RecTeq is playing hard to get.

[@kevinsadventures3884]

I am starting to look at replacing my pittboss lockhart pellet grill and would like to know more.about the Traeger grill

[@shawntroxel7040]

all the grills and no RECTEQ

[@scooby1362002]

With the grills that had easy ash clean out features, it would have been helpful to still see the the broken down interior after the cook. I watched another Searwood video that showed the ash system did not perform that well and there was a lot of ash that made it elsewhere then the catcher. Would also like to see a USA built showdown.

[@TheBarbecueLab]

I'd like to shoot a USA built showdown, but it's hard to get samples to work with for that kind of video. Maybe some day we can work it out, but to date it's been difficult. We're trying though. Thanks for the comment. Next time i'll see if we can add some ash maintenance shots into things.

[@laughingpirateproductions4687]

Actually the Green Mountain Grill has a trap door right next to the bucket for vacuuming out the firepot

[@reddog907]

Where was the PB Titan ? It has some new features .

[@laughingpirateproductions4687]

And the GMG has a pellet dump door for changing the pellets. I think that may have been missed too..

[@chase9390]

PLEASE REVIEW THE GMG 2.0 there are no good videos on that grill! Besides this one!

[@obbob]

my friend got a brisk it grill. Never heard of it until I went over. The app looked super slick though, even better than Traeger, which in turn is better than broil king, recteq, and green mountain. Just saw on brisk it's youtube channel that they released their ai feature. My friends grill didn't have that at the time, so curious to see how that works

[@erikdavis7096]

Camp Chef Woodwind

[@cliffgraviet]

Please do an in depth on the Searwood 600, not the XL. Thanks

[@foxstan]

When used as a grille would it improve things if the deflector plate were to be removed?

[@DarinClack]

I would love to see more of what the camp chef can do.

[@TheBarbecueLab]

Thanks for letting us know! I'll see what we can do.

[@Dranomoly]

Pellet grills are great for low and slow. Briskets are great when using the right techniques.

[@PelHeatDatabase]

Excellent round-up review David of some of the most popular pellet grills/smokers currently on the market. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on the Brisk It App, and whether its 'A.I' functionality is that useful.

[@candoslayer]

the brand of pellets you use makes a difference too

[@JewelShain]

If you had to choose between the Searwood and the Masterbuilt Gravity, which one would you choose? I know they are two different types of fuel. But based on flavor, durability, overall preference?

[@TheBarbecueLab]

I would choose the searwood strictly because of the durability factor. Now, that's assuming that the Searwood holds up better than the Gravity, and since it's a new product, it's an assumption. I just know my Gravity has died, so I haven't seen longevity as a part of the gravity series to date.

[@TheRealSuperDred]

For us fellas in Europe, only Traeger and Weber seem to be the only brands readily available to us. And then the Searwood is currently available in the US. Guess we have to wait a while as Weber won out over the Traeger here.

[@chrismeyers7747]

No Recteq?

[@hookedm]

No Recteq ?!?

[@acymccoyjr]

Why is the broil king never in these comparisons. I own broil king and I would like to see how it stacks up against the other grills or does it have to be a domestic brand?

[@chrisbarajas4693]

A Little off-topic, but I was wondering if you use aluminum foil on your deflector plates on any of your grills.

[@lyleswavel320]

When it comes to pellet smoker the number one thing is wood flavor, after that, shelves, dumps and so on, because if it doesn't come close to a offset smoker, forget it and go buy your bbq from a bbq joint

[@peterbeagle5143]

Sear wood gives insane bark to a brisket, never seen bark like that from a pellet grill

[@AuSiE87]

I like my woodwind pro, but I'll say this: the back air vents don't close all the way so guess what started happening any time I didn't put the cover on? That's right, rats would squeeze through them and poop all over the bottom of my grill. Kind of an appetite killer.

[@rickcormier9160]

That is something that gives me a lot of concern. Gas grills are the worst with their open grease tray design.

[@franciszajauskas35]

What no Yoder no Pit Boss also believe it or not Maker's Mark you're missing a good one without those

[@jasonwhite4867]

What about using the wood box on the Camp Chef for more flavor. You should that out and compare.

[@thefrioman]

Great reviews as always

[@UsamaSacha]

Hi, which one is the best smokers for restaurant and takeaway? For making brisket

[@awells_7318]

no pitboss

[@rickcormier9160]

Please review customer service responses and warranties. These are extremely important matters for electrical/ mechanical grills and smokers.

[@GrillingwithGrove]

Smoked cream cheese is the thing that always gets my friends

[@TangyMonkey2369]

Can you do a review on Yoder YS480 S. Love to see you do the specs on one of them beasts

[@markdoyle6244]

Recteq 1250 for the win

[@codyd4112]

No Yoder either, great video though! I’m sure it takes a lot of time and energy to do these.

[@gosman949]

Yoder is above $2000. He kept everything below $2k! I honestly think that some of the below $2k ones are approaching the Yoder smoking ability. But they will not last as long!

[@hanktrantham2641]

You can’t compare thin tin to real steel!

[@lyleswavel320]

Camp chef woodwind pro, where you can put in wood for under $2000 $2000-$3000 Pitt & spitts with cage for wood chunks for flavor $3000-$4000 lone star grill pellet smoker or Yoder 640ys

[@midegola5623]

do you think the weber woon the smoke flavor test because it was smaller then all the others?

[@polsok44]

Did Green Mountain get rid of the vac port for cleaning the fire pot? It worked good and didn’t have to take grill apart to clean fire pot

[@mikecalcagni7073]

Would like to see how the Masterbuilt would stack up in your comparison

[@MrPhoenix1800]

I have a master built electric and recently got the Weber Searwood I would say they are close. Only thing better would be the controller and convince also the attachments for the Weber are awesome.

[@PeterH-f5h]

Do any of them have a hopper fire protection like a shield or a pellet drop to the pot like design? I think most of these companies are missing out on safety design!

[@drcdrdoct9864]

How could you not include the PitBoss?!? Seriously it's one of the most purchased.

[@fayjaimike]

do different grills impart more or less of a smokey flavor or does the pellets used make more of the difference? I've heard that Z Grills are extremely light on smoke flavor.. I'm wondering if its an issue with their pellets..

[@Pikapp43]

You really should check out the new Makers Mark Pro pellet grill. Incredible what you get for 499.

[@michealrobinson]

Where the Pit Boss pellet grills?

[@styxkc]

Why wasn't an Oklahoma Joe's DLX 1200 at least mentioned?