The 10 Best Pellet Grills Under $500 – Everything You Need to Know

Finding the best pellet grills under $500 that will work for you is a task that requires adequate information and caution these days. Buying a grilling machine is best done by looking for specific features and checking user pellet grill reviews. This is so that you don’t end up with a grilling machine you do not like.

It is better to save costs by looking at the best pellet grill and carefully selecting one. Order it instead of trying many grilling machines and choosing the one you like. This will secure that you do not face unanticipated issues during use.

We recommend that you consider the options mentioned below very thoroughly before choosing. Also, look at various reviews and keep each one in mind to know that the product you select is not a bad one painted positively.

This article is for you to check the best pellet grill under $500 that may be suitable for you.

Top 8 Best best pellet grills under $500

[amazon table=”1462″]

1. Cuisinart CPG-400 Wood BBQ

[amazon box=”B079W3HS3C” /]

One of the best pellet smoker grills available in the market is weather resistant which makes it durable. Cuisinart CPG-4000 takes the number one spot on this list of our best pellet grills under $500.

The cooking capacity of 450 square inches and its 15 lb hopper capacity is perfect for use when you have guests over or when hosting an outdoor barbecue.

The Cuisinart Wood Pellet can cook foods low and slow or hot and fast with a precision temperature controller. The temp is shown on an LED display on the thermostat. It’s able to maintain the heat automatically. When needed, it even adds pellets to the fire for those intimidated by gas grills. This is an excellent introduction to pellet cooking.

best pellet grills under 500

The Cuisinart CPG-4000 is designed to make room for more food on the grate. It comes with a handy grease bucket. That stays cleaner and free of excess grease that may accumulate in a traditional grill.

The materials that are used to build it are resistant to ultraviolet rays. This grill is good for being versatile as it can be used to braise, bake, grill, smoke, barbecue, and roast.

Pros

  • It accommodates different purposes for a grill.
  • Superb portable and does not take a lot of space.
  • Easy to use with its simple and unique control system
  • It gives you a chance to create your preferred flavor
  • Unique temperature control system that enables you to set it to your preferred temperature.
  • The fuel system is unique and fuel-efficient.
  • One of the Best Pellet Grills Under $500

Cons

  • It cannot handle significant events or ceremonies such as big weddings.
  • The water tray is not effective in holding dripping grease
  • Interior paints are sometimes mixed with food cooked inside.

2. Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill

[amazon box=”B06WVCR6FP” /]

There are plenty of fancy grills out there, but all you need is something that will get the job done. The Camp Chef SmokePro Pellet Grill model is second on my list of best pellet grills for under $500. The Camp Chef DLX Pellet Grill provides stable, reliable smoke every time. The new Gen 2 controller has the added benefit of Smoke Control + PID technology to make cooking easy and more efficient than before. With an innovative Ash Cleanout system, you can enjoy faultless cooking with less mess and effort. This cooking station is the ultimate. It allows you to smoke at low or high temps. The 573 sq grilling surface means that you’ll have plenty of space while using this grill. The rotating door makes it easy for quick access to food, and the hopper capacity of 18 pounds is perfect for those who are grilling all the time! This item’s weight is 140 lbs. It will be doable whether or not a person uses it regularly.

The temperature is easily adjustable from 160° to 500° F. Smoke levels are also flexible, which means that you can find a perfect setting for whatever food you’re cooking.
best pellet grills under 500

Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill is the perfect choice for enjoying smokey flavors and cooking slowly at home. If you are looking for an outdoor solution. That would allow you to cook like the pros, and then this grill makes it easy! The temperature control is flawless. You can dial down your cooking process as needed by adjusting its settings. All these features make this smoker so much easier than others. Plus, the wood flavor still comes through even if there’s no smoke pouring out.

Pros

  • Two turkeys can be cooked on a large cooking surface.
  • Dump tray for easy clean out.
  • Probe for measuring temperature.
  •  Very good customer service
  • The temperature control of this grill is easy to use

Cons

  • Pellets are difficult to remove from the hopper for storage
  • After few time use, ashes are blasted all over the bottom and must be swept away.

3.Z Grills ZPG-7002E 2020

[amazon box=”B07GC2F1YW” /]

The Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill is the ideal way to get the taste of a wood fire without the hassle. This pellet smoker is a versatile and powerful appliance. It weighs about 84 pounds and comes with an LED display. It is effortless for you to control the temperature of your food from 180°F to 450°F. The power source for this product is wood pellets that allow different flavors.

It is protean and permits you to cook your meal in different ways. Such as braising, baking, roasting, grilling, barbecuing, and searing. It is a perfect option for large family meetings and parties with its 700 square inch cooking space. And it has enough space to accommodate pellets that will cook a large meal without refilling the pellets.

best pellet grills under $500

The Z Grills wood offers advanced wood-fire technology. To provide you with the benefits of cooking over a flame, easy to use but in much less time. With an easy-to-use digital interface . that allows for precise temperature control. and a 20-pound hopper capacity

This grill is perfect for beginners who are looking to experiment with grilling. But don’t have the experience or expertise.

This grill features a foldable working shelf with heavy-duty all-terrain wheels. And rust-proof cover & racks.

Pros

  • Its uses and cooking methods are versatile.
  • It is perfect for making use of insignificant events and family gatherings.
  • Stainless-steel body that makes it possible for it to last long
  • It gives room to introduce more flavors to your meal.
  • The temperature control system is versatile and straightforward to operate.
  • It has a digital temperature control system.

Cons

  • The Control board may get worse after some time.
  • It is heavy and may get spoilt when shipping.
  • The temperature control is less efficient after a few uses.

4.Traeger Grills Tailgater 2

[amazon box=”B082N6BV3X” /]

Traeger Grills Tailgater 2 is among the best grills based on its features and the reviews given by past users. It has black and weighs about 62 pounds. The power source of this portable pellet smoker is both wood pellet and electric, and it doesn’t make use of charcoal or gas.

The temperature control is versatile, with 180​ °F to 450 °F control. It allows you to perform 6 different cooking types: grilling, roasting, baking, braising, smoking, and barbecuing. The cooking space is 300 square inches, making it possible to be used in some significant events.

best wood pellet grills under 500

The Tailgater can cook up to six burgers on its 18″ cooking grate. And it’s so tiny it can fit in your truck bed or under most picnic tables.

Pros

  • It has consistent and straightforward temperature control.
  • It does not make use of propane and its fuel-efficient

Cons

  • It can’t accommodate a big event or gather such as a significant wedding event.
  • The temperature may malfunction and start using the wrong temperature after a few uses.
  • The paint peels off easily after some time, and it also attaches itself to meals.

5.Green Mountain Crockett grills

[amazon box=”B095V4519T” /]

Green Mountain Davy Crockett is one of the best grills available. Perfect for use in any situation, be it home use, camping trips, or hunting. It is very portable, weighting 67 pounds. It has an inbuilt feature known as the Sensor Mate to monitor the grill temperature.

This pellet grill comes with a ribs rack where you put your meat as you cook them, and it has a meat probe and a convenience tray. It cooks meals very fast, and it can run on a small amount of wood pellet for a long time. It is resistant to common environmental defects such as rusting and material weakening.

The cooking area on Green Mountain Davy Crockett is 210 sq inches. Your food will be cooked thanks to evenly stainless steel burners and an auger system. The pellet hopper makes loading easy with a thermostat to control the heat. It folds up easily for transporting. You can take it anywhere because it has four robust legs that provide stability on uneven cooking surfaces.

Pros

  • Lightweight and portable
  • It’s incredibly user-friendly.
  • Constructed of long-lasting material.
  • It has a control system that is not complex to use

Cons

  • The temperature control is not practical.
  • It breakdown easily after a few years.
  • It sometimes overcooks meals due to internal malfunctions.

6. Ozark Grills – The Razorback

[amazon box=”B07V3GL8CN” /]

If you like to make the most of your outdoor pellet grill experience. It’s time to invest in an Ozark Grills Razorback Wood. Ozark Grills is one of the best pellet grills under $500 that would be perfect for your smokey grilling.

This grill can reach temps of 450 degrees Fahrenheit and has a cooking area of 305 square inches. It also includes a digital temperature probe (the only one on the market) that tells you when your food is done without ever touching it.

The Ozark Grills smoker is perfect for the grill master who wants to get serious about smoking meat. Despite the size of the cut of meat you’re preparing. You’ll get a high-quality, delicious, and consistent product every time you use this smoker. All you need is a remote temperature probe and some pellets.

best pellet grills under $500

It comes with a large digital touch screen to adjust the temperature, cooking time, etc. The grill gives you the flexibility to cook in any weather, whether hot or cold. This creates excellent dishes. Whether you’re looking for smoked ribs or grilled salmon!

Pros

  • 305 sq Inch Cooking Area
  • ​Most affordable option
  •  Perfect for small families ​

Cons

  • ​ Poor designed
  • ​​Customer service Not so good

7. Z GRILLS ZPG-450A Pellet Grill

[amazon box=”B07H4JD85M” /]

The Z GRILLS ZPG-450A has all the features you’re looking for in a grill. A smoker, a side burner, and an auto temperature control. Z GRILLS ZPG-450A takes the seventh spot on our 8 best pellet grills under $500.

The digital controls let you track and maintain the desired temperature with ease. While the porcelain-coated cooking grates offer superior heat distribution. Plus, with 452 sq in the cooking room.

The grill is also high-quality materials, such as rust-resistant steel and a powder-coated finish. So you can enjoy cooking for hours without interruption!

best pellet grills under 500

With the Z Grills, you can easily set the temperature, and everything else will take care of itself. And if you bother about running out of fuel, fear not! The PID (proportional-integral-derivative) technology will regulate the heat for you.

This grill has a patented 15 pounds hopper capacity. Pellet auger to automatically feed pellets when your fuel box is low.

Pros

  • Grilling temperature ranges from 180° to 450°F
  • 452 square feet of kitchen area
  • Pellet hopper with a capacity of 15 pounds

Cons

  • Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor

8. Green Mountain Trek Prime WiFi Control Pellet Grill

[amazon box=”B08J8F7135″ /]

The Green Mountain Trek is a new addition to the GMG family. This grill features an adjustable heat baffle for more precise control of your fire.

With our GMG smart grill, you can control and track your grill from a distance. The GMG app tracks your food temperature and smoke/grill temp remotely. The temperature range is from 150°F to 550°F, with a 5° increment control.

This GMT provides you with both Wi-Fi control and smartphone control. You cab the ability to start and stop your grill from any location.

I LOVE GMG. I’ve only used it about 10 times, but I’m very happy with my GMG in that short time (4 weeks). The WiFi works well, holds the temperature spot on, and so far, the recipes have worked well for me. This is a value for a few bucks and works exactly as the manufacturer claims.

There’s no doubt that the GMT is not like any other smoker you have seen before.

Pros

  • Temperature Control from 150°F to 550°F.
  • WiFi control portable

Cons

Why a Best Pellet Grills Under $500 May be a Good Choice for You

Pellet smokers can be the best grilling machines to use, and for some chefs, it is either a pellet smoker or nothing. Why? Here are some of the reasons a pellet smoker stands out.

Ease of Use

You probably have a sneer on your face if you’re new to grillers. But that is far from the truth, unlike some grills where you must worry about almost everything and babysit the grill throughout its usage. But the fact is that pellet smokers look like complex machines that will need many procedures to operate. grills don’t make you stay glued to the smoker.

To use these pellet smokers, all you need to learn is how to fill the grills with pellets and the function of the buttons. With the use of the thermometer. The temperature is monitored. And the grill automatically drops more pellets into the firepot.

This makes most grills easier to use than other machines. When you set a particular temperature limit. The hopper releases more pellets into the firepot when the ambient temperature goes below.

The machine ignites the pellets and automatically fans them, producing more heat and smoke to continue the process.

It Consumes Less Electricity

Come with an electric panel that controls the temperature and other things. And so it needs a source of electricity to power them. Although a source of electricity is required. This doesn’t mean that it drains a lot of electricity. You may not even notice the difference in your bill.

It is Not Very Expensive to Operate

Pellet grills are not very expensive to operate. If you want to grill something for about 1 hour, a $2.5 pellet will be enough. Unlike some of their counterparts, they will cost you a lot of charcoal and wood to perform their purpose. But in general, the cost of operating some other types of grills is more expensive than this type.

It Has Different Styles and Sizes

They give room for preferences as someone living alone or with a small family may not like to buy the pellet grill size that an extended family will need. Come in different sizes and designs, making it possible to choose any one that meets your taste. Pellet grills have sizes and shape perfect for use in backyards and others that can fit in a very limited space.

You Can Create Different Flavors

With a pellet grill, it is possible to determine the flavor of your food after you have finished grilling or smoking. All this depends on the type of pellet you use as you will grill or smoke. You can use mesquite pellets to make your food taste uniquely, the same with using a hickory wood pellet grill.

What To Look for In the best pellet grills under $500

Initially, buying a pellet grill for the first time may cost you some money as it conserves money later. This means that you should go for the best grills worth the money with their quality and features. Pellet smokers come in different styles and features, and knowing some of the things that determine the quality of pellet smokers will help you bag the best deal. These are the ultimate guide :

Material

If you look at the type of work that a pellet grill does, you will know that it requires strong and quality materials for its production. When buying a pellet grill, go for those that are made of stainless steel, as this is the only one that lasts the longest because it does not rust or damage easily.

Variety of Temperature Settings

If you don’t want to buy two pellet grills that will serve different purposes depending on the temperature you want to grill or smoke your food, always look for a pellet grill with various temperature settings. The ideal choice is a pellet grill that allows you to smoke your food at low temperatures and then still have room for grilling at high temperatures.

Size and Design

Like I said earlier, always look to buy a pellet grill depending on the type of space you have available. If you don’t have enough space in your house, you should always go for grills in smaller or medium sizes. And if you have enough space to accommodate a large pellet smoker, you can buy it.

Versatility

Another essential thing to investigate is how versatile a pellet grill is before buying. A good pellet grill will accommodate all your needs, such as grilling, smoking, baking, and other expected functions.

One of the best scenarios to explain why a multi-functional pellet grill is good is when you have an outdoor event where people have a lot of preferences. This allows you to satisfy everyone with just a single grill without buying two or more different grills.

It Should Have a Wi-Fi

For those who don’t like to be beside a grill all the time while cooking any food. One of the best things to consider is a pellet grill that you can control with a Wi-Fi-connected app. This app allows you to control the temperature, start and stop, and other things. This app allows you to carry out almost all the activities you would have done while physically contacting the grill on your phone. But it’s hard to find wifi best pellet grill for under $500.

Read more:- Best Wifi Pellet Grill

It Should Conserve Fuel:

Pellet

A good quality pellet grill should not waste your money on fuels that will power it. It should conserve the use of fuel to the maximum amount. One of the best ways to get a pellet grill to save fuel is to buy one. That has a convection fan which helps to reduce the number of pellets used.

The Control Should Be Simple:

The control buttons of a quality pellet grill should not be complex. They should have clear and straight-to-the-point instructions.

FAQs

Which pellet grill is best for the money?

If budget is not an issue for you, then One pellet grill that stands out is the Traeger Grills Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill. The grill has a built-in meat probe and an upgraded cooking system designed for high-temperature grilling. It even has Alexa integrated into your grill, so you can control it simply from your phone. Smart Home Technology is a complete set of the best features.

And if you are looking for an affordable option, the Cuisinart CPG-400 Wood BBQ is the best bet for me. ​Its is an excellent addition to any outdoor living area. The smoker will cook your food with a natural hardwood pellet grill. Which are essential for smoky flavor as well as an authentic wood-fired taste.

Are pit boss pellet grills good?

The company Pit Boss has been in business since the late 1990s and is a leading provider of grills. Pit Boss Grill offers countless options, ranging from affordable gas-grill prices to high-quality stainless steel appliances. There’s an option available for everyone! They have offered various grills with barrel smokers, large tabletop units, and several sizes. Read Pit Boss 700FB Review

For a beginner, what is the best pellet grill or smoker?

If you’re a beginner, it’s advisable to start with something inexpensive pellet grill to see if you enjoy smoking. Pellet smokers are expensive and not great smokers, but they’re okay. How often you want and so on.

My suggestion is that for a first smoker. Try out the ​Green Mountain Crockett grill. It’s one of the most suitable choices if you’re looking for the best budget pellet grill option. Because it’s among the best pellet grill under $400 on the market! It has produced great smoked meat that is quite simple to install. Also, it’s simple to use and doesn’t have any drawbacks!

Is it better to cook on a charcoal grill or a pellet grill?

You must consider what you want from the grill and how you plan to use it. A pellet grill is a smoker that uses an automatic feeder to fill the hopper. It can be used for high heat grilling or smoking, but it’s better suited as a smoker. Charcoal grills are better designed for higher heat cooking. And you could use them to smoke food if you offset the heat source with your meat while cooking.

Charcoal is better than pellets as a fuel because it doesn’t need tending. Unless maintained, it also has less of the bitter, acrid smoke associated with pellets.

What is the major issue with a pellet grill smoker?

Pellet smokers are not made to handle higher temperatures. They’re more of a low and slow cooker. The biggest problem with pellet grills is that they always run at low temperatures. Only 250°F, which can be too cool for smoking often.

An excellent way to limit the impact of this issue on your grilled goods is by purchasing an accurate digital thermometer. So you know what temperature the grate at any given moment before adding new ingredients.

How much do smokers cost?

A smoker or grill is used for cooking food by burning wood, charcoal, and gas grilling. There are many other types of smokers, and the prices vary depending on the style you want.

The more expensive ones will come with a higher-quality product that will provide superior insulation. And they also last longer than cheaper models. The cheaper model did not last for a long time. There is not as much protection from heat loss through their construction materials.

The average smoker usually costs around $300-$500. while high-end models range anywhere from $1000-$2500 to over a thousand dollars in price.

Conclusions

Grills are always needed in the kitchen to make food, and pellet grills are one of the different types of grills. This type of grill does not use charcoal or propane. But wood pellets help produce different flavors when cooking with it. Before buying, there are things to look out for in a pellet grill, such as quality, size, versatility, ease of use, good temperature control system, etc.

The Cuisinart CPG-400  is very portable and can be used at different places to make meals. I Discussed some of the best pellet grills under $500 of the best quality and various sizes. While some of them, like Z Grills ZPG-7002E 2020, is mainly for significant events as their weight is big. Some are medium-sized and can be used for small and big events such as the Camp Chef SmokePro. ​

If you’re looking for the best pellet grills under $500, I recommend Ozark Grills – The Razorback. It’s affordable and high quality!

We hope that this article guides you into choosing a pellet smoker that will be right for you and last long. Although the products mentioned above are of top quality. It has one or two defects, and some of the prominent defects are the breakdown of the temperature control after a few uses, paint peeling, and sticking to the food after some time.