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While pellet grills offer versatility and set-it-and-forget-it automated cooking technology that you won’t find with many charcoal grills or gas grills, they also often come with a steep price tag. But you don’t have to fork over upwards of $1,000 for a quality pellet grill—there are plenty of good options for under $500.
Carey Bringle, co-owner of the famous Peg Leg Porker BBQ restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, says, “Some people have a negative outlook on using pellet smokers because you’re not smoking with ‘real wood,’ but it’s all about the end result and how you enjoy getting there.” It’s also true that with the huge variety of pellets available, there are now more smoky flavor options than ever.
Many of these budget-priced pellet grills have features found on pricier models, including large cooking surfaces, high-capacity hoppers, digital thermostats, stainless steel construction, and ports for meat probes. Ahead, learn more about what you can expect at this price point and find out which models are the best pellet grills under $500.
- BEST OVERALL: Pit Boss Mahogany 440 Deluxe Wood Pellet Grill
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Asmoke AS550 Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR GRILLING: Recteq RT-B380 Electric Bullseye Wood Pellet Grill
↓ Jump to Review - BEST SMOKER-GRILL COMBO: Z Grills ZPG-450A Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
↓ Jump to Review - BEST LARGE-CAPACITY: Pit Boss Austin XL 1000 Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
↓ Jump to Review - BEST PORTABLE: Traeger Ranger Electric Portable Pellet Grill
↓ Jump to Review - ALSO CONSIDER: Z Grills ZPG-550B Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
↓ Jump to Review
How We Chose the Best Pellet Grills Under $500
We’d already looked at the best pellet grills under $1,000, so we had some background information. When researching products at this price point, we knew we could still choose wood pellet grills that offer excellent quality, performance, and features. Precise temperature control is key with a pellet grill, so we limited our selection to those with digital controls that make it easy to set accurate cooking temperatures. Since pellet grills are designed to both smoke and grill, we chose models capable of maintaining low temperatures of 200 degrees Fahrenheit or less for smoking and high temperatures of at least 450 degrees Fahrenheit for grilling.
Other factors we took into account include the size of the pellet grill’s hopper, which dictates how long it can operate on a single load of pellets; accessories like grease and ash catchers that make the grill easier to clean; and additional features, including meat probes and prep space.
Luis Mata, co-founder of Florida-based premium meat suppliers Meat N’ Bone, explains, “Pellet grills are interesting if you love to smoke but do not have the time to babysit the grill for a day or two.” He adds, “Any of the pellet grills will do the work, so it comes down to personal preference. What will be absolutely necessary, no matter the brand, is proper care and maintenance. Make sure the pellets never get wet and store them properly.”
Our Top Picks
The pellet grills below offer excellent value, digital controls, broad temperature ranges for both smoking and grilling, and durable construction. The list includes large grills with ample rack space and smaller models compact enough for camping or tailgating.
Best Overall
Pit Boss Mahogany 440 Deluxe Wood Pellet Grill
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 518 square inches
- Hopper capacity: 5 pounds
- Temperature range: 180 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
What We Like
- Features a “Flame Broiler” that reaches high temperatures for searing
- Includes a side table with a removable tray for serving
- Offers a broad temperature range suitable for both smoking and grilling
What We Don’t Like
- Has a smaller hopper size that requires more frequent pellet refills
This versatile pellet grill is a great option for those who love to grill just as much as they love to smoke. It features a digital controller that allows the chef to dial in temperatures ranging from as little as 180 degrees Fahrenheit for slow-and-low smoking up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit for grilling. It’s also equipped with a “Flame Broiler” lever that produces heat up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, ideal for searing steaks and burgers.
The 440’s 5-pound hopper is notably smaller than other models, so you should expect to refill pellets more often. Other notable features on the Pit Boss 440 include a removable side shelf that doubles as a serving tray, a built-in bottle opener, and two large wheels for maneuvering it around a deck or patio.
Get the Pit Boss Mahogany pellet grill at Amazon or Pit Boss.
Best Bang for the Buck
Asmoke AS550 Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 700 square inches
- Hopper capacity: 25.8 pounds
- Temperature range: 180 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
What We Like
- Offers great value with a lot of grill features at a price well under $500
- Provides 700 square inches of total rack space for smoking and grilling
- Includes a large 25.8-pound hopper for longer smoking sessions
What We Don’t Like
- Some customers report difficulty in maintaining a consistent temperature
Even though this model from Asmoke is priced well below the $500 price point, the AS550 includes a surprising amount of cooking surface. It has 484 square inches of main cooking space with an additional 216 square inches of secondary cooking surface for smoking food. While most full-size pellet grills come equipped with hoppers that hold 18 to 20 pounds, the Asmoke boasts a 25.8-pound hopper, allowing you to smoke for many hours before having to add more pellets.
The Asmoke also has digital controls that allow you to dial in specific temperature settings, and it has a broad temperature range of 180 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Other useful features include a pull-out tray under the cook box that helps when cleaning up ash post grilling.
Get the Asmoke pellet grill at The Home Depot or Walmart.
Best for Grilling
Recteq RT-B380 Electric Bullseye Wood Pellet Grill
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 380 square inches
- Hopper capacity: 15 pounds
- Temperature range: 200 to 750 degrees Fahrenheit
What We Like
- Reaches a high maximum temperature of 750 degrees Fahrenheit for grilling
- Compact design suitable for small outdoor spaces or tailgating
- Constructed from durable and rust-resistant stainless steel
What We Don’t Like
- Maintains a minimum temperature of only 200 degrees Fahrenheit for smoking
- Offers less rack space for food compared to other full-size pellet grills
To get a good sear on hamburgers or steaks, you’ll want to grill with a direct flame. The problem is that most pellet grills use indirect heat. The Recteq is an exception. It comes equipped with a “Riot” mode, which uses direct heat to grill at temperatures of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit. This is well above the typical 500 degrees Fahrenheit of indirect heat most pellet grills can reach. In addition to grilling at searingly hot temperatures, the Recteq RT-B380 can cook at lower temperatures of just 200 degrees Fahrenheit, making it adept at both grilling and smoking.
In addition to its versatile cooking ability, the Recteq RT-B380’s kettle grill design makes it one of the more compact full-size pellet grills available—a good option for those who like to tailgate or who have limited space for a smoker. Potential buyers will want to note that it does have less rack space than other pellet grills.
Get the Recteq pellet grill at Amazon or Recteq.
Best Smoker Grill Combo
Z Grills ZPG-450A Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 452 square inches
- Hopper capacity: 15 pounds
- Temperature range: 160 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
What We Like
- Ideal for long, slow smoking and capable of hot, fast grilling
- Features advanced digital PID for automatic temperature control, ensuring fuss-free cooking
- Constructed with a heavy-duty steel body and a heat-resistant powder-coated finish for enhanced durability
What We Don’t Like
- Relatively modest maximum temperature can make searing steaks challenging
There are a number of wood pellet grill smoker combinations on the market under $500, but the Z Grills ZPG-450A is our top pick thanks to its ability to develop that much-loved smoky flavor at low temperatures, or quickly ramp up the heat for everyday cooking. Precise automatic digital control also means you can expect excellent results without spending all your time monitoring the grill.
A full-width front shelf provides useful prep and serving space. A convection air system ensures consistent heat throughout the chamber, and a drip tray under the grates channels grease to a waiting bucket so it doesn’t impact food flavor. Heavy-duty steel construction with a heat-resistant powder-coated exterior should provide good durability.
Get the Z Grills ZPG-450A pellet grill at Amazon.
Best Large-Capacity
Pit Boss Austin XL 1000 Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 1,007 square inches
- Hopper capacity: 30 pounds
- Temperature range: 180 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
What We Like
- Features a massive cooking surface spanning over 1,000 square inches
- Can smoke for many hours without needing a refill, thanks to its large hopper
- Includes 2 meat-probe ports for monitoring food temperature across the grill
What We Don’t Like
- Requires a lot of space, extending over 5 feet in length
With over 1,000 square inches of cooking surface, the Pit Boss Austin XL is one of the largest smokers available at the sub-$500 price point. Along with offering a vast surface for grilling and smoking, the grill also boasts a massive 30-pound hopper that houses enough pellets for a full day of smoking without needing a refill.
The Austin XL can hold temperatures ranging from 180 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and comes equipped with two meat-probe ports for monitoring food temperature. It also has side and bottom shelves for prep and storage space as well as four wheels on the base for maneuvering around a patio or deck. While the Austin XL offers plenty of rack space for food, it also occupies a large footprint at more than 5 feet long.
Get the Pit Boss Austin pellet grill at Walmart.
Best Portable
Traeger Ranger Electric Portable Pellet Grill
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 184 square inches
- Hopper capacity: 8 pounds
- Temperature range: 165 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
What We Like
- Constructed from heavy-gauge steel for durability and features a lockable lid
- Compact enough to fit easily inside a car trunk
- Equipped with digital controls, a meat-probe port, and functions as a flat-top grill with an included griddle attachment
What We Don’t Like
- Offers less than 200 square inches of total cooking surface, smaller than most pellet grills
Traeger is one of the premier names in pellet grills. Most of its grills fall outside the under-$500 price range, but this portable model is an exception. This compact pellet grill features the same Traeger quality its larger brethren are known for, including heavy-duty iron construction and porcelain-coated steel grill grates. It comes equipped with 184 square inches of cooking surface, weighs just 60 pounds, and is small enough to fit in a car trunk, making it an ideal option for camping trips or tailgating events.
It also comes with a griddle attachment, allowing it to function as a flat-top grill for cooking other types of foods, including pancakes and bacon. As with full-size Traeger grills, the Ranger comes equipped with a digital thermostat and a port for a meat probe.
Get the Traeger pellet grill at Amazon, Ace Hardware, The Home Depot, BBQGuys, or Traeger.
Also Consider
Z Grills ZPG-550B Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Product Specs
- Cooking surface: 560 square inches
- Hopper capacity: 10 pounds
- Temperature range: 180 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
What We Like
- Includes a removable upper cooling rack for easy serving and cleaning
- Offers ample rack space for grilling and smoking
- Features PID technology for precise control and fan-forced convection for wood-fired flavor
What We Don’t Like
- Capable of reaching only a maximum temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit
- Lacks a removable ash pan for easy post-grilling cleanup
With the rack space and features offered at a price well under $500, this pellet smoker from Z Grills is an excellent buy. In addition to its 560 square inches of cooking surface, it also comes equipped with a 10-pound hopper that can keep the grill burning for up to 10 hours on a single load.
Its digital controls make it easy to dial in temperatures. With a maximum temperature setting of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the 550B doesn’t get as hot as other pellet grills; however, it can maintain temperatures as low as 180 degrees Fahrenheit for smoking. Z Grills also boasts durable construction with a rustproof stainless steel hood. The 550B lacks a dropout for easy post-grilling ash removal, but it has a removable grease catcher.
Get the Z Grills ZPG-550B pellet grill at Amazon or Target.
Jump to Our Top Picks
What to Consider When Choosing a Pellet Grill Under $500
When choosing a pellet grill at this price range, it’s important to consider several factors, including rack space, hopper capacity, temperature controls, and portability. Ahead, learn more about these and other characteristics of pellet grills.
Rack Space and Hopper Capacity
A pellet grill’s rack space determines how much food you can cook at one time. The rack space on pellet grills under $500 varies. Small portable models have under 200 square inches of cooking surface, enough for a few burgers or a small rack of ribs. Full-size pellet grills have up to 1,000 square inches of rack space, which fits several racks of ribs, chickens, and pork butts. Remember that the rack space a pellet grill lists may include a warming rack and upper rack, as well as the main cooking surface.
The hopper on a pellet grill holds the pellets the grill uses as fuel. Its capacity determines how long the grill can cook before you need to add more pellets. Hopper size significantly impacts ease of use, given that smoking certain types of food, such as brisket, can take 15 hours or more. Hoppers can hold as little as 5 pounds of pellets, which is enough for about 3 to 5 hours of smoking (depending on the size of the grill and the temperature settings), up to 25 pounds, which is enough for up to 20 hours of cook time.
Temperature Control
One of the biggest advantages of a pellet grill is its ability to manage its own internal cooking temperature using an auger that automatically feeds pellets into the cook box and a fan for heat distribution. Pellet grills at the sub-$500 price point have digital controls that allow the user to dial in a specific temperature, making them very easy to use.
Since pellet grills are designed to allow for both smoking and grilling, they must have a wide range of temperature settings with a low of at least 200 degrees Fahrenheit for smoking and a max temperature of at least 450 degrees Fahrenheit for grilling. Some grills also come with searing features that allow you to grill at much higher temperatures of 700 to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is ideal for searing burgers and steaks.
Portability
Pellet grills vary in how portable they are. Most pellet grills weigh more than 100 pounds and measure more than 5 feet long—far too big to transport to another location. However, many of these full-size models have wheels on their base that allow you to move them short distances, such as around a deck or patio. Portable pellet grills weigh under 70 pounds and are small enough to fit inside a car trunk, making them ideal for tailgating gatherings or camping trips, and an affordable rival to portable charcoal grills. These portable versions can be small enough to fit on a tabletop or large enough to stand on their own using attached foldable legs.
Additional Features
While you won’t find smart features on pellet grills at the sub-$500 price point like you may with built-in grills, many still come with useful accessories that make them easier to use. Most pellet grills have controllers with meat probe ports that allow you to monitor food temperatures without opening the hood. Pellet grills under $500 also have features that make them easier to clean once the grilling is done, including removable ash pans and grease catchers. Other common features include side tables for food prep, cabinets and hooks for grill tool storage, and built-in bottle openers.
FAQs
If you’re wondering how hard a pellet grill is to use or how long your pellet grill will last, then read on for answers to these and other commonly asked questions.
The number of years you can get out of a pellet grill is directly related to how well you take care of it. Whereas a grill left uncovered and rarely cleaned may only last a few years before it succumbs to rust, a grill cleaned regularly and protected from the elements with a good cover can last 10 years or more.
Achieving a temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit is easy with a pellet grill. To do so, simply load the grill’s hopper with pellets, light it per the manufacturer’s instructions, and set the thermostat to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the thermostat is set, the pellet grill will automatically feed the fire box with the right amount of pellets and oxygen to reach and maintain that temperature.
The best-quality pellets consist of 100 percent all-natural hardwood. This type of pellet will last longer than pellets that use filler, will better maintain the temperature you set on the thermostat, and will produce more flavorful food.
Depending on the cooking chamber size and the thermostat temperature, a 20-pound load of wood pellets should last anywhere from 6 to 20 hours.
