This content contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking a link on this page, we might receive a commission at no cost to you.
Smoker grills are one of the most exciting ways to grill. Half of the enjoyment comes from experimenting with different types of pellets and flavors when you cook. The right pellets can make a huge difference in the flavor profile of your BBQ!
Smoker pellets come in all sorts of flavors and varieties. It can be a little overwhelming at first to know where to start. We’re here to point you in the right direction! Welcome to our round up of the best wood pellets for smoking.
I also want to point out that you don’t need to stay with the same brand of pellets for smoking that your grill manufacturer makes despite some of the literature that pellet grill manufacturers put out there. We’ll get into this a little more, but don’t be afraid to branch out and try a few different brands!
In a Rush? Here’s Our Top Picks:
[optin-monster slug=”tnxx7wq84kenca3q0jgu”]
Best Pellets for Smoking – Our Reviews
CookinPellets 40PM Perfect Mix
CookinPellets has been one of the best selling brands of pellets for smoking for quite some time. That should come as no surprise, as the CookinPellets 40PM Perfect Mix is a fantastic hardwood blend that can be a tremendous compliment to your pellet grill.
Their Perfect Mix is a blend of four of the top and most popular hardwoods for pellet smoking: Hickory (base), Cherry, Hard Maple, and Apple. This mixture will give you a consistent, delicious smoky flavor when put to use.
One thing we love about the CookinPellets mix is that the bag they come in is designed to be resealable and used for storage. That might not sound like a big deal, but the same can’t be said for many other pellet bags – so going with the PerfectMix eliminates the hassle of having to store your pellets in a bucket or other secondary container.
Also, what you see is what you get with CookinPellets. Many manufacturers (even prominent brands) will use cheap wood as a filler to bulk up their product offerings.
This comes at the detriment of the quality of your pellet mixture and therefore the food’s resulting flavor. CookinPellets uses zero filler – so everything in the bag is 100% Hickory, Cherry, Hard Maple, and Apple.
Something to note as well, the PerfectMix is sold in a 40-pound bag, whereas it’s pretty common for other brands to sell 20-pound bags. The 40-pound bag will obviously cost more, but on a price per pound basis, the CookinPellets PerfectMix is very competitive in price too.
Things we like:
- 100% flavored hardwood with no filling or bark
- Great price point for the volume and quality of the 40-pound bag
- The preset blend is a great introductory pellet – you don’t have to blend yourself
- The bag is designed for immediate storage
- The smoky flavor works well with a multitude of smoked foods
Things we don’t like:
- Pre set blend means no experimenting (more advanced pit masters may want to do this)
- 40 pounds is a lot of pellets and might be excessive if you don’t use your pellet grill often
CookinPellets 40H Hickory Smoking Pellets
We’re sticking with CookinPellets for the next choice on our list of the best pellets for smoking, but this time it’s their 100% hickory bag. It’s once again very important to note that there is zero Oak or Alder filler, so you will get a true flavor off of these pellets.
Similar to the PerfectMix, this bag is resealable so you don’t have to worry at all about storage after use. So there’s no need for a bucket, bin, or other storage container to keep your pellets ready to smoke.
The 100% Hickory bag is a great option for both beginner and expert pit masters. For beginners, the Hickory smokey flavor is delicious and a wonderful compliment to almost every single type of food you can smoke. On the other hand, it’s the perfect base to blend with other flavors, so if you have a little more experience or want to experiment, it’s also a great option for you.
This is also a 40-pound bag, which is a lot of pellets, but I’m sure you will find a way to put them to good use!
Things we like:
- 100% flavored hardwood with no filling or bark
- Great price point for the volume and quality of the 40-pound bag
- Hickory is a great introductory pellet and also a great base for doing your own blending
- The bag is designed for immediate storage
- The smoky flavor works well with a multitude of foods
Things we don’t like:
- 40 pounds is a lot of pellets and might be excessive if you don’t use your pellet grill often
Camp Chef Smoker Grill Competition Blend BBQ Pellets
When it comes to value added in the flavor that comes from the best pellets for smoking, Camp Chef is at the top of the list. You can clearly taste the deliciousness that results from smoking with their Competition Blend Hardwood Pellets.
The blend itself is a combination of Hickory, Maple, and Cherry wood and is a perfectly balanced mixture. It’s great for smoking just about anything really – including beef, chicken, pork, fish, and even baked goods.
There are also no filler pellets, so everything in the bag is 100% food grade and high quality. These pellets also have low moisture content which helps for a more efficient burn and less ash clean up on the back end of your cook.
Camp Chef is a trusted brand in the grilling space, and they also offer Apple Hardwood and Hickory BBQ flavored pellets for smoking in 20-pound bags if you want to experiment with different flavors. These pellets in tandem with their Woodwind Series Pellet Grills are a dangerously tasty combination.
Things we like:
- 100% flavored hardwood with no filling or bark
- The price is on the lower end
- The competition blend is really good and so are the Apple Hardwood and Hickory BBQ flavors
- You can buy two, four, or six 20-pound bags depending on your needs
- Works well with a bunch of different food types
Things we don’t like:
- Pre set mixtures don’t allow you to experiment with mixing on your own
- You’ll need to store opened pellets in a bin or sealed container
BBQrs Delight Super Smoker Variety Value Pack
To us, the BBQrs Delight Super Value Pack is a great choice for beginners. The pack comes with six different flavors, each in a 1-pound bag (so 6 pounds of pellets in all, which is enough for approximately 60 uses total.
There are a couple of reasons that we love this value pack if you are just getting started. First, the 1-pound bags are super easy to manage, and you aren’t super committed to one flavor if you end up not liking it. Nothing is worse than buying 40 pounds of something that you don’t end up liking.
Second, and more importantly, the variety pack is great for beginners because you get to easily taste and see how different pellets and smoke will make your food taste different.
It takes time to get the hang of how a different pellet will make your food taste, and to me the best way to accelerate that learning process is to have a bunch of different flavors (in this case 6!) to switch between on subsequent cooks.
And who knows, you may end up liking all of them a lot and buy the variety pack again!
Things we like:
- 1 pound bag of each flavor: Hickory, Apple, Mesquite, Cherry, Pecan and Jack Daniel’s
- No soaking is necessary and high quality pellets
- You can mix, match, and experiment with the different flavors
- Great additives to other hickory based pellets on this list
- A perfect way to try different flavors without committing to a high volume bag
Things we don’t like:
- On a per pound basis, the price is on the expensive side
Traeger Hickory Hardwood Grill Pellets
If you’re looking for a great budget option, the Traeger PEL319 Hickory All Natural Grill Pellets gets our vote for best pellets for smoking on a budget. It’s the best pricing on a per pound basis compared to the other pellets for smoking on this list.
Now, there is one downside to these pellets. Traeger is a brand known for their quality – they make some of the best pellet grills on the market, period. But surprisingly, when it comes to their pellets, they do use oak (or alder) filler in their pellet bags.
This filler is really just there to add bulk. It doesn’t enhance the flavor and as such, the end result in your food isn’t quite as delectable as some of the other pellets on this list. All of that being said though, you can still make delicious food with Traeger pellets and they are very affordable.
Things we like:
- Great price point
- Quality smokey flavor
- Good pellet for beginners and/or if you’re on a budget
Things we don’t like:
- Oak/alder filler is used
Bear Mountain BBQ 100% All-Natural Hardwood Pellets
Last but not least on our list of best pellets for smoking is the Bear Mountain BBQ 100% Hickory Hardwood pellets. These pellets are a tiny bit more expensive than the Traeger pellets but are composed of 100% Hickory with no added fillers for a richer flavor.
Similar to the other Hickory mixtures we’ve discussed already, these pellets work great as a stand alone pellet or as a base to mix with other flavors. Hickory is a perfect pellet for just about any meat, fish, poultry, or veggie.
Things we like:
- Great price point
- 100% all natural Hickory with no fillers or additives
- Great base pellet to use on its own or as a base for mixing
- Quality, robust flavor profile
Things we don’t like:
- Many customers have given feedback that these pellets can be difficult to light
Best Pellets for Smoking – Buying Tips and FAQ
When it comes to smoking and using pellet grills, it’s helpful to have a base of knowledge and information before you light the fire! Pellet grills use specially designed wood pellets, which are essentially compressed sawdust, instead of traditional charcoal.
Smoking Pellets vs Heating Pellets
Make sure you’re buying the right kind of pellets! Heating pellets are wood pellets that are made from hardwoods with insecticides or chemicals and are supposed to be used in a pellet stove to heat a home.
Food grade hardwood pellets, on the other hand, are what we are looking for here. These are the pellets that are made from food grade hardwoods and are designed for use in pellet grills and vertical pellet smokers.
What are the Best Pellet Flavors?
The short answer? It depends! A lot of the flavors that are good for smoking have already been touched on in this post, but here is a list of the more popular flavors used for smoking pellets:
- Hickory (an all around versatile species – great for grilling steaks all the way to low and slow BBQ)
- Maple
- Mesquite (great for smoking strong cuts like brisket on the pellet smoker)
- Apple
- Cherry
- Oak
- Alder
- Pecan
Each flavor compliments different types of meat in different ways, and it’s best to check the manufacturer’s recommendations for which foods will work best with the pellets you’re purchasing.
Can I Mix Pellet Flavors?
Yes! And it’s highly encouraged. One of the most fun parts of pellet grills is mixing and matching different pellet flavors and experimenting until you find that perfect blend.
Of course, some brands market pre blended mixtures that take the guess work out of it for you if you don’t want to mix on your own at first.
How Important Are Quality Pellets?
Very important! In fact, a lot of issues that arise from your pellet grill are very likely a function of running poorly made pellets through your grill.
When smoking pellets are cheaply made, they can fall apart easily and won’t burn at a steady rate. This means that you can have volatile, inconsistent temperatures which will ruin your cooks.
All of the pellets on this list are made of high quality. And just to clarify what I mean by quality in the answer to this question – I’m talking about how well the pellets themselves are put together.
You see, pellets are essentially compressed sawdust that gets meshed together in a high pressure situation then cut to size.
If the manufacturing process is flawed, the pellets will be prone to fall apart. Pellets which fall apart create a lot of headaches for you in every part of the cooking process – they lead to inconsistent temperatures and smoke.
How Do I Store Smoking Pellets?
This part might seem like overkill, but I promise you it’s not. Since many pellets are sold in 20 or even 40-pound bags, you’ll want to make sure you maximize the shelf life for all of the pellets you paid for. Safe storage of your smoking pellets will also prevent the possibility of mold growing on your pellets over time.
Use an Air Tight Container
Some brands, like CookinPellets, designed their pellet bag to be resealed and used for storage. Unless you are buying their pellets, we highly recommend you don’t keep pellets in the same bag they came in.
The reason is, the original bag is likely to expose the pellets to oxygen and moisture via the original opening or a subsequent puncture. You want to create an environment for the pellets where they can rest in storage undisturbed.
As far as containers go, I recommend a lidded 5-gallon bucket or even a repurposed charcoal caddy.
Moisture and Oxygen Exposure are Bad
On that note, oxygen exposure and moisture will lead to rapid deterioration of your smoking pellets. That’s really the reason why you should use an air tight storage container.
The oxygen and moisture essentially break down the hardened capsules that the pellets are enclosed in, which will eventually lead to crumbling.
Another pro tip is to ONLY open your storage container when it’s needed, i.e. when you are using pellets to grill something. Each time you open your storage container is another little bit of oxygen exposure.
How Long Do Wood Pellets Last for Smoking?
As a general rule of thumb, a pellet grill will use a half pound per hour the smoker is used. This burn rate can vary depending on a variety of factors, most notably which type of wood your pellets are and what the temperature and windiness is like in the surrounds of your grill.
How Are Wood Smoking Pellets Made?
This part is pretty cool. The best wood pellets for smoking are made from repurposed sawdust and bits of wood that are byproducts of the lumber cutting process at lumber yards.
The scrap is collected, compressed, and hardened into cylinders which are then cut to the size of the pellets you and I are familiar with! Pretty cool that something that makes our food so delicious is actually repurposed.
Should I Soak Wood Smoking Pellets Before Use?
No! Moisture is actually a detriment to smoking pellets, so it’s best to keep them dry and not soak them before use. Soaking in water breaks down the pellets and makes lighting them and fire management after the fact much more difficult. The best pellets for smoking are ready to use straight out of the bag.
Other Wood Pellet Resources:
Wrap Up
Are you ready to fire up the pellet grill or what?! After all of that talk, I know I am. Let us know in the comments section which brand you ended up going with and how it turned out!
Don’t be afraid to venture out and experiment with different blends. Half the fun is discovering new, delicious ways to prepare your food.
