However, with so many grills available on the market, picking the right grill out can be difficult, especially if you’re torn between the Traeger Ironwood vs Pro Series models.

After all, the characteristics, capacities, and purposes of both grills are almost identical.

To help you better understand what each type of grill offers, we have put together this guide. Here, we will teach you everything you need to know about both types of Traeger grills, so you can make the best decision for your needs, preferences, and budget.

If this sounds like something that could come in useful to you, be sure to keep reading!

What Are Traeger Grills?

You may already have heard of Traeger, but before we start looking at the Ironwood and Pro Series Grills Traeger produces it is probably a good idea to get a better understanding of who Traeger are and what we can expect from their grills. 

Traeger grills came about in 1985, when Joe Traeger, Traeger’s founder, accidentally burned his 4th of July chicken on his gas barbecue. This made him realize that he could do things a lot better and that’s exactly what he did.

Later that year Traeger Grills was born, and Joe Traeger invented the world’s first wood pellet grill.

In the years since, Traeger has developed and released more and more pellet grills to the market, with each one being designed with the latest grill technologies to ensure the best possible performance. 

In regards to what we can expect from any Traeger Grill, Traeger has an impressive reputation. They are typically known for making incredibly reliable grills that cook meat to perfection, needing little effort from us.

With a Traeger grill, you can expect reliable, great results every time. While their grills use wood as their fuel source, Trager has ensured that their grill still has digital control to simplify the cooking process.

From a whole host of grills, two of the most popular models are the Ironwood and Pro Series grill. These are the two we will be looking at.

The Grills We Will Be Comparing

There are a number of different grills that make up both series of these Traeger Grills. So that we don’t overload you with information we will just focus on two of the most popular grills from each series.

From the Ironwood series, we will be talking about:

Ironwood 650

Ironwood 885

From the Pro Series, we will be discussing:

Pro 575 

Pro 780

Traeger Grills Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker with WIFI Smart Home Technology, Black

• 885 sq. in. cooking surface area
• Advanced WiFi capabilities so you can manage all aspects of your cook from your phone
• Also available on BBQGuys

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Traeger Ironwood vs Pro Series (What We Need To Consider)

The easiest way to compare Traeger’s Ironwood and Pro Series pellet grills is to consider their most important features and functionality. By doing so we will be able to gain a better understanding of what the two grills offer and how they are different.

To do this we will look at key things like capacity, cooking features, accessories, and how moveable each grill is.

Let’s take a look at the first point of interest!

Cooking Capacity

Most compact pellet grills are easy to move around your backyard, but they don’t usually have a very large capacity when it comes to cooking.

This shortcoming significantly impacts what you can do with your grill and how much food you can cook at a time. This typically leads to longer grilling times and very frustrated party guests.

Luckily, if you decide to purchase a Traeger Ironwood or Traeger Pro Series grill you won’t have this problem. Both the Traeger Ironwood and Traeger Pro are decent-sized grills that aren’t that compact.

Depending on which model you pick, you can expect to enjoy a large cooking space ranging from 575 square inches to 885 square inches. 

In terms of the Pro Series grills, the Pro 575 has a capacity of 575 square inches, and the Pro 780 has 780 square inches (can you see the theme yet?).

When it comes to the Ironwood grills, yep you guessed right, the Ironwood 650 has 650 square inches, and the Ironwood 885 has 885 square inches.

As you can see from these figures, the Ironwood 885 is the best grill for high-capacity grilling. On the other hand, the Pro 575 is better for low-capacity cooking.

Traeger Pro Series 575 WiFi Pellet Grill

• 572 sq. in. of cooking surface area & 18 lb hopper capacity
• 180-500ºF temperature range
• WiFi capabilities allow you to manage your cook from your phone

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Top Features 

Pellet grills always come with a wide range of useful features that either make the grilling process a lot easier or simply make the grill a more appealing purchase. These features can be crucial when it comes to deciding which grill you want to buy.

In terms of the Traeger Ironwood and Pro Series grills, both models offer very similar features. These features include:

• TurboTemp
• D2 Controller
• WiFIRE capabilities
• Hopper cleanout door
• Lockable, all-terrain wheels

If you choose to buy an Ironwood Traeger grill, you can also expect to receive a grill that has a pellet sensor, a side shelf, and a Super Smoke Mode. 

It is also good to know that the Traeger Pro has a built-in chimney. The Ironwood models don’t have this type of exhaust.

Let’s now look at how these features impact the overall performance and functionality of each grill.

TurboTemp

If you’ve used a grill before then you more than likely know the frustration that comes with waiting for the grill to preheat to your required temperature.

Generally speaking, propane-fueled grills reach desired temperatures pretty quickly, but wood pellet or charcoal-fueled grills tend to take a lot longer and can be a lot more challenging to get right.

Traeger’s neat TurboTemp feature helps to speed up the time it takes for the grills to reach a specific temperature. It also makes them capable of holding temperatures within a range of 5°.

This level of preciseness makes your grilling experience a lot safer, quicker, and enjoyable. Since all Ironwood and Pro Series Traeger grills are equipped with this feature they are both level on this score.

D2 Controller and WiFIRE

Both the Ironwood and Pro Series grills are fitted with a D2 controller. This makes it a lot easier for home grillers to operate the grill. This feature has a decent-sized display screen, selection feature, and ignite button to allow speedy operation.

The only difference between the two models when it comes to the D2 controller is that the Pro Series has fewer buttons.

The Ironwood grills have one up over the Pro Series grills because they include a handy timer button, and the ability to set the grill to ‘keep warm’ and ‘standby’.

There is also a Super Smoke button on Ironwood’s D2 controller. This allows the user to fill the grilling chamber with extra smoke to give their food a more intense smoky flavor.

WiFIRE technology allows you to control your grill’s operations and temperature remotely through the Traeger app. This makes it even easier for grill masters to operate the grill whilst also enjoying the party with family and friends. 

Both types of Traeger grill are fitted with this feature.

Hopper Cleanout Door

It’s fair to say the worst part of any grilling session is cleaning your grill out afterward. Removing all the pellet ash from the grill can be an arduous task as the most common types of pellet grill only have small chutes and solid immovable walls. 

Traeger has made life easier for us all by adding features to the designs of both Ironwood and Pros Series grills that reduce this problem.

To help us easily empty the grill, Traeger has fitted each grill with a hopper door. This nifty feature makes it a lot easier to remove the ash from the grill.

Found on the right-hand side of each grill, once the grill is cool, users can simply lift the grill to slide any ash and waste pellets out. Though this is quite easy, we must say this is a little more challenging with the Ironwood as it has no side handle.

Pellet Fill-Level Sensor

Unlike the Traeger Pro Series grills, the Ironwood comes with a useful pellet sensor. This pellet sensor allows users to monitor the grill’s fuel level remotely.

This feature comes in incredibly useful which is why you should always look out for it if you grill large quantities of meat or grill fairly often. 

Found inside the grill’s pellet hopper, the sensor can occasionally malfunction when the levels of smoke get too high. Having said that, the tool is believed to be extremely reliable, guaranteeing maximum efficiency.

Side Shelf

A handy feature that can come with your grill is a side shelf. A side shelf is a perfect place to hold any essential grilling tools you may need during the grilling process.

Having all of this conveniently in one place makes it a lot easier to keep your things organized and speeds up your ability to grill.

The Ironwood grills from Traeger come with a shelf that holds tools really well. This shelf also has hooks that make it even easier to hang up your tongs and grilling brushes. 

Although the Pro Series grills don’t have a side shelf, it is important to note that in its place they have a handle. This makes it a lot easier to move the grill around or clean out the hopper.

All-Terrain Wheels and Mobility

Both the Ironwood and Pro Series Traeger grills have all-terrain wheels. These wheels are useful because they give the user more freedom to move the grill around without having to struggle.

This can be very useful when it comes to storing away the grill when summer has ended. 

When you consider that both types of grill weigh approximately 150lbs this makes so much sense. To transport, move, or simply put your grill in place would be extremely tiring and difficult without the addition of strong wheels. 

Personally, we believe this is one of the most important features a grill can come equipped with.

Traeger Ironwood Vs Pro Series: What Are The Differences?

The main distinction between the Traeger Ironwood and Pro Series grills is in their designs. The Traeger Pro 575 and 780 have a chimney exhaust pipe, unlike the Ironwood grills which have a downdraft exhaust vent.

The Traeger Pro Series grills also don’t have the Super Smoke feature. As a result of these design features, the Pro Series models of Trager grill does not produce as strong a smoke flavor.

Another difference between the two types of Traeger Grill is that the Ironwood grills are equipped with a handy shelf to place all of your cooking essentials and some food.

The Traeger Pro grills don’t have this feature, so a side table may be required. Instead of this feature, the Pro grills come with a useful handle to help move and empty the hopper. The Ironwood grills don’t have this feature.

Yet another key difference between the two is the difference in cooking capacity. Traeger’s Ironwood 885 grill has a capacity of 885 square inches, whilst the Pro 780 only has 780 square inches. That is 100 square inches of more cooking space!

However, the price also has to be taken into consideration. The Traeger Ironwood Grills may have more cooking capacity and a few extra handy features, but they also cost hundreds of dollars more than the Pro Series grills.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is something that should be considered, especially if you’re running on a tight budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Traeger Grills Worth It?

Yes, Traeger Grills are definitely worth it. Traeger Grills may be expensive, but this is only because they are designed with more advanced technology that makes the grilling experience a lot more enjoyable and more importantly easier.

How Hot Do Traeger Ironwood Grills Get?

To account for all of your grilling and smoking needs, the Traeger Ironwood grills are capable of reaching heat from 165° to 500°. With such a big range in temperatures, you have the versatility needed to meet all of your grilling and smoking needs with little effort.

How Often Should You Clean Your Traeger Grill? 

To make sure your grill works correctly for longer, we recommend cleaning the grill thoroughly once for every 5 times you use it. By doing this your grill will be easier to maintain, living a longer, happier life.

Final Thoughts

So what do you think? On the whole, we think both the Traeger Ironwood and Traeger Pro grills are amazing choices. They are both wood pellet-styled grills that offer wonderfully competitive cooking capabilities in a unit that is stylish, easy to use, and packed with features. 

Now you’ve read through our guide, you hopefully have a better idea of what the Traeger Ironwood and Traeger Pro grills offer and how they compare to each other.

With a bit of luck, we have even helped you lean towards the grill that might suit your needs and requirements perfectly. If not, why not take the points from our guide and start comparing them with other grills you find yourself interested in? Good luck!

The post Traeger Ironwood vs Pro Series Pellet Grills – What’s the Difference? appeared first on Own The Grill.

After all, what is wrong with good old-fashioned wood and coals?

In actual fact, the beauty of the pellet grill is that it takes some of the good from traditional charcoal grilling and makes it easier and more reliable.

Wood pellet grills offer consistency and convenience, without losing any of the flavor or fun of traditional grilling. If you want to find out exactly how they work, then read on!

Understanding How a Pellet Grill Works

What Are Wood Pellets?

The most obvious difference between a wood pellet grill and any other type of backyard unit is the fuel source. Pellet grills are fuelled by wood pellets made from compressed sawdust.

The pellets are cylindrical in shape, and approximately pill-sized. They are made for culinary purposes and so are non toxic and contain high quality, natural wood. They should not be confused with industrial wood pellets intended for heating only.

What Are The Benefits Of Wood Pellets?

When compared to charcoal, wood chunks or chips, gas grills and electric grills, wood pellets offer a number of notable advantages.

Economic & Efficient

Firstly, because they are made of compressed wood pulp, pellets are densely packed and therefore highly efficient. They contain less moisture and more energy than wood chunks, and therefore burn for much longer.

A 40 pound bag of wood pellets will last you much longer than the equivalent weight in logs and sticks, and will cost you less than a bag of premium charcoal.

Clean Smoke

As pellets combust without the need for charcoal, they produce clean, blue smoke that is not dirty or bitter tasting. This smoke is ideal  for slow cooking meat over a low heat for several hours, and results in deliciously tender and smoky results.

Consistency

As the pellets are all uniform in shape, size and density, and are funnelled into the firebox automatically, they are able to produce consistent temperatures and sustain them for extended periods of time.

This, in turn, benefits the texture and consistency of the meat.

Good Flavor

Depending on the type of wood used in the pellets, they have  different aromas and flavors.

These flavors can be chosen specifically to compliment the meat or food that is being cooked, as the smoke will infuse into it and add another flavor dimension. Different types of wood can even be mixed in order to create a ‘blend’. 

Less Mess

Charcoal fires create lots of dirty soot and ash that has to be cleaned up at the end of any party. While wood pellets create ash, it is cleaner and is contained within the firebox.

Most pellet grills have an ash dispenser system too, whereby the ash can be removed easily and emptied without the rest of the grill being affected.

Hands-Free Functionality

One of the key advantages of wood pellet grills is their ease of use. Rather than having to tend to a charcoal fire, stoke the flames and load up the logs, the pellets are fed continuously into the firebox by the auger, so you don’t have to lift a finger.

As long as the hopper has been sufficiently filled, you can even leave these grills to work their magic overnight, and they will not die out or waver in the slightest.

What Are The Parts Of A Pellet Grill?

So, now that you understand what the benefits of a pellet grill include, let’s take a tour of its component parts.

The Hopper

The hopper is the chamber into which the wood pellets are loaded. The capacity of the hopper will affect how many pellets can be loaded at any one time, and therefore the length of time that your grill will be self-sufficient for until it needs topping up.

The Auger

The auger is a screw-shaped mechanism which twists automatically in order to funnel the pellets from the hopper into the firebox. It needs to be good quality and reliable to prevent annoying blockages.

The Firepot

The firepot is where the pellets are heated by a hotrod until they combust and ignite. Once lit, the fire burns steadily and constantly in the pot, producing clean, blue smoke and heat, which are both channelled into the cooking chamber.

The Cooking Chamber

The cooking chamber is the main grill. It looks like a regular grill with racks and a domed lid or hood that is closed in order to keep the heat and smoke trapped.

The meat and food that is being grilled or smoked is placed directly on the racks, and left to slowly cook through.

The lid of the cooking chamber should seal closed, and usually has a thermometer on the outside which lets you know what temperature the chamber has hit.

The Water Pan

The water pan is not on most pellet smokers but it is a fixture on some. it usually sits in the base of the cooking chamber and is used as a heat regulator and a cooking aid. It can be filled with pure water, or seasoned water, and as the liquid heats up it turns to steam.

This steam helps to keep the meat moist and also adds flavor.

The Chimney & Dampers

The smoke and steam have to escape the chamber to prevent it from overheating, and they do this via the chimney. The chimney allows old smoke to leave so that new smoke can enter the chamber and the cycle can continue. 

The dampers are vents located at the top and bottom of the unit. They allow you to control the temperature of the pellet grill.

The lower damper draws oxygen into the firebox, causing the flames to grow and intensify. The upper damper lets hot air out of the central chamber.

If you close your lower dampers, you can lower the temperature of your grill. If you close all your dampers, you will kill your fire. If you open your bottom damper, you will increase the temperature of your grill.

How Do You Use A Pellet Grill?

Having gone through all the component parts of a pellet grill, let’s look at how you use it in order to get the most out of it.

Step 1: Fill The Hopper

The first step when using any pellet grill is to fill the hopper with your chosen wood pellets. The bigger the hopper, the more pellets it will hold, allowing you longer to relax and hang out with your friends and family.

The hopper can be topped up during the cook without causing any disturbance to the cooking process, as it has its own, remote access door.

Step 2: Fill The Water Pan (Optional)

Before igniting any flames, it is important that your water pan is filled and in place, as this is a heat regulator and moisture source. The cooking chamber will become overly hot and dry without this crucial element. 

Step 3: Get The Grill Started

To power up your wood pellet grill, it is simply a case of plugging in and switching on. Most pellet grills have a digital LCD display, like the Camp Chef Woodwind Series, however this is not an essential feature.

The power button will automatically turn the auger and begin feeding pellets into the firebox, where the hot rod will heat and ignite them.

Camp Chef Woodwind WIFI 24 Pellet Grill with Sidekick

• Sidekick supports pizza oven, griddle, & sear box attachments
• 811 sq. in. of cooking surface area to work with across two levels
• Intuitive LED control panel and WiFi capabilities

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Step 4: Heat The Cooking Chamber

You need to allow your cooking chamber to reach its optimum temperature before you add your meat or food. To do this you must make sure that the lid is closed and sealed.

You can open the lower damper to fuel the flames with oxygen, and open the upper damper to encourage a healthy heat flow. This will quicken the preheating process.

You can keep an eye on the internal temperature of the chamber by looking at the lid thermometer. But be warned, these thermometers are notoriously hit and miss, so be sure to consult the LCD temperature reading as well, if your grill has one.

Step 5: Load The Meat (Food)

Once your cooking chamber has reached the desired temperature, you can add your meat. The meat should be placed directly on the rack, and directly above the water pan.

This way, the water pan will catch any juices and fluids that drip down and can recycle all that delicious flavor in the steam it creates.

For best results, you should keep your meat refrigerated up until the last moment. This is because cold meat absorbs smoke more efficiently than room temperature meat.

Note: You don’t have to only cook meat on your pellet grill! You can cook pizzas, or side dishes like veggies or mac and cheese easily on a pellet smoker.

Step 6: Be Patient

Once your meat is in the chamber, the only thing to do is wait. Pellet grills are designed to cook slowly, over a long period of time, and the slower the process, the more tender and juicy the result will be.

It is important not to frequently lift the lid of your pellet grill whilst your meat is cooking, as this will introduce cold air into the chamber and affect the consistency of the cooking temperature.

Smoked meat tastes best when the cooking temperature remains very steady throughout, so fluctuations are not desirable. Instead, trust your timings and use the lid thermometer as a guide.

Step 7: Probe The Meat

When your cooking time is almost complete, you can lift the lid and probe your meat in order to check its internal temperature.

The lid thermometer and LCD temperature reading, refer only to the internal temperature of the chamber itself, not of the meat.

The meat will take much longer to heat up on the inside than the outside, and this is why it is important to probe right to the center of the cut. Once the center has reached the desired temperature, you will know that your meat is cooked and good to eat.

Top Wireless Thermometer

MEATER Plus | Smart Meat Thermometer with Bluetooth | 165ft Wireless Range | for The Oven, Grill, Kitchen, BBQ, Smoker, Rotisserie

With 165 feet of range and a dual sensor probe, it doesn't get much easier or more accurate than the Meater Plus.

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How Do You Clean A Pellet Grill?

As we mentioned earlier, pellet grills are less messy than traditional charcoal grills, however they do still produce ash that needs to be cleaned up.

Many pellet grills have an ash disposal system that can be removed from the unit like a drawer and emptied directly into a bin. These are very handy and really speed up the cleaning process.

The also allow you to clean the ash periodically throughout long cooks, without disrupting the cooking process.

It is as important to clean the grill racks and chamber interior on a pellet grill as it is on any other kind of grill unit. We recommend scraping fat and juices off the racks at the end of each use, and vacuuming the excess away.

Then, every three uses or so, it is a good idea to give your pellet grill a more in-depth clean and wipe down the full interior as well. This prevents bacteria from developing, and extends the lifespan of your racks and surfaces.

What Wood Pellets Are Best For A Pellet Grill?

One of the keys to success when it comes to pellet grills is picking the right pellets for the job.

The most important thing is to make sure that you buy cooking/ smoking pellets as opposed to standard heating pellets.

Heating pellets are used to fuel boilers and heaters, and therefore contain sawdust and low quality wood pulp that is not suitable for consumption. Smoking pellets are more expensive than heating pellets, but do not be tempted to scrimp. 

When it comes to smoking pellets, you have the choice between hardwood and softwood. Hardwoods are generally thought to be the better option as they burn more slowly and give off more smoke.

However, if you don’t like your meat to taste too intensely of smoke, softwood pellets will give a more subtle finish.

Red meats handle strong woody flavors like hickory and mesquite. Pork and white meats work well with sweeter fruit woods like apple, pecan and cherry. And alder wood goes with pretty much anything.

Final Thoughts

Pellet grills are easy to use, easy to maintain, and produce delicious results every time. The science behind them is innovative, and the inner workings of these units is beautifully simple.

Once you have given one a go, you certainly won’t look back!

The post How Does A Pellet Grill Work? appeared first on Own The Grill.

It should come as no surprise that some grills are better than others when it comes to tailgating. There are a few different things you should keep in mind when selecting.

That’s what this guide is for: To help you find the best grills that you can use at a tailgating near, or far away, from you!

What Is Tailgating?

Just to get the uninitiated up to speed, Tailgating is when you and your friends meet at one location and then go to another place together to eat, drink, and catch up with people.

Tailgating can take place pretty much anywhere, from a park or stadium, to the beach or even in someone’s backyard.

If you’re planning on grilling at a tailgating, you require a grill that can be easily moved by one or two people and can cook enough food to satisfy a reasonably large amount of people.

Best Grills for Tailgating

Traeger Grills Tailgater Portable Grill

Traeger Tailgater 20 Portable Pellet Grill

• Folding wheeled legs for easy transport
• 300 sq. in. cooking surface area
• 180-450ºF temperature range

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Traeger has been around since 1985, so they have a little experience when it comes to making a good grill. For the tailgating market, they have come up with a very impressive portable pellet grill design for those on-the-fly cook-out parties that we love about summer!

With its digital controller for excellent temperature control, the Tailgater lets you adjust the heat output up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

This means you can sear your steaks or chops to perfection while keeping them warm and juicy throughout. When it comes to grilling, it is tough to compete with results like this.

You can also use the Tailgater to cook low and slow – while it’s probably too small to fit a whole brisket, you could fit a pork butt or other popular meats for BBQ.

And if you ever run out of pellets, simply load another box into the hopper, and it’s ready to go again. Plus, the Tailgater weighs surprisingly little too, making it easy to transport and set up, perfect for cookouts on the move.

Pros

• Great temperature consistency – Not only does this grill get hot, reaching temperatures of well over 400 degrees Fahrenheit, but it stays hot too. A grill that can’t keep up the heat is almost as bad as having no grill at all, so this is an excellent quality feature the Tailgater has.
• Easily cleanable – All the interior sections of this grill can be easily removed and cleaned after being used. Great for keeping your grill in top condition, and to avoid grease and fat buildup in this cooking tool.
• A portable tailgating grill – Being able to move your grill for your tailgating cookouts is essential, so the collapsible legs of this unit are an exceptional feature for taking your gill outs wherever you go.

Cons

• Awkward legs – Whilst the legs are amazingly stable once folded out correctly, it can be a little awkward to set this grill up and to collapse it back into a more movable form, especially if you are setting it up on your own.
• Hefty load – At 62 pounds, you’re probably going to struggle moving this heavy-duty grill around on your own.
• Relatively small fuel capacity – With the hopper for this grill only able to take about 8 pounds of pellet fuel at a time, you’ll probably have to refuel after just a few hours. For a whole-day cookout, that’s not exactly ideal.

Our Thoughts

With this grill eating up fuel pretty quickly, it pays to be able to use whatever you have access to. If you’re looking for a portable grill with reasonable grilling capacity, this is a great model.

Coleman Roadtrip 285 Portable Stand-up Grill

Coleman RoadTrip 285 Portable Stand-Up Propane Grill

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Looking for a tailgating grill that can do it all, from being moved from your backyard to the back of your truck, taking it to your cookout spot, and cooking up a huge grill when you get there, you can’t go wrong with the road trip portable stand-up grill from Coleman.

Coleman RoadTrip’s grill has been designed with ease of use in mind to give you the best possible outdoor cooking experience.

This portable, compact and lightweight stand-up grill comes with a durable aluminum handle and foldable legs for storage, so you don’t have to worry about dragging it around everywhere you take it.

And thanks to its folding legs, it takes up less space in your vehicle than a conventional stand-up grill. It has three adjustable burners and a large grill surface.

It uses a standard 1 pound propane tank, though you will have to source this for yourself, as the grill does not come with one as standard.

Pros

• Excellent Burner quality – With as much as 20,000 BTUs of grilling power at your disposal, the adjustable burners that come as standard for this iron-cast grill give you all the power and heat that you need to make the best grill out possible!
• Easy to move and transport – Mobility is key for a great tailgate grill, so the collapsible legs and wheels on the Coleman RoadTrip make transporting a breeze.

Cons

• Iron grates are hard to maintain – Cleaning the Coleman RoadTrip grill is going to be a hassle if you don’t tend to it shortly after it is used. Plus, the cast-iron grill may tend to rust if not looked after properly between uses, so make sure that you keep an eye out for any signs of wear and tear between uses.
• Wheels used aren’t the highest quality – The wheels probably aren’t built for all-terrain purposes, so be careful where you are pulling it when it is folded up.
• Lid-locking mechanism not ideal – The lock that keeps the lid of this grill from bouncing around works fine at first but seems to show signs of wear after repeated uses. You may have to fashion a way to keep the lid shut as you are transporting it after a while.

Our Thoughts

Whether this grill is for camping or cooking in your or someone else’s backyard, the Coleman RoadTrip grill feels like it can cover pretty much every grilling situation, including being the main workhorse of an amazing tailgating party. 

The mobility of the design certainly helps in giving it the versatility that this grill is known for. Small wonder that this propane grill is a favorite of many campers and grillers across the country.

It took about 45 minutes to get it set up and running, which is not too long, all things considered. Once the heat was up, it got the job done without any problems. Overall, this is a tailgating grill that should be high on your options list when it comes time to buy a commercial grill.

Weber Smokey Joe Portable Grill

Weber Smokey Joe Portable Grill

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Looking to be a part of a tailgating grill out, but worried that you don’t have the budget to bring a high-quality grill to your summer party?

Well, if this is the case, and money is a concern for you when looking for your cooking kit, then Weber’s 10020 Smokey Joe is exactly the grill you need to cook with the best of them.

Weber Smokey Joe grills are designed to be used anywhere, anytime. They are compact, lightweight, durable, and built to withstand the elements. With this model of charcoal grill, you can enjoy outdoor dining without having to sacrifice style and convenience.

They’re easy to use and maintain. Simply fill the water pan with water and add charcoal briquettes. Then place the grill on the grate and light the fire.

When you’re ready to cook, flip the lid open and place food on the grill. It takes just seconds to get started. And when it’s time to eat, close the lid and enjoy!

Pros

• Great lightweight design – Despite what the bulbous design of the lid might suggest, this tailgate grill is very lightweight and easy to move around. Not just that, but the tripod leg setup means that it will be more than stable enough for any party out the back of your truck. The porcelain-enameled lid and body will also stop rust from creeping into this little grill, keeping it good to cook for years to come.
• Excellent starting price – In the range that this model is normally found, this is probably one of the least expensive grills you can take to your tailgate parties, without sacrificing quality in any noticeable way.
• Adjustable temperature and airflow – This is a great feature that even some higher-end tailgate grills don’t have, so to see it appear on a model of this price range is amazing. This will allow you to be able to heat up or cool down your fire pit with ease, to get that perfect charred texture on your hot dogs and burgers.

Cons

• A smaller grill, maybe not appropriate for the big gatherings – Although it can cook a respectable amount of food in one go, with 147 square inches of cooking space, it simply doesn’t have the volume or surface area to compete with other larger models in this guide. For this price, this is still a great amount to be able to cook. And at those massive parties, every little grill helps feed everyone!
• Height is not adjustable – The legs cannot be extended or shortened to your needs, so you will likely have to sit over this grill while you cook your food, rather than stand.

Our Thoughts

We were able to get this grill set up quickly, and it works great, especially for smaller outdoor grills and parties you might be attending.

The workload might not be the largest in this competitive market, but it was more than enough to cook several burgers at one time, and they came out perfectly cooked.

It’s great that it is compact enough to fit into pretty much any car trunk, even if the shape does make it a little awkward. It has such a small footprint that, if smoke wasn’t an issue, you could probably use this grill indoors as well as outside.

If you’re looking to help with a tailgating grill out on a budget, this is a good option to consider.

Cuisinart CGG-180T Petit Gourmet Portable Grill

Cuisinart CGG180 Petit Gourmet Gas Grill

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Looking for a grill that won’t take up too much room in your trunk? Then Cuisinart has you covered with the Petit Gourmet CGG-180T.

Cuisinart are masters of cooking and kitchenware, and their entrance into the tailgate grill market brings that expertise with it.

This portable gas grill is one of those propane grill models that are perfect for smaller spaces where you might be holding your tailgate party, whether that’s in someone’s smaller backyard, or in a clearing where cooking space is at a premium. 

Its size makes it easy to transport and use anywhere. With a total cooking surface of 145 square inches, it’s big enough to feed a pretty sizable crowd without having to do much work. 

The grill comes with a convenient carrying handle and an integrated lid lock so you can keep the lid securely closed while using the grill.

Even better, the sturdy aluminum legs fold flat when not in use, becoming a perfect briefcase shape to be carried around with one hand. All these features make this grill ideal for camping trips, picnics, barbecues, and, of course, tailgating.

Pros

• Lightweight, and easy to carry – With the grill only weighing less than 14 pounds, and a small collapsible body that can be carried with just one hand like a suitcase, this is a brilliant compact grill that can be taken pretty much anywhere you go.
• A surprising amount of grill space available – for something as small and compact as this, being able to fit upwards of 6 or 7 steaks at a time is very impressive!

Cons

• The lid-locking mechanism may start to fail over time – Being made out of plastic on a grill that can reach incredibly high internal temperatures feels like a strange design quirk for a mechanism that is supposed to keep the lid shut tightly. Especially when the lid handle is located on the lid. Make sure to avoid closing the lid if the heat is at high temperatures.

Our Thoughts

This is a great piece of outdoor cooking equipment to have if you don’t have the space for a larger grill. It’s perfect for camping, picnics, tailgates, etc. We use it often for barbecues during the summer months.

It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and cooks fast! Whilst it will probably never carry the heavyweight of any large gathering, this is certainly a great tool for if you are at a small outdoor party, or you need an extra grill to support your buddy who’s underestimated just how many people are looking for a good grill out!

We would recommend this option for anyone looking for a portable and affordable grill that won’t break the bank and wants to be able to cook in pretty much any space that’s wider than 20 inches.

Weber Q2200 Propane Gas Grill

Weber Q2000 Liquid Propane Grill

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Weber is at it again with another excellent grill, this time in the form of the Q2200 propane gas grill.

Whilst all the grills we have discussed are exceptional pieces of a griller’s toolkit, a few of them have been on the smaller size.

That’s not the case with the Q2200, however. This model is a heavy grill that will be the centerpiece of grilling wherever you are parked, whether that’s in the backyard or an open field.

The Weber Q220 is one of the largest full-size grills in its class. With the stainless steel burner putting out 12,000 BTUs per hour and porcelain-enamel coated, cast-iron cooking racks, this grill is sure to give you years of worry-free operation. 

Two folding work tables help keep food warm during transport, and the electronic ignition system makes starting the grill easy and fast.

Pros

• A big grill – Square inch cooking surface won’t be an issue with this grill, at 280 inches for your grilling needs. This is the sort of barbecue grill you need for a larger gathering whilst you’re tailgating.
• Fold-out accessory trays – These are a must for being able to manage your massive grilling workload!

Cons

• A bigger grill means a heavier load – At almost 43 pounds, this is one of the heavier models of grills that we have covered, especially with no wheels to help move that weight around. This is definitely on the heavier side of what is considered ‘portable’.

Our Thoughts

Honestly, there isn’t much else to say about Weber Q2200 that can emphasize just how great this grill is for large gatherings on the move.

It’s easy to use, easy to clean, easy to store, easy to set up, and if you have an extra pair of hands to help you move it, not too difficult to move from your trunk to your tailgating site.

Everdure Cube Grill

Everdure CUBE Portable Charcoal Grill

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When it comes to both portability and cooking area in an easy-to-transport package, it’ll be tough to beat the cube grill by Everdure.

This little piece of barbecuing kit is the ultimate portable medium-sized grill. It has been designed keeping in mind all the needs of the modern-day traveler. It weighs less than 20 pounds and is compact enough to fit easily inside even the back of your car, much less the back of your truck.

Portable, compact, durable, easy to clean, safe, convenient, and affordable; the Everdure Cube portable barbecue grill is just what you require for outdoor cooking. It features a 115 square inch cooking area, a sturdy steel frame, and a built-in stainless steel grate.

Perfect for those smaller grill parties with your family and closest friends.

Pros

• Amazing heat retention for its size – It can be harder for smaller grills to maintain the heat necessary to keep cooking for long periods. So it’s incredible how hot this grill can get, as well as staying at that heat whilst cooking all your tailgating snacks!
• Easy to handle – The intelligent design of this grill, with its handle, its compact frame, and its heat shielding, means that this grill is very easy to handle for a single person, whether that’s for carrying out of the truck, or being put back into storage after being used.
• Great accessories – Thanks to its design, this portable charcoal grill comes equipped with both a food storage tray and a preparation tray that are stored seamlessly and beautifully into the grill. That way, you always have your cooking station ready!

Cons

• Too good at retaining heat – The heat shielding this grill has might work a little too well! It can take a long time for the ashes of your charcoal to cool down after using it, which can mean waiting a long time for this grill to become safe to handle. And whilst the handles are heat-resistant for touching whilst it is on, we wouldn’t recommend carrying hot ashes around!

Out Thoughts

Never underestimate the user-friendliness of an easy to assemble grill! It’s pretty much ideal for any grilling scenario, whether that’s camping, tailgating, or even at home.

We would recommend this to anyone looking for a medium-sized grill that is easy to clean and suitable for pretty much any smaller-scale cookout. Though, you should probably look for other models if you know it’s going to be a big party.

Choosing a Great Tailgating Grill

When looking for a tailgating grill, there’s a lot to consider. If you’re still not sure what things you need to be on the lookout for in your grill of choice, here are a couple of features you should consider:

Portability

One of the most important considerations when choosing a tailgating grill is portability. You want something that you can easily move from place to place without having to spend hours setting it up and tearing it down every single time.

There are many different types of portable grills available. The simplest way to get portability is to look for a grill that has foldaway legs. These allow you to simply unfold them as needed, so they don’t take up much room when folded away.

Wheels are another popular option, as it takes less effort to haul larger weight if you can pull it with you. Carryable grills are a popular option too, but they tend to be smaller a lot of the time.

Cooking Capacity

Right behind portability, cooking capacity is one of the most important features a grill needs. It doesn’t matter how portable you are if you can’t cook enough food to feed everyone!

A good rule of thumb is to make sure that you can comfortably fit 4 people’s food items on the grill at once.

You may find yourself wanting more than this depending on the size of your group, but 4 people’s worth of food is a good guideline to follow and can be scaled up from there if there are more people.

Fuel Type

Depending on where you’re going to be using your grill, you will need to choose a fuel type. Charcoal grills are usually easier to handle and maintain, though gas grills tend to offer superior performance, as they usually take less time to warm up. 

The other main options are electric grills and pellet grills – both of which are easy to use but come with their own limitations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use My Tailgating Grill At Home?

Absolutely! That is one of the joys of having a tailgating grill. It’s that it can be used anywhere! We’ve seen folks use their tailgating grills while camping, hiking, as well as at home!

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there’s plenty of variety when it comes to grills for tailgating. There are all kinds of different styles and sizes, and each one offers unique benefits.

If you’re looking to buy a new grill for tailgating, we’d suggest taking a look around and seeing which ones suit your needs best.

Looking for inspiration of what to cook at your next tailgate? Check out our list of grilling ideas for your next cookout!

The post Best Grills For Tailgating appeared first on Own The Grill.

When in doubt, it’s best to get an impartial opinion and look at the pros and cons of different options, so that you can establish which is going to suit your needs the most. That’s where we come in.

We know how confusing it can be when thinking about investing in a new grill, and it’s not the sort of thing you can afford to get wrong either because there is such a range in prices for outdoor grills.

With a view to being useful, we’ve put together this impartial guide about the benefits and the drawbacks of both charcoal grills and pellet grills.

While neither might be a clear winner over the other, they both grill types have their own pros and cons as you will see.

What Is A Wood Pellet Grill? 

Pellet grills (or pellet smokers) are a kind of outdoor cooker that are fueled by hardwood pellets. The pellets are made from super tiny food-safe fine hardwood chips and fibers which are compacted together into pellet shapes.

Pellet grills work by burning these pellets as fuel, they burn slowly and emit a woody smoke that can flavor the food inside. 

You can get different varieties of wood pellets depending on your personal taste such as oak, hickory, maple, and fruit tree wood. These produce smokes that have slightly different scents and flavors which are pleasant to taste and smell. 

Unlike gas grills, you can’t necessarily control the temperature of the grill by turning a button. In this way, they are similar to charcoal grills in that their cooking temperature is determined by how much fuel you are using.

However, most pellet grills have an option for using air regulation to keep a consistent pre-selected temperature throughout, which dramatically reduces the amount of time the grill master has to spend attending to it.

Wood pellet grills are often considered to be cleaner than other types of grills because wood is sustainable. But, the main reason why wood pellet grill lovers are so enamored by them, is for the amount of signature smoky flavor they give combined with how easy they are to use.

How Does A Pellet Grill Work?

The first thing you should know about pellet grills is that they work differently than traditional charcoal grills.

Instead of having a chimney that burns the charcoal, pellet grills rely on a hopper system that feeds the pellets into the base of the grill. As the pellets fall through the grate, they start to combust and produce smoke. 

If you’ve ever cooked with charcoal, you’ll notice that there’s no real “flame” associated with the process. That’s because the flames are produced when the hot air hits the surface of the charcoal.

In contrast, pellet grills don’t generate much heat, but they contain it better and can be more fuel efficient to use than charcoal grills. 

The second thing you should know about these grills is that they operate on electricity. So you need a wall socket to run the unit. Some models come with built-in power supplies while others require you to connect an extension cord.  

Top Pellet Grill

Camp Chef Woodwind WIFI 24 Pellet Grill with Sidekick

• Sidekick supports pizza oven, griddle, & sear box attachments
• 811 sq. in. of cooking surface area to work with across two levels
• Intuitive LED control panel and WiFi capabilities

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What Is A Charcoal Grill? 

Charcoal grills are also known as open fire grills and are fueled by burning lump charcoal briquettes. They are usually used outdoors and are very popular in camping trips and tailgating parties.

Unlike pellet grills, you cannot regulate the heat of charcoal grills with ease. This means that you need to either add more charcoal, take some away, or adjust the configuration of your coals if you want to change your temperature.

Once the desired temperature is achieved, you must then wait for the coals to cool down before adding more charcoal to maintain the same temperature. It’s a constant balancing act that the tong-bearer will have to perform.

If you want to use a charcoal grill to cook outside, make sure you bring along plenty of charcoal as it does tend to burn pretty fast compared to the compacted wood pellets, or the amount of gas that gas barbecues use.

It’s also important to note that if you’re planning on using charcoal grills to prepare food for large groups, you may need more than one grill since they are not always space-efficient. 

Charcoal vs Pellet Grills – Main Differences

One of the biggest differences between these two types of grills is clearly the type of fuel that they use. Pellets are made from compressed sawdust and wood chips while charcoal comes from burnt coal. So, what makes them so different? 

Well, pellets are generally cheaper than charcoal, and they don’t require any additional equipment as most wood pellet grills are self-igniting.

On the other hand, charcoal requires a chimney starter or lighter fluid, matches, and sometimes even fire lighters to get the party started. Most wood pellet grills are self-igniting, so you don’t need to worry about all the extras. 

Another major difference is the size of the grill itself. A pellet grill has more moving parts and tends to be larger than your average charcoal grill.

That’s not to say you can’t find large charcoal grills or smaller, more portable pellet grills though.

Advantages of Pellet Grills

The main advantage of using a pellet smoker is that it is much easier to use than a traditional charcoal grill. It requires no lighter fluid or charcoal briquettes to light up and start cooking.

In fact, all you need to do is add some pellets and turn the ignition button. This means that if you don’t want to spend time lighting up and tending to a fire, then a pellet grill is a good choice. 

Another benefit of pellet grills is that they are more efficient than charcoal grills. They require less fuel to cook the same amount of food.

For example, a typical charcoal grill needs at least 20 pounds of charcoal briquettes per hour to keep an oven hot enough to bake bread. However, a pellet grill only uses 5 to 6 pounds of pellets per hour to achieve the same results.

That means that you’ll save money by buying less fuel, and you won’t have to replace them as often.

One of the main benefits of getting a wood pellet grill over a charcoal one is that the fuel you are burning is renewable and not a finite fossil fuel.

While deforestation is not exactly a good thing, a lot of pellets are made from safe by-products of other industries such as lumber milling, so they could help reduce waste.

Even though cutting down trees isn’t great, it’s got to be better than overusing the earth’s finite resources and producing toxic gasses in the process.

Disadvantages of Pellet Grills

While pellet grills are far better than charcoal grills when it comes to efficiency, there are still disadvantages associated with them.

One disadvantage is that pellets are much harder to find than charcoal. Many people who own pellet grills report having trouble finding them in their local stores. 

Another problem is that pellets can be expensive. Some brands cost $20 or more per pound, which can make them prohibitively expensive compared to charcoal.

Furthermore, pellet grills tend to be high maintenance as they rely on electronics and somewhat complicated systems to run. You’ll need to deep clean your pellet grill after every 8-10 cooks at most to keep it running properly.

Advantages of Charcoal Grills

Charcoal grills are probably the oldest type of outdoor cooking device available today. They were used long before gas grills came along, and they continue to be popular even now.

There are many reasons why charcoal grills are still so popular and not just because of nostalgia. First of all, they produce incredible smokey flavored food.

Once lit, charcoal grills are extremely simple to maintain. All you really need is a chimney starter and a few pieces of charcoal, and you’re ready to go.

If you’ve never cooked on a charcoal grill before, then you might be surprised how easy it is to get started. You can also buy pre-packaged charcoal briquettes that come in different sizes.

These are convenient since you don’t have to worry about measuring out your own briquettes. The most important thing to remember when choosing a charcoal grill is to choose one that will fit into your lifestyle.

If you like to entertain a lot, then you should consider purchasing a larger model that can handle large quantities of food for lots of people. 

The charcoal briquettes are also widely available from your local store and are cheap to buy. If you want a grill with minimal running costs then getting a charcoal grill is probably your best bet. 

Disadvantages of Charcoal Grills

There are some drawbacks to using charcoal grills. One of the biggest problems is that they produce smoke and not the kind of woody, deliciously light smoke pellet grills do.

This means that they aren’t the most neighborly of appliances and not everyone will enjoy the smell either. 

So, if you live in a neighborhood where children play outside – or an apartment, you may want to think twice before buying a charcoal grill. Many apartments actually have bans on charcoal grills.

Cooking on something that constantly produces pillars of smoke isn’t the most comfortable of experiences either, so you may want to think about that too.

It doesn’t take much to start a fire on a charcoal grill but once it gets going, it can be very difficult to put out.

Lastly, charcoal grills aren’t as efficient at heating food as other types of grills. For example, if you put a whole chicken on a charcoal grill, it’s going to take longer to cook than it would on a propane grill.

That being said, if you’re looking for a grill that won’t break the bank but isn’t quite as fuel-efficient as a pellet grill, then charcoal grills are definitely worth considering. 

Pellet vs Charcoal Grill – Considerations When Comparing

Cleaning (Routine & Deep)

While pellet grills might generate cleaner fumes and be the eco-friendly option over charcoal grills, how easy are they to clean after use? 

Generally, wood pellet grills are easier to clean than charcoal ones. This is mainly because charcoal doesn’t actually decrease that much in size as it burns, so there is more waste product, and it marks everything it touches a ghastly black color. 

Burned wood pellets produce next to no waste, so it’s much easier to get rid of in that respect. In terms of which is easier to clean, we’d recommend wood pellets over charcoal grills in this aspect. 

Flavor Impact

In our experience, most people who prefer charcoal grills because of the taste only say that because it makes food taste how they remember grilled food tasting when they were younger.

The smoky flavor itself is more of a burnt flavor than smoky in our opinion, but each to their own. 

The flavor is really where wood pellet grills excel because they have the unique ability to cook and smoke while infusing the meat or protein inside with a delicious natural wood flavor.

Don’t even get us started on the smell of a slow roasting wood pellet grill at work. It’s heavenly. 

Great Charcoal Grill

Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill

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Initial Cost

Pellet grills tend to be more expensive to buy than charcoal grills. Perhaps this is because of the recent popularity of pellet grills or because they are a relatively new product compared with charcoal or gas barbecues.

Whatever the reason, a pellet grill is likely to set you back between $600 and $2000, whereas in charcoal grills you would be looking mostly in the hundreds rather than thousands of dollars for a new, quality one. 

Ongoing Cost

Wood pellets can be harder to source than charcoal briquettes and more expensive too. Then again users of pellet grills would likely say that you get more flavor options with wood pellet grills due to the varieties of wood pellets you can get. 

Charcoal is widely available and relatively cheap to buy, however, you should bear in mind that it takes a much larger volume of charcoal to cook the same thing as fewer pellets could.

In terms of running cost, you will probably find that there is not much difference between pellet and charcoal grills. 

Ease Of Use

To use a pellet grill is a simple affair. Fill the hopper with pellets and set the right temperature. The auger will then feed the right amount of pellets into the firebox as it needs them.

If you want it hotter, then you turn up the temperature which will increase the rate that pellets are fed into the firebox. Simple. 

Charcoal grills are user-friendly, but they aren’t quite as easy to use as pellet grills or smokers. To set up your charcoal grill you will need either a charcoal chimney or lighter fluid as well as a lighter to get it going.

Once the fire has established you will need to wait for around twenty to thirty minutes to make sure the coals are hot enough to cook on.

Versatility

Wood pellet grills are amazing at grilling – but they’re also able to smoke BBQ low and slow. And since they operate similar to a convection oven, you can also bake and braise on them too.

Charcoal grills can be used to both grill for a traditional barbecue experience and to smoke with ease, but the smoky flavor they create is not the same as you would get with a wood pellet grill. 

Temperature Range

Pellet grills are seen to be somewhat limited in their temperature capabilities in that they can reach up to ranges of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, but charcoal grills can get much hotter than that.

An experienced charcoal king or queen should be able to achieve temperatures over 800 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Final Thoughts

The most important thing to consider when buying a new grill is to consider which type of grill is going to fit best into your lifestyle. You’ll need a grill that ticks the boxes that are important to you. 

Do you like the distinct charcoal flavor you get when using a charcoal grill? Or is the remarkable convenience of a pellet grill more important to you?

These two types of grills have different pros and cons, so it is important to know what you like before making a purchase. 

If you’re thinking about getting a pellet grill, you’ll also need to think about the initial cost of one and consider how you will justify it. One way you might be able to decide between the two is to ask yourself how often you plan to use it.

A good rule of thumb is that if you plan to use it once every few days, at least in the summer, then a pellet grill might well be worth the initial investment.

On the other hand, if you’re on a budget, you could arguably get more grilling space for your money with a charcoal barbecue. 

In the end, deciding between various types of grills is a personal decision and the right answer is going to be different for different people.

If you have some cash to burn (not as fuel, obviously), and you want to take your backyard barbecues to the next level, then you might seriously consider a wood pellet grill, and you’ll soon be the envy of your whole neighborhood, but it really does come down to personal preference. 

The post Pellet Grill vs Charcoal Grill – Which Is Better? appeared first on Own The Grill.

There are so many clever gadgets that make the smoking process smoother. I love discovering new accessories that become my go-to tools. Things like rib racks or drip pans help maximize space and minimize cleanup. The right accessories really do enhance your whole smoker grill experience.

And it’s amazing how much a small thing like a grill brush or spray can improve your end results. Keeping your smoker grills in tip-top shape is key for consistent, crowd-pleasing barbecue. All these helpful accessories enable your equipment to perform its best every time.

I’d encourage all backyard smoker grill smokers to check out the variety of smoker accessories available. Half the joy of this hobby is tailoring your setup. With so many options, you can create a custom rig that perfectly suits your needs. Smoking meat with all the right gear – now that’s living!

12 Essential Accessories for Your BBQ Smoker

Basic Smoking Accessories 

In order to use your smoker in the first place, it is likely that you already possess a few pieces of vital equipment. Food in a smoker has to be checked and sometimes turned, transferred, and placed into the smoker in the first place.

Plus, you’ll need to clean your smoker regularly to ensure its performance and longevity.

You will need a couple of tools to do this. These are the most basic accessories for your smoker which every pit master needs: tongs, and a grill brush. The tongs are used to help transfer, and the grill brush is used to sweep the actual smoker and scrub the grates to clear any debris out of the way.

Probe Meat Thermometer

A meat thermometer is a crucial part of using your smoker, and it is almost certain you will not get good results without it. You can choose a wired digital thermometer that stays in the meat whilst it is in the smoker or an instant-read thermometer.

An instant-read thermometer is easy to use, and it does exactly what it says it does. This is great to get an instant reading on your food, but you will have to continuously come back to take measurements every few hours.

The wired digital thermometers are great, as they can be left in the meat and will tell you on the digital screen how hot things are.

Additionally, you are often able to download an app to tell you the reading from the digital thermometer. A leave-in thermometer may be the option if you are using a smoker because you are often smoking meats at low temperatures for a significant amount of time.

Top Wireless Thermometer

MEATER Plus | Smart Meat Thermometer with Bluetooth | 165ft Wireless Range | for The Oven, Grill, Kitchen, BBQ, Smoker, Rotisserie

With 165 feet of range and a dual sensor probe, it doesn't get much easier or more accurate than the Meater Plus.

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Heat Resistant Gloves

Heat-resistant gloves for BBQ are another must-have accessory for your smoker. Sure, you don’t need heat-resistant gloves to put food in your smoker, but you definitely need them to take food out.

Heat-resistant gloves are perfect for pulling out that lovely brisket and tearing it apart with your hands. When using your smoker, you are handling a lot of hot food and a lot of that food will need to be carved, prepared, and transported.

Investing in some heat-resistant gloves is a stress-free way to prevent burns, and allow you to have more control over your food, even if it is hot.

Grilling Gloves - Extreme Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves

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Natural Fire Starters/Lighters

To add some heat to your smoker, you need a source of the fire. Natural firelighters are an excellent way to do this without hassle, as you simply put them in place inside your smoker, and light them with a match or lighter.

Within a second, they burn bright and will keep your smoker smoking for hours. Natural firelighters can be referred to as wood wool, and it is made of thin wood that burns incredibly easily. You can also get gas blocks that ignite in seconds, but these may not be the best option for a smoker due to the smell and chemicals. 

Boning Knife

A boning knife is a good accessory for your smoker, that way you can properly trim meats like brisket so they are optimal for smoker cooking.

Many meats have hard sections of fat that won’t render out even with a low and slow cook – so you need a flexible, nimble boning knife to properly and safely trim your BBQ.

Top Brisket Trimming Knife

Dexter-Russell 6" Boning Knife

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Slicing Knife

On a similar note, being able to slice your BBQ brisket properly before serving makes a huge difference in the eating experience.

A BBQ slicing knife should have a long blade with slightly serrated edges or a Granton style blade – but not overboard because too much jaggedness will rip apart your tender meat.

Victorinox-Swiss-Army 12" Cutlery Fibrox Pro Granton Slicing Knife

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Rib Rack

A rib rack is ideal for your smoker, and you can fit a few racks of ribs inside at once. Ribs take up a lot of surface space, and instead of laying them directly on the surface of the smoker, you can put them in their own holder.

This will save you a lot of space, and it will also ensure that your ribs are cooked evenly at the same time. It is even better for those around smokers such as the Weber Smokey Mountain. 

Basting Brush/Sauce Mop

A basting brush is a great smoker accessory, and you will not be able to go without it once you have once. You can use a basting brush or a sauce mop to continuously baste your meat every few hours.

This will ensure that the meat stays flavorful and delicious, and it takes minimal effort, too. 

Meat Shredding Claws

This one is sure to impress your friends and family. Meat-shredding claws do exactly what they say! After smoking that brisket or pulled pork for eight hours, can you think of anything more tiring than slicing it?

Well, not to worry! You can use meat claws to pull apart your meat. Simply hold them, one in each hand, and shred the meat with both of your hands. 

Spritz Bottle

An alternative to a basting brush or sauce mop is a good old-fashioned spritz bottle. You can fill these with various types of liquid to spritz your brisket, pork, and other BBQ every so often while it cooks.

This will impart some flavor onto your food if you’re using a liquid like beef broth or apple cider vinegar – but the idea here is mostly to ensure that your meat remains as moist as possible while it cooks.

Clear Glass Spray Bottles - Refillable 16 oz Spritzers for Kitchen, Misting Plants, & More

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Butcher’s Block 

A butcher’s block is that missing piece to the puzzle you didn’t know you needed to solve. When getting your meat out of the smoker, you need a surface to let it rest on, or at least put it down for a second or two.

This is especially important if you have a conjoined grill and smoker, as they usually have a resting space. A butcher’s block is a wooden block that you can place your meat on, and let rest. Once it has rested, carve it up, and serve it on that same block. It is a convenient way to serve, slice, and rest your meat. 

Kebab Skewers

Kebab skewers are a great accessory for your smoker because you can preload them with your favorite meats and veggies, place them alongside any other food in the smoker, and leave them to cook all day long.

They are made of metal, and they are reusable, so they are perfect to use when you have leftover chicken and peppers. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with some delicious slow-cooked kebab and brisket!

Check out our skewer recipe ideas next for some inspiration!

Great for BBQ

16.8" Flat Metal Kebab Skewers - 12 Pack

• Designed for use on high heat grills
• Long and sturdy enough for Picanha

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Final Thoughts

There are countless things that you may want for your smoker, but do you actually know what you need?

These must-have accessories will level up your smoker game, with taste-altering effects, and convenience! We hope you’ve liked some of the examples on this list, and we hope you check out all our grilling accessories list!

The post 12 Must Have Smoker Accessories appeared first on Own The Grill.

In fact, they’ve taken a lot of the best features from other pellet grills on the market and combined them into one high performance grill.

On top of all of that, the RT-700 is by far one of the slickest, cool looking grills out there if you ask me.

In this article, we’ve made a complete RecTeq 700 Pellet Grill review to highlight the features and attributes of this grill.  By the end, you’ll have all of the information to help you make up your mind as to whether or not this is the grill for you.

RecTeq – Quick Brand Overview

In 2009, lifelong friends Ray Carnes and Ron Cundy founded RecTeq Grills out of their passion for grilling and smoking.  They thought the equipment they used day in and day out could be better – so they did something about it.

Ever since the inception of RecTeq, the company has consistently pushed themselves to stay ahead of the competition.  What started out as a company with only one product (the RT-680), now has over a dozen premium grills and even more accessories, rubs, and sauces to enhance your grilling experience.

RecTeq has also made a point to ensure that quality is at the center of their design philosophy.  You won’t find any cheap parts anywhere on their grills – they are truly built to withstand the test of time.  With proper care, a RecTeq 700 Pellet Grill (or any of their other cookers) can last you a lifetime.

When it comes to customer service, RecTeq is refreshingly good.  If you have a problem or even a simple question, you can expect to talk to a real person who’s based in the USA who will be happy to help you out.  Great customer service is a by product of their ethos, which unfortunately nowadays is pretty rare.

We spend a lot of time researching, testing, and communicating with different grill and smoker manufacturers.  From what I can see, it’s extremely rare to come across an unhappy RecTeq customer – not surprising considering the quality of both their products and customer service.

Rec Tec RT-700 Review

The RT 700 is the flagship grill for Rec Tec and comfortably their best seller.  They market it as the gold standard of pellet grills, and it’s hard to argue with that statement.  There is an unbelievable level of precision and craftsmanship in the design of the RT-700.

Also known as “The Bull” you’ll notice a few bull themed features on this grill, most notably the logo and bull horn lid handles.

Aesthetics and Build

Just by looking at it, you can tell the Rec Tec 700 is a serious grill.  It has a barrel shaped main cooking chamber that attaches onto a heavy-duty cart with industrial grade wheels and rolling casters.

The thing to remember with the build quality of this grill is that everything, and I mean everything, is constructed with a high quality stainless steel.  Here’s the extensive list of all stainless steel parts:

• Cooking chamber (no paint means no flaking or chipping)
• Grill grates
• Fire pot
• Heat deflector and smoke tray
• Drip pan
• Micro polished bull horn handles
• Controller shelf
• Hopper lid, handles, and piano hinge
• Towel ring
• Lid stops
• Spill proof bucket hook
• Smokestack cap
• Pull bar handle
• Powder coated stainless steel lid for high temperatures
• Tool hooks

As you can see the list is extensive, and all of this quality stainless steel translates directly into performance and longevity.  Compared to most other brands, Rec Tec blows it out of the water when it comes to build quality.  You can expect maybe a handful of the above components to be stainless steel on other brands’ grills.  No corners were cut at all in the construction of the RT-700.

Cooking Features

All of the aesthetic design and durability features are great – but how does it cook?  Pellet grills are well known for their versatility, specifically their ability to both smoke at low temperatures for extended periods of time and also grill on direct heat at high temperatures.

The RT-700 boasts one of the best temperature ranges of any pellet grill on the market; it’s possible to easily maintain temperatures between 200°F and 500°F on this grill.  That’s a wide, versatile range for you to work with.  You can also precisely set your temperature in 5° increments across that entire temperature range, which gives you way more control than most other brands pellet grills allow (Traeger for example only has the ability to set temperature in 15° increments).

You’re also afforded a generous amount of space to get to work on the main cooking grate.  There’s 702 square inches of primary cooking surface area – which for reference is enough to fit 6 large racks of ribs at once.  If you want or need even more space, you can place in an optional top shelf that increases your total cooking area to 1,054 square inches.

The beauty of pellet grills is that you can achieve wood fired flavor without the hassle of managing a fire, thanks to wood pellets as your source of fuel.  The RT-700 is an extremely efficient burner of pellets compared to other grills – on average it burns a pound of pellets per hour.  Not only that, but the hopper capacity is 40 pounds of pellets at once which dwarfs many other competitors.  That’s a total of 40 hours of cooking to utilize for each full hopper!

There are two other cooking features we think are very helpful.  First, a dual probe thermometers are included with the grill so that you can monitor your food’s internal temperature easily while it cooks.  So there’s no need to purchase a third party probe thermometer system.

Second is the inclusion of an automatic grill lighting feature that illuminates your cooking area automatically.  This comes in extremely helpful for grilling sessions after the sun has gone down.  No more fumbling around with your phone’s flashlight or purchasing an extra grill light.

Technology

All of those cooking features are impressive and best in class, but the technology in the RT-700 takes this cooker to another level.  There are really two features that we’re referring to when we say “technology”

First, and most importantly in terms of cooking performance, is Rec Tec’s trademarked Smart Grill Technology.  The Smart Grill processor controls the rate at which the auger feeds pellets to the fire pot, and therefore temperature.  The processor will automatically speed up or slow down the rate at which pellets are delivered to maintain your desired temperature.

Smart Grill Technology is constantly monitoring your grill’s data and making adjustments to the feed rate as needed.  Where this feature really shines is during cold or windy days, where many pellet grills struggle to maintain consistent temperatures.  The Rec Tec 700 performs beautifully, even on less than ideal cold and windy days.

The second technology feature worth looking at is the RT-700’s connectivity with the Rec Tec Grills smartphone app.  Pretty much everything you could need to monitor or do with your grill can be managed from the app.

Want to turn on your grill and set your temperature?  It can be done from the app.  Want to know how the internal temperature of your smoked meat is coming along?  You can see that on the app too.  When it’s time to shut everything down, you can turn your grill off from the convenience of your phone as well.

The phone app interface comes in especially handy when it’s cold outside or for extended smoking sessions.  You can easily get work done or watch the big game from indoors and still easily keep tabs on what’s going on in your grill.

Warranty

We preach this all the time at Own the Grill, but the warranty is an important component of any purchase that’s overlooked way too often.

After all, a grill is a big investment right?  Don’t you want to make sure you have the most protection of your purchase as possible?  It would be silly to not at least consider the protection offered by the manufacturer.

We also think that a generous warranty is a signal of competence from the manufacturer.  A long warranty says “our products are high quality and we stand behind that claim”.  It’s a way the manufacturer can put their money where their mouth is.

In the case of Rec Tec, they offer some of the most generous – if not the most generous warranties of any pellet smokers on the market.

The RT-700 specifically comes with an industry leading 6 year warranty.  That’s an incredibly long coverage period, and certainly unmatched by other pellet grill manufacturers.

Extras

The most popular RT-700 bundle also includes a custom grill cover, two grill mats, and 200 pounds of wood pellets to get your supply started.

Aside from those, there are also a few extras and upgrades that you can purchase if you want to enhance your grilling set up even more.  Some of our favorites are:

• RT-700 Smokebox – a cold smoker that attaches to your grill and lets you cold smoke cheese and other foods.  Or add extra smokey flavor to your meats!
• Front folding shelf
• Upgraded competition cart
• Large interior shelf
• Flat top griddle – convert your RT-700 into a flat top grill
• Sear kit
• Grill pad
• Rubs and Sauces

The Rec Tec 700 Might Be For You If…

The Rec Tec 700 is the perfect grill for you if you’re the type who values both quality and convenience.

Pellet grills are a great in between of set it and forget it smokers like electric smokers or gas smokers and charcoal fueled grills and smokers – which require a lot more attention and ongoing fire management.

So you get the ease of use factor combined with a little bit of delicious wood fired flavor with a pellet grill.

The RT-700 in particular is for those who value a premium BBQ experience.  There’s no denying that the price tag is a little higher compared to some of Rec Tec’s competition – but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.

Many other pellet grills are built with cheap parts, have bad customer service, and frankly are going to have to be replaced after a couple of years of heavy use.

That’s just not the case with the Rec Tec 700 – it’s literally built to last a lifetime and is crafted with the utmost quality, precision, and attention to detail.

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More Resources to Go With This Rec Tec 700 Review

Buying a new grill is a big decision, so if you’re still unsure as to whether or not the RT-700 is a good fit for you, we have a few other resources that might be helpful.

First, check out our comparison of Rec Tec vs Traeger pellet grills.  Traeger is another popular pellet grill brand, and in this article we give a side by side comparison of each brand and the grills they offer.  We’ve also done a comparison of Rec Tec and Camp Chef pellet grills too.

Last but not least, this video outlines the process for assembling the Rec Tec 700.  As far as assemblies go it’s not too bad if you follow the instructions in the video.

Rec Tec 700 Review – Final Thoughts

By now, I hope you feel like you have all of the information you need after this Rec Tec 700 review to know whether or not it’s the right grill for you.

At the end of the day, you should think about you budget, the types of foods you plan to cook, and what you want your grilling and smoking experience to be.  From there, figuring out which grill is best for you will be pretty easy.

The Rec Tec 700 is a top notch pellet grill.  It’s sturdily constructed, versatile, and gives you the sort of precision with your cooks that you simply just won’t find with many other types of grills.

Did you end up getting the Rec Tec 700?  What were the reasons that you did?  We’d love to hear about it in the comments section!

The post RecTeq 700 Pellet Grill Review – A Detailed Look At RecTeq’s Flagship Grill appeared first on Own The Grill.

They’re without a doubt one of the top brands in the game when it comes to outdoor cooking.  And in particular, they make an incredibly strong pellet grill that helps backyard pit masters across the world make delicious BBQ.

They’ve recently released a new line of pellet grills that really take things to the next level.  In this article, we’re focusing on the Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill line, which is a fantastic cooker that’s absolutely loaded with features.

So read on to learn more about Camp Chef’s most feature packed grill, and to see if it might be the right fit for you.

 

Why Trust Our Reviews?

At Own the Grill, our staff have had exposure to just about every grill on the market.  I have also personally owned the Camp Chef Woodwind WiFi 24 for over 2.5 years and still love it to this day.  It has stood the test of time, and we get lots of use out of the sidekick power burner – the pizza oven attachment in particular is a favorite at my home!

So with all of that being said, I am intimately aware of the Woodwind’s strengths and limitations. Read on to learn more!

A Quick Brand Overview of Camp Chef

Back in the early 1990’s, Camp Chef founder and avid outdoorsman Ty Measom noticed that there was a genuine lack of quality when it came to the outdoor cooking equipment specifically catered towards adventurers.

As any great entrepreneur would, he set out to create a product to solve this issue and serve the needs of outdoorsmen and women who wanted to enjoy delicious food while they adventured.

Eventually, he produced a camping stove that was incredibly portable, durable, and high quality.  It received rave reviews, and the Camp Chef brand was born.

Over time they’ve expanded their line of products – nowadays you can find dutch ovens, camping stoves, flat top griddles, pellet grills, and much more on Camp Chef’s website.

No matter which of their products you’re looking at, one thing remains the same.  The quality of their products is at or near the top of the list, regardless of which type of grill or piece of equipment it is.  They place a large amount of design, care, and craftsmanship into every single one of their products.

Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill Review

The Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill line encompasses 3 different sizes of grill – all of which share in similar features and design aesthetics.

We’ll quickly go over the specs for each size of Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill then from there, we’ll take a look at some of the incredible features you’ll find on all three of the different sizes.

Camp Chef Woodwind WIFI 24

Camp Chef Woodwind WIFI 24 Pellet Grill with Sidekick

• Sidekick supports pizza oven, griddle, & sear box attachments
• 811 sq. in. of cooking surface area to work with across two levels
• Intuitive LED control panel and WiFi capabilities

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The Camp Chef Woodwind WIFI 24 is a fantastic pellet smoker, and thanks to a slimmer profile it’s a great fit on just about every porch or patio set up.

At 4,850 cubic inches of capacity in the cooking chamber and with 811 sq. in. of cooking surface area, you’re afforded a generous amount of space to get all of your grilling and smoking done.  Day in and day out, you’d be hard pressed to find a better grill that will consistently deliver great results.

One of the most unique features of this grill is the ability to configure the side shelf – you can choose a basic shelf, a sear box station, or Camp Chef’s patented sidekick.

The sidekick is probably the most popular choice because it is the most versatile. Functionally, it turns this cooker into a bona fide pellet and gas combo grill.

The burner is fitted in such a way that various attachments can fit on top – and Camp Chef has created a pizza oven, a flat top grill, and a sear box attachment that you can switch in and out any time on the sidekick.

Not to mention, the sidekick burner is powerful enough to heat a large pot for a seafood boil or something of the like.

Last but not least, the Woodwind connects to a phone app where you can manage all aspects of your cook from your phone. The LED display control panel on the grill itself is also sleek, intuitive, and easy to use.

Specs:

• Lower Grate Cooking Surface Area: 429 square inches
• Upper Grate Cooking Surface Area: 382 square inches
• Total Cooking Surface Area: 811 square inches
• Hopper Capacity: 22 lbs
• Temperature Range: 160°F – 500°F
• Shelf Options: Shelf, Sidekick, Sear Box

Camp Chef Woodwind WiFi 36

Camp Chef Woodwind Wifi 36 Pellet Grill

• 1,236 sq. in. of cooking surface area
• Sidekick, sear box, or regular side shelf configuration
• 22 pound hopper capacity

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If you’re looking for a big grill or smoker with lots of cooking surface area and volume in the main chamber, then the Woodwind WIFI 36 is worth a look as the largest grill in the series.

At about 7,000 cubic inches of space in the cooking chamber, you’ll have plenty of space to get to work cooking for large groups of people.  It’s also ideal for smoking big cuts of meat like whole briskets, full racks of ribs, and much more.  I’d honestly be surprised if you found a cut of meat that you couldn’t fit on this grill.

Specs:

• Lower Grate Cooking Surface Area: 663 square inches
• Upper Grate Cooking Surface Area: 573 square inches
• Total Cooking Surface Area: 1236 square inches
• Hopper Capacity: 22 lbs
• Temperature Range: 160°F – 500°F
• Shelf Options: Shelf, Sidekick, Sear Box

Camp Chef Woodwind WIFI 20

Camp Chef Woodwind Wifi 20 Pellet Grill

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The last size available on the Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill series is the WIFI 20, which is a much more compact model that still is loaded with great features.

The biggest selling point on this grill though is its slim profile.  If you’re tight on space or simply don’t want your grill to take up a ton of space on your patio, it’s a great option for a small grill that still packs a punch in terms of cooking ability.  Since it’s smaller and lighter than the other models, it’s also a fairly easy grill to roll around, transport, and store.

The downside of the 20 is definitely its smaller hopper capacity, and it’s only offered with a side shelf option.  So if you were interested in a Sidekick or Sear Box attachment (more on that below), then this one might not be for you.

Specs:

• Lower Grate Cooking Surface Area: 253 square inches
• Upper Grate Cooking Surface Area: 248 square inches
• Total Cooking Surface Area: 501 square inches
• Hopper Capacity: 10 lbs
• Temperature Range: 160°F – 500°F
• Shelf Options: Shelf

Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill Features

Now that we’ve taken a look at the overview of the Woodwind series, it’s time for the fun part – all of the features you can expect to find on these grills.

This is the part where the Woodwind grills really set themselves apart.  A lot of the features that you’ll find below definitely do not come standard on other brands and types of pellet grills.

Camp Chef Connect

You’ve probably already noticed that “WIFI” is found in the name of all of the products we listed about above.

That’s because each of these grills have built in WiFi capabilities – and you grill will actually connect to a phone app (Camp Chef Connect).

From the phone app, you can easily manage all aspects of your cook.  You can set your temperature to 5°F increments, set your grill’s smoke levels, and monitor your food’s internal temperature all from the same display.  This feature alone makes the Woodwind series one of the best, easiest to use pellet grills on the market.

It’s also worth pointing out here that each of these grills comes with 4 probe meat thermometers that are all ready to plug in and send data to the phone app!

PID Controller and Smoke Control

One of the best things about pellet grills in general is the ability they give you to precisely control your temperature.  The Woodwind series grills take precision to the next level.

Most pellet grills allow for you to set your grill’s temperature in 15°F or 25°F increments – but Camp Chef grills let you set your temperature in 5°F increments.  A proprietary grill controller that utilizes PID technology allows for you to easily and precisely set your temperature with the turn of a dial.

Camp Chef has made managing your smoke levels incredibly user friendly too.  They’ve created a smoke number system where you can choose how smokey your grill can get on a scale of 1-10 to impart the perfect amount of flavor onto your food.  There really isn’t a better way to dial in the taste of your BBQ than by precisely controlling your smoke setting like this.

Attachment Options

Here’s another area where Camp Chef sets itself apart in the world of pellet grills.  A side shelf comes standard on all of their grills, but their Woodwind 24 and 36 grills are also compatible with side attachments that can really enhance what you’re able to accomplish on the grill.

The first attachment option is a sear box, which is essentially a propane fueled side burner that can reach scorching temperatures of 900°F.  Since pellet grills are convection style cookers, it can sometimes be tougher to achieve a traditional sear on your meat – so the sear box is designed to make sear marks on your food.  It’s the perfect way to sear a steak, burgers, or even to bake a pizza right there on the side of your grill.

The second attachment option is a sidekick griddle, which is basically a compact version of a Camp Chef flat top grill right there on the side of your main chamber.  A griddle is an excellent addition to any outdoor cooking set up and they open a whole world of options – you can easily make everything from burgers, to sautéed veggies, to breakfast on the sidekick attachment.

Slide and Grill Technology

Most pellet grills operate with a convection style cooking method where a fan circulates heat and smoke from smoldering wood pellets around your grill’s chamber.

Camp Chef has created a feature in their grills to help recreate a direct heat method of grilling – which can be useful if your goal is to make a crust on your grilled food.

All you have to do is pull a knob, and a sliding door opens to expose a portion of your grill grates to open flames.  Using this setting also allows for your grill to achieve temperatures up to 650°F.

Ash Clean-out System

Naturally, your pellet grill will fill up with ash as your pellets burn as the result of each cook.  If your cooker has a poor design, it can be a huge pain to get leftover ashes cleaned out.

Camp Chef has an intuitive ash clean-out system built into the Woodwind series grills to help make the clean up process as pain free as possible.

All you have to do is pull a knob to release all of your ashes into a removable cup on the bottom of your pellet grill.  It’s incredibly easy to do this after each cook and to keep your grill in fantastic shape for the next time you cook.

Warranty

If you’ve spent any time on this website, you know that I’m a big advocate of paying attention to the warranty offered by the manufacturer of your grill.

Not only is it nice to have protection and coverage in case something goes wrong with your grill, but a strong warranty is often a signal of a strong underlying product.  Think about it, if you were confident that you were selling a quality product, you wouldn’t be afraid to back it up with a warranty.

Camp Chef Woodwind pellet grill models all come with a 3 year warranty which covers pretty much all parts and the shell of the grill.  All in all, it’s a generous warranty and above industry average.

How Does the Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill Stack Up?

When it comes to all around quality and capabilities, I’m not exaggerating when I say that the Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill is one of the top pellet grills on the market.

There really isn’t a stone left unturned in the design of these grills.  Not only that, they are true set it and forget it cookers – which comes in especially handy for longer BBQ smoking sessions.

You can be cooking delicious food all the while monitoring your grill and food from the convenience of a phone app with precision and accuracy.

If you want to see how Camp Chef stacks up to some other pellet grill brands, we’ve created a couple of resources where we do side by side brand comparisons here:

• Camp Chef vs Traeger
• Camp Chef vs Rec Tec

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Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, the Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill is one of the bona fide rock stars in the grilling world.  It has every feature you need to grill, sear, bake, smoke, or roast with ease – all on the same cooker.  In addition to being laden with features, it’s incredibly precise too.

When you start to talk about the extra features and technology that’s built in… it just completely takes things to the next level.  And comparatively speaking, the prices aren’t all that bad either – especially considering what you get in return.

What do you think of the Woodwind series?  Do you have one?  We’d love to hear from you about your experience in the comments section below.

The post Camp Chef Woodwind WiFi Pellet Grill Review appeared first on Own The Grill.

For thicker smoker grill recipes like roasts or whole birds, I like to defrost until just the very center stays ice cold before popping onto the racks. Steaks, chops, and other quick-cooking cuts do best completely thawed out first. This helps ensure even smoking and temperatures all the way through.

With the right prep, smoking semi-frozen foods on your trusty grill opens up lots of possibilities! Just imagine batches of frozen chili or homemade ravioli transformed into smoky goodness. Keeping a stash of frozen raw ingredients on hand makes throwing together awesome smoked creations so fast and easy.

No matter what you’re firing up on the grill, always closely monitor the internal temperature and doneness. As long as you stick to USDA food safety guidelines, smoking partially or fully frozen delights can take your backyard barbecue skills to the next level! I’d love to hear your ideas for frozen foods to smoke. Getting creative with recipes is half the fun!

Can I Smoke a Frozen Chicken?

Similarly to any other form of meat, chicken is incredibly easy to store inside your freezer. It doesn’t take chicken too long to thaw and thus, you can smoke them from frozen if necessary.

It is recommended that you thaw your chicken for approximately at least hour. You can do this by placing it in cold water. You should smoke your chicken from 30 minutes to a couple of hours depending on the size of the chicken thighs/breast/pieces.

How to Defrost Chicken In a Hurry

You can defrost chicken in a hurry by placing it in frigid water. This allows the thawing process to take place while ensuring that the temperature of the meat doesn’t rise above 40 degrees for a long period of time.

You should ensure that your chicken is based in a plastic bag or a zip lock bag prior to placing it into the water. 

Chicken wings are safer to smoke than other forms of chicken due to their size. However, be aware that wings thaw quickly in cold water.

Can I Smoke Frozen Turkey?

It isn’t recommended that you smoke an entire frozen turkey or chicken. This is because it will spend a lengthy period of time in the USDA Danger Zone.

Once again, it’s ideal to thaw a completely frozen turkey under cold water for at least an hour before placing it on the smoker.

Can I Smoke Frozen Brisket?

Similarly to other cuts, a brisket will take a lengthy period of time to smoke. Because of this, we would not recommend smoking a frozen brisket.

Not only is it potentially unsafe, it’s going to be an extremely lengthy cooking process and hard to get right.

We’d recommend thawing your brisket in the fridge overnight and giving it a go the next day.

Can I Smoke Frozen Pork Shoulder?

Smoking a hunk of frozen meat like a pork shoulder is not the best idea as the meat will become tough and dry. Alongside all other large cuts of meat, you risk eating dangerous bacteria if you cook it from frozen. 

Can I Smoke Frozen Ribs?

For this one, it depends on which type of ribs we are talking about.

Yes, it’s possible to smoke frozen pork ribs – they are relatively thin and will get up to temperature on the smoker quickly enough.

Beef back ribs on the other hand are probably not a good idea to smoke frozen and would need to be thawed. These are typically a couple of inches thick and would take too much time to get out of the Danger Zone.

Can I Smoke Frozen Sausage?

Yes, it is entirely possible to smoke frozen sausage as each link is not particularly large. This means that it will smoke quicker and thus, you are less likely to cultivate harmful bacteria.

However, you should ensure that you thaw the sausages first and bear in mind that the thawing process will be relatively quick with a smaller cut of meat. 

To conclude, while it is not recommended to smoke frozen meat, it is entirely possible.

As long as you are smoking smaller portions of meat that have been thoroughly thawed prior to cooking, you will still be able to experience the wonderful flavor of smoked meats.

You should also ensure that any meat has been marinated prior to freezing in order to obtain an extra smoky taste when cooked.

It is not recommended that you smoke larger chunks of meat like whole turkeys or chicken as the meat will be allowed to rest at a dangerous temperature for far too long during the smoking process. 

Can You Smoke Partially Frozen Meat?

Yes, it is entirely possible to smoke semi-frozen meat. However, similarly to smoking wholly frozen meat, you should bear in mind that the meat should spend minimal time between 40-140ºF.

Can I Smoke Meat If It Has Been Thawed?

Yes, you can absolutely smoke meat after it has thawed! While it is always preferable to smoke fresh food due to the moisture that is lost from the meat when thawing, you can still smoke frozen meat to a high standard.

Buying meat fresh from your local store doesn’t necessarily indicate that the meat has never been frozen as many processing plants will freeze their meat to allow for small crystals to form within the fibers of the meat itself. 

The post Can You Smoke Frozen Meats? appeared first on Own The Grill.

Over the years this very specific type of barbecue has only become more and more popular and now they are one of the most prominent cookers in the world.

What is an offset smoker? That is quite simple to explain and even easier to understand once you take a look at one. When you lay your eyes on an offset smoker, you can see that it is a regular barbecue device that has a slight twist, in length and design.

The offset smoker is a typical smoker that contains a horizontal cooking chamber and firebox on the side. It is made to cook with low and slow heat and its lengthy build provides that. The air flows into the firebox, travels through the body of the oven, then out through the tall stack.

Offset smokers have become one of the favorite home items for people who love to invite friends and family over during the wonderful summer months. There is nothing lovelier than entertaining those closest to you with some outdoor fun and a delicious barbecue feast. That is one of the reasons why offset smokers have exploded in popularity.

Why Offset Smokers?

Their focus on flavor is just another reason why so many people love offset smokers. Typical barbecues can only create so much taste and there isn’t much room for nuance in terms of seasoning. You usually do not get a lot of variety with barbecues.

That isn’t the case with an offset smoker. Because of your ability to cook with smoke and control that smoke in some very important ways, you can create multiple meals that taste vastly different with an offset smoker.

It allows you to hone your talents and try new things. And it allows you to craft some sensationally strong flavors that don’t just feel burnt and well done. This is yet another reason why so many people are flocking to offset cookers.

There is a lot of science behind what makes them so special too. True offset smoker masters perfect their food by opening and closing the vents to give more air and raise the temperature inside the smoker.

It takes a certain amount of skill to create a delicious, mouth-watering meal with an offset smoker. There are a lot of ways to screw it up and do it wrong. But when you do it right, there is nothing as good.

However, you won’t get anywhere if you invest in a cheap and unremarkable offset smoker. As the popularity of this type of barbecue grew, so did the number of knock-off ones on the market.

Therefore, it is doubly important that you purchase the offset smoker that is right for you and will get the job done. It is time to take a look at some of the best high-end offset smokers you can put your time and money and energy into.

Keep in mind that most offset smokers are not cheap. There is a good reason for their hefty price tags: these are barbecue tools that you will be able to use for a long time in a variety of ways. Plus, these are built to last.

Throughout our list, you will see multiple brands that take great pride in creating smokers with only the finest metals and materials. These things are more than just outdoor smoking barbecues, they are works of art.

*Note*  If you are looking for more budget friendly options then please check out our post on the best offset smokers under $1000!

Which offset smoker is right for you? No matter if you are new to the scene or an expert BBQ pro, you have a lot of choices to sort through.

Best High End Offset Smokers

Texas Original Pits Luling Loaded Offset Smoker

Texas Original Pits Luling Loaded Single Lid Offset Smoker

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This name is quite the mouthful but could be better summed up with just one word: wow. This is one of the finest offset smokers in the world and something that will work wonders in the backyard during your next family barbecue.

It features all the hallmarks of a great offset smoker and is a terrific choice for someone who is just starting their grilling career or has been doing it for years already.

The Texas Original Pits Luling Loaded Offset Smoker is a beauty that comes with 703 square inches of total cooking surface area and is made with superior steel that prevents any leaking and keeps the burn consistent no matter how much meat you lay down.

It looks gorgeous and durable on the outside, built to last with American steel. But the interior is great too. The inside of this grill is what sets it apart. This smoker comes with a second-level cooking grate that easily pulls out and greatly expands the amount of room you have. It is almost like two smokers in one.

The smoker also has hand-welded flanges on the doors to seal in heat and smoker. You decide when you want to emit smoke and when you want to keep it inside. You are in control and your food will be better because of that. Simply put, this thing is built to cook and to cook well.

The construction here is what sets this Texas Original Pits creation apart from the other offset smokers available to you. You can tell that this is hand-crafted with care. Sure enough, the company produces their projects by hand in Houston, Texas and it shows.

The little details shine and you can tell that someone with great knowledge inspected this smoker and made sure it was going to hold up. It feels strong, heavy, but also somewhat sleek and attractive. It is odd to say that an offset smoker can be easy on the eyes but this one can be.

The hand-welded smoker is more than just good looks though. It is created to provide a wonderful, thorough smoking experience. The thick steel construction keeps heat in excellently and the valves that you control allow for smoke to be distributed and released at your will.

This gives you a lot more freedom and control over what your meal will taste like. Smoke and heat will not leak out of this smoker unless you want it to.

The size of this smoker is also a strong asset. It has a large, spacious body that allows you to cook something small or possibly multiple briskets.

This means that this Texas Original Pits smoker could be the last one you ever need, capable of feeding your entire family and house guests all at once. You could expertly cook an entire meal at one time with this smoker.

This offset smoker just works smoothly. Everything from the opening of the door to the sliding of the multi-level grates to the management of the smoke and fire inside the cooker is a breeze. Nothing about this smoker is a challenge, it all works with little effort and exactly as it should.

There is a reason so many people sing the praises of this offset smoker: it works. In every sense of the word, this one works amazingly well.

The Good-One Open-Range Charcoal Smoker

The Good-One Open Range Freestanding Charcoal Smoker

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Sometimes what you want and need is just an old-fashioned and reliable charcoal smoker. That is exactly what you get with the Good-One Open Range Gen III. Now, there is nothing wrong with being old-fashioned. Old-fashioned can be great because it is easy to use, does away with all the bells and whistles that other smokers come with, and simply focuses on results.

And what are the results with the Good-One Open Range Gen III? The results are darn good. Your food will come out juicy, soft, and decadent. The flavor will be strong and smokey in the best ways. The internal damper system in this smoker lets you control how much smoke enters the chamber and lets you decide if you want something rich or light with smoke.

Inside this smoker, you have 332 square inches of grilling area. Altogether, the 2 smoke chamber grates will give you 664 square inches to play around with. This may not look like the biggest smoker in the world but it houses lots of space and tall lids. You may not be able to cook a full-sized turkey without a bit of squeezing but you will be able to fit a whole lot of delicious treats in this smoker.

The construction of this creation is fantastic, crafted with 11 gauge US steel. That means that you will be able to take this smoker on the road or let it sit in the backyard during some sunny, hot days without it dulling or scratching. Its dark color makes it stand out, especially during a hot summer day’s barbecue.

Some people are daunted by the idea of buying their first offset smoker. They are overwhelmed by the idea of learning the ins and outs of the system and the cleaning and upkeep.

A smoker like the Good-One Open Range Gen III is perfect for people like that. Not because it is somehow considered a “starter” smoker. No, this is a great approach for a new BBQ pro because it will show just how much power and taste you can create with these.

Cooking on a smoker shouldn’t be that complicated. The little things like adding certain flavors and seasoning might require a learning curve but the actual act of using a smoker shouldn’t be that hard.

Thankfully, you don’t get much complication when it comes to the Good-One Open Range Gen III. You get fantastic food and a lot of fun but you do not get something that feels unseemingly hard to handle. That is why it is one of the best offset smokers for a beginner – or a seasoned pro.

The Good-One Open Range Gen III comes with easy-to-use wheeled and durable handles to grip and open it frequently. It looks great, it is made with superior smoker technology that focuses on flavor and will fit wonderfully even in the smallest areas. It is a freestanding beauty that will do more than just get the job done.

Final Thoughts

There you have it.  Some might think that a high end offset smoker is overkill.  After all, at the end of the day all you really need to make BBQ in a smoker is a cooking chamber and a heat source.  But when it comes down to it, the difference in quality between a cheap smoker and a top notch one is undeniable when you taste the end results side by side.

It’s not without downside though.  High end units are by definition expensive, and might not be worth the price tag unless you are a big time BBQ enthusiast.  Either way, let us know which smoker you ended up with!

Unsure of whether you’re looking for a grill or a smoker?  Check out our resource on the best high end gas grills next to help compare.

The post Best High End Offset Smokers – The Ultimate Cookers for Elite BBQ appeared first on Own The Grill.

Fortunately, you have options to turn to that ensure true BBQ goodness. Thanks to the innovative inventions, you can turn up the flavor of all of your recipes for an experience that rivals wood-fired grills.

Of course, if you’re like most people, you don’t have a lot of free time to research the various types of grills on the market today. That’s where we come in. We’ve narrowed down the top-performing built-in pellet grills for your consideration.

Best Built-in Pellet Grills

Memphis Grills Elite Built-in Pellet Grill

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When it comes to the top of the list, our title goes to the Memphis Grills Elite VGB0002S, which comes ready with Wi-Fi to ensure that you can keep a watchful eye on your grill activity.

And when your food has reached the right temperature and is finished grilling, you’ll get text or email alerts letting you know it’s ready to eat. And just like its little brother, the VGB0002S lets you control it using an Intelligent Temperature Control.

As long as you have one mounted near the VGB0002S, you’ll be able to keep your grill in check. Even better, your ITC will lower the VGB0002S’s temperature when peak temperature has been reached.

This kind of accessibility and control is what makes Memphis Grills such a beloved grill manufacturer. If you’re serious about the quality of your food, you’ll want to give this company a look.

So, what is it that makes the Elite VGB0002S more expensive than the VGB0001S? For starters, it’s significantly larger. Whereas the VGB0001S provided you with 562 square inches of grilling room, the Elite VGB0002S increases that to a staggering 844 square inches.

If you’re one who frequently entertains a lot of guests or you have a large family to feed, this may very well be the perfect grilling solution to your needs. Searing makes a return to the Elite VGB0002S, as well, but with even more heat than what was offered by the Pro VGB0001S.

Rather than getting a maximum searing temperature of 650°F, you can now look forward to 700°F! That’s some serious heating capabilities. What’s more, the convection heating system ensures faster cooking, even heating, and no hot spots in the grill.

Another improvement is the hopper area. Instead of 9-pound capacities in each auger, the Elite VGB0002S’s dual-augers hold 12 pounds of pellets for a total of 24 pounds of pellets! Enjoy continuous grilling action for 36 solid hours!

There is a considerable price increase to invest in the Elite VGB0002S. But when you factor in all of the extra perks, you’re looking at what many consider to be the king of built-in pellet grills. We find it hard to argue that point. However, we’re taking the VGB0002S down a notch due to its high price tag.

Unless you have a lot of guests to feed, you can likely get away with the Pro VGB0001S. It’s plenty spacious and delivers a stellar grilling experience from top to bottom.

Weight: 235 pounds

Fuel Type: Hardwood pellets

Best Features: Powerful heating

Louisiana Grills Estate 860B

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Spacious grilling area? Check. Lots of grilling options? Check. High-temperature capabilities? Check. Louisiana Grills’ Estate Series 860BI delivers all of the notable features you’d hope to find in a built-in pellet grill – and then some.

Plus, if you don’t want to invest in a higher-priced grill such as the two previous entries, you’ll save a considerable amount of money by opting for the 860BI. But don’t let the lower price deter you from having a look.

The Estate Series 860BI offers many of the same conveniences and features found in more expensive units. Thanks to the versatile design of the 860BI, not only can you grill your food but also sear, smoke, braise, bake, and char-grill it.

With so many options to choose from, you can be sure to satisfy every guest’s needs. The build quality of the Estate Series 860BI is also on par with Memphis Grills’ units. Made with 304 stainless steel, the 860BI looks like a beauty yet is tough as a beast.

You’re also afforded an impressive amount of grilling space to hone your craft. In the main grilling area, you get 579 square inches of room. However, there’s also an additional upper rack built into the main level. This adds another 281 square inches, giving you a grand total of 860 square inches of grilling space.

And then there’s the heat. This baby can reach a searing-hot temperature of 600°F. But this amount of heat can only go so far on its own. You need an integrated fan system to ensure heat is evenly distributed throughout the grilling area.

Louisiana Grills has that covered. With the Estate Series 860BI comes a powerful proprietary exhaust that does precisely that, keeping your food perfectly prepared from the inside out. Smoking is consistent and provides robust flavor throughout your recipes.

We’re also fans of the electric igniter with auto-start. Simply activate the starter and let the 860BI take care of the rest. Your pellets are fed through automatically, so you don’t have to keep going back to check on them. This lets you focus on your food and spend more time with your friends and family.

If you’ve been hoping to nab a built-in pellet grill with a massive hopper, you’re going to appreciate the Estate Series 860BI. Its hopper supports up to 28 pounds of pellets at any given time, ensuring long-lasting grilling without interruption.

And thanks to the included Digital Control Center, you can set the desired temperature you want, and the grill will automatically maintain it throughout the grilling process. Louisiana Grills includes a handy meat probe that helps prevent possible overcooking. Plus, the lid comes with its own built-in thermometer.

With it, you’ll be sure to get perfect grilling every time. And when it’s time to clean up, a removable grease tray helps eliminate mess by catching run-off.

Weight: 194 pounds

Fuel Type: Hardwood pellets

Best Features: Massive hopper

Coyote 36-Inch Built-in Pellet Grill

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Coyote rounds out our reviews with a built-in pellet grill that delivers the functionality, versatility, and luxury of a high-end oven range – but for the outdoors! As a luxury pellet grill, the coyote 36-inch built in pellet grill represents its title well.

On the face of the unit is an intuitive color touchscreen display. From here, you have full control over the performance and operation of your pellet grill. You can easily adjust the internal grilling temperature to your liking with the gentle tap of the screen.

The touchscreen display is bright and responsive, ensuring that you can clearly see what you’re doing while delivering accurate commands every time. The system is a breeze to learn, thanks to its simple yet inviting design.

We had no problem jumping right in and putting it to work. It offers a natural functionality that complements outdoor grilling for an easy yet enjoyable experience. What’s more, the C1P36 is built like a tank, with attractive yet highly-durable 304 stainless steel surrounding the unit.

Moreover, the hood is double-walled and lined with a gasket to trap heat for maximum grilling efficiency. You also get a convenient Smart Drop system that automatically feeds your pellets so you can focus on your food.

And although the hood is a heavy part of the C1P36 pellet grill, a built-in spring system makes opening and closing it a walk in the park. Coyote also included a wind guard to keep drafts from interrupting your grilling experience.

The Coyote C1P36 is capable of supporting up to 15 pounds of pellets at any given time. As such, you don’t have to worry about having to stop every so often to feed your grill. The dual-auger system accepts a wide variety of wood types, too, so you’ve got plenty of options to work with to keep your grill ignited.

Inside the grill, things get even better. Laser-cut cooking grates line the grilling area to provide your food with perfect sear marks. Not only that, but you’re treated to an additional Versa-Rack system, allowing you to expand the C1P36’s warming rack.

In doing so, you’ll have even more surface area to grill your meals. Converting the pellet grill from smoking mode to searing mode is made easy thanks to the included removal tool and interchangeable burn pot grates.

As with any luxury grill, you can look forward to getting the added benefit of a precision convection system. The Coyote C1P36 comes equipped with a dual-fan exhaust that allows you to cook with temperatures as high as 700°F. Searing has never been so easy!

Also included are three temperature probes, which allow you to easily monitor the internal food temperature via the digital control panel. And to further assist with keeping an eye on your food, the C1P36 features an interior grill light, as well as an LED temperature probe portlight.

Thanks to this handy addition, you can now grill in any environment. If you like to host events that extend into the cover of night, the Coyote C1P36 ensures that you’ll have plenty of light to grill in comfort.

Weight: 216 pounds

Fuel Type: Hardwood pellets

Best Features: Incredible heating

Memphis Grills Pro VGB0001S

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The Memphis Grills Pro Series VGB0001S is made out of heavy-duty 304 stainless steel, giving you a tough and durable pellet grill that is built to last.

What’s more, it comes armed with 8mm stainless steel cooking rods for added strength and resiliency. All combined, you can look forward to the VGB0001S retaining heat better than lesser grills, as well as providing you with lasting longevity.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the VGB0001S is that it comes equipped with built-in Wi-Fi technology. Why is this important? Because you can control your grill from afar via the free Memphis Mobile App (available for both iOS and Android smart devices).

Having the freedom to operate your grill while you mingle with friends and family is something that couldn’t be done until recently. Furthermore, you can set up the app to send you personalized alerts so you can keep a closer eye on your food.

And if you have an Intelligent Temperature Control system mounted near the grill, you can freely operate your unit that way, as well. Memphis Grills throws in a 10-foot wire to assist you in connecting your ITC system with the Pro Series VGB0001S built-in pellet grill.

Thanks to the clever and handy ITC system, your grill will automatically lower its heating temperature when it reaches your desired setting. These kinds of conveniences make the Pro Series VGB0001S the ideal pellet grill for the cook who wants to stay on the cutting edge of technology.

When using the Pro Series VGB0001S, your pellets ignite automatically upon being loaded into the burn pot. That means you don’t have to wrestle with heating your pellets and can get straight to grilling.

Not only that, but this grill comes equipped with two auto-feed augers. Each bin holds 9 pounds of pellets for a total of 18 pounds of pellets at any given time. That equals 36 hours of continuous grilling!

Heating is accomplished through a combination of wood pellets and dual-fan convection. This system works to distribute heat evenly throughout the grill, ensuring that your food is cooked to perfection every time.

Inside the main grilling area is an impressive 562 square inches of space, giving you tons of room to prepare and complete your masterpieces. What’s more, you’ll be assisted by the fan convection system, as it helps to cook food faster while eliminating rogue hot spots in the grilling area.

Are you looking for a built-in pellet grill that can sear? Memphis Grills has you covered, as the VGB0001S is capable of reaching a maximum temperature of 650°F thanks to an included Direct Flame Insert.

For added convenience, you also get a Genie Multi-Tool included with the VGB0001S, making it a breeze to remove your piping hot recipes when they’re ready to come off of the grill. You can even use this tool to keep the Pro Series grill spotless.

Yes, you’ll spend a pretty penny on the Pro Series VGB0001S. But you’re afforded some of the best luxuries a grill has to offer. If you want one of the very best built-in pellet grills available, you’ll definitely want to give Memphis Grills a look.

Weight: 175 pounds

Fuel Type: Hardwood pellets

Best Features: 18-pound capacity hopper

What to Look for in a Built-in Pellet Grill

The use of pellets as a fuel source is a revolutionary concept that works wonders to bring flavor to your recipes. And when you combine pellets with accurate temperature controls, you get a grilling experience unlike any other.

Sure, the end result is on par with wood-fired grills. But grilling your food with built-in pellet grills is something you won’t soon forget. Depending on your needs, you’ll be able to BBQ, grill, bake, smoke, and even sear with some grill models.

What’s more, the consistency of built-in pellet grills ensures that all of your foods come out evenly heated and thoroughly cooked. You can’t always say this about charcoal or propane. As such, built-in pellet grills are in a league of their own.

Let’s look at some essential factors you’re going to want to consider to ensure that you end up investing in the best unit for your grilling needs.

Configuration

Pellet grills come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. And with them are many different features, ranging from built-in Wi-Fi to automatic temperature settings. If you like to latest and greatest that technology has to offer, you’re likely going to want a luxury pellet grill.

These models are rich in features to ensure a comprehensive and complete grilling experience. With add-ons like Wi-Fi, you can adjust your pellet grill’s temperature from your smartphone! Now that’s handy!

What’s more, you typically get the added bonus of significant grilling space to prepare your meals. If you often serve a lot of guests, you’re probably going to want to stick with a luxury pellet grill just for the sheer amount of things you can accomplish.

That said, there are plenty of premium models that provide you with a lot of grilling space to hone your craft. Moreover, you can find units that are made to the highest standard, offering incredible durability and resiliency.

Even practical pellet grills have a lot to offer. You might not get the same bells and whistles on higher-end models, but you can be sure to get everything you need to deliver a smoky-rich dish. And even practical pellet grills have the ability to sear if you find the right model.

Grilling Area

This is going to be the most important part of a pellet grill for many people. Having a lot of grilling space is essential when you have a lot of mouths to feed. If you often host family gatherings or cookouts, you’re definitely going to want to check out pellet grills with plenty of square inches.

Conversely, if you just want a high-quality pellet grill to put dinner on the table throughout the week, you don’t necessarily need a lot of grilling space. You should easily be able to get by with a smaller unit.

Ask yourself how often you have guests over and gauge your family’s need for freshly-grilled meals. In doing so, you should have a pretty good idea as to how much grilling area you need. And because pellets grills famously work in cold weather, you and your family can enjoy exceptionally grilled foods all year long!

Build Quality

We know how important it is to invest in a pellet grill that will stand the test of time. After all, no one wants to buy a grill, only to have to replace it in a couple of years. Your grill needs to last, and you can ensure that by purchasing a unit that is made with premium materials.

That’s why we included only pellet grills with tough, durable bodies. As you’ll see below in our reviews, these units feature stainless steel to ensure lasting quality and performance. Sure, you can always save money on upfront costs and invest in a lesser unit made with cheap components. But you’re putting yourself at risk of breakage.

It’s better to invest in a high end unit now and save money in the long run. You’ll spend a little more upfront, but you won’t have to turn around and buy a whole new unit in a couple of years.

Temperature

The maximum temperature of your grill dictates what kind of food you can prepare and how quickly. If you want to sear your food, for example, you’re going to need a pellet grill that is capable of reaching higher temperatures.

As you will see below, the best built-in pellet grills are capable of reaching temperatures of 600°F to 700°F. With that kind of heat at your disposal, you’ll be able to prepare a litany of different dishes – and in record time!

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Final Thoughts

As you can see, the best built-in pellet grills have a lot to offer. Which model you ultimately choose will depend on what kind of features you need, how many people you plan on serving, and how you like to grill your food.

With the options we included above, you can trust that you’re investing in a quality unit that will serve you well for years to come.

The post Best Built-In Pellet Grills – Our Top Choices & Reviews appeared first on Own The Grill.