Why These Best Pellet Grill under $500 Should Be Your Ultimate Choice?

2. Ozark Grills Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker

Ozark Grills Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker is a grill and smoker just like the name suggest. It gives you exactly what you need for an enjoyable and successful grilling or smoking experience. This grill utilizes advanced wood pellet technology to provide cooking energy so that you won’t need to use gas or charcoal anymore.

Additionally, this grill is constructed with consistency in mind. It allows a consistent temperature for even cooking to ensure fast and reliable cooking. The Ozark Grills Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker provides a generously large cooking area measuring 305 square inches. With this cooking area, you can comfortably cook up to ten burgers plus a meat probe all at the same time. It’s an excellent unit for a family home.

When it comes to ease of use, the Ozark Grills Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker is one of the most user-friendly units out there. It comes with a digital control panel that’s easy-to-read. From this control panel, you can conveniently control the temperature within a favorable range to enjoy the best cooking.

What’s more, the Ozark Grills Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker has a multi-faceted system that provides you with great versatility to transition from slow smoke to baking, grilling, braising, and roasting at higher temperatures.

3. Z GRILLS Upgrade ZPG-550B 2020 Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker

Pellet grills from Z GRILLS are well-known and loved for their great performance and efficiency. The Z GRILLS Pellet Grill/Smoker is nothing less of these. This unit is carefully constructed to make sure that your grilling experience is one to be memorable.

With this unit, you don’t need to worry about using gas or charcoal because as other units on our list, this tool utilizes advanced wood pellet technology to provide you with the energy you need for a smooth and efficient cooking.

The wood-pellet grill gives your good that sweet wood-fired taste that everyone will love. What makes this a standout is its precise temp control that allows you to give your food the right temp they need without guess work.

The Z GRILLS Pellet Grill/Smoker is one of the best pellet grills under 500 in the market. This upgraded version comes with sophisticated starting function that makes it start faster and heats up more quickly as well as put up better-quality smoke than the previous models.

What’s more, this unit is a perfect match for a home with a large family. It offers a generous 780 sq. inch of cooking area that accommodates up to 34 burgers, six chicken or six rib racks without difficulty. It also features an integrated meat roble that lets you achieve the perfect cooking result.

Z GRILLS Grill/Smoker also comes with Wi-FIRE tech that allows you to connect it with your home WiFi and the Traeger application will let you control the grill wireless from anywhere. Additionally, the Alexa tech lets you do everything you need by just a voice.

Lastly, the Z GRILLS Pellet Grill/Smoker is a highly versatile model – 8-in-1 versatility. You can use this model to smoke, grill, bake, braise, roast, and barbeque. It’s equipped with porcelain grill grates that make the cleaning a breeze.

 

4. Traeger Grills TBT18KLD Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker

Traeger Grills TBT18KLD Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker is also a good-quality grill and a good value for money. When you purchase this unit, you’ll get a Traeger Ranger Grill plus a cast iron griddle for a perfect searing on your steak or cooking of your breakfast.

The Traeger Grills TBT18KLD Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker is a small unit that’s best suited for cooking foods for a small family or a small group. It comes with a 184 sq. ft. of cooking area that can only accommodate some few burgers or ribs.

However, the weight of this unit is only 60 pounds and with a pellet hopper capacity weighing 8 pounds only. This means that the product is very portable and makes the perfect option for a tailgating or any other outdoors such as camping.

It offers a maximum temperature of up to 450-degrees which is sufficient to cook your food without issues. This unit is also equipped with sophisticated Grilling Logic that ensures a precise temp performance. What’s more, it features a cook timer that allows you to know when you should check your food- No guess work!

Lastly, the Traeger Grills TBT18KLD Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker includes porcelain-coated grill grates which don’t stick and make cleaning a breeze.

5. Royal Gourmet Pellet Grill PL2032

Royal Gourmet Pellet Grill PL2032 is the best overall as far as our list is concerned. Why do we say that? Well, this unit offers you one of the largest cooking spaces on our list. This unit provides you with a total of 786 square inches of cooking space.

With such a generously large space, you can cook as much food as possible all at ones. The Royal Gourmet Pellet Grill PL2032 is a perfect choice for a large-sized family or someone who wants to entertain guests or large group of friends.

Additionally, this unit also features a spacious hopper that can hold up to 25 pounds of pellets. Next, when it comes to cleaning up this unit, you won’t struggle. It’s just a matter of minutes and you’re done! That’s because, the Royal Gourmet Pellet Grill PL2032 comes with a large easily-removable grease cup on its side that enhances effortless cleaning up.

What’s more, Royal Gourmet Pellet Grill PL2032 has an integrated digital temp controller that allows you to precisely regulate the temperature depending on your cooking needs – no more guess work! The real-time temperature readings are displayed on the digital screen for easy reading.

Lighting the Royal Gourmet Pellet Grill PL2032 is also a breeze thanks the auto-ignition system that lets you pre-set your preferred start-up time and temperature range so that the unit ignites automatically when you want it.

6. Pellethead Green Mountain Pellet Grill

Pellethead Green Mountain Pellet Grill comes with something that not many offers – Wi-Fi control. This unit is one of the top-quality and highly rated units in the market so far. It’s an excellent option for the perfect searing and smoking with a temperature range of 150 to 500 degrees F.

Whether you want to go and enjoy a great grilling experience at camping site or you just want to relax at your patio with family, this grill is a perfect choice for you. Its portability feature allows you to take it with you anywhere. The lightweight and foldable feature allows you to fit it into any trunk of a car. Weight at only 68 lbs, this happens to be the perfect unit for tailgating.   

The Pellethead Green Mountain Pellet Grill offers a small but sufficient cooking surface for a small family. It provides you with a 219 sp. In. of dual grilling area that you can use for a small quantity of foods for your family and friends.

This unit is well constructed and with a porcelain-enamel finish to prevent cracking and rusting. It’s a long-lasting and valuable unit.

7. Z GRILLS Upgrade ZPG-450A 2020

Z GRILLS Upgrade ZPG-450A 2020 Pellet Grill & smoker also offers a fairly large cooking space to accommodate enough food for you and your family. It’s a money-worth unit that’s carefully constructed to ensure it gives you a long-lasting service.

The Z GRILLS Upgrade ZPG-450A 2020 Pellet Grill & smoker features porcelain-coated grids of cast iron. That makes it simple to clean. The unit is also equipped with a sophisticated flame broiler that’s an easy slide-plate that ensures a full control for the flame grilling.

When it comes to the control, this unit is equipped with a digital control system that allows you to take care of your cooking digitally without guessing work. Z GRILLS Upgrade ZPG-450A 2020 Pellet Grill & smoker gives you the perfect cast iron grilling.

8. Smoke Hollow PS2415

Whether it’s that perfect smoking or grilling experience that you’re looking for, the Smoke Hollow 440 sq. in PS2415 Pellet Grill/Smoker has got you covered. It’s well-constructed unit that will withstand the pressures of every-day grilling and smoking.

The Smoke Hollow 440 sq. in PS2415 Pellet Grill/Smoker features an internal temp gauge and digital LED thermostat that allow you to manage the temp and smoke for excellent cooking results.

Additionally, its auger-fed wood pellet deliver unit makes it easy for you to feed the pellet to provide the energy you need for the cooking. Smoke Hollow 440 sq. in PS2415 Pellet Grill/Smoker offers you 440 sq. in. of cooking surface with porcelain-coated cooking grid that makes it very easy to clean.

Also, to enhance the cleaning experience, this unit is equipped with a convenient-drain grease system so that you find it a breeze to clean.

 

9. BIG HORN OUTDOORS

Whether it’s during the summer, winter or any other season, the BIG HORN OUTDOORS Pellet Grill & Smoker is always ready to grill or smoke. That’s because it’s built to allow cooking anytime regardless of the weather condition.

This unit is equipped with a double-sided wall insulation that offers temp consistency and unmatched pellet efficiency even in cold weather. This unit also comes with an automatic digital temp control that allows you to set the ideal temp and leave it to cook your food.

Additionally, the BIG HORN OUTDOORS Pellet Grill & Smoker utilizes an advanced wood pellet technology that allows you to achieve the best wood-fired taste. It’s equipped with precise temp control to eliminate the guess work during your cooking.

BIG HORN OUTDOORS Pellet Grill & Smoker gives you a 6-in-1 versatility. That means you can use this unit in grilling, baking, roasting, BBQing, braising, and smoking. It has a porcelain grill grates, making the cleaning a breeze.

The cooking surface in total is 700 sq. inch, which is a generous surface for cooking large quantity meals for a large group. This is a great unit suitable for both household and commercial use.

10. Monument Grills Portable Pellet Grill

Monument Grills Portable Pellet Grill & Smoker is also the ultimate unit for you if you want to take your bbq to the next level. It also offers 6-in-1 versatility, which means that you’ll be able to grill, bake, braise, roast, smoke, and bbq all in one unit.

Just like the Traeger unit above, this one too utilizes sophisticated pellet technology that allows you to enjoy a wood-pellet fired taste of your food. You don’t have to worry about charcoal or gas anymore. Just use the convenient wood pellet technology.

One thing that you’ll appreciate about this unit is accuracy when it comes to temp control. No more guess work in your cooking. The unit is also very efficient. You only use some little pellets to offer enough energy for up to 20 hours of cooking. That way, you can be sure that you’ll be spending very little on cooking energy, which means that you can grill more and more without incurring too much cost on energy.

Monument Grills Portable Pellet Grill & Smoker is a user-friendly unit. You don’t need to have used a grill before to use this one like a pro. For example, you only need to press a button to start it up thanks to its convenient electronic automatic start ignition. Additionally, this unit is equipped with digital temp control so that you can control the internal temp without guess work.

The precise temp control allows you a lot of convenience and lets you achieve those professional cooking results you want. When it comes to cleaning, this unit is very simple to clean. It’s also easy to move around thanks to the caster wheels.

Lastly, the cooking surface in total is 530 sq. inch, which is a generous surface for a family. This is a great unit suitable for household use.

 

11. Z GRILLS ZPG-L6002B

Z GRILLS ZPG-L6002B Wood Pellet Grill Smoker is also the ultimate unit for you if you want to take your BBQ to the next level. It also offers 6-in-1 versatility, which means that you’ll be able to grill, bake, braise, roast, smoke, and bbq all in one unit.

Just like the Traeger unit above, this one too utilizes sophisticated pellet technology that allows you to enjoy a wood-pellet fired taste of your food. You don’t have to worry about charcoal or gas anymore. Just use the convenient wood pellet technology.

One thing that you’ll appreciate about this unit is accuracy when it comes to temp control. No more guess work in your cooking. The unit is also very efficient. You only use some little pellets to offer enough energy for up to 20 hours of cooking. That way, you can be sure that you’ll be spending very little on cooking energy, which means that you can grill more and more without incurring too much cost on energy.

Z GRILLS Wood Pellet Grill/Smoker is a user-friendly unit. You don’t need to have used a grill before to use this one like a pro. For example, you only need to press a button to start it up thanks to its convenient electronic automatic start ignition. Additionally, this unit is equipped with digital temp control so that you can control the internal temp without guess work.

The precise temp control allows you a lot of convenience and lets you achieve those professional cooking results you want. When it comes to cleaning, this unit is very simple to clean. It’s also easy to move around thanks to the caster wheels.

Lastly, the cooking surface in total is 1060 sq. inch, which is a generous surface for cooking large quantity meals for a large group. This is a great unit suitable for both household and commercial use.

12. ASMOKE AS660N-1 Electric Wood Smoker

ASMOKE AS660N-1 Electric Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker all about convenience and ease of use. Whether you’re a first-time user of pellet grills or seasoned grilling individual, this unit is for you. It has a fairly large grilling area and smoking of 484 sq. inches and insulation rack area of 216 sq. inches, which makes a total of 700 square inches.

With that cooking area surface, it’s enough for cooking food enough for you and your family or friends. Additionally, it features a generous pellet hopper in terms of capacity with a convenient, user-friendly ash cleanout system.

It’s pretty easy to adjust the temperature to match your cooking needs thanks to its intuitive temp selection system. With this outstanding temp system, you’re able to maintain a constant heat throughout your grilling to achieve the optimum results that you need.

What’s more, the ASMOKE AS660N-1 Electric Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker comes with a dual LED temp readout that shows the internal cooking temperatures and food temperatures. As mentioned, with this unit, you’ll enjoy the best cooking experience.

Moreover, ASMOKE AS660N-1 Electric Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker includes an electronic automatic start ignition function that allows quick and straightforward start each time you need to grill. You don’t have to go through the hassles of traditional charcoal grill lighting.

13. BIG HORN Pellet Grill and Smoker

BIG HORN Pellet Grill/Smoker ends our list but it’s not least. There several reasons why you should buy this wood pellet grill. One of them is its unmatched versatility that allows you to grill smoothly and efficiently.

This grill is a user-friendly unit that offers you professional cooking results. It also has a very large cooking area of 700 sq. inch. With all that space, you can grill 3 chicken or 20 burgers without issues.

When it comes to construction, the BIG HORN Pellet Grill/Smoker is durably made using heavy-duty materials that ensure a long service. It features powerful steel body and robust foldable surface shelf and easily-adjustable smokestack damper.

It’s also equipped with all-terrain wheels that allow you to easily move the unit from one point to another with ease. You can use this versatile grill to braise, smoke, roast, bake, grill, and barbeque food as per your needs.

Lastly, BIG HORN Pellet Grill/Smoker is user-friendly. It includes a pro digital automatic temp control and real-time LED temp display that lets you set your grill temp and leaves the unit to handle the rest. It’s the perfect choice for a family.

Not all pellet grills under 500 dollars are a perfect choice for you. So, if you’re a first-time buyer for a pellet grill, you might want to know the various factors to look out for while shopping. We also have gone the extra mile to prepare a list of the important things to consider when you’re in the market for the best pellet grill under 500 dollars.

We want you to take only the best product for your needs and money home. Also, you don’t want to invest your hundreds of dollars into something that won’t give you value for money. So, consider these factors:

• Cooking Surface Area
• Portability
• Ease of Cleaning
• Durability
• User-Friendliness
• Versatility

Size of the Cooking Area

The size of the cooking area should be the first thing you consider when shopping for the best pellet grill under 500 dollars. Different pellet grills offer different sizes of cooking area.

The sizes can range from less than 200 square inches to more than 1000 squares inches. The right size for you will depend on your cooking needs. If you’ll be cooking for a small-sized group of people, then you’ll only need a small-sized or medium-sized cooking surface area.

However, if you intent to prepare food for a large group of friends and family, a unit with at least 700 square inches cooking surface might be good for you.

A unit with a large cooking area is suitable for commercial grilling. On the other hand, a unit with a small or fairly large cooking area is ideal for household uses. As mentioned, the size you choose will depend on your needs and the convenience you need in your cooking.

Sometimes, you may prefer a unit that can accommodate up to 30 burgers or several whole chickens at once. This means that you’ll take significantly less time to cook for many people. Generally, the size of the cooking area affects other areas as explained below.

Portability Of Grill

Portability is another important factor that you must consider when looking for the best pellet grill under 500. The portability is generally how easy to move the unit from one point to another.

Keep in mind that the portability of a unit is mostly affected by the size of the cooking area. If you choose a unit with a large area of cooking, it means that that unit will be large and bulky, which will definitely affect its ease of transportation.

For instance, if you want a pellet grill that you can easily carry in the back of your truck to a camping site or road trip, then you need to consider the size. You should note also that some of the best units take care of the portability without sacrificing the size of the cooking area.

Some of these units may be equipped with features like caster wheels to enhance portability while other may include fold-able legs for the same purpose. Additionally, the materials used in the construction can also affect the overall weight of the unit.

All in all, portability is an important factor to consider, especially if you’re buying a unit that you’ll mostly be using for your outdoor trips. If you still need a large unit so that it can come with a large cooking area, look for features like folding legs and caster locking wheels or all-terrain wheels that will make the unit ease to move around.

Ease of Cleaning

Grills are cooking tools and they must get untidy and require cleaning after every cooking session. It can be a headache if your grill isn’t made in such a way that makes it a breeze to clean.

So, this is an important factor to consider when looking for a pellet grill for your needs. Some of the top-rated grills take care of this buy incorporating features like porcelain-coated grates that ensure less sticking of foods to make it easier for you to clean.

Other features that facilitate cleaning include the removable grease cup and the exclusive ash cleanout system. A unit with one of these features will allow you to enjoy a straightforward cleaning experience.

You don’t want a unit that will force you to struggle with cleaning tools and waste a lot of time just to make it be clean and ready for the next session. The finish on the unit can also make it easy or a headache to clean. Choose a finish that cleanup easily.

Durability Of Grill

Pellet grills are expensive. You’ll need to invest hundreds of dollars to get one. That’s not small amount of money that you can simply let it go down the drain.

So, you want a unit that’s sturdy enough to put up with the pressures of constant use. Durability is mostly influenced by the overall construction of the unit.

A well-constructed grill is going to last for years even with constant use as long as you’re taking good care of it. Go for the units that feature heavy-duty construction using good-quality materials.

A durable pellet grill is made of high-quality materials that allow it to withstand elements, especially for those being used outdoors. A product that’s prone to rusting and corrosion won’t stand the test of time.

Additionally, check the kind of finish the unit has. That’s because, a unit with a nice finish will be hard to succumb to whether elements. Also check to ensure that your pellet grill is strong enough to be able to hold the wait of the cooking without staggering. It should stand sturdily and accommodate all the weight without issues.

Some of the top-rated units may come with a cover that helps to protect them from elements. If you’re buying a unit to be grilling outdoors, a cover will come in handy. You’ll be able to cover your unit up after use so that it remains unexposed to the harsh climate that can accelerate rusting and corrosion. A durable pellet grill is a good value for money.

User-Friendliness Of Modern Grills

You may be buying a grill for the first time and also using it for the first time. If so, you don’t want a very complicated unit that will give you a lot of headache before you can become used to working with it.

A user-friendly unit is a must-consider factor whether you’re a first-time user or you have been using grills before. Most of the best pellet grills under 500 we have reviewed here are easy-to-use.

They are equipped with features that make your cooking experience smooth and uncomplicated. Some of the features include the easy-to-read digital temp control systems. These systems allow you to control the internal temperature of your unit with great ease automatically.

That means you don’t have to get your hands dirty – just press a button and all is done. Also, some units from reputable brands like Traeger come with smart technologies like Wi-FIRE and Alexa.

Using these technologies, you’re able to control your unit remotely using an app or with a simple voice in case of the Alexa. Another feature that enhances your usability includes the automatic ignition function.

That means that you light up the unit automatically using electric energy. Compared to the traditional way of lighting a charcoal grill or other types of grills, the electric auto ignition is a great way to ensure your cooking experience is enjoyable and convenient.

Versatility Of Grills

Versatility is an important factor to consider if you would like a unit that gives you unlimited freedom in your cooking. Some of the best pellet grills under 500 offers up to 6-in-1 versatility.

That means that you can do more than just grilling your food. You can use a unit to bake food, braise, smoke, grill, barbeque and roasting. With all these versatility, it can be easier and economical to prepare all sorts of foods for people.

If you’re considering buying a unit for commercial use, versatility will be the first thing to consider. This is a very economical feature that can save you a lot of time if you’re able to do all the cooking styles in one unit.

What’s more, you can also enjoy the versatility feature at home, especially for those with a large-sized family where members may prefer their foods cooked differently. Some may prefer smoking while others may prefer grilling. Also, some foods are better barbequed while others are better backed. With such a versatile unit at hand, you’ll be able to achieve all these without having any troubles.

The Cost Of Grills

Pellet grills are available in a wide range of prices so that you can choose depending on your requirements and budget. Many factors affect the price of a pellet grill.

A highly-equipped pellet grills feature-wise is likely to cost you more than one that’s designed for standard grilling and smoking. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t find a decent unit that will give you a smooth grilling experience at an affordable price.

Depending on your budget, ensure that you don’t spend more than you have planned for. And even though we are talking of units under 500 dollars, you may be looking for unit that’s below 200 dollars or below 300 dollars. However if you’re looking for sophisticated grills from reputable brands like Traeger Grills, be ready to dig deeper into your pocket.