Best High-End Pellet Smoker

There is nothing like the taste of food cooked on a smoker, especially a high-end pellet smoker. If you are in the market for one of these smokers, then you have come to the right place.

In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the best high-end pellet smokers on the market today and tell you what to expect from each one.

We will also discuss some of the features that you should consider when purchasing a high-end pellet smoker. So, if you are ready to upgrade your smoking experience, keep reading!

What are High-End Pellet Smokers?

High-end pellet smokers are pellet grills that offer the same set of features usually reserved for commercial cooking appliances.

They include easy-to-use digital controls, programmable meat probes, large-sized hoppers, heavy-duty metal construction, and many other features which are not commonly seen on traditional grills or smokers.

The most popular brands in this category are Traeger and Louisiana Grills. These two brands have been in the market for many years, and so their lineups include a wide range of products varying in sizes, colours, designs, and prices.

In addition to being feature-rich, they offer a consistent combination of good performance – high cooking temperatures, high smoking yields, and long cook times as well as value for money.

Let’s go through some of the high-end pellet smokers

Cookshack PG500 Fast Eddy’s Pellet Grill Review

Looking for the perfect backyard grill? Look no further than the Cookshack PG500 Pellet Grill!

This amazing grill offers 4-zone cooking, letting you cook direct, indirect, cold-smoke or warm/hold your food.

The 100% stainless steel construction ensures durability and easy cleanup, while the stainless steel grates provide even heat distribution and fantastic flavour.

Plus, with 784 square inches of cooking space, this grill is perfect for any gathering.

The electronically controlled thermostat means you’ll always get that perfect sear, while the auto-start function makes sure your grill is up to temperature before you even step outside.

Plus, the draft fan helps keep things cool, so you don’t end up with burned fingers – or worse.

Traeger Grills Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker Review

When you’re looking for the perfect meal, you need the perfect grill. And that’s where Traeger comes in.

With their Ironwood 885 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker, you can get started on your next culinary masterpiece in no time.

Thanks to its D2 drivetrain, this grill heats up faster than ever before and provides a quality smoke flavour that’ll make your food taste amazing.

With its 6-in-1 versatility, WiFiRE technology, and Traeger app, you can cook up anything you want – from chicken to ribs to pork butts.

And with Alexa technology, you can control your grill hands-free! Plus, with 885 sq inches of grilling space, this grill is perfect for feeding a crowd.

The porcelain grill grates ensure that your food won’t stick, while the precise temperature control allows you to smoke your food to perfection. Moreover, the built-in meat probe takes all of the guesswork out of smoking meat.

Traeger Grills Ironwood 650 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker Review

The Traeger Grills Ironwood 650 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker is the perfect grill for anyone who wants the convenience of 6-in-1 versatility.

The WiFIRE technology and Traeger app let you control your grill with your phone, while Alexa technology lets you use voice commands to grill like a pro.

The porcelain grill grates ensure that your food will come out tasting amazing every time.

With its porcelain grill grates, 650 sq. in. of grilling space, built-in meat probe, and precise temperature control, this grill makes it easy to produce perfectly smoked meats every time.

The D2 drivetrain starts up faster, heats up quicker, and produces higher-quality smoke than other pellet grills on the market, ensuring that your food comes out tasting great every time.

Louisiana Grills Founders Legacy 1200 Pellet Grill Review

The Louisiana Grills Founders Legacy 1200 Pellet Grill is a workhorse of a grill, able to cook up delicious food for large groups with ease.

With its 1,205 square inches of cooking surface and 180° to 600°F temperature range, you can make anything from steaks to pizza on this bad boy.

And the SearTech control system ensures that your food will be cooked evenly and perfectly every time.

Plus, the 29-pound pellet hopper means you’ll be spending more time grilling and less time filling up. Stainless steel construction means this grill will last for years to come.

With its built-in grill light and griddle insert, this grill is easy to use and perfect for any cook job.

The Smart Touch Control Pad makes it easy to adjust the temperature, and the viewing window lets you keep an eye on your food while it cooks.

This grill’s 22-inch barrel and double-lined steel cover can accommodate any cook job, making this grill perfect for any occasion.

This grill’s collapsible front and side shelves make it easy to transport and store, while its built-in tool hooks and towel bar keep you organized and prepared. Plus, with a five-year warranty, you can grill with confidence.

Pros

• Very large cooking space
• Adjustable temperature control
• Very large hopper capacity
• Durable
• Smart touch control system
• Viewing window
• 5-year warranty

Cons

• It does not have wheels

Louisiana Grills Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker Review

The Louisiana Grills Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker is everything you need to create delicious, smoky barbecue cuisine right in your own backyard.

This powerful grill features a 300-watt auto igniter for easy starts, plus a one-touch auto start that gets things going with just the push of a button.

The grill also comes with a proprietary exhaust system that helps ensure even heat distribution and consistent cooking results every time.

Meanwhile, the Digital Control Center oven board lets you precisely monitor cooking temperatures, so your food is always cooked perfectly.

With 860 square inches of cooking surface, it has plenty of room to cook up a large feast. And the cast-iron cooking surface ensures that your food will come out perfectly cooked every time. Plus, the stainless-steel body ensures that this smoker will give you a life-long service.

This grill features front drawers and cabinet doors for convenient storage, as well as cooking temperatures ranging from 180 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit – perfect for any dish.

Plus, the full-function programmable meat probe ensures optimal results every time, allowing you to grill like a pro.

What Features Should You Look at Before Investing in a High-End Pellet Smoker?

Let’s review some of the most important ones:

High Cooking Temperature

Most models offer their best results between 250 F – 450 F, although there are brands that can go beyond this range.

Digital Controls

For the best performance and reliability, look for a pellet smoker that offers precise digital controls. Some of them come with programmable meat probes that can control the temperature inside the grill within +/- 25° F (there are also fixed temperature models).

The better models also include an LED display which gives you easy access to data like temperature, meat probe battery life, and cooking time.

That’s really helpful in case you want to monitor the cooking process without opening the grill – for example, if you are using an oven thermometer or a wireless BBQ thermometer.

Hopper Size

The bigger, the better! Hoppers need to be large enough to store the wood pellets that will be burned during cooking. Depending on the size of your family or guests, look for pellet hoppers with at least 1 lbs of storage capacity. Some pellet grills offer as much as 20 lbs of pellet storage capacity.

Quality Construction

Look for a smoker that is well built and will last. Heavy-duty materials, high-quality welding, and good seals are the signs of a durable pellet grill. There are also brands that offer a very comprehensive warranty period to give you peace of mind for many years.

Large Cooking Area

This is one of the most common mistakes when people buy their first pellet grill. They are unaware of how much food can fit in a large smoker, as well as the fact that adding an extra shelf will make it easier for them to slide in the meat without having to open the lid. Many models offer a cooking area of over 500 sq inches.

Multi-fuel Capability

If you live in an area where you can’t always get wood pellets (i.e., wet wood chips), then it is best to look for smokers that are compatible with other types of fuel like lump charcoal, firewood, or wood chips.

Versatility

Look for smokers that are compatible with accessories like pellet poopers, pizza ovens, and smoking baskets. This will give you the flexibility to smoke, grill, barbecue, and even bake.

Easy to Clean & Maintain

Pellets burn at very high temperatures, which allow them to impart unique flavours but also cause a build-up of soot that can be difficult to clean. Look for pellet smokers that are easy to clean, keep and maintain.

Pellet Hopper IQ is an innovative feature in this regard. It has a trap door at the bottom of the hopper, which allows you to empty it without having to open the grill.

Resistance

Finally, look for smokers that offer good resistance to the elements. Pay special attention to protective coatings and rust-proof construction.

Benefits of Having a High-End Pellet Grill

There are a lot of benefits of having a high-end pellet grill.

1. Pellet grills are very easy to use, especially the high-end pellet grills. Because of the advanced features they have, it also has a lot of smart technology that makes these grills very easy to use.

One example is automatic auger feeding which is a feature in most high-end pellet grills. You can set this for long or short cook times depending on the type of food you want to cook, and it’s done. Automatic auger feeding pushes pellets from the hopper to the fire pot as needed, so you don’t have to do anything but wait for your food to be ready.

2. Pellet grills are efficient. With a good pellet grill inside, your pellet lasts longer as it is made from hardwood and renewable resources. In addition, the temperature of your pellet grill can also be controlled for better use of its energy.

3. Pellet grills are safe. Since they have several safety features such as a window for checking the internal meat temperature without opening the lid, automatic shutdown in case of low hopper temperature, and advanced features like WiFi connectivity for sending a text when the food is ready, pellet grills are very safe.

4. Pellet grills make great-tasting food. Food cooked in pellet grills generally tastes better because they have more smoke flavour compared to other types of smokers, thanks to the hardwood pellets it uses. You can also control the flavour of your food by adding more or less smoke to it.

5. Pellet grills are durable. The materials used for making these products are high-quality stainless steel and cast iron, so you don’t have to worry about replacing them anytime soon. They can last for years if treated well and maintained properly.

6. Pellet grills are very versatile and can be used for a lot of different things, not just as a smoker or grill. You can use pellet grills to make pizza, brownies, cookies, bread, etc.

7. High-end pellet grills have better customer service. Most high-end pellet grill manufacturers are known to have better customer service compared to other types of smokers, so if you encounter a problem with their product and need help, they will be there for you.

Disadvantages of a High-End Pellet Grill

1. Price

High-end pellet grills are expensive. The cheapest ones come in at a few hundred dollars. Prices generally go up from there, with the most expensive models selling at well over a thousand bucks.

2. Availability

High-end pellet grills are still limited to upscale restaurants and speciality retailers, but availability is increasing as more people discover them and their benefits.

3. Reliability

Because of the high price and novelty, there is a risk that some pellet grill manufacturers will not be around in 5-10 years when you need them most.

4. Top-Chef Professional Grills

If you’re looking for a grill that is just as capable on the backyard deck, high-end pellet grills are not your best choice. For starters, they are difficult to move. Second, they have too many features that may or may not be useful in a residential setting. These include:

– A high BTU rating (most residential grills produce between 7,000 to 15,000 BTUs)

– An abundance of accessories/add-ons (depending on the grill’s size and type)

– And the larger capacity to cook more food at one time. 

What High-End Smokers Are Available?

I’ve selected some of the best wood pellet grills and smokers in the $1,300 – $2,500 range. As you will see, there is a vast array of different brands, models, and features, so I recommend that you take your time to review them one by one.

You may also want to take into account that these are very heavy items. The cheapest brands might not be the best option since they are made of thin steel and can rust easily.

The ones you should really consider are Traeger, Cookshack, and Louisiana Grills, smokers. All of them offer a great set of features, large hoppers, and long cook times. They are also backed by a very strong industry reputation which is always a good sign of quality products.

What Should I Expect to Pay?

High-end pellet smokers can be expensive, especially the ones that offer features like precise digital controls or massive hopper sizes. You should expect to spend between $900 and $2,000 for a good quality smoker.

Keep in mind that you can get a very capable wood pellet grill for as little as $300 – $400 these days. In any case, if you are looking to invest in a top-of-the-line pellet grill, it will definitely be worth your money.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I pick wood pellets for smoking?

You can purchase these food-grade pellets just about anywhere that sells smokers and grills.

There are two types of wood pellets for smoking:

• Hardwood pellets come from dense woods like hickory, maple, and oak. They burn at a steady heat, which allows you to hold the smoker’s temperature steady.
• Softwood pellets come from pine, spruce, and fir. They are made with resinous sap, which means they burn hotter than hardwoods. This is perfect for searing meats at high temperatures. Softwoods are best in an outdoor smoker that has a temperature gauge with a wide range of settings to accommodate high-temperature searing.

Which type of wood pellets for smoking should you choose?

It depends on the flavour you want to impart. Hardwood pellets give the meat a subtle, smoky flavour. If you prefer a bolder smokiness, try using softwood pellets for smoking instead.

Much like whiskies or beers, wood pellets can come in different flavours (mesquite, hickory, applewood, oak, and cherry) to give your meats a unique taste.

Another thing you should consider when buying wood-flavoured food-grade pellets for smoking is moisture content. If the pellets are too dry, they won’t burn properly. So, try to select pellets that have a moisture content of less than 10%. If they are wet, it will be difficult for them to light and stay lit.

How many wood pellets should I buy?

Wood pellets come in 1-pound bags and 40-pound boxes. A single wood pellet smoker will typically need a 40-pound box of pellets, which contain about 100 pellets.

How many pounds of pellets you will actually use depends on the smoker’s settings and cooking conditions, such as weather and wind.

In general, though, expect to use 1-2 pounds of wood pellets for smoking a whole chicken or turkey. Plan on using 3 pounds of pellets for a 12-pound whole ham.

How should I store pellets?

Wood pellet smoker manufacturers recommend storing the food-grade pellets in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Avoid placing them near chemicals or anything that emits foul odours because it can affect the flavour of your meats. Wood pellets have a shelf life of at least three years.

It is also important to check the pellets before using them, which you can do by simply squeezing them. If they feel moist or spongy, it’s best not to use them as they will likely not light and stay lit.

Wood pellets have a variety of uses aside from smoky flavouring that will allow you to have a pleasant outdoor experience. You can use them for grilling, camping, and barbecuing exquisite dishes that your family and friends will love!

Conclusion

High-end pellet smokers are great for outdoor cooking enthusiasts. They can be used in different settings like camping and barbecuing. They have a variety of benefits and disadvantages depending on the user’s preferences. They are good for cooking food with a unique taste. You can also check our article on Best Pellet Smoker for Beginners.

High-end pellet smokers can be purchased online or in local stores. They can also be used to make other dishes aside from smoky food.

We hope you found this article helpful in finding the best high-end pellet smoker for your needs. If not, feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns, and we’ll be happy to help!