Warm summer nights are the perfect time to hold get-togethers and barbeque parties with family or friends. However, to ensure that your barbeques parties are a hit, you would need to invest in quality pellet grill. While there are many expensive pellet grills available in the market, you should be able to find the one that matches your needs at under $1000. Pellet grills that cost less than a grand boast several impressive features and have ample cooking area for large groups or families. They might not have all the bells and whistles, but they will have plenty of options to satisfy your cooking needs.
In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices
There are a lot of pellet grills available in the market that cost less than $1,000, so finding the best one for your needs can be a hassle. To make your search easier, we have reviewed some of the best pellet grills under $1,000. You don’t have to look elsewhere to find a pellet grill that would be best for you.
Why Choose a Pellet Grill Over Another BBQ?
Research shows that food that is grilled using a wood pellet grill is healthier. The same cannot be said about food grilled with charcoal or gas grill. Another reason why many people prefer pellet grills over others is that they are convenient. You just have to fill the hopper with wood pellets, set your desired temperature and let the grill handle the rest while you drink beer with your friends. A pellet grill can be used for slow cooking, baking, roasting, braising, smoking and even frying. No charcoal or gas grill will provide you with so many options.
The 6 Best Pellet Grills for Under $1000
1. Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill
If you have used a pellet grill before, you would have surely come to admire the steady heat produced by these grills. However, that even cooking has one drawback. Sometimes you need a little extra flare to give meat a perfect sear finish. This is exactly what the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill offers. With this pellet grill, you can smoke your meats slow and steadily to the perfect temperature, then toss them on the extremely hot grates of the sear box for that touch of grill lines.
The Camp Chef SmokePro boasts an impressive 25,000 BTU heating power spread over a large 570 sq. inch cooking area which is sufficient for large groups and families. This grill has received positive reviews from a large majority of customers and maintains a very high star rating on Amazon. This serves as a testament to its fine quality and remarkable grilling capabilities.
2. Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill
People often complain that when they sear a steak with pellet grills, the result isn’t as good as what they can manage with a gas grill or a charcoal grill. The Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill will give you great results when you sear a steak and it won’t feel like you are used a pellet grill to sear the steak. The Camp Chef Woodwind can serve as both a searing grill and a smoker. You can use the wood pellet grill to cook at a consistent temperature, and then finish it off on the extremely hot cast iron grate that reaches the maximum temperature of 900°F. Cleaning the grill is easy since the ash is deposited in a cup located under the smoke box.
The Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill boasts a digital temperature control as well as an automatic auger that feeds pellets to the grills to ensure that the temperature remains constant. You only have to set it once and let the grill handle the rest. With 570 sq. inches of cooking space and a removable upper warming rack, this grill provides you with enough room to cook for large groups. Load up your grill with jerky, brisket and chicken and serve it to the whole group.
3. Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
Many people like pellet grills, but they struggle to use them for producing true, flavorful barbeque and steaks since the fuel usually lacks the same flavor as found in traditional grills. However that smoky, wood flavor is possible to get with the pellet grill too, even at under $1,000. This unit from Z Grills combines a grill and smoker setup to deliver the best possible pellet grilling experience.
Featuring a dual rack design, the Z Grill Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker boasts a generous 513 sq. inch main cooking area and 187 sq. inch warming rack. The hopper capacity is 20-pounds, which means that the wood pellets would be enough to keep the grill on during long parties where you have a lot of mouths to feed. Maintaining the desired temperature is easy thanks to the automatic pellet feeder.
Once the Z Grills Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker reaches the ideal temperature, the internal temperature sensor is used to maintain it. So you don’t have to check the status of grill after every few minutes. You can enjoy your barbeque party while grilling your favorite food for the guests.
4. Green Mountain Grills Davy Crocket Pellet Grill
The Green Mountain Grill Davy Crocket is one of the most portable pellet grills available in the market. It boasts the advanced Green Mountain technology, employing a digital touchpad controller with an integrated thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat throughout the cooking process. It also includes adaptors allowing you to power the featured electronics using your car battery.
The Wi-Fi feature in the Green Mountain Davy Crocket enables you to monitor the grill from your laptop or smartphone. Many customers who have used the Davy Crocket Pellet Grill have complimented its accurate temperature control that allows them to program/control their ideal temperature. Since this Pellet Grill is extremely portable, it is a great option for people who want to take their grill with them on outdoor adventures.
5. Pit Boss 700FB Pellet Grill
The Pit Boss 700FB Pellet Grill boasts an impressive 700 sq. inches of primary grilling area and a digital control center with dial-in control that lets you set the temperature from 170°F to 600°F. If you’re throwing a large party and 700 sq. inches isn’t enough for that, you could use the upper cooking rack space that is made of porcelain coated cast iron.
Pit Boos lets both beginners and professionals cook their favorite dishes including burgers, vegetable, charbroil steaks, ribs, fish and pizza.
The pellets are fed automatically into the grill by the auger, so you don’t have to spend time babysitting and can let the grill take care of pretty much everything. No charcoal, propane or gas is used here and this grill uses 100 percent natural wood pellets. These pellets don’t contain any adhesives or fillers so you will get a natural, smoky flavor every time. If you want a pellet grill under $1,000 that can deliver fine pellet cooking experience, you should have the Pit Boos 700FB on your shortlist.
6. Traeger Pellet Grills BBQ155.01
The Traeger BBQ155.01 boasts a 292 sq. inch cooking area which is large enough for small families. It is easy to use and features an automatic auger that feeds pellets into the grill to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the cooking process. Front mounted thermometer, digital controls and an automated electric start feature make this grill an ideal option for beginners.
The hopper can hold 10lb of pellets and the grill uses about 2lb per hour. This means that your grill sessions can easily last for five hours. It is incredibly energy efficient too. During the initial startup, 300 watts are used by the grill for about four minutes, and then it only uses 50 watts throughout the rest of the cooking process.
The Traeger BBQ155.01 is undoubtedly one of the best pellets grills under $1,000. You will love the options available in this grill and it will give you good value for money.
Our Final Thoughts
Pellet grills are ideal for cooking delicious chicken, meat, steak and veggies during an outdoor barbeque party. You can find a great pellet grill at under ,000 and we have provided plenty of options to help you select a good grill.
As you can see, the cooking area, heating power and the features included in the pellet grills we have discussed above vary. Not only that, but you will also find difference in the prices of these grills. So when you are choosing a grill, consider your cooking needs, the features you will need and your budget. This way you will be able to buy a pellet grill that is best for your individual needs.
