Top-rated Pellet Grills You'll Want for Searing Season (2024)

Traeger's Ironwood 885 is one of the brand's most popular models. The cook surface is on the larger side, at 885 square inches, with an oversize top grate. The grates are porcelain coated (like those on the brand's Pro 575 model, which also performed well) for easier cleanup and maintenance. Aside from more cooking space, the Ironwood 885 is loaded with updated features like a control panel that's easier to read, Super Smoke and Keep Warm settings, a sensor that lets you know when the pellets are low, a door on the hopper to remove the pellets if you want to try another flavor before they finish and a strong side shelf with tool holders. The grill comes with a meat probe (and built-in storage for it) and also connects to the Traeger app so you can keep an eye on your cook from afar. It has a 20-lb hopper capacity.

In our tests, chicken came out super juicy and tender with crispy skin reminiscent of well-cooked duck skin; it was light, crispy and airy. Steak also turned out tender and was able to achieve grill marks. Both had a light, smoky flavor that you really want when cooking on a pellet grill. The grill has a downward exhaust system located on the back instead of a traditional smokestack. It's a good option for those new to pellet grills because it's simple and easy to use, and pros will appreciate the solid build and features. But al of those features do come at a higher price — this is the second most expensive grill on our list.

Dimensions: 53" x 27" x 47" | Grilling area: 885 sq. in. | Hopper capacity: 20 lbs

This is a great pellet grill for beginners considering its price, build and capabilities. It’s super easy to use with a dial temperature control and easy-to-read display. Thanks to the flame broiler that you slide to expose, you can grill over direct flame in addition to the standard pellet grill smoking, grilling and barbecuing — plus, you can bake, braise, roast and sear your food with this all-in-one appliance.

With a 21-lb hopper capacity and 700 square inches of space to cook on — including the second tier rack — the manufacturer claims you can make over 30 burgers at once! It also has a meat probe with a readout so you can monitor the internal temperature of whatever you're cooking. This grill has porcelain-coated grates, which can make for easier cleanup. However, the brand recommends customers use Pit Boss pellets to avoid potential clogs.

Dimensions: 24.8" x 22" x 43" | Grilling area: 700 sq. in. | Hopper capacity: 21 lbs

This Recteq Grill's exterior and many of its accessories are made of stainless steel, while its interior accessories, including the grill grates and fire pot, are made of 304 stainless steel, which has a high corrosion resistance, for even more durability. Plus, it's all backed by an impressive six-year warranty. In addition to top-of-the line materials, it can reach up to 500ºF to achieve sear marks — this is noteworthy in the pellet grill category, which usually maxes out around 400ºF.

The Recteq RT 700 connects to an app and comes with two probes so you can monitor the internal temperature of two different foods. No need to worry about running out of pellets mid-cook either: It has a 40-lb hopper capacity — the largest on our list. While online shoppers love this great as much as we do, they do wish that there was a front shelf included, given the already high price.

Dimensions: 56" x 50" x 32" | Grilling area: 702 sq. in. | Hopper capacity: 40 lbs

The Traeger Grills Ranger is a smart pick if you want a small pellet grill that you can use at home or when you're on the go. While it is heavy for one person, it is durable and easy enough to carry between two people. In our testing, it delivered the same quality results as the brand's full-sized pellet grills, and one of our experts continues to use it to smoke often in a small backyard. While the cooking area is small (186 sq. in), it was still able to fit a rack of ribs that came out soft, tender and smoky in our tests. We also did not have to refill the 8-lb hopper during our tests.

The Ranger has porcelain-coated grates, which cleaned up nicely in our tests, an integrated meat probe so you check the internal temperature of your food and a Keep Warm mode to hold your food at temperature until you're ready to eat. Plus, the control panel is easy to use and navigate.

Dimensions: 20" x 21" x 13" | Grilling area: 176 sq. in. | Hopper capacity: 8 lbs

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One of the chief complaints with pellet grills is that you can’t sear a steak as well as you could on a charcoal or gas grill. However, the Woodwind model from Camp Chef can do both! It works like a typical pellet grill that can reach up to 500ºF, but it also offers a feature that exposes the fire pot so you can get sear marks on your food.

When we tested the Woodwing, we were impressed with how juicy the food came out, and we were extra pleased when we were able to finish off our reverse-seared steak over the direct flame. We also loved this pick's ash-removal system, which made it easier than most to clean since the ash is deposited into an easy-to-remove cup under the smoke box. The 24-lb hopper capacity is a good size for most slow-cooking jobs, and it features a viewing window so you can see how many pellets are left without opening the lid. One thing to note, though, is that the sear box replaces the side shelf when in use, so you'll lose out on some storage space.

Dimensions: 30" x 42" x 49" | Grilling area: 800 sq. in. | Hopper capacity: 22 lbs

Weber is one of our top-tested grill brands. The Smokefire EX4 (2nd Gen) features the high-quality polished build the brand is known for as well as the same "flavorizer" bars designed to vaporize drippings during cooking for more moist results. It ranges in temperature from 200ºF to 600ºF, which allowed for char marks on our steak during testing (which is unusual when it comes to pellet grills). Foods seemed to cook a little more quickly with this grill than other brands we tested, but this model yielded the style of ribs most people are used to: slightly caramelized, fall-off-the bone and delicious.

One of the Smokefire's nicest features is its built-in Weber Connect technology, which you can control and monitor right from the grill or from the app. It allows you to keep an eye on the grill's ambient temperature as well as the internal temperature of foods; one probe is included with the grill but up to three can be bought separately and used at the same time, which is ideal for keeping track of various items.

The Smokefire has two racks — the upper is 360 sq. in. and the lower is 648 sq. in. — giving this pellet grill a total cooking surface area of 1,008 sq. in. Weber released a new Smokefire this year as well, which can be used with the brand's lines of Crafted accessories so you can turn your pellet grill into a griddle, pizza oven and more.

Dimensions: 47” x 43” x 33” | Grilling area: 672 sq. in. | Hopper capacity: 20 lbs

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The Traeger Timberline is loaded with many new and innovative features we haven't seen on most grills, like multiple storage shelves and a powerful induction side burner — perfect for getting a final sear on steaks or for frying smoked wings outdoors. We also love that the induction burner can be used as a shelf when covered with the lid; the hopper also converts to a shelf when topped with the included cutting board that's secured with a strong magnet. Additional accessories can be purchased to use with the new Traeger Timberline, too, like a butcher paper roll rack or pellet storage bin.

During testing, we found that it cooked juicy chicken breasts with a slightly smoky taste and made great, tender wings. So far, we've used the side burner to fry eggs, and we can't wait to cook up more delicious food. Other unique features include a contained two-in-one ash and grease collection system and two Meater thermometers, which, when paired with the app, allow you to easily monitor the internal temperature of your food from anywhere in range. It has 880 sq. inches of cooking space, including two additional cooking tiers. It's also available in a bigger, 1,320-square-inch cooking size and can even be designed to be built into your outdoor kitchen.

Dimensions: 59" x 25" x 51" | Grilling area: 880 sq. in. | Hopper capacity: 22 lbs