Are you looking to purchase a new portable pellet grill and smoker to enjoy with your family?
Are you tired of not being able to take your grill with you to places like campgrounds or other gatherings when you want to? If so, we have found some of the best portable wood pellet grills that will give you the freedom of grilling where and when you want.
We understand that features you want in a regular grill might vary from a portable grill, and to help with this, we have also provided not only reviews on various grill models but a buyer’s guide and FAQ section that will make choosing the right grill for your needs easier and more accurate. With that, let’s dive right in and get started!
7 Best Portable Pellet Grills on the Market:
Here, you will find 8 of the best portable grills available on the market, and we have also provided reviews on each of these grills to show you their pros and cons and what consumers have said about each model.
1. Traeger Grills Tailgater 20 Portable Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
View at AmazonReview
Traeger Grills is a popular manufacturer of portable grills and smokers, and this model was designed for people who enjoy attending and hosting tailgate parties and events.
It is designed to be small and compact, which is ideal for tailgate parties, and it makes this grill easy to move around, as needed. Plus, it is capable of most types of wood pellets, which allows you the choice of smoked wooden flavor.
Finally, this grill is capable of performing six different types of cooking: braising, grilling, BBQing, roasting, baking, and smoking. This will provide you and your guests with a choice of cooking and will help with increasing in pleasing the taste buds of your friends and loved ones.
What Customers are Saying
Many consumers agree that this is the best tailgate pellet smoker they have used because of its small and compact size. Plus, it provides them with a variety of cooking styles. However, some have expressed having issues when trying to contact the manufacturer’s customer service department.
Pros
- 6-in-1 versatility: braise, smoke, bake, roast, grill, and bbq
- Compact design for portability
- Uses wood-pellets for ultimate woody-taste
Cons
- Difficult to customer service contact
2. Green Mountain Grills Davy Crockett WiFi Controlled Portable Wood Pellet Grill
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Green Mountain is a well-known manufacturer of small wood pellet grills, and they designed this model to have the capability of being controlled through WiFi, which helps to cook without having to constantly move to the grill to check on its settings.
Compared to others this grill comes with an internal thermal sensor that helps you know the internal temperature of the grill and when it is ready to be cooked on.
Being a compacted and portable grill, they have also added foldable legs to make it easier to fit into most vehicle spaces. Plus, they have included a meat probe, convenience tray, and peaked lid that are all designed as extra features to make cooking easier.
What Customers are Saying
Many consumers have looked at this compact pellet grill, and they enjoyed how easy it is to transport, and they liked the internal thermal sensor that was designed.
However, some did have a few issues when it came to contacting the manufacturer’s customer service when they required assistance.
Pros
- Internal thermal sensor
- Legs fold for easy transport
- Contains convenience tray, peaked lid, and meat probe
Cons
- Poor customer service response
3. Camp Chef PPG20 Black, Silver Pursuit Portable Pellet Grill
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Camp Chef is a well-known manufacturer of smaller grills that are designed specifically for outdoor camping experiences.
This model has several features that help make it excellent for such occasions. For instance, it has a lockable lid design, which is great to help prevent any fire issues when out camping.
Plus, it comes with dual shelves that will allow you to cook twice the food in the smaller compact smoker at the same time.
Finally, this smoker comes with Camp Chef digital controls that are meant to help ensure the accuracy of different cooking aspects, like temperature.
What Customers are Saying
Many consumers like this camping pellet smoker because it provides easy read and control digital controls, and it also provides dual shelf convection cooking situations.
However, some consumers have expressed minor issues with the included auger not working properly at the start.
Pros
- Camp chef digital controls
- Lockable lid design
- Dual shelf convection cooking
Cons
- Needs a better auger
4. PIT BOSS PB440D2 465 sq in Portable Wood Pellet Grill
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PIT BOSS is known for manufacturing quality grill models, and this smaller wood pellet grill is designed for those that are looking for the best affordable pellet grill that still provides a quality cooking experience.
This particular model was designed with folding legs that make it easier to fit the grill into various styles of transportation, which is important for a portable grill.
It’s not as large as a regular home grill, but it still provides an excess amount of cooking space that can easily be cleaned and washed at any cooking site.
Plus, it has dial-in temperature controls that are designed to make it easier to set the correct temperature for various types of styles, as needed.
What Customers are Saying
Consumers like that this grill’s legs are collapsible and also have wheels on them making it easier to move the grill from place to place.
However, a few have expressed minor issues with the temperature control of this grill, which means it needs to be watched carefully while in use.
Pros
- Dial-in temperature control
- 5 pound hopper capacity
- Collapsible legs with wheels
Cons
- Minor temperature control issues
5. Traeger Grills Ranger Portable Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker, Black Small
View at AmazonReview
If you are looking for a portable wood grill, this one has several features designed to put it on top. It is small and compact, which makes it excellent for porting it around with you on camping or tailgating trips.
Plus, it has an integrated digital elite controller that is meant to help ensure you are always cooking in the right settings without having to constantly check on things.
This tabletop grill is also cooking in six different cooking styles, which means it doesn’t matter what manner you want to cook your meal, the option will be there for the most part.
Plus, it is made from easy-to-clean materials, which makes it easy to keep up the grill and helps prolong its useful life.
What Customers are Saying
Many consumers that were looking for a small portable pellet grill found this grill to be the right size with plenty of room and cooking style capabilities. However, some did express having minor issues with the temperature being inconsistent if not watched carefully.
Pros
- Integrated digital elite controller
- Compact and portable design
- Provides 6-in-1 cooking capability
Cons
- Issues with inconsistent temperature
6. REC TEC Grills Portable WiFi Wood Pellet Grill
View at REC-TECReview
REC TEC Grills is well-known for designing grills with technological features that make it more convenient for those that enjoy these types of features.
This grill, they designed to be a portable wood pellet grill, but it is also capable of syncing to a WiFi connection to provide users with information about the grill to different devices.
This grill comes with 2 non-stick mesh grill mats that make cleaning up a breeze, and they have even included a premium grill cover to help protect the grill while it is being stored or not being used at a campsite.
Finally, they have added wheels to one side of the grill to help make it easier to move and transport from place to place.
What Customers are Saying
Many consumers have given positive portable pellet grill reviews on this model.
They like the included non-stick mesh grill mats that are designed to make it easier to remove food from the grill, and the wheels make it easy to move the grill from place to place as needed.
However, a few consumers have mentioned having a few minor issues with getting the grill to balance properly.
Pros
- Comes with 2 non-stick mesh grill mats
- Comes with premium grill cover
- Wheels for easy transport
Cons
- Minor balancing issues
7. Country Smokers CSPEL015010497 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
View at AmazonReview
Country Smokers is a well-known manufacturer of smokers and grills, and this is one of their best pellet grills for those on a budget.
It provides you with a quality cooking experience, without the extra hassle of a large price tag. This smoker is capable of holding up to 3.5 pounds of hardwood pellets, which means having to change out pellets a lot easier and less frequently during the cooking process.
It is designed to be small and compact, which makes it perfect for tailgating or going camping because it is small enough to carry around but big enough to still provide a large and delicious meal.
Finally, this model is also designed with dial-in digital controls that are meant to make it easier to fix and maintain the proper temperature for the food that you are grilling or smoking.
What Customers are Saying
Most consumers that purchased this grill were in the market for tabletop wood pellet grills, and they like that it can hold a good amount of hardwood pellets.
Plus, they like the digital controls that come with this smoker. However, a few consumers have experienced minor issues with the control board.
Pros
- Dial-in digital controls
- Holds up to 3.5 pounds of hardwood pellets
- Compact and portable design
Cons
- Minor issues with control board
Factors to Consider When Buying A Portable Pellet Grill
Just like with any grill, there are several factors that you need to take into consideration before making your final purchasing decision. Depending on your needs and wants, here are a few factors that you should always consider.
Price:
Price is usually a strong deciding factor whenever you think about purchasing a grill, but luckily, there are quality portable grills in most budget ranges that are reasonable.
It is important to consider different pellet grills in your budget to help ensure that you get the best small pellet smoker for your needs without overextending yourself.
Auger Quality:
With wood pellet smokers, the auger that is used is very important to ensure a clean cooking experience. If the auger is too powerful or not powerful enough it will dramatically impede your grilling experience making the grill either too hot or not hot enough.
The thickness of Grill Metal:
Retaining heat is important for a grill to work properly, and one way to achieve this is by ensuring that the metal your grill is constructed from is thicker quality. This will help to retain the heat you need for various types of cooking.
Size:
Many people are under the misconception that because a grill is classified as portable that it will not be large enough to accurately smoke a delicious meal.
Whereas size is an important feature, many portable grills are easy to move and take with you that are large enough to cook meals for larger families and get-togethers.
Portable Wood Pellet Grill FAQ
Just like when purchasing anything, you will find yourself asking many questions that you will not know the answer to.
To assist you further, here are a few questions about portable pellet smokers that we have come up with that you might be asking yourself.
What type of wood pellets can be used in portable smokers?
There are several types of wood pellets that you can purchase to use with most smokers, and they are designed to provide different flavors to food when they are used to smoke.
Some smokers work better with different types of pellets. So, you need to check the smokers to see if there are any pellet limitations.
Does portable smoker mean small cooking area?
This is definitely not the case. Some smokers and grills are considered to be portable because they are lightweight or have options like wheels, that make them easier to move.
If you are worried about the cooking size of the smoker, check out the dimensions before purchasing it to make sure you will be able to cook the amount of food you want to cook on it.
What is better folding legs or solid bases that sit on things?
Many smokers will have some sort of folding or removable legs that make it easier to sit them in a trunk or car when traveling. However, whether it has folding legs or is designed to sit on a solid surface, it is your preference and based on the places that you plan on using the grill if it will be compatible.
Conclusion: The Best Portable Pellet Grill & Smoker Is…
After reviewing the above products, we realize that you might still be unsure as to which grill is the best for your needs.
The only way to be sure that you are purchasing the right grill is by knowing and planning out what you intend to do with your grill. This is the best process for making sure you make the right purchasing decision.
However, after a lot of thought, we have concluded that the best portable pellet grill and smoker is the Traeger Grills Tailgater 20 Portable Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker.
Out of the reviewed models, this one is easy to travel with, and it is easy to maintain, but this is just an overall review. Make sure that it meets all of your needs before deciding on any of the above grills.