Smoke Salmon on a Pellet Grill

3 Best Value Wood Pellet Grills – Buying Guide

Are you on a quest for the best value wood pellet grill that can sear a steak to perfection or smoke a brisket so tender it would have you begging for more?  We get it – the market’s variety often leaves grill enthusiasts like you scratching their heads, wondering which grill will transform their backyard into a legendary pitmaster’s paradise. With our extensive grilling know-how, we’re slicing through the smoke to bring you a grill comparison that matters. 

Whether you’re a seasoned grill warrior or a newbie smoking your first rack of ribs, this guide speaks directly to your smoky passions. We’re not just here to throw specs at you – we’re here to help you make a choice that’ll have your neighbors peeking over the fence in envy.

The Best Value Wood Pellet Grills

When you are searching for the best value wood pellet grills, don’t look at just the price. You will also need to look at how versatile the grill is. Having the ability to relocate your grill is very important for different types of weather. The size of the hopper where your wood pellets go is probably one of the most important features you will need to look at. Also, the size of the cooking area is of extreme importance. You don’t want a grill that has too little grilling space. The following grills meet all of these criteria.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are pellet grills a fad?

No! Pellet grills have been around for a couple of decades now and are gaining in popularity. As the technology improves so does the desire to have a grill that is easy to use.

What is the downside of owning a pellet grill?

Although pellet grills have made great advances in the last few years, they, on average, still only maintain temperatures at 450F. This may change in the near future, Pit Boss 700D4E has a lever you can move to one side to sear. When you use this option, you can achieve temperatures as high as 1000F.

Is cooking on a pellet grill healthy?

Absolutely!!! When you use a pellet grill you don’t have any starter fluid residue or from propane. The charred part of your food is where the carcinogens are located. Most pellet grills do not have that effect on grilled foods.

Grill ImagesDescriptionRankingLearn More
best budget pellet grillZ Grills 700D4E
Pellet Grill
1Learn More
Pit Boss 770FB Wood Pellet GrillPit Boss 700FB
Pellet Grill
2Learn More
Wood Pellet GrillMonument Grill
86000 PelletGrill
3Learn More
3 of the most popular pellet grills that are affordably priced.

The Z Grills 700D4E Wood Pellet Grill

The Z Grills 700D4E is the flagship of Z Grills and is among the best budget pellet grills for your needs. You will find this grill has some amazing features to give you better flavors when you grill.

Your Cooking Area

This grill has 697 square inches of cooking space for you to use. That is enough space to smoke 2 pork butts or even 30 hamburgers at a time.

You have enough space with this pellet grill to cook your entire meal at one time. The space is large enough that you won’t feel as if your food is crowded while cooking.

There are 8 different ways to use this grill for any of your grilling needs.

Experimentation with your new grill can help you create recipes that become family favorites. Before long you will be grilling like a pit master.

Time To Cook

You will never have to worry about refilling your hopper on this wood pellet grill. It has the capacity for holding up to 20 pounds of pellets for your grilling needs.

This gives you the time for those long smokes or quick cooks. You have the PID technology to keep your temperature even when preparing your meals.

Specifications

Power Sourcewood_pellet
Outer MaterialStainless Steel
Item Dimensions LxWxH48 x 22 x 51 inches
Inner Materialstainless_steel
Fuel TypeWood
The Z Grills 700D4E Wood Pellet Grill

Portability Of Your Z Grills 700D4E

There comes a time when you may have to relocate your pellet grill. You may need to locate it next to your house or even beside your patio furniture.

This grill comes equipped with 2 casters in the front and 2 large wheels in the back for moving your grill with ease.

Support For Your Grill

In the unlikely hood that you should have problems with your grill, you have a limited 3-year warranty.

As soon as you assemble your grill go to the Z Grills website and register your grill. Besides, once your grill is registered you will find that you may have discounts that are for a limited time.

Once you have registered your grill, you find that any problems are taken care of quickly and efficiently.

Advantages

  • Large Cooking Area
  • Automatic Pellet Feeder
  • Various Cooking Options
  • Digital Controller

Disadvantages

  • May cost more than similar grills
  • Heavier than similar grills
  • The controller may be defective
best budget pellet grill

The Pit Boss 700FB Wood Pellet Grill

This is the second wood pellet grill that was reviewed. The Pit Boss 700FB wood pellet grill also comes with many features to enhance your grilling experience. Let’s take a look at what they are.

Room To Grill Anything

You will find the Pit Boss 700FB wood pellet grill is large enough to handle almost anything you want to grill. In fact, you can grill as many as 32 hamburgers at a time. If you have a large gathering, this would be ideal.

You will find there are 8 different ways to use this grill. At last, you can start to use your imagination for grilling events.

Heat To Expert Levels

This grill has the ability to smoke at 180F to searing at 1000F, it depends upon how you want to use it.

The 180F range is for smoking your meats low and slow. While you are smoking your meats you can be taking that time to be doing other prep for your grilling experience.

You can crank it up a bit for some of your other recipes and soon you will be thought of as a master.

Furthermore, if you need to sear some steaks, then pulling the lever underneath allows you temperatures that reach 1000F. This may be a bit much but if you want a quick sear this is the way.

Relocation Is A Breeze

If you should ever need to move your grill to another area, this is a snap to do. Lift up on the handle provided on the pellet hopper and maneuver it to the location you desire.

The weight of this grill seems light on the large wheels that come with this grill. You can find that perfect spot and maneuver it into place with little effort.

Reliability Of The Pit Boss 700FB

There are not many companies that offer a 5-year limited warranty on their products. Finally, here is a company willing to stand behind its products.

Finally, a company that believes in giving you the support you deserve. Their customer service department is willing to help you with any problems you may have. They are trained to help you troubleshoot those problems with the right answers.

Advantages

  • porcelain grill grates
  • digitally controlled burn system
  • 21-pound pellet hopper
  • Flame Broiler™ Lever which allows for direct flame searing up to 1,000°F

Disadvantages

  • may be hard to start
  • may produce inconsistent temperatures
  • auger may jam
  • parts may break during shipping
Pit Boss 770FB Wood Pellet Grill

The Monument Grill 86000 Pellet Grill

This is the third and last wood pellet grill up for review. Are you looking for a wood pellet grill that is easy to use? The Monument Grill Octagonal Column Wood Pellet grill has many of the features you are looking for. This grill makes your grilling experience easy, affordable, and fun.

At first, if you have never used a pellet grill, you will need to get used to how a pellet grill works. There is no problem learning about this grill.

Following the startup procedures in the manual, you will need to do your first burn to season your grill. This should take about 45 minutes for the first burn.

Grilling With Probes

If you have never used a probe when grilling, this may take some time to learn. One of the nice things about using a probe is the knowledge your food is cooking at the right temperature for the right length of time.

For added accuracy in your grilling, you now have 2 PID thermometers to help read the temperature and allow more pellets to be added as needed.

As the technology has advanced, so has the efficiency of the grills. Internal thermometers may now be paired with Bluetooth. This has led to more precise grilling temperatures and greater efficiency. This was a big factor in improved grilling satisfaction.

Time To Grill

When it came time to grill, Monument Grills was listening. This grill comes equipped with a 15-pound hopper which is great for those long cooks.

If you are cooking for only short periods of time, this will be great for you since you won’t have to refill your pellet hopper.

Your ability to smoke a couple of pork butts or briskets is now available with 698 sq in of cooking space. Before long, you find yourself grilling everything.

Rolling To The Best Location

With the large wheels located on one end of your wood pellet grill, you now have the ability to change the location of your grill to the best possible location for grilling.

Yesterday, the breeze was pleasant and coming from a location that was ideal for your grill, however, with the passing of a day, you need to relocate your grill to another spot on your patio or deck for better use.

You are able to guide your grill easily with the casters on the front and the large wheels on the back, your task was made simple.

Advantages

  • 698 sq in of total cooking space
  • 6 ways of cooking barbeque, braising, smoking, grilling, baking, and smoking
  • Precise temperature control and pellet feeding.

Disadvantages

  • hard to understand the instructions
  • pellets may not flow into the firebox evenly

My Findings On These Grills

While each of these grills is very popular and has many of the same features, I found that Z Grills 700D4E Wood Pellet Grill overall is the best value.

Its size, portability, and construction were all better when compared to its competitors.

When following the directions for assembly, Z Grills have a step-by-step information sheet to follow. Following these directions in order will have your grill up and going in about 1 hour.

Finally, the hopper on the Z Grill 770D4E is similar in size but the pellets flow freely without having to move them down the chute.

This grill is easy to assemble, move to the desired location, start, and maintain a consistent temperature for your enjoyment.

In conclusion, I found this grill to exceed my expectations.

best budget pellet grill

Comments

22 responses to “3 Best Value Wood Pellet Grills – Buying Guide”

  1. miadinh Avatar
    miadinh

    Thanks for sharing your insights on these three wood pellet grills. After reading, I was impressed with the Pit Boss 700FB Wood Pellet Grill’s ability to cook anything to expert levels. The spacious 700 square inches of cooking area also ensure that I have plenty of room to cook large amounts of food all at once. I think I would go for that one.

    I have a question for you. Out of these choices, which one do you find the easiest to use and maintain?

    1. Jerry McCoy Avatar
      Jerry McCoy

      Miadinh,

      These grills are almost identical in size and how they cook. The Pit Boss 700FB may have an edge in cleaning out any unused pellets. Overall, the maintenance of these grills is basically the same. Continue to clean your grill after every use for the best results.

      Jerry

  2. Mamabear Avatar
    Mamabear

    What an informative article for those looking to buy. I personally know a friend of mine that just purchased one and swears by hers. I had no idea that they were this useful or popular to be honest. I am still grilling with propane. I know now that I will have to be looking into these pellets grills after ready your article. Than you so much!

    1. Jerry McCoy Avatar
      Jerry McCoy

      Mamabear,

      Pellet grills have been gaining in popularity in the last few years. This in part is because of the advances in technology. Most people love the smokey flavor of a charcoal or pellet grill, however, the lighter smokey flavor is preferred. Gas grills while they are very good, easy to use, and quick to get to the desired temperature just don’t have the ability to give that smokey flavor.

      Jerry

  3. Liam Tremblay Avatar
    Liam Tremblay

    Well, hello. Thanks for sharing this great piece of information. I think that all the wood pellet Grills that you mentioned are very great and useful. I read the description, The Z grills 700D4E can be such a great choice. I think it is worth buying it. grilled food is healthy and yummy, and everyone can enjoy cooking.

    1. Jerry McCoy Avatar
      Jerry McCoy

      Liam,

      The Z Grills 700D4E is one of the most popular mid-sized grills on the market at this time. It is easy to use and relocate to another position if so desired. I have enjoyed many great grilling experiences with this grill.

      Jerry

  4. Joseph Avatar
    Joseph

    This is another terrific article Jerry, I am thankful for this buying guide for the three best wood pellet grills. I remember when these first came out the argument from many was that this wasn’t “real” smoking but nowadays, the pellet grill seems to be the way to go no matter who you ask!

    You mention the grills inability to maintain a temperature above 450 degrees Fahrenheit as a negative. Most smoking of meat and other foods takes place at much lower temps though so do you think this is really an issue or do you just mention it for those who plan to use the pellet grill often as a simple grill?

    1. Jerry McCoy Avatar
      Jerry McCoy

      Pellet grills have advanced so much in the last few years with the new technology that many people prefer them to gas or charcoal grills. Many people prefer the smoking ability of pellet grills and find that when cooking at 450F may be faster than expected. You have to know precisely how long to cook at the higher temperatures to have the results you expect. Many people prefer to sear at temperatures greater than 450F.

      Jerry

  5. pasindu dimanka Avatar
    pasindu dimanka

    Thank you for providing your thoughts and opinions on these three wood pellet grills. I was particularly impressed with the Pit Boss 700FB Wood Pellet Grill and its ability to cook various types of food to perfection. In general, all the wood pellet grills you discussed appear to be excellent and practical. I noticed that you mentioned the Z grills 700D4E as a great option, which piqued my interest.

    1. Jerry McCoy Avatar
      Jerry McCoy

      pasindu dimanka

      Each of these grills is versatile and smoke, grill, bake, etc. The Pit Boss wood pellet grill is an impressive mid-sized grill just like the Z Grill 700D4E. They both have 8 ways to cook but in my opinion the Z Grills is just a little better. You can’t go wrong with either one.

      Jerry

  6. Lisa Avatar
    Lisa

    Wow, I was blown away by your blog post on the 3 best value wood pellet grills! As someone who loves to grill and is currently in the market for a new one, your post was incredibly helpful. 

    I appreciated your detailed buying guide and how you broke down the key factors to look for when choosing a pellet grill. 

    Your review of the top three pellet grills was also incredibly thorough, giving me a clear idea of their features, performance, and overall value. I loved how you compared the grills side by side, making it easier for me to understand the pros and cons of each one. 

    Your writing style is engaging and easy to follow, making this post not only informative but enjoyable to read as well. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us- I can’t wait to pick out my new pellet grill and start grilling away!

    Lisa Marie

    1. Jerry McCoy Avatar
      Jerry McCoy

      Lisa,

      You will not be disappointed in purchasing one of these pellet grills. They each are very good and reliable. I prefer the Z Grill 700D4E. When assembling your new pellet grill, follow the instructions as they are in the owner’s manual. One quick tip for you about the assembly process, have another person with you when putting the cooking chamber on the frame. It makes it so much easier. 

      Please enjoy your new pellet grill and let me know if you have any other questions.

      Jerry

  7. Terry Avatar
    Terry

    – How long does it take to assemble a Z Grill?

    – What size is the hopper on the Z Grill 770D4E?

    – Does the Z Grill require any special maintenance?

    – Are there other models of grills that compare with the Z Grills in terms of portability, construction, and size?

    – Does following the step-by-step instructions for assembly guarantee success in building a Z grill?

    – Is it simple to move and relocate this type of grill from one place to another?

    1. Jerry McCoy Avatar
      Jerry McCoy

      Terry,

      It takes about an hour to assemble the Z Grills 700D4E. The Z Grills 700D4E requires only the maintenance that is recommended in the owner’s manual. Namely, clean out the hopper after each use, clean the grates after use and clean the grease plate after each use, and clean the heat sensor inside the cooking chamber. This will help extend the life of your grill.

      The Pit Boss 700FB and the Monument Grill 86000 are of a similar size of the Z Grills 700D4E. The construction of these grills are very similar and will hold up to use just like the Z Grills 700D4E. The size of these grills is almost exactly the same as the Z Grills and they are just as portable.

      Jerry

  8. I’m so impressed with the Z Grills 770D4E! It was clear from the start that its size, portability, and construction were top-notch. Not to mention, the assembly process was a breeze – the step-by-step information sheet made it super easy to get started in no time at all. Plus, I was most impressed with the consistent temperatures it maintained throughout my grilling experience. The hopper was an added bonus – no need to manually move pellets down a chute, the free-flowing pellets make life so much easier!

    If you’re looking for an affordable, reliable pellet grill, I highly recommend checking out the Z Grills 770D4E. You won’t be disappointed.

    Thanks for reading! I hope this review was helpful to you in your grill-buying journey. Happy grilling! ????????????

    1. Terry,
      The Z Grills 700D4E is an impressive grill. It assembles quite easily and maintains its temperature quite well. You will enjoy using this grill often. My wife has almost quite cooking since she prefers the flavor our meals have when done on the pellet grill.
      Jerry

  9. Prince Avatar
    Prince

    I am going to say this that I would love to have a burger on the grill, and a Pellet grill sounds like a good grill to have for burgers and hotdogs, and I will ask this question, can this grill cook steak and is this really healthy to cook I’m reading that it is healthy but I’ve never use a Pellet grill, so I’m only have been familiar with only the charcoal grill before.

    1. Jerry McCoy Avatar
      Jerry McCoy

      Prince,

      Once you have a burger cooked on a pellet grill, you will not want it grilled any other way. The flavor a pellet grill brings to a burger is outstanding. To answer your question about grilling a steak on a pellet grill, the answer is yes. You will raise your temperature to sear and then grill your steak.

      Pellet grills do not have as much smoke that has carcinogens in them. This allows your food to cook without the carcinogens that may come from charcoal grills. Gas grills may develop a coating on the grates if not cleaned properly which can lead to a buildup of these carcinogens. Regardless of the grill, it needs to be cleaned after each use.

      You will find using a pellet grill is much easier and more cost-effective than a charcoal grill. I used charcoal grills for years and loved them. Last year, I was gifted a pellet grill and have enjoyed it ever since.

      Jerry

  10. Dave Avatar
    Dave

    Hi there Jerry, thanks so much for this awesome buying guide. As an avid fan of outdoor cooking, I found it to be very informative and helpful. I have been considering upgrading my grill and your detailed buying guide has given me a lot to think about. I love how you not only listed the top picks, but also provided a comprehensive overview of the features, pros, and cons of each grill. Your comparison chart was especially helpful in narrowing down the options based on my specific needs and budget. I am excited to try out one of the recommended grills and put your advice into action. Thank you for sharing your expertise and helping me make a more informed decision on my next purchase!

    1. Jerry McCoy Avatar
      Jerry McCoy

      Dave,

      I am glad to hear that you enjoy grilling. It is an art that we can all enjoy. I tried to answer any questions people may have about pellet grills. I am sure you will find one of these grills to fill your needs. You should be able to find one of these grills ideal and will fit your budget nicely.

      Jerry

  11. The Investor Avatar
    The Investor

    I’ve always wanted to buy a grill, but my life is still not suitable for such a luxury in terms of time. Still, whenever I find a grill, I stand in front of it, and start studying it and visualizing using it. Your article tickled this feeling again. 

    For sure when I get to the point where I am sure I want to buy one, I will come back here for advice.

    1. Jerry McCoy Avatar
      Jerry McCoy

      The Investor,

      I am glad you found this article one that has you dreaming about the joys of grilling. Pellet grills have come so far in the last 20 years, you may find they are too easy to use. As you become accustomed to grilling, you will find different reasons to grill on a regular basis. When the time comes for you to purchase your pellet grill, it will soon become as valuable to you as any other device you cook with.

      Jerry

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