The Pros and Cons of Using a Pellet Grill

With pellet grilles becoming more and more popular it has me thinking about making the switch. I’ve all ways been a charcoal guy but some times charcoal can be a bit of a pain.

I love the Flavor you get from cooking over charcoal and having the ability to add wood for even more flavor. With pellet grills your all ready cooking with wood. So your all ready going to get the wood flavor in your food.

But pellet grills aren’t cheap and if I’m going to put out a lot of money I want to know if it’s going to suit my life style. So I made a list of all the pros and cons I could think of and that other people had put online. So here’s what I came up with.

Pros

I’d like to dig into my pros and cons a little bit to help you better understand each of them. As well as why I feel it’s a pro or a con.

Heat Control

When it comes to cooking being able to control the heat is everything and pellet grilles can control the heat like no others. You only need to set the heat controller to the temperature you want and it will do the rest.

Sins a pellet grill can adjust the temperature on it’s own it’s a lot like using the oven in your house. Most grills will come with a temperature probe that plugs into the controller so you can see the internal temperature of what your cooking.

Evenly Cooks Foods

Sins these grills use indirect heat to cook it’s a lot like using a convection oven then it is a grill. Pellet grilles have a fan in them to circulate the heat. This gives you an even cook all the way around.

Unlike all other grills that heat only from the bottom and can easily burn your food. The fan inside the grill keeps the heat moving around in the grill making it cook evenly and faster.

Low Risk of Flare-up’s

Pellet grills have a fire pot in the middle of them to make there heat. The fire pot is protected by a cover and the drip pan so grease should never make its way to the fire and cause a flare-up.

Now that doesn’t mean a flare up or a burn back cant happen. But you would really need to neglect cleaning the grill for a long time. So as long as you keep it clean then you should never see a flare up.

Great Flavor

Wood pellets are made from all different species of wood. That means you get great wood flavor with out needing to start a wood fire. Also you can pick the wood that’s going to best complement the meat your cooking.

So if you want hickory smoked ham then you only need to use hickory pellets. If your in the mood for apple ribs the next day take out the hickory pellets and put in apple pellets.

Can Cook Anything

I said earlier that using a pellet grill is a lot like using a convection oven and because of that you really can cook anything in them. Pellet grill manufactures like to say you can grill, smoke, roast, and bake in them.

So when I say you can cook anything in them I mean it. That’s great on a nice summer day when you just want to be out side. Now it’s not just burgers and hot dogs on the grill it’s what ever you want. You want chicken pot pie for dinner no problem you can make it on the grill.

Cons

Pellets can’t get wet

Wood pellets can’t not get wet at all. Once pellets get wet they start to brake down and will turn to mush if they take on to much water. Even if your pellets are damp is going to cause problems in your grill.

Wood pellets are only saw dust that’s been compressed into pellets. When they get wet or damp they start to brake down and will struggle to light in your fire pot. Also there going to make more smoke, ash and fine dust. Using damp pellets in your grill my even cause creosote inside the grill.

Needs Electricity

This was a big one for me I’m a charcoal guy and a grill that needs electricity just doesn’t seam right to me. Now you still can take your grill tell gating but you’ll also need a generator as well.

Even when using it at home most houses have limited receptacles outside. That means your going to be limited on where you can put your grill or your going to need to use an extension cord to power the grill.

Lot of Parts that can Break

These grills have more in common with a pellet stove for heating your house then they do any other grills. There’s an auger, air blower, hot rod, and a whole bunch of electronics inside of it.

All of that does make the grill easy to use but as soon as something stops working then your not grilling. In fact your not grilling until you can get replacement parts to fix the grill. If you need to order parts from the manufacturer then your grill can be down for days or weeks.

Less Flavor then Charcoal

Pellets do give you a good flavor in your food but it doesn’t hold up to the flavor you get using a charcoal grill. Pellets only add the flavor of the wood that they are made from.

When you use charcoal there’s the flavor that charcoal adds to your food all by itself. You can all way’s add wood chips to your charcoal if you want to add wood flavor on top of the charcoal flavor. But in a pellet grill you can only use pellets.

Limited High Temperature / Can’t Sear

Most pellet grills can only get up to 500F or so. For most of your cooking that’s more then enough. But for some thing like Searing you need to be able to reach temperature in the 700F.

Now some pellet grills come with a searing zone either on the side much like a side burner on a propane grill. Where other grills let you slide the cover off of the fire pot so the flames can reach the cooking grates.

Cleaning is Essential

You need to keep these grills clean. With charcoal and propane you can push off cleaning the grill for a long time. But if you don’t clean the ash out of the fire pot on a pellet grill then it may not light.

You should empty the ash every five or so cooks. If you grill as much as I do that’s going to be once a week. You should give the hole grill a deep clean every 50 hours.

Top 3 Pellet Grills

Camp Chef PG24 Deluxe Pellet Grill

Take your outdoor cooking to the next level with the Camp Chef Pellet Grill and Smoker. Designed with the home griller in mind it’s built-in features simplify the process of smoking. This grill includes digital temperature readout that takes the guesswork out of the cooking process.

It’s advanced digital temperature chip gives a more steady smoke and temperature. This eliminates large temperature swings and gives a more consistent cooking temperature. It’s patented Ash Can Cleanout System makes clean up quick and easy.

This Pellet Grill and Smoker features range from innovative digital smoker controls to dual temperature sensors. Discover the real secret of award winning BBQ cooks, low and slow smoking.

Check it out on Amazon by Clicking Here!

Traeger Grills TFB57PZBO Pro Series 22

Enhance your outdoor cooking experience & take your cooking talents to big leagues with the Traeger Pro 22. Whether your looking to make perfect pork ribs, or a better brisket, the Pro 22’s digital Pro Controller with advanced grilling logic will take your grilling game to new heights.

Easily Check your food’s temperature without opening the lid with the built-in, dual meat probes. Durability is not even a question with its Sawhorse chassis, powerful steel construction & built-to-last powder coat finish.

Quickly switch out your hardwood pellets by simply opening up the hopper Cleanout. Easy to clean porcelain grill grates gives your food better flavor, without old grease marks. Find out why going Pro with the best-selling wood-pellet grill has never tasted better.

Check it out on Amazon by Clicking Here!

Pit Boss 820FB Wood Pellet Grill

The Pit Boss 700 Series offers the best value per square inch in the pellet grill industry! The 700 Classic has been perfectly designed to be as versatile as it is practical. With 700 sq. inches of porcelain coated cooking surface including a second tier rack, the 700 Series is perfect for a group of four to six.

These 8-in-1 grills range in cooking temperature from 180° to 500°F. Select your preferred cooking styles with the digital control board and standard flame broiler. Set it and forget it, or slide the plate and sear it over an open flame.

With heavy gauge steel components, complete structural strength and durability, these high-value grills are meant to last. Grill, smoke, bake, roast, sear, braise, barbeque or char-grill to perfection with the Pit Boss 700 Series.

Check it out on Amazon by Clicking Here!

As Always, Happy Grilling!