There has never been a better time for outdoor grilling. People have lots of options to choose from, pellet grills and smokers being some of the most popular ways in recent years.
But pellet grilling requires constant monitoring of the internal temperature to maintain a proper balance of smoke and meat. If this strays too high or low, the food risks being undercooked or smoked too heavily.
To combat this, some brands have built smart BBQ grill products, cooking grills capable of control from anything electronic device that has a WiFi and Bluetooth connection.
Such grills tend to have their smartphone applications. Reviewed below, along with details on the attributes that make each product recommended. Read further to see which smokier/pellet grill/smart grill is best for you!
Best Smart Grills
1. Weber Spirit II E-310 3-Burner Liquid Propane Grill
The Weber Spirit 2 is a smoker/pellet grill that’s heated by liquid propane. It’s the top gas grill for the money, given that great care is taken to ensure that your cooking times don’t take too long. It’s built to last for a long time and is not susceptible to rust.
When you turn on the Weber for the first time, you’ll love how it heats up quickly. The heating process should take no longer than 10-15 minutes, sometimes shorter. This is assuming that you’re aiming for a 500-degree temp. For shorter temperatures, heating it takes even less time. About half of the product is assembled when it arrives. Just attach the leg to the body of the grill and you’ll be ready to cook.
Before you begin, take a look at the grills. You’ll notice that some of them are smaller on one side than the other. This is to help you switch between thicker cuts of meat without resulting in food sticking to the pan. It also reduces the amount of drip, allowing your food to retain more of its flavor.
The general consensus for Weber is that it’s reliable and easy to master. You’ll get the hang of cooking with it after the first time it’s used. The only thing that could annoy you is how the grill must be carried. To do this, you must hold the side panel on the grill’s right side; there’s no individual handle for rolling. Other than this, put the Weber E-310 high on your list of possible purchases.
Pros
- Fast heating time; doesn’t take too long to reach a 500-degree average
- Grill plates can be switched from one side to the other, based on the user’s need for the smaller or thicker side
- Legs come fully assembled
Cons
- Picking up the grill can only be done by holding on to the side panel
2. Green Mountain Davy Crockett Sense Mate
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Sturdy and strong, the Green Mountain Davy Crockett Sense Mate is a smart grill that aims to take away many of the problems associated with pellet grills, those with WiFi hookups in particular. A good pellet grill with remote controls isn’t always easy to find. This one is easy to cook on and keeps a stable connection to smartphones for the entirety of its usage.
The body of the grill appears to be very durable. It has thick legs that won’t bend out of shape or warp from the heat. However, the height is a bit lower than what it looks in photos. This isn’t a bad thing, mind you. You’ll be able to store it easier this way.
Cooking is easy to carry out and you can maintain a steady temp from your mobile device. If it leaves the temp that you set, a notification will let you know to go up higher or lower. This can also be done on your phone.
Few found the Sense Mate to be an unsatisfactory product. Its hopper size is a commonly appreciated feature. However, you should stay close to the grill whenever you can, more so when there’s a lot of meat inside. If not, uneven cooking times may occur. Be sure that you or someone nearby can look inside the grill from time to time, and your food should come out better than expected.
Pros
- Although easy to transport, the grill contains a large hopper that holds a good amount of pellet chips
- Low height makes it easy to store in places where lots of other grills couldn’t be placed
- Contains a cookbook with a grill
Cons
- Uneven cooking unless monitored closely, both through a smartphone and checking the grill directly
- The drip tray may warp when the temp reaches above 500 degrees; replacement is likely
3. Traeger TFB57GZEO Pro Series 575
The Traeger TFB57GZEO has a solid pellet rack that holds a lot of chips and is easy to dispense when finished with cooking. It has a feature that’s known as WiFIRE that links your WiFi and Bluetooth device to the grill, allowing for control that’s no different than standing next to a grill. Only this time, you won’t be slaving over the grill all day long.
If you have Amazon Alexa, feel free to link the grill to your device. If you do this, you can control everything by voice command. But users without can still monitor and change temps with their phone. You can even turn off the grill completely if you want, all with the push of a button on the grill’s application. Your food will never come out uneven or partially cooked.
The biggest complaint about the Traeger TFB57GZEO has nothing to do with the WiFi or smartphone connection. Taking a look at its photos, you’ll notice a sturdy handle on top of its lid. This gets pretty hot to the touch, especially when internal temps reach over 400 degrees.
When cooking at a high temperature, wear a safety glove of some sort to lift the grill without burning your fingers. If this is forgivable, then you’ll love how your meats come out with this Traeger grill. It’s one of the pellet smart grill sets listed.
Pros
- Sturdy legs that don’t bend or stand uneven
- Intuitive controls on the grill and smartphone application
- Works with Amazon Alexa
Cons
- Care must be taken when the grill is hot as it transfers heat to the handle
4. Camp Chef 24 in. WIFI Woodwind Pellet Grill & Smoker
The Camp Chef has a wide grill span, enabling you to cook a lot of meat in one sitting. On top of that, prepare to never have things cook unevenly, or overly smoked. There are four monitoring probes built into its interior, all of them working to bring you accurate temps.
This is a smart BBQ pellet grill, comparable to the others listed already. However, the Camp Chef can regulate temperature without tapering off from the level of heat that you desire. In other words, you won’t need a separate thermometer to get an accurate temp reading. This results in better-smoked meats that are never bitter (from smoking for too long).
Be prepared to break a sweat if you’re going to move the Camp Chef around a lot. It weighs about 135 pounds and this is without any meat and pellets inside. If you’re looking for something easy for you or someone else to pick up, look at some of the other smart grills listed. But for those who can handle a bit of weight, it’s a guarantee that you’ll love the Camp Chef.
Pros
- Contains four probes for monitoring meat temperature with accurate readings
- The Camp Chef App is stable and doesn’t boot off users when walking a short distance away from the grill
- Regulates cooking temperature when set by the application
- Good range of heat (between 160 and 500 degrees)
Cons
- Heavy; weighs 135 pounds
5. Masterbuilt MB20070421 30-inch Digital Electric Smoker
The Masterbuilt MB20070421 is a bit different from the other pellet and smart grills are shown. It’s a standalone smoker, eating that you won’t be able to grill anything. But for those who have a passion for things like brisket, the MB20070421 is a smart electric smoker to consider.
Given that this is a smoker, you can place large pieces of brisket on the inside, and cook them with minimal direct monitoring. When plugged in, the smoker links directly to your smartphone. During holidays, you can remove two of the racks and fit a large turkey, ham, or chicken inside. Meats as large as 20 pounds should fit without any issues. There are wheels at the bottom for you to transport to your outdoor cooking location.
When using this Masterbuilt product, you’ll learn early on that gauged temperatures are usually a bit lower than what’s read. Because of this, try to get in the habit of smoking your meat at a higher heat than you normally would. This doesn’t apply to everything, so do a test run when you first acquire the grill. Overall, most love the MB20070421 for its easy transport and ability to smoke large turkeys. It’s also a great way to smoke salmon fillets!
Pros
- Everything from the light and cooking times is manageable when a WiFi and Bluetooth connection is made to the girl, including power on/off
- Can easily fit large Turkeys and Chickens (when some of the racks are removed)
- Wheels at the bottom for quick transport and storage
Cons
- Inside temps are usually a bit lower than what’s reported on the application
- No way to set an alarm when the temperature goes outside the margin of the user’s desired level of heat; a thermometer recommended
Education
What do you know about pellet grills?
Many brands are out there, and some of them are harder to use than others. Pellet grills utilize wood pellets to smoke and/or cook meats and veggies. If you choose to do so, smoking and grilling can be done at the same time or individually (depending on the grill).
Some grills use gas or liquid propane, while others rely solely on the burning of wood pellets. Some devices are better for smoking than grilling, particularly those with vertical doors in the front for large pieces of meat.
Factors to Consider
- Weight of the Grill – Are you planning on taking your smart grill with you to a location that’s away from home? If so, you might want to consider one that’s easy for you to move around and lift. Some pellet grills can be significantly heavier than ordinary grills. We’re talking hundreds of pounds heavier at times. Be sure that whatever grill you end up with has a good handle and solid wheels that won’t break with rolled-over solid ground.
- How you Cook – Pellet grills are useful for smoking and grilling. If you need something for smoking alone, there are pellet smoking built for this. On these, you could handle some other food items, such as corn on the cob or seafood fillets. But you won’t be able to grill as you would on a standard smoker/grill. For that, stick to grills with exposed racks.
- Your Electronic Devices – Most smart grills are compatible with most smartphones. However, check to see what applications are provided. If the grill has an app, see if you can find out whether it’s available on your smartphone’s operating system. Although most maintain apps on Google Play and the App Store, some may not have anything for alternative smartphone operating systems, such as Ubuntu.
FAQ
How do I Connect a Smart Grill to My Mobile Device?Most smart grills will connect to your smartphone by simply turning on the phone's Bluetooth. Pair the device by turning on the grill, then link it to your home's WiFi router. If you're having problems linking it to the router, you might have to arrange the grill to a location that's closer to the router's antenna.
How Often Should I Check on The Grill?Although smart grills take away the burden of having to slave over a hot grill for the entirety of the cooking session, you should still make some effort to check the meat when you can. Don't do this too often; the more you open up the lid, the longer it'll take for your food to finish.
How to Protect Sensitive Components of a Smart Grill from the Rain?Smart grills usually run off battery or electrical power. You don't want these components to be exposed to water. Always cook underneath an overhead to prevent damage, especially if you live in a region that's prone to spontaneous rain showers.
Summary
Did you enjoy the article? Which were your favorite smart grills? All six contain useful features that make cooking easy, but one is guaranteed to get your meats cooked right. It’s the Weber 45010001.
Easy to assemble and link with multiple electronic devices, you’ll always have a way to check on what you’re cooking when you’re in front of or away from the grill. The others are fine products as well; stick to the alternatives if one of them looks more promising.
