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 portable pellet grills that will give you the freedom to grill where and when you want.
We understand that the 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 also 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!
Here, you will find the portable pellet 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.
Best Portable Pellet Grills
1. Traeger Grills Tailgater 20 Portable Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
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.
Many consumers agree that this is the 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 the ultimate woody-taste
Cons
- Difficult customer service contact
2. Green Mountain Davy Crockett Sense Mate Electric Wi-Fi Control Foldable Portable Wood Pellet Tailgating Grill
No products found.
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.
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.
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 a convenience tray, a peaked lid, and a meat probe
Cons
- Poor customer service response
3. Camp Chef 20 Pursuit Portable Pellet Grill
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 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.
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. Traeger Grills Ranger Portable Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
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.
Many consumers who 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
5. REC TEC Grills Portable WiFi Wood Pellet Grill
REC TEC Grills is well-known for designing grills with technological features that make it more convenient for those who 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.
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 a premium grill cover
- Wheels for easy transport
Cons
- Minor balancing issues
6. PIT BOSS PB440D2 465 sq in Portable Wood Pellet Grill
PIT BOSS is known for manufacturing quality grill models, and this smaller wood pellet grill is designed for those who are looking for an 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.
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
Factors to Consider
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 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 of 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 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 and are large enough to cook meals for larger families and get-togethers.
FAQ
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, is your preference and based on the places that you plan on using the grill if it will be compatible.
Conclusion:
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 portable pellet grill and smoker are 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.
