If you have limited outdoor space at home or you like to grill on the go, consider a small pellet grill.
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Best Small & Portable Pellet Grills: Top Picks & Features
Updated on Aug. 22, 2024
If you want to give the food you grill a genuine smoky flavor but don’t have much space, check out a small pellet grill. The fuel pellets are made from compressed real-wood sawdust, which imparts delicious flavor to whatever you cook (unlike propane gas).
When shopping for a small pellet grill, pay attention to the size, cooking space, functionality and durability. Also don’t forget the accessories and the warranty. Most importantly, think about whether you’ll use the grill for RVing, tailgating or cooking at home. Here are a few tips for keeping your pellet grill clean.
We’re defining a small pellet grill as one with a cookbox less than 26 inches long, and a primary cooking area of less than 400 square inches. Here are our favorites.
via Rec Tec Grills
Best Overall
Rec Tec RT340 pellet grill
The Rec Tec RT340 pellet grill ($600) is the perfect balance between quality, performance, mobility and size. This grill is made from long-lasting stainless steel with enough space to cook three racks of ribs at one time. It also features folding legs for easy transportation while minimizing space for storage. Plus, the sturdy bullhorn handles add a nice finishing touch to this grill. Here’s how to build an all-in-one grilling station.
Best for Home Use With Limited Space
Camp Chef Woodwind 24 in. pellet grill
The Camp Chef Woodwind 24 in. pellet grill. ($900) can fit into a small space while still providing ample cooking capacity. With its 22-lb. pellet hopper, you can smoke a brisket for 12 hours without adding fuel. This grill also features shelves for additional storage and a simple pull-out system for easy ash cleanup. This is the best small pellet grill for home use. Make your grilling cookout a cut above the rest with these awesome grill tips.
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via Amazon.com
Best for Condo Deck
Camp Chef Pursuit pellet grill
One cool thing about the Camp Chef Pursuit pellet grill ($477) is the folding legs. They transform the grill into a rolling suitcase of flavor, allowing you to move it around easily. With its compact collapsible design, you can tuck away the grill in a corner of your condo deck. It also features two grilling racks for plenty of cooking capacity, plus a built-in bottle opener.
via Amazon.com
Best Portable
Traeger Ranger
Its small footprint makes the Traeger Ranger ($400) a perfect choice for a pellet grill on the go. There are no giant legs underneath the cookbox so you can easily fit the grill in the back of your vehicle. Better yet, there are also two latches that secure the lid for safe transportation. But don’t let the size fool you. With 184 square inches of cooking space, there’s room for six burgers, two chickens or even a small pork butt.
via TraegerGrills.com
Best for Tailgating
Traeger Tailgater pellet grill
Ready for a little party before the game? You can fold up the Traeger Tailgater pellet grill ($470) and throw it onto your vehicle, along with your YETI coolers. With its eight-pound pellet hopper, the grill has enough fuel to keep cooking your brats and burgers for four hours. It also features a “Keep Warm” mode to keep everything nice and toasty until all your friends show up. Want to convert a propane grill to natural gas? Here’s how!
via Amazon.com
Best Affordable
Green Mountain Grills’ Davy Crocket pellet grill
Green Mountain Grills’ Davy Crocket pellet grill ($360) has a dual-power system that lets you plug it into an electrical outlet, your car or a generator. This grill comes with all the convenience components — a side shelf, tool hooks, a free WiFi app and a protective cover. Not a bad deal for less than $400. Up next, pick up one of these revolutionary grill tools so you’re an expert grillmaster.
