Updated October 2026 · 5 pellet grills, no paid placements
Five pellet grills we'd happily wheel onto our own patio, from big backyard barrels to a grill you can take camping. Ranked on buyer ratings, review volume and the specs each listing states, with the honest catch of each one.
Our top pickTraeger Pro 229.4/10. The one we'd start with.See current price
The crowd favouriteTraeger Ranger997 buyer reviews, 8.5/10. Plenty of owners to learn from.$479.98 on Sep 30, 2026, may have changed
The biggest grillTraeger Ironwood 885885 sq in stated, 8.3/10. The biggest stated cooking area in this list.$1,008.28 on Sep 30, 2026, may have changedShort on time? The Traeger Pro 22 is the one we'd start with, and the other four are here in case your patio or your budget says otherwise.
Best for: first-time pellet cooks and families of four
The catch: It has to be plugged in, so plan the spot around an outdoor outlet.
Best for: camping trips and small patios
The catch: The listing gives no cooking area, unlike most of this list.
Best for: overnight brisket cooks who check from bed
The catch: No stated temperature range, and most models here give one.
Best for: set-it-and-check-your-phone smoking
The catch: The fire pot wants a vacuum every few cooks, or the startup gets lazy.
Best for: cooks who want real wood smoke on the road
The catch: Its 4.4/5 buyer rating is the lowest of these five.
Product images: Amazon listings
Got a number in mind? Here is the best-rated model of this ranking in each price band, going by the price we recorded (it may have changed since).
| Under $500 | Traeger Ranger · 8.5/10 · $479.98 |
|---|---|
| $500 to $1,000 | Traeger Pro 780 · 8.4/10 · $599.99 · 780 sq in |
| Over $1,000 | Traeger Ironwood 885 · 8.3/10 · $1,008.28 · 885 sq in |
All 5 on one screen. Tap a column header to sort by what matters for your patio.
| Traeger Pro 22 | Traeger | 9.4 | See current price | 572 sq in | 18 lb | Not stated | Not stated | 2,471 |
| Traeger Ranger | Traeger | 8.5 | $479.98† | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Yes, stated | 997 |
| Traeger Pro 780 | Traeger | 8.4 | $599.99† | 780 sq in | 18 lb | Yes, stated | Not stated | 389 |
| Traeger Ironwood 885 | Traeger | 8.3 | $1,008.28† | 885 sq in | Not stated | Yes, stated | Not stated | 594 |
| Traeger Tailgater | Traeger | 8.3 | $499.95† | 300 sq in | Not stated | Not stated | Yes, stated | 839 |
† Prices as of Sep 30, 2026; they may have changed. The button always shows today's price.
WiFi, portable, compact or a tall smoker cabinet? Each ranking answers a different cook, and every card names its #1.
#1: Traeger Pro 780 · 9.3/10Best WiFi Pellet Grills in 20265 models ranked#1: Traeger Ranger · 9.3/10Best Portable Pellet Grills in 20265 models ranked
#1: Pit Boss Navigator 6-Series Vertical · 9.2/10Best Vertical Pellet Smokers in 20265 models ranked#1: Traeger Pro 22 · 9.4/10Best Small Pellet Grills in 20265 models rankedEvery grill gets a rating out of 10 from its exact listing: what buyers give it, how many of them there are, and how completely the seller documents the specs. The highest result wins; on an exact tie, the listing identifier decides.
The numbers do most of the work, and our editors make the final call on how the grills stack up against each other. A commission never moves a rating or a rank.
Our pick is the Traeger Pro 22, at 9.4/10 (excellent). It has 2,471 buyer reviews averaging 4.5/5. Its listing states 572 sq in of cooking area and an 18 lb hopper. Close behind: the Traeger Ranger at 8.5/10.
We start from 16 complete backyard and portable pellet grills with a buyer review record. Each one gets a rating out of 10 built on its buyer rating (45 %), its review volume (35 %) and how completely the listing documents its specs (20 %), and our editors make the final call on how the grills compare.
Each price is the one we recorded on Sep 30, 2026, and it may have changed since. Grill prices move with the season and the big sale weekends, so the button always opens the exact listing with today's price and seller.
A pellet grill burns wood pellets fed by an auger, so it smokes and roasts low and slow with real wood flavour and holds a set temperature for you. A gas grill heats up faster and sears hard. Many people end up wanting both; our guide walks through the trade-offs.