Pellet Grills
The Best Pellet Grills for the Money
Same question, different answer from most sites: this ranking is sorted by what you get per dollar, not by which brand has the biggest marketing budget.
By Mike M. · Last updated November 6, 2026 · How we pick
Best Value
Z Grills 600D2
Z Grills · score 9.8/10 · Best overall value under $400
572 sq in, PID 3.0 and a storage cabinet for well under $400 — the best all-round budget pellet grill we track.
Quick picks
Ranked by our value-weighted score. Prices are live from Amazon as of November 7, 2026 — tap a price to check it now, or tap a row to jump to the full write-up.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Z Grills 600D2572 sq in, PID 3.0 and a storage cabinet for well under $400 — the best all-round budget pellet grill we track. | Best overall value under $400 | 9.89.8 out of 10 | $339.00Amazon |
| 2 |  Pit Boss 850 Navigator SeriesThe most cooking space per dollar of any WiFi pellet grill we track, and the one we point most buyers at first. | Most backyards — the default pick | 9.69.6 out of 10 | $799.99Amazon |
| 3 |  Z Grills 7002C697 sq in, a 28 lb hopper, two probes, a grease bucket and a cover — all in the box for under $500. | Most kit included for the money | 9.89.8 out of 10 | Check price |
| 4 |  Pit Boss 700 Carbon Series718 sq in for mid-$400s with no WiFi to pay for — the honest sweet spot if you cook from the patio, not the sofa. | Under-$500 buyers who want real capacity | 9.49.4 out of 10 | $379.99Pit Boss |
| 5 |  Z Grills 550B2PID 3.0 temperature control for low-$300s. The best temperature accuracy per dollar anywhere on this site. | The tightest temperature hold under $400 | 9.79.7 out of 10 | $329.00Amazon |
| 6 |  Pit Boss 1300 Navigator Series1,329 sq in and a touchscreen PID board for about what a mid-size Traeger costs — the value pick for big cooks. | Big families and anyone cooking for a crowd | 9.79.7 out of 10 | $999.99Amazon |
| 7 |  Pit Boss 500 FB2 SeriesThe cheapest full-size pellet grill we would actually recommend — 518 sq in, direct-flame searing, five-year warranty. | First pellet grill on a tight budget | 9.19.1 out of 10 | $357.30Amazon |
| 8 |  Traeger Pro 22The cheapest way into a full-size Traeger. No WiFi, 450°F ceiling, and a +/-15°F swing — but it is a Traeger that will outlive the warranty. | Brand-loyal buyers on a budget | 99 out of 10 | $549.99Amazon |
#ad We earn a commission on Amazon purchases made through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking — here is the method.
What “for the money” actually means here
Best for the money means the most cooking area and the best temperature control per dollar, with a warranty behind it. It does not mean cheapest, and it does not mean best overall — it means the point where paying more stops buying you anything you will notice.
Most “best for the money” roundups are the general ranking with the prices rearranged. This one is genuinely sorted differently: our scoring weights value at 35%, which is more than any other factor, and the full weighting is published on how we pick so you can check our arithmetic.
The value frontier
Plot cooking area against price across the whole market and a few grills sit clearly ahead of the pack. Those are the ones on this page. The rest are either paying for a badge or paying for a feature you may not want.
| Grill | Cooking area | What it gives up | Who should buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z Grills 600D2 | 572 sq in | WiFi, 500°F ceiling | Anyone whose budget stops under $400 |
| Pit Boss Navigator 850 | 932 sq in | PID precision (LCD board) | Families who want an app too |
| Z Grills 7002C | 697 sq in | WiFi | Most kit in the box for the money |
| Pit Boss 700 Carbon | 718 sq in | WiFi, small 13.5 lb hopper | Capacity on a sub-$500 budget |
| Z Grills 550B2 | 553 sq in | WiFi, shelving | Tightest budget with a PID board |
| Pit Boss Navigator 1300 | 1,329 sq in | Nothing much — it is simply large | Crowd cooking |
| Pit Boss 500 FB2 | 518 sq in | 5 lb hopper, no WiFi | A first grill, cheaply |
| Traeger Pro 22 | 572 sq in | Price — it costs well over the Z Grills | Brand loyalty on a budget |
Where paying more stops paying off
There are three clear steps on the value curve, and knowing where they are is most of the decision.
Step one: around $350-400 buys you a real PID controller
Below roughly $330 you are into simple dial boards with wide temperature swings. At the Z Grills 550B2 and 600D2 level you get PID 3.0, which auto-tunes the auger and the fan and holds a temperature that a cheaper board cannot. This is the single biggest quality jump in the entire range and it happens at the bottom of the market. If you take one thing from this page: do not buy a pellet grill below the PID threshold.
Step two: around $450-500 buys you capacity
The Pit Boss 700 Carbon and the Z Grills 7002C both push past 690 sq in at this level, which is more grate than a Traeger Pro 22 costing meaningfully more. If you need to feed six or more people, this is where to be.
Step three: around $800 buys you WiFi plus capacity together
The Navigator 850 is where you stop choosing between an app and grate area. Below it you pick one. Above it, the extra money buys PID precision (the Advantage 850SL), better software and finish (Traeger), or sheer size (the Navigator 1300 and 1600) — all real, none transformative.
What a cheap pellet grill actually costs you
Being honest about the trade-offs is the whole point of a value ranking, so here they are plainly. A budget pellet grill typically gives up:
- Hopper capacity. A 5 lb hopper on the 500 FB2 versus 30 lb on a Navigator is the difference between a refill every four hours and sleeping through the cook.
- Steel gauge. Thinner bodies lose heat, burn more pellets in cold weather and rust sooner if left uncovered. A cover is not optional on a budget grill.
- Connectivity. Most grills under $500 have none. Whether that matters is genuinely up to you.
- Searing heat. A 450°F ceiling makes poor steak crust — though sear grates fix it for a fraction of the upgrade price.
What a cheap pellet grill does not give up is the actual cooking. A Z Grills 600D2 and a Traeger Woodridge both hold 225°F and both make good ribs. The expensive grill is more convenient, better finished and easier to sell on. It does not make better food.
The picks in full
#1 · Best overall value under $400
Z Grills 600D2
Z Grills · score 9.8/10
572 sq in, PID 3.0 and a storage cabinet for well under $400 — the best all-round budget pellet grill we track.
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 572 sq in (24 burgers, 5 rib racks or 4 chickens)
- Hopper
- Hopper with cleanout
- Temperature range
- 180-450°F
- Controller
- PID V3.0, meat probes included
- Connectivity
- None
- Warranty
- 3 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.6/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.8/10.
What it does well
- Matches a Traeger Pro 22's 572 sq in for well under half the money
- PID V3.0 with auto-start and an intelligent temperature display
- Bottom storage cabinet and a side shelf with tool hooks
- Wheels with brakes, so it stays put
Where it falls short
- No app and no WiFi
- 450°F ceiling
- Powder-coated steel, not stainless — keep it covered
#2 · Most backyards — the default pick
Pit Boss 850 Navigator Series
Pit Boss · score 9.6/10
The most cooking space per dollar of any WiFi pellet grill we track, and the one we point most buyers at first.
Also direct from Pit Boss — $799.99 (list price as of 2026-11-07)
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 932 sq in across two tiers
- Hopper
- 30 lb, with a viewing window
- Temperature range
- 180-500°F in 5°F steps
- Controller
- LCD digital, two meat probes included
- Connectivity
- WiFi + Bluetooth, Pit Boss Grills app
- Warranty
- 5 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.4/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.6/10.
What it does well
- 932 sq in for well under four figures — roughly 20% more grate per dollar than the closest Traeger
- 30 lb hopper is double what most sub-$500 grills carry, so overnight cooks do not need a refill
- Flame Broiler slider gives you direct-flame searing, which most pellet grills in this range cannot do
- Two probes in the box rather than one
Where it falls short
- LCD controller is a step below the touchscreen PID on the 1300/1600 and the Advantage 850SL
- Pit Boss app has a long history of connection complaints in owner threads
- Assembly is a genuine two-person, ninety-minute job
#3 · Most kit included for the money
Z Grills 7002C
Z Grills · score 9.8/10
697 sq in, a 28 lb hopper, two probes, a grease bucket and a cover — all in the box for under $500.
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 697 sq in
- Hopper
- 28 lb, tool-free cleanout
- Temperature range
- 180-450°F
- Controller
- PID 3.0, LCD, two meat probes
- Connectivity
- None
- Warranty
- 3 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.6/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.8/10.
What it does well
- 28 lb hopper is close to Pit Boss territory and nearly double Traeger's 18 lb
- Rain cover, two probes, grease bucket and gloves included
- Two locking casters plus two wheels
- Pellet viewing window
Where it falls short
- No WiFi, so the app crowd should look elsewhere
- 450°F ceiling
- Z Grills calls it an 'electric' pellet grill in the listing, which confuses buyers — it burns wood pellets and needs a wall outlet, like every pellet grill here
#4 · Under-$500 buyers who want real capacity
Pit Boss 700 Carbon Series
Pit Boss · score 9.4/10
718 sq in for mid-$400s with no WiFi to pay for — the honest sweet spot if you cook from the patio, not the sofa.
Pit Boss list price as of 2026-11-07.
Also on Amazon — $450.42 (as of November 7, 2026)
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 718 sq in
- Hopper
- 13.5 lb, with cleanout
- Temperature range
- 180-500°F
- Controller
- LCD digital, one meat probe included
- Connectivity
- None
- Warranty
- 5 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.2/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.4/10.
What it does well
- 718 sq in at this price is more grate than any WiFi-equipped grill near it
- Porcelain-coated grates and a grease bucket system, not a bare tray
- Automatic start-up and cool-down cycles
- Hopper cleanout, so swapping pellet flavors is quick
Where it falls short
- No WiFi and no Bluetooth — you adjust it at the grill
- 13.5 lb hopper means a mid-cook top-up on anything past about eight hours
- One probe only
#5 · The tightest temperature hold under $400
Z Grills 550B2
Z Grills · score 9.7/10
PID 3.0 temperature control for low-$300s. The best temperature accuracy per dollar anywhere on this site.
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 553 sq in
- Hopper
- Hopper with cleanout and viewing window
- Temperature range
- 180-450°F
- Controller
- PID 3.0 with LCD, meat probe included
- Connectivity
- None
- Warranty
- 3 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.5/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.7/10.
What it does well
- PID 3.0 holds temperature better than the LCD boards on Pit Boss grills costing more
- 553 sq in for low-$300s
- Hopper cleanout for quick flavor swaps — rare at this price
Where it falls short
- No WiFi or Bluetooth
- 450°F ceiling, so searing needs a cast iron skillet or GrillGrates
- Z Grills has a thinner dealer network than Pit Boss or Traeger if something breaks
#6 · Big families and anyone cooking for a crowd
Pit Boss 1300 Navigator Series
Pit Boss · score 9.7/10
1,329 sq in and a touchscreen PID board for about what a mid-size Traeger costs — the value pick for big cooks.
Also direct from Pit Boss — $999.99 (list price as of 2026-11-07)
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 1,329 sq in across two tiers
- Hopper
- 30 lb, with a viewing window
- Temperature range
- 180-500°F in 5°F steps
- Controller
- Touchscreen, two meat probes included
- Connectivity
- WiFi + Bluetooth, Pit Boss Grills app
- Warranty
- 5 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.5/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.7/10.
What it does well
- 1,329 sq in holds four pork butts or eight rib racks without stacking
- Touchscreen controller rather than the LCD board on the 850
- Still cheaper than a Traeger Woodridge with 470 fewer square inches
- Folding front and side shelves plus a bottom pellet shelf
Where it falls short
- A 30 lb hopper feeding a 1,329 sq in chamber burns through pellets faster than the same hopper on the 850
- Big footprint — measure your patio before you order
- App reliability is the same known weak point across the Pit Boss range
#7 · First pellet grill on a tight budget
Pit Boss 500 FB2 Series
Pit Boss · score 9.1/10
The cheapest full-size pellet grill we would actually recommend — 518 sq in, direct-flame searing, five-year warranty.
$399.9911% off
Also direct from Pit Boss — $399.99 (list price as of 2026-11-07)
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 518 sq in across two tiers
- Hopper
- 5 lb
- Temperature range
- 180-500°F in 5°F steps
- Controller
- LCD digital, one probe included, two ports
- Connectivity
- None
- Warranty
- 5 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 7.9/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.1/10.
What it does well
- Full-size 518 sq in chamber for close to what a portable costs
- Flame Broiler lever opens direct flame for searing up to 1,000°F — rare at this price
- Five-year warranty is unusually long for a budget grill
Where it falls short
- 5 lb hopper is the real compromise: expect to refill on any long smoke
- No connectivity at all
- Thin-gauge body loses heat in cold weather, so winter cooks run longer
#8 · Brand-loyal buyers on a budget
Traeger Pro 22
Traeger · score 9/10
The cheapest way into a full-size Traeger. No WiFi, 450°F ceiling, and a +/-15°F swing — but it is a Traeger that will outlive the warranty.
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 572 sq in (24 burgers, 5 rib racks or 4 chickens)
- Hopper
- 18 lb, with a clean-out door
- Temperature range
- 180-450°F, +/-15°F
- Controller
- Digital Pro Controller, built-in meat probe
- Connectivity
- None
- Warranty
- 3 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 7.7/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9/10.
What it does well
- 18 lb hopper with a cleanout at a sub-$600 price
- Sawhorse chassis and side lift bar — easier to move than its weight suggests
- Takes the full Traeger accessory range
Where it falls short
- +/-15°F is a real swing; the PID boards on cheaper Z Grills hold tighter
- 450°F max, so searing is weak
- No WiFi, which is most of why people buy Traeger in the first place
Our recommendation
Top pick
Z Grills 600D2
Best overall value under $400.
Runner-up
Pit Boss 850 Navigator Series
Most backyards — the default pick.
Also direct from Pit Boss — $799.99 (list price as of 2026-11-07)
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Questions people actually ask
What is the best pellet grill for the money overall?
The Z Grills 600D2 on pure value — 572 sq in with a PID 3.0 controller under $400. If you want an app and more capacity, the Pit Boss Navigator 850 is the best value at the next level up.
What is the best budget-friendly pellet grill?
The Z Grills 550B2 is the cheapest grill we would recommend that still has PID temperature control. Below that price you are buying a simple dial board, and the swing is wide enough to notice on a long cook. See best budget pellet grills.
What is the best pellet grill under $1,000?
The Pit Boss Navigator 1300 at 1,329 sq in, or the Navigator 850 if you want to spend less of the budget on the grill and more on pellets and accessories. Both are covered on best pellet grills under $1,000.
Is a cheap pellet grill a false economy?
Not if you cover it and clean it. The parts that fail — auger motor, fan, igniter — are replaceable and inexpensive on every brand here. What shortens a cheap grill’s life is weather, not price. The grills that die early are the ones left uncovered through a winter.
Does Pit Boss or Z Grills give better value?
Z Grills wins on temperature control per dollar; Pit Boss wins on cooking area per dollar and on warranty length and parts availability. Under $450 we lean Z Grills; over $700 we lean Pit Boss. Side by side: Pit Boss vs Z Grills.
Sources
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