Pellet Grills
Best Pellet Grills Under $700
This is the fork in the road: around $650-700 you can buy a working app, a vertical cabinet with a 50 lb hopper, or an insulated body. Pick one.
By Mike M. · Last updated November 6, 2026 · How we pick
Best under $700
Traeger Westwood
Traeger · score 9.4/10 · The cheapest grill with a Traeger app that works
Traeger's own answer to the budget question: WiFIRE at the lowest price they sell it, with 653 sq in and a 450°F ceiling.
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
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 | Traeger WestwoodTraeger's own answer to the budget question: WiFIRE at the lowest price they sell it, with 653 sq in and a 450°F ceiling. | The cheapest grill with a Traeger app that works | 9.49.4 out of 10 | $664.99Amazon |
| 2 |  Pit Boss Navigator 3-Series VerticalA 50 lb hopper and five racks for mid-$600s — if you mostly smoke rather than grill, this beats any barrel grill at the price. | Pure smoking — ribs, jerky, sausage, big batches | 9.79.7 out of 10 | $649.99Amazon |
| 3 |  Z Grills 700 Series InsulatedDual-wall insulated base and PID 3.0 for mid-$600s — the cheapest insulated pellet grill we can find. | Winter smoking without Traeger money | 9.59.5 out of 10 | $649.00Amazon |
| 4 |  Z Grills 700 Series with Storage CabinetThe 7002C plus a full storage cabinet. Worth the step up only if you have nowhere else to keep pellets. | Patios with no storage | 9.59.5 out of 10 | $599.00Amazon |
| 5 |  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.
The three-way choice at $700
Under $700 you get one premium feature, not all of them. The Traeger Westwood buys you WiFIRE — the only pellet app that reliably works. The Pit Boss Navigator 3-Series buys you a 50 lb hopper and a 130°F minimum. The Z Grills insulated 700 buys you cold-weather performance. All three are good; they are good at different things.
| Grill | The premium feature | Cooking area | What it gives up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traeger Westwood | WiFIRE app | 653 sq in | 450°F ceiling, 18 lb hopper |
| Pit Boss Navigator 3-Series | 50 lb hopper, 130°F min | 1,118 sq in / 5 racks | Cannot grill — 420°F max |
| Z Grills 700 insulated | Dual-wall insulated base | 697 sq in | No WiFi |
| Z Grills 700 cabinet | Built-in storage cupboard | 697 sq in | No WiFi, no insulation |
| Traeger Pro 22 | Traeger build + accessories | 572 sq in | No WiFi, +/-15°F swing |
If you want the app: Traeger Westwood
WiFIRE is the one genuine software advantage in pellet grilling, and the Westwood is the cheapest Traeger that has it. 653 square inches over two tiers, an 18 lb hopper, a meat probe, and P.A.L. rail compatibility for the accessory range.
The compromises are a 450°F ceiling and no Super Smoke mode. Both are tolerable. What is harder to defend is cost per square inch: at this price a Pit Boss gives you nearly double the grate. You are paying for the app, and whether that is sensible depends entirely on whether you will use it.
If you mostly smoke: Pit Boss Navigator 3-Series
A 50 lb hopper, 1,118 square inches across five flat racks, a 130°F minimum temperature and a high-temp door seal with a viewing window. For ribs, sausage, jerky and big batches this is comfortably the most capable cooker in the tier, and nothing else here comes close on hopper capacity.
It also cannot grill. 420°F is the ceiling and the format is a cabinet, so burgers and steaks are out. Buy it as a second cooker or as a dedicated smoker, not as your only one. Pit Boss notes it was named 2025 Best Vertical Smoker by Men’s Journal — their claim, which we pass on as theirs rather than ours.
If you cook in the cold: Z Grills insulated 700
A dual-wall insulated base, PID 3.0, two built-in probes and a cover, at roughly half what Traeger charges for the fully insulated Ironwood. In genuinely cold weather insulation is not a luxury — it is the difference between holding 225°F and fighting the controller all night, and it cuts pellet consumption noticeably.
Be clear about what is insulated: the base, not the whole body like the Ironwood. That is still worth having, and it is honest of Z Grills to describe it precisely.
The one we would skip
The Z Grills 700 cabinet model is the same 697 square inches and 28 lb hopper as the 7002C that sits a tier below, with a cupboard added. If you have nowhere to keep pellets it is a fair purchase. If you have a garage, buy the 7002C and put the difference into a sealed pellet bin and a better thermometer.
The picks in full
#1 · The cheapest grill with a Traeger app that works
Traeger Westwood
Traeger · score 9.4/10
Traeger's own answer to the budget question: WiFIRE at the lowest price they sell it, with 653 sq in and a 450°F ceiling.
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 653 sq in, dual tier
- Hopper
- 18 lb
- Temperature range
- 180-450°F
- Controller
- Digital with meat probe
- Connectivity
- WiFIRE, Traeger app
- Warranty
- 3 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
- WiFIRE for several hundred dollars less than the Pro 780
- 653 sq in is enough for most families
- P.A.L. rail accessories and integrated side shelf included
Where it falls short
- 450°F instead of 500°F, so searing is the weak point again
- Still costs more per square inch than any Pit Boss or Z Grills here
- No Super Smoke mode — that starts at Ironwood and Woodridge Pro
#2 · Pure smoking — ribs, jerky, sausage, big batches
Pit Boss Navigator 3-Series Vertical
Pit Boss · score 9.7/10
A 50 lb hopper and five racks for mid-$600s — if you mostly smoke rather than grill, this beats any barrel grill at the price.
Also direct from Pit Boss — $649.99 (list price as of 2026-11-07)
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 1,118 sq in over 5 porcelain-coated racks
- Hopper
- 50 lb
- Temperature range
- 130-420°F
- Controller
- LCD digital, one probe, three ports
- 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
- 50 lb hopper is the standout number here — a full load runs overnight and then some
- Drops to 130°F, low enough for jerky, which barrel grills cannot reach
- Heavy-gauge stainless body with a high-temp door seal and a viewing window
- Named 2025 Best Vertical Smoker by Men's Journal (the maker's claim, cited as theirs)
Where it falls short
- Tops out at 420°F — you cannot sear or grill on it
- Vertical cabinets are harder to clean than a barrel
- Rack spacing limits what you can stand upright
#3 · Winter smoking without Traeger money
Z Grills 700 Series Insulated
Z Grills · score 9.5/10
Dual-wall insulated base and PID 3.0 for mid-$600s — the cheapest insulated pellet grill we can find.
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 697 sq in
- Hopper
- 28 lb, rated up to 28 hours of cooking
- Temperature range
- 180-450°F
- Controller
- Z-Ultra PID 3.0, two built-in probes, large LCD
- Connectivity
- None
- Warranty
- 3 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.3/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.5/10.
What it does well
- Dual-wall insulated base cuts pellet burn in cold weather — the Traeger Ironwood feature at half the money
- Two probes and a cover included
- Hopper cleanout with a twist
Where it falls short
- Insulated base only, not a fully insulated body like the Ironwood
- No WiFi at a price where Traeger gives you WiFIRE
- 450°F ceiling
#4 · Patios with no storage
Z Grills 700 Series with Storage Cabinet
Z Grills · score 9.5/10
The 7002C plus a full storage cabinet. Worth the step up only if you have nowhere else to keep pellets.
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Published specifications
- Cooking area
- 697 sq in (30 burgers, 6 rib racks or 5 chickens)
- Hopper
- 28 lb — the maker rates a full load at up to 28 hours
- Temperature range
- PID-controlled
- Controller
- Upgraded PID
- Connectivity
- None
- Warranty
- 3 years
How it scores
Weighted rubric score: 8.3/10. Value carries the most weight on this site by design. On our published scale that is 9.5/10.
What it does well
- Built-in cabinet keeps a 40 lb bag of pellets dry and off the floor
- Same 697 sq in and 28 lb hopper as the 7002C
- Rain cover included
Where it falls short
- A clear premium over the 7002C for a cupboard
- No WiFi
- 'Up to 28 hours' assumes low-and-slow — at grilling temperatures expect far less
#5 · 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
Traeger Westwood
The cheapest grill with a Traeger app that works.
Price as of November 7, 2026. #ad how this is funded
Runner-up
Pit Boss Navigator 3-Series Vertical
Pure smoking — ribs, jerky, sausage, big batches.
Also direct from Pit Boss — $649.99 (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 under $700?
It depends which feature you want. The Traeger Westwood if you want a working app, the Pit Boss Navigator 3-Series if you mainly smoke, the Z Grills insulated 700 if you cook through winter. There is no single right answer at this price.
Is the cheapest WiFi Traeger worth it?
If you cook from indoors, yes — WiFIRE is the only pellet grill app we would describe as reliable. If you stand at the grill, no: the same money buys close to double the cooking area from Pit Boss or Z Grills.
Should I buy a vertical smoker or a barrel grill?
Vertical if smoking is 80% of what you do and you own something else for burgers; barrel if it is your only cooker. The vertical wins decisively on hopper size, rack space and minimum temperature, and loses completely on grilling. See best vertical pellet smokers.
Does an insulated pellet grill save pellets?
In cold weather, meaningfully — the controller feeds fewer pellets because less heat escapes. In summer the difference is small. If your cooking season is warm, spend the money elsewhere.
Sources
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Reviews
Traeger Westwood Review
The cheapest grill with WiFIRE — 653 sq in, 450°F ceiling.