Z Grills 550B2 Review

Why this is the floor

Below roughly $320 you are buying a dial-type controller that feeds pellets on a timer, with a temperature swing wide enough to notice on a long cook. The 550B2 has a genuine PID board. That single difference is the biggest quality step in the entire pellet market, and it happens here.

What you get

• 553 square inches — a real full-size grill, not a tabletop. Comfortably feeds five.
• PID 3.0 with an LCD display. Set it and leave it.
• Hopper cleanout and a viewing window. Check the fuel level without opening anything, and swap flavors in a minute.
• A meat probe. One, included.
• Three-year warranty with phone and online support.

What you do not get

• No WiFi. Nothing at this price has it that is worth owning.
• 450°F, indirect. No sear slider. Cast iron or sear grates if steak matters.
• No published hopper capacity. Z Grills does not state a figure for this model and we will not estimate one. If hopper size is decisive, the 7002C publishes 28 lb.
• No storage cabinet or side shelf stated. The 600D2 adds both for a small step up.
• Powder-coated steel. A cover is essential.

The five-point check we would apply to anything cheaper

If you are tempted by something below this grill, check the listing states all five of these. If any is missing, that is your answer.

Or spend a little more

The 600D2 adds 19 square inches, a storage cabinet and a side shelf. The 450E has fewer square inches but a 2.0mm stainless lid and two probes. Both are worth a look if the budget flexes slightly.