Best Pellet Grills Under $500 (2026)
Traeger made pellet grilling famous, but they also made it expensive. The Pro 575 runs $699. Camp Chef's Woodwind Pro 24 is $849. For what? WiFi and a brand name? If you actually want to smoke ribs, pull pork, and sear steaks on a pellet grill, you can do it for half the price. Both grills on this page deliver 700 square inches of cooking area, 20+ pound hoppers, and the same set-it-and-forget-it pellet convenience that made Traeger popular in the first place.
The difference between a $400 pellet grill and a $700 one is not the food. It is WiFi, a brand logo, and thicker gauge steel. The ribs do not know what you paid. We tested the two strongest options under $500 and broke down exactly where each one wins and where each one falls short.
Quick Comparison
| Grill | Badge | Stars | Cooking Area | Temp Range | Controller | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pit Boss 71700FB Pellet Grill | Best Under $500 | 4.4★ (3,500+) | 700 sq in | 180-500°F | Analog dial | $$ |
| Z Grills ZPG-700E Pellet Smoker | Runner-Up | 4.1★ (2,500+) | 697 sq in | 180-450°F | PID digital | $$ |
Full Reviews
Pit Boss 71700FB Pellet Grill
4.4★ · 3,500+ reviews · Price range: $$
The Pit Boss 71700FB gives you 700 square inches of cooking area — more than any other pellet grill in this price range. The temperature range runs from 180°F to 500°F, which is the highest max temp in the sub-$500 category and means you can actually sear steaks, not just low-and-slow everything. The flame broiler slider lets you move between indirect and direct-flame grilling without swapping grates or buying accessories. The 21-pound hopper is large enough for overnight cooks without refilling. Pit Boss backs it with a 5-year warranty, which is unusually generous at this price point. The trade-offs are real: there is no WiFi connectivity and the analog dial controller is less precise than a PID digital system. You will see 15-25 degree temperature swings, which is manageable for smoking but noticeable if you are used to digital precision. For the money, though, no other pellet grill gives you this much cooking surface, this wide a temperature range, and this long a warranty.
What we like:
- ✅ 700 sq in of cooking area — largest in the sub-$500 category
- ✅ 180-500°F range with flame broiler slider for direct grilling
- ✅ 21 lb hopper handles overnight cooks without refilling
- ✅ 5-year warranty — the best coverage at this price
- ✅ Established brand with widely available replacement parts
What to know:
- ⚠️ No WiFi — you have to be near the grill to monitor temperature
- ⚠️ Analog dial controller has 15-25°F temperature swings
- ⚠️ Assembly takes 1-2 hours and instructions could be clearer
- ⚠️ Paint on the barrel can chip after the first season if not maintained
Z Grills ZPG-700E Pellet Smoker
4.1★ · 2,500+ reviews · Price range: $$
The Z Grills ZPG-700E gives you 697 square inches of cooking area and a PID digital controller — the same temperature management technology used in grills that cost twice as much. The PID system holds temperature within 5-10 degrees of your target, which is noticeably more precise than the Pit Boss analog dial. The temperature range runs 180-450°F, and the 20-pound hopper is nearly as large as the Pit Boss. Where the Z Grills falls short is in two areas you should know about before buying. First, the 4.1-star average is lower than the Pit Boss, and a meaningful chunk of the negative reviews cite customer service issues — slow warranty response times and difficulty reaching support. Second, the 450°F max temperature is 50 degrees lower than the Pit Boss, which limits your searing capability. If temperature precision matters more to you than max heat range, the Z Grills is the better buy. If you want the widest temperature range and a stronger warranty, the Pit Boss wins.
What we like:
- ✅ PID digital controller holds temp within 5-10°F — more precise than analog
- ✅ 697 sq in cooking area — nearly identical to the Pit Boss
- ✅ 20 lb hopper capacity for long smoking sessions
- ✅ Significantly cheaper than comparable Traeger and Camp Chef PID grills
- ✅ 8-in-1 versatility: smoke, grill, roast, bake, braise, sear, char-grill, BBQ
What to know:
- ⚠️ 4.1-star average — lower than competitors, with customer service complaints
- ⚠️ 450°F max temperature — 50°F lower than the Pit Boss
- ⚠️ Warranty support can be slow to respond based on buyer reports
- ⚠️ Less established brand with fewer local retailers for replacement parts
Which Budget Pellet Grill Should You Buy?
"I want the biggest cooking area and don't care about WiFi"
Get the Pit Boss 71700FB. 700 square inches of cooking space, a 180-500°F range with a flame broiler slider for direct grilling, a 21-pound hopper, and a 5-year warranty. It is the most grill you can buy under $500. The analog dial is less precise than a PID controller, but for smoking and grilling, the 15-25°F temperature swings are entirely manageable.
Check Pit Boss Price →"I want precise digital temperature control on a budget"
Get the Z Grills ZPG-700E. The PID digital controller holds temperature within 5-10°F of your target — the same technology used in grills costing $700+. You get 697 square inches of cooking area and a 20-pound hopper at a price that undercuts Traeger and Camp Chef significantly. The trade-off is a lower max temperature (450°F vs 500°F) and a less established warranty support system.
Check Z Grills Price →"I'm buying a Father's Day gift under $500"
Get the Pit Boss 71700FB. The 5-year warranty and bigger brand recognition make it a safer gift. If something goes wrong, Pit Boss has a well-documented warranty process and replacement parts are widely available at hardware stores. The recipient will recognize the Pit Boss name, and the flame broiler slider gives them a feature to show off. For a gift, the safer brand with the stronger warranty wins over a marginal improvement in temperature precision.
Check Pit Boss Price →Frequently Asked Questions
Is a cheap pellet grill worth it?
Yes, if you set expectations correctly. Budget pellet grills in the $350-$500 range deliver genuine wood-fired smoke flavor, consistent low-and-slow cooking, and enough cooking area for a full rack of ribs or a pork shoulder. You give up WiFi connectivity, premium build materials, and in some cases precise digital temperature control. But the core function — feeding wood pellets into a fire pot, generating smoke, and maintaining a target temperature — works the same at $400 as it does at $800. The ribs do not care what you paid for the grill.
Pit Boss vs Z Grills — which is better?
It depends on what matters most to you. The Pit Boss 71700FB has a wider temperature range (180-500°F vs 180-450°F), a larger hopper (21 lbs vs 20 lbs), a flame broiler slider for direct grilling, and a 5-year warranty. The Z Grills ZPG-700E has a PID digital controller that holds temperature more precisely (within 5-10°F vs 15-25°F swings on the Pit Boss analog dial). For most buyers, the Pit Boss is the safer choice because of the stronger warranty and higher max temperature. For buyers who prioritize temperature precision, the Z Grills is the better pick.
Do I need WiFi on a pellet grill?
No. WiFi is a convenience feature, not a cooking feature. It lets you monitor and adjust temperature from your phone, which is genuinely useful during long overnight smokes. But thousands of competition pitmasters produced award-winning barbecue before WiFi grills existed. If you are on a budget, skipping WiFi saves you $200-$400 and gets you a grill that cooks the same food. You can always add a standalone wireless thermometer like the ThermoPro for $20-$50 if you want remote temperature monitoring.
How much does it cost to run a pellet grill per year?
A pellet grill burns roughly 1-3 pounds of pellets per hour depending on the cooking temperature. A 20-pound bag of hardwood pellets costs $15-$20. If you grill once a week for 4 hours on average, you will use approximately 400 pounds of pellets per year, which works out to roughly $300-$400 in pellet costs. Add in electricity (pellet grills use a small amount for the auger motor, fan, and controller) and you are looking at $350-$450 per year total operating cost.
Can budget pellet grills reach searing temperature?
The Pit Boss 71700FB reaches 500°F and includes a flame broiler slider that exposes food to direct flame — this is hot enough for a solid sear on steaks and burgers. The Z Grills ZPG-700E tops out at 450°F, which can produce a sear but takes longer and will not match a dedicated charcoal grill or cast iron skillet. If searing is important to you, the Pit Boss is the better choice in this price range, or consider finishing steaks on a separate cast iron pan after smoking.
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