Best Smoker Pellets
You may be thinking of purchasing a smoker grill, and if you are, you’ll have to know something about its power source – smoker pellets.
These small bits of smoker grill magic are generally made from hardwood that is dried, ground into sawdust and then compressed into pellets. They not only heat up to cook your food, they also add subtle flavors to the final product, enhancing the inherent goodness of meat, fish and chicken.
The wood pellets for smoker you buy should be made from food-grade wood with no added chemicals, glue or fillers to ensure none of the toxicity of those ingredients is infused into the food. Good quality pellets are made from a variety of wood, each one producing a unique flavor and aroma through its smoke.
We feature five different smoker pellets you can purchase online. Read on to find the flavor and type that works best for the food you like to smoke.
1. Editor’s Choice: Traeger Grills PEL331 Signature Blend 100% All-Natural Hardwood Pellets
Sometimes you know you want hickory flavor on your smoked ribs, while other times a sharp mesquite is what you’re looking for. There will be days, however, it’s not one flavor over another that’s appealing. Instead, a blend is the order of the day.
For a smooth, perfect blend of hickory, maple and cherry hardwoods, we commend this signature blend from Traeger. These pellets deliver a pure wood-fired taste for a perfect blue-smoke blend to flavor your favorite food.
This combination blend is ideal for all cuts of beef, bringing out the inherent taste of each joint or rib you choose to grill, smoke, BBQ, roast or braise. However, it’s also versatile enough to bring out the best flavors in fish, poultry and vegetables.
Made from 100 percent, sustainably sourced, all natural hardwood with no binding agents or filters, you know these smoker pellets offer up only pure smoke with no harmful chemicals.
Pros:
- Clean, dependable burn
- Signature blend of hickory, maple and cherry hardwood
- No fillers or binders
- Made from sustainably sourced hardwood
- Made in the USA
Cons:
- The blend of flavors might not be the right choice for some people
2. Runner Up: BBQr’s Delight Wood Smoking Pellets
Wood smoker pellets are all about infusing the specific flavor of a hardwood into the smoke and by extension, subtly into the food you are cooking. If you’re just starting out, you may not know which flavor you prefer. Or perhaps you’d like to try different flavors with a range of foods, but don’t want to spend a lot on just one kind.
This smoker pellet variety pack from BBQr’s Delight is an economical and fun way to discover some of the more popular wood smoke flavors.
Each bag contains one pound of each of these flavors: apple, made of 100 percent apple wood for a sweet, fruity smoke perfect for beef, port, ham and wild game; hickory, made from 100 percent hickory wood for a strong flavor that complements most meats; mesquite, made of 100 percent mesquite, a southwestern favorite that produces a very distinctive smoke and stronger smoke flavor; cherry, made with 100 percent cherry wood for a mild, sweet fruity smoke that gives a rosy tint to lighter meats; pecan, made of 100 percent pecan wood, which is similar to hickory but milder and sweeter with a nut after-taste; and Jack Daniel’s, made from the used mellowing charcoal from the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, which is soaked in whiskey for weeks, then is mixed with oak wood.
Only 1/3 of a cup is needed every time you fire up the smoker, for approximately 10 uses per bag, and when used as directed, there are enough pellets for 60 cooking events. Made from food-grade wood, they work on any gas, charcoal, electric or smoker outdoor cooker. Use them separately or mix and match to make your own delicious blend.
Pros:
- Variety pack of six popular flavors
- Six, 10-pound bags
- Made in the USA
- Free of contaminants
Cons:
- May not be a good choice for someone wanting larger quantities or one smoke flavor
3. Best Versatile: Green Mountain Grills Fruitwood Blend Pellets with Free Grill Light GMG-2003
If you prefer a fruity smoked flavor to your grilled meats, but can’t choose one, this fruitwood blend from Green Mountain Grills offers up a nice combination of cherry, pecan and beech hardwood for a bold taste.
These cooking pellets are made from 100 percent hardwood, triple screened for minimal fines, with no fillers, binders or additives for pure flavor and taste. This blend is a favorite choice of competitive barbecue teams from around the world. Manufactured in the USA, the smoker pellets can be used in any grill.
Along with the 28-pound bag of fruitwood smoker pellets, this set includes a handy Pellethead grill light. Equipped with a magnetic base, it is 50 percent larger for a stronger hold, has nine super bright LED bulbs, and a flexible gooseneck head. Use it anywhere, even during a power outage, but especially for grilling on your smoker after dark.
Pros:
- Pellets are a blend of cherry, pecan and beech wood
- No fillers, binders or additives
- Pellets are made in USA
- Can be used in any grill
- Includes a free Pellethead grill light (batteries included)
Cons:
- More expensive than other smoker pellets
4. Best Hickory: PIT BOSS 55436 BBQ Wood Pellets
While there are many different flavors of smoker pellets available, one of the most popular is hickory. This type of hardwood smoker pellet creates a sweet, yet strong bacon-flavor especially delicious paired with pork and ribs.
If you are looking for the pungent, smoky goodness of hickory, we recommend these smoker pellets from the Pit Boss. Made with no artificial flavors, spray scents, glues or chemicals, these pellets burn hot and clean.
The raw wood is sourced from across North America and the pellets are made from 100 percent all-natural hardwood that is dried and ground into sawdust. Applying high pressure to the sawdust during production forces the natural juice in the wood to bind the pellets together with a flavor that is unique to each blend.
Producing a strong and smoky taste that is ideal for beef, pork, poultry, and vegetables, these pellets can only be used in a pellet grill and produce very little ash.
Pros:
- Pellets made from 100 percent natural premium oak and mesquite hardwood
- Produces less than one percent ash
- No chemicals, fillers or additives
Cons:
- Can only be used in a pellet grill
5. Best All-Natural: Bear Mountain BBQ 100% All-Natural Hardwood Pellets
When you can’t decide which flavor smoker pellets you want to use for a specific food, this gourmet blend from Bear Mountain BBQ takes the guesswork out it all by paring nicely with pretty much everything.
Offering up a balanced sweet, smoky flavor, this is the perfect go-to choice for any meat, poultry, fish or vegetable you want to grill in the smoker. Made from 100 percent all-natural premium hardwood, these pellets have low moisture for the perfect smoke, and contain no binders, fillers or additives. Versatile enough to use with all outdoor pellet, gas, charcoal or electric grills and smokers.
Pros:
- Gourmet blend works well for any food
- Low moisture for perfect smoke
- Works with all outdoor pellet, gas, charcoal or electric grills and smokers
- Contains no fillers, chemicals or additives
- Made from 100 percent premium natural hardwood
- Affordable
Cons:
- May not be appealing for someone looking for specific flavors
6. Best Multi-hardwood Mix: CookinPellets 40PM
CookinPellets’ 40lb bag is a great all-around for those on the look out for a steady no, fuss smoking process. In particular the mix of heartwood types was appealing. CookinPellets uses a hickory base for a traditional smoke flavor, but they back this up with three other flavors to round out the package. The mix includes cherry, hard maple, and apple – all great picks for smoking. One important note here, CookinPellets also offers “mash” style pellets, which we do not recommend. This is because these pellets are infused with apple rather than made with apple heartwood. As such we very much prefer the mix.
The manufacturer states that there is no filler from oak, alder, or non-heartwood cuts of wood. This is a common issue with some other brands of pellets. This mix does seem to produce significantly more ash than other brands, however. In addition, there are some consumer reports that indicate that during 2017-2018 CookinPellets had quality control issues leading to plastic particulate in some bags of pellets. This no longer seems to be a concern at the time of writing, but is something to keep an eye out for if supply chain issues begin to appear.
Pros
- Hickory base with Cherry, Hard Maple, and Apple heartwood.
- 100% hardwood mix, no oak or alder filler pellets.
- 40 lb bag, good for one full smoking day.
- Great bang for your buck.
Cons
- Produces a lot of ash.
7. Honorable Mention: RecTec Grills Ultimate Blend
RecTec’s ultimate blend of smoking pellets is a great smoking baseline, especially for cuts of beef. This is in part because RecTec’s smoking pellets use hickory and oak without any fruit tree additions. Cuts of pork – whether belly or chops – respond well to fruity additions. Beef on the other hand really, really likes the deeper smoke that comes from hickory and oak. RecTec’s pellets are also universally designed, however they do work best with RecTec brand smokers.
One of the other big advantages to RecTec’s pellets is the low amount of ash produced. They work very well for those looking to smoke meat only once or twice a week. These pellets also react quite quicky to the 225–275-degree temperature range, especially on the higher end. With that said, there are some customer reports – although not many – of struggling at truly low-and-slow temperatures. A final note, RecTec’s pellets are also certified as Original Equipment Manufacture. This means that these pellets are a baseline that are then used in other company’s products through a licensing arrangement. In short, RecTec’s pellets are often mixed and sold under other brand names. Although this doesn’t necessarily guarantee better quality out of the gate it does mean that there are more opportunities for quality-control checks overall.
Pros
- Oak and hickory blend – excellent for beef.
- Works in most smokers, universal design.
- 41-pound bag, very slightly more pellets per bag than other brands.
- E.M. certified.
Cons
- Fast burn rate.
- Pellets will collapse if not stored in cool temperatures.
Things to look out for:
Consider these factors when choosing hardwood pellets:
Use: Smoker pellets come in a variety of flavors and each one pairs well with specific foods. Some are versatile and can be used with a variety of meat, poultry and fish, while others really bring out the best in only one or two food types. Before choosing your smoker pellets, consider the foods you are going to grill in the smoker for an optimal experience. If you can’t decide, consider a blend, or a variety pack that lets you try an assortment of smoking flavors.
Types of flavors: Below is a list of the best wood pellets flavors and the foods they are best paired with.
Hickory pellets: This flavor is a popular choice and easy to find with most brands of smoker pellets. Expect a sweet, yet strong bacon flavor, with a pungent smoke that will add a nice strong aroma to most meat cuts, Pairs nicely with brisket, chicken, beef and vegetables.
Cherry pellets: This is a nice, flavorful option with a sweet, mild flavor that goes well with most foods including beef, fish pork and baked foods like bread.
Alder wood pellets: This is a versatile and aromatic flavor, mild with a hint of sweetness and a great overall choice. While it produces a lot of smoke, it will not overpower food and pairs well with beef, chicken, pork, seafood, vegetables and baked foods.
Oak pellets: Oak pellets offer up a medium smoky flavor that is stronger than apple and cherry, but lighter than the more pungent hickory or mesquite. This flavor works well with pork, poultry and small game birds.
Mesquite pellets: Mesquite is a strong, earthy aroma with a tangy, spicy flavor. It is one of the hottest burning woods and ideal for most red and dark meats, as well as chicken and turkey.
Food grade versus non food-grade: It’s important to purchase only food-grade smoker pellets, since you don’t want any toxic ingredients infused into your food. Non food-grade pellets are used for heating in a wood pellet stove. These can be made from wood products like spruce or pine that are not meant for smoking meat. Heating pellets can also contain glues and chemicals.
The best pellets for smokers are made from 100 per cent hardwood without any binders, fillers, glue or chemicals. The hardwood is dried and ground into sawdust, which is then pressurized at extreme heat to create the small pellets.
The quality of the pellets: No matter how good a pellet grill you have, there could still be a problem with temperature fluctuations. After making sure it’s not the grill to blame, the next step is to check the quality of the pellets you have purchased.
Poor quality pellets can burn slower and produce more ash, which can interfere with the temperature control sensor in your grill. But even if you don’t have problems with maintaining a steady temperature, for an overall better outcome for all of your smoking and grilling, it’s best to look for a good quality pellet that burns cleanly and produces very little ash, right from the beginning.
Price: Smoker pellets are available in different sized bags, and come at various prices. The better quality pellets will be more expensive, but they will burn cleaner and last longer, so sometimes it pays to spend a little more. Before purchasing smoker pellets, read the product description. Many brands will say how much to use at a time for optimal results, and how many cooking events to expect from a bag. You can use this as a guideline to decide if the price is right for you.
FAQs
What are the best pellets for a pellet smoker?
Generally speaking, you want to look for pellets that have a fast burn rate, to accelerate the generation of smoke once your coals are ready to go. Balanced blends will also give you more flexibility in your smoking since beef favors hickory and oak while pork prefers fruitier flair like apple or cherry. Out of the products on this list we would suggest Traegar, RecTec, and Bear Mountain for both consistency and quality.
How do you use pellets in a smoker?
Wood pellets are a compliment to smoking hot coals and are best used when your smoker has reached a steady temperature. One way to spot for this is an almost if not complete covering of white ash over the coals themselves. This creates a bed of heat for your pellets. Lay them evenly across the coals and wait for them to ignite – heralded by wisps of smoke. This is a sure sign that you’re ready to begin smoking your meat.
How long do wood pellets last in a smoker?
As usual, this depends in large part on your frequency of use. For a full day smoke, AKA the 24-hr low-and-slow benchmark, you’d like at least 40lbs of pellets to ensure continuous heat. This breaks down to between 1 and 3 pounds per hour depending on the surface area of your coals, which is the primary concern for burn rate when compared to temperature. One final note of caution. Unless otherwise specified you should avoid soaking your pellets in water – for reason we’ll get into in just a minute.
What is the difference between smoker pellets and wood chips?
Part of the reason that you avoid soaking pellets has to do with differences in manufacturing. Wood pellets are made of compressed sawdust produced from your chips of choice, whether apple or cherry. Soaking wood chips is necessary as you need to slow the combustion process. However, smoking pellets are compressed. This means that soaking them will lead to expansion, and in some cases the pellets falling apart completely. As a knock-on effect this can also damage your smoker itself. This is especially true if your smoker is designed specifically for pellet usage rather than chip.
How often do you put wood pellets in a smoker?
This really depends on the smoker, its surface area, and to some amount heat retention, venting, and general temperature control. The best advice we can give you is to check your smoker’s owners’ manual for its average burn rate. For many smokers this is about 45-minutes, meaning that it will need a new round of pellets every 45-minutes or so. You can also sometimes find this information online by looking up your smoker’s make and model. We can also point to the 1-to-3-pound range described above as another benchmark. If you’re really in a pinch keep an eye on how many pellets you burn per hour, note that number down, and stick by it with minimal interruptions for your first smoke. Tune this number across subsequent smoking sessions and you’ll eventually drill down on a good standard for your smoker and its specifics quirks.