Best Portable Pellet Smoker

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By

James

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Portable pellet smokers are the perfect solution for a great barbecue anytime and anywhere. Whether you are on an adventurous trip alone or taking your family outdoors, a pellet smoker will enhance the meal with unmatched awesomeness.

 We’ve come up with a list of the best portable pellet smokers you’ll probably enjoy owning.

Read this post to learn: 

  • What is the best portable pellet smoker?
  • Do pellet smokers use a lot of electricity?
  • Best portable pellet grill for RV  

Our Top Picks


Below is a summary of the top picks from our SummerBaron.com team. To help you understand where each pick ranked, we have included “badges” next to each pick’s key findings. “Best Overall” is a combination of price and value. “Best Budget” is great for summer lovers who want a top-quality product but are on a tighter budget. “High End” is for people who just want the best, and price is no object.

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Product

How did we pick these products?

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Our Top Pick

PIT-BOSS Portable Tailgate/Camp

Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments

Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby

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Best Budget and Value

Traeger Ranger Pellet Grill

Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments

Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby

More Information

Best High-End

ASMOKE Portable Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker

Folds compactly for storage and offers three different height adjustments

Easy to clean with a cup holder for baby

Reviews of Each Pick


what makes the outdoors better? A tabletop or portable pellet smoker so your food tastes as good as the views outside. Here are our top 5 portable pellet smoker picks for camping or an RV adventure.

Our Top Pick

PIT-BOSS Portable Tailgate/Camp

Pros

5-year warranty

Precise temperature control

Anesthetic design with sturdy construction

Cons

None

Pit Boss portable Tailgater is the smallest Pit Boss smoker that is built for portability. It is surprisingly very sturdy with all the high-end features of a pellet smoker. Plus, it comes at an affordable price. The tailgater offers a larger cooking area as compared to other tailgater brands. It has foldable legs with rollers and a compact aesthetic body.

The wire grids are porcelain-coated and non-sticky. The entire unit weighs 93 pounds and has a 5-pound hopper capacity with the grease management system.


What is the best portable pellet smoker?

Portable pellet smokers can elevate your outdoor cooking experience, imparting an irresistible smoky flavor to your food. Pit Boss Tailgater is the best portable pellet smoker because it has all the features that make a pellet smoker ideal for hauling along with us.

It has a sleek and compact design that runs effortlessly and efficiently. It can fit snugly into the back of your car or a boat and be set up conveniently. You don’t need to check on the food often; the smoker’s smart features will ensure that they get smoked evenly. 

Do pellet smokers use a lot of electricity?

Wood pellets are used as fuel, so the smoker doesn’t consume much electricity. When you start up the smoker, the metal igniter first needs to get hot enough to start burning the pellets in the firebox. As a result, pellet smokers will require about 300 watts of energy at the start to heat the igniter.

Once the pellets are burning, the smoker will only require a minimal amount of energy to run the fan, control panel, and auger. Most pellet smokers will use 4 Amps in the first 3 to 4 minutes and then 1.5 Amps for the rest of the cooking time.

What is the best portable grill for RV?

Finding a pellet smoker that fits under the coach can be a daunting task when you begin RVing. However, the Traeger Ranger Pellet Grill is a not-too-heavy, highly portable smoker and the clear winner for an RV. Almost everything from grilling and smoking to roasting and cooking can be done on this barbeque grill.

It is large enough to accommodate six people and can be used anywhere as you enjoy excellent smoked food. Your RV trip will be more enjoyable if you have the Traeger Ranger Pellet smoker along to flavor meals at all your stops. It is a highly versatile smoker that is easy to install, use, and clean, so it is less of a hassle tidying them up. 

Best RV pellet smoker

Traeger Ranger Pellet Grill

Pros

It is energy efficient

Cook timer notifies you when to sauce or check on the food.

Multiple cooking options

Cons

Cannot accommodate large-sized meat cuts

Traeger Ranger Pellet grill is the best RV pellet smoker with a digital controller that allows you to set precise temperature and meat probe. It has a keep warm mode to ensure that your food stays warm till you are ready to eat.

The latches keep the lids securely locked when you are on the move. The porcelain-coated grill grates are easy to clean and have a 184 square inches cooking area. 

Best for camping

ASMOKE Portable Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker

Pros

Affordable price

5-year manufacturer’s warranty

Free extra accessories

Cons

Temperature control may not be accurate

Relatively a more recent brand in the market, A smoke pellet smokers offer all the high-end features in the higher-priced brands but at a much lower cost. It boasts of a patented air duct system that distributes heat evenly, producing consistently flavored food.

The temperature range from 180o to 500o F with a color LED digital temperature controller and meat probe display. Its 8 in 1 versatility and portability make it the best candidate for camping.

Green Mountain Grills Davy Crockett Pellet Grill

Pros

Foldable legs make it highly portable.

Has multiple adapters for powering up

Wifi controller for hands-free monitoring over far areas

Cons

Grease buildup easily

Noisy auger

The Davy Crockett has a clever and unusual design as the legs fold up around the grill instead of underneath it, forming a handle to carry the grill. This is a unique feature that I haven’t seen in any other smokers with foldable legs and is extremely convenient.

The model also features a built-in inverter, wifi, and meat probes which means you don’t have to open the grill to check on the food. This tailgater has multiple electric power options, including your cell phone charger and wifi connectivity, making it really user-friendly.

Z Grills ZPG-550 A 2020

Pros

Advanced firewood technology for efficient energy use

Super-versatile with a wide temperature range

High resistance to corrosion

Cons

The ignition is a bit weak.

Z  Grills smokers are well known in the barbecue world, and the ZPG-550 A 2020 is another model well-loved by users. An electronic auto-start ignition, temperature control, and LED temperature display is one of the most convenient smokers.

It has a foldable working shelf and all-terrain wheels with rust-proof racks that make it highly portable. Z Grills ZPG 550 A has a 15-pound hopper capacity that ensures long cooking hours.

About The Author


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Reviewed by

James

James is a writer who is a self-confessed kitchenware and coffee nerd and a strong advocate of Sundays, good butter, and warm sourdough.