Now, you can choose between horizontal and vertical pellet smokers, each with unique features. However, all pellet cookers share the main advantage of making cooking with real wood as easy as possible. The wood is simply ground and compressed into pellets. While the process is more complex, that's the basic idea of how wood pellets are made.

Good food requires time, and many people are busy.

When discussing pellet grills and smokers, you often hear the phrase "set and forget." This highlights why they're becoming popular: they save time. Similar to slow cookers, which let you prepare meals by adding ingredients in the morning and returning home to tender meat, pellet smokers offer variety. While slow cookers are ideal for stews, a pellet smoker allows you to enjoy different meats like brisket and pork butt.

A pellet smoker is similar to a slow cooker but with different features. You can prepare meat in the morning, set it on the smoker before work, and come home to tender, smoky-flavored meat. While pellet smokers offer a milder smoke taste than charcoal smokers, they provide a variety of flavor options. Unlike charcoal smokers, which need attention and can't be left alone for long periods, pellet smokers save time and consistently deliver delicious food. Some models are better at maintaining results than others.

Seek a PID Temperature Control Panel.

Every pellet smoker has a digital control panel to manage its temperature. However, some are more advanced than others. Budget pellet grills usually have a simple timer-based control panel that turns the pellet feeder and fan on and off to reach a target temperature. This panel typically keeps the temperature within 25 degrees of the target. A better choice is a PID control panel, which maintains the temperature within 5 degrees.

PID temperature controllers offer precise temperature control on calm days and are better at adjusting to changes in weather, like shifts in wind speed or direction. If you're away from your pellet smoker for a few hours, a PID control panel will maintain a steady internal temperature, especially when weather conditions vary.

PID temperature controllers maintain precise temperature control on calm days and are adept at adjusting to changes in weather, like wind speed or direction. If you leave the pellet smoker unattended for several hours, a PID control panel will more accurately keep the internal temperature steady, particularly during changing weather conditions.

Search for WiFi (not Bluetooth) features.

If you plan to leave your pellet smoker unattended for a few hours, having WiFi functionality can be useful. With a compatible app on your phone, you can monitor the internal temperature of the smoker and check the cooking progress of the meat using probes. This lets you adjust the temperature or turn off the smoker when the meat is done, or simply lower the heat to keep the meat warm until you're ready to enjoy it.

PID temperature controllers maintain precise temperature control on calm days and are adept at adjusting to changes in weather, like wind speed or direction. If you leave the pellet smoker unattended for several hours, a PID control panel will more accurately keep the internal temperature steady, particularly during changing weather conditions.

Search for WiFi (not Bluetooth) features.

If you plan to leave your pellet smoker unattended for a few hours, having WiFi functionality can be useful. With a compatible app on your phone, you can monitor the internal temperature of the smoker and check the cooking progress of the meat using probes. This lets you adjust the temperature or turn off the smoker when the meat is done, or simply lower the heat to keep the meat warm until you're ready to enjoy it.

WiFi-enabled devices like Traeger WiFire and Camp Chef Connect let you monitor and adjust your pellet smoker from anywhere, unlike Bluetooth-only grills like Pit Boss Platinum and Cuisinart, which only work at short distances. To use WiFi, connect your smoker to your home internet router. While some smokers may have setup challenges or software issues, many manufacturers have addressed these problems.

Reasons Pellet Smokers Are Popular

Wood pellet smokers are popular for two main reasons. First, they allow you to enjoy the advantages of BBQ smoking. Second, they do this in a convenient and time-saving way. You can control the temperature of a pellet smoker remotely through WiFi, which isn't possible with other types of smokers. While pellet smokers may cost more than electric smokers, they can be comparable in price or even cheaper than some kamado charcoal smokers.