This is our review of the best small pellet smoker available in 2023
Here at TheSundayGrill, we believe in making grilling and smoking accessible for everyone. One of the main reasons people back down from getting a smoker is the limited space they have. But that shouldn’t be a problem!
If you have a small outdoor area, just want something more portable, or even maximize your current space utilization, this guide is for you.
Best Small Pellet Smoker 2023 – Our Top Picks
TOP PICK – Green Mountain Davy Crockett
Camp Chef SmokePro DLX
PIT BOSS PB440D2 Wood Pellet Grill
Z GRILLS ZPG-450A
Traeger Grills Tailgater 20 Portable
Z Grills ZPG-7002B
Best Small Pellet Smoker 2023 – Individual Reviews
Based on our experience and extensive market research we have compiled and reviewed what we believe to be the best small pellet smokers in the market right now.
TOP PICK – Green Mountain Davy Crockett
Living up to its name, the Davy Crockett will fight alongside you against all odds. It was a close race to the top, but this pellet grill and smoker from Green Mountain came first.
Let’s dive into why this is our top pick for the best small pellet smoker.
Key Features
- Brand: Green Mountain Grills
- Model Name: DCWF
- Power Source: Wood pellets
- Item Dimensions: 29.92 x 14.96 x 21.65 inches
Pros – What makes it a good grill?
Not only is it great in terms of space and cooking area, but it’s smart and portable. The Davy is the ultimate small pellet smoker. You have a surface cooking area of 219 square inches which gives you enough space for your regular stakes and ribs or even push a brisket in there.
It is electric so you have to keep that in mind, as the pellet intake process and temperature are controlled electronically. But don’t worry it’s not a problem. The guys at Green Mountain take the portability design very seriously, you have a total of 3 power options included.
- AC Adapter: It plugs directly into a wall outlet
- 23 feet / 12-volt plug: Plugs into your car’s phone jack, in older cars.
- Alligator clips: You can hook them into any battery.
The legs double as handles for you to carry it around. In the fully folded mode, you can fit it with no issues in the trunk.
Overall it is very well built and uses quality materials, including a stainless steel lid. This helps this pellet grill and smoker go to up to 550 in no time. The included food thermometer combined with the digital temperature controller will help you achieve great results.
Overall this is a great option in every aspect and that’s why it is our Best Small Pellet Smoker for 2023!
Cons – Downsides
There is not much to say about performance but just a couple of things to point out. The legs fold but they are a little clunky. It is portable but it is also very heavy, so you have to be careful when handling it.
The instructions/manual is not very helpful, feels more like a brochure to some people. This leads to some people thinking the device is malfunctioning, especially temperature control.
Camp Chef SmokePro DLX
Key Features
- Brand: Camp Chef
- Model Name: SmokePro DLX 24
- Power Source: Wood pellets
- Item Dimensions: 45 x 21 x 51 inches
Pros – What makes it a good grill?
Camp Chef really made an incredible job designing this grill and smoker. The DLX 24 is small but packs great features and technology.
We have to start by highlighting the second-generation PID controller system. It helps you control the temperature at an impressive accuracy. With an average variation of +/- 5ºF, you will have one of the most consistent temperature controllers in the market.
On top of this great accuracy, you have an amazing and unique feature. A smoke controller, if you have smoked before, you know that maintaining the smoke it’s a taught job. Especially when the smoke has a direct impact on how your food will taste. The DLX 24 has a setting that lets you set up a smoke number from 1 to 10, which will basically work with the PID controller to achieve the desired smoke level. As your Smoke Number increases, your smoke output increases. As your Smoke Number decreases the temperatures will hold.
Finally, another feature that makes this our second Best Small Pellet Smoker 2023 is the ease of use. An ash cleanout system and a pellet purge will make your life a lot easier and less messy.
Cons – Downsides
Wifi is a big downside these days for some people, especially for a smoker that has all the potential to have it. The DLX 24 has a high-visibility and low-glare digital display that is friendly to the sight, but monitoring the temperature remotely is very useful when doing large smokes.
Another thing that we need to talk about is that this is not so easy to assemble. Not because of complexity or instructions issues but for tolerances. Bolt holes do not always line up with the nuts, it’s not terrible. But you do have to apply a bit more strength than you would want to.
PIT BOSS PB440D2 Wood Pellet Grill, 440 SERIES
Key Features
- Brand: PIT BOSS
- Model Name: PB440D2
- Power Source: Wood pellets
- Item Dimensions: 50.2 x 24.02 x 39.8 inches
Pros – What makes it a good grill?
For our number 3 in the Best Small Pellet Smoker 2023, we have the PB440D2 also known as the Mahogany 440 Deluxe. This model from Pitboss has a 518 square inches of cooking surface which makes it great in terms of capacity despite its small size.
The Mahogany features their 8-in-1 cooking feature, allowing you to smoke, bake, roast, braise, sear, grill, char-grill, or barbecue all in the same device. Extremely versatile for such a small package!
Construction-wise, this model is built with heavy-duty steel construction, which is very durable. Overall it has a premium construction without going too luxurious but still maintaining quality. This allows it to be one of the most accessible in terms of price-quality on our list.
Cons – Downsides
The main downside we noticed is that the mechanism that feeds the pellets is not real-time. It feeds the pellets on an estimated cycle which is not the best for pellet consumption but not entirely terrible.
Lastly, the pit is on the far left and the digital drum thermometer is right above it so the temperature reading is not very accurate, but with a few tries and knowing this information you will get it right.
Z GRILLS ZPG-450A
Key Features
- Brand: Z GRILLS
- Model Name: ZPG-450A
- Power Source: Wood pellets
- Item Dimensions: 45 x 28 x 49 inches
Pros – What makes it a good grill?
The 450A is an amazing product from Z Grills, the size makes it great for balconies and apartments. And the cooking capacity it’s just enough for a small family and maybe a couple of guests.
What we like the most about this model it’s the fact that despite its size it can fit more than 15lbs of pellets. This means that you can smoke for almost 15 hours without having to refuel, perfect for briskets.
This is a true set it and forget it!
The construction is very good as well, you can tell it’s made to withstand the weather. And going to the assembly process we have to say that this is built for anyone to do it with just following the manual, It even comes with a set of gloves. It’s pretty much attaching the legs, wheels, handles, tray, and vent pipe.
Cons – Downsides
Not a downside but something to keep in mind is that for this unit it’s highly recommended to clean the ashes each time you use it. Users have reported having trouble keeping temperatures high or a lot of variation during the cooking time.
There should be somewhere in the manual a reference to this but there isn’t. Other than that the 450A is a really good and solid option for a small pellet smoker.
Traeger Grills Tailgater 20 Portable
Key Features
- Brand: Traeger
- Model Name: Tailgater 20
- Power Source: Wood pellets
- Item Dimensions: 37 x 18 x 36 inches
Pros – What makes it a good grill?
Not only small but portable! The fact that you can fit this in any small space or even a balcony it’s amazing, but the ability to fold the legs and move it around is what makes this our number 5 on the list. You can even use it while in portable mode, so you can just set it up on any flat surface.
With 300 square inches of cooking space, you have plenty of capacity, as a reference, you can do 3 ribs racks at the same time with no issues. The Tailgater is known for reaching temperatures quickly in comparison to the competition for up to 450° F and the keep warm option is a good feature to have. We are sure you will find it useful!
Cons – Downsides
When buying a Tailgater 20 you need to be aware that this model does not generate a lot of smoke. For most people, it’s sufficient with what it offers but if you are a more hardcore smoker then you will notice. This can be easily fixed by adding a smoke tube to the unit.
Z Grills ZPG-7002B
- Brand: Z GRILLS
- Model Name: ZPG-7002B
- Power Source: Wood pellets
- Item Dimensions: 48 x 22 x 51 inches
Key Features
Pros – What makes it a good grill?
Last but not least, we have the 7002B from Z Grills. Yes, there are two Z Grills on this list. No, they are not paying to be listed. They just seem to do very well with small pellet grills.
This one is just a little bigger than the 450A but it can hold 20lb of pellets, which means that you can go for 30-hour smoking or 10 hours of grilling at high. Incredible performance for such a compact unit.
It also features a Venturi-style design in the airflow system that guarantees a maximum heat distribution. And even heat translates to a better pellet efficiency.
This great performance combined with a 700 sq inches of wide cooking space makes the 7002B a perfect option if you are looking for a small pellet grill.
Cons – Downsides
We don’t feel this is built to be outdoors without a cover, so make sure to get one unless you want to see rust on it. Overall the build is really good and heavy, but the metal on the legs feels a little thin, especially if you are moving it around. It’s not terrible and you probably won’t even notice unless you move it.
Guide to buying the best smoker for beginners
We have chosen the 6 best small pellet smoker for 2023, and would like you to give you the option to do it yourself as well. The first thing you need to question when making a purchase is: what to look for?
Don’t worry, we got you.
Size and Compactness
When purchasing a small pellet smoker there are a number of things you need to consider, but if want something small you definitely should look for the dimensions. Don’t just go with your eye, make sure you have the correct measures and that you have the right amount of space where to place the smoker.
Some people aiming for a small smoker do it because they like the idea of moving it around. Not only in their houses but outside as well. If this is your idea, make sure there is a feature that allows this, wheels are usually not enough. Units that are not built for this purpose can get damaged while moving from place to place.
Cooking Area
That it is small doesn’t mean that you need to sacrifice the cooking area. Make sure you check for the cooking surface area in the smoker manual before you buy it (It’s different from the unit dimensions)
Design and Features
Pellet smokers often have a set of settings that can make the cooking process a lot smoother for you. Things like an oven function, keep warm or even wifi is on the table. It all comes down to your preferences.
Design is pretty important as well. Heat should be evenly distributed in the smoker or it will impact the flavor of your food and even the pellet consumption. When selecting a smoker, things like easy access to removing the ashes or loading the pellets should also be considered.
Previous Buyer’s Opinions
Going over the reviews of a unit it’s important. Don’t go just by what a salesman is trying to sell you. Make sure you do your own research and learn from what others have experienced.
That being said, you have to be careful not to just go by the bad reviews. Look for the ones that are objective and provide information and context in which they based their opinion and not just individual situations.
Build Quality
Whatever model you are choosing you to have to look out for the build quality. It’s not only about the materials, but you can have a good build unit even with cheap materials. It all depends on the level of effort and attention to detail the manufacturer put into the design.
Material of which you can’t go wrong with stainless steel or heavy-duty metal is also acceptable. It all comes down to your budget. Try to stay away, if possible, from cheap thin materials that are prompt to rust and in the long run can make you lose money. Remember buying a smoker is a long time investment you are doing.
Conclusion
Small pellet smokers are on the rise in the market, they are just too convenient for people who love meat not to have one. There are a lot of options out there and we have made it easy for you with this best small pellet smoker review but we have also given you a few things to look for on a smoke if you choose to do your own search.
Once you have your smoker, make sure to check out our smoking meat for dummies guide.
