You can buy a pellet smoker that holds its temperature for about $450, and the Z Grills 450B is the one I’d point you to in November 2026. It is the cheapest grill on this list with a PID controller, two meat probes and an 18 lb hopper, and owners report it staying within 10°F on cold days.
With the whole $1,000 to spend, the best pellet grill under 1000 is the Traeger Woodridge at about $900, and Traeger has sold it at $699 often enough that I’d wait for that price. The five grills in between each fix one problem: a flame broiler, more grate, a bigger hopper, a longer warranty or the Traeger parts network. For rankings without a price cap, start at the best pellet grill hub.
If you care more about which grill earns its price than which is cheapest, best pellet grill for the money is the next read. For patios where a 700 sq in grill won’t fit, the small pellet grill list has the compact options.
How the budget picks were chosen
None of these seven has been through our own cook yet. The picks come from manufacturer specs, retailer listings, owner reports and our test plan, and the page will be updated with dates and numbers when hands-on results land.
The first filter on a budget list is the controller. I won’t recommend a grill that swings 30°F or more, and below $400 that rules out most of the field. The 700FB1 and the Pro 22 got through with older dial controllers because owners consistently report they hold well enough for pork and ribs, and because both have a parts network behind them.
After that came hopper size, grate area, the warranty and who honors it, and sale history. A grill that drops $150 every Father’s Day is cheaper than its sticker, and that matters more under $1,000 than anywhere else.
What each price band gets you
| Budget (October 2026) |
Best pick |
What you get |
What’s missing |
| About $450 |
Z Grills 450B |
PID, two probes, 18 lb hopper |
WiFi, searing, thick steel |
| About $450, need to sear |
Pit Boss 700FB1 |
Flame broiler, 743 sq in, 5 years |
PID control |
| About $500, need space |
Pit Boss Pro Series 850 |
850 sq in, PID, WiFi |
A good app, tight swings |
| About $550 |
Traeger Pro 22 |
Traeger parts everywhere |
PID, WiFi, searing |
| About $730 |
Z Grills 7002C2E |
28 lb hopper, PID |
Thick steel, phone support |
| About $800 |
Weber Smoque |
5 year warranty, Weber PID |
Searing, a big main grate |
| About $900 |
Traeger Woodridge |
Best app, 24 lb hopper, 860 sq in |
Searing, a lid gasket |
If you can only stretch one band, go from the 450B to the Pro Series 850 for space or from the 7002C2E to the Woodridge for the app. The other jumps buy less.
Where cheap pellet grills cut corners
The savings on a budget grill come out of four places, and each has a cheap fix.
Thin steel. The lid and barrel lose heat in wind, and owners in northern states report 30 to 50 percent higher pellet use in January than in July. A $90 thermal blanket fixes most of that, and so does parking the grill against a wall out of the wind.
Older controllers. A dial controller cycles the auger on a timer instead of reading the fire, so it swings wider. Keep those grills for pork, beef and ribs, and do chicken on a PID grill or finish it hot.
Igniters and fans. These are the parts that fail, usually in year two or three, which is why the warranty matters more on a thin grill than a thick one.
Paint. It chips in the first season on the cheapest grills. A pellet grill cover slows the rust that follows.
Pit tip: Foil the drip tray and vacuum the firepot every three or four cooks. Budget grills are no more likely to catch fire than expensive ones, but a caked tray or a full firepot causes grease and ash fires on any of them.
What to look for in a budget pellet smoker
Hopper size. At 225°F a pellet grill burns about 1 lb an hour in mild weather, more in wind and cold. An 18 lb hopper gets a pork butt through the night, and the 7002C2E’s 28 lb hopper gets a brisket through with margin. Run your own cook through the pellet calculator.
Temperature range. Cheap grills often top out at 450°F, which roasts a chicken and will not sear a steak. The Pit Boss grills get around that with a flame broiler slide plate that exposes the fire, so if crisp wings and seared burgers matter, that plate is the feature to look for.
Controller type. PID is what you want, and five of these seven have it. The 700FB1 and the Pro 22 use the older dial controllers, and both still make good barbecue if you accept the swing.
Grate area. The 450B’s 459 sq in fits two racks of ribs cut in half, or a 10 lb pork butt with room. 700 sq in fits a packer brisket and a butt together. Buy for what you cook most weekends, not the one party a year.
Warranty. Pit Boss and Weber give five years, Traeger and Z Grills three.
When a budget pellet grill is the wrong call
If you cook steaks and burgers most nights, a $300 gas grill does it faster, and pellet grill vs gas grill explains why. If you want the strongest smoke on a budget, a $250 charcoal kettle with a water pan beats any pellet grill under $500 on flavor and loses on convenience. And if there is no outlet near your cooking spot, charcoal is the only budget answer.
Budget pellet smoker questions
What is the best pellet smoker under $500?
The Z Grills 450B for a small household and the Pit Boss Pro Series 850 if you need grate space. Both have PID controllers. Under $400 I’d wait for a sale rather than buy a non-PID grill.
Should I buy a used Traeger instead?
A used Pro 575 or Pro 22 for $250 is a fair deal if the auger and igniter work. Run it for 20 minutes before handing over cash, and listen for a grinding auger. Parts are everywhere, which is the whole argument for a Traeger at this price.
Is a cheap pellet grill harder to cook on?
Slightly, in cold weather and on poultry. A thin lid recovers slowly after you open it, so open it less, and keep chicken on the PID grills. Your first cook on any of these should be the smoked pork butt, which forgives a 20°F swing.
Which budget grills go on sale?
All of them, on a schedule. The Woodridge has hit $699 and the Smoque was $599 at weber.com in November 2026, while the Pro Series 850 has hit $399 and the Pro 22 $389 most summers. The pellet grill deals page has the calendar, and Black Friday is the next window.