The 10 Best Wood Pellets
This wiki has been updated 20 times since it was first published in February of 2019. You don't win friends with salad. These wood pellets will have you ready to fire up the grill and prepare some sizzling, mouthwatering grub for your buddies, helping you breathe new life into the same old pork chops or corn on the cob. You'll find a range of flavor options to try here, so there's something for the old hand as well as the tenderfoot, along with sets that would make fine gifts. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Traeger Signature
2. Bear Mountain Gourmet
3. BBQr's Delight Super Variety Pack
Editor's Notes
October 03, 2020:
For this latest update, we continued to prioritize reliable names in the industry with selections that are free of binders, fillers, oils, additives, or any other chemical agents that would affect the taste of your meal or health. Bear in mind, though, that just like with any wood, pellets emit carbon monoxide gas when burned. Extended exposure to this can be harmful, so always try to stand clear of any smoke coming your way.
We favored choices that are available in a host of flavors for those who like to experiment or who know how different varieties affect the flavor profiles of different meats, veggies, cheeses, and even nuts. We wanted to make sure that in addition to blends and 100% pure options we included variety packs like BBQr's Delight Super Variety Pack and Lumber Jack BBQ Pack for sampling or gifts. After that, a clean burn, low ash, good smoke, and uniform size for efficiently running through pellet grills guided our selections.
We said goodbye to a few of our number today, such as the Camerons Gift Set, BBQr's Delight Jack Daniels, and Griller's Gold Premium, due to availability issues. We supplanted A-Maze-N Maple with Bear Mountain Gourmet, which is far more popular, versatile, and budget-friendly. Also joining the ranks today is Ol' Hick Jim Beam to make up for the loss of our previous Jack Daniels selection. Ol' Hick is decidedly less pronounced than the Jack Daniels version, but this can be a good thing if you're looking to add depth of favor and not completely overwhelm your meat.
You'll also notice Louisiana Grills Competition, a great option for everyday grilling, and Green Mountain Grills Premium, an applewood selection perfect for poultry and pork.
February 19, 2019:
When it comes to wood pellets, flavor is highly subjective, but there are a few names that grillers have been known to trust. First and foremost, these include Traeger, Lumber Jack, and BBQr's Delight, so we selected popular choices from each. One caveat: the BBQr's Delight Super Variety Pack, along with many from the company, are on the smaller side for the cost, so if you've got your sights set on value, you might not start there. When it comes to bang for the buck, the Rec Tec Ultimate Blend and Pit Boss Melange should serve you well, and if it's a gift you're after, the set from Camerons is a choice to consider, especially if the recipient is new to pellet grilling and wants to try a range of flavors.
Special Honors
BBQ Box For pitmasters who grill on the regular, BBQ Box might be a smart choice. This monthly subscription service ships customers a box packed with one sauce or marinade, a rub or spice, a tasty snack, a sample pack of wood chips, and custom recipes that incorporate your box's contents. You can also tailor your subscription to eschew certain items in the assortment or simply order the spices and rubs separately. bbqbox.com
4. Rec Tec Ultimate
5. Lumber Jack BBQ Pack
6. CookinPellets 40H
7. Green Mountain Grills Premium
8. Pit Boss Melange
9. Louisiana Grills Competition
10. Ol' Hick Jim Beam
Born in Arizona, Gia is a writer and autodidact who fled the heat of the desert for California, where she enjoys drinking beer, overanalyzing the minutiae of life, and channeling Rick Steves. After arriving in Los Angeles a decade ago, she quickly nabbed a copywriting job at a major clothing company and derived years of editing and proofreading experience from her tenure there, all while sharpening her skills further with myriad freelance projects. In her spare time, she teaches herself French and Italian, has earned an ESL teaching certificate, traveled extensively throughout Europe and the United States, and unashamedly devours television shows and books. The result of these pursuits is expertise in fashion, travel, beauty, literature, textbooks, and pop culture, in addition to whatever obsession consumes her next.