Do you love spending autumn evenings in your backyard enjoying the lovely weather and some grilled delicacies along with?
Hi! I am Stacy Smith, and I love maintaining a beautiful garden behind my house and hosting parties in it every weekend. It is usually just some friends and family who come, but it generally would mean cooking for 8-10 people.
So, I had been cooking indoors to date, but recently, a close friend suggested cooking outside. That is when I thought of hosting barbeque dinners outdoors, and I needed a good wood-fired grill for that purpose.
Hence, I started surfing online and made a list of the top 5 options to help my readers pick the best wood fired grill. I have also included the pros and cons of each product so that you can make a well-informed decision.
Dive in!
Top 5 Product Reviews
1. Z Grills ZPG-7002B 2020
The Z Grills ZPG-7002B 2020 has ticked all the correct boxes and is a brilliant choice for all cooking enthusiasts and professional chefs. I found that it has all the necessary features along with an 8-in-1-grill that promises a terrific experience.
Product Highlights
This unit will provide you with the ultimate cooking experience, as you can braise, grill, bake, smoke, barbeque, and roast on it to suit your different cooking requirements.
Besides, it is equipped with a pellet grill technology, which adds a smoky flavor to your food. This unit will keep the temperature within 10 degrees of what is set, and you will get the taste of wood-smoked food once it is done.
Speaking of efficiency, it is capable of cooking for 20 hours for every 20 lbs of pellets. This is less expensive than trying to cook with carbon and gas grills.
Moreover, it features a large grilling area of 19. 2 x 26 inches that include the warming rack. You will get 700 square inches of the cooking area along with a place to keep your food warm till it’s served.
What’s There To Like About It?
I had planned to set up the grill outdoors and wanted something automatic to make the job easier. Thankfully, this unit comes with a digital control board, which allows me to auto-ignite the grill and I was also able to set the cooking temperature as desired.
Plus, it is known for its fan-forced convection cooking that accounts for its versatile cooking mechanism. Hence, I could grill hot dogs and roast some chicken at the same time to save both time and energy.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
The instructions guide was not very informative and I wanted to get my doubts cleared out as soon as possible. I reached out to the customer service representatives, but they were not very helpful in this regard. As a result, I had to look for online tutorials that took quite some time.
Pros and Cons of Z Grills ZPG-7002B 2020
Pros
Cons
- ULTIMATE 8-IN-1 WOOD PELLET GRILL & SMOKER - bbq✓bake✓roast✓braise✓smoke✓grill✓sear✓char-grill, you can do everything on here
- PELLET GRILL TECHNOLOGY - It’s the best and easiest way to get wood-smoked flavors. Anyone will instantly realize the taste is better than a gas or charcoal grill
- MAKES YOU A GOOD CHEF - One button starts up, this pellet grill will maintain the preset temperature within 10 degrees fluctuation and produce the optimal amount of smoke, easy and steady
2. Camp Chef PG24B
I had a few big parties coming up, and I needed something big enough to cook for a larger group of people. The Camp Chef PG24B SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill fulfilled all my requirements and provided me with a large cooking area along with outstanding performance.
Product Highlights
First of all, let me tell you about the electronic auto-start ignition along with a dual-LED temperature control board. It will display the external and internal cooking temperature of the food to ensure precision cooking for all your dishes.
And changing the temperature is easy, thanks to its advanced control features. The heat will be maintained at a steady level, ensuring that the food does not dry out because of the PID controller. It also has a simple menu dial that allows one to shift between 160 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit when required.
Another impressive aspect is the easy cleanout option, which will let you dispose of the ashes in no time at all. There is a knob that needs to be turned after every round of cooking, and it will flush out the ashes from the burn cup into one that can be removed.
What’s There To Like About It?
I was very happy with the large grilling area of 19.5 x 22 inches and a warming rack of 6 x 24 inches. It provided me with enough space to cook for a larger number of people in a shorter span.
Adding to its convenience, the unit is equipped with an automatic auger, which will dispense pellets as and when needed. Since I didn’t have to do this task manually, it gave me so much time to interact with my guests. So, brownie points awarded!
What’s There Not To Like About It?
While this grill offers a large cooking area, it is also very heavy and maybe a little difficult to move. I wanted to take it out in the backyard and cook for my barbeque dinner, but I needed my husband and his friend to help me move it to the yard. So, be prepared to ask for help when you need to move it anywhere.
Pros and Cons of Camp Chef PG24B
Pros
Cons
- Automatic pellet auger dispenses when needed and shuts down when done
- Upper Rack Area: 141 sq. in. | Lower Rack Area: 429 sq. in. | Total Rack Surface Area: 570 sq. in. | Side Shelf Dimensions: 16 in. x 12 in. | Height to lower cooking grate: 32" | Overall Height, including chimney: 47" | Overall Weight: 140 lbs.
- Hopper Capacity: 18 lbs. of pellets
3. Green Mountain DCWF
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Up next is a very portable option that can be taken around easily, thanks to its foldable legs and lightweight body. The Green Mountain DCWF Davy Crockett Sense Mate is known for its brilliant grilling capacities and offers a lot of conveniences.
Product Highlights
I found that the digital WiFi controller truly stands out, and I could easily monitor it with the help of my iOS phone. It also works perfectly with Android devices so that you can monitor the grilling temperature from anywhere in the home.
Furthermore, it is equipped with “Sense-Mate,” which is a thermal sensor that prevents the food from burning or drying out. It constantly controls the grilling temperature, thereby ensuring that it remains stable for uniform and through cooking.
I also loved the fact that it weighs 57 lbs and comes with foldable legs. Once the legs are folded, you can fit it into a car trunk and carry it on your camping trip. It functions on 12 Volts, and can be used on house-boating, tailgating, and camping expeditions. Plus, the grill comes with a peaked lid that will allow you to cook an entire chicken at once.
What’s There To Like About It?
I would generally keep utensils on a side table, and that means carrying another table on camping trips. But this unit comes with a convenience tray as well as utensil hooks. I could hang the needed utensils on the body itself, making it a lot easier to reach out to them while cooking.
My guests also pointed out that they loved the rib marks on food that were imprinted by the ribbed surface, which is another benefit of this grill.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
While I don’t have any major complaints from this unit, there are a few hotspots to be aware of. They are present towards its sides, and the meat placed there gets grilled faster than the rest of the surface. I would recommend moving the food around once in a while, and that should prevent the risk of burning.
Pros and Cons of Green Mountain DCWF
Pros
Cons
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4. Weber 22510201 SmokeFire EX4
One of my final recommendations is the Weber 22510201 SmokeFire EX, which is truly built to last with a porcelain enamel finish that is rust-resistant. It sports a beautiful and sleek black body, which has left all my guests impressed.
Product Highlights
This unit is equipped with flavorizer bars, which are made to ensure consistent and direct heating without having the food touch the flames. These are essentially large bars that help in maintaining and enhancing the flavor of the food.
Apart from that, it sports an ash and grease drawer that makes cleaning very easy, and I was able to do it within a few minutes. This drawer is removable and is accompanied by a plastic scraper device, which can be used to move ashes from the cook box into the grease drawer. The grease drawer can then be removed and cleaned after every cooking session.
I also loved the fact that I could monitor the entire process through my smartphone. I was notified every time food needed to be flipped or when it was ready to serve. You can enjoy your backyard party while the food cooks without constantly standing by the grill.
What’s There To Like About It?
If this is your first time grilling, you will love the step-by-step assistance that is provided by the Weber app. It also activates a countdown timer right after you have started grilling the food, and you can switch off the grill remotely with this app.
Additionally, you can sear and smoke when needed as the temperature range offered is from 200 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Just set the desired temperature, and the grill will initiate its cooking mechanism.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
The only downside to this product is its assembly process, which is lengthy, and you might need some time to figure it out. If you have no experience, it is best to call up customer care for help, or you could call up a professional for assistance. But once it is set up, there should be no further problems.
Pros and Cons of Weber 22510201 SmokeFire EX4
Pros
Cons
- Sears as well as it smokes with a 200-600°F temperature range.
- Weber porcelain-enamel finish helps prevent rusting and cracking.
- Large 672 square inches of dual grilling space.
5. Oklahoma Joe's 20202105 Rider
I was looking for a smart cooking system when I came across Oklahoma Joe's 20202105 Rider. It offers smart cooking features and superior versatility, which I will discuss in the following section. So, read on to know all about its bells and whistles!
Product Highlights
The pit control system offers smart features that involve 2 guidance modes, namely a temp-probe and timer mode. The temp-probe mode will help understand if the target temperature has been reached inside your food so that you can stop cooking. This is very important in preventing food from burning or getting overcooked.
On the other hand, its timer mode will tell you if the food has been cooked for the said amount of time at the fixed desired temperature.
Beyond that, there is a removable Live Fire plate which takes care of the cooking process, and you can remove it for searing the food directly over fire. Not only does this feature add to user convenience, but it also makes the grill a lot more versatile.
In addition, the grill comes with a hopper with a 20 pounds capacity, and it can be drawn quickly and easily when needed. You can easily store or swap pellets without spending too much time on them.
What’s There To Like About It?
Although its weight is slightly more, I loved the heavy gauge steel body due to its durability. The sleek black finish is truly attractive and does not catch rust easily. On top of that, it offers more than 900 square inches of cooking and warming space, and that should take care of large groups of people.
Moreover, there are grates and racks systems that can be integrated for more versatility if needed.
What’s There Not To Like About It?
The only issue I have with this product is that it does not come with handles, so you might find pushing it around slightly difficult if the racks are loaded. Otherwise, you can hold the racks and push the grill around without straining your muscles too much.
Pros and Cons of Oklahoma Joe's 20202105 Rider
Pros
Cons
- Pit control system offers smarter cooking with two distinct guidance features: timer mode indicates when you've reached a set amount of time at your desired grill temp, and temp-probe mode indicates when your food has reached its target internal temp
- Live Fire plate can be opened for searing over live Fire
- Flex grate and flex racks systems integrate easily for superior versatility, allowing for a wide variety of configuration options (Additional accessories and racks sold separately)
Buyers Guide
By now, you must have realized that there are different types of grills on the market, and you need to figure out the type that works best for your needs. There are differences in size, WiFi controls, and cleaning processes, to name a few.
My friend Angie told me about these factors that I needed to keep in mind before purchasing. And here, I have shared the information with you so that you too can make the right choice.
1. Size
How many people do you generally need to cook for? If you plan to host a lot of large parties in your backyard, then a bigger grill will be necessary. It will ensure that you can cook a lot of food at once, and you do not have to spend the entire evening cooking in batches.
Generally, a larger cooking surface area will make sure that you can cook for 4-5 people simultaneously. Also, check the amount of warming area that is provided where you can keep the food for a long time, and it will stay warm till you need to serve it.
On the other hand, if the group is small and you need a grill to cook for your family, then opt for a smaller model. It will provide enough space to cook for a small family and will be lighter too. While the larger ones are heavier and may make portability difficult, the smaller ones can be moved easily.
Also, remember to check the wheels and see if they are sturdy enough. They should be able to take the weight of the grilling cart.
Moreover, check if the grill can be stored in compact spaces when not in use. In this regard, some models also come with foldable legs, and that will allow you to store or carry easily.
2. Cleaning Process
While cooking is fun, the cleaning process is something I do not like at all. Hence, I always try to look for models, which are easier to use and clean. Now, some models come with a removable drawer that collects the ash and grease. These can be simply taken out and washed before putting them back in place.
Other options might have a grease collection tray, which can also be taken out and cleaned. However, some units have to be taken apart and cleaned once in a while to remove all the ash and debris stuck inside. If you are confident with this process, then it should not be a problem.
But if you are a beginner at using grills, then opt for something that is simpler to manage and clean.
3. Wi-Fi Controls
As technology has advanced a lot today, you can expect your grills to be equipped with smart features too. Smart models can be monitored through your phone with the help of an app. You can check the temperature and stop cooking with the touch of a button.
Also, it will alert you when the food is ready or needs to be flipped. I loved these features as I did not have to stand in front of my grill and could interact with others at the party while the food cooked by itself.
4. Rib Marks
Grilled food always looks good with grill marks on them, and most grills will ensure that the food looks, well, grilled. The pan should have ribs on them so that these marks appear more prominently, and it is best to check for this before purchasing. Also, check for a peaked lid along with ribs as that would help in cooking bigger meat pieces (like a whole chicken) at once.
5. Rust
Since your grill will be exposed to a lot of moisture and grease, it will be prone to rust. So, opt for those, which have a coated surface that will effectively prevent rust formation. This will make the structure more durable, and you can use it for years to come.
Plus, it keeps the grill as good as new, as nobody would want to work with an old-looking rusted grill.
Frequently Asked Questions
I went through a lot of customer reviews and realized that there were some common queries. So, without further ado, read on to know about them!
Yes, the pellets have to be purchased separately and are generally not provided by the brand. However, do ask them if there are specific requirements for pellets of a certain kind and size.
Yes, if your device supports a Wi-Fi connection, then it can be controlled through your phone app, which connects to the grill’s sensors. However, every grill will not offer this, and it is best to read the product description before purchasing.
My Final Recommendations
The best wood fired grill will help cook a mouthwatering spread while you can spend the evening with your loved ones. Your guests can enjoy smoky flavors and you do not have to spend the entire evening slogging in front of the grill.
Having said that, I have shortlisted my favorites, and I will take you through them one more time. The Z Grills ZPG-7002B 2020 stands out and promises an 8-in-1 grilling experience. But if you require a large grill, then the Camp Chef PG24B SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill will fit well.
Apart from that, if you need to take the grill on camping expeditions, the No products found. will be an ideal choice.
It is finally time for me to say goodbye, and I hope you have an amazing cooking experience. See you again!