What Is A Pellet Smoker?

A pellet smoker is used to grill and cook food via convection. It uses the heated air by burning pellets and circulates it to the cooking chamber.

The common material used in pellet smokers is cast iron. It also comes in stainless steel and light metal to give long-lasting and durable properties that directly configure the price and longevity of the pellet smoker.

It comes in different sizes. The updated pellet smoker is more efficient in spreading even heat to the food chamber.

Stainless steel pellet smoker lasts longer than any other type as it is rust-free and durable. It costs more than any type because of its long-lasting properties.

A cast iron or mild steel pellet smoker is also a good choice depending on how often you use it. A cast iron pellet smoker is great for spreading heat for longer durations.

The history of a pellet smoker is not too old. 1973 oil crises led to the invention of wood pellets, primarily used for cooking food as an alternative heat source. Then in 1985, Joe Traeger invented the first ‘Traeger Pellet Grill’ that used wood pellets to circulate heat to the food chamber. Fan-aided combustion regulated heat in the cooking pot.

Joe Traeger patented the model in 1986 and remained the only manufacturer of the Traeger pellet grill for twenty years. After the expiration of his patent in 2006, other similar companies started manufacturing the new pellet smoker.

What Is The Ideal Material For A Pellet Smoker?

The ideal material for a pellet smoker is stainless steel. A stainless steel pellet smoker is preferred because of its rust-free and long-lasting properties.

Stainless steel pellet smoker costs more than any other type. The cheapest type of pellet smoker comes in mild steel that doesn’t last long. The longevity and durability of the pellet smoker depend on the frequency of use.

The pellet smoker required for cooking food in large quantities will cost more as they need a bigger food chamber. The price of a pellet smoker is directly related to the size of the food chamber. Big-size pellet smoker serves best for outdoor parties and events.

People who care about the environment’s health might want to choose the pellet smoker that emits less carbon monoxide.

What Are The Different Types Of Pellet Smokers?

Propane smoker: It uses propane gas to cook food. It is a cabinet-style smoker with a burner present at the bottom. Propane smokers don’t produce natural smoke. Instead, they use wood chips to produce artificial smoke.

Charcoal smoker: It uses charcoal to provide heat to the cooking chamber.The non-organic compounds of the wood are converted into charcoal. Charcoal is then used to produce smoke, adding extra flavor to the food.

Offset smoker: It uses solid wood to cook the food. Plenty of space is available in this smoker. A barrel-shaped offset smoker is made from unused oil drums. It distributes smoke from burning wood to spice up the natural flavor.

Electrical smoker: It uses electricity as a heating element instead of other combustible resources—a good amount of heat triggers the wood chips to produce smoke. Water vapors add moisture and flavor to the food.

What Is The Ideal Size For A Pellet Smoker?

The ideal size of the pellet smoker depends on the frequency of use. It works differently for residential and commercial purposes. A pellet smoker with a large food capacity is best for commercial use, while a medium size pellet smoker works perfectly fine for a big family.

What size pellet smoker do I need? It directly depends on the use of the pellet smoker. You need to  ascertain the number of people you want to cook for. Usually, a 24 inches pellet smoker with a 400 square inches cooking space is enough for the gathering of 8-10 people. Commercially, a giant size pellet smoker of 36 inches is enough.

It can cook more than 10 whole chickens and 16 small rib racks at once. Remember, bigger pellet smokers will need more wood pellets to generate enough smoke to meet the demand.

You might also want to consider the power required to make the pellet smoker work. It usually requires the power of 30W and 300-500W when running. It only needs this power to run the igniter for lighting the wood pellets, while a blower fan provides extra support to the burning process.

What Are The Use Cases Of A Pellet Smoker?

Here are some of the use cases of a pellet smoker.

• Designed to provide scrumptious smoky flavor with evenly cooked food
• Works on-the-go, especially useful for picnics and outdoor party arrangements
• Can be used for baking and grilling

Once you have purchased the pellet smoker, you will get to know more use cases of this machine.

Are Pellet Smokers Better Than Regular Smokers?

A pellet smoker is the best option if you are looking for accurate temperature controls. On the other hand, regular smokers are used to adding an extra smoky flavor.

Is It Better To Smoke With Pellets Or Wood Chips?

It is always better to use wood pellets instead of wood chips as pellets burn slower and give proper heat for longer durations.

How long does a bag of pellets last in a smoker?

Most pellet smokers will burn 2-3 pounds of pellets per hour, which means a 30-pound pellets bag will give you 10 hours of non-stop cooking.

Are pellets cheaper than charcoal?

No, wood pellets are way more expensive than charcoal.

What are the best pellet smoker brands?

The best pellet smoker brands are:

Best overall pellet smoker: Camp Chef

Best eco-friendly pellet smoke: Weber

Best value pellet smoker: Pit Boss

Best cost-friendly pellet smoker: Traeger

What is the life span of a pellet smoker?

The average life span of a pellet smoker is 8-10 years. The life span of a pellet smoker significantly depends on the type and brand you have. Also, by keeping up the maintenance, the average life span of the pellet smoker can be increased.

Some other factors on which the life span of the pellet smoker depends:

• Routine checkup
• Usage
• Rust-free material
• Maintenance

The average cost of a pellet smoker varies from $500-$2000 depending on the size and capacity of the pellet smoker. A pellet smoker bigger than the standard size will cost more.

How does culture affect the usage of pellet smokers?

Pellet smokers spread in almost all parts of the world after their invention. People were already finding alternate ways to cook food. So the pellet smokers provided a helping hand to the people living in distant places where combustible natural resource for cooking food is rare.

Furthermore, digital temperature controls provide extra support for perfect cooking. It can be used for baking and grilling as well. It cooks nearly all kinds of foods you can think of. Pellet smokers proved to be the best machine to cook food for events and gatherings.

What are the relevant tools for a pellet smoker?

Cooking range: It is similar to a pellet smoker. Both are used for cooking raw food. Cooking range is more often a kitchen tool with various other functions.

Portable grill: It works like a pellet smoker. But it is easier to use on-the-go. It is a compact and handy machine you can take anywhere.

Kamado grill: It works just like a pellet smoker, but it is the predecessor of a clay vessel. It allows the oxygen to enter the stove from the bottom and the exhaust/damper causes the gas and smoke to escape.

Infrared grill: It works the same as a pellet smoker. Most infrared grills use an electric burner, while other also comes with an infrared burner. It provides suitable temperature to all corners, preparing evenly cooked meat and steaks in comparatively less time.

What are the features of a superior pellet smoker?

Corrosion-free: A corrosion-free pellet smoker increases the life span and is efficient in cooking food for longer durations.

Digital temperature control: Digital temperature meter give more options for setting accurate temperatures that help in making evenly cooked food.

Good quality: A good quality pellet smoker is rough and tough. More importantly, a traveling partner.

Wood pellet: Provides required heat to cook raw meat. Also, ignite the smoke to add extra flavor.

What are the parts of a pellet smoker?

Here are some of the parts of a pellet smoker.

Pellet smoker cover: A hard covering increases the durability of a pellet smoker.

Racks and shelves: These provide space for cooking, baking, and grilling. Allows food to absorb heat from every angle.

Chimneys and caps: Chimneys are valuable in providing a quick way out for a smoke. At the same time, caps serve mainly during rainy weather.

Fan: Fan provides a stable blow of air, allowing heat to enter the food chamber constantly.

Ash box: It collects the ash from burning wood pellets.

How did the pellet smoker get its name?

It is not known where the name pellet smoker came from. It was called a Pellet burning stove in earlier times. Pellets were being used as an alternative to combustible natural resources. Pellet smoker allows you to cook food in all weather conditions and is your traveling partner. It was called a ‘Traeger grill’ in the late 1990s.

It then became a famous machine for cooking food in remote locations. It is called by different names in different countries. It is also known as smoking grill, pellet grill, pellet smoker, and BBQ smoker in other regions of the world.

What is the history of a pellet smoker?

The history of a pellet smoker is not too old. In 1973, the oil crisis led to the invention of wood pellets. They are efficient in providing heat for longer durations. People started using wood pellets as an alternative to natural burning resources. In 1985, Joe Traeger worked closely with his friend and came up with a machine that could cook food from wood pellets and efficiently distribute extra smoke that added flavor to your meal.

It was called Traeger Grill and patented in 1986. Traeger grill led the market for 20 years when his patent expired. Later, other big companies started to manufacture the same pellet grills with advanced technology. Today we see the most updated version of a pellet smoker.