Pellet grills have become one of the most popular ways to get the most consistent results when cooking or smoking meat on a level beyond that of your average Weber weekend warrior.
Pellet grills aren’t cheap though, and so when people are looking at potential grills, they often ask “won’t the bigger grill use more pellets?”
Generally, they might want to buy more conservatively if a larger pellet grill is going to be more of a fuel hog than a smaller version. This quickly turns into spending as little as possible on a tiny pellet grill and being unhappy with the performance.
So do bigger pellet grills use more pellets?
Generally, larger pellet grills will use more pellets than smaller pellet grills to reach and maintain cooking temperatures. However, larger pellet grills can cook more food at the same time which makes larger grills more efficient when filled with food.
Larger pellet grills do not use substantially more pellets than smaller pellet grills so the advantages of having more cooking space will outweigh the small benefit of better fuel efficiency in smaller pellet grills.
Keep in mind that some smaller pellet grills may only fit one rack of ribs or one brisket on the grill. Smoking meat can take anywhere from 6 to 12 hours so being unable to fit more meat on the same smoker can become problematic if more meat needs to be smoked.
So let’s cover some factors to consider when determining whether a smaller or larger pellet grill is better for your cooking needs.
Are Pellet Grills Better Than Conventional Grills?
If you are browsing or shopping for a pellet grill then you already know that they are an entirely new world of grilling that simple charcoal and gas grills could never take you to.
Pellet grills heat evenly and quickly since pellet grills are similar to convection ovens. In fact, pellet grills take about the same amount of time to preheat and cook food as other grills. However, the huge benefit of pellet grills is that they can also function as a smoker so food can be slowly smoked which is difficult to do in gas and charcoal grills.
Moreover, pellet grills are good for everyday grilling so you can replace a gas or charcoal grill with a pellet grill.
Although pellet grills have been around for decades, they have only started to get really popular recently. This is due to the increasing number of high-quality pellet grills on the market winning chefs over. With the recent pandemic forcing hobbyist grillers and smokers to step up their game out of sheer boredom, the pellet grill market is surging like never before.
In my opinion, using a pellet grill for the past 3 years, pellet grills are better than conventional gas and charcoal grills.
When It Comes To Pellet Grills Size Does Matter
Grills cook food, and in order to do that they need to get hot, which takes fuel. If it takes a certain amount of fuel to heat one particular grill, you would generally expect a larger amount of fuel to be needed to heat a larger grill the same amount. And this is true, but only to a very small extent.
Small grills will be easier to fill when you are cooking, but larger grills will allow you to cook or smoke more food at once.
Many potential pellet grill buyers are concerned with price, but they rarely give much thought to how much more they are going to want to grill with something as enjoyable as a pellet grill.
Pellet grill size is a crucial factor to consider when shopping for pellet grills. Having more cooking space on a pellet grill is never a problem but not having enough cooking space to fit an extra rack of ribs, a brisket, or even a side dish can be problematic.
Once you start smoking food, do not be surprised when you need more space than you think when smoking food for others or deciding to smoke extra food for leftovers.
It’s certainly a challenge to find any pellet grill reviews for any of the major manufacturers that laments buying too large of a grill. On the other hand, reviews and ratings that bemoan not buying the next size up when they had the chance are plentiful.
How Is Fuel Consumption Measured With Pellet Grills?
Pellet grills use wood pellets for fuel and the consumption rate is measured in pounds per hour. Most pellet grills will have different cooking and temperature settings for both grilling and smoking which will change the consumption rates based on the cooking temperatures.
Generally, pellet grills will only consume about a half-pound of pellets per hour on the smoke or low setting. When a pellet grill is set to a higher cooking temperature for grilling, roaster, or baking, the consumption will increase but usually max out at 3 pounds per hour.
The Differences In Fuel Use Between Large vs Small Pellet Grills Are Negligible
Even though a single grill can consume pellets at a rate of between one-half and 3 pounds per hour, this rate will not change much outside of the initial temperature setting. Many estimates of the practical differences are in the 10%-15% range when measuring the amount of fuel a small versus a large pellet grill uses.
Most wood pellets are sold in 20-pound bags, and if you use an average of 5 pounds per cook, that’s about 4 cooks per bag. If the next size up in the grill were to burn 10% more in fuel, that’s still only an extra half-pound that is needed for those same 4 cooks.
Additionally, you have the chance to cook more food while burning arguably similar amounts of fuel so larger pellet grills are more efficient when cooking more food at the same time.
Keep in mind that smoking food for 6 to 12 hours means that having more food on the pellet grill at the same time will actually save you time and money.
Can A Pellet Grill Be Too Big?
Bigger is not always better when it comes to pellet grills since excess cooking space can be wasteful. Not to mention, larger pellet grills require more space to store when not in use.
Generally, 500 square inches will be sufficient to smoke 2-3 racks of ribs which is enough for a 4 person family. If you plan on smoking food for larger gatherings or parties then 800 to 1,000 square inches of cooking space will be better to accommodate more food.
Having a larger pellet grill that does not get fully used all the time is a better situation to be in than having a pellet grill that is too small for smoking all the food you want.
Smoking food takes hours so not having enough space to fit all the food on a pellet grill at the same time can become a deal breaker.
What To Look For In A Pellet Grill
If you’re considering buying a pellet grill, or just want to know what’s important when evaluating pellet grills, here is a quick rundown of what to look for in a quality pellet grill.
Construction
One of the most important factors is the overall quality of the pellet grill and the materials used when constructing the grill. This is a grill you will be buying for several years, so it should be built to last. Visit a showroom, lift a lid, look at a burner, kick the tires, so to speak. Make sure you’re buying something with robust construction.
Here’s a list of pellet grills made in the USA which are all high-quality pellet grills.
Make sure to stick to a reliable brand or a brand that manufactures their pellet grills in the USA. Most reliable brands will offer a warranty to ensure that the pellet grill is not defective.
Cooking Area
This is going to be one of the bigger determining factors of price, but it’s incredibly important.
Don’t get a grill that’s too small or you’ll regret it, on the other hand, it’s decidedly hard to get a grill that’s too big unless placement is an issue.
Keep in mind that smoking food will take hours so not having enough cooking space means that you will have to smoke your food in batches or have to not smoke all the food you want.
Pellet Grill Controller
The controller is what will control the cooking temperature of the grill. Most newer pellet grills will have a digital controller and some even have WiFi or Bluetooth capabilities to remotely control the grill.
Pellet grills that have more features and ways to control the grill means the price will go up but these convenience features can be a game-changer if you plan on doing other things while smoking food.
See this guide on whether WiFi is worth the money on pellet grills.
Temperature Range
Make sure your grill can hit the standard temperature range for a pellet grill of about 160°F to 500°F.
Most smoking recipes will call for temperatures in the 225°F to 250°F, which all pellet grills can reach. However, not all pellet grills can reach temperatures above 500°F, which can be helpful if you plan on grilling or searing food on the pellet grill.
Higher-end pellet grills that have direct searing features will be able to reach 700°F.
However, the perfect temperature for searing meat on a pellet grill is 450°F which can be reached on any pellet grill. The method of “reverse searing” is possible on any pellet grill so higher temperatures aren’t needed for searing food on a pellet grill.
Price
Now, price should matter, but it shouldn’t be the only thing that determines which pellet grill to purchase, so that’s why it’s last. Be sure you aren’t spending more than you need for the features you want, but don’t confuse affordable for cheap or vice versa. You can save money initially, but you may not have enough cooking space or the pellet grill may not last as long as a higher quality pellet grill.
See this article to learn more about how long pellet grills last and how to make your pellet grill last longer.
Final Thoughts
Larger pellet grills consume more pellets than smaller pellet grills to reach the same cooking temperature.
However, larger pellet grills can cook more food at the same time which is important if you plan on smoking brisket which can take up to 12 hours.
Although larger pellet grills consume more pellets to cook food, generally pellet grills only require ~10% more pellets to cook versus smaller pellet grills. However, the extra cooking space means more food can be smoked at the same time which can save both time and money if fully utilized on the larger pellet grill.
As a rule of thumb, opt for a larger pellet grill since extra cooking space does not need to be used. A pellet grill that is too small will cause a lot of issues since all the food you want to smoke cannot be smoked at the same time which can become a deal breaker.
Regardless of which grill you decide to get, just get out there and start smoking today since pellet grills are incredibly versatile cooking machines.
