Skip to content 
Want to get a great grill without breaking the bank? You’re in luck! There are a ton of awesome grills available for under $500.
The right one for you depends on how you prioritize convenience, customization, cooking space, sturdiness, and aesthetic appeal. We’ve put together a list of our top favorites.
The Best Pellet Grills Under $500
| Product | Amount of Cooking Space | Maximum Temperature | Cleaning Mechanisms |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1. Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24 Our Best Pick  Check Price | 570 square inches | 500 F | Ash and hopper cleanout, grease management system |
#2. Z GRILLS ZPG-7002B Check Price | 700 square inches | 450 F | Shutdown recycle mode |
#3. Pit Boss 440 Deluxe Check Price | 440 square inches | 500 F | Easily-opened bottom shelf |
#4. Smoke Hollow PS2415 Check Price | 440 square inches | 485 F | Easy-drain grease system |
#1. Camp Chef SmokePro DLX PG24
The SmokePro from Camp Chef has more features than you’ll usually find with a pellet grill under 500. In addition to the large cooking surface, the grill has a meat probe and internal temperature sensor.
Because it’s designed with a dump tray, cleanup is extremely easy. The engineering allows it to run efficiently using pellets, though the grill may struggle to perform adequately in extremely cold temperatures.
Since it’s easy to set up, you can start grilling quickly after you receive the order.
The Camp Chef grill comes with just a 1-year warranty. In comparison to the 3-year warranties that some competitors offer, it’s not ideal, but that year will cover any manufacturing defects or issues.
If convenience features like auto-start and easy ash cleanup are a priority for you, this pellet grill makes a great choice.
#2. Z GRILLS ZPG-7002B
The Z Grills offering comes with both grill and some accessories for less than $500. The grill is designed with Smart Smoke technology, so the grill can maintain temperature through its automatic electric feeding system.
This system continues to move pellets through the grill to allow the system to maintain the exact temperature you’ve specified.
The grill doesn’t always perform very well at its lowest temperatures, but once it reaches 250 F and higher, it handles the heat fine.
For those who want to smoke meat at ongoing low temperatures, this might not be the best choice.
In addition, there’s not an ash cleaning system or easy way to dump pellets from the hopper. This means that there’s a little more maintenance necessary between the times you fire the grill up.
You might also find yourself frustrated if you try to change wood types before your pellets have been used up.
With all of that said, there’s a great deal of cooking space. There are also included accessories like doors and a cover, which other brands usually charge more for.
These protective accessories help shield it from the elements, so it might be a good choice if you live in rainy or windy areas.
#3. Pit Boss 440 Deluxe
The deluxe version of the Pit Boss 440 Grill provides you with 440 square inches of surface area and a temperature range of 180 F to 500 F.
It also includes a meat probe that allows easy monitoring of your grilling foods. All the controls are digital and shown through an easily-readable LED display.
Because the grill isn’t made very portable, it might not be a good option if you intend to move your grill from indoors to outdoors and back fairly often.
It does have ample room for food, though, so you can serve up plenty of meat and veggies at a large family barbecue.
This grill is designed with more aesthetic appeal than some other options as well. It’s crafted with copper and black tones that are sleek and striking.
There’s also a combination of a side shelf and serving tray available to hold your grilled food as you’re cooking up another batch, so you can serve everyone at once.
The digital controls allow dial-in customization to make grilling easier. There are also automatic start and cool-down features, so firing up the grill is easy, and you don’t have to worry about safety hazards if you forget to turn the temperature off.
The product is made with heavy 16-gauge steel construction that can stand up to heavy use, high temperatures, and the elements.
#4. Smoke Hollow PS2415
The Smoke Hollow is another option that features 440 square inches of cooking surface. While this isn’t as big as some others on the list, it’s a sizable amount for most parties.
Like the previous entry, the grill is digital. It comes with a digital LED thermostat, along with an internal temperature gauge.
You can easily look at the display readout to check your smoking and grilling temperatures.
The Smoke Hollow grill and smoker is crafted with heavy-duty barrel construction atop a tube cart frame. Each of the grates is coated in porcelain to make cleaning up grease and ash easier.
There’s also an easy-drain grease system implemented, so once you’re finished cooking, all you have to do is wait for the grill to cool off and then dump the grease.
Of all the options on the market, this is one of the most solidly-built grills you’ll get for this price point.
Though it lacks some of the accessories of the competitors, it’s a good piece of hardware for both grilling and smoking, so it’s a big selling point for people interested in long-term meat smoking.
Final Thoughts
The best grill for you depends largely on your priorities. There are many great options available for less than $500.
The Camp Chef is a good choice if you like convenience features and ease of cleanup. The Z Grills works great if you want a grill with protection from the weather.
The Pit Boss features aesthetic appeal and customizable controls, while the Smoke Hollow is a sturdy and reliable grill and smoker.