Z Grills pellet grills are one of the best-value per square inch pellet smokers on the market. Z Grills is also one of the best-selling pellet smoker brands online.
They offer similar grill construction quality to what you would get with a Pit Boss or Traeger pellet grills but at a reduced price point.
Z Grills pellet smoker grills come in many different designs with different capabilities. They come with automatic temperature control, eliminating the need to track cooking temperatures.
In these Z Grills reviews, we cover the top seven models available in 2024 to help you choose the best Z Grills model for you.
Table of Contents
A little about Z Grills
The guys behind Z Grills are based out of California and have been involved in manufacturing barbecues for companies like Pit Boss and Traeger for the last 30 years.
They ran a successful crowdfunding campaign back in 2017 which raised nearly half a million dollars from over 1,400 investors.
The folks at Z Grills then decided to cut out the middleman and start selling directly to consumers under the Z Grills brand.
Today, it is one of the fastest-growing pellet smoker brands on the market, with 3 different categories of smokers in several different configurations.
Comparison Table of Z Grills Models
Below is a quick comparison list of the best Z Grills models available in 2024. Click on the name to read reviews and check prices.
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The Best Z Grills Smoker Reviews
Z Grills tend to be about 1/3 of the price of their competitors, so you’re getting an extremely affordable product that has a good warranty, and you’re not going to have to make a considerable investment.
Below are the seven best Z Grill pellet grills available. We’ve ranked them according to overall value, features, and price.
1. Z Grills ZPG 700D4E – Best Overall Value Pellet Grill
The 700D4E model is the most popular model that Z Grills sells. It sits right in the sweet spot where it comes to price, size, and features.
It’s an upgraded version of the classic 700D and 700E models, with lots of advanced features like a PID temperature controller, a convenient pellet clean-out port, and a larger, more readable temperature controller screen.
It’s also priced higher than the previous Z Grills 700 series, but it’s got some nice upgrades to account for the difference.
Although it doesn’t have Wifi connectivity, it makes up for it in overall quality and value.
Features of the Z Grills 700D4E
The 700D4E is a well-built, large-capacity unit.
It’s made of rolled steel and stainless steel and is constructed with double-walled insulation to ensure that the unit maintains a constant temperature under most conditions. This pellet grill is especially useful if you live in colder climates or plan to do some winter grilling (which I’m a big fan of).
The Z Grills 700D4E has 697 square inches of cooking space split between the main rack and the warming rack.
It includes a large storage area beneath the grill, a large hopper capacity, and an easy pellet clean-out feature which is very convenient for longer cooks.
Design
- 697 sq. inch porcelain-coated cooking surface
- Double-walled insulation with 2.0 mm thick stainless steel lid
- 20-pound hopper capacity
- Convenient enclosed storage cabinet
Control
- PID temperature controller for automatic temperature maintenance
- Dual temperature probes
- Hopper cleanout door allowing users to easily swap wood pellets
- Easy to read LCD temperature display
Extras
- Four heavy-duty caster wheels for easy mobility
- Waterproof cover
The 700D4E is an excellent overall choice and a solid upgrade from the original 700E model.
Its reasonable price tag and ample features make it an excellent value. Even though it doesn’t have Wifi, it makes up for it in quality and superb temperature control.
2. Z Grills 450B – Best Beginner Z Grills Pellet Grill
The 450B is one of the newest Z Grills available, with several upgrades from its predecessor, the classic 450A. You’ll pay a little more, but in return, you get a grill with a PID controller for better temperature control and an innovative pellet clean-out system.
It has a lower price point, smaller size, and plenty of great features, making the Z Grills 450B is an excellent beginner pellet grill.
The 450B is a great grill model for couples and small families. Compared to the larger 700 series, the 450B takes up much less patio and garage space.
This pellet grill is comparable to the Pit Boss Sportsman 500 or the Traeger Grills Pro Series 575 models, with a lower price tag.
Features of the Z Grills 450B
The 450B has a 450-inch square-inch grilling area and a 15-pound pellet hopper capacity. It has the capacity to make 18 burgers, 4 rib racks, or 3 chickens at once.
It includes a PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) temperature control board which helps ensure consistent temperatures within 5°F of target every time you grill.
It’s considered an “8-in-1” grill that allows you to smoke, grill, roast, bake, BBQ, braise, sear, and char-grill food.
It has a good cooking temperature range between 160-450°F, allowing you to do most types of grilling methods like low and slow or searing.
The Z Grills 450B includes an LCD control panel for easy readings in outdoor cooking situations.
It also has a pellet view window that allows you to check your pellet supply without having to lift the hopper lid. A pellet clean-out system makes it easy to empty the hopper and switch wood pellets mid-cook.
One cool feature of the Z Grills 450B is the manual FEED boost button, which allows you to inject a burst of wood pellets into the system for faster heat recovery after you’ve opened the grill lid.
Design
- 459 sq. inch porcelain-coated steel cooking surface
- Coated steel construction
- 15-pound hopper capacity
- Hopper viewing window
Control
- PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) temperature controller for automatic temperature levels
- Hopper cleanout door allowing users to easily swap wood pellets
- Easy to read LCD temperature display
- Manual FEED pellet boost system
Extras
- Two heavy-duty caster wheels for easy mobility
- Waterproof cover
The Z Grill 450B is an excellent pellet grill choice for smaller patios or balconies. It has all the great features of the larger 700 series, but with a smaller footprint and price tag.
If you’re looking to invest in a wood pellet grill and don’t want to spend a ton of money, the Z Grills 450B is a great choice for beginners.
3. Z Grills 7002C2E – Best Family Pellet Smoker Grill
The handsome Z Grills 7002C2E is another very popular wood pellet grill model from Z Grills.
It’s very similar to the 700D4E but doesn’t have a lower storage cabinet or side-wall insulation, which saves you some cash.
The 7002C2E is a good size for an all-around family smoker and is priced pretty reasonably. It’s comparable to a Traeger Pro 575 but for less money.
Features of the Z Grills 7002C2E
This Z Grill model comes with a larger-sized 24-pound pellet hopper capacity, which allows up to 40 hours of unassisted smoking at the smoke setting and 24 hours of grilling at the high setting.
A pellet view window allows you to check the pellet level at a glance. It allows you to know when you’ll need to add more wood pellets during very long smokes.
The 7002C2E has 697 square inches of cooking area which is enough for a group of about 4-6 people.
The PID controller helps keep good control over the heat for consistent temperature without the need to constantly monitor. Two included meat probes take the guesswork out of knowing when the meat’s ready to be served.
The Z Grills 7002C2E also includes the innovative FEED pellet booster system, which injects extra wood pellets when you push a button to rewarm the cooking chamber after opening the lid.
A waterproof grill cover is included with the 7002C2E model.
Design
- 697 sq. inch porcelain-coated cooking surface including a second-tier warming rack
- 24-pound capacity hopper
- Hopper viewing window
Control
- PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) temperature controller for automatic temperature levels
- Two meat probes
- Hopper cleanout door allowing users to easily swap wood pellets
- Easy to read LCD temperature display
Extras
- Two oversized wheels for easy mobility
- Waterproof grill cover
The 7002C2E is a good overall choice if you’re looking for plenty of cooking area and want to save a little cash. It has all the features of the 700D4E without the storage cabinet, which not everyone may need.
It provides the same features as most Traeger pellet grills without the higher price tag.
4. Z Grills 1000E – Best Large Smoker Grill for Beginners
The Z Grills 1000E is a perfect larger Z Grills model for the first-time pellet-smoker. The learning curve is really small with this Z Grill unit.
It’s designed for the person who wants to get into smoking but doesn’t want to fuss with managing wood on an offset or charcoal in a charcoal smoker. All you have to do is keep the hopper full of wood pellets and set the temperature for whatever meal you’re cooking.
The Z Grills 1000E is comparable to the Traeger Grills Pro Series 34 model but at a lower price point. There is no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, and the grill just flat out ran well. The Z Grills model also comes with a side table and more cooking area.
Features of the Z Grills 1000E
The Z Grills 1000E has a temperature range from 160 degrees for smoke mode and up to 450 degrees for the high setting.
The cooking surface is right around 1060 square inches on this grill. That amount is on three different grates on three levels of cooking surfaces.
There’s something to be said for the simplicity of the Z Grills 1000E unit and the set it and forget it nature of this grill that I enjoy.
With a maximum temperature of 450 degrees when the unit is set to high, this grill is still more smoker than a grill. Also, without the ability to place food directly over the fire pot to sear even when setting the unit to 450 degrees, you’re still cooking your food with indirect heat rather than having direct access to the fire.
Can this unit be used to grill? Yes! Is it the same as grilling on a gas grill or a wood pellet grill with a flame door access? No.
But here is the deal with this Z Grill unit: You can grill on this one; it’s just using an indirect heat source because of the grease tray separating your food from the fire.
I like that there’s stainless steel built throughout the construction of this Z Grill pellet grill model to ensure that it can stand up to the weather even if the grill was kept outside.
Design
- 1056 sq. inch porcelain-coated steel cooking surface
- Ash cleanout system
- 20-pound hopper capacity
- Stainless steel lid
- Convenient enclosed storage cabinet
Control
- Digital temperature controller for consistent temperature levels
- Dual temperature probes
- Hopper cleanout door allowing users to easily swap pellets
- Easy to read LCD temperature display
Extras
- Four heavy-duty caster wheels for easy mobility
- Waterproof grill cover
Here are some more of the main things I loved about the Z Grills 1000E.
First, I love the stainless-steel construction. While the entire grill isn’t made of stainless steel, it’s tough to find another grill in this price range that consists of that much stainless steel for the price.
Z grills does an excellent job of putting quality where it matters.
I also like the simplicity of this grill. The operation of this grill is simple: fill it full of wood pellets, turn the dial to the temperature that you want, and it will hold that temp for as long as there are pellets to fuel the fire.
There are no gadgets or gizmos, no features or frills on this Z Grill unit. It’s just exactly what you need when you want to fire up a smoker. Set it to a temperature and walk away, and let it do its job.
I also really like the side shelf and the hopper lip on the Z Grills unit. The pellet hopper lid is larger than any others we’ve seen in this price range, and it allows for cutting boards and trays to be placed on top when cooking.
The Z Grills 1000E is perfect for somebody to get into smoking as a hobby and give them the smoky goodness they’re looking for without hassle.
5. Z Grills ZPG 10002E – Best Stainless Steel Pellet Grill
There are a couple of things about the Z Grills ZPG 10002E Pellet Smoker that set it apart from the competitors and some cool stuff that I like about this smoker.
First off, this is a stainless steel pellet grill from Z Grills. It tends to have a much longer life than conventional steel.
It has a hopper that you fill with pellets and an auger motor that feeds the pellets into the middle of the grill. Then, it has a mini fire in there that creates smoke and convection action, and that’s how your food is cooked. So it essentially works just like every other model on the market.
So, what makes this Z Grill pellet grill different? Well, there are a couple of features about this BBQ smoker that set this thing apart.
Features of the Z Grills 7002C2E
One, they’ve added a stainless-steel hood option which is very nice. The advantage of the stainless steel is it looks very nice and is a personal preference. Also, this model will be a little bit more durable than a powder-coated finish.
Two, what sets Z Grills apart from every other competitor in this category and price range will be the amount of cooking space.
Z Grills makes relatively affordable wood pellet grills, but usually, you don’t get a ton of cooking space when you go into these affordable units. Z Grills has done the opposite here.
They call the Z Grills ZPG 10002E an 8-in-1 because you’re able to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbecue with this type of grill. This saves you space on your patio or balcony since you only need one device to do it all.
This model has three tiers of cooking space, and that’s why it’s called the 1000, as it has over 1000 square inches of cooking space.
The tiers are removable, and that’s nice if you don’t need to be using all that space. You can take them out and then just have the large grilling area. So you can have as much cooking real estate as you want, and that’s nice when you’re cooking for a family of four; you can take it all out of there, and you’re set.
If you’re having a big old party and need all that extra real estate, and you’re going to put 50 burgers on, you can make it happen with the 1060 sq inch cooking area on this Z Grill unit.
It comes with an automatic igniter for precise temperature control and consistent cooking temperature. The digital temperature control dial is easy to use, so you can start up and cool down pretty quickly, and it can maintain a temperature range of 180 f to 450 f.
It has a nice big hopper capacity. This Z Grill model allows you to cook for about 20 hours with 20 lbs. of hardwood pellets.
What’s pretty sweet about the Z Grills ZPG 10002E that I like is it does have a front shelf that is retractable. So if you want to get that up out of the way, you can, but then if you’re going to use it, you can set it back down, and then you have it as a front shelf.
It also comes with a bottom storage shelf standard too. It also comes with an accessory rack on the side so you can hang your grilling tools on it. There are also convenient handles on both sides for moving the grill around.
Overall, I would say this is a well-designed model, and just that extra cooking space alone is a nice feature.
It also has one of the most unique things I’ve ever seen on a pellet smoker. On the back, it has a full removable drip pan. I have not seen this in a pellet smoker and think it’s a pretty cool design.
Often, you get a lot of grease and ash buildup in the unit’s bottom because the burn pot is constantly blowing ash and grease up.
The bottom pulls entirely out on this Z Grills model, an excellent feature for cleaning that bottom area. I’ve rarely seen pellet smokers with an entire false bottom like this.
I recommend covering both the drip pan and the bottom pan of this Z Grill with foil to make them easy to clean. I don’t think there would be a Z Grill model that’s easier to clean than this one. The removable drip pan is a game-changer for cleaning your unit. I like this feature a lot.
Design
- 1056 sq. inch porcelain-coated cooking surface
- 20-pound hopper capacity
- Stainless steel lid
- Front & side shelves
Controls
- Digital temperature controller for consistent temperature levels
- Hopper cleanout door allowing users to easily swap pellets
- Easy to read LCD temperature display
Extras
- Two oversized wheels for easy mobility
- Waterproof cover
For an outdoor grill that will give you 1000 square inches of cooking space, I don’t think there’s something better out there for the dollar than this Z Grills unit.
What you’re getting is a grill with over 1000 square inches of cooking space, auto temperature control, a retractable front shelf, and a cover for a highly affordable price.
That being said, of course, there are higher-end grills out there that are going to offer a thousand square inches of grilling area and more, but you’re certainly going to pay for them.
So, if you’re on a budget or just dipping your toes into the pellet grill category and not sure if you’re ready to take a huge plunge and make a significant investment, the Z Grills ZPG-10002E is a great grill to get started with.
6. Z Grills 700E – Best Pellet Smoker for Budget-Conscious Shoppers
The Z Grills 700E is one of the best-selling models in this Z Grills review.
The 700E is a good-sized wood pellet grill. It’s easy to operate, easy to clean, and puts out decent food, all for a price point significantly under other brands.
Cooking on the 700E is incredibly easy. It has very basic controls that make it simple just to pick the temperature that you want. The automatic controller pretty much takes care of everything you need.
It’s comparable to a Traeger Grills Pro 575 but for less money, and is one of the best Z Grills pellet grills available.
Features of the Z Grills 700E
The 700E has 694 square inches of cooking space split between a large lower rack and two removable upper warming racks.
This Z Grill model is made from durable stainless steel; however, the insulation feels a little thin, and I saw some smoke escaping from the hatch during the start-up process. You can probably fix this with some smoker gasket seal tape, but to be honest, I didn’t notice any performance issues.
One of the other things I like about this grill is the split rack system. You have one large rack on the bottom, which I use for most of my cooking, but if you really want to fill it up, you have two separate shelves that can go on the top. This is really handy.
If you’re cooking something huge like a brisket that is too high to allow you to have both racks, you can just have one rack at the back and one rack at the front if you wanted to.
I also like that this model came with a cart door which is great if you want to store some pellets and keep them dry or use it as an area to store your tools or spices. This is better than the cheaper Z Grills that don’t come with any type of cart door.
One thing I did not like about this grill is there’s no easy way to drain the unused pellets. There is no trapdoor or shoot for quickly draining out the unused pellets from the hopper. This goes against what the manufacturer recommends: removing all unused pellets after using the grill and storing them in a cool, dry place.
To empty the unused pellets, you either need to use a shop vac or just scoop them out with your hands. Not ideal, but it’s easy to do.
Setup of the grill took about 1 hour. Everything comes very well packaged; all the parts are well boxed up. I did not find any defects or damage to my grill when it arrived.
The startup is also pretty easy. You just switch the controller on to smoke mode and let it go for 4 or 5 minutes until you hear the fire really going, and you get a lot of smoke coming out. Then you just shut the lid and set the temperature to whatever you want.
It’s capable of getting to temperatures anywhere between 180 and 450 degrees.
After cooking some pulled pork on the Z Grills 700E, I found that the flavor was delicious but that it had a more subtle smoky taste than what I would typically get from my Weber smoker.
One thing that I was challenged with on the 700E is getting good grill marks on my food. I tested this out with some chicken and turned the grill up to high.
Although the food tasted delicious and moist, it did not get really good grill marks. This is something you should consider if you are really into getting distinct grill marks on your food. If you want more thermal connectivity, you could also try using GrillGrates or a cast iron plate.
From initial startup, this Z Grill model took about 11 minutes to get up to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s pretty standard. It takes a full 25 minutes to get to the maximum temperature.
After running it for about an hour, it maxed out at around 420 degrees. This was less than the advertised maximum temperature of 450 degrees.
After testing out the heat distribution on the grill at 225 degrees with three different probes, I found that it was pretty even between the left, middle, and right. However, at maximum temperature, I found a discrepancy of about 25 degrees, with the far-right side being the coolest and the left side being the hottest.
Cleaning out this Z Grill unit was pretty simple, except for the before-mentioned pellet hopper issue. Z Grills recommends putting tinfoil over the grease tray, making it easy to remove the foil after cooking, roll it up, throw away the old foil, and put the new foil down.
With the 700E, you give up on some of the features of the more expensive grills like Wi-Fi, so forget about being able to control the grill with an app. And as I mentioned before, it has limited searing capabilities.
Most pellet grills allow you easier access to slide open the firepot for more direct flame grilling. So while you could probably hack something together with this grill, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Everything I cooked on this Z Grill portable pellet grill tasted terrific. The pulled pork was super moist and smokey. I grilled up some chicken that tasted very good, although it didn’t have as much char on the outside as I usually like.
And just to try something a little different because they do go on about how it can bake, smoke, and grill, I tried cooking a pizza on this Z Grills unit. I found that while it’s not hot enough for a proper traditional wood fire style pizza, it still turned out delicious. The dough was able to get nice and crispy.
Design
- 697 sq. inch porcelain-coated cooking surface
- Double-walled insulation with 2.0 mm thick lid
- 20-pound hopper capacity
- Convenient enclosed storage cabinet
- Thickened stainless steel lid
Control
- Digital temperature controller for automatic temperature levels
- Easy to read LCD temperature display
Extras
- Four heavy-duty caster wheels for easy mobility
- Waterproof cover
If you want an easy smoker without many bells and whistles, then the Z Grills 700E is an excellent option at a very affordable price.
7. Z Grills ZPG 7002B 8-in-1 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker – Best Value Pellet Grill
The Z Grills ZPG 7002B is a heavy-duty, high-capacity wood pellet grill that is ideal for backyard parties.
It’s designed with 8-in-1 cooking capabilities that include grilling, smoking, baking, roasting, braising, barbecuing, and more.
It is comparable to the Pit Boss Sportsman 500 or the Traeger Grills Pro Series 575 models, with a lower price tag.
Features of the Z Grills 7002B
The 7002B comes with 697 square inches of primary cooking area, which is about enough for 4-6 people.
It has a digital temperature control dial with an LED digital readout that helps maintain consistent heat during long smokes.
The Z Grills ZPG 7002B grill is built with heavy-duty steel construction, ensuring long-lasting durability for years to come.
Design
- 697 sq. inch porcelain-coated cooking surface
- Double-walled insulation with 2.0 mm thick lid
- 20-pound hopper capacity
Controls
- Digital temperature controller for automatic temperature levels
- Hopper cleanout door allowing users to easily swap pellets
- Easy to read LCD temperature display
Extras
- Two oversized wheels for easy mobility
- Waterproof cover
The Z Grills ZPG 7002B is a great choice for those looking for a basic, no-frills smoker that gets the job done right. Its low price and ample features make it a terrific value.
How Z Grills pellet grills work
If you’re not familiar with pellet smoking, essentially, it gives you all the convenience of a gas grill but all the smoke flavor of the true fire smoker.
Step 1 – Fill the hopper
The first step is to fill the hopper with wood pellets. Z Grills wood pellets come in 20-pound bags which is perfect for most smoking sessions.
Firewood pellets give you more smoked flavor than typical grills.
The flavor you choose is up to you, but generally oak, hickory, and maple make good all-around smoking flavors for pellet grills without being too overwhelming.
Step 2 – Preheat your smoker
With your grill plugged into a power outlet, turn it on and select your target temperature. If you’re going for barbecue smoking, you might want to choose 225°F-260°F.
Most Z Grills smokers will take about 10 minutes to preheat and get up to temperature.
Step 3 – Add the meat
With your smoker now running at the target temperature, gently place your meat on the grates.
For the best results, place the food in the middle of the grate. This will ensure that the meat is far away enough from the heat to not dry out but close enough to be cooked at the proper temperature.
Step 4 – Sit back, relax, and wait
The beauty of these automated pellet grills is their convenience.
The Z Grills auger unit automatically feeds pellet grills into the smoker box at the exact perfect rate to ensure the temperature stays consistent.
The digital temperature controllers monitor the unit and ensure that it stays at a perfect temperature for the entire smoke.
These pellet grills feature convection cooking to ensure that food cooks evenly.
You will want to check on the unit periodically to ensure the pellet supply is adequate and that the smoke looks a good blueish color.
If you see white or gray smoke coming from your smoker, it’s likely that your pellets are not burning properly. If food is cooked in this type of smoke (also called creosote), it will taste very bitter and distasteful.
Step 5 – Serve
When your food reaches the proper temperature, usually around 225°F, remove it from the grill and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes.
Now you can enjoy your delicious Z Grills pellet grills smoked meal! It’s that easy.
Z Grills Accessories
Purchasing a Z Grill model is just the beginning of your smoker journey. There are a lot of smoker accessories you can purchase on the Z Grills website to compliment your new Z Grill smoker and ensure maximum enjoyment.
Here are the three most popular Z Grills accessories available:
Thermal blanket
Most pellet grills are not really meant for cold weather especially if your smoker has slightly thinner-walled construction. You can use a thermal blanket when cooking in temperatures below freezing to maintain constant heat.
Smoker gasket seal tape
Even the best smokers have some leaks in their smoke boxes. To combat this, we recommend some smoker gasket seal tape to keep wind gusts out and smoke in while you’re cooking.
These two items, a blanket and gasket seal tape, will help keep your cooking temperatures rock solid when you’re cooking in cold weather.
Wood pellets
Z Grills wood pellets are ideal for use in Z Grills smokers. They come in 5 flavors: competition blend, oak, hickory, apple, and cherry.
They are considered food-grade and made of 100% natural hardwood.
Burning wood pellets gives your food plenty of authentic wood-fired flavor.
Should you buy a Z Grills?
The answer is yes. Why do I say that?
Z Grills’ niche is providing great value without sacrificing quality. I don’t think there’s something better out there for the dollar.
What you’re getting is a smoker grill with lots of cooking space, auto temperature control, and a cover for an extremely affordable price.
That being said, of course, there are higher-end grills out there that are gonna offer a thousand square inches of grilling area and more, but you’re certainly going to pay for them.
Z Grills tend to be about 1/3 of the price of their competitors, so you’re getting an extremely affordable product that has a good warranty, and you’re not going to have to make a huge investment.
So, if you’re on a budget or just dipping your toes into the pellet grill category and are not sure if you’re ready to take a huge plunge and make a big investment, Z Grills is the best smoker grill choice for you.
I hope you enjoyed these Z Grills reviews and found the perfect model for you.
Happy grilling!
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