Where are Traeger Grills made? Is Pit Boss Made in the USA? Which Pellet Grills are made in the USA? I get these questions all the time and below you will find all the makes and models of Pellet Grills Made in the USA.
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Pellet Grills have taken the outdoor cooking world by storm. These must-have, grills are widely available and almost every major manufacturer has a model on the market. The prices of these grills range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. You will also find a number of variations. Some are better at grilling, while others are better at smoking. Regardless, almost any pellet grill will do both. When it comes to US-made pellet grills, you won’t find many under a thousand dollars, but you will find some impressive units. I have compiled this list for those looking for pellet grills made in the USA. I have arranged this list by price, from the least to the most expensive.
Before we get to the grills, let’s talk about what “Made in the USA” or “American Made” mean. Legally, this is a dubious term. It is understood to mean made or predominately made in the US. If you are talking about a spoon, then it has to be made in the United States to make that claim, even if the metal is imported. When it comes to something as complex as a pellet grill, it generally means assembled in the US with a majority of its components of domestic origin. The only court case in the grilling market was leveled against Weber. They used the “Made in the USA” claim even though many components were imported. They are now required to include the phrase “with globally sourced parts” on their products.
The wood pellet grills I have listed here are made in America. That means that there is a factory and that those grills are made there. It does not mean that 100% of the components are US-made. These days, that doesn’t really exist. Especially when you consider the sophistication of modern pellet grills. I will comment on each individual grill below. Suffice it to say, some Made in USA pellet grills are more “made in the USA” than others.
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Companies Manufacturing Pellet Grills in the United States
1. Blaz’n Grill Works
Blaz’n Grill Works began manufacturing pellet grills in their factory in Beatrice, Nebraska in 2011. Their factory has been a metal fabrication facility since the early 1970s and they started building pellet grills after the Traeger patent expired. There are two models of pellet grills from this company, the Grand Slam and the Grid Iron. This is a small company with a loyal following of consumers. These pellet grills are largely made by hand and there is a very wide range of add-ons and accessories that you can use to upgrade their basic models.
2. Cookshack
Cookshack has been in the barbecue business for more than 50 years. They are known for their backyard electric smokers and commercial/restaurant electric and pellet smokers. More than two decades ago they partnered with Kansas City barbecue legend Ed “Fast Eddy” Maurin and began producing a pellet smoker. In fact, they built the first non-Traeger pellet cooker to hit the market back in 2003. Cookshack builds all its products from sheets of metal (high-grade stainless steel) in Ponca City, Oklahoma. The best known of the Cookshack by Fast Eddy smokers in the FEC100, a mainstay of barbecue competitions.
3. MAK Grills
MAK Grills, like many pellet grill companies, grew out of a metal fabrication facility. This one happened to be located 35 miles from the then headquarters of Traeger in Mt. Angel, Oregon. MAK Grills, located in Dallas, Oregon, has proven to not only be a favorite with pelletheads around the world but possibly the most innovative company in the business. With 100% US manufacturing, MAK developed the first WiFi cloud-enabled pellet grill in the world. When they first demonstrated their ability to control a pellet grill from across the country, many didn’t believe it possible. Now, in large part thanks to their hard work, it is standard on more than half the pellet grills on the market.
4. Pitts & Spitts
Pitts & Spitts has been building some of the best barbecue smokers in the world since 1983. Based in Houston, Texas, they began producing American-made pellet grills a few years back to supplement their charcoal grills and award-winning offset smokers. They make serious pellet grills with their ‘portable’ model costing more than a thousand dollars. But you can’t deny the years and experience and barbecue know-how.
5. Smokin Brothers
Smokin Brothers is the little pellet grill company that could. This family-owned business in Cape Girardeau, Missouri makes some of the most “American-Made” pellet grills on the market. If they need a part they can’t make themselves, they find someone close by that can. Anyone who knows sourcing and manufacturing will tell you that this is not an easy task, but Smokin Brothers have done it. From the controller to the casters, these are all USA-made grills. And they offer a wide range of pellet grills from portable cookers to trailer-mounted monsters that have 120-pound hoppers and cooking areas measured in square feet.
6. Twin Eagles
Twin Eagles is pure luxury. Started by one of the men that pioneered the custom outdoor kitchen, Dante Chantel, Twin Eagles builds some of the most impressive outdoor cooking equipment on the market. Also, some of the most expensive. Everything they make is built in Cerritos, California and that includes their very impressive Twin Eagles Pellet Grills. As one of the most expensive pellet grills on the market, you will expect a beautiful and powerful piece of cooking equipment and that is exactly what you will get. Recently, Twin Eagles was sold to Dometic of Sweden, but manufacturing remains in the same location with the same staff of craftsmen.
7. Weber
The Weber-Stephen Products Company is the biggest name in outdoor cooking. They started with the iconic Weber Kettle and have expanded into every aspect of grilling and smoking. In 2020, Weber introduced their SmokeFire Pellet Grill with a made-in-the-USA label. Now, Weber has been sued in the past for this label, but they are making the claim on this pellet grill. The truth is that while many of the body parts and cart are made in their Illinois facilities, the grill itself is assembled from “globally sourced” parts. So while made in the USA, this pellet grill is the least made in America. But for Weber’s support and know-how, they are hard to beat. Plus, SmokeFire is the widest distributed product on this list.
8. Yoder
Hutchinson, Kansas-based Yoder Smokers is about as serious as you can get in the barbecue world. There are those that say that a pellet grill isn’t real barbecue, but if you have a Yoder pellet cooker on your back porch, no one is going to question you. Their smaller smoker weighs 255 pounds. They make pellet cookers that produce more and better smoke than anyone. And they are serious about saying “Made in the USA”. If you are serious about smoking, you have to at least consider a Yoder. They are among the best of the best.
Also, see my list of the Best Pellet Grills Today.
The Master List of Pellet Grills made in the USA
Smokin Brothers 20-Inch Little Brother
This little pellet grill is the only portable unit to make this list. Smokin Brothers make a wide range of pellet grills and you will see them all down this list. If you want a tabletop pellet grill, then this is the unit for you. Like any little pellet grill, it won’t handle a lot of food, but it also doesn’t take up a lot of space. If you want a pellet grill, but lack the space for a full-sized unit, take a look at this one. This is also an excellent choice if you want a pellet grill that you can take anywhere with an electrical outlet. This makes a great camping pellet grill.
Smokin Brothers 24-Inch Traditional
Smokin Brothers is a small pellet grill company, but they have the largest product line of all American-made manufacturers. This model is the smallest of their full-sized pellet grills. These units are equipped with a traditional dial type pellet controller that is made in the United States. In fact, Smokin Brothers Pellet Grills are among the most ‘American Made’ of all the products on this list, right down to the casters. Look to spend around $1,000USD for this pellet grill.
Weber SmokeFire EX4 Gen 2
Some will say that it took Weber too long to get into the pellet grill market. And still more people will say that when they did, they rushed their product to market. Certainly, there were issues when the SmokeFire grill first hit stores. This is why we are on the ‘Gen 2’ version. This newer model fixes most of the problems that people experienced. As for the ‘Made in the United States of America’ label, that is also a big controversial, partly because of Weber’s misuse of the term in the past. What we can say about SmokeFire is that it is assembled in Illinois from globally sourced parts.
Smokin Brothers 30-Inch Traditional
Here we have the larger version of the Smokin Brothers grill above. In fact, this is a pretty big pellet grill for the price (around $1,200USD). With nearly 800 square inches of cooking space, this grill can produce a lot of barbecue. You should consider the pellet cookers from Smokin’ Brothers as more smoker than grill, however. But these are excellent pellet smokers.
Weber SmokeFire EX6 Gen 2
This is the big brother of the EX4 above and is made side by side with that smaller pellet grill. The SmokeFire pellet grill is a direct flame cooker that can reach temperatures around 600ยฐ F and promises to sear a steak or smoke a brisket. You get the Weber name, Wifi control, and a host of accessories (with more being developed as we speak). This is a modern-looking pellet grill that is designed to appeal to Weber grill owners who want to move from gas to pellet cooking.
Smokin Brothers 24-Inch Premier Plus
When you jump to the Premier Plus line from Smokin Brothers, you get a pellet grill that can hit 600ยฐ F with an all digital WiFi-enabled pellet controller. And yes, that too is made in the US which is no small feat. There are also some stainless steel upgrades as well as a number of convenience features. Functionally, this pellet grill stands up to competition from the biggest names in the industry. Look for this pellet grill at $1,400USD.
Blazn’ Grill Works Grand Slam
A favorite among purists The Grand Slam from Blazn’ Grill Works is a heavy-duty pellet cooker. Designed to be more smoker than grill you get a basic, but well-built cooker for around $1,500. It is available in multiple colors, but you pay more for anything other than the standard red and black. Personally, I wouldn’t pay more for a paint job, but at least there is an option. The controller is a basic PID unit. You don’t get WiFi or a lot of extras, but if you want to do serious smoking over pellets, this is a grill worth looking at.
Smokin Brothers 30-Inch Premier Plus
Of all the pellet grills from Smokin Brothers, this is probably the one to look most serious at. You get the size and capacity with the more advanced features. Smokin Brothers have been working to improve their pellet grills for years, and this unit contains all their latest developments. If you are looking for a serious, “made in the USA” pellet smoker (made in southeast Missouri) I would put this on my shortlist of the best pellet grills you can buy.
Smokin Brothers Barn-B-Que
Functionally, this is the same grill as the Smokin Brothers 30-Inch Traditional listed above, but with a unique design. Of course, at $1,800USD it is $300 more than that grill. If you are looking for a simple pellet grill that will be a conversation piece, then you might consider this one. Otherwise, I would recommend saving yourself some money and getting the basic black model. Or, for the same price, look at the Primer Pro version directly below.
Yoder YS480S Pellet Grill
Let’s be honest, if you are serious about barbecue and are looking for a pellet grill, this is probably the cooker for you. Yoder Smokers is legendary for the quality of its products. This, the smallest of their line runs $1,579USD and has a huge cooking chamber for its size. This is a serious, heavy grill. Well, to be honest, while a good grill, this is a great smoker that produces lots of excellent BBQ. There are larger Yoder grills than this one, but for most people, this is all you need. Yoder also has great WiFi technology. If you buy this grill, tell them I sent you.
Blaz’n Grill Works Grid Iron
This is the larger version of the Grand Slam listed above. In every other way, they are the same. It is the construction that makes this a stand-out pellet grill. The double-wall body holds in heat and the sheer weight of the grill keeps it hot in colder weather and helps to maintain consistency. This is a workhorse smoker though it lacks more modern technology. Blaz’n Grill Works products are all made in Beatrice, Nebraska.
Smokin Brothers 36-Inch Premier Plus
At $1,650USD this is a bit of an odd choice. It is a big pellet grill, or more accurately a pellet smoker, with nearly 1,000 square inches of cooking space. On the other hand, it is still a simple cooker. The controller is a good quality PID unit, but there isn’t much else here. In this price range, you are going to either get heavier, better construction, or better technology. I am not saying that this isn’t a good grill, but the competition at this price is very strong.
Pitts & Spitts Maverick 850
Pitts & Spitts has been in the smoker business for decades. A huge favorite in their home state of Texas, they are known for their quality construction and now, the efficient design of the pellet grills. This is an old-school company that welds its grills and smokers from raw sheets of steel. This pellet grill has good features including WiFi connectivity. It is also very traditional in design so don’t worry about innovations that don’t hold up to their promise.
This unit is also available in an all stainless steel design for $3,000.
Yoder YS640S
For $150USD more than the Yoder YS480S above, you get a good deal of additional space with this model. Costing around $1,800USD this is a big smoker with a great, heavy metal look. This is a 335-pound unit built to produce a lot of great barbecue. No wonder it is a favorite among those serious about hardcore smoking. If you don’t need the large cooking chamber, you can save yourself some money by getting the Yoder above, but considering the price difference, I don’t really know why anyone would dig a little deeper and buy this pellet cooker. It is one of the best in its price range. Yoder Smokers are known for extreme durability and made in Kansas.
PG500 Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack
This unit, made in Ponca City, Oklahoma runs $1,815USD and is designed to be the everything pellet grill. The Cookshack PG500 has a direct flame broiler for searing and a large smoking chamber for barbecue. It is also made entirely of high-quality stainless steel. If you live in a corrosive environment, then this might be the perfect pellet cooker for you. On the other hand, this grill lacks modern technology. The controller is good and accurate, but you don’t get WiFi or any type of connectivity you find on many other pellet units. This is a great grill from great people, but it is also comparatively basic.
MAK 1-Star General
From one of the oldest Pellet Grill companies in the industry, the MAK 1-Star is basic but seriously built. What makes this pellet cooker stand out is the heat retention and temperature control. This is a high-performance pellet grill, yet comparatively small and simple. While the design is great, connectivity to WiFi is an optional extra which seriously increases the $2,000USD price of this grill. This is a good option, but the competition at this price range is also very serious. The MAK Grill is made a very short distance from where Joe Traeger started the pellet grill revolution in Mt. Angel, Oregon.
Pitts & Spitts Maverick 1250
As opposed to the Maverick 850 above, this $2,200USD pellet grill has a vast amount of smoking space. This is more smoker than grill, but no one should be surprised when talking about a cooker from Pitts & Spitts. Aside from the 1,250 square inches of cooking space, this is basically the same as its smaller, $1,750 cousin. You get Pitts & Spitts own controller and their superior welded construction. This is a serious smoker for those who want to make the pellet compromise.
This model is also available in an all stainless steel version for $4,000.
PG1000 Fast Eddy’s By Cookshack
The PG1000 is twice the grill of the PG500 listed above. It has the same stainless steel construction and direct flame searing capability, but also a much larger cooking area. Of course, at nearly $3,000USD this is an expensive pellet cooker. At this price range, you can get larger cooking space as well as better technology, but you won’t get the same corrosion-resistant construction. If you live near the ocean, Fast Eddy Pellet Grills are something to consider.
MAK 2-Star
At $3,000USD the MAK 2-Star has a lot of competition, however, this cooker is a fan favorite. There are years of experience in this pellet grill. This means it makes great barbecue. It hasn’t, on the other hand, much to offer in the way of technology. Yes, you can get WiFi capability, but you pay extra for that. The construction quality is excellent though. If you are serious about the investment, you will want to consider this pellet grill.
Yoder YS1500S
Consider this the ultimate competition pellet grill. At well over 600 pounds, this rig sits on large tires so it can be taken where it is needed. It has 1,500 square inches of cooking space so you can feed a small army, or cook plenty of barbecue for a full competition. Of course, at $4,000USD you are paying for all the metal and mobility. As with all modern Yoder grills, you get their WiFi technology and their excellent heat management system that keeps the cooking chamber perfectly even. This is a serious pellet grill for making serious barbecue.
Fast Eddy’s by Cookshack FEC100 Pellet Smoker Oven
Fast Eddy (aka Ed Maurin) worked with Cookshack of Ponca City, Oklahoma to develop this pellet smoker oven. It was the first piece of outdoor pellet cooking equipment that was manufactured not by Traeger (who held the pellet grill patent at the time). Eddy has used this as his go-to smoker for BBQ competitions cooker ever since. This is a high-capacity, highly insulated, pellet cooker that can be used for competitions, catering, or running a small food service company. At well over $5,000USD it isn’t the cooker for everyone, but it is very much, made in the USA.
Twin Eagles 36-Inch
This is one of the most “made in the USA” pellet grills on this list. Twin Eagles is one of the top manufacturers of gas grills and outdoor kitchens. Their 36-Inch Pellet Grill is a marvel of engineering and, in my opinion, one of the best-looking pellet grills ever made. Yes, it looks more like a gas grill than a pellet grill, but this is a pellet powerhouse. Capable of reaching temperatures of 725ยฐ F, it is the hottest pellet grill made. It sears without any special settings or accessories. And it also does low and slow smoking, all controlled by your phone. If you have the money, buy this pellet grill!
Read the Full Review of the Twin Eagles 36-Inch Pellet Grill
Where are Wood Pellets Made!
The United States is one of the largest exporters of wood products as well as raw timber. This means large amounts of wood sawdust. A century ago, Henry Ford turned waste wood sawdust into charcoal briquettes. This created a company that from this was given to Ford’s Cousin, Edward Kingsford. Today, a large portion of wood waste is turned into wood pellets. Most of those pellets are used for heating and even fueling power plants. But a portion is turned into culinary wood pellets for cooking. The United States is the largest producer and exporter of wood pellets, so you can bet that your pellets, regardless of the brand are made in the United States.
Popular Pellet Grill Brands NOT made in the USA
A week doesn’t go by that I don’t get at least a couple of emails asking if a specific brand of pellet grills is made in the USA. Below is a list of Pellet Grill Brands NOT made in the United States.
- Broil King
- While one of the largest BBQ products companies manufacturing in North America (where they have three factories), the Broil King Pellet Grills are manufactured in China from largely Chinese-made components. Broil King is based in Ontario, Canada
- Camp Chef
- Camp Chef is another company selling a wide range of outdoor cooking equipment. All of their products are made outside of the United States with the majority of them being produced in China.
- Green Mountain Grills
- Grilla Grills
- Louisiana Grills
- Memphis Grills
- Memphis Wood Fired Pellet Grills were originally manufactured in the United States, but after several years, they decided to move their factory overseas. This was done to maintain price and keep the company competitive.
- Pit Boss
- reqteq (Formerly REC-TEC Grills)
- Traeger Grills
- While the most recognized name in the industry, all Traeger Pellet Grills are made in China and have been for nearly 15 years.
- zGrills
- zGrills is one of the largest Pellet Grill Manufacturers, making grills for many companies. They also have their own line and are the largest Chinese-owned and operated pellet grill maker.
About Me
I have been writing about Barbecue & Grilling for 25 years. I have cooked on almost every grill or smoker ever built. In that time, I have endeavored to match people with the grill or smoker that is right for them. I believe that the right product is the one that you find easy to use, capable of doing everything you want, and is reliable. If you have a good first experience, you will be back for more. In this way, we grow barbecue for the next generation. I want you to make the memories that your children will cherish.
Affiliate Disclosure
This article and the website it appears on uses sales affiliates to cover the cost of operation. If you choose to purchase a product through the links provided, a portion of that sale will go to me. It helps me create content, so I can help you and others have the best barbecue experience. I am grateful to all my readers over the years that have been so kind as to assist me in my exploration of outdoor cooking. Thank you.
5 responses to “Pellet Grills Made in the USA”
Derrick, thanks much for your site and reviews. It, and other information I found on the internet, led me to choose a Smokin Brothers. I am from Missouri originally which helped sway me lol. I like the hopper in the front, which doubles as a cooking prep/meat prep surface.
Mike
Not Made in the USA. The point of this article…
I cook usually for 1 person which of the pellet grills would you recommend?
I’m beginning to wonder if you have something against Camp Chef pellt grills, as not a single model is reviewed in any of your various catagories, and they make an outstanding product at a good price point compared to many that you list and review. Therefor I take you ‘expert opinions’ with a grain of kosher salt.
Anthony, In fact, I have reviews of two Camp Chef Pellet Grills at:
https://www.derrickriches.com/camp-chef-woodwind-with-sear-station-pellet-grill-review/
https://www.derrickriches.com/camp-chef-woodwind-wifi-36-inch-pellet-grill-review/
And I plan to do more. The reason that this page doesn’t show any Camp Chef grill is that it is only for pellet grills made in the US. All Camp Chef products are imported from China.