![The Best Vertical Pellet Smokers of 2022 [Buyer Guide and Reviews]](https://www.backyardalpha.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/The-Best-Vertical-Pellet-Smokers-of-2022-Buyer-Guide-and-Reviews.jpg)
One of the issues that most home chefs face with pellet smokers is the cooking space. For example, a regular pellet smoker will make you go through multiple cooking sessions if you have to cook for many people. Don’t get us wrong, the horizontal pellet grills are great, but the cooking space they offer is not for all.
Well, that is precisely where the best vertical pellet smoker would step in. And the great thing about the good vertical smokers is that they provide high cooking temperature and excellent fuel efficiency at the same time. Want to get your hands on such a vertical pellet smoker? You will need to stick till the end to ensure that!
Top Vertical Pellet Smokers
While looking for the best pellet vertical pellet smokers, we had to keep all of the crucial criteria in our mind. And after intensively testing out our picks, these are the vertical pellet smokers that stood out to us:
PIT BOSS 77700
- Monitor internal temperatures with digital LED readout and meat probe
- Six porcelain coated cooking grids, 1815 sq in. Includes porcelain coated water pan and heat Deflector
- 40 plus lb hopper capacity with pellet Purge. 24 plus hours of use
- Fully programmable 150 - 450 temperature range
- Auto-start 300 watt igniter with auto shut-off
- Care instructions: hand wash
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Some horizontal pellet smokers can easily monitor internal temperatures. So, why should the vertical pellet smokers not be the same? Well, that is exactly what Pit Boss believes! And that is why they have integrated that temperature monitor into this vertical pellet smoker.
Ease of Use
As we just mentioned, this offering from Pit Boss comes with an internal temperature monitor. It is a digital LED readout, which will make it easier for you to operate the vertical pellet smoker.
Also, this Pit Boss vertical smoker comes with porcelain-coated cooking grids. Altogether, the five cooking racks will offer a good amount of cooking area.
Price
The price tag of this unit is $979. Now, that’s one vertical pellet smoker that is a bit pricier. But trust us; the price is worth it!
Pros
The digital readout is the first thing that makes this Pit Boss pellet smoking grill a great pick for the best vertical pellet smoker. This vertical pellet smoker also comes with a meat probe. Also, the vertical pellet grill has a 40 pounds plus hopper capacity. The large pellet hopper for wood pellets comes with a pellet Purge too.
Furthermore, the cooking racks offer 1815 square inches of cooking space. And you can program the temperature range from anywhere between 150 to 450 degrees. Its knob even provides precise temperature control. The pellet grill also has an auto-start and auto shut-off igniter, making things a breeze for you.
Cons
Although this Pit Boss smoker has a lot going on, it cannot instantly shut the fire. And the packaging that this Pit Boss pellet smoker comes in is very sub-par.
Other Options
We wanted to include a couple more pellet smokers from Pit Boss grills in our vertical pellet smoker reviews. But the PIT BOSS 77700 took the lead. However, the PIT BOSS PB440D2 and PIT BOSS 77435 are great picks for the best pellet smoker. These Pit Boss grills can make the indoor and outdoor cooking process easy.
LOUISIANA GRILLS 7-SERIES WOOD PELLET
If you look at some horizontal pellet smoker models, you will notice that they have some innovative features. For example, a pellet grill with an easy ash cleanout feature! Louisiana Grills wanted to catch up with those horizontal smoker models, so they have integrated things that you will not generally find in regular pellet grills.
Ease of Use
Before we talk about the innovative features of this vertical pellet smoker, we want to talk about how easy it is to use. Louisiana grills have packed this vertical pellet smoker with an easy-view window. Through that, you can look through all the six cooking racks inside.
The hopper capacity will make cooking easier as well. Its pellet hopper is 60 pounds of wood pellets! That hopper capacity will allow you to cook for 35 hours straight!
Price
This smoker sits comfortably under the $1000 range. And through the official website, you can get it for $899.
Pros
This vertical pellet smoker from Louisiana Grills offers a lot of things that you will not generally find in regular wood pellets. Firstly, it has double-walled insulation. That cooking chamber makes the vertical smoker achieve a staggering temperature range of 100 to 430 degrees Fahrenheit.
But the temperature range is not the only thing that made this upright pellet smoker get into our list of the best vertical pellet smokers. The cooking racks of this long vertical pellet smoker have a non-stick coating. It is even one of the most vertical pellet smokers as you can change the positions of the cooking racks accordingly.
Cons
Not everything is great for this large vertical pellet smoker. Even though it is a highly versatile smoker, you will have a little trouble with the maintenance. Why? The feed opening is not sloped! And the grease management system is a little quirky.
Masterbuilt MB20071117
- Digital panel controls on/off, cooking temperature and time
- Electric Smoker dimensions – 20.47 W x 19.88 L x 33.26 H | Max temperature setting – 275ᵒ F | Inside capacity – 2 Turkeys, 4 Pork Butts, 4 Racks of Ribs, 6 Chickens
- Patented side wood chip loading system allows you to add wood chips without opening door
- Thermostat-temperature control for even, consistent smoking
- Fully-insulated body retains h
Wouldn’t it be great if upright pellet smokers offered easy controls for the cooking time and temperature? The task of smoking meats and slow-smoking foods would be much easier, right? Well, this is one of the vertical pellet smoker options that will offer you that!
Ease of Use
As we have already stated, the vertical smoker comes with digital panel controls. Through that, you can easily hover between different points of the temperature range and set the time accordingly.
Its pellet hopper also has a patented wood pellet loading system that you will not find in standard wood pellet models. It will allow you to load the pellets without going through extra hassles.
Price
Unlike the other two smokers, this one is a bit affordable. The price tag on this one states $199.
Pros
So, what makes this pellet grill a good pick? The cooking area would be the first thing. It offers the capacity for holding up to 6 chickens. And as it has standard smoking racks, working with different types of meat will be a breeze.
The body is fully insulated, allowing the cooking area to get hot exceptionally fast. And even though it is not the hottest pellet grill, it does offer temperature control. With that, you can set any point on the temperature range easily.
Cons
As we stated above, the maximum temperature is comparatively lower than some pellet grills. It is at 275 degrees Fahrenheit only. And the LED display that it comes with is a bit dim.
Camp Chef PGVXXLC
- New WI-FI Controller included
- Includes: 4 Smoking Grill Grates, 3 Jerky Racks, 2 Temp Read Probes, 1 Hanging Rack w/ 12 Sausage Hooks
- Compatible with Deluxe Collapsible Side Shelf (PGXXLSH)
- Grease Mgmt System, Pellet Hopper Purge, Smart Smoke Technology, Ash Cleanout System
- Unparalleled Camp Chef Quality
- Power source type: Elect
What if we told you that you could get vertical smokers that can report to you about the temperature wirelessly? Yes! The Camp Chef XXL Vertical smoker has that smart feature. But that is not the only feature that makes the Camp Chef XXL vertical stand out. There is more that it has to offer.
Ease of Use
Using the Camp Chef XXL Vertical smoker will be a piece of cake. It comes with Smart Smoke Technology that will let you get total control over the amount of smoke. And for the dedicated Ash Cleanout System, maintenance after making delicious food with this Camp Chef Smoker will be hassle-free.
Price
You can grab this smoker from Camp Chef for just $729.99. And because it is feature-packed, that price is certainly worth it!
Pros
First of all, it comes with a WiFi controller. With that, you can change the temperature with your phone. And it comes with three jerky smoking racks, two meat probes, four standard smoking grill grates, and one hanging rack. You will even get a Pellet Hopper purge. Also, the build quality of this unit is pretty solid.
Cons
The WiFi feature will allow you to smoke meat properly even when you are not around the Camp Chef pellet smoker. However, sometimes it does not sync that easily. Also, the auto shut-off mechanism is a bit finicky.
Char-Broil 19202101
- Insulated, double-wall construction
- Advanced control panel with easy-read, blue LED display
- Removable food thermometer
- Glass door allows you to monitor the smoke without opening the door
- Large, steel locking latch for smoke-tight seal
- Corded electric
- Remote control not included, (Only with deluxe stainless steel mod
Last but not least, we have this offering from Char-Broil. But some things make this pellet smoker a bit different than the others we have gone through. Want to know about those features? Continue reading!
Ease of Use
The LED display would be the biggest highlight of this pellet smoker. It has a blue light and is pretty easy to read. And as it offers 725 square inches of cooking area, you can handle a large batch of food without any issue.
Price
This is yet another smoker that sits at a budget-friendly price point. It goes for $242.84.
Pros
First of all, it features a double-wall construction. Thanks to that, the cooking area will be well-insulated. Also, it comes with a removable meat probe, allowing you to do thorough maintenance. There is even a glass door that will enable you to monitor the food inside closely. Finally, it has a large-sized locking latch.
Cons
The first drawback of this unit is that it is not that efficient with large-sized chips. Also, the detachable temperature probe is a little tricky to work with.
Types of Smokers
There are mainly four types of smokers out there. And if you want to have a better understanding of which one to pick, you will need to have a fair idea regarding them all. So, here is a brief description of each type:
Electric Smoker
Just as the name states, this unit will require electricity. It will have electric rods that heat up when you turn it on.
Wood Pellet Grills
These are otherwise known as pellet smokers. And pellet smokers burn food-grade wood to produce heat.
Gas Grills
As you might have guessed, these will utilize gas. Usually, you will find propane smokers on the market. But there are natural gas options available.
Charcoal Grills
The fuel source for these grills is charcoal. And for the cooking process, the cleanup afterward for these grills will be a little time-consuming.
Difference between Vertical and Horizontal Pellet Smokers
The main thing that sets the vertical and horizontal units is the cooking area. You will get more cooking space in a vertical smoker than in a horizontal one. Also, vertical smokers are mainly used for slow-cooking foods. The horizontal ones are suitable when you have to prepare dishes quickly.
What to Look for in a Smoker
After going through our reviews, we know that making a choice has become easier for you. But things can be much more manageable if you consider these factors:
Cooking Area
You would want to go for something with a large cooking area. And to dictate the space, check the square inches. The higher, the better. Also, see if the cooking chamber has a good number of racks or not. Without having a fair number of racks, you will not be capable of using the cooking space inside efficiently.
Temperature
You should check the temperature range of the unit. In this case, the higher the range, the better control you will have over the temperature. The max temperature will also play a big role in this case. Also, we would recommend getting smokers that come with a heat deflector. Those will be highly efficient.
Construction
Usually, the smokers will be of stainless steel. But the quality of the steel will not be the same for all. And if you want to get extended use out of the smoker, you should opt for the models that are of high-quality steel.
Hopper Capacity
The hopper capacity will dictate how often you need to refill the pellet. So, the higher the capacity, the less frequently you need to go through the refill process.
Digital Control/Panel
An LCD display will make monitoring the temperature a breeze. And a digital control will make it easier to control the temperature. Also, do check the meat probe. If it is not accurate, you will not be capable of cooking the food properly.
Grease Management System
A grease tray and water pan will make the maintenance task easier for you. So, we would not recommend getting the models that do not come with these two.
Large Viewing Window
With a viewing window, you can monitor the food inside closely. That will let you cook the dishes to perfection.
Summary
When you get yourself the best vertical pellet smoker, you sign up to enhance your overall barbecuing experience. And not all of the available models can offer that. However, if you keep the crucial points in mind and the models we have gone through, you will end up with something worthy of each penny.
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