Twin Eagle Pellet Grills
This luxury grill manufacturer has two pellet grills in its line up depending on the size. The aesthetic and build quality are top notch in their offerings, utilizing clean stainless steel materials made in USA.
There are some extra features in the design of these grills that set them apart from the rest. The frontloaded hopper for wood pellets is outside of the norm, but makes refilling and monitoring a breeze.
But you are not limited to wood pellets only on this grill, you can utilize a lump or hardwood charcoal insert that can maximize smoky flavor on whatever you might be grilling.
The double walled braided stainless steal hood provides excellent heat retention. Conveniently located drip trays on either side of the front of the grill also makes cleaning a breeze.
If money isnt a huge issue, these American made grills would make even a seasoned smoker jealous.
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Which Pellet Grills Are Made In Usa Complete List 2022
Have you ever heard of pellet grills? Not to be confused with ordinary smokers that are typically used for outdoor grilling and fuel by charcoal or whole wood, these grills operate with wood pellets and electricity.
They can be used to smoke, braise, sear, bake, and grill food through the use of an electric control panel that automatically feeds wood pellets to the fire.
This sounds like the next-level evolution of modern technology but pellet grills arent anything new.
Pellets were used in stoves as an alternative heat source in 1973 during an oil crisis when there was an overbearing demand for affordable heating in homes.
Wood pellets are small capsules made of compressed sawdust and were invented in the United States where many brands produce grills with this type of fuel today.
A lot of grill-lovers have heard of or maybe even used a Traeger grill which is considered the first of its kind.
Joe Traeger created the pellet grill in 1985 and patented it in 1986 after he and Jerry Whitfield began experimenting with pellet-burning stoves. The patent lasted for 20 before it became open season for competitors to copy the original design and begin producing their brands.
With this came market expansion that called for international distribution of the grills, so many that were made in USA have gone on to different countries around the world.
Pellet Grills Made In Usa
Below is the list of pellet grills that are currently being manufactured in the USA as of July 2021.
Contact me if you notice a pellet grill brand missing from this list that manufactures their grills in the USA and I will add them to this list.
As mentioned above, these manufacturers may start producing their grills overseas if they need to cut costs so make sure to double check that the pellet grill is made in the USA before purchasing it.
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Cookshack / Fast Eddys Pg500
| 10 x 18 |
Cookshacks Origin and Manufacturing Locations
The Cookshack Brand is a pioneer in the commercial pellet grill game, with the origins of the brand dating back to 1990. According to the Cookshack website, the Original Cookshack brand joined forces with Pit Boss-Master Ed Fast Eddy Maruin back in 2003, and the rest is history.
Fast Eddy had restaurants and BBQ competitors in mind when he designed the first grill/ smoker after merging with Cookshack. For BBQ restaurants, keeping the food as warm and fresh for as long as possible is one of the utmost goals.
What We Love About the Cookshack Fast Eddys PG500 Grills
The Fast Eddys brand designs their pellet smokers with this in for high-level BBQ restaurants and competitions, offering a large warming drawer and Charbroiler technology. Combined, this cooking capability of the PG500 heats food evenly and keeps it warm for 2-3 hours without burning or drying out.
From everything we can see, we think the PG500 is a wise investment. BBQ lovers who have bought this grill also seem to agree. The PG500 is available from the manufacturer directly, but you will have to pay for shipping.
If youre committed to buying fully American-made, buying from the brand website might be closer to maintaining that integrity. In addition to the warming drawer, it has a side shelf, casters, a pellet door, an ash cashier, a meat probe opening, and a utensil holder. We thought that the included 40-pound bag of hickory pellets was a nice touch.
Does Food Taste Better On Pellet Grills
Opinions are still divided over whether food tastes better on pellet or charcoal grills. Some prefer the much richer and deeper flavor offered by charcoal grills, while others swear by the natural wood flavoring of wood-fired pellet grills. Its worth trying out both to find the right flavor for you and your favorite steak.
What you should consider is that each kind of wood creates its own distinct smoke, and therefore produces a unique taste for each type of food grilled. Essentially, wood pellet grills give you a flavor like cooking or smoking over a campfire, just with much more convenience and more control over temperature so you can be sure your steak is cooked to perfection.
If you want to try some exotic flavors, you can give different wood varieties a go. There are wood pellets made from the wood of apple, cherry, oak and pecan trees available to give your food an extra unique taste.
No matter what you want to cook, wood pellet grills can manage almost anything. As these grills use convection heating rather than the direct heat, you can not only cook or sear meats but also slow roast, smoke meat or bake. Some people even use their wood-fired pellet grill to make bread.
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The Following Are Included In This List:
made in usa pellet grills should be kept as short as possible.
Quality is more important than an inexpensive made in usa pellet grill. Key words are frequently made out of ceramic, stainless steel, and carbon steel.
In contrast, ceramic mechanisms lose their taste more easily and are more likely to break.
Due to the consistency and durability of ceramics, they tend to hold their flavors better than carbon steels or stainless steels. Additionally, rust is highly likely to develop.
A person can select a material based on its strengths and weaknesses.
Other Pellet Grills Worth Considering
These are the pellet grills that narrowly missed out on our main selections.
They are definitely still worth checking out and depending on your specific requirements they might be the best option for you.
Read full review.
We could definitely include this REC TEC grill with our top choices above.
With the RT-700, REC TEC has combined the precision craftsmanship and build quality they are known for, with some modern upgrades including WiFi connectivity, dual meat probes to monitor internal temperature of your meat, and an improved PID controller.
The controller lets you adjust the temperature in 5°F increments which is a level of control you dont see on some of the cheaper pellet grills out there.
The product name gives away the primary grilling area of 702 square inches, with an optional warming shelf you can get over 1000.
Its definitely not a budget grill, although it does compare well with the more expensive Ironwood and Timberline series by Traeger.
The majority of the grill is made of stainless steel. You also get a huge 40lb pellet hopper capacity for up to 40 hours of continuous cooking and rollerblade style wheels to easily move the grill around.
You can see the grill in action in the video below.
Finally, you get those signature REC TEC bull horn handles which on their own make this grill worth considering in our opinion!
Read our full Green Mountain Grills Trek review.
When you think of pellet grills, being portable isnt the first feature that comes to mind.
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Our List Of American Made Pellet Grills
Below some of the brands are manufactured right here in the US in no particular order.
I do quickly want to state that the general price range tends to be higher when buying from American manufacturers.
This is because of government regulatory policies and higher quality materials.
But who can put a price on a reliable machine that provides countless tasty experiences?
I cant.
Mak Grills are family-run and based out of Dallas, Oregon.
Mak Grills have been producing high-quality pellet grills since 2008 after the great depression.
Sparking from a love of backyard BBQ, Mak Grills delivers a wide range of models to choose from.
Theyalso boasts of being the first company to design a direct heating system and Wifi technology.
Mak Grills states that they are a:
pellet manufacturer that cares about building long-lasting, innovative, American-made products. Weve designed our Mak smoker grills to exceed your expectations and deliver an unparalleled outdoor cooking experience. We also care about people.
Check them out!
Smokin Brothers Pellet Grills And Smokers
Launched in 2008, family-run business Smokin Brothers is based in Southeast Missouri. Their drive to make pellet grills was born out of hosting many family gatherings and joining BBQ competitions.
Three years after they started, Smokin Brothers developed their very own pellet grill range. They have some interesting pellet grill designs offering traditional style pellet grills as well as premium plus models with a hopper positioned at the front. Smokin Brothers also introduced a commercial pellet grill range for business use.
The Smokin Brothers traditional BBQ grill has plenty of space for steaks and BBQ with 792 square inches cooking surface. The digital control dial also includes a cool down cycle which gives you more control over your BBQ timing.
Pros:
- Additional shelf space needs to purchased
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Who Invented The Pellet Grill And Where Did The Pellet Smokers Come From
Joe Traeger first invented pellet grills in the mid-1980s and also patented his design. Traeger is the original pellet grill and the first pellet grill available to consumers. Joe Traeger started his company making pellet stoves and then used all his knowledge to develop the pellet grill we know today.
In 2006 when Traegers pellet grill patent expired, other grill manufacturers jumped to the market and manufactured their own pellet grill brands and models.
In the early days, most pellet smokers had simple controllers with few settings, and the technology was simple. Digital thermostatic controllers dictate pellet-feed cycles using temperature sensors inside the cooking chamber.
Some pellet controllers, referred to as PID controllers, also feature integrated meat probes for reading internal meat temperature and helping monitor the cooking process.
These grills have come a long way, and new technology can be found in new models. Wireless remote operation, monitoring, and integration with mobile devices are common in new wireless pellet grills and smokers.
Now you can monitor cooking and meat temperatures from your smartphone, allowing you to cook delicious dishes while enjoying time with friends.
Weber Smokefire Wood Pellet Grill
Weber has been included in this list of USA-made pellet grills so that it is comprehensive.
However, it may be up to individual consumers to decide precisely how important locally-made is to them when considering this brand.
The Weber company was founded in 1952, and it is certainly a steadfast and trusted name in the outdoor technology game.
Although Weber has been marketed as a local brand, they were taken to task in a lawsuit regarding how local they really are.
They remain steadfast in claims that their pellet grills are made in the USA.
Weber Smokefire Wood Pellet Grills are constructed in a factory in Huntley, Illinois, so it does support the local community and support local job creation.
However, unlike some of the other pellet grill brands, some of the components on their grills may be globally sourced.
Weber is certainly in a grey area if you are looking for a 100% American-made pellet grill.
Still, the price tag on a Weber pellet grill is much less frightening than on many other brands, and you are assured of an excellent product with a proven track record.
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Verdict: Are Traeger Grills Made In The Usa
No, Traeger Grills are no longer made in the USA they are manufactured in China. Traeger made the switch to international manufacturing after the sale of the company in 2006.
This is certainly disappointing news. Its not uncommon that larger companies change manufacturing to cut costs after a large acquisition, which often times comes at the expense of quality. Whats worse is that they dont list where their grills are manufactured anywhere on their website. The most transparent companies will list the country of origin next to the rest of the details for each product. We had to do a little secret shopping to find out for ourselves.
Best Wood Pellet Grill
Cookshack PG500 Fast Eddys Pellet Grill
The Cookshack PG500 was the best option we found in our research for wood pellet grills it stood out when it came to flexibility and heat control. This model is actually both a grill and a smoker in one, so you can do everything from burgers to BBQ. It has four different cooking zones that allow you to customize your grilling process for whatever food you want to cook- direct, indirect, cold smoking, and warming. Once you fire it up, the temperature of the grill is electronically controlled, which can help eliminate any large fluctuations in temperature as you cook. Its a fully automated controller, but you also have the power to customize it to your specifications. The PG500 is made with stainless steel for lasting durability, and is constructed for easy access to not only your food, but your wood pellets and ash disposal.
- Front opening door for easy access to wood pellets
- Versatility with four different cooking zones
- Uses charbroiler technology for great flavor
Things we dont like:
- Limited shelf space for storing racks and other weather-tolerant accessories
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What Does Made In The Usa Mean
According to the Federal Trade Commission , in order for a product to be considered made in the USA, the product must be all or virtually all sourced and assembled in the United States. However, there are some gray areas that can be hard to determine what it means for something to be all or virtually made in the USA, so some additional research is required to find a product that is truly made in the USA.
To learn more about this, read our article on how to spot made in the USA.
Pellet Grill Hopper Size
The pellet grill hopper comes in a variety of sizes.
For example, some models come in at 20 pounds but go all the way up to 40 pounds, some may even have larger hoppers, but the largest is a 40 pounder.
So, is your plan to go ahead and make a pork butt overnight, or do you want to roast some chicken?
With a smaller hopper, youre going to have to pay more attention because you start to get whats called a dam effect, but no matter the size of the hopper, you have to check it frequently.
There are all kinds of brands, flavors, and sizes to consider when it comes to pellets.
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Mak Grills Pellet Grills
Veteran-owned family business Mak Grills is based in Dallas, Oregon. Their background is in steel fabrication but after the financial crisis in 2008, they decided to turn their passion for backyard BBQ into a new product range with high-quality wood pellet grills.
Before they jumped into manufacturing pellet grills, the Mak Grills family spent over a year doing research on what pellet grill owners want, and they used this feedback to design their own range of wood pellet grills and smokers.
This is probably also the reason why they chose to set their pellet grills apart from the competition by only using premium materials. For example, they use the highest grade of stainless steel for their products. Even the lowest spec pellet grill in their range can achieve up to 600 degrees, whereas the typical budget pellet grill can manage a maximum temperature of 450-500 degrees.
Now a standard feature on pellet grills, Mak Grills were one of the first to use a wifi integration and long-lasting ceramic fire igniters in their grills.
4. Mak Grills Two Star General Pellet Grill
Pros:
- Pellet grill igniter comes with a lifetime warranty
- Easy assembly with only two leg panels
- Classic black high temperature powder coating
Cons:
- More expensive than other brands
Why You Should Buy Twin Eagles Pellet Grills:
Watch this YouTube video for a glimpse of the superior features of Twin Eagles pellet grill:
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