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 aren’t 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.

Grill Brands That Used To Be Made In USA

1. Traeger

Joe Traeger ran a family-owned heating company in Oregan and as mentioned above, he experimented with pellet-burning stove with Jerry Whitfield who was a boring aviation engineer.

They were both tech-savvy individuals but it was Joe who went on to develop the grill that would be fueled by wood pellets, using a three-position controller called LMH (which stood for low, medium, and high settings) that determined a temperature range.

After the patent expired in 2006 and other grills began developing, Traeger thought it would be wise to move manufacturing to China to expand the company while keeping pricing affordable to customers.

2. Weber

Weber grills were created by George Stephen in 1952. He was working at Weber Metal Works wielding buoys for the Coastguard when he decided to harbor his frustration of never being able to control the temperature of his grill into coming up with his design.

He took a buoy, using the bottom half as a grill base and the top half as a lid, and was instructed to include breathable holes on the top for the fire to burn much better.

His innovation lead to the production of Weber kettle grills with one of them being used to prepare some exquisite meals in Weber Grills Restaurants.

Although these grills are now being manufactured in China and Taiwan, they are also still being made in USA. For example the Weber Smokefire Series is still made in USA and maintain same quality & tradition.

3. Turbo

The turbo grill is an attachable kit mostly used on Weber-style kettle grills that rotates the food over hot or cold heat zones. It stops food from burning while resulting in a more flavorful taste.

The idea was founded by one of two brothers with German backgrounds.

He was admiring a Christmas candle carousel and imagined a heat-driven engine that led to an innovative rendition of a German rotating grill called a Schwenker. TurboGrills are manufactured in Taiwan to this day.

4. Char-broil

Char-broil was said to be the first cast-iron charcoal grill on the market. They were developed by W.C Bradley Co. which made parts for steamboats and stove products but then sought interests activities taking place in the backyard of homes, like grilling.

The grills were made of steel drum material before becoming electric grills. As demand for home grills increased Char-broil began mass-producing gas grills in 1960.

Along with expanding its operation, managing other brands, and creating new versions and models of their products, the company’s manufacturing fully takes place in China.

5. Pit boss

Pit boss grills are owned by Dansons, a family-owned global consumer goods corporation but were founded by Dan Theissen and his two sons Jeff and Jordan.

Surprisingly, the Dansons corporation hired the Traeger brothers Joe and Brian and used their innovative design to create new pellet grilling products for pit boss.

Labeling Dan Theissen as one of the first entrepreneurs to enter the pellet grilling industry.

If you guessed that a lawsuit was filed against Dansons then you were right, but that didn’t stop the pit boss grills from being manufactured overseas, in China.

6. Campchef

Campchef was founded by Ty Measom in 1990 for—you guessed it—camp goers and outdoor lovers.

Ty juggled with frustrations about the size and quality of outdoor cooking equipment that was already accessible and created something that would be easily portable while still providing high-quality operation.

Their first developed grill was the Pro6 and since then they’ve expanded to adding griddles, grill boxes, cast iron pieces and pellet grills. Their materials are internationally sourced, and manufactured in China.

Why Do Grill Brands Move Production Overseas?

Industries of every sort, especially manufacturing, have trended towards moving production overseas for the last quarter century.

Cheap labor costs, lucrative import policies, as well as availability of labor force drives companies to move out of Uncle Sam’s backyard into a more easterly direction.

China, India, and other countries in the orient provide cheap materials and cheaper labor, and with the dawn of the global supply chain, shipping has become an afterthought when compared to production costs.

That being said, the recent supply chain issues and tariffs on steel might incentivize companies to rethink their production policies and procedures.

With USA steel making a comeback, we could start seeing the list of grills made in USA expanding, rather than shrinking. Regardless of the future state, there is a broad range of American made pellet grills on the market today.

If you want to stay with made in USA, it’s going to cost you around a grand to enter the market, but the quality in these brands is unmatched by their overseas counterparts.

Durability and reliability are the name of the game in the outdoor kitchen market, and these brands are certain to provide a product that satisfies.

Brands That Still Produce Pellet Grills Made In USA

People choose to buy products made in USA for a variety of reasons including supporting local production and jobs as well as the quality of materials.

There are many advocates for American made steel, and in the below list you will find companies that use high-grade materials in their braided steel compounds, as well as their cast iron grates, heavy duty motors, and more.

Durability has always been key in the backyard kitchen industry, and that same quality is the calling card for made in the United States manufactured product.

If you find yourself on the market for a USA made pellet grill consider one of the options listed below.

Smokin’ Brothers

Its a family owned grill company started in 2008 by Ryan and Craig brothers. In 2011, Smokin Brothers expanded its product offerings to Unblended Natural Wood Pellets and American Made Pellet Grills.

Today the company deals with different aspects of modern BBQ including barbeque rub, barbeque sauce, wood pellets, accessories, and American Made pellet grills.

Smokin Brothers Premier 30 pellet grill is the best selling model for this American Grill brand with 792 square inches of total cooking space.

Its doubled walled firm construction while helps maximize heat retention; the digital thermostat control and central smoke exhaust makes it easy to operate.

The hopper itself can easily hold up to 20 pounds of pellets, allowing for extended cooks without refills.

Alfresco Grills

Alfresco Grills range in sizes from 30″ – 56″, as well as having custom options able to be fitted to any aspiring outdoor kitchen. These luxury gas grills are perfect for entertaining a large crowd in your outdoor kitchen.

They come with the trademark Signature Taste Smoking system that allows you to use standard smoking wood chips to convert the grill into a legitimate professional quality smoker.

Their custom options and consulting services can be utilized to elevate your next block part to the next level.

While currently it does not offer pellet grills its a major American Grill Manufacturer. Check them out to support a top of the line made in USA company that will transform your outdoor dining experience.

Mak Grills

Mak Grills specialize in pure pellet technology, creating some of the biggest names out there in the pellet grill space, with their decorated line up of One, Two, and Three-Star Generals, depending on how many mouths you really need to feed.

Their patented Pellet Boss Controller allows for maximum accuracy in temperature and pellet usage.

You aren’t limited to low and slow with Mak Grills either. Their “Funnel Flame Zone System” makes it easy to sear a steak or throw some dogs on the barbie.

Not only do the supreme accuracy of temperature and pellet distribution make grilling out a breeze, their models come with an optional WiFi module, enabling you to monitor grill temperature from the comfort of your home.

Their lowest offering in the One-Star General is out of stock at time of this publication due to high demand.

Cookshack

The folks over at Cookshack.com boast some of the best bang for your buck pellet grills made in USA.

The SMO025: Smokette Elite might not have smart integration or be WiFi enabled, but it will get you everything you need to get started smoking the old fashioned way with hickory wood pellets.

If you’ve got a more forgiving budget, then the PG1000: “Fast Eddy’s” pellet grill might be for you.

It uses charbroiler technology to go beyond smoking alone and allow for temperatures above 400 degrees, perfect for grilling steaks or getting that finishing sear.

The size of the Fast Eddy can also fit a 20lb turkey, making it an easy solution for tackling Thanksgiving dinner. Based out of Kansas City, Missouri, it feels just right to buy a smoker produced in the heart of BBQ country.

Yoder

Combining WiFi and Bluetooth technology with some industry leading materials including ceramic ignition systems and heavy gauge construction steel, Yoder smokers and grill are made to tackle the fiercest BBQ competitions.

Having a wide range of offerings for the competitive smoker, this Kansas based company is pushing the envelope with their pellet grill package.

Whether you want a box grill that can reach up to 700 degrees or an offset smoker that can produce the most tender, juicy brisket of your life, Yoder’s got the high quality American made product you’re looking for.

They also offer an integrated mobile application that contains a handy recipe book and let’s you automate the temperature in your smoker.

The integrated temperature probes make taking your meat off at the right time as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Weber Smokefire Series

Weber is one of the oldest and most trusted grill makers around, and their Smokefire series ushers the old standard of US Made Grills into the modern era with automated pellet smoking.

Right now, Weber is offering only two models for their pellet grills: the SmokeFire EX6 and EX4.

With a modest price of around $1,000, you get the classic Weber aesthetic with this pellet grill, as well as the mobile app that comes with any smart Weber grill, Weber Connect.

The built-in temperature probes integrate with the application, making it a more affordable option for complete mobile automated smoking.

The Weber Connect has to be the highlight here, featuring a step-by-step grilling and smoking assistant, ensuring that every morsel that comes off the grates is delectable.

Just starting out with smoking and grill, but want to buy American? The Weber is an American made classic that is a sure bet for your money.

What makes it even more of a great deal is Weber’s 100 day money back guarantee that comes with the EX4 or EX6.

Broil King

Broil King grills showcases a classic offset smoker style with their lineup of pellet grills. Their smallest and most basic model will cost you just shy of $1,000, but it has all the features you expect in a modern smoker.

Bluetooth and WiFi capability make regulating temperature as easy as a flick of your finger, and the chassis can get up to 600 degrees Farenheit to sear anything to your hearts desire.

Again we have the integrated temperature probes that can be monitored from the mobile application, and your mind can rest easy with the impressive 5 year warranty that comes with every Broil King pellet grill.

The side-feed hopper design makes it easy to manage the pellets, as well as making cleaning a breeze.

With cast iron grates and a heavy duty motor, you can be sure you get the “Made in USA” quality you might be looking for with Broil King.

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 isn’t a huge issue, these American made grills would make even a seasoned smoker jealous.

Which Pellet Grills Are Made In USA? Complete List 2022