Whether you prefer beef, pork, poultry, or fish, you can take your pick of the best wood pellets for smoking when it’s time to prepare your meat.
We researched and tested the best wood pellets for smoking, evaluating them on flavor, smoke production, and ease of use. Our top pick, BEAR MOUNTAIN Premium BBQ Smoker Pellets, has a strong, rich flavor and produces plenty of smoke to flavor your meat.
Here are the best wood pellets for smoking.
Best Wood Pellets For Smoking: Editor Recommended
Our Editor’s Best Wood Pellets For Smoking Reviews
- HICKORY WOOD FIRED FLAVOR: Traeger Hickory Hardwood Pellets are great for naturally enhancing beef, chicken, pork, and veggies with full-bodied, bold flavor. So it should come as no surprise that Hickory’s assertive flavor is one of the most popular choices for classic BBQ cooking.
- NOT ALL PELLETS ARE CREATED EQUAL: The best wood-fired grill on the market demands the best wood pellets on the market. Real taste doesn’t just happen, it’s tied to quality materials and achieving perfect smoke. It starts with all-natural hardwood pellets made in American mills.
- TRAEGER HAS SPENT YEARS DEVELOPING THE PERFECT PELLET: Our hardwood's unique compact cell structure results in a balanced, dependable burn. Traeger has spent years mastering the development of hardwood pellets that have just the right amount of moisture content—the sweet spot—to maintain a perfect burn-to-smoke ratio
- PAIRS WELL WITH EVERYTHING: Pairs especially well with Beef, Poultry, Pork, Vegetables
- FEATURES: Made in USA, Premium Quality, All-Natural, Clean Burn, No Binders, Low Ash, 18lb Bag.
- MAPLE, HICKORY, CHERRY BLEND: Competition blend is the Jack of All Trades. It's great with poultry, pork, baking, veggies, beef, and seafood. HARDWOODS: Camp Chef Hardwood pellets are not a byprouct. It is 100% pure virgin hardwoods.
- NO OILS, CHEMICALS OR BINDERS ADDED: No oils, chemicals or binders added mean better flavor and a more efficient burn.
- The kiln dried process creates low moisture content for a very dry, hot burning pellet. This means it burns less to maintain your desired temperature, giving you more pellets for your next barbecue and less ash to clean.
- SAFE IN ALL PELLET GRILLS, SMOKERS AND BARBECUES: You never have to worry about what you're putting in your grill. Camp Chef Premium Hardwood pellets are safe in all pellet grills, smokers, and barbecues.
- MADE IN THE U.S.A: We're proud to say our pellets are made in the U.S.A—Arkansas and Missouri to be exact. This allows us to test and inspect them before they're bagged and in your hopper.
- REAL CHARCOAL: Royal Oak 100 Percent Real Hardwood Charcoal Pellets sear in authentic barbecue flavor when grilling or smoking
- NO ADDITIVES: Made from real hardwood without additives or coatings, giving you the tasty, smoky flavor of real barbecue
- FOR ANY PELLET GRILL: Safe for any pellet grill, letting you use your favorite brand while still getting that real barbecue flavor
- WATER RESISTANT: Pellets are resistant to water and do not clog augers, making for easy, hassle-free cleaning
- HIGH HEAT: Burns at temperatures high enough to grill in that authentic barbecue flavor you crave
- Wood Fired Flavor Excellence: Kona BBQ smoking pellets are crafted from hand-selected trees, sourced from retired orchards and sustainably harvested forests, ensuring superior flavor in every pellet. Compatible with Ninja Woodfire outdoor grill
- Premium Hardwood Selection: Enjoy a variety pack featuring 1 lb of each: Premium Blend, Kona Sweetwood Blend, 100% Hickory, 100% Oak, Supreme Blend, 100% Cherry, 100% Apple, and 100% Mesquite Acacia. A total of 8 lbs of top-quality wood pellets
- Versatile Smoking Pellets: Ideal for use with all grill types. Add to a Kona Smoker Tube or sprinkle directly onto charcoal before grilling. Note: Not designed for use in hopper-fed pellet grills
- Pure, Undiluted Hardwood: Experience the concentrated aroma of Kona's 100% hardwood pellets. This variety pack offers exceptional flavors for an entire grilling season (up to 80 uses), with only 1/3 to 1/2 cup needed per use
- Enhanced Grilling Performance: Kona wood pellets burn hotter, producing the perfect thin blue smoke that pitmasters strive for. Elevate your grilling experience with Kona
- Natural Hardwood Pellets: Premium quality pellets for smoker grill are crafted to infuse your BBQ dishes with an authentic, mouthwatering smokiness that will tantalize your taste buds and leave your guests craving more
- Perfect Mix: Exclusive mix of the 4 most popular hardwood pellets like hickory, cherry, hard maple, and applewood, enhancing the taste of your grilled or smoked dishes with their aromatic and savory flavor
- Rich & Smoky: Cooking pellets contain only a natural hardwood blend famous for its rich smoky flavor, adding a taste to meats, and enhancing their natural flavors without overpowering them
- For Meats & Veggies: Grill and smoker pellets are ideal for infusing delectable smoky flavors into a wide array of culinary delights, including pork, brisket, chicken, assorted meats, and an assortment of vegetables
- Get Your Grill On: Offers a generous supply of wood smoker pellets in a 40-pound bag, ensuring you have enough for numerous grilling sessions without needing to frequently restock
- 100% Pecan Shell Pellets - Pellets For Smoker
- Powered by Pecan Shells: Experience true purity with our pellets—No Wood, No Additives, No Blends—just the essence of pecan in every pellet. Smokin' Pecan's Pecan Shell Pellets, crafted exclusively from 100% pecan shells.
- Perfect Pairings: Explore the versatility of our Pecan Shell Pellets—they pair exceptionally well with Beef, Poultry, Pork, Lamb, Baked Goods, Vegetables, and more.
- Quality Beyond Compare: Not all pellets are created equal. Smokin' Pecan prides itself in perfection providing you with the purest pellet that will last longer and burn hotter than most competitors on the market.
- Features: Made in Louisiana, USA, Premium Quality, All-Natural, Clean Burn, No Binders, Low Ash. Custom 20 lb Box for easy pouring.
- Includes 1 pound bag of each flavor Apple, Hickory, Mesquite, Cherry, Pecan and Sugar Maple
- 10 uses per bag (only 1/3 cup per use is needed) - No soaking necessary-- Easy to Use
- Works with any type of outside grill: Gas, Charcoal, Electric or Smoker
- Proudly Made in the USA
- Premium Smoking Wood Pellets – Competition Blend Pellets, 1 Pint - Elevate your grilling and smoking experience with our high-quality wood pellets. Our kiln-dried barbecue smoking pellets ignite quickly and combust completely to create a delicate smoky flavor.
- Easy to Use – Simply add the pellets to your pellet grill, smoker tube, smoke box, charcoal, or gas grill to infuse your food with rich, aromatic flavor. No soaking required—just light and enjoy effortless, flavorful smoking.
- Balanced & Versatile Flavor Profile – Combines the boldness of hickory, sweetness of maple, and fruitiness of cherry to enhance beef, pork, poultry, fish, and more. A go-to blend for grill masters who want rich flavor without overpowering the food. Perfect for adding a delicious, all-natural smoky flavor to BBQ meats, seafood, vegetables, and more.
- Made in the USA – Crafted from natural apple wood with no fillers, additives, or chemicals. Safe, clean-burning, and sourced in the USA for the best quality and taste.
- Perfect for Any Occasion - Great for use on gas and charcoal grills for BBQ cookouts, summer parties, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, family dinners, and more! These pellets also make a thoughtful gift for Father's Day, grilling masters, and BBQ enthusiasts alike!
- Hickory Wood Pellets: All-natural hardwood hickory wood pellets for smoker grills add a well-balanced sweet and smoky flavor to your favorite red meat, poultry, fish, pork, lamb, or vegetable dish
- All-Natural: Bear Mountain BBQ pellets are made from pure hardwood with no additives or fillers, ensuring that your grilled dishes benefit from genuine hickory flavor without any artificial elements
- Consistent Smoke: Solo bag of cooking pellets contains low moisture content, resulting in consistent smoke production that enhances the chef flavor in grilled meats, fish, poultry, and vegetables
- Versatile Cooking: Pellets are designed to work with a wide range of outdoor cooking equipment, allowing you to enjoy a consistent and rich hickory flavor in your cooked or smoked dishes
- 40 lb Bag: Offers a generous supply of smoker pellets in a 40-pound bag, ensuring you have enough for numerous grilling sessions without needing to frequently restock
- CUSTOMIZATION: Combine with other flavors for your own custom blends
- FLAVOR: Apple wood pellets for a robust blend with sweet, smoky, char-grilled flavor
- COOK TIME: Wood pellets have a short burn life, which makes them great for short cooks like seafood, chicken, fruit and vegetables
- NATURAL: 100% all-natural hardwood pellets with a clean burn and low ash for easy clean-up
- RECOMMENDED: Keep wood pellets fresh, dry and ready to use in the Oklahoma Joe's Pellet Bucket
Best Wood Pellets For Smoking Buying Guide
Before choosing the best wood pellets you should consider the following options:
1. Fuel Source: Wood pellets are made from compressed sawdust or dried wood shavings. They are mainly used as a fuel source for wood pellet stoves and boilers.
Mostly made from sawdust, wood pellets are an energy-dense fuel source that has a low level of moisture and ash content.
The wood pellets are transported from the manufacturer to the end user in bags or in bulk in specialized trailers.
2. Quality: Choose wood pellets that are made from fresh, clean wood and contain a low amount of moisture.
The low-moisture content of the pellets reduces the amount of energy they consume while they are in the combustion chamber, and it reduces the amount of creosote buildup in the flue pipe.
Wood pellets with low moisture content are easier to ignite and produce more heat than other types of biomass fuel.
3. Grade: Look for wood pellets that have the fuel grade mark, which indicates that the pellets were manufactured and tested according to a set of quality standards.
The grade mark also indicates that the wood pellets have a low moisture and ash content.
4. Storage: Wood pellets are hygroscopic, which means they readily absorb moisture from the air when exposed.
If the wood pellets are exposed to air for a long period of time, they will absorb moisture and expand.
If they are transported or stored in an unenclosed container, they will release moisture and lose energy content.
Wood pellets need to be stored in an enclosed container or in a special trailer with a specifically designed venting system to remove moisture.
5. Packaging: Wood pellets come in a variety of packaging types, including bags, bulk, and special containers. Since the wood pellets absorb moisture from the air, special packaging materials are used to reduce moisture absorption.
Most manufacturers sell their wood pellets in bags or in bulk, while others sell them in a special container known as a super sack, which is designed to keep the pellets dry.
What else you should know about the best wood pellets for smoking
1. What are the best wood pellets for smoking?
The best wood pellets for smoking are made from hardwoods, such as hickory, oak, or mesquite.
2. What types of wood pellets are available for smoking?
There are many types of wood pellets available for smoking, including mesquite, hickory, apple, and cherry.
3. How do I choose the right wood pellets for smoking?
It depends on what you are smoking and your personal preferences.
4. What are the benefits of smoking with wood pellets?
Some benefits of smoking with wood pellets include:
- They can add flavor to food
- They can help cook food evenly
- They can be used to create smoke without the use of a smoker
5. How do I use wood pellets for smoking?
Wood pellets can be used for smoking in a number of ways. One way is to use them in a smoker box. This is a box that is placed in the smoker and the wood pellets are placed in the box. The wood pellets will smolder and produce smoke that will flavor the food that is being smoked.
Another way to use wood pellets for smoking is to place them directly on the coals in the smoker. This will produce a lot of smoke and the flavor will be very intense.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best wood pellets for smoking. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best wood pellets for smoking will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.