Will a Smaller Sized Smoker Grill Still Produce Smokey Results? The Pit Master Weighs In.

Plenty of big things come in small packages. Diamonds, for instance. Even 8-ounce steaks bursting with fresh meaty flavor, especially after a good searing on a smoker grill. Nevertheless, some backyard pitmasters hem and haw when facing the decision of whether to buy a small pellet smoker or size up to a bigger one.

Although bigger can be better in terms of the amount of room you have to grill, small smokers like the Chimp are hardly relegated to playing wallflower at the dance. In fact, small smokers can pack a wallop of flavor. They just do so without taking up as much room or costing quite the same amount as a larger grill.

Of course, you’ll ultimately be the one to make the call on the big versus small smokers debate winner. However, before you declare one type of grill victorious, take time to weigh the pros and cons of a small smoker.

The Hot and Warm of Small Smokers

A huge advantage of owning a small pellet smoker like the Chimp is that it requires less square footage. If real estate in your backyard, on the patio or on the deck is at a premium, going cozy makes sense. You’ll get all the main ingredients of a bigger grill without losing a place to put your table and chairs.

Another benefit of small pellet smokers is the ease of taking your cookout anywhere. The Chimp is our most portable grill and boasts a foldable locking stand, so you can carry it or wheel it to your gathering. There’s plenty of space to work with — up to 460 square inches using both cooking racks — so you’ll still get a good-sized tailgate going with the Chimp.

On the other hand, small smokers offer equally small cooking areas, which means you can’t necessarily make a feast for 25 at one time or cook a whole pig. If being the star pitmaster of your neighborhood is important, you may need to look beyond small smokers. Yes, the flavor will be absolutely the same, but you cannot make as much at one time with a small smoker. For the best idea of what you need, you might consider the average number of people you’ll probably need to cook for at once.

Is your biggest fear a lackluster brisket, side dish or grilled dessert? Fugettaboutit! Your small smoker may not be mighty, but it will still promise the great taste you depend on and deserve.

Try a Chimp

Still Considering a Bigger Grill Instead of a Small Smoker? Do the Math Before Your Final Decision.

Gravitating away from small pellet smokers because you want a bigger version? No hurt feelings. We know and appreciate all kinds of smoker grills at Grilla Grills.

First, let’s compare brands. You might be a Rec Tec or Traeger griller by nature, but why would you not consider the Silverbac in that mix? The Silverbac has a great size vs. cost equation and is covered by a nice warranty. And not to mention, it cooks fantastic.

Comparatively, if you’re looking at a small pellet grill like the Rec Tec RT340, based on about 300-400 square inches of cooking surface, it’s going to ring in at $599. You’ll have to add on a second cooking rack to bump up the available surface to just over 500 square inches. For another $50, the Silverbac is delivered to your door for free and comes with 507 square inches of cooking surface on the bottom rack and another 185 on the upper rack.

When looking at Traeger, there’s the Junior Elite 20/Tailgater for around $450, and while it offers some value for your dollar, it’s not a very feature-rich unit. It’ll also only give you 300 square inches of cooking space to work with. To get something in the Traeger line that compares size-wise to the Silverbac, you would have to move up to the Elite 34, which rings in around $750, plus the additional cost of shipping.

While the 34 has a capacity of around 650 square inches, the Silverbac is still the king of available space with 692 square inches to load up. And our Silverbac grill will only cost you $649 — no shipping and handling necessary.

With the 300 square inch small pellet smoker units, you are really limited to about one Boston butt or maybe two racks of ribs. If you won’t be making a lot of food at once, these are great sizes. But if I’m bothering to burn pellets, I always cook at least two butts or two whole chickens. So while I hesitate to say you are wasting your money, I will say that for that little investment more, the Silverbac allows much, much more food to be cooked at once. And who doesn’t want that?

Try a Silverbac

Stuck on the Fence? Ask a Grilla Grills Specialist for Help.

Maybe it’ll be your first time purchasing a pellet smoker, or you’re interested in moving up to a higher-quality brand. Whatever the reason you’re searching for a new smoker, the experts at Grilla Grilla are willing to hear all your questions. We want to help you pick the best bang for your buck, and most importantly, make sure your future cookouts are a success. We love to receive some feedback once in a while too.

Give us a call or contact us online today!

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