11 Best Wood Pellets for Smoking – 2024 Picks

Best Wood Pellets For Smoking
Best Wood Pellets For Smoking

"We independently review the products we recommend! When you buy through links on TheLadyChef.com, We may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more"

It can be an overwhelming experience when figuring out which wood pellets to buy for pellet grill. There are a lot of choices, and brands with various claims, about flavor and wood, including softwood and hardwood. It gets even more complicated in a situation if you haven’t ever smoked before or it is your first time purchasing the best wood pellets for this purpose.

Again, the decision becomes even more challenging if you want a particular flavor for your food, or you believe that your smoking pellets should have a specific structure and size. If that is the case, then you need the best wood pallets for smoking with amazing flavour and premium quality wood.

Another question may come into your mind “Are the smoker pellets safe to use?” Yes, most of the wood pellets are safe to use as the smoke they impart is not harmful to your health or the food you cook. Moreover, these pellets with a mesmerizing aroma may somehow help enhance the flavor of your food so that your meals can become more delicious and presentable at the same time.

In this article, we have listed the top 11 best pellets for pellet grill which you can go through and then decide which one seems perfect for you in terms of quality and taste.

List of The Best Wood Pellets for Smoking

No.NameFlavors AvailabilityWeight
1Traeger Smoking PelletsYes20 pounds
2Louisiana Grill Smoking PelletYes40 pounds
3Pit Boss Wood PelletsYes40 pounds
4Smokehouse Wood PelletsYes5 pounds
5Oklahoma Joe Wood PelletsYes20 pounds
6Kona Wood Smoking PelletsYes8.59 pounds
7Zorestar Wood ChipsYes3.15 pounds
8Traeger Grills PEL305Yes20 pounds
9Lumber Jack Wood PelletsYes7 pounds
10Louisiana Grills 55410 PelletsYes40 pounds
11CookinPellets Smoking PelletsYes39.6 pounds

Traeger Smoking Pellets

Best Overall Wood Pellets for Smoking

Traeger PEL319 Hickory
Traeger PEL319 Hickory

Specifications

  • Brand: Traeger
  • Material: All Natural Hardwood
  • Weight: 20 pounds
  • Dimensions: 20″ x8.5″ x14.”
  • Model: PEL319

What We Like

  • Pure hardwood taste
  • Multiple uses
  • Perfect blue smoke
  • Sustainably sourced

What We Don’t Like

  • Not everyone likes hardwood

Traeger is one of the well-known names when it comes to the best wood pellets for pellet grills. You may wonder what makes Traeger so unique. Let me tell you. Traeger not only makes pellets but also offers various other grilling products such as grills, rubs, sauces, and wood pellet storage containers.

The Traeger wood pellets promise to deliver premium quality wood pellets made from 100% all-natural hardwood without any filler, binding agents, or chemicals that could be harmful to you or your health. Moreover, these Traeger wood pellets for smoking have an unmatched and pure hardwood taste, a taste you will hardly find anywhere else.

Furthermore, this hickory-flavored wood pellet ensures that a perfect blue smoke is provided to your food to make it even more tasty and enjoyable. It has an incredible wood-fired taste and will add a pure hardwood flavor to everything you cook, grill, smoke, roast, bake, or even BBQ outdoors.

What’s the verdict? Why should you opt for these hickory-flavored wood pellets for smoking? The Traeger smoking pellets are one of a kind when it comes to consistency and quality. They are made from real wood, have excellent burn quality, and the 20 lbs. wood pellet bag will last up to 40 hours depending on your use.


Louisiana Grills 55410 Pellets

Best Budget Wood Pellets

Louisiana Grills 55410 Pellets
Louisiana Grills 55410 Pellets

Specifications

  • Brand: Louisiana
  • Material: BBQ 100% Natural Hardwood
  • Weight: 40 pounds
  • Dimensions: 20″ x6″ x24.”
  • Model: 55405

What We Like

  • Perfect blend
  • Imported natural wood
  • Very flavorful
  • Sweet and savory mix

What We Don’t Like

  • No packaging options

Louisiana Grills is a well-established prominent brand that has been making high-quality and long-lasting wood pellets for smoking. It provides one of the cheapest wood pellets for smoking and provides an excellent temperature range for the grill.

Do you know what the best part is? Unlike various other brands in the market, it offers a 3-in-1 flavor at a reasonable price. These all-natural hardwood BBQ pellets are a perfect blend of Maple, Hickory, and Cherry, which contribute 50% Maple and 25% Hickory and Cherry.

Furthermore, using these Louisiana Grill Smoking Pellets is a very clean and versatile way to impart a perfect blend of smoke and flavor from all-natural hardwood. As it is not readily available everywhere, the raw wood has been sourced for you all the way from North America, especially for you as it is a superior and refined quality product.

You can also use these 100% natural hardwood BBQ pellets for the pellet grills in your backyard. These wood pellets will provide a unique and robust flavor to your barbeque and give you an opportunity to experiment with your food and make competition-worthy barbeque to get the desired results with your food experiments.


PIT BOSS 55436 BBQ Wood Pellets

Best Hickory Blend Pellets for BBQ

PIT BOSS 55436 BBQ Wood Pellets
PIT BOSS 55436 BBQ Wood Pellets

Specifications

  • Brand: Pit Boss
  • Material: BBQ Wood Pellets
  • Weight: 40 pounds
  • Dimensions: 18″ x26″ x5.”
  • Model: 55436

What We Like

  • Easy to use
  • Great taste
  • No artificial flavor
  • Burns hotter

What We Don’t Like

  • No flavor variety

In the world of smoking and grilling, Pit Boss is another famous name when it comes to the best producers of hickory wood pellets for smoking. These wooden pellets have an excellent blend with a sweet and savory combination, including maple, cherry, and hickory wood.

These wooden pellets by Pit Boss are easy to use and do not require any effort from your side. You can use them with any grill readily available in the market as these wood pellets are compatible with almost every grill. To ensure healthy consumption, the pellets do not contain any artificial flavorings, spray scents, chemicals, or glues that could be harmful to you or your body.

Moreover, these 100% natural wood pellets are imported from North America to ensure that you receive a good quality product that burns hotter and cleaner when compared to other wood pellet options. The hickory wood is a preferable choice if you like mild sweetness and a rich flavor that reminds you of bacon.

The 40-pound wooden pellet bag contains natural juices which are released while cooking to make food even more tasty and enjoyable. If you are a meat lover, we could recommend that you opt for the hickory wood flavor as it is excellent for any meat, especially chicken and turkey, as it makes them juicier and softer.


Smokehouse BBQ Wood Pellets

Best Cherry Flavored Pellets for Pellet Grill

Smokehouse BBQ Wood Pellets
Smokehouse BBQ Wood Pellets

Specifications

  • Specifications
  • Brand: Smokehouse
  • Material: BBQ Wood Pellets
  • Weight: 5 pounds
  • Dimensions: 11.13″ x17.13″ x 3.63″

What We Like

  • Multiple uses
  • All natural wood
  • No chemicals
  • Compacted tighter

What We Don’t Like

  • Fewer wood pellets

When it comes to cherry wood pellets for smoking, Smokehouse has been a famous manufacturer of these wooden pellets since the 1960s. Its wooden pellets are the most suitable for cooking, camping, and of course, smoking.

The Smokehouse Cherry BBQ pellets are 100% natural hardwood without any added chemicals, oils, or preservatives. You can use these wooden pellets with multiple setups, including charcoal, electric, propane, natural gas, and outdoor barbeque grills. The pellets are compact to ensure they last long, compared to other pellet brands, for smoking and cooking activities.

Unlike other woods, Cherry BBQ pellets are versatile and have a sweet and mild fruity flavor that is suitable for all meats, including chicken, turkey, beef, and pork. The Cherry BBQ pellets only weigh 5 pounds which means that you can easily carry them along on your hiking or camping trips without taking up too much space if you are a frequent smoker who can’t live without smoking.

These Smokehouse Cherry BBQ pellets are imported specially for you from North America. They do this to ensure that the wood is of the finest quality so that the taste of the wood pellets remains as authentic as possible.

However, not everyone likes the Cherry BBQ wood pellets on the downside as they are a bit sweet and fruity in taste. Make sure you figure out your preferences before making a purchase.


Oklahoma Joe’s Wood Pellets

Best apple wood pellets for smoking

Oklahoma Joe's 2778407DP
Oklahoma Joe’s 2778407DP

Specifications

  • Specifications
  • Brand: Oklahoma
  • Material: Apple Wood Pellets
  • Weight: 20 pounds
  • Dimensions: 21″ x 12.5″ x 4″
  • Model: 2778407DP

What We Like

  • 100% natural wood
  • Remains fresh
  • Enhances food
  • Easy clean up

What We Don’t Like

  • Not everyone likes apple flavor

Are you looking forward to smoking different flavored smoking pellets? Is this experience new to you? If yes, then you surely must try this Apple hardwood pellet by Oklahoma Joe. These pellets are blended with oak to keep the flavor light and include a fruity flavor that increases your mouth’s taste.

Oklahoma offers these apple wood pellets for smoking to you with a clean burn and low ash, so you don’t have to clean up much later on and remain carefree while enjoying smoking your pellets. The amazing part is that these apple hardwood pellets are not only limited to smoking, but you can also add them to your favorite everyday dishes to enhance the flavor and enjoy them even more. An Example of such dishes includes seafood, chicken, fruits, and even vegetables.

Still not satisfied? Don’t worry, and there’s more. The Oklahoma Joe apple hardwood pellets can also be combined with other different flavored blends, also sold by Oklahoma, such as cherry or hickory, to build up a different taste if you don’t like the apple hardwood pellet.

The Oklahoma Joe apple pellets come in a 20-pound bag with a waterproof design for protection to keep the pellets fresh and ready to use whenever you wish to do so.


Kona Wood Smoking Pellets

Best Hardwood Pellets for Brisket

Kona Best Wood Smoking Pellets

Specifications

  • Brand: Kona
  • Material: 100% Hickory
  • Weight: 8.59 pounds
  • Dimensions: 12.17″ x 10.47″ x 4.72″

What We Like

  • Premium blend
  • Highly affordable
  • Variety of flavors
  • Safe packaging

What We Don’t Like

  • Quality could be better

Still not satisfied with the options provided above? Don’t worry. There are still a few options left that you can choose from, and Kona Wood Pellets is one. The Kona Wood Pellets for smoking manufactures these wood pellets by using premium hardwood imported from the US, which is of satisfactory quality.

It is an amazing wood that is fire-flavored, 100% natural, and sourced from a very authentic place known for hardwood. It contains no artificial flavors, additives, fillers, or chemicals to ensure your consumption is beneficial to your health and free from toxic ingredients.

Kona offers one of the best BBQ wood smoking pellets along with a variety of four different flavors, including oak, hickory, sweet wood blend, and premium blend, so that you can enjoy throughout the grilling period with a diverse and unique taste.

This 8-pound bag will last quite a while, as you hardly require ½ or 1/3 cup of wooden pellets per smoking session. Moreover, you can also add these Kona wooden pellets to your food for extra flavors or sprinkle them directly on the food while grilling outdoors.

What’s the worth? These are some of the best wood pellets for smoking turkey, as they not only enhance the flavor and create hype about the food, making you want to have even more.


Zorestar Wood Chips for Smokers

Best Mix Flavoured Pellets For Smoking

Zorestar Wood Chips for Smokers
Zorestar Wood Chips for Smokers

Specifications

  • Brand: Zorestar
  • Material: Wood Chips for Smokers
  • Weight: 3.15 pounds
  • Dimensions: 16.14″ x 8.78″ x 5.71″

What We Like

  • 6-in-1 variety
  • 100% natural wood
  • Durable packaging
  • Multiple uses

What We Don’t Like

  • Not everyone likes mixed flavors

There is no doubt about Zorestar Wood Chips for Smokers as they manufacture good quality and long-lasting wood pellets for smoking. The Zorestar wood chips include one of the best varieties and different flavors all in one pack, including Alder, Cherry, Oak, and Apple wood chips.

These wood pellets are among the most popular best-sellers by Zorestar, so they are known by different names, such as wood chips, chunks, or pellets for smoking. These pellets are suitable for all smokers, whether used on gas, electricity, or barbeque grills. The 3-pound Zorestar wood pellet bag is lightweight and travel-friendly, which means you can take it along on camping trips, enjoy it with friends, and increase the fun.

You can also try mixing the fruit flavors for smoking for a different and unique taste, such as apple and cherry, as both of them combined will make the taste light and sweet. The wood chips are 100% natural, and will not cause damage to your health, as they do not contain any artificial chemicals, flavorings, or preservatives.

Moreover, the packaging is eco-friendly, so you can utilize the packaging by lighting a fire in your fireplace at home or starting a campfire to increase awareness about being environmentally friendly.


Traeger Grills PEL305 Mesquite

Best Mesquite Pellets

Traeger Grills PEL305 Mesquite Pellets Grill
Traeger Grills PEL305 Mesquite

Specifications

  • Brand: Traeger
  • Material: All Natural Hardwood
  • Weight: 20 pounds
  • Dimensions: 3″ x 16″ x 24″
  • Model: PEL305

What We Like

  • Robust flavor
  • Real taste
  • Dependable burn
  • Right moisture content

What We Don’t Like

  • Could have a better quality

The Mesquite flavored wood pellets for smoking by Traeger Grills are one of our favorites as they provide what they claim along with a unique rich flavor. These wood pellets have a compact cell structure that is balanced and ensures a dependable solid burn.

The wood pellets have a bold and robust fire flavor that goes along with whatever you cook, including beef and barbeque. Traeger has ensured that they include the right amount of moisture in these pellets, so they burn perfectly while preserving the sweetness and the unique flavoring with a perfect burn ratio.

You can use these bulk wood pellets for smoking food as they pair up with every kind of food, including seafood, beef, and chicken. These are currently one of the best wood pellets in the market, which boast of real taste. The best part is that these wood pellets have been made with high-quality materials, ensuring that you achieve the perfect smoke during your overnight grilling sessions.

Moreover, this 20-pound all-natural hardwood pellet bag can last for almost 40 hours with continuous burning and the perfect smoke. You won’t need to spend time cleaning up afterward as these wood pellets ensure a clean burn and are on low ash.


Lumber Jack BBQ Wood Pellets

Best wood pellets for smoking BBQ

Lumber Jack BBQ 7 varieties BBQ Pellet Pack
Lumber Jack BBQ Wood Pellets

Specifications

  • Brand: Lumber Jack
  • Material: 100% Natural Hardwood
  • Weight: 7 pounds
  • Dimensions: 12.13″ x 4″ x 9.25″

What We Like

  • Easy to use
  • Various flavor included
  • Quick shipping
  • 100% natural

What We Don’t Like

  • Structure could be better

Another suggested pack of bulk wood pellets for smoking is Lumber Jack BBQ wood pellets. These wood pellets come in 7 different flavored small packages and are a perfect option for daily use as small quantities are required when smoking. You can also use these packages for all kinds of foods, including fish, chicken, and beef.

 These are some of the best wood pellets for smoking chicken, as they create a fantastic smoking grill taste along with a perfect aroma after the chicken has been cooked. The BBQ pellet pack variety is a great choice when you’re looking for different types and flavors. From Apple, Cherry, Pecan, Hickory, Maple, and Mesquite, to Maple-Hickory, this Lumber Jack pack has it all.

While these wood pellets for smoking are highly affordable, they work great with a smoking wedgie, electric smoker, tube smoker, tray smoker, as well as a pellet grill. They are easy and ready to use as there is no need to soak them before use. You can take them out of the pack in a second and start smoking without worrying about any preparation.

If you have a sudden plan with friends, there’s no need to fret as you can get these wood pellets delivered within two days of ordering. You can get them delivered directly to your camping trip without having to pay any additional costs.

What’s the verdict? These wood pellets by Lumber Jack not only have convenient packaging but are also full of flavor, offer superior smoke, and have minimal ash buildup.


Louisiana Grills Pennsylvania Cherry Pellets 

Best Smoke Pellets For Meat

Louisiana Grills Pennsylvania Cherry Pellets
Louisiana Grills 55410 Pellets

Specifications

  • Brand: Louisiana
  • Material: All Natural Hardwood
  • Weight: 40 pounds
  • Dimensions: 20″ x 6″ x24″
  • Model: 55410 

What We Like

  • Highly affordable
  • Sweet smoke flavor
  • Imported wood
  • Perfect for meat

What We Don’t Like

  • Should have a smaller pack

Louisiana is a company known for providing wood pellets that are of the highest quality and imparts a sweet and robust smoke flavor with a unique aroma that is perfect for all food items, especially red meat, as it makes the meat even tastier.

The Tennessee Whiskey barrels used in these wood pellets are a combination of whiskey barley and whiskey oak, both of which are a premium blend and made from 100% natural materials without any chemicals, preservatives, or flavorings. Moreover, these wood pellets are sourced from North America as they are a superior product and are manufactured with unique wood.

These are a perfect fit for continuous smoking as they are completely safe and do not cause any harm to your health. Using the Louisiana wood pellets is a no-brainer as they are 100% secure for smoking. All you need to do is turn on the fire of your pellet grill and then add these premium wood pellets to your dishes to enhance the flavor and enjoy the food.

We must say that these blended wood pellets for smoking are one of a kind as they provide everything you look for in wood pellets for smoking. They enhance the flavor of food, are affordable, and have an excellent quality which we should appreciate.


CookinPellets 40H Smoking Pellets

Best Hickory Pellets For Smoking

CookinPellets 40H Hickory Smoking Pellets
CookinPellets 40H Hickory Smoking Pellets

Specifications

  • Brand: CookinPellets
  • Material: All Natural Hardwood
  • Weight: 39.6 pounds
  • Dimensions: 22″ x 12″ x 6″
  • Model: 40H 

What We Like

  • No fillers used
  • Low moisture
  • Fine dust
  • Clean burning

What We Don’t Like

  • Packaging not durable

CookinPellets has been one of the best brands for manufacturing wood pellets for smoking. It has a fantastic hardwood blend and mix that compliments your pellet grill and adds an aroma and flavor to the various foods you cook.

These are the best wood pellets for smoking brisket as they are 100% natural without any fake wood filters, which go soft after some time, like alder or oak. Moreover, the hickory smoking pellets are a perfect mix of the top 4 and popular hardwoods, including hickory, cherry, hard maple, and apple. You will enjoy this unique combination of 4 different flavors as it will provide you with a consistent smoky long-lasting flavor.

The credit for the perfect taste indeed goes to CookinPellets. The brand ensures that it uses high-quality wood during manufacturing, which does not include any chemicals, preservatives, or artificial fillers.

One thing we appreciate about CookinPellets is their packaging. Unlike other brands that sell smoking wood pellets, the bag provided by CookinPellets is durable and can last a while if used with care. It also eliminates the need to have a second or a container to place the wood pellets.

You don’t even need to worry about cleaning up afterward as these wood pellets hardly produce any ash after cooking. Furthermore, they can burn for six hours straight, leaving behind a juicy flavor in your food.

Buying Tips For The Best Wood Pellets for Smoking

When thinking of purchasing wood pellets for smoking and the texture, you look at many different things that altogether help you decide whether the wood pellets suit you or fit your needs. The good or bad texture alone will not prove helpful in making a final decision. To be sure of what you need, you will have to go through various features that are a part of the wood pellets, helping you make the ultimate choice.

We can understand your nervousness and confusion if you have never bought smoking pellets before. This is the very reason that we are here with a review for you, along with the essential features which will prove to be useful in your hunt for the best green wood pellets for food safe smoking.

Many factors combined make the product praiseworthy, which are the best wood pellets for smoking. Now without further delay, you should go through all of these features before making a final decision.

Flavors

Are you an individual who is very particular about his/her flavorings in the food? If yes, you should know that multiple flavors are available for smoking wood pellets. Some of these flavors include apple, cherry, hickory, maple, and Mesquite.

The apple flavor is popular for use with pork and poultry offers a light and fruity taste that provides a mild enhanced flavor. Hickory is one of the user favorites and is loved by everyone as it is a unique flavor used in barbeque and meats.

If you’re a fan of an intense flavor, then hickory is a recommended choice. Mesquite and maple wood have a hearty, smoky flavor for people who want something extra and an additional topping for their meals. Similarly, cherry is one of the most flavorful pellets as it enriches the taste and adds a perfect smell to the food.

Hardwood

Smoking wood pellets are available in both softwood and hardwood. However, all of the wood pellets listed above include 100% natural hardwood imported from North America due to their benefits.

Hardwood pellets are eco-friendly and burn the best as they have ash content below 0.5%. The low ash content means that you won’t have to spend time cleaning up after cooking or using the wood pellets as these hardwood pellets hardly create any mess.

Packaging

A durable and long-lasting wood pellet packaging is essential as it saves the cost of buying a new container just for storing the wood pellets.

The good news is that all the wood pellets mentioned above come in packages that are sturdy and robust bags. You can easily carry these bags along on your camping trips and store them in your cupboards without fear of leakage.

Structure

The wood pellets’ structure should be stable and well-balanced so that you can have wood pellets that create a dependable burn. Moreover, they should have the right amount of moisture to burn correctly and preserve the sweetness and unique flavoring while they burn.

The wood pellets should be of satisfactory quality to easily burn for hours without finishing up quickly.

Price

We understand that it is hard to find a product that comes in a complete package.  This means that it should be of the highest quality, have a long-lasting life, and have an affordable price.

We’re glad to inform you that the best smoking pellets for smoking fish that are a part of our list are budget-friendly and fall in the price range you might have in mind.

Clean up

You’ll be happy to know that there’s not much to do after you have enjoyed your cooking and smoking pellets. You can sit back and relax as cleaning up the pellets after use hardly takes up any time.

The pellets burn with a low ash ratio which means you will have no ash remains scattered on your pellet grill or the floor for you to clean up. How convenient is that, right?

Frequently Asked Questions  

Are wood pellets safe for smoking?

The wood pellets are safe to smoke with and act as a safe fuel you can cook with. The smoke and fumes of the wood pellets do not harm your health or food.

How to use wood pellets for smoking?

All you need to do is set up a pellet grill and turn it on so that it heats up. Once it turns hot, you can add the wood pellets inside the grill so they can start burning and create a flavor.

How are wood pellets made for smoking?

Wood pellets are made from 100% all natural hardwood that is dried and ground into dust. Once that has been done,  they pressurize the dust to make compact pieces of coated wood pellets coated later on.

Which is the best wood pellet for smoking?

The Traeger smoking pellet is the best in terms of consistency, unique flavor, and quality.

How much wood pellets do I need for smoking?

A pellet grill requires approximately ½ pound of wood pellets for one hour of smoking. However, the quantity of the wood pellets depends on the hot or cold weather.

How to store wood pellets for smoking?

It is recommended that you store wood pellets in a dry area or a container that you keep away from mold and moisture. Make sure to seal the pellets with a lid and keep it away from fire and heat.

How to dry wood pellets for smoking?

You can light a fire on the grill, and as soon as it gets to the smoking temperature, it will dry out the pellets.

What is better for smoking wood pellets or wood chips?

Wood pellets create a hotter environment than wood chips. They burn more slowly and are cost-effective. Pellets have a unique build and also make minimal ash buildup. Compared to wood chips, the wood pellets smoke more evenly.

What wood pellet to use for smoking cheese?

One of the best wood pellets for smoking cheese includes apple, cherry, and maple. These flavors are light and impart a unique taste to the cheese.

What pellets should you use for smoking pork shoulder?

Hickory wood pellets are known as one of the most recommended wood pellets for smoking pork shoulder as they release a strong flavor that compliments the meat.

What are the best flavor pellets for smoking salmon?

Alder flavored pellets are the best wood pellets for smoking salmon as it has a pure and clean flavor that perfectly complements the salmon’s delicateness.

What flavor pellets for smoking ribs?

Cherry or Mesquite are flavorful and the best wood pellets for smoking ribs because they impart intense, hearty flavors to the meat, making it extra tempting.

The Bottom Line

Purchasing the best wood pellets for smoking will enhance your meals and add a unique aromatic flavor to them that you will enjoy throughout the time you eat. We have carefully handpicked the wood pellets that have earned a place on our list after thorough research, as they all offer unique qualities and features that you will love.

We have provided you with plenty of options to choose from, but the final choice will be yours. Make sure you keep your budget in mind before making a decision, or you can even try increasing your budget a little if you want wood pellets of satisfactory quality.

Here’s our recommendation for the best wood pellets for smoking. The Traeger Smoking Pellet is the best overall in terms of structure, fantastic flavor, and a unique blend. Go and get your pack of wood pellets now.

Hello!! My name is Adalynn I love to eat, travel, and eat some more! I am married to the man of my dreams and have a beautiful little girl whose smiles can brighten anyone’s day!