Best Pellet Grill Made in USA: Which Brands Are Really American Made?
Most pellet grills sold in the USA are built overseas, even when the box says "American" or "designed in the USA." Only a handful of brands still cut, weld and assemble their pellet grills here, including Twin Eagles, which we sell.
This guide separates the pellet grills that are really made in the USA from the ones that are only designed or assembled here, with each brand's own wording so you can judge for yourself. To shop the American-made and US-designed pellet grills we carry, browse our American made pellet grills and smokers.
Quick answer
The pellet grills that are really built in the USA come from Twin Eagles (California), Yoder Smokers (Kansas), Pitts & Spitts and Lone Star Grillz (Texas), Smokin Brothers (Missouri) and Blaz'n Grill Works (Nebraska).
Traeger, Pit Boss, Recteq, Camp Chef and Green Mountain Grills are imported, and Weber assembled its SmokeFire in Illinois from global parts.
Best American Made Pellet Grills at a Glance
Our picks by how you cook. Every grill here is built in the USA except the two Memphis picks, which are designed and tested in Minnesota.
Best Pellet Grill for Searing
Memphis Elite ITC3A direct flame insert reaches 900°F for steaks.
Designed inMinnesota
Starting at$5,499
See details
Best Pellet Grill for the Money
Memphis Pro ITC3304 stainless, Wi-Fi and 848 square inches for less.
Designed inMinnesota
Starting at$4,999
See details
Best Pellet Grill for an Outdoor Kitchen
Twin Eagles 36" Pellet GrillSmoke, Sear and Charcoal modes for smoking and grilling.
Made inCalifornia
Starting at$9,759
See details
Best Pellet Grill for Smoking
YoderHeavy-gauge steel that holds a steady smoke.
Made inKansas
Chamber coverage10 years
Best Pellet Grill for Brisket
Lone Star GrillzUS-made down to the hopper and PID controller.
Made inTexas
ControllerFireBoard
Best Pellet Grill for Smoke Flavor
Pitts & SpittsThick steel and an American-made PID controller.
Made inTexas
Barrel coverage10 years
For searing: the Memphis Elite ITC3 has a direct flame insert and reaches 900°F, so it can sear steaks like a gas grill after a long smoke. For the money: the Memphis Pro ITC3 brings the same 180 to 900°F range, dual-walled 304 stainless and Wi-Fi control in a smaller, lower-priced grill. For an outdoor kitchen: the Twin Eagles 36-inch is 304 stainless inside and out and is made to sit in a built-in island, with modes for both smoking and grilling.
For smoking: Yoder uses heavy-gauge steel that holds a steady temperature in wind and cold. For brisket: Lone Star Grillz builds heavy steel pellet smokers with a large hopper for long overnight cooks. For smoke flavor: Pitts & Spitts pairs thick steel with a tight PID controller for brisket and ribs.
Pellet Grills Really Made in the USA
These companies fabricate their pellet grills in American shops. A few small parts, like circuit-board components, may come from abroad, which is normal even for US-built grills.
The cooking chamber, firebox and steel work are done here. MAK Grills of Oregon, long a common pick on this list, has closed, so it is not included.
Twin Eagles (California)
Made in: Southern California, USA. In their words: "Designed and manufactured in Southern California." Coverage: lifetime on fabricated stainless parts, 5 years on grates and trays, 2 years on other parts.
Twin Eagles builds its pellet grill in the USA from 304 stainless steel inside and out, and it is the US-made pellet grill we sell. It is made for outdoor kitchens: a 36-inch built-in or cart model with a Wi-Fi touchscreen, three meat probes, a 13 lb front-loading hopper and a temperature range of 140 to 725°F. For the rest of the lineup, see our Twin Eagles grill reviews.
Cooking modes include Smoke, Smoke Plus, Sear and Charcoal, and it ships with a charcoal tray, so you can cook over lump charcoal and wood chips on a pellet grill. The cooking area is 624 square inches on the main grate and 939 square inches in total. Read our Twin Eagles pellet grill review for the real-world caveats, then shop Twin Eagles pellet grills.
Built-inTwin Eagles 36" Pellet GrillWi-Fi touchscreen, 140 to 725 degrees.
Size36"
Starting at$9,759
Shop now
Built-inTwin Eagles 36" with RotisserieAdds a rotisserie to the built-in.
Size36"
Starting at$10,569
Shop now
On cartTwin Eagles 36" Deluxe CartFreestanding, with rotisserie.
Size36"
Starting at$12,968
Shop now
Yoder (Kansas)
Made in: Hutchinson, Kansas, USA. In their words: "Built in Kansas." Coverage: 10 years on the cooking chamber against burn-through, 3 years on electronics.
Yoder builds competition-style pellet cookers, like the YS640s, from heavy-gauge steel, and it is a common pick in pellet smoker reviews of US-built grills. Heavy steel holds temperature well in wind and cold, which matters on long smokes. Like most heavy steel smokers, a Yoder needs a cover outdoors. We do not sell Yoder.
Pitts & Spitts (Texas)
Made in: Houston, Texas, USA. In their words: "One of the only American fabrication shops" (family-owned since 1983). Coverage: 10 years on the barrel against burn-through, 3 years on the controller and igniter.
Pitts & Spitts has built smokers in Houston since 1983. The Maverick series uses thick steel and an American-made PID controller, so it holds temperature tightly for brisket and ribs. We do not sell Pitts & Spitts.
Lone Star Grillz (Texas)
Made in: Conroe, Texas, USA. In their words: "100% made in USA including the pellet feeder hopper and the PID controller." Coverage: smoking chamber covered for up to 10 years per the brand's FAQ, 3 years on the controller and igniter.
Lone Star Grillz is one of the few makers that says its controller and hopper are US-made too. Its pellet smokers are heavy steel with a large hopper and a FireBoard controller you can run from your phone. We do not sell Lone Star Grillz.
Smokin Brothers (Missouri)
Made in: Missouri, USA. In their words: "Built in America," with "only three small components sourced internationally." Coverage: 3 years on internal components.
Smokin Brothers is a family-owned Missouri company, and it is open about the three small parts it sources abroad. The Premier series is its main pellet grill line. We do not sell Smokin Brothers.
Blaz'n Grill Works (Nebraska)
Made in: Beatrice, Nebraska, USA. In their words: "100% American made."
Blaz'n Grill Works builds heavy-duty residential pellet grills, like the Grand Slam and Grid Iron, in Nebraska. It shows up on most lists of US-built pellet grills. We do not sell Blaz'n, and we could not confirm its current warranty terms.
Why So Few Are Still Built in the USA
A pellet grill is part smoker and part appliance. It needs an auger motor, a fan, an igniter and a digital controller, and many of those electronics are made in Asia.
Once the electronics come from overseas, most companies move the whole grill there too. Traeger built its first pellet grills in Oregon in 1985, but production left the state around 2010, and today its grills are made in China and Vietnam.
The shops that stayed are mostly small fabricators. They build each cooking chamber from heavier steel, weld it in-house, and buy a few electronic parts from abroad.
That is why a US-made pellet smoker usually costs more and weighs more than an imported one with the same cooking area. You pay for steel thickness, welding and labor, and you usually get longer coverage on the chamber in return.
Comparing gas grill brands too? Start with our Delta Heat reviews. Next, see whether Fire Magic grills are worth the money. Then read our AOG grill review.
Assembled or Designed in the USA, Not Built Here
These companies have real ties to the USA, but the grill itself is not fully made here. That does not make them bad grills. It means "American made" is not the right label.
Memphis Elite and Pro ITC3 (Designed in Minnesota)
Designed in: Bloomington, Minnesota, where Memphis designs, engineers and tests the Elite and Pro ITC3. Coverage: 7 years limited, 3 years on electronics.
The Elite ITC3 and Pro ITC3 are two of the most capable pellet grills on the market, designed, engineered and tested by Memphis in Bloomington, Minnesota. Both use 304 stainless steel, true convection cooking and a temperature range of 180 to 900°F, so one grill can smoke a brisket low and slow, then sear a steak over direct flame.
The 39-inch Elite has 1,275 square inches of cooking area and a 24 lb hopper; the Pro has 848 square inches and an 18 lb hopper. Both connect to a Wi-Fi app with a three-port meat probe. The smaller Memphis Elevate is built overseas, so we leave it off this list. See our Memphis pellet grills review and Memphis Pro vs Elite.
Built-inMemphis Elite ITC3 Built-In1,275 square inches, 180 to 900 degrees.
Size39"
Starting at$5,499
Shop now
Weber SmokeFire (Assembled in Illinois)
Weber's first pellet grill, the SmokeFire, was assembled on Weber's line in Illinois from globally sourced parts.
Weber's newer Searwood pellet grill is listed by retailers as not made in the USA. If US assembly matters to you, check which Weber model you are looking at.
Cookshack and Fast Eddy's (Check the Model)
Cookshack is based in Ponca City, Oklahoma, and says it does not use foreign manufacturers. However, its own PG1000i pellet grill page says "Made in India."
Until Cookshack clears that up, check the label on the specific model before you count it as US-made.
Popular Brands That Are Imported
These are the pellet grills you see most in big-box stores and in online grill reviews. All are built overseas.
Many are good value. Just do not buy one expecting a US-made grill.
Traeger
Traeger invented the pellet grill in Oregon in 1985, but production left the USA years ago. Its own annual report says its grills are made in China and Vietnam, and that includes flagship models like the Traeger Ironwood XL and Timberline.
The upside is warranty: Traeger covers its Woodridge, Ironwood and Timberline grills for 10 years. Compare a Traeger against a premium pellet grill in our Memphis Pro vs Traeger Timberline XL showdown.
Pit Boss
Pit Boss grills are made in China. The brand belongs to Dansons, which is now part of W.C. Bradley Co.
Pit Boss competes on value: a lot of cooking area for the money, plus a flame broiler for direct searing. Coverage runs up to 5 years on select models.
Recteq, Camp Chef and Green Mountain Grills
Recteq: formerly called Rec Tec, Recteq is headquartered in Georgia and sells direct to consumers, but its grills are made in China. Rec Tec built its name on PID temperature controllers and stainless construction at a mid-range price, with 6 years of coverage on models like the RT-1250.
Camp Chef: the company says its grills are designed in the USA and manufactured overseas. Its pellet grills are popular for add-ons like the Sidekick side burner and easy ash cleanout, with 3 years of coverage.
Green Mountain Grills: GMG was early with Wi-Fi pellet grills and makes the portable Trek. Retailers list them as not made in the USA, and coverage is 3 years.
Pit Boss and Traeger Questions Buyers Ask
Are Pit Boss grills made in the USA? No. Pit Boss grills are made in China. Pit Boss is an American company, but the grills are imported.
Which is better, Pit Boss or Traeger? Both are imported, so neither wins on origin. Pit Boss usually gives you more cooking area for the price.
Traeger usually costs more but offers longer coverage, up to 10 years on its upper lines. If US manufacturing matters, look at the made-in-USA grills above instead of choosing between these two.
Pellet Smoker Buying Guide: What to Compare
Where a grill is built is one factor. These are the other things that decide whether a pellet smoker suits the way you cook.
Cooking Space
Compare total cooking area in square inches, not just grill width. The Twin Eagles 36-inch has 939 square inches of cooking space, the Memphis Pro ITC3 has 848 and the Memphis Elite ITC3 has 1,275.
A full packer brisket and a couple of racks of ribs need more room than most people expect, so size up if you cook for a crowd.
Temperature Range
Low-and-slow smoking happens at the bottom of the temperature range, so the real difference is the top end.
The Twin Eagles reaches 725°F, and Memphis reaches 900°F with a direct flame insert, which is hot enough to sear meat properly.
Steel and Construction
304 stainless steel, like Twin Eagles and the Memphis Elite and Pro, resists rust outdoors and suits a built-in outdoor kitchen. Heavy carbon steel, like Yoder and Pitts & Spitts, holds heat very well but needs a cover.
Thin steel loses heat in wind and cold, which means more pellets and wider temperature swings.
Controller and Wi-Fi: a good controller keeps the temperature steady within a few degrees, and Wi-Fi lets you watch the cook from your phone. Twin Eagles uses a touchscreen with Wi-Fi; Memphis uses a Wi-Fi app.
Meat probes and a thermometer: built-in probes let you track the internal temperature of a brisket or pork butt without opening the lid.
Twin Eagles includes three meat probes, and Memphis includes a three-port probe. Keep an instant-read thermometer by the grill too, so you can check the thickest part of the meat before you pull it.
Smoke flavor: all pellet grills burn hardwood pellets, but flavor depends on airflow and temperature. Lower temperatures produce more smoke.
Some grills, like the Twin Eagles with its Smoke Plus mode and charcoal tray, give you more control over how much smoke reaches the meat. For gas grills that also burn wood or charcoal, see our AMG grills review.
Hopper size: a bigger hopper means fewer refills on an overnight cook. The Twin Eagles holds 13 lb, the Memphis Pro 18 lb and the Memphis Elite 24 lb.
Coverage: look at the cooking chamber and the electronics separately. US-made smokers often cover the chamber against burn-through for 10 years or more, but electronics are usually covered for 3 years or less.
How you cook: if you mostly smoke ribs, pork and brisket, a heavy steel pellet smoker is the best use of your money. If you want one grill that can smoke and then sear, look for a high top temperature or a direct flame option, like the Memphis Elite and Pro.
Smoker reviews: the most useful grill reviews come from testers who cooked on the grill for weeks, ran it in cold weather and checked its temperature against a separate thermometer. Short store reviews rarely tell you how a grill holds up after two or three seasons.
Still deciding between fuels? Read are pellet grills worth it, our pellet grill vs gas grill guide, or our picks for the best pellet grills and smokers for outdoor kitchens.
For gas and charcoal grills built here, see our best American made BBQ grills and all made in USA grills.
Want a gas grill too? Shop our US-made gas grills. For flat top cooking, browse our US-made flat top griddles.
American Made Pellet Smoker FAQ
Which pellet grills are made in the USA?
Twin Eagles, Yoder, Pitts & Spitts, Lone Star Grillz, Smokin Brothers and Blaz'n Grill Works build their pellet grills in the USA. Some use a few imported electronic parts. MAK Grills, once on this list, has closed.
Are Traeger grills made in the USA?
No. Traeger says its grills are made in China and Vietnam, even though the company started in Oregon.
Are Pit Boss grills made in the USA?
No. Pit Boss grills are made in China.
Are Memphis pellet grills made in the USA?
Memphis says its grills are designed, engineered and tested in Bloomington, Minnesota, but does not say the Elite ITC3 and Pro ITC3 are built in the USA, so we list them as US-designed. The smaller Memphis Elevate is made overseas.
Is Weber still made in the USA?
Partly. Weber assembled its SmokeFire pellet grill in Illinois from global parts, and still makes its kettles in Illinois. Its newer Searwood pellet grill is listed as not made in the USA.
Can a pellet grill sear a steak?
Some can. Many pellet grills top out around 500°F, which is fine for smoking but weak for searing. The Memphis Elite and Pro reach 900°F with a direct flame insert, and the Twin Eagles has a Sear mode with a top temperature of 725°F.
What pellets should I use?
Use food-grade hardwood pellets made for cooking, and keep them dry. Damp pellets swell and can jam the auger. Oak, hickory and cherry blends work for most meat, while mesquite gives a stronger smoke.
How do I keep the temperature steady in cold weather?
Heavy steel and double-wall construction hold heat best. Keep the grill out of the wind, keep the lid closed and expect to burn more pellets on a cold day. A full hopper and a meat probe help on long winter cooks.
Is a US-made pellet grill worth the extra cost?
If you smoke often or want a grill that lasts, usually yes. US-built pellet grills tend to use heavier steel, hold temperature better in bad weather and carry longer coverage on the cooking chamber.
Building an outdoor kitchen around a pellet grill?
Our design team will lay out your island around a Twin Eagles or Memphis pellet grill at no charge. Call Matt, the owner, at 888-678-3530.
Start a free designShop American made pellet grills