Best Pellets for Traeger grills 2022 | Reviewed By An Expert

Upon hearing all the positive words about Traeger grills, you decide to get one. To test the grill out, you throw an evening BBQ party. The party starts, and so does your Traeger grill.

Not caring about the wood or pellets, you continue to put effort into your smoky BBQ meat. The BBQ is done, and now it's time to eat. By the looks of it, others don't seem to enjoy the BBQ.

You bought the best grill machine; you put your best into the BBQ. What went wrong? Wood is one of the most important things in grilling. The smoke significantly affects the taste of the BBQ.

We have rounded up some of the best pellets for Traeger grill so that the next you throw a BBQ party; everyone praises your food.

Different Types of pellets that you can use in Traeger grill

There is no best pellet for BBQ. Each pellet type has a different taste that works well with different meat. So, let's look at the most common types of pellets used in Traeger grill and what type of flavor they give off.

Hickory

Hickory is arguably the most used pellet in the United States. Hickory is great for beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and vegetables.

Smoking seafood does not give a good flavor. Speaking of flavor, it gives a strong to mild savory flavor that tastes somewhat like bacon.

Mesquite

Mesquite is known for its super strong flavor. This is why it works best with dark meat because this type of meat can stand up to the strong flavor.

Texas-style brisket, duck, lamb, wild game meat are some examples. You can also use it to smoke seafood.

Apple

Like the name, apple gives off a sweet and fruity flavor that is neither too light nor too strong. Apple is best for pork, chicken, duck, and vegetables. Unfortunately, the flavor does not work well with beef.

Maple

Just like apples, maple also gives a sweet flavor. The intensity, however, differs from apple. Maple gives a subtle to mild flavor, which is great for poultry and small game birds. You can also use maple or maple substitute to smoke cheese and veggies.

Oak

Oak falls between apple and hickory as it gives a mild to strong flavor. If you can't find hickory, oak is the second-best choice you have. It works great with all sorts of meat.

Pecan

Pecan, cherry, maple, apple, all of these pellets are somewhat the same. They all give a mild to strong and sometimes light sweet flavor to your meat. It usually has a stronger flavor than most fruitwood.

We do reviewed pecan cracker that you may need.

Best pellets for Traeger grill reviews

You can roast or grill beef, chicken, pork, even vegetables with your Traeger grill. There is nothing to stop you from getting those smoky flavors.

All you gotta do is use the appropriate pellets. Before you get a packet, we suggest you look at these amazing pellets to use in Traeger grill.

1. Traeger Grills 100% Natural Hardwood Pellets

Some manufacturers enhance their wood pellets with chemicals to produce more smoke, thus attracting more customers. If you don't want to contaminate your food, the Traeger grills 100% natural pellets are for you.

As the title suggests, it is 100% all-natural. There are no chemicals or additives to enhance fire or smoke.

Because of its natural properties, it brings out the taste of your food. That includes pork, beef, and chicken. Provides a bold taste to your food.

Since this pallet was made by the same company that makes one of the best grills, they understand how much moisture the pellets need.

Because of the balanced moisture, you get a good burn-to-smoke ratio. Not too much smoke, not too much fire.

The best thing about this product is that it comes with a variety of options. You can get hickory, apple, cherry, mesquite, pecan, and a blend of a few blocks of wood. All of these give a unique taste to your BBQ.

The packet contains 20 pounds of pellets, which you can use for several cooks. With its low ash, clean burn, and plenty of options to choose from, the Traeger grills 100% natural pellets are undoubtedly one of the best Traeger pellets out there.

Highlighted features:

• Fully natural hardwood pellets, no additives.
• Each pack has 20 pounds of pellets.
• Enhances the flavor of your pork, beef, veggies, and chicken.
• Available in six different wood options.
• Has the right amount of moisture for a balanced smoke-to-fire ratio.

2. BEAR MOUNTAIN Premium BBQ WOODS

We don't know if you noticed, but it will void the warranty if you use any other pellet brands with your Traeger grill any.

This makes your options limited. But what if we told you that you could use this one in your Traeger grill? The Bear mountain BBQ pellets are compatible with almost all the major brands that make grills.

You can use it with Traeger, Pit Boss, Louisiana Grills, and Green Mountain Grills. Don't worry; using it with Traeger won't void the warranty.

This pack of pellets comes in six different options, including alder, apple, cherry, bourbon, hickory, and a gourmet blend. The last one is a blend of hickory, cherry, oak, and maple.

The gourmet blend does a great job with classic BBQs such as Boston butts, ribs, and pork. It is also balanced enough to not overcook chicken or fish. It is simply an all-rounder.

The other options are also amazing as they are 100% pure. For example, if you buy cherry pellets, you'll get 100% cherry wood and no binders or fillers. No additives mean that you will get the expected smokiness and taste.

These pellets can be used with any sort of grills, including gas, charcoal, and electricity. You can also use these pellets for Traeger smokers. The "best wood pellets for Traeger grill" award goes to BEAR MOUNTAIN.

Highlighted features:

• Compatible with Traeger, Pit Boss, Louisiana Grills, and Green Mountain Grills.
• Comes in six different wood options.
• Provides a sweet, smoky flavor.
• 100% pure and natural hardwood.
• It can be used on gas, electric, and charcoal-powered grills.

3. Cookin Pellets 40PM Perfect Mix

Yes, 20 pounds of pellets is enough for a few servings, but what if you have to cook for a large number of people? This is where CookinPellets comes in.

For the same amount of money, you get 40 pounds of pellets, whereas other brands offer only 20 pounds. This should easily cover even the largest BBQ party you can think of.

Other brands offer you the option to select different wood types. But, this means that if you choose cherry, you won't taste maple or apple. CookinPellets allows you to taste four different blocks of wood in one go.

These pellets are a perfect blend of hickory, cherry, hard maple, and applewood. The combination provides a sweet, mild, yet slightly strong flavor to your food.

The smoke is so balanced that it leaves no smell on the grill so that you can easily clean it up as there are no chemicals.

Fillers, binders, oak, or alder, you get a natural taste. No chemical also means no contamination of food.

The only drawback is that you can't get single wood variants, only the blend of four wood planks.

If you're not bothered with this, you should go for the CookinPellets 40PM pellets. They will give you a mouth-watering flavor for sure.

Highlighted features:

• A mix of four top-level premium wood.
• 40 pounds pellets in each pack.
• Provides sweet, mild, or strong smoky flavor.
• Does not have any chemicals or fillers.
• Does not leave any smell on the grill.

4. BBQr's Delight Wood Smoking Pellets

If you are a person who prioritizes the smokiness of your BBQ over everything else, we got just the right pellets for you. It has BBQ in its name.

If you order the BBQr's delight smoking pellets, you will get 6 bags of pellets, each different from the previous. The pellets are cherry, apple, hickory, pecan, mesquite, and a special mix of pellets called jack daniels.

Each of the bags contains 100% natural wood without any fillers or additives. The cherry pellets give you a sweet fruity flavor and a rosy tint to your meats.

Pecan and hickory are almost the same. The only difference is that pecan is milder and sweeter.

Mesquite is what you are looking for if you want a sweet and tender smoky flavor. The special jack daniels uses charcoal soaked and oak wood in whiskey (for weeks) to give you a distinct flavor.

The only downside we could find is that each bag contains only 1 pound of pellets. You will get a total of 6 pounds. Considering the price, other brands are offering 20 pounds for the same price.

The choice is up to you. If you want rich, smoky, tender BBQ meat, you have to pay a bit more. Considering how good your BBQ makes, we would say the BBQr's Delight smoking pellets are worth every penny.

Highlighted features:

• Comes in six unique wood varieties.
• Gives you a mild to the strong smoky flavor.
• Each bag of pallets can be used 10 times.
• No need to soak before grilling.
• Works in every type of grills.

5. Traeger Grills PEL308 Maple Hardwood Pellets

Buying the best grill machine won't alone be enough to get those smoky, tender, and juicy ribs you find in restaurants. You also need the best suitable pellets for ribs.

Maple wood is considered one of the best woods for ribs because of its sweet, light, to mild smokiness.

Of course, you can use other wood, but no one can go wrong with maple. It's not only limited to ribs, though. You can get BBQ, roast, grill meat, veggies, beef, and chicken.

Since these pellets are made by the same company that made your outstanding grill machine, you won't have any compatibility issues, thus no chance of your grill's warranty being void.

Just like all the other Traeger pellets, this one also has balanced moisture. This means that you will have the perfect balance between fire and smoke. Maintains the burn-to-smoke ratio excellently.

Lastly, you can use these pellets continually for 40 hours straight. Yes, a bag of 20 pounds will last that much. So, you can guess how many times you can use one bag.

Although the Traeger maple hardwood pellets can be used for various types of meat, it works brilliantly with ribs, easily making them the best Traeger pellets for ribs.

Highlighted features:

• Fantastic for pork, lambs, beef, chicken, and especially ribs.
• Has the right amount of moisture for a good smoke.
• Each bag can last over 40 hours of continuous grilling.
• 100% pure hardwood with low ash and clean burn.
• Provides light to the mildly sweet, smoky flavor.

6. RecTec Grills Ultimate Blend Pellets

On a quest to find the best possible hardwood pellets for your Traeger grill? Yes, the Traeger pellets are really amazing, but let's see if there's anything better or not.

Hickory pellets are one of the most used pellets in grilling. Hickory releases a strong smoky flavor that goes well with most of the meats. But, sometimes, it's too strong, and this is where RecTec comes in.

This bag of pellets has two types of wood. It is a mix of oak and hickory. As we have said earlier, hickory gives a strong flavor.

Oak is used to tone down this flavor to the perfect range. Oak is great for veggies and fish, and hickory is great for beef and chicken.

The best thing about these pellets is that they burn noticeably slower while producing more flavorful smoke. You can squeeze every bit of flavor out of your pellets and surround your meat with that.

Furthermore, these pellets react faster to temperature shifts. For example, if you are finished cooking something at 225c and want to BBQ at a higher temperature, these pellets have a low heat-up time. Meaning they heat up faster.

Lastly, these pellets let you quickly reach your grill's set temperature. This reduces waiting time. The RecTec pellets will surely end your quest for the ultimate Traeger smoker pellets with all these pros.

Highlighted features:

• The bag contains a mix of oak and hickory wood.
• Fantastic for veggies, fish, pork, and beef.
• It Burns slower while producing more smoke.
• Reacts to temperature fast.
• Each bag contains 40 pounds of pellets.

7. Louisiana Grills Texas Mesquite Pellets

Tired of seeing your BBQ meat lose its color even after marinating for hours and using the best possible pellets? Well, we got just the right thing for you.

As the name says, this is a bag of mesquite wood pellets. Mesquite wood is known for its ability to add intense coloration to the meat via smoke. From now on, your BBQ meat will look as good as it tastes.

BBQ is all about adding spice. Yes, sweet works, but the spice is the best. This bag of pellets is a mix of mesquite and maple.

Because of this blend, the smoke adds a tangy, spicy flavor. If you are wondering about the blend ratio, it is 35% mesquite and 65% maple.

The Louisiana grills texas pellets are great for beef, fish, and especially chicken. Although you can use the pellets for veggies and pork, you won't notice any spectacular results.

 As it works in any kind of pellet-supported grills, you can use this one in substitution for Traeger pellets for chicken.

So, if you are a fan of tangy and spicy flavor with the intense coloration of your meat, the Louisiana Grills Texas mesquite pellets will be an amazing option.

Highlighted features:

• A perfect blend of mesquite and maple wood.
• Brings out the color of your BBQ meat.
• Adds a tangy, spicy flavor to your food.
• Great for beef, fish, and chicken.
• It can be used in any pellet grill.
• 40 pounds of pellets in each bag.

8. Traeger Grills PEL328 Texas Beef Blend Pellets

Have you ever wondered how those fancy restaurants make those tender, juicy, rich-in-flavor beef steaks? Well, we may have just what you are looking for.

Traeger named the blend "texas beef," so you know they are not messing around. We tried it on brisket, and it gave a tasteful smoke ring and bark (we did not wrap).

The taste was marvelous, and at the same time, it did not have that acidic, smoky bite when smoking beef for long durations of time.

The pack says it is for beef, but trust us, it is equally amazing for chicken and pork. We smoked several pork butts, racks of ribs, chicken, and all of them came out with fantastic flavors and a nice bark.

These amazing flavors were possible due to the blend of oak, pecan, and mesquite wood. These are 100% natural hardwood without any fillers or additives.

Like all the other Traeger grill pellets, these also have balanced moisture that balances the smoke to burn ratio, resulting in a powerful smoke with a minimal burn.

The only problem with this product is that you won't ever think about using any other blends once you try this blend. Trust us; you'll fall in love with it. Hands down the best Traeger pellets for steak.

Highlighted features:

• It is a blend of oak, pecan, and mesquite wood.
• 100% pure hardwood, no chemicals or additives.
• Good for everything, but great for beef steak.
• Gives your meat a nice smoke ring and bark.

Pellets For Traeger Grill Comparison Chart

Pellets For Traeger Grills Buying Guide

In this section of the review article, we will shed light on some of the key aspects of Traeger smoker pellets that determine the quality. Look out for these things before you buy pellets for your Traeger grill.

Type of pellets

Earlier, we have discussed the different types of pellets you can use with your Traeger grill or big green egg. As each pellet type gives you a different taste and works for specific meat, you should choose the right one for your job.

For example, hickory works best with beef, pork, game meat but is not good for seafood. If you want to BBQ seafood, you should go for mesquite.

Fillers or additives

You should stare clear out of any pellets that have fillers, chemicals, or any artificial additives. As the smoke of these pellets will get into your meat, there should not be any additives.

Fillers, binders, or chemicals can potentially contaminate your food. This is why you should go for 100% natural hardwood pellets.

Compatibility

One of the most important factors you should look into while buying pellets is compatibility. If you use other pellets with your Traeger grill, it can potentially void your warranty.

This is why you should always use Traeger pellets in your Traeger grill. If you can't find those, check for other pellets that support your grill.

Moisture

The more moisture your pellets contain, the less performance you will get. Pellets with high amounts of moisture tend to give you less smoke and burn faster.

This is why you should go for the pellets that have the right amount of moisture. In this case, any Traeger pellets will do the job. They have the perfect moisture control, thus ensuring a balanced smoke-to-burn ratio.

Frequently Asked Questions

#1. Which Traeger pellets leave the mildest flavor on barbecued beef?

There is no clear answer as taste varies from person to person, but we found that Traeger apple pellets leave the mildest flavor on beef.

#2. How long will a 20 pounds bag of hardwood pellets for a Traeger grill last?

If you set the Traeger grill to smoke, it will burn 0.5lbs per hour, meaning 20 pounds will last over 40 hours. If you set it to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, it will burn for 20 hours. In high temperatures, you can expect 10 hours.

#3. Can I use Traeger pellets in a masterbuilt electric smoker instead of wood chips?

Yes, you can use Traeger or any other hardwood pellets in an electric smoker. The only issue, however, is that pellets will burn faster than wood chips. It is better to use wood chips.

#4. Which Traeger pellets will be best for all types of meat?

Traeger texas beef or Traeger signature blend will be best for all sorts of meat and even vegetables. The signature blend contains maple, cherry, and artisanal hardwood for the best flavor.

#5. Can I use heating pellets in my Traeger grill/smoker?

No. You cannot use heating pellets in your Traeger grill or any grill. Heating pellets are not food grade and will not give any flavor. It might even ruin your BBQ. You should only use smoking pellets in your Traeger grill.

#7. Why are Traeger pellets more expensive than other pellets?

Although the gap is not that big, Traeger pellets are usually more expensive because of the research behind them. The balanced moisture control, unique taste, perfect burn-to-smoke ratio are some reasons.

Final words

As we have said earlier, the pellets you use are directly responsible for the taste of your roast, BBQ, or grill. Different types of pellets offer different types of tastes.

Some give you a subtly sweet flavor, while others give you a strong spicy flavor. It all depends on your preference.

Traeger grills state that using incompatible pellets will void your warranty, we have reviewed only the compatible and the best pellets for Traeger grill. Professional grade steak, ribs, brisket, and pork are just a few pellets away.

From outlooks to taste to smell, these hardwood pellets for Traeger grill will give you all. These pellets will ensure that the next time you use the Traeger grill, everyone's mouths will beg for your cooked food.

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