Pellet grills cook food greatly, and barbeque enthusiasts love to use them due to the safety they offer. With charcoal or gas grills, you continuously check for the flares and flames to regulate them before they go out of control. It may cause excessive burning of the food too.
These issues do not occur in pellet grills, making them safe to use. Let’s dive further; to understand how safe pellet grills are and a few other facts before you decide to buy one.
Are Pellet Grills Safe?
Using a pellet grill is safe if you buy a premium-quality cooker and food-grade pellets from renowned brands. Though a pellet grill is safe to use, you must implement some safety measures while using the grill.
One safety feature of the pellet grill is that the cooking area is isolated from the fire chamber. Since there’s no risk of flares and flames in a pellet grill, you may tend to forget it, despite it being on. You must pay attention to your grill till it completes the cooking.
In addition, you also have to clean out the extra pellets from the grill, thereby maintaining to prevent any mishaps. It’s also important to shut off the grill by strictly following the manufacturer’s instructions. Avoid unplugging the grill immediately after cooking to avoid burn backs.
Ensure to decrease the grill temperature significantly and keep it running for 20 minutes. After this, you can shut down the grill.
Are pellet grills safer than gas?
Gas grills are prone to gas leaks that elevate the degree of risk. Pellet grills, therefore, are safer than gas grills. In addition, wooden pellets work as a steady energy source compared to gas, sealing its safety aspect.
When you use a gas grill, the chances of the animal fat burning and producing HCAs (heterocyclic amines) may happen. Since HCAs are one of the many reasons for cancer, getting them clubbed with your food is risky. Using a pellet grill eliminates this risk.
Pellet grills cook at low temperatures and take a longer time. Due to the lower heat, the burning of fats and the production of HCAs is almost zero. And worry not; the smoke produced by burning wood pellets is negligible.
Is wood pellet smoke toxic?
Wood pellets come in different types. One type may only solve the purpose of heating fire, while some go into the pellet grills. The wood pellets for pellet grills are made with food-grade components to safeguard your health.
Wood pellets of standard quality come from waste materials, such as sawdust, wood sticks, and chips, free from hazardous chemicals that would penetrate your food while cooking.
Smoke from non-food-grade wood pellets quality may emit carbon monoxide, but you can secure yourself by keeping yourself away at a distance. It will prevent the gas from hitting you directly and intensely. However, ensure you use the pellet grill in an open space with full ventilation and avoid using it indoors. The smoke emanating inside may prove hazardous.
What are the cons of pellet grills?
All things have a different negative side, and pellet grills are no exception. Let’s understand some disadvantages of using a pellet grill.
Takes time to cook
Pellet grills cook the food at low temperatures, as compared to gas or charcoal grills that go up to 450 degrees F or more than that. It needs quite a patience till you get your superheated steak or crisp chicken wings. In addition, the appearance of the barbeque may hamper, as the mouth-watering grill marks don’t appear on your food.
Costly affair
Pellet grills are pricy than gas and charcoal grills. In addition, they run on electricity, adding an extra value to your electricity bill. So, there’s a recurring cost added whenever you use the pellet grills.
Since it runs on electricity, there’s another issue that you need to consider. In case of any malfunction, you have no option but to replace the part since repairing is not viable.
Portability limits
Pellet grills need an outlet plus a power source to run. So there’s always a limit to moving them in remote areas where you don’t have a power source. In addition, frequent moving may damage their electrical components. Plus, the heavy weight of these grills adds more trouble while moving. Since the pellet grills run on electricity, you cannot use them in a wet climate.
Wood pellets absorb moisture
Pellet grills work on wooden pellets, which are prone to absorb moisture and won’t burn at all. If you live in a rainy or humid location, you may frequently notice it. You can avoid this by sealing the wooden pellets in an air-tight bag and use whenever required.
Less smokey as compared to other grills
It may be disadvantageous for barbeque lovers who love extra smokey food. Pellet grills cook food with a low intensity than a charcoal grill.
Which is better: a pellet grill or a smoker?
Let us understand the difference between a pellet grill and an offset smoker. Based on that, we will understand what’s the better option.
Comparison:
| Pellet Grills |
☑️ Requires electric power to run.
☑️ Costs between $200 to $2500+
☑️ Fuel source: wood pellets.
☑️ A few have folding legs, making them transportable.
☑️ Substantial cooking ability.
☑️ Simple to use without chaos.
☑️ You can control it via your smartphone with WiFi technology.
☑️ Ideal in chilly weather and winters.
☑️ Subtle smokey as compared to charcoal grills.
| Smokers |
☑️ It does not require electric power.
☑️ Costs between $200 to $1500+
☑️ Fuel source: Wood and charcoal.
☑️ Heavy to port.
☑️ Substantial cooking ability.
☑️ It’s challenging to cook the ideal barbecue. It does take time to have a grasp on the tool.
☑️ No smart technology.
☑️ It is hard to keep the required temperature during cold weather. It may be hard to cook in such a climate.
☑️ You always get the authentic barbecue taste.
The above comparison helps us to effortlessly identify the appropriate cooking device; based on your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can pellet smoke make you sick?
Pellet smoke comes from burning wood pellets that emit carbon monoxide, a toxic gas. If you are near the smoke, it may be harmful to you.
Are wood pellet grills safer than charcoal?
Yes, wood pellet grills are safer than charcoal. They cook the food at low temperatures, preventing the fats melt and blending with the food. The burned fats may produce chemicals leading to disastrous conditions like cancer.
Are pellet smokers better than wood?
No, pellet smokers won’t perform the burning activity as efficiently as the wood.
Do pellet smokers produce clean smoke?
If the wood pellets used are of food-grade quality, the pellet smokers will produce clean smoke.
Do pellet grills produce carbon monoxide?
Pellet grills may produce carbon monoxide if you don’t use food-grade quality wood pellets.
Conclusion
It’s great to have a grill in your backyard to spend quality time with your family while grilling and relishing your favorite barbeque. From a safety perspective, pellet grills are the best bet.
A pellet grill saves you from flare-ups and flames going out of control, which happens in gas or charcoal grills. The smoke produced by a pellet grill is also less, and some may miss out on the authentic barbeque taste.
A Pellet grill is an ideal option; for those looking for a risk-free barbeque experience.
