Green Mountain pellet grills are top-of-the-line grills perfect for a home cook with a passion for grilling, smoking, and “techie grilling.” Their pellet grills are designed to cook things “low and slow” with the added benefits of wood smoke, WiFi control, and more.
In this guide, we break down the 10 most important things to consider before buying a Green Mountain pellet grill, from price, sizes, and design to ease of use, health benefits, and special features. If you’re on your way to becoming a grill master, be sure to check out our in-depth grill vs griddle comparison and try out some of the 26 best grill recipes from across the web.
Overview: Are pellet grills worth it?
Pellet grills are generally more expensive than charcoal and some gas grills because they have more features and run on electricity. Unique features of pellet grills include a hopper, induction fan, and motorized feed auger, all of which help maintain consistent temperatures and smoke levels while grilling.
Cooking with a pellet grill is a safe, environmentally friendly method that offers great temperature control, easy ignition, and reduced health risks from carcinogens associated with charcoal grilling. The use of pellets also adds a smokey flavor to food, which is desirable for many barbecue enthusiasts.
Disadvantages of pellet grills include a higher start-up cost, the need for electricity, and limited mobility. Pellet grills may not reach temperatures high enough for searing meat, and their parts can require more frequent maintenance than traditional grills. Pellets can also be more expensive than other fuel types.
10 Things to Know About Green Mountain Pellet Grills
Green Mountain Grills (GMG) is a leading brand in the wood pellet grill arena. The company, which is headquartered in Reno, Nevada, has fewer than 25 employees. Green Mountain was founded in 2006 when the Traeger Grills patent for its revolutionary three-position controller, which put pellet grills on the map, expired.
Green Mountain grills offer a variety of cool features, including WiFi, with most of their units. Green Mountain grills have a higher temperature capacity than Traeger grills, which is a strong selling point considering lower temperature capacity is a drawback of pellet grills for many buyers.
Green Mountain claims to offer better temperature control, greater fuel economy, and faster startups. We’ve taken a deep dive into their pellet grill products and have compiled what we think are the top 10 most important considerations when looking to buy a Green Mountain pellet grill.
1. Green Mountain grills are designed to cook low and slow.
As with all pellet grills, Green Mountain grills are designed to cook at low temperatures over a longer period of time through the process of convection cooking. They can also double as a smoker, using premium wood pellets to infuse food with a smokey depth of flavor.
For those who want more versatility in their grill, direct flame access on any GMG pellet gril. To use direct heat, you must also purchase a sliding grease tray accessory separately. Green Mountain grills boast a greater temperature capacity (up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit on some models) than other pellet grills, meaning they do a decent job of grilling and searing.
2. There are Green Mountain Grills for every price range.
Pellet grills in general tend to be higher priced that charcoal and many gas grills, due to their added bells and whistles and the ability to utlize new technologies in your cooking. To remain accessible to the average home cook, GMG offers two tiers of grills—Choice grills and Prime grills—at a variety of price ranges, with the ability to add on extra features and accessories as needed.
The Green Mountain Grills Prime line has some upgraded features compared to the Choice line, including a larger cooking area and a larger hopper for pellet storage. The Prime line also includes: dual meat probes, an ashvac system, top and bottom shelves, a firepot clean-out port, and an adjustable heat shield.
The Choice line comes in three sizes: Davy Crockett (portable, $389), Daniel Boone ($599), and Jim Bowie ($969). The Prime line includes the Trek (portable, $399), the Ledge ($899), and the Peak ($1,099). See their full catalog here.
3. GMG has a reputation for quality design and materials.
Although most of the company’s manufacturing happens in China, Green Mountain Grills are made of high-quality aluminum alloy and stainless steel. They are designed to be durable and long-lasting. GMG pellets are made of 100% kiln-dried sawdust and are larger than standard pellets, allowing them to burn for longer.
GMG grills utilize 12V Direct Power, a digital controller to manage internal temperature, a pellet hopper, WiFi Smart Control, a firebox, an auger system to feed pellets into the firebox, a heat rod to ignite the pellets, and heat distribution to maintain temperature control and air circulation.
4. GMG offers a variety of special features and accessories.
In addition to upwards of 1,228 square inches of cooking area on larger units, GMG products offer a hopper for storing hardwood pallets for use in the burner box) and additional storage. A digital control monitor internal cooking temperatures, a peaked lid for standing up poultry, hard rubber tires, a convenience tray, and a WiFi feature that allows you to control and monitor your grill from your home WiFi network or remotely.
GMG also offers a range of cool accessories for the serious backyard chef, including a wood-fire pizza attachment ($150) and pizza peel ($28), a rotisserie kit ($79), a camo spotlight ($70), and basics like collapsable racks, thermal grill covers, and grease tray liners. They sell apparel, too!
5. Get the GMG Prime App for more special features
The Prime App uses Wifi to allow you to control your grill from anywhere. Access recipes, create grilling profiles, monitor meat temperatures, set timers and alarms, adjust grill temperatures, calibrate air and probe temperatures, and adjust and monitor food temperatures straight from the app.
6. Green Mountain pellet grills are easy to use.
Thanks to a mix of common-sense and high-tech features, Green Mountain pellet grills are convenient and intuitive. They boast a quick start and their pellet-loading technologies keep things running smoothly. Simply load the hopper with pellets, set the temperature, and let the grill do its thing. You can use the units to smoke, roast, bake, or grill. The Wifi control and phone app allow you to easily monitor and adjust temperatures, set alarms, and monitor meat temps from your phone.
7. Pellets make a great fuel while adding flavor to your food.
GMG pellets are made of 100% kiln-dried sawdust that is guaranteed clean. The pellets are bound by the natural lignins in the wood and are larger in diameter than most pellets, meaning they burn slower and last longer than other pellets.
These high-quality pellets give your food a true wood flavor from the guaiacol release from the lignin as it burns. Experiment with different types of wood pellet to change the flavor profile of your smoked meats, and cook on a low temperature over long period to imbue your meat with a smokier flavor.
8. GMG units can be used as grills or smokers.
GMG pellet grills are designed to cook meat slowly over a low temperature, but also have an option for traditional direct-heat grilling. For direct-heat grilling, a sliding grease tray accessory must be bought separately. Because GMG units boast a greater temperature capacity (up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit on some models) than other pellet grills, they do a decent job of grilling and searing, in addition to smoking.
9. GMG pellet grills are environmentally friendly and better for your health.
GMG wood pellets are made from the sawdust of hardwoods, are held together solely with natural lignin in the woods, and contain no fillers, dyes, or additives. Therefore, they give off fewer emissions than charcoal, gas, and inferior pellet grills and create less harmful smoke.
Aside from producing less smoke, pellet grills remove fat juices through the smoking process and are able to maintain consistent heat, reducing the risk of carcinogens that occur with traditional open-flame grilling.
10. Green Mountain warrants all grills and allows for returns
Green Mountain Grills offers a 3-year warranty which covers everything except cosmetic components, paint, and powder coat. Abuse or misuse is not covered. If a grill is defective, the original purchaser can return it to GMG or a dealer for repair or replacement with the receipt from the original purchase.
During this period of warranty, GMG will replace or repair defective units returned to the company or an authorized dealer.
Summary: Pros and cons of buying a Green Mountain Pellet Grill
Pellet grills have their pros and cons, but if you are a slow-cook and smoked meat enthusiast, they are a great toy to consider. Green Mountain is a leading name in pellet grills, producing a quality product with many unique tech features—including Wifi control. Green Mountain pellet grills have a higher temperature capacity than other brands, which is a big plus considering lower temperature capacity is a main drawback of pellet grills for many buyers. Units come in a range of sizes and prices, and larger units are definitely an investment for most home cooks. Their reasonable 3-year warranty gives buyers peace of mind.
I worked at a Ace Hardware Store they had a Traeger there for customer appreciation days they let me take it home to use it the temperature jumped up and down pretty radically didn’t make much of it at the time still everything turned out pretty well but when I bought my Green Mountain Grill the temperature stays right there I can crank it up all the way Sear my steaks if that’s what I like I usually start them out slow and low and then Crank It Up after a little while I love it false free so far after 3 years I love it I use it more than anything in the house or gas grill any charcoal grill it’s our main source of cooking I love it and I would buy one again
My Daniel Boone is 7 years old now. I’ve replaced the controller, ignition stick and now the combustion fan. Use it twice a week on average.
I own 2 green mountain grills, I have a stainless steel ledge that I mostly smoke hasselback potatoes, baked beans with bacon and beef franks, bacon wrapped stuffed jalapeño poppers. I also have a stainless steel peak for my slow smoke. I run both at the same time.