Wood pellet grills and smokers make a versatile, fast, and better option than gas or charcoal grills. Besides, the wood pellet grills are a fantastic way to get authentic wood fire flavor in a convenient and easy operational approach.
The operational cost is another critical consideration when purchasing a wood pellet grill. I think the cost of the pellet is part of my wood pellet smoker reviews.
“So, how much does it cost to operate the pellet grill?”
This post explains what to expect regarding how much it costs to operate wood pellet grills.
Calculate the cost of a pellet grill
The operational cost for a wood pellet grill or the pellet smoker comprises 2 things
- Pellets
- Electricity
purchasing the wood pellets to get the heat and electricity to power the digital control electronics, the auger, and the fan.
You could consider powering the electronics using a battery from a solar system or another backup system to eliminate the utility bill.
Amazingly, some pellet grills feature a power inverter, which converts 12-volt power from the car battery into standard 120 volts power, with several power outlets.
While wood pellet grills require electricity to operate efficiently, energy consumption is low. Ideally, the pellet grills would use between 300-500 watts to power the igniter and less than 60 watts to keep the electronics on.
Once the wood pellets light up adequately, the igniter switches off.
In the case of electric smokers compared to pellet smokers, they rely on electricity to produce heat. Therefore, the electric smoker will run on 800 watts, compared to the 50 watts consumed by the pellet smoker.
The cost of wood pellets fuel depends on several factors. For instance, if the raw materials are scarce, it results in a high price for wood pellets.
In addition, the cost of pellets depends on the type. Corn pellets may be cheaper than wood pellets. Besides, hardwood pellets cost more than softwood pellets or biomass pellets.
Buying pellets in bulk will help to control the overall cost. Besides, bulk buying is an excellent way to stock up on fuel.
Will Double-Wall Pellet Grills Reduce Pellet Consumption?
Twin wall pellet grills or smokers reduce pellet consumption and produce better barbecue. Consider that the single-wall pellet grill loses more heat and is faster than the double-wall pellet grill.
The twin-wall grill will cost more compared to the single-wall pellet grill. However, you could end up saving more in operational costs, which makes sense.
As an alternative, you can also use an insulated pellet grill cover that most of the brands offer nowadays.
Will Pellet Grills Use a Lot Of Pellets?
An average pellet consumption of 1 Lb per hour on a low and slow cook by average temperatures is what I found.
The wood pellet usage depends on the temperature setting and the weather conditions. Typically, wind and cold increase pellet consumption. Besides, high-temperature grilling will consume more pellets to produce the desired temperature.
The average price of pellets for pellet grills is about $2 per pound.
With an average use of 1.5 pounds of pellets per hour, it will cost you $3 per hour.
Can I Use Pellet Grills Without Electricity?
You cannot use pellet grills without electricity because the electronics like temperature settings, auger, and fan need electrical power to function. Therefore, you can connect your grill to an alternative power source in case of power failure. Alternatives include a battery or generator.
Do Pellet Grills Consume A lot of electricity?
Pellet grills use about 400-500 watts upon startup. After the wood pellets are lit up, the igniter goes off, and the electricity consumption Is between 50 and 75 watts.
With an average of 10.5 cents per Kilowatt a pellet grill will cost you 8 cents per hour in electricity.
Conclusion
Pellet grills are worth the price for those who want to bake or grill. They are cheaper to operate than electrical and charcoal grills. Ideally, the cost of running the pellet grills depends on the number of pellets consumed. And this is in combination with the type of pellets used and the size of the pellet grill.
Overall, pellet grills cost less to operate compared to gas and electric grills. On average the cost of using a pellet grill comes down to about $3 per hour.
Robert Chill
Robert Chill loves to cook on pellet grills and uses all types of recipes and techniques to cook some awesome food. With his experience, he is able to share many reviews, tips, and ideas on how to buy a pellet grill. You can read more about him here