Camp Chef is considered one of the top-tier outdoor cooking and grilling names. Using a unique manufacturing method known as Vertical Burn technology, they have created some remarkable products, and I think it’s best to know who makes camp chef pellet grills.
Vista Outdoor Inc. designs and manufactures camp chef pellet grills. However, Camp Chef is a brand that offers grills, stoves, and outdoor cooking accessories built to handle rigorous outdoor conditions. Realizing the need for everyday products that offer simplicity, Camp Chef has created the perfect solution for urban grilling and portable camping stoves.
Camp chef pellet grills are excellent for amateur chefs and professionals alike. With one of these handy pellet grills, you can smoke, cook, sear, grill, and bake anything ranging from gourmet pizzas to wood-grilled salmon in style.
Are Camp Chef Pellet Grills Good Products?
If you are looking for an easy and efficient way to grill, smoke, or heat food, then a Camp Chef Pellet Grill is something that you must consider. Because of their convenience and ease, there is no better way to cook in the great outdoors than with a Camp Chef Grill.
Camp Chef pellet grills are known for their ability to smoke, grill, and cook quickly and efficiently. A heating rod within each burner helps distribute heat more evenly.
Also, it is known for its patented heat diffuser system, which evenly spreads the heat throughout the cooking surface while also absorbing excess heat that would have been lost to the outside. It allows meats and vegetables to cook more thoroughly and evenly than a traditional grill, resulting in more flavorful meals.
Who Makes Camp Chef Pellet Grills?
Vista Outdoor is a leading global designer and manufacturer of consumer products in the growing outdoor sports and recreation markets. They agreed with Camp Chef to acquire its pellet grills business.
Vista Outdoor brands include Bell, Blackburn®, Bollé®, Bushnell®, CamelBak®, Camp Chef®, Giro®, Primos®, and Jimmy Styks®.
Camp chef pellet grills feature Smart Smoke Technology and digital temperature control that automatically feeds pellets into the burner to maintain your desired temperature. Camp Chef grills are designed with porcelain-coated food grates and removable upper cooking racks so that you can easily smoke, grill, and sear your food.
Where Are Camp Chef Pellet Grills Made?
Camp Chef is headquartered outside Salt Lake City, Utah. We have manufacturing facilities in St. George, Utah, and McPherson, Kansas. The Camp Chef pellet grills are designed and manufactured in Utah, USA.
However, they also have manufacturing operations and facilities in 13 U.S. States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and international customer service, sales, and sourcing operations in Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, and New Zealand.
About The Manufacturer
Camp Chef invented the pellet grill and has perfected it. Twenty years ago, the company built our first pellet grill and has been working hard to build the best pellet grills in the world ever since. They build them tough and build them to last, but we’ll be there to help if anything should happen.
The company was founded in 1990 and made outdoor cooking more accessible and more enjoyable with high-quality barbeques, smokers, spits, and everything you ever needed to love the great outdoors.
However, the brand’s mission is to provide a fun, healthy, and flexible family which creates memories around a campfire or backyard fire pit. We are committed to providing excellent products at an exceptional value along with outstanding customer service.
Camp Chef Pellet Grills Reviews
Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill
The professional-style Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill boasts durable stainless steel construction and a powerful towering fan that releases convection heat and smoke throughout the unit. The included temperature probe allows you to monitor internal cooking temperatures precisely.
It provides you with complete control of how fast or slow your food cooks. In addition, dual meat probes let you monitor the internal temperature of whatever you’re smoking.
Every feature this pellet grill offers has been designed with the cook in mind, making your life easier and allowing you to focus on what it’s all about.
Camp Chef SmokePro PG24MZG
The Camp Chef SmokePro PLG24MZG Wood Pellet Grill is the one for you. Perfect for beginners, this combo has everything you need to start grilling and smoking delicious meals. The included digital temperature controller and the 7″ LCD help you to keep an eye on your cooking progress, even if you’re grilling at night.
This smoker is made from high-quality materials, including a stainless steel lid, pipe, and firebox, as well as a powder-coated side shelf and legs.
The large hopper and digital controls are nice but don’t justify the extra cost. It is an excellent grill for those with limited space or who like to grill on their apartment patio.
Camp Chef PG24STX SmokePro
The Camp Chef SmokePro is hands down one of the best pellet grills on the market. Not only is it large enough to feed your family and friends, but it can also be used to smoke amazing ribs and fish while you are camping. It comes fully equipped with features like a digital controller, porcelain-coated aluminum heat diffuser plates, and a hopper that can hold enough pellets for 40 hours of smoking.
The spacious cooking surface gives you more than ample room for turkey, chicken, and vegetables – as well as your favorite marinades. And thanks to a temperature-controlled fan, it maintains a consistent temperature throughout the entire process.
However, you can talk directly to a pitmaster with this innovation. Still, it also allows the cook to monitor temperature on all the smart devices through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB connection. A full-length drip tray helps to keep the grates clean and makes cleaning up much easier.
The system is equipped with an auto-igniter so that you can start grilling your food as soon as it’s done cooking without having to wait for the fire to start first.
Camp Chef SmokePro SG
Camp Chef Smokepro SG 24B Pellet Grill will help you transform any backyard BBQ into a head-turning event. The stainless steel lid, lower cooking shelves, and upper warming rack are just the beginning.
This grill features a unique ash cleanout system that has extinguished all of the problems associated with using a pellet grill – making cleaning up after grilling easier than ever.
Additionally, The smokestack placement at the back of the grill allows for a wide range of heat levels. It gives you more control when grilling. The sliding plate for adjusting pellet flow means added precision over classic pellet grills.
Camp Chef SmokePro SGX
The Camp Chef SmokePro SGX is a wood pellet smoker that offers you a good level of smoking, roasting, and searing. It makes it an excellent all-in-one smoker because you can work with various foods. Meats like chicken, turkey, pork, and fish make the best meals when roasted and smoked on this unit.
The grill is designed for versatile and reliable grilling, packing several exciting features that take grilling to the next level. Smart Smoke Technology powered by this smoker uses a digital temperature controller with automatic auger feed pellets. The PID system tracks your cooking temperatures and makes minor adjustments as needed.
You will have control over your cooking process and focus on more important things like getting together with friends and family.
Camp Chef SmokePro XT
The SmokePro XT features a Smart Smoke Technology that automatically maintains a constant cooking temperature. This Camp Chef pellet grill has an intelligent digital temperature controller and an internal sensor.
The Camp Chef SmokePro XT allows you to keep an eye on your temperature while you’re cooking. And with a large cooking area, it makes it easy to sear, smoke, and bake.
Camp Chef Pellet Grills Buying Guide
Cooking Surface Area
One of the most important factors in purchasing a pellet grill is your model’s amount of cooking space. The Cooking Surface Area measures the diameter of your grates, which gives you an idea of how much space you have to cook. Models with at least 435 square inches will suit most people’s needs.
A good rule of thumb is to determine the total area of your grill in square inches. When calculating the cooking surface, count both primary and secondary cooking areas.
Meanwhile, A small pellet grill may be sufficient for cooking just a few pieces of meat, but larger grills are better suited to feeding a group of people.
Hopper Capacity
The hopper capacity means the number of pellets that can be poured into the hopper at one time. The hopper will often come with a plastic bucket used to measure how many pellets can fit in the hopper. Keep in mind that when you are done cooking, you will want a room to dump out any leftovers into the trash.
However, the hopper capacity of pellet grills can vary widely, so it’s important to understand what you’re getting. Camp chef pellet grills have anywhere from 18 pounds to 650 pounds of capacity.
Temperature Range
The temperature range is an important factor. Maximum temperature determines the highest temperature your grill can reach, while minimum temperature is the lowest. A wider minimum-to-maximum range allows you to sear meat at high temperatures and slow cook at low temperatures, while a narrower range requires you to remove meat and adjust the lever in between.
Camp Chef’s grill controllers have a temperature range between 150°F and 500°F. It gives you the flexibility to grill at a low temperature for smoking or a high temperature for grilling.
Temperature Controls
Temperature Controls are an important feature for any pellet grill. It prevents you from having to watch the temperature at all times to make sure it’s where you want it. The temperature control allows the user to input what temperature they want the grill to reach. The damper on the grill will automatically open or close to maintain that temperature.
Some grills utilize a PID controller, while others use a P-Switch which determines how fast heat is added by feeding more pellets into the hopper. A PID controller is more accurate as it can control exactly how much heat you are adding, but this can lead to higher fluctuations in temperature because it adds/removes heat rapidly as needed.
However, there are currently three different temperature control systems on camp chef Pellet Grills:
1. pellet feed control system
2. PID controller
3. Automatic feed system (How often the grill feeds pellets into the fire to maintain a constant temperature).
Construction Material
There is a big difference in the construction of different pellet grills. Construction materials include stainless steel, powder-coated steel, and porcelain-coated cast iron.
While most pellet grills are made of steel parts, the construction materials of the grill body vary. Some cheaper smokers have parts that rust when they contact moisture.
Camp Chef pellet grills are made from a lightweight metal with a finish designed to resist rusting, scratching, staining, and chipping for years of use. The cooking racks are made from premium 304 stainless steel and are porcelain-coated to prevent rusting.
Versatility
Versatility is very important; whether you want to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, or BBQ, you have a machine that can perform all of these tasks. The ability to cook anything from pizza to apple pie shouldn’t be overlooked as it gives you a wide range of menu options to choose from. A grease management system and drip tray, both of which are dishwasher-safe components.
With the ability to sear over 500°F, smoke 200°F to 550°F and bake from 180°F to 500°F, the possibilities are endless when it comes to cooking on a pellet grill.
Pellet Delivery
The timesaving benefit of pellet delivery is that it takes the guesswork from preparing a fire. Preweighed bags of pellets are available in different flavors to impart wood-smoke flavor and can be loaded into the hopper of a pellet grill as needed.
Pellet delivery is done in 99% of grills by an auger with a flighting on it (helicopter-like blades) that pushes the pellets into the firepot. There are two main fighting styles – straight or helical.
Generally speaking, if you choose, helical flighting is better than straight flights as this allows the pellet to be moved with less wear to the flighting. The newer model Camp Chefs all have helical style augers.
Types of Pellets
Like Hickory and Alder, Milder pellets will be good for smoking chicken and pork. Hardwood pellets provide an intense smoke flavor for authentic barbecue. Alder and other mild hardwoods will produce a more delicate light smoke, so use these for seafood or vegetables.
Different types of wood produce different flavors, so if you enjoy smoking meats, try experimenting with different pellets to see which ones you like best.
Size and Built
A grill that is too small won’t cook the amount of food you want to produce, while a huge grill may not allow enough heat to stay in the cooking chamber to sear or smoke your foods properly. Camp Chef offers various sized grills to help ensure you get the right size and features you need.
A grill that is too small won’t cook the amount of food you want to produce, while a huge grill may not allow enough heat to stay in the cooking chamber to sear or smoke your foods properly. Camp Chef offers various sized grills to help ensure you get the right size and features you need.
Portability
Portable pellet grills provide a lot of conveniences. They can go nearly anywhere, making them great for tailgating or road trips. Some have folding legs that put the grill at waist height for comfortable cooking. Make sure the grill you choose has shelves or built-in hooks to hold tools and condiments, especially a tiny unit.
Portable pellet grills allow you to travel and grill wherever you can get to, making camping and tailgating easy as pie.
The portability of a pellet grill is determined by its wheels and folding down the legs. Also, look at the latch system to ensure that the grill has a suitable locking mechanism.
Pellet Consumption
Pellet consumption depends on many different factors, including but not limited to: being off-grid or not, wind distance to the target temperature, moisture in pellets, temperature setpoint, ambient temperature, and atmospheric conditions.
However, choosing wood pellets for smoking meat is slightly different than selecting pellets for other types of grills. The flavor, consistency, and burn time play a significant role in ensuring that you get the best results possible from your smoker or grill. Because of this, it’s important to do some research before buying your pellets and pellet grill or smoker.
Weight
The more weight capacity you have, the lighter the pellets and accessories can be. A general rule is to pick a grill with at least 150 lbs of weight capacity per person your grill will be feeding.
Camp Chef pellet grill weight varies from approximately 80 lbs. to 155 lbs. depending on the model. Pellet grills are built out of steel and are very durable. A gauge of 20-gauge steel is used to determine the thickness of a sheet of metal. The smaller the number, the thicker your steel will be. Some models have a 16-gauge build-out of thickness, while others have a 20-gauge.
Warranty
Camp Chef offers three levels of warranty: one year, five years, and lifetime. The one-year warranty covers all defects in materials and workmanship. The five-year warranty covers all parts of the burn pot and housing, while the lifetime warranty is on the grill’s body.
How to Use Camp Chef Pellet Grills
Camp Chef pellet grills are unique, versatile, easy to use, and delicious. Follow these simple steps:
1. Remove the igniter rod and place it on a dry surface. Note where the wires connect to the rod for proper reinstallation.
2. Using either a cleaning brush or rag, swab a thin layer of alcohol on the exposed end of the ignitor rod.
3. Connect the ignitor rod back onto the previously unplugged plug from the controller and reconnect it.
4. Turn your Camp Chef pellet grill to “High” and operate until smoke is being created, and then shut off your grill
However, Camp Chef pellet grills are wood-fired cooking systems fueled by all-natural hardwood pellets. It utilizes a range of temperatures from 175°F to 400°F and offers a digital control board with multiple choices for convenient, flexible cooking.
The convenience of the automatic hopper pellets means less time spent monitoring your food, while the simple temperature settings make it easy to avoid wasting fuel. Clean-up is fast, and thanks to the spill-proof grease bucket design and its ash cleaning system, which sucks the ash out of the bottom of the grill into a liner below, you can spend more time enjoying your meal and less time tending to your grill.
How to Clean Camp Chef Pellet Grills
Camp Chef pellet grills prefer to stay clean. It is not just for the uncluttered look but also so the natural non-stick surface that our high-heat ceramic coating provides will last as long as possible. Here are a few important tips to keep your grill in tip-top shape.
Step 1. Completely power off your grill. When you have finished using the grill, turn off the power switch, which is located on the left-hand side of the panel above the control knob.
Step 2. Dump out any remaining pellets from the hopper into a safe container or location that can easily be cleaned afterward.
Step 3. Lightly brush any ashes from your grill into an ash bucket or similar receptacle, and dispose of it in an approved manner.
Common Problems and Solutions of Camp Chef Pellet Grills
Auger Not Turning
If your auger is not turning, ensure that the temperature control knob is in the off position and that the ignition/auger switch is set to on (if you are using a pin switch). You may also need to replace your auger motor.
To get the auger feed motor to turn, perform the following:
1. Verify that the unit is not plugged into a GFCI outlet.
2. Verify that there are no electrical tripping issues. Verify voltage at the appliance end of the cord with a meter. If necessary, unplug from house receptacle and hardwire directly to house current (3 wire).
3. Remove hopper lid and verify feed boot is not frozen together due to moist/wet pellets freezing overnight. Perform any necessary cleaning of corrosion or pellet fouling.
4. Turn the large knob on the right side of the control panel to smoke setting and pull the trigger on the propane tank open just a bit to relieve pressure in the line and let propane enter burner tube and burn off excess unburned fuel odor (if present).
5. Ensure the control panel frame does not contact any part of the smoker, blocking it from opening up when ignited.
6. Manually push auger button-down behind access door above hopper if auger does not engage when the power switch is turned on, and temperature probe is inserted into the access hole.
7. Confirm grill has power by plugging in any 120-volt appliance into a 120-volt outlet in the control panel of the grill
Ash Buildup
Ash buildup will affect operating temperatures and start-up times. However, Ash should be removed when it accumulates to approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch on the bottom of the firepot.
Three things can cause this buildup:
- Not cleaning after every use
- Overloading your hopper with too many pellets
- Leaving pellets in your hopper for more than two weeks
The easiest way to prevent ash buildup is to clean your grill after every use and keep your hopper filled with fresh pellets.
Some ash is okay to have within the fire pot as it insulates the flames and helps promote better combustion. However, too much ash can restrict airflow to your burn pot and cause the burn pot to overheat.
The Fan Is Not Working
If your smokestack fan is not working, the reason is one of three things: The battery might be dead, a fuse might be out (this may be the fan itself), or your temperature probe may be damaged.
First, unplug the grill and remove the fan from the main control panel to check the fan. Apply 12VDC power to the fan, and if any sound occurs, that means that it is working. If there is no sound, first try to clean the fan’s blades with a can of compressed air or replace it altogether.
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped you decide on the best grill for you after knowing who makes camp chef pellet grills and the country where they are manufactured.
Camp Chef is a larger grill manufacturer with several more advanced models. They are relatively well-known in the industry but not exactly best-selling grills. As such, they come in more in the mid-range of pellet grills.
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.