The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill is made for high-end pellet smoking on a budget and won’t disappoint.

Contents

DESIGN + VERSATILITY | Precision Heat Control

Camp Chef is a company that started up in the 1990’s and aimed to provide a great outdoor cooking experience for campers, hunters, and outdoorsmen. Since then, they’ve added backyard cooking and other grills to their line. The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill is designed to be a backyard smoking grill and provides an easy but well-designed smoking experience.

The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill is a pellet smoker and grill. Pellet grills are 1/4-inch diameter piece of hardwood that looks like a small pill. Because of their small size, pellet grills burn very efficiently and leave a small amount of fine ash behind. They come in a variety of flavors ranging from apple, mesquite, or cherry to hickory or oak. The SmokePro DLX uses pellets that are stored in a hopper and are fed to a burning box at a controlled rate which is adjustable based on your desired cooking temperature.

Pellet grills burn very efficiently and leave a small amount of fine ash behind.

If you want the convenience of a gas grill, but the flavor of wood or charcoal, the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill is a great option. It comes with digital temperature control and selection systems as well as a stainless steel meat probe. A large capacity pellet hopper (18 lbs of pellets) feeds pellets directly into the burn box which is controlled by the LCD dual-temp grilling thermometer. This allows for precision cooking and smoking. If you’re hoping to add versatility to the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill, the clever folks at Camp Chef have designed an optional Propane Sear Box that can be attached to the Camp Chef SmokePro pellet grills. The Propane Sear Box gets hot and ranges in temps from 480 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit, a perfect option for reverse seared steaks.

Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill Review How it Works

The hopper that holds the pellets has a drain to empty pellets if you won’t be using the grill for a long time or to use a different wood/flavor. This drain is located on the back of the grill (on the opposite side as the grease drain chute) and can be emptied by hanging a bucket on the chute to catch the pellets. There are both advantages and design flaws with this chute. It is opened by a pull out knob and held in place by a sliding vertical tab. However, this tab doesn’t lock in place effectively and can easily pop open if bumped or while removing the grill cover. Some users ended up taping the knob shut to keep it in place.

SAFETY + DURABILITY | Grease Management System

The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill is similar to other backyard grills in that it’s coated with powder coated steel that will stand up to the elements and avoid rust. The main cooking grate is enamel coated steel. The upper warming rack, drip pan, and heat deflector are all made with stainless steel which will prevent rust and wear. An adjustable smoke stack cap helps control smokiness inside the grill as well as temperature.

Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill Review

Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill

Pellet grills are usually very expensive and it’s hard to find one for under $1,000. When they cost less than $1,000, there are usually fewer features or a lighter build to compensate for the lower cost. With the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill, it’s built with thinner metal to compensate for the lower price. The lid is thin and can be prone to warping which can affect how the lid fits tightly to the body.

The grease management system…prevents grease from dripping directly on the open flame…

A great safety feature with the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill and other pellet grills, unlike other smokers we’ve reviewed, is the grease management system. This prevents grease from dripping directly on the open flame which can be a fire hazard caused by flare-ups. The grease drips onto a slanted tray underneath your feast and slowly drips down a chute where a bucket or tray can be hung to collect the drippings. This is also useful if you like to save drippings for other cooking uses.

PERFORMANCE | High-End Features

Ease-of-Use

One of the best parts about a pellet grill is the easy features. The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill has some very convenient and thoughtful features, some that you won’t even find in a high-end pellet smoker. Although pellets don’t create a lot of ash, it’s important to clean your grill regularly. With many pellet grills, you have to manually remove the ash or vacuum it out. You also have to remove drip pans and grill grates to access the ash on other pellet grills. The SmokePro DLX has an ash removal system. There’s a special “trap door” under the fire pot. Just pull a lever and the ash dumps into an ash can for easy ash disposal. It’s still important to make sure the smoke box is cleaned out periodically, but you shouldn’t have to worry about a clogged fire pot that could affect the burning performance.

The SmokePro DLX has an ash removal system.

With an overall weight of 140 lbs, this beast isn’t easy to transport. There are roller wheels attached to two legs of the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill for easy transport around your yard. There’s also a side shelf for setting all your spices, plates, and accessories on. An included warming rack attaches to the back inside of the grill for more cooking and warming space.

Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill Review Ash Removal System

Easy ash removal system is unique for pellet grills

Two seriously easy features included are the electronic auto-start ignition and the Shutdown Mode. The auto-start ignition starts up your pellets with the push of a button. Also, shut down the burn by switching to shutdown mode on the front LCD control panel. For more outdoor, high-end technology, check out the best Bluetooth speakers and outdoor antennas.

Best Features

If precision cooking and smoking is your game, you’ll love the digital temperature control and selection options. It comes with a stainless steel meat probe, definitely a better option than built-in lid thermometers like other smokers we’ve reviewed. If you want a true temperature of your cooks, it’s always the best option to go with a grilling thermometer that inserts directly into the meat or sits next to your food to get a true reading.

You are able to set your desired temp, safely walk away …and let your meat smoke for hours on end.

The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill has a souped-up notched dial controller that provides thermostatic control and the dual LED readout that toggles between the internal meat temp and the cooking temperature inside the smoker. The dial controller helps you set the desired cooking temperature for “set it and forget it” cooking. With this grill, you are able to set your desired temp, safely walk away thanks to the auto-fed pellet system, and let your meat smoke for hours on end. Check out some awesome hammocks to nap in while your feast cooks!

Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill Review Grilling Thermometer Control Panelv

And the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill isn’t only packed full of high-tech features, it also has the capacity to smoke and cook large amounts of food. With 429 square inches of primary cooking space and up to 573 square inches of total cooking space (thanks to the included warming rack), the SmokePro DLX can feed the crowds. You can safely fit large racks of ribs or four birds at a time inside the smoker. The large capacity pellet hopper doesn’t leave you worrying whether the pellets will run out, either. Also, an adjustable smoke chimney helps control the smokiness for a stronger smoke flavor.

PRICE + LONGEVITY | Lighter Construction for Better Price

Longevity

The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill is a great pellet grill for this price but isn’t built as heavy-duty as higher-end pellet grills. The lid is made of a thinner metal than other pellet grills and even other smokers we’ve reviewed. This is done to keep the price at a minimum but sometimes can cause a less sturdy construction.

…isn’t built as heavy-duty as higher-end pellet grills.

However, the outside of the SmokePro DLX is coated with a baked powder enamel, a common coating for outdoor grills, and known to stand up to the elements. Make sure you buy a cover for this model, though, as the construction isn’t as sturdy as other outdoor grills we’ve reviewed. If taken care of and stored properly, the SmokePro DLX should last many years and serve you well.

Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill Review Good for Baking

Bake anything from pies to pizzas

Price

Like mentioned before, pellet grills and smokers usually run over $1,000. What it takes to get to this price is keeping the metal content to a minimum, causing a weaker build. However, with the price well under $1,000, the features and usefulness of the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill are well worth price. There are even a few features on this smoker that you can’t find with high-end pellet grills. Also, Camp Chef is a very reliable company that has great customer service available Mon-Thurs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and also live chat on their website. The warranty for their pellet grills lasts up to 3 years past the purchase date (if purchased after 2017).

PROS

  • 573 square inches of total cooking space
  • Automatic pellet feeder for consistent and precise temp control
  • Included stainless steel meat probe thermometer
  • Easy ash removal system
  • Automatic electronic start and Shutdown Mode

CONS

  • Lightweight construction with thin metal lid
  • Pellet removal chute has design flaws

THE BOTTOM LINE | Pellet Smoking on a Budget

The Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill has high-end features of more expensive pellet grills built into a better price tag. This convenient smoker comes with an automatic feeding pellet design that keeps pellets flowing for consistent and precise burning temperatures. This allows for a perfect smoke on your meats with whatever flavor you choose like hickory, oak, cherry, or mesquite to name a few. The smoke chimney also allows you to control the smokiness of your feast on around 573 square inches of total cooking area.

Perhaps the best and most useful features of the Camp Chef SmokePro DLX Pellet Grill are the notched dial controller that provides thermostatic control and the dual LED readout that toggles between the internal meat temp and the cooking temperature inside the smoker. An included stainless steel probe thermometer helps you get a precise reading for your cuts, and the thermostatic control helps you set the desired temp for cooking for a “set it and forget it” smoking experience. The easy ash removal system is something you won’t find with other smokers we’ve reviewed and is perfect for easy maintenance. The SmokePro DLX is made for perfect pellet smoking on a budget and won’t disappoint.