The 6 Best Grills and Smokers of 2026: Smart, Portable, Pellet
Key takeaways
- The WIRED Reviews team has been testing grills for more than a decade—searing, smoking, grilling, and even baking on them in all kinds of weather—to find the best choice for everyone.
- Best Charcoal Grill for Smart UpgradesWeber Original Kettle CharcoalJump to review$139 $129 (7% off) Amazon (18-inch)
- Best Smart Pellet SmokerRecteq Flagship 1600 Pellet Smoker and GrillJump to review$1,600 BBQGuys
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
Courtesy of Amazon Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story The Grill has changed. The smoker has changed, too. Once governed mostly by feel and experience, the best grills and the best smokers now offer a fair amount of tech to measure and control temperature (think: temperature probes and fans to modulate airflow). After all, mankind's formative invention wasn't the “discovery” of fire; it was the power to control it.
The WIRED Reviews team has been testing grills for more than a decade—searing, smoking, grilling, and even baking on them in all kinds of weather—to find the best choice for everyone. These days, I've been most excited about the next-gen smart technology that allows for tight monitoring and temperature control. For instance, I tricked out my top-pick for smart upgrades, an old-fashioned Weber kettle, with the excellent Spider Venom ($280) digital temperature controller that allows me to turn my charcoal grill temps up and down like an oven. Summer is good. Also, charcoal makes all meat taste more like bacon. Mmmmm, bacon.
After you're set with the best grills and smokers, check out other backyard buying guides for all your outdoor needs, like the Best Flat Top Grills and Griddles, Best Wireless Meat Thermometers, and Best Smokeless Firepits.