In fact, the 700 series is routinely near the top of the list on Amazon rankings of sales, so it has evidently found a successful spot in the wide lineup of pellet smokers available.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ZGrill July Sale: <\/strong> The sub-$500 pellet grill exists. You can get a real pellet grill for that amount. But what kind of grill are you getting for that budget? Certainly, you can get a small or portable grill for less than $500. But can you own a grill suitable for a family of 4 or 5 at that price point? Will it work okay? Will it break?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 700 Series has several iterations, but all are basically the same fundamental parts, with slight differences in minor structural amenities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s notable about the 700 Series is how familiar it looks. It\u2019s basically a Traeger with a Z Grills badge on the lid and a printed logo on the controller. Even the shroud under the cook chamber supports this: \u201cWood Pellet Grill\u201d is debossed in the metal, in a very generic way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You might also look at the Grilla Grills Silverbac and think it\u2019s the same grill. You wouldn\u2019t be far off. They use the same \u201cbones\u201d as the Traeger and Grilla, though their internal components like grates, drip pans, heat deflectors and their controller differ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The factory that used to turn out Traegers, it seems, decided to begin building their own more inexpensive versions and sell direct. They\u00a0crowd funded the company back in 2016 on IndieGogo<\/a>\u00a0as an affordable version of the pellet grill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n How we determine space: We give a max amount, based on packing items edge to edge on the grate. A pellet grill, however, has hot spots at the front and rear edges of the grate that aren\u2019t over the drip pan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We don’t use the max amount of food that will fit on the grate. Instead we use the max amount of food you can put on the grate without burning the food.<\/strong> This effective capacity is the number of items that fit without having to rotate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, it\u2019s the capacity without being affected by the hotter edge zones of the grilling chamber. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 12 Burgers, 3 Rib Racks, 2-3 Pork Butts<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n As you can see, the Z Grills capacity is 12 standard sized burgers. We use 4.5\u201d as the standard size for burgers. The dimensions of the usable area of the grill grate\u2014the area directly above the drip pan\u2014is 24\u201dwide by 15.5\u201d deep. This brings the actual cooking area of the smoker from the measured grill grate area of 507 sq in, down to 372 sq in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All 700 models use a conventional controller, rather than the more advanced PID controller technology. Essentially, this means that it controls the temperature by changing the speed at which pellets are fed into the firepot, combined with two fans controlling airflow into the combustion process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Temperature inside the cooking chamber is monitored and the grill\u2019s controller automatically changes the feed rate and the on-off state of the fans in order to maintain this target temperature. More info on controllers can be found here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Z Grills controller has an analog dial temperature and mode selector, and a digital readout for actual smoker temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The controller has a Smoke mode, a High setting, and claims a temperature range from 180 to 450 F. There is a built-in food temperature probe input for the included food probe. The display of the grill temperature and the food probe temperature are toggled with a \u201cProbe Temp\u201d button on the controller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We tested a fully assembled grill in our offices, using our standard testing protocols. Our final summary ratings appear at the end of this review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We ordered our grill from Amazon and it arrived via regular UPS in a large box. The assembly process was fairly straightforward and took us perhaps 1-hour total. Again, we recommend self-assembly of your pellet grill, even if assembly service is offered, so that you can be assured that it is assembled correctly and also as a way to better understand your new grill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There were a few small dents in the barrel that appeared to be from the inside, as if the grill grates shifted during loading and caused dings in the metal. These were purely cosmetic. There was also a manufacturing defect in the plastic logo badge on the lid. Lastly, we noticed one paint flaw in the black paint on the lid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once assembled, we found the Z Grill 700 to be very stable, with no noticeable wobble. Aside from the smoker box flexing if you lift from that side, it seems to be of decent quality, given the price point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One note: there isn\u2019t an ounce of stainless steel on this grill. It\u2019s all powder-coated and painted steel, and a bit on the thin side, which is to be expected at this price. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Surprisingly, it\u2019s perhaps equal to or slightly better overall quality than the much-pricier Camp Chef Woodwind. The 700E and 7002E models add a stainless-steel lid but are identical everywhere else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The 700D model replaces the black grill lid, pellet hopper lid, cabinet storage doors, and smokestack cap with bronze painted steel, but are identical everywhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The look of the grill is basic all black. There is no visible chrome. The only non-black surfaces are the brushed metal lid handle, the metal handle on the pellet hopper, and the silver and black plastic logo badge on the lid. Very Vader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We were honestly quite pleased with the materials quality, given the price of this grill. It is on-par with grills like Camp Chef models which cost twice as much. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The grill feels sturdy, and the one-piece grill grate, though not stainless-steel, is substantial. Likewise, the drip pan and heat deflector are the same thickness as higher priced grills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While stainless steel is definitely going to offer longer life and better rust and corrosion resistance, at this price point you\u2019re going to be getting powder-coated steel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The important components are fairly substantial and for the price don\u2019t give us any reason to be concerned. The grill assembled easily and the parts fit together well. Welds are adequate and again, raise no warning flags. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The grill badge\/Z Grills logo is plastic and shipped with a slight mar on the finish. This is purely cosmetic, but it\u2019s not perfect. The pellet hopper lid is a bit thin, but it should hold up fine as it\u2019s not a heated area. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The pellet hopper assembly flexes up and down when lifted, owing to the flimsier connection hardware, which is often seen at grills in this price range. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, we rate the Z Grills 700 series as average materials and construction quality, which is a feat at the sub-$500 price point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this low price point, we expected spartan controls, and that\u2019s exactly what you\u2019ll get in the 700 series. The grill has a conventional dial controller, no digital PID here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Also absent is wi-fi control or even the ability to plug in meat probes. This is truly a no-frills grill. One note: Our grill came with two meat probes (??) and there is a rubber grommet to pass probe wires through to the grill chamber. Bizarre, because we don\u2019t see a model offered by Z Grills that has temperature probes in the controller, even in their larger 1000 series. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The good news, I suppose, is that if you ever replace the controller (like with a Traeger) you\u2019ll have two probes and a port to route the wires through. (This is another hing that this is a generic OEM grill with Z Grills badging applied.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n The control panel is pretty basic. There is a rocker power switch, a red LED readout, and the controller knob. There are 8 marked settings on the controller, selectable via a manual knob. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The red LED readout gives you the actual grill temp via the RTD inside the cooking chamber. One thing lacking: nothing is backlit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other than the temperature readout, you won\u2019t see anything in the dark, from the power indicator to which temperature setting is currently selected. Have a flashlight or porchlight. The red LED is very plenty visible in direct sunlight, though photographs don\u2019t often reflect this due to the imperceptible \u201cpulsing\u201d of the LED. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you simply turn off the grill and walk away? According to their own directions, the answer is no. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You must move the grill knob to the \u201cShut Down Cycle\u201d setting, allow the grill to go through that 10-minute process, and then the grill will automatically power off. Not terrible, but not the greatest thing to have to remember after your food is finished. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of the very limited temperature options, lack of backlighting, and lack of temperature probe capability, we rate the Controls as Below Average. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our temperature tests are important because the two critical components in smoking delicious food are time and temperature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The ability to accurately control temperature and cook time, combined with wood smoke, is what makes your food taste amazing and also makes the pellet smoker such a revolutionary backyard grill. Accuracy in temperatures, then, is vital for a successful cook and in a quality pellet smoker. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the month of July, you can get the upgraded 700E for\u00a0just $599\u00a0and receive\u00a0a rain cover, a flatware set, plus 2 kitchen tongs\u00a0for FREE<\/strong>
Click here for the deal<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Z](\"http:\/\/pelletgrillreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/ZGrill-19-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe notable versions in the 700 Series models are:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Z Grills 700 Basic Features<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cooking Area<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/pelletgrillreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Z-Grills-700-1.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nController Type<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/pelletgrillreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Recents-10-of-28-768x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nNotable Features and Conveniences<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Manufacturer Specs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Z Grills 700 Hands-On Review<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Overall Appearance\/Impressions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/pelletgrillreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/IMG_3664.jpeg\")
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<\/a><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\nNo Stainless Steel<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Materials Quality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/pelletgrillreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_0160-1024x576.jpeg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/pelletgrillreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_0164-1024x576.jpeg\")
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<\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\nGrill Operations and Controls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nTemp settings are in 25 degree increments on dial:<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Shut Down Cycle<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Temperature Performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/pelletgrillreviews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/ZGrill-20-1024x768.jpg\")
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