【AI前沿】The 6 Best Grills and Smokers of 2026: Smart, Portable, Pellet

Matthew KorfhageGearMay 17, 2026 6:33 AMThe Best Grills of 2026: Cook Smarter, Not HarderI grilled, smoked, seared, cleaned, and synced digital temp controllers to find the best grill option for every cookout and tailgate.Courtesy of AmazonCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyThe Grill haschanged. 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 grillsfor 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 excellentSpider 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 theBest Flat Top Grills and Griddles,Best Wireless Meat Thermometers, andBest Smokeless Firepits.Best Grills of 2026Best 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$1,600BBQGuysBest Smart Charcoal GrillMasterbuilt Gravity Series 1150 Digital Charcoal GrillJump to review$1,100Home DepotBest Gas GrillWeber Spirit E-210 Gas GrillJump to review$449The Home DepotJump to SectionAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronOther Grills I RecommendA Grill to AvoidWhat to Look for in a Good GrillHow to Upgrade Dumb Grills to Smart GrillsUseful Grill AccessoriesBest Charcoal Grill for Smart UpgradesPhotograph: Matthew KorfhagePhotograph: Matthew KorfhageVideo: Matthew KorfhageChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistWeberOriginal Kettle Charcoal$139$129(7% off)Amazon (18-inch)$149Amazon (22-inch)$99Weber (All, Starting Price)WIRED/TIREDAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronWIREDSimple, durable, reliable, and affordableNear-infinite smart-tech upgrades availableLightweight and portableTIREDIt could do with better wheel nutsUpgrades often cost more than the grillI’d argue that the best way to take advantage of top smart-grill technology is to add the newest and best tech to a sturdy, old-fashioned, classic grill that’ll outlast the tech. A grill like the classic 22-inch Weber Kettle.The Weber Kettle is the infinitely hackable Honda Civic of backyard grills. Its combination of simplicity, reliability, durability, affordability, and outright ubiquity has spawned an innovative secondary market devoted to tricking out the humble cooker with smart temperature controls and more features than a multiplex.The best Weber add-on I’ve tried so far is a fan-modulated temperature controller from Spider Grills called theVenom ($280)that tracks the temperature on each cook, allowing you to heat it up or turn it down, like a stove. According to my testing, it holds your charcoal grill to temperature within about 30 degrees Fahrenheit of the target, which is great for both low-and-slow cooking and for creating repeatable sear temps for a steak. This is especially true when using the attached meat probes. The only downside is that the Venom needs to be plugged in. Might I suggest a nicepower bank?WIRED product reviewer Scott Gilbertson has favored the excellent WeberConnect Smart Hub ($70)for years, which features probes to monitor meat temps and flipping times and can alert your phone (or just your ears) when your grill hits the ideal temperature zone. However, he admits that the Hub’s USB-A charger is starting to feel a bit old-fashioned.This year, Weber is also coming out with aPerformer Smart Ring ($280)that seems to operate a lot like the Venom. If it works anywhere near as well as the Venom, I’m eager to try it out.But not every kettle upgrade worth trying is “smart.” I am in the process of testing a number of add-ons to the 22-inch Weber Kettle, including aWebcraft cooking ring ($249)from Spider that serves as a base for side shelves, arotisserie, and apizza oven conversion kit. AWeber rotisserie ($180)is also available from the Illinois mothership.Note also that there are two versions of the Weber Kettle: Original andPremium. The Premium is around $80 more and features a built-in thermometer in the lid, a hinged cooking grate, and a fancier ash-removal system. They’re the same size and feature the same cooking space. Unless you really like the easier ash-removal system, save that cash