Best Wood Fired Grills for Searing (2026)
Direct flame, high heat, and steakhouse crusts. Tested with hundreds of steaks.
Pellet grills are built for low and slow smoking. Searing is where most of them fall short. I have tested every major pellet grill on the market for sear quality, and the differences are massive. Some hit 650F over open flame. Others max out at 450F with nothing but indirect heat between your steak and a great crust.
The rankings below focus on one thing: how well each grill puts a hard sear on a thick cut steak. I tested with 1.5 inch ribeyes, reverse seared from 225F to a 130F finish. Sear time, crust depth, and overall results determined the order. If you cook steaks regularly and want a pellet grill that handles both smoking and searing, this page tells you exactly which ones deliver.
Fair warning: true searing on a pellet grill requires direct flame access. Only two grills on this list have it. The third makes the cut because its smoke flavor compensates for a softer crust. Here is how they stack up.
Searing Picks at a Glance
Weber SmokeFire EX6
The searing king that hits 600F and bridges the gap between pellet and gas grills
Our Testing Notes
The SmokeFire EX6 hits 600F. That is the highest max temp of any pellet grill I have tested, and the sear quality shows it. I put 1.5 inch ribeyes on the porcelain enameled grates at max heat and had a dark, even crust in 90 seconds per side. The Gen 2 redesign completely eliminated the flare up issues that haunted the original SmokeFire. In 8 months of testing, I have had zero flame incidents. The Weber Connect app walks you through the searing process step by step, which is a nice touch for cooks learning the reverse sear method.
Who Should Buy This
Anyone who wants the absolute highest searing temps from a pellet grill. If you sear steaks weekly and refuse to keep a separate charcoal or gas setup, the SmokeFire EX6 removes that compromise entirely. The 1,008 sq in of cooking space also makes it a capable smoker for large cooks.
Standout Features
600F is the story. No other pellet grill reaches this temperature. Porcelain enameled grates hold heat well for searing. The grill can also smoke low and slow at 150F, giving you the full range. Weber Connect app provides guided searing programs. And the Gen 2 fire pot redesign solved the reliability concerns.
Where It Falls Short
The searing zone is the full grate, not a dedicated section like the Camp Chef Slide and Grill. At 600F, the entire grill is screaming hot, so you cannot smoke on one side and sear on the other simultaneously. At 178 lbs, it is one of the heaviest grills here. And the Weber brand premium means you pay more than competitors with similar searing capability.
Camp Chef Woodwind WiFi 36
Slide and Grill technology lets you sear directly over flame
Our Testing Notes
I have seared hundreds of steaks on the Woodwind, and it outperforms every other pellet grill I have tested for this purpose. The Slide and Grill feature is the reason. Pull a lever, the heat diffuser plate slides open, and your food sits directly over the fire pot. Flame hits the grates at 650F+. I timed it: 90 seconds per side on a 1.5 inch ribeye gives you a crust that rivals a steakhouse. No other pellet grill on the market matches this without modifications or workarounds.
Who Should Buy This
Anyone who wants to smoke AND sear on the same grill without compromise. If you reverse sear steaks regularly, or you are tired of firing up a separate charcoal chimney just to finish a cook, the Woodwind solves that problem completely. It is also the pick for cooks who refuse to choose between a pellet smoker and a gas grill.
Standout Features
Slide and Grill is the headline, and it deserves to be. The transition from smoking at 225F to searing at 650F takes about 30 seconds. The PID controller holds smoking temps within 5 degrees, so the low and slow portion of a reverse sear is locked in. The Ash Kickin cleanout handles the extra ash that high heat searing produces. And the Sidekick attachment adds a propane burner for even more searing options.
Where It Falls Short
The searing zone is limited to the area directly above the fire pot, roughly a 12 inch circle. You can sear two steaks at a time comfortably, maybe three if they are small. For a dinner party of eight, you are searing in batches. The paint on the exterior can bubble near the fire pot area after heavy searing sessions. And the Sidekick costs extra if you want the propane sear option.
Pit Boss Pro Series 1150
Massive cooking space at a price that won't break the bank
Our Testing Notes
The Pit Boss flame broiler is a simpler version of what Camp Chef does with Slide and Grill. Pull a lever, a plate slides open, and heat radiates up more directly toward the grates. It does not expose food to open flame the way the Woodwind does, but it gets meaningfully hotter than a standard pellet grill in sear mode. I measured grate temps around 550F to 575F with the broiler open. That is enough for a solid sear, just not a steakhouse quality crust. For the price, though, it is hard to complain.
Who Should Buy This
Budget minded cooks who want some searing ability without paying premium prices. If you sear steaks occasionally but smoking is your primary use case, the Pit Boss gives you good enough searing at a much lower price than the Woodwind. The 1,150 square inches also means you can smoke a whole brisket and then sear steaks on the same day.
Standout Features
The flame broiler lever is simple and effective. Pull it, wait 5 minutes for temps to climb, and sear. The 5 year warranty covers the flame broiler mechanism. WiFi lets you monitor the low and slow portion of a reverse sear from inside. And the massive cooking area means you are never fighting for grate space when searing multiple items.
Where It Falls Short
The flame broiler does not expose food to direct flame like Camp Chef. You get radiant heat, not open fire. The result is a good sear but not a great one. Temperature recovery after opening the lid during searing is slow, about 3 to 4 minutes. And the grates are porcelain coated, which does not retain heat as well as cast iron for searing.
Traeger Ironwood XL
WiFi enabled workhorse with D2 controller and Super Smoke mode
Our Testing Notes
Let me be honest: the Traeger Ironwood is not a searing machine. It hits 500F max, all indirect heat, no direct flame access. But it makes this list because it does everything else so well that you can still get a respectable sear with the right technique. I use cast iron on the Ironwood. Put a Lodge skillet on the grate, crank to 500F, let the skillet preheat for 20 minutes, then sear. The D2 controller holds 500F steadily, and Super Smoke mode gives the steak incredible flavor during the low and slow phase. The sear is not as good as the Woodwind, but the overall steak is still excellent.
Who Should Buy This
Cooks who prioritize smoke flavor and are willing to use a cast iron workaround for searing. If you want the best possible smoke flavor (Super Smoke mode is genuinely outstanding) and you do not mind the extra step of using a cast iron skillet, the Ironwood produces a reverse seared steak that tastes better than what most grills can deliver. The smoke makes up for the softer crust.
Standout Features
Super Smoke mode between 165F and 225F adds a level of smoke flavor that no other grill on this list can match. The D2 controller hits 500F and holds it without wavering. WiFIRE app integration is the smoothest of any pellet grill. The pellet sensor prevents mid cook fuel shortages. And 880 square inches gives you room to smoke and sear at the same time using a cast iron on one side.
Where It Falls Short
No direct flame access. Period. The 500F max is indirect heat only, which means longer sear times and less crust than the Camp Chef or Pit Boss. You need a cast iron skillet to get decent results. The 20 lb hopper drains faster at max temp. And you are paying premium prices for a grill that requires a workaround for one of the most popular cooking techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you actually sear on a pellet grill?
Yes, but not all pellet grills sear equally. Most pellet grills top out at 450F to 500F with indirect heat, which is enough for a decent sear but not a true steakhouse crust. The Camp Chef Woodwind changes the game with its Slide and Grill feature, which exposes your food to direct flame. That gets you the 600F+ searing temps you need for a proper Maillard reaction. The Pit Boss flame broiler offers a similar concept. Standard pellet grills without direct flame access will give you color, but not the deep crust you get from a cast iron skillet or charcoal grill.
What is the reverse sear method on a pellet grill?
Reverse sear means smoking your steak low and slow first (around 225F) until the internal temp hits about 115F to 120F, then finishing with a hard sear at maximum heat. On a pellet grill with direct flame (like the Camp Chef Woodwind), you smoke with the diffuser closed, then slide it open and sear directly over the fire pot. On a standard pellet grill, you smoke first, then move the steak to a screaming hot cast iron pan. The result is an edge to edge medium rare with a perfect crust. I reverse sear every thick steak I cook.
What temperature do you need for a good sear?
You need at least 450F for a decent sear, but 550F to 650F is where the magic happens. The Maillard reaction (that brown, caramelized crust) accelerates dramatically above 500F. The Camp Chef Slide and Grill hits 650F over direct flame. The Pit Boss flame broiler gets close to 600F. The Traeger Ironwood maxes out at 500F with indirect heat only, which means longer sear times and less crust development. For steaks, hotter is better. Every second matters.
Do I need a separate grill for searing if I have a pellet grill?
It depends on your pellet grill. If you have a Camp Chef Woodwind with Slide and Grill, no. You can smoke and sear on the same machine without missing a beat. If you have a standard pellet grill without direct flame access, you have two options: keep a cast iron skillet or a small charcoal chimney nearby for finishing sears, or crank the pellet grill to max and accept a softer crust. I used to keep a separate charcoal setup just for searing until I switched to the Woodwind.
What cuts of meat benefit most from searing on a pellet grill?
Thick cut steaks (ribeye, NY strip, tomahawk) benefit the most. The reverse sear method on a pellet grill produces better results than a standard gas grill for cuts over 1.5 inches thick. Pork chops, lamb chops, and tri-tip also sear beautifully. Burgers and thinner cuts do not benefit as much because they cook through too fast during the sear. For thin steaks under an inch, skip the low and slow step and just sear hot and fast.