How Long Do Pellets Last In A Pellet Grill

As a grill enthusiast, you may either own a pellet grill or may be contemplating investing in one. Faster grilling time, as well as a rich, smokey flavor, are definite characteristics of grilling your food over pellet grills.

However, getting your very own pellet grill comes with a set of considerations that you have to keep in mind before diving into the world of pellet grilling yourself. A huge factor that influences most of your pellet grilling experience is the kind of pellets you’ll be using – and here, you’ll find a thorough guide on how long do wood pellets last and how to find the best pellets for your pellet grill.

How Fast Do Pellets Burn In A Pellet Grill

There are a few determining factors with which you can approximate how long your pellets can burn – and accordingly, take measures to extend the burning time of your pellets.

1. Grill Temperature

Naturally, a pellet grill that has been set to a higher temperature is bound to burn through pellets faster. While other factors such as the type and brands of pellets may be a huge contributing factor in ascertaining how quickly you can burn through several pounds of pellets. You can approximate how long your pellets can last in a pellet grill by closely monitoring the pellet grill’s temperature.

For instance, a pellet grill that’s been smoking at a high temperature can easily burn two entire pounds of pellets in the span of an hour. Similarly, one pound of pellets can be burnt in an hour at medium heat – while at a lower heat setting, you can expect your pellets to last around half a pound per hour.

2. Outdoor Temperature

Since pellet grills are essentially run by pellets burning through to keep the pellet grills running themselves, it is thus important to consider external factors such as the surrounding temperature.

If the temperature is colder and the weather is cloudy and darker, then a greater number of pellets might be required to sustain your pellet grill’s temperature. Thus making the pellets last for a shorter amount of time than if the weather was sunny and warm since the latter situation does not require pellets to burn through quickly.

As such, pellets burn through faster at night than during the daytime since the sun’s heat makes it possible for the pellets to not burn at greater intensities.

3. Type Of Grill Used

If you’ve taken care of the external factors affecting the burn time of your pellets, such as the temperature of the grill as well as the surrounding temperature, it is time to move on to what kind of grill you may be using.

The rate of how long does a bag of pellets last can burn largely depends on the capacity of your pellet grill itself. This rate, referred to as the burn rate of your pellet grill, is something manufacturers mention when purchasing your pellet grill.

The energy and heat produced by the pellets after burning are taken in terms of BTUs, by which you can then approximate how long it would take for you to completely burn through a bag of pellets.

4. Type Of Pellets Used

Lastly, the exact type of the pellets you’re planning to use makes a world of difference in how fast they burn – and in most cases, it might influence the flavor of the food grilled as well. The price of the pellets is, as you would expect, a determining factor in whether your pellets can last as long as possible.

More expensive pellets tend to last longer than cheap ones since the latter contains flavored oils. Additionally, it follows that you should get your pellets from a reputed brand that you can trust so as to not end up with short burn time pellets.

The size and density of the pellets themselves can make a huge difference as well – for instance, bigger and denser pellets will naturally burn for a longer time than stubby and lightweight ones.

How Long Do Pellets Last?

Now that you know how quickly your pellets can burn once they’ve been ignited, it is also important to know how long do wood pellets last and how to store your pellets when not in use so you can avoid burning your pellets through too quickly.

1. Pellet Brand

As mentioned before, it is important to look for reputed brands that promise you quality pellets that do not burn through too quickly, leading to you having to purchase your pellets more frequently.

The same can be said for storing pellets – some brands promise greater longevity in how long do wood pellets burn, so you won’t have to worry about external factors affecting your unused pellets too much. You can store your pellets for longer with some brands, so they do not start going bad too soon.

2. Storage

As you would expect, ideal storage conditions can affect the burn time as well as shelf-life of your pellets, often being the decisive factor between pellets burning too quickly when they’re on the grill or going bad too fast.

It is thus necessary to store your pellets in a dry area; it would also be a good idea to store your pellets in a container that can be sealed. As you’ll see later, humidity tends to reduce the shelf-life of pellets and renders them unable to be burnt efficiently once they’re in the grill. Additionally, to enforce fire safety, it is important to store your pellets away from anything flammable.

3. Insulation

Another factor to consider while getting a pellet grill is making sure that it has sufficient insulation. What this does is conserve energy, and the subsequent head produced efficiently, making sure that the pellets are not burnt through faster for the same amount of heat.

Thus, investing in a pellet grill with good insulation is paramount to how long your pellets might last since a grill that is poorly insulated may require more pellets just to keep it running. Hence, it’s important to look for a thermal cover to conserve as much heat as possible for your pellet grill.

4. Weather

As mentioned before, the weather makes a huge difference in ascertaining how long do pellets last. During drier and hotter temperatures, you won’t have to worry about storing your pellets or even your pellets burning through too quickly in your pellet grill.

However, with the advent of moist and cold temperatures, it is significantly more difficult to make your pellets last. During this time, storing them under a thermal blanket may ensure that your pellets last longer and do not have to burn quicker to keep your grill running.

5. Humidity

Lastly, the humidity levels have a huge role to play in pellets going bad too quickly. For instance, if humidity levels in your area are more than 10%, this means that your pellets may not be able to last as long as if the surrounding humidity was lower.

How Should Wood Pellets Be Stored?

1. Dry Space

Since moisture and humidity levels can affect your pellets quite easily, it is important to store them in a space that allows for little moisture to seep through. This is why it is advised not to store your pellets outside since they can easily be affected by moisture.

2. Closed Containers

Since it is important to avoid any moisture for your pellets, it is important to store them in containers or bags that can be sealed. Most pellets already come in resealable bags, but a good idea would be to store your pellets in a bucket with a lid instead for durability.

3. Away From Heat

Lastly, for the purposes of fire safety, it is important to store your pellets in a place far away from any sources of heat – especially flammable substances, since wood pellets are prone to burning quickly – even if they’re stored in sealed bags.

Conclusion

Pellet grills have been lauded in the grilling world recently, and it’s easy to see why. There are a number of advantages to pellet grills that make them favorable over traditional grills. However, make sure to invest in the right kind of pellets for your grill to get the most out of your pellet grilling experience!

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