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There is no standard test for how many pellets a grill burns at 225°F, and most makers print nothing. Here is everything we found on the brands' own pages on November 7 and 8, 2026, quoted word for word, and the arithmetic that turns it into pounds per hour.
What each brand publishes
| Brand | What it publishes | Pounds per hour | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pit Boss | "A good rule of thumb is to have 2 lbs. of pellets for every hour of smoking low and slow or 4 lbs. for every hour of grilling hot and fast." | 2 | brand blog |
| Pit Boss | "A good rule of thumb is to have 2 lbs. of pellets for every hour of smoking low and slow or 4 lbs. for every hour of grilling hot and fast." | 4 | brand blog |
| Z Grills | "21-lb hopper: up to 20 hours of continuous cooking at 225°F" | 1.05 [calc] | product page |
| Z Grills | "28 lb. hopper capacity supports up to 28 hours of non-stop cooking" | 1 [calc] | product page |
| Yoder Smokers | "holds a 20-pound bag of pellets and can run for approximately 10+ hours at 225°F" | 2 [calc] | product page |
| Camp Chef | "in good weather, on high setting, the grill will burn about 3 lbs. of pellets per hour" | 3 | FAQ (PDF) |
| Traeger | No pounds-per-hour figure on its product pages or support guides. Its support article "Fuel Input Rating" says the rating on the label under the hopper lid is measured "on its highest temperature setting in indoor lab conditions" and that you "would not achieve the fuel input rating for your specific grill in most cases". | not published | support article |
| Weber | No pounds-per-hour figure in the Searwood XL 600 listing we read. | not published | All Things Barbecue listing |
Four kinds of figure, not comparable with each other: Pit Boss gives a rule of thumb "to have" enough pellets, which errs on the high side by design; Z Grills and Yoder give run times on one hopper, which are best cases ("up to", "approximately 10+ hours"); Camp Chef gives its high setting. The spread at low and slow is still telling: from about 1 lb/hr (Z Grills' figures) to 2 lb/hr (Pit Boss's rule, Yoder's 20 lb in 10+ hours) [calc].
What that means for a bag and a cook
| Burn rate | Where it comes from | 12-hour cook [calc] | A 20 lb bag lasts [calc] | A 40 lb bag lasts [calc] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 lb/hr | Z Grills, 28 lb hopper "up to 28 hours" | 12 lb | 20 hr | 40 hr |
| 1.05 lb/hr | Z Grills 10502B, 21 lb "up to 20 hours" at 225°F | 12.6 lb | 19 hr | 38.1 hr |
| 2 lb/hr | Pit Boss rule of thumb, low and slow; Yoder, 20 lb in "10+ hours" at 225°F | 24 lb | 10 hr | 20 hr |
| 3 lb/hr | Camp Chef 24-inch grill, high setting, good weather | 36 lb | 6.7 hr | 13.3 hr |
| 4 lb/hr | Pit Boss rule of thumb, hot and fast | 48 lb | 5 hr | 10 hr |
Why Traeger prints no burn rate
Traeger's support article "Fuel Input Rating" explains the only consumption number on its grills, a label "underneath the grill's hopper lid": "The fuel input rating indicates how many lbs of pellets are burned per hour to maintain the maximum temperature setting on a grill in ideal conditions." It is measured with the grill "run on its highest temperature setting in indoor lab conditions (room temp)", and Traeger adds: "you would not achieve the fuel input rating for your specific grill in most cases." In other words, it is a certification ceiling, not a 225°F figure. If you own a Traeger, the label is still worth reading as an upper bound for hot cooks.
What pushes the number up
- Cold and wind. Z Grills credits its insulated, gasketed Multitasker with "up to 40% less pellet consumption in cold winter conditions"; the flip side is that an uninsulated grill burns more in winter.
- Temperature. Pit Boss's own rule doubles from low and slow to hot and fast (2 to 4 lb/hr).
- Opening the lid. Every opening lets heat out that the fire has to replace.
- Wet pellets. Camp Chef's FAQ lists "You may have wet pellets" as a reason an auger stops turning; store bags dry.
Pellet prices per pound
| Pellet bag | Store | Price | Per lb [calc] | Bag size quoted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pit Boss Competition Blend, 40 lb | Pit Boss | $19.99 | $0.50 | in the product title |
| Pit Boss Hickory Blend, 40 lb | Pit Boss | $19.99 | $0.50 | in the product title |
| Pit Boss Classic Blend, 30 lb | Pit Boss | $16.99 | $0.57 | in the product title |
| Pit Boss Classic Blend, 20 lb | Pit Boss | $12.99 | $0.65 | in the product title |
| Pit Boss Competition Series PitMaster Blend, 40 lb | Pit Boss | $29.99 | $0.75 | in the product title |
| Camp Chef Oak, 20 lb | Camp Chef | $15.99 | $0.80 | "A 20 lb bag of Camp Chef Hardwood Pellets" |
| Traeger BBQ Select, 30 lb | Traeger | $24.99 | $0.83 | "30lb bag" |
| Camp Chef Hickory, 20 lb | Camp Chef | $19.99 | $1.00 | "A 20 lb bag of Camp Chef Hardwood Pellets" |
| Traeger Hickory, 20 lb | Traeger | $19.99 | $1.00 | "20lb Bag" |
| Traeger Signature Blend, 20 lb | Traeger | $19.99 | $1.00 | "20lb Bag" |
| Z Grills Oak, 2 bags (40 lb) | Z Grills | $49.99 | $1.25 | "2 OAK WOOD PELLETS-40 LBS" |
| BBQr's Delight Two Pack (2 x 20 lb) | All Things Barbecue | $57.99 | $1.45 | "BBQr's Delight Wood Pellets, 20lb Bag - 2 and 4 pack version" |
| Z Grills Hickory, 2 bags (40 lb) | Z Grills | $59.99 | $1.50 | in the product title |
| Z Grills Hickory, 1 bag (20 lb) | Z Grills | $35.99 | $1.80 | in the product title |
Put your grill, your cook and your bag into the pellet cost per cook calculator: it uses these same figures, shows which one it applied, and lists the grills whose hopper lasts your cook. Grill prices side by side: pellet grill comparison.
Frequently asked questions
How many pounds of pellets does a Traeger use per hour?
Traeger does not publish a pounds-per-hour figure on its product pages or support guides that we read on November 7, 2026. Its support article on the "Fuel Input Rating" (printed on a label under the hopper lid) says that rating is measured at the highest temperature in indoor lab conditions and that most owners would not reach it.
How many pounds of pellets for a 12-hour smoke?
12 hours times the burn rate: 24 lb at Pit Boss's 2 lb/hr rule of thumb, about 12.6 lb at the 1.05 lb/hr that Z Grills' 10502B figure works out to at 225°F [calc]. Plan the higher number and you will not run short.
How long does a 40 lb bag of pellets last?
40 lb divided by the burn rate: 20 hours at 2 lb/hr, 40 hours at 1 lb/hr, 10 hours at 4 lb/hr [calc]. Hot and fast cooks empty a bag four times faster than a 1 lb/hr smoke.
Why do the brands' numbers differ so much?
They are not measured the same way: a rule of thumb for planning (Pit Boss), a run time on one hopper with or without a stated temperature (Z Grills, Yoder), a figure on high in good weather (Camp Chef). None publishes the outside temperature, wind or pellet brand behind the number.