Best Built-In Pellet Grills: Coyote, Memphis and Sunstone Compared

Prices verified 30 August 2026. Prices change — check the product page for current pricing.

Six built-in pellet grills are worth considering, and the choice between them is simpler than the spec sheets suggest. Buy Memphis if smoking is the point of the appliance — the Pro 28 ($4,499) and Elite 39 ($5,499) are built around long, controlled cooks with dual-bin hoppers and IntelliBurn secondary combustion. Buy Coyote if you already have or are building a Coyote kitchen and want the pellet grill to match everything else on the island — the C2P28 ($3,599) and C2P36 ($3,999) carry the same 304 stainless and panel treatment as Coyote's gas heads. Every one of them needs electrical supply at the island and a taller, deeper cutout than a gas grill.

What a built-in pellet grill actually is

A pellet grill burns hardwood pellets fed by a motorised auger into a fire pot, with a fan circulating heat around a sealed chamber and a controller holding a set temperature. You set a number and the grill holds it. That makes it a smoker, an oven and — at the top of its range — a grill, in one appliance.

Memphis in particular makes wood pellet grills, not offset or charcoal smokers. If you are picturing a firebox you feed with splits, none of these are it. What you get instead is set-and-hold temperature control with real wood smoke.

Verified comparison: the six built-in pellet grills

Every figure below is from our own listing for that exact model. Where a figure is not published on the model we sell, the cell says so rather than guessing.

Model	Price	Temperature range	Cooking area	Hopper	Construction	Cutout (W x H x D)
Memphis Elevate 30"	$2,068	180–600°F, open flame modes over 900°F	578 sq in (1,079 with optional Extended Grate Kit)	12 lb	430 stainless, dual-wall sealed	30.25" x 16.75" x 24.5"
Coyote C2P28	$3,599	175–700°F	609 sq in total (450 main + 159 secondary)	12 lb, front load	304 stainless	26.25" x 16.5" x 23"
Coyote C2P36	$3,999	175–700°F	808 sq in total (594 main + 214 secondary)	17 lb, front load	304 stainless	34.25" x 16.5" x 23"
Memphis Pro 28" ITC3	$4,499	180–650°F	574 sq in (848 with optional grates)	18 lb, dual bin	304 stainless, double-walled sealed	30.25" x 16.75" x 24.5"
Memphis Elite 39" ITC3	$5,499	180–700°F	862 sq in (1,275 with optional Extended Grate Kit)	24 lb, dual bin, two augers	304 stainless, double-walled sealed	42.625" x 16.75" x 24.5"
Sunstone 40" Electric Pellet	$6,235	140–800°F	918 sq in (526.5 main + 391.5 upper racks)	Not stated in our listing	304 stainless	Not published — take from the use and care manual

Named picks

Best for the serious smoker: Memphis Elite 39" ITC3, $5,499

The Elite 39 is the most capable smoking appliance on this page and the reason is the hopper. Twenty-four pounds of pellets split across two bins with two augers means you can load two wood species and blend them for a single cook — and it is the largest hopper in the Memphis lineup, which is what carries a brisket through the night without a refill.

It runs 180°F to 700°F in heavy-duty 304 stainless, double-walled and sealed with an oven-grade lid gasket. IntelliBurn is Memphis's secondary combustion system, which burns exhaust gases a second time before they leave the fire pot; Memphis credits it with faster startups, better pellet efficiency and less maintenance. One honest limitation: Memphis states the Wi-Fi function provides monitoring, alerts and a timer but not direct grill control, so temperature changes still happen at the grill's 7-inch touch screen.

Best serious smoker at a smaller width: Memphis Pro 28" ITC3, $4,499

The Pro 28 is the Elite's approach in a narrower island opening: 180°F to 650°F, 574 square inches expandable to 848, an 18-pound dual-bin hopper, 304 stainless double-walled construction and the same IntelliBurn system. It drops into the same 30.25" x 16.75" x 24.5" cutout as the Elevate 30, which makes those two directly interchangeable at the framing stage. It weighs 195 pounds.

Best value in pellet smoking: Memphis Elevate 30", $2,068

At $2,068 the Elevate 30 is by some distance the cheapest way into a built-in Memphis, and the differences from the Pro are specific rather than vague. The Elevate uses the ITC2 controller and 430 stainless steel; the Pro and Elite use the ITC3 controller and 304 stainless steel. That is the material and control step you are giving up.

What you gain is the widest heat spread here: 180°F to 600°F in controlled mode with two open flame modes rated over 900°F, using a Direct Flame Insert that is included rather than sold separately. If searing at the top of the range matters to you as much as smoking at the bottom, the cheapest grill on this page is also the hottest. It weighs 194 pounds plus 20 pounds of brackets.

Best for a Coyote kitchen: Coyote C2P36, $3,999

If your island already carries a Coyote gas grill, doors and drawers, the C2P36 is the pellet grill that will not look bolted on. It is 304 stainless inside and out — the same grade Coyote uses across its built-in gas grills — with internal and external lighting and a spring-assisted hood, matching the rest of the Coyote range.

Functionally it holds 175°F to 700°F on a digital panel, gives 808 square inches across a 594 square inch main grate and a 214 square inch secondary rack, and takes a 17-pound front-loading hopper. Front loading is not a small detail on a built-in: a rear-fill hopper is unreachable once the unit is in the island. It weighs 225 pounds.

Best narrow Coyote option: C2P28, $3,599

The C2P28 covers the same 175°F to 700°F range with 609 square inches and a 12-pound front-load hopper, into a 26.25-inch opening. Cutout depth and height are identical to the C2P36 at 23 inches and 16.5 inches, so the choice between the two Coyotes is purely island width. Interchangeable burn pot grates let you switch between low-and-slow and high-heat direct cooking, and three temperature probes are included.

Most versatile chamber: Sunstone 40" Electric Pellet with Cold Smoker, $6,235

The Sunstone 40" is the widest range on this page — 140°F to 800°F — and the only one with a cold smoker, which infuses smoke without cooking, something no standard pellet grill can do. It offers 918 square inches split between a 526.5 square inch main grate and 391.5 square inches of upper racks, plus three hanger hooks for suspending meat, an adjustable flame broiler for direct searing, a built-in meat probe and a double-lined hood sealed with a braided fire-rope gasket. It is 304 stainless. One planning caution: cutout dimensions are not published in this listing, so take them from the use and care manual before framing.

The real decision: Memphis or Coyote

Strip away the spec sheets and this comes down to two different purchases.

Memphis is the choice when the cooking is the point. Dual-bin hoppers, IntelliBurn secondary combustion, double-walled sealed chambers with oven-grade gasketing, and a controller lineage the brand has iterated to ITC3. These are appliances designed by people who assume you will run a fourteen-hour cook. Memphis designs, engineers and tests its grills in the USA. Browse them in Memphis built-in grills and the wider Memphis range, and see the Memphis built-in grill FAQs.

Coyote is the choice when the island is the point. If a Coyote gas grill, side burner and door run already define the face of your outdoor kitchen, a pellet grill from another brand will read as a different appliance no matter how well it cooks. The C2P28 and C2P36 hold 175°F to 700°F, which covers everything most people do, and they match. That is a legitimate reason to buy, and we would rather say so plainly than pretend the cooking specs decide it.

Sunstone is the choice for the cold smoker. If cold smoking cheese, fish or salt is on your list, the Sunstone is the only unit here that does it, and that single capability is what the $6,235 buys.

Memphis warranty, in full

Memphis publishes a tiered warranty and it is worth reading before you commit, because the exclusions matter as much as the headline.

• 7-year limited warranty on the main grill.
• 3 years on electronic and electrical components.
• 30 days on the meat probe.
• Excluded: burn pot, meat probe, gasket and corrosion.

Those exclusions are consumables and wear items on a pellet grill, so plan on replacing them at your own cost over the life of the appliance. On origin, Memphis states its grills are designed, engineered and tested in the USA — that is the claim, and we will not stretch it further than the manufacturer does.

Pellet-specific installation: what a gas grill does not need

Electrical supply is mandatory, not optional. The auger, igniter, controller and blower all run on power. Memphis specifies a dedicated electrical circuit installed by a certified electrician, and advises unplugging the grill between uses or wiring in an on/off switch for built-in installations. Coyote's units need an outlet at the grill location for the digital control, dual fan system and auger. Rough the electrical in while the island is still open — retrofitting behind a finished island is far harder. Electrical work is a licensed electrician's job, and the requirements come from the grill's installation manual and your local code.

The cutout is taller and deeper than a gas grill's. This is the most common planning mistake. A pellet grill carries its hopper and burn system below the cooking chamber, so it needs depth a gas head does not. Coyote's pellet cutouts are 16.5 inches high and 23 inches deep; Memphis asks 16.75 inches high and 24.5 inches deep. The Coyote C2P28 is 31 inches tall overall. Do not assume a pellet grill drops into a hole drawn for a gas grill — see built-in grill cutout dimensions and, for a swap, the replacement built-in grill cutout finder.

Hopper access has to survive the island design. Both Coyote units load from the front specifically because a built-in unit's rear and top are unreachable. Check how your chosen model is filled before the surround goes up.

Weight. These are heavy. The C2P28 is 200 pounds, the C2P36 is 225 pounds, the Memphis Pro 28 is 195 pounds and the Elevate 30 is 194 pounds plus 20 pounds of brackets. Frame for the load and plan how the unit gets lifted into the opening.

Liner availability differs by brand. If your island is combustible, Coyote offers matched insulated jackets: $789 for the 28" pellet grill and $929 for the 36". We do not list a liner for the Memphis or Sunstone units, so confirm the requirement and the correct part with the manufacturer's installation manual before you frame. Whether a liner is required at all is governed by that manual, your local code and a licensed professional. See do I need an insulating grill liner, the insulating grill liner FAQs and grill liners.

Ventilation, if it sits under a roof. Pellet grills produce sustained wood smoke by design, which is the heaviest ventilation load in an outdoor kitchen. Read our outdoor kitchen ventilation and hood sizing guide.

What actually matters

Controller and stainless grade are the same fork. ITC2 with 430 stainless (Elevate) or ITC3 with 304 stainless (Pro, Elite). That distinction explains most of the price gap within Memphis.

Hopper size determines how long you can walk away. Twelve pounds is fine for an afternoon; 24 pounds on the Elite is what an overnight cook wants.

Top-end temperature determines whether it replaces a grill. The Coyotes reach 700°F, the Elite 700°F, the Pro 650°F, the Sunstone 800°F, and the Elevate's open flame modes are rated over 900°F.

A cover, once the island is finished. Coyote lists $99 for the 28" pellet grill cover and $109 for the 36". See grill covers and the grill cover FAQs.

FAQ

Does a built-in pellet grill need electricity?

Yes, always. The auger, igniter, controller and fans are all electric. Plan a supply at the grill location, installed by a licensed electrician per the manual and local code.

Can a pellet grill sear?

Yes, within its range. The Coyote units reach 700°F with interchangeable burn pot grates for direct cooking, the Memphis models use an included Direct Flame Insert, and the Sunstone has an adjustable flame broiler.

What is the difference between the Memphis Elevate and the Elite?

The Elevate uses the ITC2 controller and 430 stainless steel; the Elite uses the ITC3 controller and 304 stainless steel, with a 24-pound dual-bin hopper against the Elevate's 12 pounds.

Are Memphis grills made in the USA?

Memphis states that its grills are designed, engineered and tested in the USA. That is the claim we can support, and we do not extend it further.

What is a cold smoker?

A cold smoker infuses food with smoke without cooking it. The Sunstone 40" is the only unit on this page that includes one.

Is the cutout the same as a gas grill?

No. Pellet grill cutouts are notably taller and deeper. Take the figures from your specific model's installation manual before framing.

Are these grills available now?

All six are orderable, with free shipping and no credit card fees. Call for current lead times.

What if I do not have an island yet?

Each of these has a freestanding equivalent: the Coyote C2P28-FS ($3,999), the Coyote C2P36-FS ($4,999), the Memphis Elevate 30 freestanding ($2,378), the Memphis Pro 28 freestanding ($4,999) and the Memphis Elite 39 freestanding ($5,999).

Final recommendation

Buy the Memphis Elite 39 at $5,499 if you smoke seriously and the island can take a 42.625-inch opening. The dual-bin, dual-auger 24-pound hopper and 304 stainless double-walled chamber are what separate an appliance built for overnight cooks from one that merely can do them.

Buy the Memphis Elevate 30 at $2,068 if you want Memphis smoking on a budget, and accept the ITC2 controller and 430 stainless in exchange for the lowest price here and open flame modes rated over 900°F.

Buy the Coyote C2P36 at $3,999 if you are matching an existing Coyote island. Design continuity across a finished outdoor kitchen is a real reason to choose an appliance, and the C2P36's 175–700°F range and 808 square inches will not hold you back.

Buy the Sunstone 40 at $6,235 only for the cold smoker. Nothing else here does it.

Whichever you choose, confirm the cutout and the electrical requirement from that model's installation manual, and have a licensed professional handle the electrical and any gas or clearance questions. Shop all built-in grills and Sunstone, and read the pellet grill FAQs, the built-in grills FAQs, the Coyote built-in grill FAQs, the what size built-in grill do I need guide, the outdoor kitchen appliance checklist and the outdoor kitchen cost guide. To talk it through, use help me find my grill, request a quote, or call our family-owned Charleston store at 843-212-7209.