ASMOKE AS350 Portable Pellet Grill Review

One of the newest portable wood pellet grills on the market is now one of my favorites

ASMOKE AS350 Portable Pellet Grill

MSRP: $329
Type: Tabletop – portable pellet grill
Grilling area: 256 square inches
Weight: 49 pounds
Temperature Range: 180°F to 500°F
Hopper Capacity: 4 lbs of Wood Pellets
What I Like: Solid stainless steel construction, quick heat up, great digital display, one meat probe included
What I don’t: Occasional large temperature fluctuations, small pellet hopper

The AS350 is the newest portable wood pellet grill from ASMOKE. ASMOKE has been manufacturing quality, budget friendly pellet grills since 2004. This is the first ASMOKE grill to feature the patented ASCA Technology™, which uses superheated steam from a liquid chamber to keep moisture in your food during cooking. The small enclosed suitcase design is perfect companion for anyone that likes to camp, RV, or tailgate. Even though this grill is only 49 pounds you can still grill, smoke, roast, and bake with it.

Cooking with the ASMOKE AS350 Portable Pellet Grill

This pellet grill features 256 square inches in a sleek, compact stainless steel package. The compact suitcase design is easily portable and is meant for life on the go. It may be small but there is room to cook 8 burgers, or 6 chicken thighs, or a 10 pound pork butt.

The pellet grill quickly heats up and has no problem getting up to 500 degrees F. The pellet hopper capacity is on the smaller size, but that is by design to maximize grilling space. I will gladly mach that comprise because I am mostly using this grill to grill food hot and fast. Although I have smoked plenty of pork butts and ribs on this as well. But during a longer smoke you must add pellets to the hopper.

The AS350 features beautiful porcelain coated grill grates and an included removable upper rack. The lid is also extra deep, so you can easily fit a 10 pound pork butt or whole chicken.

This grill features a crystal clear LED color controller. The temperature can be controlled with a simple temperature dial. Like a larger pellet grill you just have to set the temperature and forget it.

Grilling

Grilling is where this pellet grill really shines. One feature that really sets it apart from its competitors is the direct grilling capability. This is possible because the heat deflector plate is designed to slide out of the way to allow direct access to the flame. This feature really is great when you are looking to quickly grill up some frozen burgers for hungry campers or sear a steak.

Smoking

The AS350 performs pretty well during a low and slow cook. Although the temperature is harder to regulate below 350 degrees it is possible, but some patience is required. I have smoked many pork butts, spare ribs, chicken legs, chicken thighs, and my famous baked potatoes on this grill without a problem. It comes equipped with a meat probe which works like a charm. The grill also offers a felt gasket with seals up so well, to retain all the smokey goodness.

Weight and Portability

The AS350 is a true tabletop pellet grill. It does not have foldable legs and must sit on a table when you are cooking. The nice suitcase design is not only great for portability, but also durability. This grill tips the scales at 49lbs. The lid has a sturdy latch system that keeps it locked down during transport. The handles are conveniently located to help you move it in and out of your car, truck, or RV.

Like all pellet grills the AS350 does need electricity to operate, so be sure to pack a power inverter or generator with you.

Key Features

The AS350 pellet grill comes standard with several features that set it apart from its competitors including:

• ASCA System (more about this below!)

• Stainless steel construction

• Premium porcelain non-stick grates

• Portable compact design

• Programmable meat probe

• Color LED digital temperature controller

• 5 year warranty

The all-new patented ASCA Technology™ System that powers it uses which uses superheated steam from a chamber within the grill to keep moisture in your food during cooking. You can add any liquid that you want to this chamber like beer, whiskey, or sauce to layer infuse another layer of flavor when you are grilling or smoking.

ASMOKE also claims that this ASCA technology new system also cools the the vapor down to auto-collect ashes on the bottom of the tray system. ASMOKE also claims this results in less ash buildup in the cooking area. I don’t know how much of a difference this has on the ash cleanout system, but I have always introduced steam when I smoke food, so I love this feature.

What I Like/ What I Don’t

What I Like

• Design – Portability/Durability – I really like that this pellet grill is constructed of stainless steel and is completely contained in the suitcase design. I don’t have to worry about a part or piece breaking off when I throw it in the back of my truck to go camping. The fit and finish is great.

• Ash Clean out System – The ash clean-out tray is easily accessible and makes clean up a piece of cake.

• ASCA Technology – I always add a small pan of water to add steam when I smoke food low and slow so this feature is really nice to have. I find that a little bit of added moisture during a cook really helps to keep the moisture locked into your food.

• Extra Deep Lid – The deep lid gives plenty of height to cook bigger cuts of meat, like pork butt or a whole chicken.

• Included Meat Probe – ASMOKE includes one factory-calibrated meat probe that plugs directly into the control panel to monitor the cooking temperature of what you have on the grill.

What I Don’t Like

• Controller Inaccuracy – I have run into some big temperature swings with this pellet grill from time to time. It can be difficult to accurately regulate temperature with such a small grill. I also find that it can run a few degrees hot, but that is not as big of a deal. To correct this I alway let it run for 15-30 minutes to stabilize the temperature.

• Small Pellet Hopper Capacity – The hopper is one of the smallest in it class. This is a tradeoff to provide more grilling area. Although it can be a pain to add more pellets during a longer cook, I will still always go for the bigger grilling area.

• No Wifi Connectivity – This is a minor complaint but I would love to see this grill come with wifi so I can monitor the temperature range from my phone. No other table top pellet grill besides the Green Mountain Grills Trek offers this feature, so its not a major drawback

Comparison Table

The Competition

• Traeger Ranger – This is Traeger’s new and improved table top pellet grill that replaces the now discontinued Scout. It has a slightly smaller grilling space, 184 square inches, but the 8lb pellet hopper is twice as the AS350. The temperature dial control is slightly better and can be adjusted in 5 degree increments. The Ranger does not get as hot as the AS350 so it does not grill food as well as the ASMOKE.

• PitBoss 150 Portable Tabletop Pellet Grill – Like the AS350, the Pitboss 150 comes equipped with very nice features. The Pitboss also only weighs 47 pounds and has a 256 square inch grilling area. The pellet hopper on the PitBoss can hold slight more pellets, 5lbs total. The lid not as tall as the ASMOKE which may limit you to cooking smaller pork butt or whole chicken. Also the Pitboss does not come with a meat probe.

• ZGrills Cruiser 200A – the Cruiser has a slightly smaller grilling area (202 square inches) and is a few pounds lighter (40 pounds) than the ASMOKE AS350. The temperature dial ranging from 180-450 degrees and can only be adjusted in 15 degree increments. This pellet grill does not come with a meat probe or a liquid chamber to help retain moisture like the AS350.

• Green Mountain Grills TREK – The GMG Trek offers two features that the AS350 is lacking. First it has a large 9 pound pellet hopper that is on the outside of the grill so you can add more pellets without opening the lid. The GMG also features wifi connectivity so you wireless monitor and adjust the temperature of your grill using your phone. But this grill does not feature the sleek suitcase style design as the AS350 which will take up more room in your car when. This grill also is a bit heavier at 63 pounds, and has a slightly smaller grilling area (219 square inches).

Great Tailgating Recipes for the ASMOKE AS350

The AS350 portable pellet grill is great for taking on a weekend camping trip or on your next epic tailgate. Here are a few great recipes for your next adventure that are perfect for this portable pellet grill.

• Smoked Chicken Drumsticks

• Pellet Grilled Frozen Burgers

• Smoked Chex Mix