Labor Day is when most of outdoor-cooking retail tries to clear its warehouse before fall, and a fair amount of what gets marked "40% off" was priced to move before the sale ever started. That’s true of mattresses, TVs, and grills alike. Smokers are a little different, though, because the big manufacturers — Traeger, Grilla, Masterbuilt — are usually clearing real current-generation inventory ahead of next year’s lineup, not just marking down stock nobody wanted in the first place.
I went through what’s actually discounted this week and picked five worth your money, two of which I’ve cooked on myself. The other three, I’m going on what real reviewers say, not retailer copy. A discount doesn’t fix a bad fit, though, so each one below comes with its actual trade-off, not just the price.
This Year’s Labor Day Smoker Deals
Traeger Pro 22
I’ve got a Pro 22 running in my own backyard, so I can say the discount here is real — this isn’t a grill that normally needs a markdown to look good. AmazingRibs gave it a Gold Medal, pointing to the smoke ring and how little babysitting it needs once it’s dialed in, which lines up with why I bought one. The trade-off at this price: no WiFi, no app, just a dial, and reviewers agree it won’t sear a steak worth mentioning. Buy it for smoking and slow roasts, not high heat.
Traeger Ironwood XL
I haven’t cooked on this one myself, so take it as secondhand — but the secondhand is strong. AmazingRibs gave the Ironwood XL a Gold Medal and a Best Value pick, calling the WiFIRE app "one of the best we’ve seen" and praising the ash-management system for actually keeping ash out of the firepot. Searing is still the weak spot (AmazingRibs calls it "meh"), and a few owners on the Traeger forum reported early units struggling to hold temperature, described as a launch issue since resolved. At $899, it’s the closest thing to Timberline features without Timberline pricing.
Silverbac® 2.0 XL
Another one I haven’t run myself. Smoked BBQ Source measured about 10°F of variance across the grate — outstanding for a pellet grill — and said it held steady through a full overnight cook, which matters more than most spec-sheet numbers when you’ve got a brisket on at 2 a.m. Same searing weakness as the Traegers above, the grease bucket system feels dated, and the WiFi needs reconnecting after every power cycle. Grilla cut the price by exactly half here, the steepest discount on this list.
Oklahoma Joe Canyon Combo
This is the other one I’ve actually cooked on, and it’s the most polarizing pick here. Sealed up right, it’s a genuinely capable two-in-one — propane for a weeknight, an offset firebox for real wood smoke when you’ve got the time. The catch: quality control is inconsistent across this model. Owners report gaps where the smokestack meets the barrel and along the lid, sometimes needing gasket tape to seal properly, and the hinges aren’t adjustable if yours ships slightly off. None of that’s a dealbreaker if you’re willing to spend twenty minutes with high-temp gasket before the first cook.
Masterbuilt Gravity Series 600
Haven’t run this one either, but it solves a problem the other four share: none of the pellet grills above sear worth mentioning, and this one does, thanks to a gravity-fed charcoal hopper that also handles low-and-slow without much tending. Walmart reviewers put it at 4.7 out of 5, with the hopper design getting most of the credit. The honest caveat: the electronics are the known weak point on this line. Enough owners have reported the temperature-control fan failing around the two-month mark that aftermarket replacement kits exist specifically for it. Past that window, most owners report years of trouble-free use.
Which One’s Right for You
If you’ve never run a smoker before, start with the Pro 22 or the Gravity Series 600 — both are closer to "set it and mostly forget it" than the other three. If you already know you want low-and-slow and don’t care about searing, the Silverbac and Ironwood XL are the better-built of the pellet grills here, just budget for a separate cast-iron pan or a hot grill for steaks. If you want one machine that grills and smokes without buying two things, the Canyon Combo is the only one on this list that actually does both — you’ll just want to go over the seals before your first cook.
Common Questions
Are Labor Day smoker deals actually good deals?
Some are. The ones here are real cuts on current-generation hardware, not clearance on last year’s leftovers marked up first. That said, always check the brand’s own site against the retailer price — occasionally the "sale" price is what the manufacturer already charges everywhere.
How long do these prices last?
That’s set by each retailer, not the calendar. Ace Hardware, Grilla Grills, and Home Depot all run their own windows, and some stretch a few days past the holiday. Check the product page before you buy — I can’t promise any of these prices will still be live by the time you read this.
Pellet grill or charcoal smoker — which is better?
Neither, really — they’re suited to different amounts of attention. Pellet grills like the three Traeger and Grilla options here run closer to hands-off. Charcoal and offset setups like the Canyon Combo give you more control over smoke flavor, but they ask more of you in return.
Which of these is best for a total beginner?
The Traeger Pro 22. It’s the simplest of the five — no app, no gravity-fed hopper to learn, just a dial and a hopper of pellets. I bought mine for exactly that reason.
That’s my list. If you already own a smoker that works, a sale isn’t a reason to buy a second one — I’ve got gear in my garage that started as "a good deal" and still doesn’t get used. If you’re actually shopping, though, any of these five will treat you fine as long as you know its specific weak spot going in.
