5 Best Wood Chips of 2024 for Grilling, According to Experts

Our top picks for every flavor profile!

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Updated on January 17, 2024

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Wood chips for smoking meat or fish on an old wooden table close-up.

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Wood chips for smoking meat or fish on an old wooden table close-up.

Photo by: Svetlana Monyakova

Svetlana Monyakova

Our Top Wood Chip Picks:

If you’re just getting into the art of grilling, you know what you put in your grill can significantly change the flavor profile of whatever you’re cooking on it this summer. When selecting your filler, you can opt for charcoal or wood, and when selecting the latter, you have a choice between wood chips and wood chunks. If you're unsure which is the right pick for you, here are a few important things to know before you fire up your grill this summer.

What’s the difference between charcoal and wood?

Basically, charcoal is best for heat and wood is best for smoke and flavor, says Jonathan Heslop, owner of The Saint Louis Charcoal Company. “Lump charcoal is just wood that has been kilned to cook out all the wood fiber, water and volatile organic compounds that produce smoke, flames and ash to a point where you are left with nearly pure carbon,” he says. “Because of this, it can burn at very low temperatures for a long time or extremely hot temperature for a shorter amount of time.” By contrast, wood is heavy, dense and full of moisture so it has a very set temperature range that it can burn at.

What’s the difference between wood chunks and wood chips?

Whether you opt for wood chunks or chips depends on your grill or smoker and what you’re making, Heslop says. In general, wood chunks tend to last longer while wood chips ignite faster. “The main considerations are how much airflow is moving through the smoker and where the wood is placed, whether that’s on the fire or away from the fire,” he says. “Like kindling, chips placed on a fire will burn up very fast if given an unregulated source of oxygen. So, on a large or drafty smoker, you will probably need chunks to keep from having to add wood multiple times.” By contrast, with a smaller or tightly sealed smoker such as a kamado grill, you can use either since the amount of airflow is minimal, and with some electric smokers and gas grills, there is a separate drawer or basket for smoking woods — and in these you’ll get the best results by using wood chips.

Should you soak your wood chips?

There are many opinions about this, but to get the maximum life out of your wood chips and make sure they don’t smoke too fast, some experts suggest soaking them in flavored liquids such as fruit juice or beer. “I soak ours for 10 to 12 hours,” says Shannon Snell, a former NFL player and the pitmaster at Sonny’s BBQ in Gainesville, Florida. “However, keep in mind that they can still burn up quickly so you may end up going through quite a few bags.”

Wood Types and Their Flavor Profiles

Now that you have a sense of which wood you’d want in your gill, the options for flavor profiles are truly up to you. However, Robbie Shoults, chef and owner of Bear Creek Smokehouse in Marshall, Texas, suggests always grilling with the wood bark on since that’s what helps give some color to the smoked meat you’re grilling.

Hickory. This type of wood has a strong, hearty flavor. “We use it a lot, but keep in mind that it has a very intense flavor,” he says. “Still, it’s a hit with beef, pork and all poultry. You can mix hickory with other woods as well.”

Oak. This type of wood offers a medium earthy smoke and robust heat while it burns. “You can easily mix different woods with it to give it different flavors,” he says. “It’s great for beef and pork.”

Pecan. This type of wood lends more of a sweet and nutty flavor to your grilled items. “This is a great wood by itself but, if you don't want the sweet flavor, you can throw some post oak and hickory with it,” he says.

Other wood chip options you can try include mesquite, known for its hot and fast burn; apple, for a sweet smoke that’s just right for fish or poultry; and cherry for grilling chicken and turkey.

$9.23

What he loves: "Weber is a reputable company, and I love this one simply because it's the right size for small jobs."

$29.95

What he loves: "Camerons is a dependable and reliable company, and I like this one because it is a larger box, right at 10 pounds. You'll probably have some of this leftover, but it provides great heat, and you can always add in other types of wood during smoking to enhance the flavor."

$29.95

What he loves: "This is great for a sweet or mellow flavor to add tp fish and poultry. You'll need the bigger box because it burns faster and doesn't provide the heat that oak does."

$18.60

What he loves: "This has a great intense flavor. Be warned: take it easy with this one, as mesquite gives off a heavy smoke."

$19.95

What he loves: "This is a small bag that you will use up fairly quickly. It imparts a smoky-fruity flavor that's lighter than some of the other hardwoods."

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