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Calcimator

Pellet Grill Consumption Calculator

Calculate pellet consumption for your pellet grill based on cook temperature, duration, ambient temperature, and grill size.

Inputs

°F
hours
°F

Results

Pellets Needed

12.8 lbs

≈ 3 bags of sugar

Bags (20 lb)1
Burn Rate1.6 lbs/hr
Hopper Refills0
Est. Pellet Cost$15.00
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter your target cook temperature in °F.
  2. Set the total cook duration in hours.
  3. Enter the ambient temperature and select your grill size.
  4. The calculator shows total pellets needed, number of 20-lb bags, hourly burn rate, hopper refills required, and estimated cost.
  5. Check hopper capacity against refill count to determine if you need a hopper extension for long cooks.

How the result changes with Cook Time

Cook TimePellets Needed
2.854.6 lbs
8.7214 lbs
1625.6 lbs
2235.2 lbs

What each input means

Cook Temperature
Target grill temperature. Low-and-slow (225-250°F) uses fewer pellets than high-heat grilling.
Cook Time
Total expected cook time in hours.
Ambient Temperature
Outside air temperature. Cold weather increases pellet burn rate (~1.5% per degree below 70°F).
Grill Size
1 = Small/portable (1 lb/hr base), 2 = Medium/standard (1.5 lb/hr), 3 = Large/commercial (2 lb/hr).

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Cook Temperature = 250, Cook Time = 8, Ambient Temperature = 70, Grill Size = 2 = 4 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Pellets Needed
    Pellets Needed
    12.8 = 12.8
  3. Calculate Bags
    Bags
    1 = 1
  4. Calculate Burn Rate
    Burn Rate
    1.6 = 1.6

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