The Z Grills 7002B is our mid sized smoker with plenty of rack space, heavy duty wheel and handy lower shelf. Compatible with the front folding bench and BBQ hotplate kit it is a great choice for beginners and serious smokers.
Key Features
- Stylish all black finish looks great in any backyard
- Large cooking space perfect for feeding a large crowd
- Huge 10kg hopper capacity enough for even an epic 18 hour brisket
- Heavy duty wheels for easy moving around
- Versatile cooking from low temp smoking and high temperature BBQ
- Heavy duty quality components
- Silicon nitride ignition rod for fast startup up and reliability
- PID controller for automatic temperature control
- Fast heat up time takes only 15 minutes to >200ºC
- Vented grease tray for high temperature searing
Accessory Bundles
We’ve made selecting your grill accessories easy by putting them together in BASIC and PRO bundles. Check out what’s included in each below. Click on their links to learn more.
7002B
Included in the 7002B box
- 1 x BBQ Cover
- 2 x Food Temperature Probes
Basic Bundle
The 7002B plus the most popular set of accessories to get you cooking in style!
1 x Z Grills 7002B Pellet Smoker
1 x BBQ Cover (In the grill box)
2 x Food Temperature Probes (In the grill box)
1 x Heat Proof Gloves (protect your dainty digits)
1 x Black Apron (look stylish while cooking)
1 x Wooden Cutting Board (for the “look what I cooked” photos!)
1 x BBQ Hotplate Kit (for searing and hot plate cooking)
1 x Koala Claw (tool for cleaning the lifting out the grill racks)
1 x Instant Read Thermometer (check temps and probe for tenderness)
1 x 700 Series Front Bench Kit (handy wooden bench on front of the grill)
2 x 10kg Bag of Wood Pellets (fuel for stacks of cooks)
Pro Bundle
The Pro Bundle includes everything in the basic bundle (above) plus three additional items.
1 x Artisan Knife Bundle (trim, carve and slice in style!)
1 x Smoke Tube (for extra smoky flavour)
1 x Inkbird IBBQ-4T Wifi Thermometer (remotely monitor temps on you phone)
Dimensions & Weight
- 123cm wide x 57cm deep x 130cm tall
- 51kg with no pellets in hopper. Pellets will add up to 10kg
Electricity Requirements
- 240V AC (not DC)
- Minimum 500W power supply from battery pack (high power draw for ignition rod during initial startup)
- Average power draw after startup 40 to 50W.
- To run the grill for 8 hours at least 500Wh of battery capacity will be required.
Wood Pellet Hopper
The 7002B hopper can hold up to 10kg of wood pellets, enough for 20+ hours of low temperature cooking or 7-10 high temp cooks.
It is not advisable to fill the hopper right up each cook, instead just add enough for each cook.
How many pellets to add into the hopper?
It is not advisable to fill the hopper right up, instead just add enough for each cook. This is because pellets can slowly absorb moisture, especially in humid conditions. A full hopper may be enough for multiple cooks so some of the pellets may be exposed to air for weeks or months. By only adding enough pellets for each hook (plus little extra as a buffer), pellets are not sitting for long.
Click here to learn more about wood pellets, including how to store them.
How fast are wood pellets used?
The pellet usage will differ greatly based on type of pellets used, outside air temperature, wind exposure and what temperature the grill is set at. Below is just a rough guide.
- Low temperature operation = 0.3 to 0.5kg/hour (0.7 to 1.1lbs)
- High temperature operation = 1 to 2kg/hour (2.2 to 4.4lbs)
Cleaning out wood pellets
Burning out all the pellets is recommended if not planning to use the grill for several weeks or longer, especially in humid climates. Click here to jump to the cleaning section to learn how.
Grill Racks
- Twin bottom grill racks: Total of 66cm wide x 49cm deep.
- Top grill rack: 70cm wide x 17.5cm deep
- Total cooking area: 0.44m2
Why twin grill racks?
- Smaller sizes make them easier to fit in basin or dish washer for cleaning.
- The left grill rack can be removed and the BBQ Hotplate Kit dropped in its place.
Can the top grill rack be removed?
- Yes it just lifts out.
- It is advisable to leave the top rack out when not in use as it makes accessing food on the bottom rack easier.
Vertical height for food
The image below shows the space available for food. Take out the top rack to give the full 22cm vertical height for food.
What are grill racks made from?
The grill racks are made from steel with a ceramic (enamel) coating similar to bake trays and the inside of your oven. This coating makes them durable and easier to clean.
Click here for more information about cleaning.
How to store grill racks
Where to store a grill rack when not in use? We have a neat solution for that!
Hook them neatly on the back of the grill using our Magnet Hooks.
Grease Tray
The grease tray sits just below the grill racks, sloping from left to right. Gaps along the front and rear sides of the grease tray allow the hot air flow from below to rise up into the cooking area.
Starting with Version 2 of the 7002B smoker, the grease tray features vents on the left hand side for high temperature searing. During normal cooking these vents should be covered with aluminium foil. Covering vents ensure even temperatures through the grill and and avoids grease dripping down close to the fire-pot which could cause a grease fire.
Click here to learn more about the vented grease tray design.
Grease and juice drips from food on the grill rack down onto the grease tray and drains left to right down to the V channel then through the spout into the grease bucket.
To make cleaning easy the grease tray can be lined with foil. It is important that the foil is wrapped tight at the edges though, as the gap front and back of the grease tray must be open to allow hot air to rise up from below.
Click here for cleaning instructions.
How It Works
The controller monitors the temperature in the grill and intermittently operates the auger motor, rotating the spiral auger shaft to push pellets from the hopper into the fire-pot.
The wood pellets are lit by the ignition rod and a fire is then automatically maintained.
A fan underneath the hopper blows air through a number of holes in the fire-pot, feeding the fire with oxygen.
After circulating around the grilling area, the hot air and smoke is vented out through the chimney.
How To Use
Controller Operation
The Z Grills 7002B uses a digital PID controller to manage the operation of the grill.
Click here for a more detailed overview of how the controller works.
Current grill temperature is shown on the LCD display.
Food probe temperatures(if plugged in) are shown on the LCD display by pressing the FOOD PROBE TEMP button. Pressing the button multiple times will cycle through the display of P1, P2 then the grill temperature. After several seconds the display will return to the grill temperature.
Setting the temperature is as easy as turning the dial to the desired setting. The LCD display shows the temperature in degrees Celsius, but the temperature dial has both ºC and ºF in case working to a recipe in Fahrenheit.
Controller Settings
- Shut Down: Controller must be set to Shut Down when plugging the power in otherwise ER2 error will be displayed. Turning to Shut Down after the grill has been operating will run the fan for 10 minutes to let the fire burn down. Only turn the power switch off or unplug the grill once the fan turns off.
- Smoke: Turn to this setting to fire-up the grill. Smoke setting also provides the maximum amount of smoke with a temperature of 70 to 90ºC (160 to 195ºF) depending on the outside temperature.
- 82ºC will provide the most stable lowest temperature (more-so than SMOKE). In hot weather the grill not be able to maintain such a low temperature as the smallest fire provides too much heat.
- 107 and 121ºC are the most commonly used temperatures for low and slow cooking and will still provide some good smoke in batches ever few minutes.
- 135 to 232ºC will provide very little smoke as a constant fire is burning.
Priming the grill with pellets
The first time the grill is used, and after each time the pellets totally run out, the grill needs to be primed with pellets. Priming means feeding pellets from the hopper through the auger tube into the fire-pot.
Follow the instructions below to prime the grill with pellets:
- If the grill has previously been used, vacuum out the hopper and fire-pot.
- Pour fresh, dry pellets into the hopper. The hopper does not need to be filled right up, just add enough for each cook.
- With the grill lid open, turn the controller from Shut Down to Smoke. The auger motor will intermittently run to feed pellets from the hopper through the auger tube into the fire-pot.
- After 5-7 minutes (depending the length of the pellets) they will begin to drop into the fire-pot.
- To fire up the grill, turn the controller back to
- Shut Down then Smoke to turn the ignition rod back on again.
- If LER (low temperature error) is shown on the display, just turn back to Shut Down and Smoke again.
Startup the grill
Open grill lid
- It is important to open the lid to allow fresh air to circulate during the start up process.
Check pellet level
- Make sure there are enough wood pellets in the hopper. Click here to learn more.
- If the grill has not been used for a long time check to ensure the wood pellets are loose, dry and shiny. If any signs of moist pellets remove them all, run the grill empty and use fresh, dry pellets.
Clean fire-pot
- Always check to make sure the fire-pot does not have too much ash accumulated.
- It is best to vacuum out before each cook.
Plug in and turn controller to SMOKE
- Turn the dial to SMOKE to begin the startup cycle.
- Pellets will intermittently drop, the fan will run and the ignition rod will get red hot to light the fire.
- If smoke is not released within 3-4 minutes, remove the grease tray and check the fire-pot.
Smoke and fire
- Wait to see a cloud of smoke to been released and then hear the roaring sound of the fire.
- Close the grill lid and set controller to the target temperature.
Wait for heat-up
- Wait for the grill to reach the target temperature before placing in food.
- It is normal for the temperature to rise above the target before settling back down.
Keep the lid shut!
- As the saying goes, “If you keep looking, you’re not cooking“, so keep the lid shut!
- Use the food probe to monitor the temperature rather than opening the lid too often.
- The temperature will drop each time the lid is opened and may spike back up above the target if the lid is opened for too long as lots of pellets will have been delivered into the fire-pot.
Normal operation
Once the grill has successfully started up and exceeded 60ºC the controller will turn off the ignition rod and commence normal operating mode.
The operating logic is basically as follows:
- IF LOWER than the target temperature, deliver more pellets into the fire-pot
- IF HIGHER than the target temperature, deliver less pellets into the fire-pot
Each time pellets are delivered into the fire-pot (roughly once every 60 to 90 seconds) and begin to burn, heat is released resulting in small temperature swings around the target, which is normal.
Shutdown the grill
The grill needs to ensure the fire is totally burnt out by running the fan for 10 minutes before turning itself off.
Always follow the correct process outlined below when shutting down the the grill.
Temperature above 160ºC
- If the grill is currently above 160ºC, turn the grill down to Smoke for 10 minutes to allow the fire to die down, then turn the controller dial to Shut Down.
- The fan will run for about 10 minutes then turn itself off.
- Always wait for the fan to turn off before turning the power switch off or unplugging the grill from power.
Temperature below 160ºC
- If the grill is currently below 160ºC, turn the controller dial to Shut Down.
- The fan will run for about 10 minutes then turn itself off.
- Always wait for the fan to turn off before turning the power switch off or unplugging the grill from power.
Power cut mid cook?
If during a cook the grill is accidentally turned off or power is cut, it needs to be turned back on to allow the fire to safely burn out.
Power off for less than 30 seconds
- If the power is off for less than 30 seconds the fire is most likely still burning.
- Leave the grill lid shut and turn the controller to Shut Down then directly back to the target temperature.
- The startup cycle will run again, so if the target temperature is low (<121ºC) the temperature may spike back up above before settling back down.
Power off for longer than 30 seconds
- If the power is off for longer than 30 seconds, the lack of air flow from the fan may have resulted in the fire going out.
- It is important to OPEN THE GRILL LID to allow good air flow during the grill firing back up again.
- Turn the grill to Shut Down then back to SMOKE.
- As soon as a confirmed the fire is established (after cloud of smoke) shut the grill lid and turn back to the target temperature.
Power can’t be provided
- If power can’t be provided within a couple of minutes, extra care must be taken when turning the grill back on, as burn back resulting in a smoky hopper can occur. This is more likely if the grill was operating at a high temperature with big fire when the power was cut.
- Follow the procedure outlined above for the “longer than 30 seconds” but also open the hopper lid and check to see if any smoke appears.
- If the grill fires up as normal and no smoke appears from the hopper, continue with the cook as normal.
- If any smoke appears from the hopper, scoop out as may pellets as possible (removing the top of the hopper if required) and then run the grill until empty. Once the fire is out and the grill has cooled down, vacuum out the hopper and fire-pot and then prime with fresh pellets.
Temperature Stability
Normal temperature performance
Z Grills controller’s PID software has been refined to maintain the most stable temperatures possible, but like any pellet smoker, temperature swings around the target are normal. This is simply due to the way the controller logic works and the fact that pellets are delivered every 1 to 2 minutes and so releasing heat in batches.
Controller display vs grill rack temperature
Grill rack temperature readings may be lower than the grill display if the probes are close to cold meat. Much higher readings will result if the probes are close to the front or rear of the grill where the hot air is rising from below. It is therefore best to take reading in a more central location on the grill rack and not too close to food.
Stable temperature tips
To maintain the most stable temperatures, follows these tips:
- Avoid opening the lid too much (can result in temperature spikes once lid is shut again).
- Keep the grill out of direct cold wind, as it can impact the temperature regulation.
- Keep the grill out of direct sunlight (if exceeding the target temperature).
Click here to learn more about how the controller works to manage the temperature.
Changing from HIGH to LOW temperatures
If the grill has been operating at a high temperature and is then set to a lower target, the grill will take a long time to cool down as fire in the fire-pot will keep producing heat.
The temperature will drop much slower in hot weather.
To drop the temperature more quickly:
- Open the lid to release heat until the controller displayed temperature drops close to the new, lower target, then shut the lid and continue cooking.
- Do not keep the lid open too long as if the temperature drops below the new target then too many pellets will be delivered causing a temperature spike.
Temperature spikes
Temperature spikes up to 120ºC are common in the first 10 to 15 minutes after startup even when set to a lower target due to the large amount of pellets delivered into the fire-pot.
- Open the lid for a minute to release some heat, or just wait for the temperature to gradually come back down, which may take 5 to 10 minutes.
- Next time, leave the lid open a bit longer after the initial cloud of smoke clears to release some more heat.
- The grill will gradually settle at the desired target but small swings of +/- 5ºC are normal. Because the heat is indirect this temperature cycling will not adversely effect the cooking of food. At higher temperature larger swings are common, especially in windy weather.
Temperature display vs grill rack
The temperature on the LCD display may differ by +/- 10 to 15ºC from the grill rack temperatures, especially during the heating up phase. This is normal. Relax!
Hot weather operation
In hot weather the grill may not be able to maintain temperatures below 100ºC (on SMOKE or 82ºC setting) as even the smallest fire still provides lots of heat.
This is particularly the case if the grill is in direct sunlight.
Temperature Issues
A number of factors can contribute to the temperature not being a stable as normal. Click here to help troubleshoot temperature issues.
Cleaning
Keeping the Z Grills 7002B smoker clean is very easy.
Grease Tray & Bucket
- Remove foil from the grease tray and wipe off any surface grease.
- Dispose of any grease in the grease bucket and wash clean with warm soapy water. For easy clean up, line the bucket with foil.
- Clean the V channel that the grease tray drains into as well as the spout leading to the grease bucket. To clean the spout just push through a cloth or paper towel.
Grill Rack
- Use a Koala Claw wood scraper or other gentle material to scrape off any large chunks.
- Do NOT use a stainless steel wire brush as it can damage the ceramic coating.
- Wash in hot soapy water or just wipe down with a moist cloth or BBQ cleaning wipes.
- Do NOT use acidic or strong chemical cleaners as they may damage the grill rack ceramic coating.
Fire-pot
- Ash accumulates in the fire-pot and surrounding area and needs to be vacuumed out after each long cook or every 3-4kg of wood pellets usage.
- Only vacuum out ash when the grill is cold, switched OFF and unplugged.
- Some wood pellets produce lots of ash so may need to be cleaned after every cook.
- If any grease has dribbled down into the fire-pot area, clean with BBQ cleaning wipes.
Chimney
- Once every 50+ hours of use, remove the chimney cap and clean the chimney pipe with an old toothbrush to remove accumulated soot.
Hopper
- If wood pellets sit for a long time (weeks) in the hopper they can become moist. This is especially the case in humid climates. Click here to learn more about wood pellets.
- So if not planning to use the grill for more than a few weeks (especially in humid climates) it is a good idea to run the grill empty of pellets.
- Scoop out pellets until you reach the protective guard.
- The guard can be temporarily lifted out by removing the 4 screws (two front, two rear) that are just under the lip as shown in the photo below.
- Scoop out most of the pellets, then run the grill until they are all burnt out and the temperature drops (fire is out).
- Turn the grill to Shut Down.
- If the controller display shows LER, just turn to Shut Down and unplug from power.
- Once cooled down, vacuum out the hopper entry and fire-pot.
- Before the grill is next used it will need to be primed with pellets. Click here to learn how.
Grill Surfaces
- Wipe down the inside and outside of the grill with BBQ cleaning wipes, or warm soapy water and moist (not too wet) cloth.
- Cover the grill with a protective cover when not in use if stored outdoors. The grill must not be exposed to rain.
- Gently clean the temperature sensor inside the grill with wire-wool to ensure accurate temperature readings.
Food Temperature Probe
- Food probes must be scrubbed thoroughly after each use with hot soapy water to avoid food contamination.
- Do not immerse the entire probe or cable in water.
- Avoid twisting or kinking the cable as it may be damaged.
Click here for more information on Z Grills smoker cleaning.
Errors
If there is a problem with the operation of the grill an error will be shown on the controller display and the grill with turn off.
LER: Low temperature error (click here to learn more)
HER: High temperature error (click here to learn more)
ER1: Temperature sensor signal error (click here to learn more)
ER2: Controller system error
- This will occur if the power is plugged in when the grill is already turned to a temperature setting.
- If happening mid cook, there may be a problem with the power supply or the controller.
- Click here or the image below to open larger view of the troubleshooting guide
BBQ Hotplate Kit
The left hand (narrower) grill rack can be removed and a BBQ Hotplate Kit dropped in its place for high temperature searing over the vented grease tray.
Click here for more information.
Can the BBQ hotplate kit be left in place long term?
- Yes it can
- Temperature regulation throughout the grill may be slightly different compared to when grill racks are in place. If doing a low and slow cook, it may be better to put the left grill rack back.
- Always ensure the grease tray vents are covered in foil when the BBQ hotplate is not in place.
Owner Manual
Click here to download the latest copy of the owner manual for Z Grills 7002B (V2) smokers.
Older version of the manuals for 7002B grill models can be accessed here, but for most up to date operation and safety information please refer to the latest version linked above.
7002B Model Change History
The 7002B model that we began selling in Australia in 2019 and has undergone a number of improvements and the addition of new features over the years.
The model version (V2) is printed on the silver specifications sticker on the underside of the hopper lid, as shown below.
Below is a summary of the key changes implemented with each model. Version numbers increase only when major changes are made.
Model (period sold) | Changes |
ZPG-7002B V2 (10-2021~current) | – Introduced vented grease tray & twin main grill racks |
ZPG-7002B V1 (11/2020~12/2021) | – Mounting points for front folding bench – Controller shows ºC and ºF temperatures |
ZPG-7002B V1 (Late 2019~12/2020) | – Original model in Australia |