Storage Containers for Pellets: Bins, Buckets and Bags

The container matters less than the seal. Makers keep coming back to the same word: airtight.

The options

Makers name four. They don't rank them, and neither does this page.

The "trade-offs" column is this site's reading of the shapes involved. It isn't a measurement.

Why sealed matters

Wikipedia notes that materials with an affinity for atmospheric moisture might require storage in sealed containers⁴. The page is about moisture-attracting materials in general, not pellets specifically. Makers apply the same idea. Traeger's rule is to keep pellets dry and airtight³.

Pit Boss makes the same case for indoor storage, which is why it points to a sealable lid¹.

Opened bags need more care

Traeger says that once a bag is open, protecting the pellets from moisture matters even more³. Z Grills' advice for an opened bag is to move the pellets into an air-tight container, or fold the bag up tightly².

One thing about humid days

Z Grills suggests that on a humid or wet day, a small dehumidifier in the bucket or tote may help when you move pellets over². That's a maker suggestion. Check it suits the container you've got.

Size and shape

A 5-gallon bucket is the size both Pit Boss and Z Grills name¹². Neither page says how many pounds of pellets it holds, so check by pouring in a bag and seeing if the lid still closes. Traeger describes its own bin as holding a full bag at 22 lb³, but that figure belongs to one maker's product, not to bins in general.

Practical habits

• Use a container with a lid that closes all the way.
• Press the lid down after every scoop.
• Keep the container away from heat. Picking the spot is covered under where to keep pellets.
• Check a bag before you tip it into a container. The snap and sheen checks show how.