I am going with Pitboss grills and Pitboss Copperhead smokers because thise are about the only ones other than a small treager that I can think of under 500.
There's a deal on the smaller traeger going on right now. My GF got me on for an early Christmas present. Comes with shelf, cover and 2 bags of pellets. Used it a bunch already!
I say that because that’s the brand that hooked us on pellet cooking... Never had an issue other than the longevity of the grill. That’s what drove us to MAK.
Once we got the MAK we learned there is a REAL difference in the way they work and the food they produce.
If you have time to wait, pick out the pellet grill you like and watch the resale market for it to pop up, it'll be a matter of time if you keep you eye out. That way you can usually find $600-$1000 grill in your price range. I like to try different grills a lot, I usually bag a nice pellet grill for $250 or less. Happy hunting
You can get a Pit Boss Austin XL for $449. Right now (maybe even less).
I wouldn't even bother with those so called "expert review" sites when it comes to choosing anything.
If you’re not cooking for a crowd I think the GMG Davy Crockett is cost effective way to test the pellet realm. $329 with wifi. It is small..being marketed as a portable. I bought a 3 rack insert for it and can get 4 racks of baby backs that are cut in half in there. I’ve had mine for over 5 years without a bit of trouble. It seems to be holding up just fine.