Try our AWARD WINNING rubs & sauces now!

logo
searchcart

posted February 24, 2023

Grilla Grills Silverbac AT Review

Pitmasters! Today, we’re taking a look at the Grilla Grills Silverbac AT. Grilla Grills has taken their hugely popular Silverbac model and slapped a cart with massive wheels and a lower shelf on it. They say the Silverbac AT is “engineered to conquer the toughest terrain and withstand the harshest environments, delivering wood-fired BBQ no matter where you are.” It’ll definitely go anywhere you want with relative ease, but how does it perform? Let’s get into it and find out!

Grilla Grills sent us this grill for testing and review purposes; however, all opinions are our own.

Please note: Hey Grill Hey is supported by its readers. We may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you if you buy through a link on this page.

 

grilla grills silverbac review

PURCHASE ONE FOR YOURSELF: CLICK HERE

Silverbac AT Features

Check out the great features of the Grilla Grills Silverbac AT pellet grill:

  • 692 square inches of cooking space
  • 180-500 degree temperature range
  • Coated steel cooking grates
  • 20lb hopper capacity
  • 4 year warranty
  • Temperature probe port with included probe
  • PID or PRO controller modes
  • Wi-Fi enabled controller
  • All Terrain cart system

The Silverbac

To say that the original Grilla Grills Silverbac is a fan favorite would be a little bit of an understatement. Quite often you see their grills among the top recommendations on social media networks and forums alike. The AT version is that same grill people love, with some much beefier legs and wheels to hold it up. It still features the heavy-duty powder-coated steel and double-walled construction the original is known for, while getting a major upgrade in the mobility department. Grilla Grills have ditched the storage cart below and swapped in a sweet shelf and some mini bro truck tires and I couldn’t be more here for it.

big wheels on the silverbac at

Along with that beautiful off-road capable cart, the Silverbac AT also features the same, newly-added Wi-Fi controller that comes on the standard version, as well as stainless steel internal components and stainless steel lid. The Silverbac line is just as capable as most other pellet grills with a 180-500 degree temperature range and 692 square inches of total cooking space. It features a pretty average 20lb pellet hopper capacity as well. Unlike some competitors though, the Silverbac line doesn’t have an easy clean out system for the firepot, so plan on cleaning that out regularly. At the time of review, a Silverbac AT will run you $1099.

Silverbac AT Assembly

Assembly of the Silverbac AT was comparable to pretty much every other pellet grill I’ve assembled, taking about an hour with basic hand tools by myself. The included instructions were adequate and I don’t have any real complaints about the grill body itself except these atrocious welds on the stack.

subpar welding on the silverbac at smoke stack

The cart is a slightly different story. While the pieces are small and it is technically easy to assemble, there are a lot of nuts, bolts, and washers to crank on there. The cart took longer to assemble and was more tedious than the rest of the grill.

the wheels and lower shelf of the silverbac at

The Exterior

Since the big feature that sets the AT apart from the bog standard Silverbac is the cart, let’s chat about that for a moment.

This thing is NICE. It’s built from thick gauge steel and has a very durable feeling coating on it. That bottom shelf is super sturdy and adds a lot of strength to the legs as a whole, all while holding up as many bags of pellets as you can fit on it. There are also plenty of holes in the sides of the shelves that Grilla Grills claims are there for bungees to help tie it down in the bed of your truck, but I don’t think that’s super realistic. If that’s the only place you strapped this guy down, you’ll lose it to the road for sure.

While some hate blingy, gaudy wheels on smokers (this guy included) I actually appreciate these ones. I don’t care for the looks, but as someone who’s primary grilling area consists of various sizes of loose gravel I couldn’t be happier about them. They make moving the Silverbac AT around a breeze, especially with the pull handle and steering system on the front wheels. I’d take the cart and wheels over the cabinet and casters any day.

pull handle, steering system, and drip cup of the silverbac at

Other exterior features to note on the Silverbac lineup include a pellet dump for quick pellet changes and a grease can holder instead of the standard bucket every other brand includes. I have a love/hate relationship with this can holder. Get an empty can, fill it with grease, throw it away and load a new one. No more bucket liners. It’s a great idea, but needs some work. If you look closely at the image above, I had to do some tweaking to the hook that holds it so that the can would actually sit underneath and collect grease. Before, grease would just hit the side of the can and drip straight onto the ground. I’ve since ditched the can holder entirely and just use a standard bucket.

Interior

As stated earlier, much of the interior of this grill is made out of stainless steel, which is still a big deal at this price point. Many manufacturers competing in this price range don’t even come close here. The body itself is coated steel, but the interior parts subject to high temperature all feature stainless. These parts include the lower barrel lining, firepot, deflector plate, and grill grates. The upper rack (not pictured) is a half rack included with the grill that can be placed either in the front or back halves of the grill body.

stainless steel internals of the silverbac at

While not a big deal, my upper rack arrived slightly bent and needed to be reshaped. Everything else about the inside of the Silverbac is fairly standard. There’s no fancy lighting or searing system gimmicks anywhere near here.

Cooking with the Silverbac

Cooking on the Silverbac AT is an absolute breeze. It holds temperature within a degree or two in PID mode, and within 10 or so in PRO mode, and temperatures are consistent across the cook chamber. There is a very slight hot spot above the fire pot though.

I’m going to tell you right now; switch the controller into PRO mode and never look back. Everybody loves to tout the PID tech on these newer grills but I’ve found the flavor severely lacking when keeping temperature that precise. PRO mode allows the smoker a little more wiggle room in its temperature control logic which turns into more temperature swings. Those turn into more smoke, which means more smoke flavor. Check out this rack of ribs cooked on the Silverbac AT! They featured a ton of smoke flavor and a very prominent smoke ring (that I wish I had gotten a picture of) thanks to PRO mode.

delicious ribs cooked on the silverbac at

Hot and fast cooks are a breeze. Steaks, burgers, dogs, you name it, are all handled very well thanks to that 180-500 degree temperature range. Just like most other pellet grills, the Silverbac can sear acceptably. It’s not the greatest tool for the job, but it will get it done well enough when running at max temp.

The Controller

The controller on the Silverbac is what allows this mode-switching magic to happen. Grilla Grills calls it the Alpha Connect Wi-Fi Controller and it is packed with features. This new controller is also Wi-Fi enabled and makes monitoring and adjusting temperatures on your long cooks a breeze. The ability to monitor the included meat probe is there as well. I didn’t have any connectivity issues while testing this unit, but your mileage may vary. The controller features a super easy to read backlit screen. It also allows you to set and monitor cook timers at the grill as well as in the app. Don’t mind my reflection in the screen.

controller for the silverbac at

What We Like

Here are some of our favorite things about the Silverbac AT from Grilla Grills:

  • Ease of Use – It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and produces incredible food!
  • Construction – Materials Daddy loves his stainless steel.
  • The Cart – Do I really need to say more?
  • 4 Year Warranty

What Could be Improved

Even though this is a great grill, there are a few things that could be improved with the Silverbac AT:

  • Grease Catcher – Some of you will probably say it’s operator error and that’s fine, but the fact remains that the design could be better.
  • Build Quality – Everything about this grill is built well, but I just can’t get past the booger welds. At $1099, this shouldn’t be a thing.
  • Front Shelf Not Included – I’ll harp on this until the end of time. Make front shelves a standard feature!

PURCHASE ONE FOR YOURSELF: CLICK HERE

Recipes for the Grilla Grills Silverbac AT

Do you have the Silverbac AT in your backyard, or are you planning on buying one in the future? If so, I recommend trying these awesome recipes with your grill.

Grilla Grills Silverbac AT Review: Final Thoughts

The Grilla Grills Silverbac AT is an absolute BEAST of a grilling machine! If you need a well-built, high-quality grill that can go anywhere you want to take it, look no further! The wheels alone give this one a place in my backyard arsenal, and everything else above the most basic pellet grills are just a bonus. If you’re not grilling on concrete or a bougie deck, this grill will handle the terrain and produce incredible food every, single time.

BBQ Must Haves

reader reviews

4 reviews

leave a review

Required fields are marked *

recipe rating

about you

Your email address will not be published.

susie grilling

Join the Grill Squad

The Grill Squad is our exclusive membership program that will transform bland cookouts into booming barbecues that you'll remember for a lifetime. The technique and skills you learn will bring your backyard cookouts to a new level. For the cost of a full brisket, you'll get annual access to an exclusive BBQ community, Pitmaster Classes, discounts, and much much more!

Learn More