What Traeger Grill Should I Buy

Pit Boss Austin Xl Wood Pellet Grill

This product is one of the best-sellers among wood pellet grills. Its cooking space is up to 1000 square inches. So, imagine how many foods you can cook all at once with this product. You can also monitor them using the digital control board with LED. If you want a direct flame grilling, you can use its innovative flame broiler, allowing you to have more delicious barbeque meals.

Its temperature range starts from 150 to 500°F. You can reach your desired temperature according to your plans and meals to cook. Furthermore, this wood pellet grill comes with four rolling casters and a 31 lbhopper with a purge system.

Whats more, this wood pellet grill has a stainless steel side table with a removable serving tray. It means that you have space for more food to serve people when the occasion or gathering starts. Its overall body has a porcelain-coated cast iron for its quality and durability.

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Capacity Of The Hopper

Everything starts in the hopper. It is where you load your wood pellets, so you know it is critical. This is why it is critical to examine the hopper capacity, since it will decide how long you can cook without having to reload the hopper. When it comes to the hopper, bigger is always better. However, if portability is important to you, a tiny 8-pound hopper on the Traeger Tailgater will not add to the units weight while still performing admirably.

Reasons To Consider Other Grill Options

• You prefer a direct heat method of grilling: The Traeger grill uses an indirect heating source, much like an oven, so you wont be able to sear meat, as many people like to do when grilling a steak. The Traeger system is better for those people seeking more of a smoker type of cooking system, although you can sear your meat by using a frying pan with a little oil initially before you finish cooking it with the Traeger grill. You can use the frying pan on a stove top burner or on the surface of the Traeger grill.

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Where Are Traeger Grills Manufactured

Since 2008, all Traeger home grills have been made in China, according to the company. Larger commercial grills are still made in the United States.

Some people have expressed concern about Traegers decision to produce their grills in China, but the fact is that the vast majority of household grills are manufactured there.

If purchasing American-made is paramount to you, you should choose a Yoder pellet grill. However, youll end up paying at least twice as much.

Traeger Pro Series 34

Overview

Notice we did not say the least expensive Traeger, this is not. But it delivers some characteristics that make it a great contender. For over a decade the manufacturing has been in China, and frankly that is the way it is in the pellet smoker world until you get to the ultra-premium high end units. It seems that Traeger, and many others, have gotten a better build quality from their manufacturing partners recently, although there are consumers who disagree. Combine that with a lagging reputation for customer service, and it explains why the market has allowed so much competition.

Their build is certainly sturdy, coming in at 136 pounds, these contain a lot of metal. The rack space at 884 square inches over two levels is impressive. The other components get interesting results. Our experience, echoed by others, is that they are very fickle when it comes to holding temperature. This unit still uses a dial with 25 degree increments, and their own spec says it will hold to within +/-15 degrees. It also can take a significant amount of time to get to temperature, especially the listed top end of 450 degrees. It does offer two temperature probe inputs, so you could monitor the ambient temp of the chamber, although we have our recommendations for a Bluetooth set up to accomplish that and more .

Specs to know

• Weak customer service
• Expensive for the category

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What Is The Best Pellet Grill 2020

Best Pellet Grills for the Money

• Best. Traeger Ironwood 650 Pellet Grill. Temperature ranges from 165 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Better. Camp Chef 24-Inch Woodwind WiFi Pellet Grill. Temperature ranges from 160 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Good. Traeger Pro 575 Pellet Grill. Temperature ranges from 180 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Traeger Town & Travel Grills

On the other hand, the Town & Travel grills are best for outgoing individuals who want good food on-the-go.

These models are very portable and easy to use, so you can cook up some great-tasting meat/fish even when you don’t have access to a big space or a fully-stocked kitchen.

Town & Travel Grill Models

• WiFIRE technology for remote control via the Traeger application or Amazon Alexa
• D2 controller with digital display
• Grill insulation to maintain high temperatures even during cold weather
• Built-in meat probe to monitor food temperature without having to lift the lid
• Durable all-terrain wheels to withstand rocky or rough terrains
• Automatic alerts when pellets are running low
• Exhaust system for a smoky and impeccable flavor
• Super Smoke mode for maximum wood-fired flavor
• Dual-position smoke/sear bottom grate to control heat exposure
• Hopper cleanout trapdoor for easy pellet swapping

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How To Shop For The Best Pellet Grills

Basic pellet grill designs tend to be pretty similar, Lampe explained. Youll find a little fire pot down in the bottom of your cooker and a delivery system that sends the pellets in as required, he said. This is all controlled by a thermostat and a little fan to blow on the fire.

Although this may sound simple and it can be he noted that there are different features that can make it even easier.

Who Makes The Best Pellet Grill

The 9 Best Pellet Grills Reviewed

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Final Thoughts: Traeger Vs Green Mountain Z

The best aspect of this kind of comparison is that each of these items, including the Trager have some reasons to consider buying them. Yes, we liked the grill size and pricing of the Z700 because it creates such a strong value statement. Camp Chef brings tech to you and your smoking, along with a tank like build quality.

Both the portable choices do outshine the Traeger in this category. Green Mountains Davy Crockett is an exceptional purpose built offering, whereas Grillas Chimp is a unit that will serve you well at home or on the road.

Pellet smokers are a great option for home smoking. Once you get used to the ease of set and forget, you will find it easy to master the art of flavorful homemade meats and so much more.

What Is A Pellet Smoker

A Pellet smoker is a machine that is capable of maintaining temperatures at both low and slow levels. This outdoor cooker tends to combine elements of kitchen ovens, charcoal smokers, and gas grills. It garners its fuel from wood pellets. A pellet smoker uses an electronic control panel for feeding fuel plants automatically, maintaining consistent cooking temperatures, and regulating the grill’s airflow. You can use it to carry out various works such as grilling, smoking, baking, etc.

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How Does A Traeger Wood Pellet Grill Work

A motor turns a screw-like device, an auger, to feed the burn pot. The pellets are then ignited and exhausted by the chimney.

Traeger also has air convection. A 4-inch convection fan feeds the burning pellets air allowing them to burn hot and efficiently while circulating the heated, smoke-filled air around the food.

Wood Pellets for Traeger Grills

The grill moves the heat around the meat, just like convection style cooking in an oven.

This air induction system allows the grill to be “sealed” underneath, which means you can use it when it’s windy to smoke, roast, bake, and grill.

The last thing to note is the grease management system. It has a slanted grease tray moving the grease out of the grill into a bucket.

It’s recommended to line the tray with tin foil for easy cleanup. This system also prevents flare-ups leading to burned and overcooked food.

What If I Dont Want Everything To Taste Super Smoky

You can actually decide how smoky your food will taste. The higher the temps the grill is set to, the less smoke there will be. Food cooked at temps between 165° 225°F is going to have more smoke flavor than food cooked at higher temps.

This smoker makes you feel like an instant pit master. I was skeptical of what I would be able to do with this pit as I have only ever used charcoal or gas grills. The first thing I smoked was a brisket and it turned out so good. My parents and family loved it. The second brisket was even BETTER. From classic BBQ, to beer can chicken, salmon, mac and cheese, jalapeño poppers, and brownies, this thing makes everything taste incredible. Honestly, I have no reason to ever buy BBQ again and I live in Texas! Nathaniel J., TX

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Do You Need Bells And Whistles

Depending on the value, Traegers offer various attributes as well as upgrades.

The Timberline, for circumstances, is completely loaded with added attributes like a pellet sensing unit that will inform you when pellets are running reduced.

Ironwood and also Timberline controllers also feature more switches, making life more simple as contrasted to the scroll-through food selection system on the Pro Series.

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A Short Summary Of Our Findings

Here at Grills Forever, were constantly on the lookout for the leading grill makers and their best-selling models. We make it our mission to research, try, and review each one of these grills so that we can help our readers decide which grill would suit their needs. Thats why weve come up with this Top 07 Traeger Grills for 2019.

Traeger manufactures wood grills that really stand out for their signature smoky flavor using pure wood pellets. Whatever it is that youre roasting, smoking, barbecuing, baking, searing, Traeger has a recommended wood pellet that will bring out the best taste out of your dish. We have personally been using a Traeger pellet grill for more than ten years, and we can honestly say that its one great investment for those who love to cook outside of their kitchen.

In order to come up with this review, we rounded up our team and started our research on Traegers grills. Then, we scoured through the internet for product descriptions and features, critic reviews and user feedback. We dont want to bore you with the details, so heres a summary of our findings, and we hope it helps you choose whats best for you.

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Pit Boss Pit Boss Platinum Lockhart Grill

This wood pellet grill and smoker is both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled and according to Marks, its the most versatile pellet grill available. He appreciates the 2,137 square inches of cooking space with 719 square inches for grilling and smoking, plus an additional cabinet with 1,418 square inches of smoking space. It also comes with six sausage hooks and two meat probes with the ability to control up to four at one time.

I really love the pot access that allows you to brush out the pot and remove the ash that is a huge timesaver as well as a significant safety feature, he said. This pellet grill with all of the combined features, technology, sheer size, best in class warranty and a price tag of $750 make it my choice for best pellet grill overall.

Traeger Ranger Portable Grill And Smoker

Why youll love this:

Traeger doesnt make a ton of portable grills, and it may just be because they got this one so right to begin with.

This is an excellently made portable smoker, with all the features I look for in something like that.

Its compact, lightweight, and travels well. The latching lid makes it safe to store all your tools inside and then travel however you need to.

You get about the average amount of grilling space for a portable grill, which is a good 184 square inches enough for a good sized meal for a decent group of people.

Despite the portable nature, it keeps all the nice features Traeger grills are known for, including the advanced grilling logic and other accuracy increasing tools, like the internal meat probe and keep warm function. This means that even on the go, you dont have to sacrifice quality and ease of use.

While a bit pricier than other portable grilling and smoking options, the quality speaks for itself. Its the full Traeger grills experience, just in a smaller package. The only real gripe I have is the size and weight. This is definitely more of a tailgating or campground grill its too bulky and heavy to take on a hike or deep camping trip.

What We Didnt Like

• Fairly pricey.
• On the bulky size for a portable grill or smoker.

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How Do You Clean Mold Out Of A Traeger

How to rid your smoker of mold: Discard any charcoal and other porous materials. Fire it up as hot as possible to burn off all grease and mold. Let it cool and then scrape and scrub every surface with a brush or a pressure washer, including the drip pan and grate. Wash everything down with soapy water.

Is A Traeger Easy To Use

If you can navigate an oven, you can definitely operate a Traeger. Our grills are simple to use. With Traegers Set-it & Forget-It nature, its as easy as 1-2-3. Just turn the Traeger grill on, set the temperature, throw your food on the grill, and youll be on your way to creating the best food on the block.

1:01

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Additional Information On Traeger Grill Review

Weve mentioned a lot of different facts about Traegers Controllers so now let me take the time to summarize the information all in one place.

The majority of the grills in this Traeger Grill Review are equipped with the Elite Digital Controller. This controller maintains the internal temperature of your grill to within 20F in ideal conditions. The LED display is a typical red color. You can set the controller in 25 temperature increments from around 155F to 425F. There are also two more settings: at the lower end, this is labeled as smoke and at the higher end, this is labeled as high.

Traegers other controller is called the Pro Series Controller. This controller has the added features of 2 meat probes so you dont have to open the grill to check the temperature. The LED display on this controller is blue, which makes it easier to see in bright conditions. It also has Advanced Grilling Logic, which holds the temperature better than the Elite Digital Controller as it is maintained within 15F, making it more accurate. You can also buy this controller to install onto your existing Traeger grill to upgrade from the Elite.

What Size Pellet Smoker Do I Need

When it comes to choosing a size pellet smoker, here are some of the factors that need your attention:

• How much food do you plan to cook for every meal?
• Are you using your grill for entertaining guests?
• Do you plan on traveling with your grill?

Pellet or grillers are available in different sizes and requirements. Everything from the portable models meant tailgating to super large commercial units and built-in pellet grillers for outdoor kitchens. For considering the grilling size, you need to pay attention to the cooking area, along with the physical dimensions for picking one that best fits your kitchen space and lifestyle.

Like other smokers, pellet grillers also list the cooking area in two different ways, i.e., the primary cooking area and total cooking area. The immediate cooking area consists of the main cooking grate. The total cooking area refers to the direct cooking grate, along with any of the secondary racks. But since pellet grillers are mainly indirect cookers, there aren’t many differences between cooking on the primary rack or the top rack.

The temperature level should be the same on both racks. So, you should go for a smaller pellet griller that features a primary grid of about 450 square inches. Also, choose an upper rack that measures over 125 square inches. This dimension is a smarter choice than the larger grill with a primary grid of 500 square inches. Bigger isn’t a better choice, especially if you’re paying for a space that you’ll never use.

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