The Beginning Of The Brand
The story goes, during a family Fourth of July barbecue in 1985, Joe Traegers gas grill caught fire while cooking chicken. Joe was so angry;he kicked the grill off the deck, according to the Traeger Grills website.
The next day he started work on a barbecue for the home market that would use wood pellets.
When completed, it resembled the offset barrel smokers popular in Texas, but its heating element and gauges allowed cooks to regulate heat and smoke to cook.;Traeger Grills sold;its first commercial grill in 1988.
Weber And Traeger Both Operate In The Same Category But Represent Different Approaches To The Grill Business
Millions of Americans have grills, creating opportunity for Weber and Traeger
Weber Inc. and Traeger Inc., two companies that sell grills and barbecue equipment, are taking advantage of this summer outdoor cooking season to go public, but a comparative analysis of the two shows that one is on a stronger financial footing.
RapidRatings, a risk and financial analysis company that examines the financial health of thousands of companies, took a close look at their financials and found Weber WEBR had a far higher financial health rating than Traeger COOK, -3.87% at 75 out of a possible 100, compared with Traegers 44.
The FHR rating measures short-term probability of default. It puts Weber in the strong category and Traeger in the medium risk one.
Still, James Gellert, RapidRatings chief executive, said even with that gap in FHR ratings, both companies have had a relatively good year.
Their Core Health Score, which;evaluates efficiencies in the business over a two- to three-year perspective, stands at 53 for Traeger the medium health category and 73 for Weber the strong health category.
;With the combination of an optimistic recovery-swing, a summer high of consumer spending, and the traditional season of outdoor cooking in full effectthe backdrop is right to make their debut on the public stage, Gellert wrote in his analysis.
Weber has a financial edge on Traeger, despite some recent improvements, he said.
Weber is cooking in more than half of U.S. households
Louisiana Grills Temperature Control
Louisiana Grills LG700 model sports a digital control panel called a PID Controller. PIDs allow the chef to change and check temperatures without opening the grills hood. This keeps heat from escaping while sneaking a peek at the meat.
These controllers allow chefs to set temperatures in increments of 5º F. Even better? Any meat on the grill will come within 5º F of its intended temperature.
Precision alone does not amount to all of Louisiana Grills success. Their machines allow chefs to choose temperatures from 180º F to 600º F.
If that werent enough, climate poses no problem to Louisiana Grills machines. No cold, no rain, and no wind can undermine your meal.
Winner: Louisiana Grills. Its expansive range of temperatures and incomparable accuracy makes crowning their company king a no-brainer at least in this category.
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‘outdoors Is The New Indoor’
The push of the barbecue companies into the public market has also been beneficial for BBQGuys, an online retail platform that not only sells grills and accessories but other outdoor living products like fire pits and patio furniture, and is planning to go public through a SPAC deal.
“Outdoor is the new indoor; people are bringing their indoor living spaces outside after being trapped inside,” BBQGuys chief executive office Russ Wheeler said. “The grill is certainly the centerpiece of that, but that could also include a wine fridge, built-in heaters, weatherized TVs, or firepits.”
BBQGuys reported $264 million in revenue in 2020 and said it has had 27% annual growth over the last 15 years. The company not only sells Weber and Traeger products on its website but also its brands. Through a SPAC deal with Velocity Acquisition Corp. announced earlier this month, BBQGuys would be valued at $839 million. It plans to be listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker “BBQG.”
In 2020, the company was acquired by private equity firm Brand Velocity Partners in a deal that also brought on the famous Manning family of NFL quarterbacks as investors. In recent months, both Peyton and Eli Manning have been featured in marketing campaigns for the company, which Wheeler said is part of BBQGuys’ effort to “creating an outdoor living lifestyle brand and ecosystem.”
Traeger Grills Vs Traeger Timeline
1935 Traeger family moves to Mt. Angel
1959 Joe Traeger goes to work for uncles company, which will become Traeger Heating
1980 Joe Traeger develops heater using wood pellets
1982 Joe Traeger purchases what would become the Traeger Barn from the Mt. Angel Abbey
1985 Joe Traeger builds first wood pellet grill after a gas grill burns the family Fourth of July chicken
1988 Traeger Grills sells first commercial wood pellet grill
2006 Joe Traeger and sons Mark, Randy and Brian Traeger sell Traeger Industries to a Florida venture capitalist for $12.4 million
2014 Traeger Grills is sold to Jeremy Andrus and private equity firm Trilantic Capital Partners
2015 Traeger Grills moves its headquarters to Utah and brings five of 140 employees
2018 Joe and Brian Traeger take jobs with rival Dansons and are used in marketing
Traeger Grills sues Joe and Brian Traeger and Dansons over the use of their images
Other business news:
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Here Are Some Common Questions About Traeger Grills
Answer: Each of the Traeger grill models requires a standard 120VAC power. For the first four minutes, each fire pot will use 300 watts for the igniter rod, but it will reduce to 50 watts per fire pot. However, for the trailer mount model, a 1,000W generator is ideal for off-site cooking.
Answer: No, you cannot use them indoors as they are intended for the outdoors only. You can place it on your patio and grill, roast, barbecue, braise, bake and smoke any sort of food you want from meat, poultry, to vegetables and fruits.
Answer: No, you cannot as Traeger pellets are the preferred choice. They are 100% hardwood and food grade. Wood pellets made for home heating and other operations usually contain glues, binder, and other harmful additives. Besides, its patented auger system cannot process woodchips.
Answer: Yes, you have to season it before you put your first batch of food. You can use the instructional manual but the first firing is essential to finish the curing paint and burn small particles and oil from its manufacturing.
Tailgater Portable Pellet Grill
The Tailgater is Traegers attempt to offer the convenience and flavor of cooking with pellets, in a portable format.
With 300 square inches of cooking space, the Tailgater should still be able to handle 3 racks of ribs or up to 2 whole chickens.
The grill weighs 62 lbs and measure 36 x 37 x 18 inches. The pellet hopper can hold 8 lbs which should allow 4-6 hours of cooking without refilling.
The EZ-Fold legs are handy feature which allows you to wheel the grill onto the bed or your truck.
What you gain in portability you give up in features. The Tailgater doesnt include WiFi or any of the other improvements in the Pro, Ironwood or Timberline grills.
Having said that, this grill still performs well and can handle anywhere from 180 450 °F.The digital elite controller keeps temperatures fairly stable within 20 degrees of your set temperature.
Traeger Tailgater Specifications:
| Weight | 62 Lbs |
While theres something nice about grilling with charcoal when you are camping, you cant beat the versatility of pellet grill. Being able to bake, grill and smoke are super convenient when you can only take one grill with you.
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The Benefits Of Traeger Grills:
- Superior Taste – Traeger premium wood pellets pack a powerful flavor punch. Whether you enjoy a sweet cherry, savory mesquite, or traditional pecan, Traeger has a flavor that will satisfy any craving. Made in the USA and guaranteed to be 100% natural food-grade hardwood, Traegers pure pellets infuse your food with amazing wood-fired flavor.
- Versatility – Traeger pellet grills and smokers make cooking simple, providing unparalleled cooking options. Whether you need to sear a steak or BBQ ribs low and slow, Traeger has you covered. The heat retention and even temperature of a Traeger grill make any cooking method a surefire success.
- Ease of Use – Traeger brings the phrase set it and forget it to another level. Simply set the grill to your desired temperature and walk away, sure in the knowledge that your grill will remain at your set temperature for as long as you need it to.
- Consistency – With no need to babysit, Traeger smokers convection-style heat will cook evenly every time, bathing your food in flavorful smoke. Drippings and grease are channeled into a drip tray, eliminating flare-ups and keeping direct flame off of your food. You can count on your Traeger grill to give you consistency you can count on cook after cook.
Extra Features And Attachments
Some of the higher-priced units offer some sweet bonuses to tease a few more dollars out of your wallet. Some are truly useful, like a side shelf for prep, while others are more gimmicky, like a magnetic bamboo cutting board.
If youre used to grilling without these extras, well, you perhaps wont miss what youve never had. That being said, extra work and storage space is always a plus. If you think you might want shelves, check if the model youre considering either comes with them or has them available for purchase.
Consider, too, what adding on missing features later might cost. It could be that its worth investing in a model that includes everything you want upfront versus buying them separately down the road.
Of course, some features arent available as upgrades from the accessory shop. For example, the hopper you get is the hopper youre stuck with, so be sure its big enough out of the box for your needs. The same goes for a meat temperature probe port get it now or get it never.
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Joe Traeger Hired By Rival Dansons In 2018
Joe Traeger visited Dansons’;facility in Phoenix, Arizona to talk with president Jeff Thiessen about a charity in August 2018.
Dansons is a barbecue grill manufacturer started in 1999 by Dan Thiessen and his two sons. Among the brands of grills they manufacture are Louisiana Grills and Pit Boss, both of which make wood pellet grills.
In an interview with Patio & Hearth Products Report, Dansons president Jeff Thiessen said that meeting led to job offers to Joe and Brian Traeger.
The lawsuit alleges Joe Traeger reached out to Traeger Grills about jobs for he and Brian Traeger in September 2018.
The terms were unreasonable and unacceptable to Traeger Grills, the lawsuit states.
In 2018, Joe and Brian Traeger went to work for Dansons Joe in product development and Brian as a divisional sales manager and Dansons used photos of Joe and Brian Traeger and the Traeger barn in Mt. Angel in its announcement of the hiring and subsequent marketing material dated Sept. 21, 2018.
Joe and Brian Traeger were hired in 2018 based on their personal talent, passion and experience in the grilling industry, Dansons;president Jeff Thiessen said in a statement. They brought fresh ideas and concepts that we were happy to engage, and they have become a valued part of the Dansons family.
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Traeger Ironwood Midline Buying At Its Best
The Ironwood 660 retails for $1199.99 USD and the Ironwood 880 retails for $1499.99 USD. The increased price comes with a few improvements and features above the Pro Series. If youre going to be buying a Traeger grill and have the extra bucks lying around, the Ironwood might be the one for you.
Downdraft Exhaust and True Convection
Unlike the Pro Series, which emits smoke from a side chimney, the Ironwood uses a Downdraft Exhaust positioned at the rear of the grill. This allows for a better exhaust system, which pushes old smoke out of the grill through the back, while simultaneously introducing new smoke produced in the fire pot. It also creates what Traeger refers to as True Convection.
In terms of how the Downdraft Exhaust delivers smoke and impacts the flavour of your food, it mostly applies in cases when youre actually smoking foods between 165F and 275F. When cooking above 275F, you are venturing into the realm of grilling or roasting and at those higher temperatures, the grill does not produce as much smoke because the pellets are combusting at a faster rate.
Whats interesting about the Downdraft Exhaust is that it contributes to something Traeger calls True Convection. This helps circulate heat and smoke through specially design channels throughout the grill, resulting in more efficient and reduced cooking times.
Super Smoke
Double Sidewall Insulation;
Side Shelf
Controller
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Why Do We Recommend This Traeger Grill
- Integrated Digital Elite Controller This feature keeps the temperatures within +/- 20 degrees F. It makes setting the grill temperature very easy. You can have your food cook at low and slow settings or fast and hot. Besides, you can tune and read its temperature on its LED display system.
- Wheels with Locking Casters You can now glide this Traeger grill to anywhere you want, as it comes with durable wheels and locking casters to keep it steady when parked.
- Porcelain Grill Grates Now you can smoke any saucy rib racks and never worry about cleaning as this grill has a non-stick surface that makes it easy to clean its grill grates.
Traeger Timberline Fully Loaded Like No Other
The Timberline is the top-of-the-line, fully-loaded Traeger model. The 1300 is by far the largest of the Traeger grills and an absolute behemoth. It has a larger cooking capacity than 2 Pro 575s combined, handling 12 chickens or 15 racks of ribs or 12 pork butts.
Because the Timberline is very similar to the Ironwood Series, its actually easier to just describe the differences and additions, rather than go over all of the features again.
So, along with everything listed above about the Ironwood, the Timberline has the following:
Fully Insulated Grill Interior with Gasket
In addition to the double sidewall panels of the Ironwood, the Timberlinefeatures an aluminized steel double-wall back panel and grill door for even more insulation. It also comes with a gasket that runs around the edges of the grill door, which helps keep heat in.
Stainless-Steel Grill Grates;
Unlike the non-stick coated porcelain grill grates on the Pro Series and Ironwood, the Timberlinecomes with stainless-steel grill grates. On the one hand, this is a good thing because stainless-steel grates are much more durable than the porcelain ones. Steel is also a better conductor of heat, meaning they get hotter than porcelain grates, which allows for better searing capabilities. However, they are also more prone to having food stick to them. Therefore, you may need to oil your grill before placing food down, depending on what youre cooking.
Taller Barrel
Internal Grease Management System
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The Start Of Louisiana Grills
Before the birth of Louisiana Grills, Dan Thiessen founded a company called Danson in 1999. Even though he recognized the potential of pellet grills, he found success in selling other, affordable outdoor equipment.
As soon as the Traeger Patent expired, Thiessen created a subsidiary company called Louisiana Grills. This business became his home base for manufacturing and marketing pellet grills.
Traeger Grills and Louisiana Grills have attempted to outdo one another since 2006. The war may still wage on, but we have a verdict to contribute to the combat.
Louisiana Grills Hopper Capacity
Contrary to the norm, Louisiana Grills LG700 model exemplifies a common problem in the company: lack of pellet space. This model can only contain 14 lb. of pellets not nearly enough to sustain their extensive cooking space.
This lackluster storage requires chefs to restock consistently. Without the ease of Traegers hopper system, this obligation becomes a chore.
Winner: Traeger Grills. These hoppers allow chefs to refuel less and relax more.
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What Is A Pellet Grill
Pellet grills combine the functionality of gas grills, kitchen ovens, and charcoal smokers into one convenient unit. These prove that cooking outdoors doesnt need to be a chore.
Unlike their charcoal counterparts, pellets fuel these fires. All-natural hardwood comprises every pellet, each imbued with flavor to spice up your cooking. These organic materials limit gas emissions during grilling, which benefit your body and the environment.
Before 1980 came along, not a soul on Earth had heard of a pellet grill. Thats because our planet lacked one specific genius: Joe Traeger.
Soldbbq Bac507 Aluminum Grill Liner Drip Tray For Traeger Pro 575 And Traeger Pro 22 Grills
- Set of 5 aluminum drip tray liners for Traeger Pro 575 and Pro 22 grills
- Superior heat conductivity, heat food evenly, perfect for grilling meats and vegetables
- Light and disposable cookware for easy grill cleanup
- Made of food grade aluminum, superb heat-resistant quality
- No Assembly Required, Please kindly check the models of your Traeger grill before purchase
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