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A Traeger grill is essential to any outdoor kitchen. It features a large cooking area and offers precise temperature settings, similar to an oven. A Traeger grill, thanks to its pellet wood fuel, will take your cooking to the next level. It will make you the proud grill master who serves flavorful dishes to friends and family. Traeger grills are also super convenient to clean and will have you back to the party in no time at all.

When it comes to getting the right grill, there are plenty of options to choose from – charcoal grills, electric grills, and gas grills. Traeger grills are great on their own, but to build an extraordinary outdoor kitchen for all kinds of entertaining, consider pairing it with other appliances.

For example, you can pair a Traeger pellet smoker and grill with a traditional grill or ceramic smoker and add food prep areas, warming drawers, outdoor refrigeration and beverage centers. Why leave your guests and family to venture back into your home when everything you need can be at your fingertips?

Traeger grills offer intuitive new features like wifi and smart app integration, something that other grills can only dream of. These bbq grills also have "6-in-1 versatility," so that you can grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and bbq with pure, hardwood flavor. No other grill offers this wide range of cooking methods. We’ll show you why Traeger wood pellet grills and smokers are having their moment in the sun with such a meteoric rise in popularity.

You can even use your Traeger grill as a wood-burning pizza oven. While we like to enjoy a pie from the pizza store which have ovens that are equipped to take temperatures to over 900 F, the convenience of your own hot oven is unbeatable. Many pellet grill brands such as Traeger and Camp Chef make home-baked pizza as their leading recipe to draw attention.

Why Do Traeger Grills Have a Cult-Like Following?

The Traeger grill is the go-to option for those who love delicious barbecues made from a combination of wood-fire and smoke. Once you experience Traeger's unparalleled wood-fire taste and discover how easy it is to use, you'll see why people all over the world are choosing it over a traditional gas grill.

Here are the 6 essential features that make Traeger grills irreplaceable in outdoor kitchens:

  1. It combines the features of both electric and charcoal grills, allowing it to produce consistent heat while adding that fantastic wood-charcoal flavor to the barbecue.
  2. Traeger uses 100% wood as fuel to give your food that real flavor. From pecan to apple and mesquite to hickory, you can customize the taste of your meal like never before.
  3. The grills have a digital controller for temperature controls – whether you’re cooking low and slow at 160 degrees, or hot and fast up to 500 degrees – just like in regular ovens.
  4. The built-in wifi and Traeger app give you direct access to the grill from your mobile phone. This allows you to to monitor and adjust cook cycles and temperature.
  5. With 6-in-1 versatility, you can grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and bbq with pure, wood-fire flavor.
  6. The app offers an enthusiastic and active online community where you can find tips and tricks, recipes, and draw inspiration from other food enthusiasts.

Traeger-Timberline-1300


How Does a Traeger Grill Work?

People all over the world choose Traeger for its top-quality design and optimum performance. If you’re wondering whether a Traeger grill is worth it for your outdoor space, check out some of our favorite features:

The Unique Design of the Traeger Grill

If you want a grill that allows you to grill and smoke using wood pellets, then a Traeger is exactly what you need. It has a hopper, controller, auger, fire pot, and fan – all combining to cook your food while you spend more time with your guests.

  • The hopper holds the wood pellets, which serve as the fuel for the grill.
  • The controller acts as the powerhouse and temperature regulator.
  • The auger sends the pellets to the fire pot for burning.
  • The fire pot sets the wood pellets on fire.
  • The fan stokes the flames, distributing smoke and heat around the food.

Traeger-Grill-Design

No matter what type of meal you want to make over a hot grill, Traeger's got you covered. Keep in mind: the grill has a power cord and needs a power outlet to plug it in.

Automation Helps You Eliminate Stress When Hosting

Because the auger feeds the fire pot with wood pellets from the hopper, there's an auto-ignition of the pellets. Unlike charcoal grills, there’s no need for a charcoal starter. Remember the days when you stressed about adding charcoal midway through barbequing or smoking? Traeger eliminates this process all together.

Will It Last? Performance and Durability

Traeger was designed to meet the industry standard of durability. It has essential features – such as a large grill area and ceramic grates – that make it an excellent choice for your outdoor kitchen area. Additionally, it has an easy-to-use temperature control system, allowing users to adjust the heat without opening the hood. Whether it's the heat of the Summer or the middle of Winter, you can use your Traeger grill outdoors.

Traeger Grill Accessories

Traeger has a number of innovative grill accessories to help you customize your experience. Examples include a grill insulation blanket, folding front shelf, pellet storage bucket, lid and filter kit, BBQ food tray, grill grate scrape, and chicken throne. These accessories work together to make grilling more convenient. For example, you can use the BBQ food tray to serve your freshly-grilled meal to your guests, and use the pellet storage bucket to properly store your wood pellets for a later use.

Traeger-Grill-Accessories


Not All Traeger Grills Are Created Equally: The Series

With several years in business, Traeger has a lot of models to choose from. You can opt to buy an older model or select from one of the grills in the newer series. Here’s a quick run-through of the latest lines of Traeger Grills:

Pro Series

The Pro series is arguably the most popular medium-sized grill on the market at the moment. It offers a convenient wifi feature that allows you to control the grill from the Traeger mobile app. The series also has a Turbo Temperature feature that lets you set your temperature up to 450°F. The Pro Series 575 Pellet Grill is Traeger’s main focus under this series.

Traeger-Pro-Series-Grill

Ironwood Series

This option is an upgrade from the Pro Series, with added technology like TRU Convection and DownDraft Exhaust to make cooking faster. It offers larger grill sizes and has an adjustable two-tier grate system and a double-walled insulation system. Like all of Traeger's recent versions, these models have wifi connectivity. Models under this series include the Ironwood 650 Pellet Grill and Ironwood 885 Pellet Grill.

Traeger-Ironwood-Series-Grill

Timberline Series

The Timberline is the most expensive of the Traeger grill series, but also offers the largest cooking space at either 850 or 1300 square inches. With the Timberline comes all of the features of the Ironwood series, including a Pellet Sensor that allows you to keep an eye on the pellet level via the Traeger app.

These grills have three-tier stainless-steel grates, a bamboo cutting board, and a hidden grease management system. Popular models under this series are the Timberline 850 Pellet Grill and Timberline 850 Pellet Grill.

Traeger-Timberline-Series-Grill

Specialty Traeger Grills

Traeger Pro 22

Aside from the three major series discussed above, Traeger also offers a Legacy series, Portable Grills, and a Lil' Pig Pellet Grill – all designed to meet specific needs.

Legacy Series Gen1
The Legacy Series Gen 1 are the top-selling wood pellet grills in the United States. They come with a digital controller for temperature regulation and precision cooking. The Gen 1 grills are more affordable than the recent Pro series. Models available under this series include:

  • The Pro Series 22 Pellet Grill (Gen 1) - Bronze that sells for $599
  • The Pro Series 34 Pellet Grill (Gen 1) - Bronze that sells for $699

Portable Pellet Grill Series
Traeger’s portable grills give you that same Traeger wood pellet taste and performance, with even more convenience due to their small size. Popular models under this series include the Tailgater 20 Pellet Grill ($469.99), Tailgater Pellet Grill – Bronze ($449.99), and Ranger Pellet Grill ($399.99).

Traeger-Portable-Grills

Lil’ Pig Pellet Grill
This pink, 425-square-inch grill takes the shape of a pig, and gives your food the Traeger flavor you know and love. It has the capacity to hold four full chickens or 16 burgers, and sells for $1599.99.

Traeger-Lil-Pig-Pellet-Grill


Is it Easy to Clean the Traeger Grill?

Traeger grills are easy to maintain and clean. Regular, light-intensity cleaning will ensure longevity and preserve your overall enjoyment. It's also crucial to check the flow of pellets from time to time as pellets may get stuck in the auger. The cleaning procedure for your Traeger grill goes as follows:

  • You'll need a grease cleaner, paper towels, bottle brush, disposable gloves, and a scour pad.
  • Spray the grill grates and chimney with grease cleaner.
  • Remove and clean the grates with a bottle brush and paper towels.
  • Remove the old foil.
  • Remove the drip tray, heat baffle, and vacuum inside of the grill.
  • Scrub the chimney with a brush.
  • Spray the walls of the grills with grease cleaner, then wipe with paper towels.
  • Reinsert the grill interiors.

Top 4 Traeger Grills For All Budgets

To make your decision even easier, we’ve included our selections for the best Traeger grill models.

1) Traeger Pro 575 Wood Pellet Grill

Traeger Pro 575 Wood Pellet Grill

This grill is the 575 square-inch model of the Traeger Pro Series. Its main grilling area is 418 square inches and a secondary grilling area boasts an additional 154 square inches. Combined, both of these areas give you enough space to cook about four chickens at once. The model comes in either black or brown, and includes wifi connectivity to the mobile app.

The Pro D2 Controller lets you cook to a maximum temperature of 450°F, with an RTD probe (in Traeger jargon, RTD stands for "Resistance Temperature Detector" - a fancy word for temperature probe) that monitors the temperature for fluctuations beyond 15 degrees. There’s also an added benefit of the Turbo Temperature Fast Startup that kick-starts your cooking immediately.

The 18-pound hopper comes with a cleanout feature that allows you to change the wood pellet flavor while cooking. The grill is energy-efficient, consuming about 2 pounds of wood pellets every hour. However, the Pro 575 isn't a great fit if you intend to do lots of searing due to its maximum temperature of 450°F.


2) Traeger Ironwood 650 Wood Pellet Grill

Traeger Ironwood 650 Wood Pellet Grill

Ranking as the latest introduction to the Traeger Wood Pellet Grill family, the Ironwood 650 has a cooking capacity of 650 square inches, making it a larger grill compared to the Pro 575. It has a maximum temperature of 500°F, and a pellet hopper capacity of 20 pounds.

The Ironwood 650 has features that help circulate fresh smoke, ensuring the heat spreads evenly throughout the chamber. It also has options that allow you to customize your cooking using either a digital panel or the Traeger app. Compared to the Pro 575, it has better insulation and temperature control systems. However, these features add to the price tag.


3) Traeger Timberline 1300 Wood Pellet Grill

Traeger Timberline 1300 Wood Pellet Grill

If you're looking for a large cooking space, the Timberline 1300 Wood Pellet Grill is for you. This model offers 1,300 square inches of cooking space across three tiers of adjustable, stainless steel grates. To put this into perspective, on a surface this large, you can cook up to 38 burgers, five large chickens, 50+ hot dogs, or nine rib racks. Weighing 238 pounds, Traeger Timberline has a pellet hopper capacity of 24 pounds.

One of the most remarkable features of this model is its Pellet Sensor, which monitors the pellet usage, ensuring you'll never run out of fuel without knowing. It also has three removable grill grates which come in handy for searing.


4) Tailgater Portable Pellet Grill

Traeger Tailgater 20 Grill

This portable grill offers a 300-square-inch porcelain coated cooking surface capacity, all while maintaining the convenience and pellet flavor Traeger is known for. Measuring 36 x 37 x 18 inches, it can carry two full chickens, three rib racks, or 12 burgers

The grill consumes about 1.5 pounds of pellets every hour, allowing around six hours of cooking before having to refill the eight pound hopper. Its legs are foldable, meaning you can easily wheel it into your truck. However, the grill lacks some of the exciting features (like WiFi connectivity) found in other Traeger models. Nevertheless, it's a great grill option, especially for camping, due to its compact size.


Conclusion

We’ve seen a meteoric rise in the popularity of Traeger Grills - and for a good reason. Cooking with wood pellets eliminates the inconsistent heat and flare-ups that occur with charcoal. In addition, you aren’t dependent on a propane tank. Many of us have picked up and shaken a propane tank wondering if we had enough fuel in there for our barbecue. Luckily, with Traeger, this isn't the case.

With the Traeger Wood Pellet Grills, our favorite feature is consistent temperature over a large cooking area. The convenience of a Traeger Grill allows us to actually socialize, sit, and eat together. After all, isn’t that the point of hosting a barbecue for family and friends?


FAQs

How much is a Traeger Renegade Elite grill?

Traeger no longer makes the Renegade Elite series. If you saw this model in your friend's backyard and looking to get one for yourself no need to panic. The company discontinued this line about two years ago and replaced it with the new Pro models. As for the portable versions of the Renegade series, you will now need to look for the Tailgater models.