Considering getting a new Traeger smoker but can't decide which one will give you the best performance? Worry no more! Your search is over. We've found exactly what you're looking for.
We get it. You're tired. Tired of the same old, boring grilled food that either taste like charcoal or propane. You've also heard from friends how so many grillers are ditching their gas and charcoal grills for wood pellet smokers and their superior flavor. So you've done your research and heard about Traeger smokers and grills from the experts. But with so many models to choose from, which one will take your grilling to the next level?
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Traeger Smoker Safety Tips
Before you begin on your Traeger smoker adventure, it's important to make sure you've prepared your cooking environment to be a safe place to perform your culinary magic. Fire is an incredible force that can create delicious meals but also destroy valuable property and precious life. It's important to understand and respect fire if you plan to harness its power. Therefore, the number one thing you should always have handy is a fire extinguisher.
Every year there are hundreds of grilling accidents involving fire that causes thousands in damages and dozens of deaths. First, you should always have a designated person monitoring your fire. Next, be sure to read your Traeger smoker instruction manual and follow its instructions carefully. Finally, always ensure that your smoker is located in a safe area away from trees, buildings, and other grills. Your grilling area should also be free of any flammable debris or materials. Also, always keep small children away from your smoker. in the same fashion, please be aware of the dangers of smoke inhalation. Inhaling large amounts of smoke can damage your lungs and cause serious health issues. Always grill in a wide open space and take breathers away from the grill.
Welcome To Traeger Smoker World
During the 1980s, a Boeing aviation engineer from Washington named Jerry Whitfield and Joe Traeger, who managed a family-owned Oregon-based heating company, started experimenting with wood pellet-burning stoves. And by 1986, Traeger developed and patented the first Traeger pellet grill. Since then, his company has become the premier name in wood pellet burning grills.
Today there are a large number of Traeger smokers to choose from. We've looked at some of their top models and judged each one based on customer feedback to find the cream of the crop among Traeger smokers.
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The Traeger Lil' Tex Elite Pellet Grill 22 features a 418-square-inch grilling space with a hopper capacity of 18 pounds. This wood-fired grill can smoke, bake, roast, BBQ, grill, and braise food to delicious perfection. Also, its integrated Digital Elite Controller maintains temperatures within plus or minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit and makes setting the temperature for your grill as easy as turning a dial.
For example, customers described the grill as easy to install and said it works perfectly even in below zero cold weather. Also, one customer describes it as a grill even an amateur griller can enjoy.
In contrast, a few other customers were not happy. Several customers complained about poor customer service. Also, there were a few complaints about faulty control units.
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The Traeger Texas Elite Pellet Grill 34 features a Digital Elite Control that offers precise temperature control. It is 100 percent fueled by pure hardwood pellets for that delicious real wood smoky flavor. Furthermore, this grill is incredibly versatile. It can do everything from smoke to grilling and baking on its 646-square-inch cooking surface. It also has an 18-pound hopper capacity, easy to clean porcelain grill grates, and wheels with locking casters.
For example, customers complimented the grill's easy assembly and instructions. Additionally, most customers gave its cooking performance high marks.
Be that as it may, other customers were not as pleased. There were a few complaints of defective units, particularly temperature control units. Also, one customer said the grill did not heat higher than 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
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The Traeger Pro Series 34 Pellet Grill - Blue features a large 646-square-inch cooking surface and non-stick, easy-to-clean porcelain grill grates. Its all-terrain wheels make it easy to maneuver over all kinds of environments. Plus, it has an 18-pound hopper capacity and an easy-to-use Digital Elite Control that allows you to control temperatures accurately. Above all, you can use this grill to smoke, braise, bake, grill, BBQ, and roast foods to perfection while infusing delicious wood flavor.
For example, a customer said that he used the grill to smoke everything from ribs to a 20-pound Thanksgiving turkey. Meanwhile, other customers praised the grill's ease of use and cleaning.
Conversely, other customers expressed disappointment in the product. One customer said that it would not stay lit while trying to smoke food overnight. Another customer said that the hopper would sometimes misfeed the pellets, causing the fire to go out.
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The Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet Grill offers versatility because it can braise, roast, bake, BBQ, grill, and smoke foods. This grill's easy to use Digital Elite Control makes controlling temperature on the grill's large 418-square-inch cooking surface effortless. Also, the grill comes with porcelain grill grates that are non-stick and easy to clean. Furthermore, it has an automatic hot rod ignition for quick start-ups and an 18-pound hopper capacity.
For example, one customer described it as a terrific entry-level grill that upgrades easily. Additionally, a lot of customers praised the ease of use and cooking versatility.
In contrast, other customers had a few issues with this model. Several customers complained that the temperature didn't hold very well. Moreover, a few complained of defective control units.
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The Traeger Select Elite Pellet Grill features a 589-square-inch cooking area with non-stick easy-to-clean porcelain grill grates. Additionally, it has an 18-pound hopper capacity and a Digital Elite Controller that makes it easy to adjust the temperature. This grill also has excellent versatility allowing you to BBQ, grill, roast, braise, smoke, and even bake delicious meals. There's also enclosed storage space for storing your grilling gear and wood pellets.
One customer gave the grill's ease of use high marks, stating that he could just set the temperature and walk away for evenly cooked meats. By the same token, another customer praised the grill's versatility and said it could do everything Traeger claims it can do.
However, some customers didn't agree. One customer said the grill lasted only three-and-a-half years before the control unit failed. And while Traeger did send him another controller, even five months past his warranty, he said that the replacement unit destroyed his grill and Traeger did not offer further assistance. Moreover, another customer complained that it was hard to use and clean.
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The Traeger Renegade Pro Pellet Grill features a Digital Pro Controller that can fire your grill up from low and slow to hot and fast with no hassles using Traegers Advance Grilling Logic system. Thanks to its convection-style cooking you can cook foods with outstanding versatility. And with 380 square inches of grilling space, you can BBQ, braise, bake, grill, roast, and smoke foods with amazing wood flavors. Equally important, this grill comes with dual meat temperature probes, electronic auto-start ignition, a hopper clean out, and rugged all-terrain wheels with a sawhorse chassis.
Customers claimed the grill smoked foods to perfection and was easy to operate.
However, one customer claimed some paint peeled off his grill after using it twice. Meanwhile, other customers complained that the matching tray and rack were the wrong size and a few buyers complained of defective control units.
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The Traeger Bronson 20 Pellet Grill features a 300-square-inch grilling area and a Digital Elite Controller that maintains temperature as accurately as an oven. Fueled 100 percent by wood pellets, this grill can bake, braise, roast, BBQ and smoke whatever you throw at it. The Bronson also has a 10-pound hopper capacity, all-terrain wheels, and a sawhorse chassis. Plus, it has electronic auto-start ignition.
One customer called it a great value and a big sized smoker, bragging he smoked a 16-pound turkey with no problems. Similarly, other customers raved how the grill delivered delicious wood flavor to their meals.
On the other hand, there were a few customers who didn't like this grill. There were various complaints of defective control units and damaged parts. One customer claimed that the grill blew a fuse.
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The Taligater Wood Pellet Grill features a WiFIRE® controller which allows you to change temperatures, set timers, and access a huge recipe arsenal all from your smartphone via the Traeger app. The three levels of cooking racks offer a combined 1,300 square inches of grilling area, and the lower grate can be changed from smoke to sear capability. The new pill-shaped double-wall commercial stainless steel interior barrel gives the grill added space and height with a 24-pound hopper capacity. Additionally, it features a Downdraft Exhaust® System, a TRU Convection® System, meat probe monitors, bamboo cutting board, and customer cook cycles like Super Smoke Mode.
They loved Traeger's WiFIRE® Controller app and the grill's three-tier cooking space. Not to mention, they raved about the grill's exceptional cooking performance and versatility.
There were a few complaints regarding what appeared to be defective grills, and one customer noted that the front shelf had trouble holding baking sheets and that the grill was very heavy.
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The Traeger Eastwood Wood Pellet Grill features a WiFIRE® controller with three tiers of stainless-steel grates that have a combined cooking area of 850-square-inches. Its new pill-shaped barrel offers extra height and space and has a double-wall, commercial-grade stainless steel interior with an airtight lid gasket. Other features include the TRU Convection® System, the Downdraft Exhaust® System, a 24-pound pellet capacity, and custom cook cycles with a Super Smoker mode. You can also adjust the lower grate from the smoke to the sear position.
One customer called the grill a "game changer," noting that it gives all food a delicious smoky flavor, even frozen pizzas. Moreover, another customer said the grill held temperatures very well and holds up to cold weather like a champ.
Complaints mainly concerned defective units, and one customer noted that it was slow to get up to temperature.
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For all those who've dreamed of owning their own bright pink pig-shaped smoker, Traeger has answered your prayers with the Lil' Pig Pellet Grill. This cute pig-shaped grill and smoker features a 425-square-inch grilling area and a Digital Elite Controller that allows you to set the temperature with confidence and accuracy. This grill comes with non-stick porcelain grill grates and has a 12-pound hopper capacity. You can also enjoy versatility in cooking meals, as this grill lets you bake, braise, grill, smoke, BBQ, and roast your favorite foods.
One customer described it as being the "best grill ever."
However, another customer strongly disagreed, stating that the attached door was too high, which prevents the lid from closing evenly.
What's Our Favorite Traeger Smoker?
When it comes to Traeger smokers, there are many styles and sizes to choose from, and since one size may not fit all, we settled on the best large and the best small Traeger smokers. First, we recommend the Renegade Pro Pellet Grill for our smaller model. This grill had a lot of very positive customer reviews, and the negatives were not as harsh as was the case with some other models. Next, we recommend the Pro Series 34 Pellet Grill. From we can tell, this model is identical to the Eastwood model offered on Home Depot with exception to color. While, like other models, this product had a few complaints, it also had one of the highest ratios of positive to negative feedback.
Finally, we recommend two models that are in a class of their own. The Timberline 850 and 1300 Pellet Grills are the top of the Traeger line and offer technology that may change the way you grill forever. Of course, these are the most expensive Traeger smokers you can buy, but we believe these models offer an embarrassment of riches when it comes to great features that make them worth every penny. We hope you've found this information helpful in your search. Best of luck, and happy smoking!