Traeger thoughts

Leopoldstoch

Hello all! 

I’ll start with I absolutely love both my eggs and wouldn’t trade them for anything! That being said, through my work I had the opportunity to get a traeger brand new for 50% off as we just started to partner with them on some stuff.

I decided to pull the trigger getting a pro 780 wifire model for under $500. Excited to have another option in the arsenal!

Any thoughts from owners of both? Any tips or tricks I can proactively be thinking about? 

Thanks in advance!

WeberWho

@Canugghead

TEXASBGE2018

I don't like the thought of plugging in a grill but for under $500 I might be willing to test one out but with extremely low expectations.

JohnInCarolina

My brother in law has one.  He seems to like the food it cranks out.  I’ve used them a few times and suspect like anything else in this space it has its wheelhouse.  

These things are really the ultimate “set it and forget it” machines.  They’re easy to use and pretty cheap too.  Years ago @stlcharcoal told me that pellet grills were flying off the shelves compared to BGEs and KJs or any other kamado.  I wonder if that’s still the case.  

Ozzie_Isaac

I have a Traeger.  It works well.  It is like using an oven.  I have not found any pellets that give me the same flavor profile as my eggs, but it is nice to just turn it on, wait 10minutes, then throw protein on and walk away.  It is pretty much idiot proof and turns out good food.

Canugghead

Congrats

Use the search function.
Lots of info in this thread for example,
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1224709/ot-my-son-married-and-a-one-year-old-wants-a-pellet-grill-700-800-top-spend-inputs-welcome-ot

Love my Traegers, my recent turkey cook on Traeger Pro 34, no wifi though ;(
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1229042/cross-border-thanksgiving

ewyllins

I love reading threads like this because of the different opinions on pellets and eggs. I have a combo of all and sometimes too many. In my opinion, the only thing that matters is the end result no matter how we get there.

With that being said I do enjoy the journey with my eggs and offset. There is no satisfaction after a long cook on a pellet. However, I mainly use my pellet for veggies and chicken and it does a great job. I do not have a Traeger and use the Grilla OG which can put out a lot of smoke flavor. 

Hansm

Hmmm, $500 for a Pro 780 is a good deal.  I had a Pro22 Gen1 that we got for a great deal as well. For me it was kind of OK'ish. It is a smoker an not a grill. Doesn't make steaks or burgers worth a hoot unless you do a long and  involved reverse sear. Now that I have a BGE, the only way for me. I am more of a griller than a smoker. I would recommend not to use Traeger pellets, mixture or oils, flavor and junk despite what they say. I hear B&B makes great pellets?

WeberWho

ewyllins said:

I love reading threads like this because of the different opinions on pellets and eggs. I have a combo of all and sometimes too many. In my opinion, the only thing that matters is the end result no matter how we get there.

With that being said I do enjoy the journey with my eggs and offset. There is no satisfaction after a long cook on a pellet. However, I mainly use my pellet for veggies and chicken and it does a great job. I do not have a Traeger and use the Grilla OG which can put out a lot of smoke flavor. 

Beautiful setup!

Photo Egg

I recently got a Weber Smoke Fire. We love the mild smoke profile. Heat control up and down is soooo easy. Except for the fact it normally doesn’t work right.lol

Lowcountrygamecock

What’s a good model traeger?  The one I got my hands on at the Costco road show felt flimsy but I figured it was a cheaper model.  I have a recteq but someone I know is asking about traeger models for her husband for Christmas. 

loco_engr

My only experience eating food from a Traeger was an open house for a new business.  I had a hamburger, it was so-so at best.  Nothing like the grease dripping on coals for added flavor!

CtTOPGUN

 I have a Cuisinart pellet grill and also a portable Pit Boss tabletop pellet grill. I will be doing the Thanksgiving turkey on the BGE, but the pellet units are so easy to get cooking right away. If I cook at low temps I get enough smoke for my/my family's tastes. It is an outdoor wood fired oven. Set and forget. They both have pretty good temp control with no effort on my part. I think you will find it a good tool in the arsenal.

caliking

Hansm said:

Hmmm, $500 for a Pro 780 is a good deal.  I had a Pro22 Gen1 that we got for a great deal as well. For me it was kind of OK'ish. It is a smoker an not a grill. Doesn't make steaks or burgers worth a hoot unless you do a long and  involved reverse sear. Now that I have a BGE, the only way for me. I am more of a griller than a smoker. I would recommend not to use Traeger pellets, mixture or oils, flavor and junk despite what they say. I hear B&B makes great pellets?

B&B pellets are flavored. Competition grade pellets are made from the actual wood i.e. pellets made from hickory, mesquite, etc. vs. “hardwood” pellets flavored with hickory, etc. They are a good bit pricier. 

TechsasJim

Nothing wrong with having another toy…

littlerascal56

My friend was the largest Traeger distributor in this region.  I bought 4 of them in the past (traded every 3 years), and put up with the failed igniter rods, augers, control boards, etc which always occurred during a big cook for family & friends.  I bought pellets from Seth (bbq pellets online)by the pallets.  Finally sold my last Traeger, and my friend is dropping them and took on Napoleon grills.  He said Cosco is a good fit for the Chinese built Traeger!  Look for the Traeger brothers to introduce a new line of pellet grills soon, which will be built in the USA again!

Photo Egg

littlerascal56 said:

My friend was the largest Traeger distributor in this region.  I bought 4 of them in the past (traded every 3 years), and put up with the failed igniter rods, augers, control boards, etc which always occurred during a big cook for family & friends.  I bought pellets from Seth (bbq pellets online)by the pallets.  Finally sold my last Traeger, and my friend is dropping them and took on Napoleon grills.  He said Cosco is a good fit for the Chinese built Traeger!  Look for the Traeger brothers to introduce a new line of pellet grills soon, which will be built in the USA again!

That’s my biggest issue with pellet grills…there are so many components, mechanical and electrical, that can fail and stop your cook. They are simple and easy until they stop working in the middle of a cook.

Canugghead

Touch wood, my Traeger Pro 34 is over fours years old, all parts original.

dstearn

I do not have a Traeger but my Stepson has a Traeger Ironwood 650. The Ironwood has double wall construction, better temp control and a super smoke feature for low and slow cooks. If I were to go with a Traeger it would be the Ironwood or Timberline models. 

littlerascal56

I think they fixed the “burn back” issues they had. If wind conditions were just right, the pellets burned back thru the auger tube, and caught the pellet hopper on fire.  Happened to my sons Traeger while he was doing a pork butt.  He went out to patio, and whole grill & butt were totally consumed in fire! Total loss, and warranty had expired.

Photo Egg

littlerascal56 said:

I think they fixed the “burn back” issues they had. If wind conditions were just right, the pellets burned back thru the auger tube, and caught the pellet hopper on fire.  Happened to my sons Traeger while he was doing a pork butt.  He went out to patio, and whole grill & butt were totally consumed in fire! Total loss, and warranty had expired.

A good company would have made that right even after the warranty…

littlerascal56

But Traeger is now a Chinese manufacturer.  Sheet metal is so much thinner, and very poor quality control compared to the original USA made grills.  If you want a quality USA made (Kansas) pellet grill, buy a Yoder.  It will last a lifetime, and is so well built!

GregW

littlerascal56 said:

But Traeger is now a Chinese manufacturer.  Sheet metal is so much thinner, and very poor quality control compared to the original USA made grills.  If you want a quality USA made (Kansas) pellet grill, buy a Yoder.  It will last a lifetime, and is so well built!

Cookshack also makes an excellent pellet grill. Made in Oklahoma.

danhoo

I have a pellet. Pit boss not traeger and I bought it for the set and forget, but it's just OK, and it is likely the next one voted off my island. 

Maybe the traeger is superior, but I get better cooks on my BGE.

Main advantage of the pellet is the size, being much larger.