Buying guide for best traeger grills
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Among grilling fans, Traeger grills have a kind of cult status. Once you’ve looked into one, you can understand why. Traeger grills sit at the intersection of electronics, design and tradition, allowing you to not only grill, but also roast, sear and, above all, smoke meats and other foods with almost push-button simplicity.
Traeger grills are pellet grills that use wood pellets as fuel. The whole process is automated: Set a desired temperature, press a button, and the Traeger feeds wood pellets from a hopper into the grill, where a blazing electric-powered rod heats them red-hot. Convection moves the hot air and smoke around the food, allowing for both high-heat searing and low-and-slow smoking. The wood pellets come in a variety of flavors that further enhance the taste of your meal.
To help you choose the right one for your next cookout, we at BestReviews have looked at classic, fan-favorite Traeger models and the latest innovations from Traeger itself. Our top pick is the Traeger Woodridge Pro pellet grill, with WiFIRE wireless control, low-temperature smoke enhancement, hopper-fill alert and a broad cooking surface.
Editors’ picks
Traeger Grills Woodridge Pro Electric Wood Pellet Grill
Editors’ Favorite
Dimensions: 47" H x 67" W x 27" D | Cooking Capacity: 970 sq in | Outer Material: Alloy steel
A full-featured and up-to-date smart pellet grill, the Traeger Woodridge Pro is made for dedicated foodies and grilling enthusiasts. It has a spacious cooking surface, improved maintenance, advanced technology and push-button simplicity, delivering delicious meals day in and day out.
The Woodridge Pro boasts a 970-square-inch cooking surface, enough to fit multiple racks of ribs, more than half a dozen chickens or several whole pork shoulders. Unlike previous generations of Traeger grills, the Woodridge line, including the Pro, boasts 25-pound automated pellet hoppers for steady, hands-free fueling. It also has an improved ash-and-grease catcher that makes cleanup and maintenance much easier than previous Traeger models.
A pellet sensor, not found in more basic Traeger models, keeps track of hopper fullness and sends an alert if it’s running low. Super Smoke Mode automatically increases smoke output at lower temperatures for more intense flavor during low-and-slow cooking. The Woodridge Pro supports Traeger’s WiFIRE wireless connection for smartphone control, and locking casters keep it where you need it to be.
Traeger Grills Woodridge Electric Wood Pellet Grill
Great Value
Dimensions: 46" H x 50" W x 27" D | Cooking Capacity: 860 sq in | Outer Material: Alloy steel
The Traeger Woodridge Pellet Grill is the base model of Traeger’s Woodridge line. While it lacks some of the features of more expensive Woodbridge models, it offers the expanded cooking surface, better ash handling, and longer burn times of the Woodridge series at a moderately lower price point.
The base Woodridge features 860 square inches of cooking capacity, the same as the higher-end Woodbridge Pro. Compared to earlier model Traegers, it offers an improved ash-and-grease collection keg that simplifies emptying and cleanup. It also has a 24-pound pellet hopper, allowing for extended cook times, such as for smoking or roasting overnight.
While a more modestly priced model, the Woodbridge does boast Traeger’s WiFIRE wireless connection for controlling and monitoring via the Traeger smartphone app. Like other Woodbridge models, it reaches a maximum 500-degree temperature, downdraft exhaust and a keep-warm setting.
Traeger Grills Pro 780 Wood Pellet Smoker Grill
Most Versatile
Dimensions: 55” H x 49” W x 27” D | Cooking Capacity: 780 sq in | Outer Material: Alloy steel
While the Traeger Pro 780 is an older model, it’s far from obsolete. Even though newer Traegers offer more bells and whistles and better cleanup options, the Traeger Pro 780 still has all the benefits of Traeger’s pellet fuel system, with a more compact footprint and years of proven reliability.
The Traeger Pro 780 has the immediately recognizable Traeger design with the classic capped chimney exhaust. As its name implies, it offers 780 square inches of cooking capacity, enough to smoke or grill for a crowd. It comes with a temperature probe for monitoring doneness, and it uses an 18-pound hopper and reliable drivetrain to hold and feed its wood pellet fuel.
The Pro 780 is a smart grill, with push-button ignition, easy-to-follow electronic menus, and support for Traeger’s WiFIRE wireless connection, so you can control and monitor it from your smartphone. Its only drawbacks compared to newer Traegers are its lack of an easy ash-disposal system and its comparatively smaller hopper.
Traeger Grills Tailgater 20 Portable Electric Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Best Portable Grill
Dimensions: 36" H x 37" W x 18" D | Cooking Capacity: 300 sq in | Outer Material: Alloy steel
For camping, tailgating or simply more constrained outdoor living spaces, the Traeger Tailgater is an attractive option. It’s a full-fledged pellet grill and smoker, but still compact, portable and easy to cook with.
The Tailgater has a 300-square-inch cooking area, which can fit two large chickens, three rib racks or a whole pork shoulder. It can reach a maximum temperature of 450 degrees for high-heat roasting and searing, or cook low and slow for smoking and barbecue. It weighs 60 pounds, which is a bit heavy but not unreasonable for two people, and crucially, its legs fold for transport.
The Tailgater has an 8-pound hopper to feed wood pellets at an automated sustained rate like all Traeger pellet grills. To run the hopper and auger feed system, it runs on 120-volt household current, and comes with a 6-foot cord to plug into any available outlet. There’s no wireless monitoring, but it does come with a plug-in thermal probe.
Traeger Woodridge Elite Electric Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
Best for High-Heat Searing
Dimensions: 47" H x 67" W x 27" D | Cooking Capacity: 970 sq in plus side burner | Outer Material: Alloy steel
The top model in the Traeger Woodridge lineup, the Traeger Woodridge Elite includes all the features found on the Woodridge and Woodridge Pro, and adds an additional cook-and-sear station, extra insulation and an enclosed storage cabinet. It’s a professional-level pellet grill that can also be used at home.
Like the Woodridge Pro, the Woodridge Elite offers a Super Smoke Mode that increases smoke production at lower temperatures for more intense flavor in low-and-slow dishes like brisket and pulled pork. A 25-pound pellet hopper offers increased cooking duration compared to previous-generation Traeger models, and a pellet sensor, also found on the Woodridge Pro, lets you know if fuel is running low. Like other Woodridge models, the Woodridge Elite boasts an ash-and-grease collector that greatly simplifies cleanup, and the Elite, in particular, encloses its lower level in a doored cabinet.
The Woodridge Elite has a 970-square-inch cooking surface, but also includes a side sear station, ideal for reverse-searing steaks, preparing heated marinades or sauces, or boiling water. Its hood is extra-insulated as well, making cooking more effective in cool or rainy weather, and reducing pellet usage. Like other Woodridge models, the Woodridge Elite has a simple control panel with push-button convenience, and WiFIRE support for smartphone control.
How we analyzed
Our editors selected the best Traeger grills from all the models currently available, from the current lineup and older favorites. We judged them based on cooking area, hopper capacity and ease of use, including support for wireless control as well as ease of cleaning and maintenance. We noted welcome extra features, such as improved insulation, portability or any flavor enhancements offered. Finally, we judged them on value based on performance against price.
Traeger grill features to consider
Traeger grills enable you to grill, braise, smoke, bake, roast or barbecue in your backyard with one cooking device without the use of charcoal or gas.
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The process starts when you load the hopper with wood pellets. There are many types of wood pellets available, such as apple, cherry, and maple, and each imparts a unique flavor to the food.
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An auger at the bottom of the hopper moves the pellets to the hot rod, which ignites the pellets.
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A draft induction fan circulates air into the grill to cook the food.
Traeger grills come in a number of sizes and with different features to think about before you buy.
Grill size
Grill sizes range from a tabletop model (173 square inches of grill space) to large models for the patio (1,300 square inches of grill space with three racks). To decide what size you need, consider the number of people you regularly cook for and what kind of food you want to cook. For convenience, Traeger tells you the size of their grills as well as how many whole chickens, racks of ribs, and hamburgers will fit on the grill.
Design
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Tabletop pellet grills: These models weigh around 40 pounds, measure about 20 inches x 19 inches, and have a small hopper, but they provide the same barbecuing and grilling capabilities as larger models. If you only cook for two or if you want to smoke and grill while camping or tailgating, a portable tabletop model might be right for you.
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Traditional pellet grills: These models look more like a typical backyard charcoal or gas grill than the distinct hopper design. But on the inside they have all the features of a pellet grill, including a hopper and digital controller. These grills can do everything other pellet grills can with the addition of underneath storage with doors. Some have double racks for extra grilling space.
- Pellet grills with or without smoke pipe: This easily recognizable design has a hopper on the side, a barrel-shaped grilling area, and a smoke pipe or chimney. Some have a sawhorse-like frame for extra stability, in higher-end models enclosed with cabinetry. Others have straight or foldable legs.
Hopper clean-out
The hopper clean-out feature enables you to empty the hopper while you’re cooking, so you can switch the pellets for different flavors as you grill. Not all Traeger grills have this feature. You’ll probably only need it if you’re cooking different foods for a crowd or you like to use lots of different flavors in a meal.
Hopper capacity
The bigger the grilling area, the bigger the pellet hopper. Tabletop models hold 5 pounds of pellets, while the largest models hold 25 pounds. Keep in mind that larger hoppers won’t need to be filled as often.
Legs
Traditionally, Traeger grills have straight legs with two or four wheels. Some of the smaller models have legs that can be folded to make the grills more portable. Sawhorse-style legs add stability, while full-fledged cart legs often include storage and shelving.
Controller
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Digital Elite: This good, basic digital controller provides accurate temperature control but doesn’t include meat probe connectors.
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Digital Pro: This controller includes either one or two meat probes that display the meat temperature on the controller display and let you easily adjust the temperature.
- WiFIRE: This trademarked controller connects to a smartphone app for mobile control from anywhere within range. You can check the temperature and status of your food simply by checking your phone.
Traeger grill prices
Expect to pay between $300 and $1,600 and more for a Traeger wood pellet grill.
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Inexpensive: For $300 to $500, you’ll find a tabletop Traeger grill or a small grill with around 300 square inches of cooking space. You can smoke and grill enough food for two to four people. These models include the Digital Elite controller.
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Mid-range: In the $500 to $1,000 range are larger grills with 520 to 880 square inches. That’s enough room for 40 hamburgers on the largest models in this price range. Many of these grills have the hopper clean-out feature along with a sturdy side handle and all-terrain wheels for moving the grill over rocks and gravel. The WiFIRE digital controller with smartphone app enables you to check the temperature and control the grill from anywhere within Wi-Fi range.
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Expensive: For $1,000 to $1,999, you’ll find large grills for the serious crowd pleaser. If you want a pellet grill that looks like a traditional barbecue grill, this is where you’ll find it. Most have more than 1,000 square inches of space or room for 32 to 40 hamburgers.
- Premium: At $1,699 to $4,000, you’ll find Traeger grills with up to 1,300 square inches of grill space, shelving, cabinetry and more. These top-of-the-line models promise to make restaurant-quality grilled and smoked foods day in and day out.,
Tips
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Match the temperature range of the grill to your grilling needs. Most Traegers have a maximum temperature of 450°F, but a few top-of-the-line models reach 500°F for quick-cooking skirt steaks or kebabs.
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Match the accessories to your needs. There are a number of extra accessories available for Traeger grills, such as a full-length grill cover, a bottom shelf that attaches to the legs, and a power inverter that connects the grill directly to your car battery for the ultimate in portable grilling. If you live in a cold climate, don’t forget the insulated cover that enables you to cook in winter temperatures.
- Match the wood pellets to the food. Different foods taste better when cooked with certain types of wood pellets. Slightly sweet maple goes great with pork. Or try mesquite with fish. If you’re looking for an all purpose pellet, alder has a mild flavor that works well with almost anything.
FAQ
Q. How do you manage grease and drippings with a Traeger grill?
A. An angled drip tray directs grease and drippings into a grease bucket. Every three to six months you’ll need to remove any built-up grease from the drip tray using a non-metal scraper. You can empty the drip bucket as needed. In updated Traeger models, ash is also funneled into a bucket for easier cleaning.
Q. Do Traeger grills rust?
A. With a powder-coated steel body, there’s plenty of protection, but you still want to be careful because exposed steel will rust. Any kind of scratch or dent could potentially be a problem. Traeger recommends covering your grill if it will be out in inclement weather.
Q. How long does it take a Traeger grill to warm up and cool down?
A. These grills reach cooking temperature fairly quickly. Depending on what you’re cooking and the outside temperature, it can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. When you’re done, the grill needs an hour to cool completely.
Our expertise
Jmar Gambol has written more than 100 articles for BestReviews, from tech to household appliances to kitchenware. In his free time, he enjoys smartphone photography and cooking.
Ade Hennis has written dozens of buying guides for BestReviews on products for the home and garden. He loves helping consumers find the best products to make their lives better.
