In the most basic terms, the Gen 2 grills are able to respond quickly and adjust the internal temperature of the grill better than the first generation Pro Series Traeger pellet grills. The Pellet grills we’ve looked at in this guide range from 300 – 1300 square ft. An easy way to narrow your search down is to work out how big you want to go. Generally the larger you go, the more expensive the grill will get. After spending some time watching several different owner reviews on the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Traeger Pro Series pellet grills the video I chose to include in this post is from the YouTube Channel Triple 6 Grill. Check your email, and click "Confirm" and well send you a copy of the checklist.

E.g. Camp Chef has a really nice system to dump and switch out the wood pellets. Learn more. Temperature is controlled by the Pro D2 direct drive controller which lets you cook anywhere between 180 – 450°F.

For older models the number refers to the size of the main grilling rack. With so many models and brands available, deciding which model to buy can be intimidating. The Tailgater is Traegers attempt to offer the convenience and flavor of cooking with pellets, in a portable format. The option to purchase a sear box with Camp Chef is really nice, since even a top of the line Traeger can’t get quite hot enough for searing. Do Pellet Grills/Smokers Dry Out Meat? Thanks to this patent, Traeger had the pellet grill market all to themselves for the next twenty years. However, it should be noted all Gen 2 grills come with an emptying door on the bottom of the hopper to quickly change over pellet flavours. This year some of these have made their way down to the cheaper Traeger models so it’s not quite as impressive as it used to be. Like any big company, you hear mixed stories when it comes to customer service. If buying American made is important to you, then you might want to consider a Yoder pellet grill, although you’ll end up paying at least double the price. The Pro Series now sits in the middle of Traeger’s range. Take a look at this video to see the Pro 575 getting fired up. Note that this isn’t retroactive so if you bought the grill before then you still only have a 1-year warranty. You get three removable grill grates that can be positioned for searing or smoking. But there are still some notable improvements. The increase in height makes it easier to use these grills to cook certain foods such as beer can chicken. Sonos Beam vs Playbar | What’s the Difference? A good middle range grill suitable for most backyard cooking needs. Having said that even the smaller 650 square inch Ironwood is over the $1,000 mark so this is definitely not a budget grill. The grill weighs 62 lbs and measure 36 x 37 x 18 inches. Although a large grill from a budget brand like Z Grills will still cost less than a more premium brand like Traeger. As Josh states in this review, the original Pro Series 22 and 34 are still great pellet grills and for you first pellet grill they are still an excellent choice. As I’ve been working in the wood pellet industry for so long I often forget to cover the basics. Joe Traeger was the first person to develop the pellet grill in 1985 and he patented it in 1986. : Image – Amazon. With Gen 1 there were 22″ and 34″ versions, with the number of inches defining the internal width of the grill racks. For instance, if someone has never owned a pellet grill before the Gen 1 series components and controller have a proven track record of providing good consistent performance. Thanks to the popularity of Traeger wood-fired pellet grills, there are now many more brands to choose from. For all 2019 models, the number in Traeger’s product name refers to the cooking surface, so the Pro 780 has 780 square inches of cooking surface. I’ve tried to provide a general overview of how each brand compares with Traeger, but because each brand produces many different grills if you need specifics I would suggest comparing individual specs from the manufacturers and then looking at a few different reviews. Now as the founder and editor in chief of Smoked Barbecue Source I get to grill, barbecue and write about meat for a living! Traeger Bronson 20″ Pellet Grill – With 300 square inches of cooking space, the Bronson is a similar size to the Tailgater. In a rush? I do love the WIFI feature, I can be anywhere around house and monitor my cook.

Having said that, as a big company they do spend a lot on marketing and you can definitely get good value deals on some of the other brands like Camp Chef or Green Mountain Grills. A small plate slides to open and shut access to the firepot. At the time of writing this Amazon seems to be stocking a bunch of the older Traeger Grills, so we’ve put links to the new models on BBQGuys.com. Traeger Texas Elite 34 vs Pro Series 34 Side by Side Compare. Traeger was the first to market with a wood pellet grill in the 1980s and is still the market leader to this day. The Ironwood series is a new addition to the Traeger lineup of pellet grills. While there’s something nice about grilling with charcoal when you are camping, you can’t beat the versatility of pellet grill. And Traeger has quite an interesting brand story. I must admit, Traeger’s product names are a bit confusing. the Pro Series 34 has a 34″ x 19″ grilling rack. ​With just the ease of turning a dial, temps will be kept +/- 20 degrees F. Integrated Digital Pro Controller with Advanced Grilling Logic. The original Pro Series had strong BBQ community support behind it. Take the example of cooking something like brisket that takes many hours and requires adjusting the temperature of the grill over time. I started PelHeat.com back in 2007. The Timberline represents the latest and greatest from Traeger, and it’s got a price point to match. In this video, Josh does a side-by-side comparison of the old and new generation Pro Series. How to understand the Traeger pellet grill lineup. This grill competes with the Traeger Tailgater, but with the GMG you get WiFi which is really handy when you are camping. One unique feature on the Pit Boss is the way they handle searing. What is important to note about the 575 and 780 is their more vertical pill-shaped barrel. With a Gen 1 to monitor the cooking process required you have to get up and go and check that digital readout frequently. The EZ-Fold legs are handy feature which allows you to wheel the grill onto the bed or your truck. If you would like to learn more about all the wood pellet grills/smokers on the market today and their differences I think you will find my wood pellet grill guide useful.

© 2020 PelHeat.com - Welcome to My World of Wood Pellets, link to Camp Chef vs Grilla Grills 2020 - Pellet Grill Comparisons, link to Camp Chef vs Z Grills 2020 - Pellet Grill Comparisons, Introduction To The Traeger Pro Series Pellet Grills, Benefits Of The Gen 1 Pro Series Traeger Pellet Grills, Benefits Of The Gen 2 Pro Series Traeger Pellet Grills, Conclusions On The Traeger Pro Series Gen 1 vs Gen 2, Traeger Pro Series is one of the best pellet grills. Some people have complained about Traeger moving to manufacture their grills in China but the simple fact is the vast majority of consumer grills are manufactured there. I must admit, Traeger’s product names are a bit confusing. You want to use a sieve of some kind to separate the pellets and dust before loading them into the hopper. The Tailgater doesn’t include WiFi or any of the other improvements in the Pro, Ironwood or Timberline grills. Furthermore, as I discuss in my post on how to fix a Traeger grill they are many retailers providing all the parts you need to in most cases to easily and cheaply repair these grills. Pellet grills have more tech in them, and generally cost more than other types of smoker. You can also fit the Traeger pellet sensor to Gen 2 Pro Series pellet grills. I’ve been watching the pellet grill market grow year on year in popularity for over more than a decade. In terms of efficiency, the grill will go through about 2 lbs of wood pellets per hour on high heat and only 1/2 lb per hour on smoke mode.

You get an 18lb hopper, and thanks to the cleanout feature you can quickly change pellet flavor during a cook. You can also monitor the temperature of the grill and the internal temperature readings of the heat probe. Build quality is pretty similar to Traeger. Have a think about which features are nice to have, and which are non-negotiable. The temperature inside the grill is monitored by an RTD probe sending that data back to the control panel to turn the auger/fan on and off. Another significant difference between Gen 1 and Gen 2 is the price.