For most people, what comes to mind first when they hear “wood pellet grills” is Traeger wood pellet grills-the original brand of grills that operate on wood pellets as a source of fuel. These are grills that offer excellent value for the money as well as efficiency in cooking. They are popular because they come with a no-fuss electronic control just like gas grills not to mention they offer the same, (but in this case, a better) smoky and rich flavor that is present in charcoal grills. And we all know, food infused with the smoky flavor of wood/charcoal is the most delicious so no wonder they’re becoming so popular.
Traeger wood pellet grills come in many designs but the most popular are the Traeger Pro Series and the Elite Series. There are many wood pellets options in the market for use with these grills but the manufacturers at Traeger recommend using their own Traeger wood pellets. And trust me, you will want to follow their recommendation because for one, you risk damaging your grill by using pellets from other manufacturers. Two, their pellets come with so many benefits combined that you may not necessarily find in one pellet manufacturer. Simply put, their wood pellets are the best in the market. They just are!
Lets discuss these benefits so you can see what I mean;
Benefits of Traeger Wood Pellets
1. Several flavors to chose from
With Traeger there is no shortage of flavors to chose from as they offers 8 variants of hardwood pellet flavors namely Pecan, Hickory, Maple, Mesquite, Apple, Oak, Alder and Cherry. Additionally, they’ve also come up with specialty pellet blends such as Texas Beef, Big Game and Turkey blend. You can test out different flavor combinations and see which one you like best.
2. Made from pure hardwoods with quality in mind
This ensures only rich authentic hardwood flavors are infused into your foods therefore creating amazing meals that are better tasting and appealing to your taste buds. Good quality hardwood turned into good quality pellets.
3. Burn clean and smokeless
Traeger hardwood pellets have been developed in such a way that they have just the right amount of moisture content in order to maintain a perfect “burn-to-smoke ratio”. So instead of the bitter-tasting white smoke you get with some wood pellets, with theirs you get a pure, blue smoke.
Their hardwoods are also completely bark-free for a clean burn with little to no ash.
4. Do not contain flavor oils, fillers or unnatural additives
5. The best in the market
6. Eco- friendly
How to store your Traeger wood pellets
It is recommended to always store your pellets indoors, in an airtight container, where moisture can not get to the pellets. Therefore do not store your pellets outdoors because they will be negatively affected by moisture making them unusable.
So having discussed the various benefits of Traeger wood pellets can you honestly say that they’re not the best there is in the market?
Lets now look at the features that are common with most of the Traeger wood pellet grills and later on their benefits and disadvantages.
Features of Traeger wood pellet grills;
- Constructed from quality cold rolled, powder coating steel for enhanced durability.
- Most feature a barrel design which maximizes the cooking space allowing you to cook for large gatherings.
- They come with a removable warming rack and easy to clean large hoppers that allow you to change pellet flavors while cooking.
- Their best feature yet, the Traeger pellet grills include built-in, dual-probe thermometers for monitoring the temperature of two different foods at once on the grill. Integrated inside the grill is a Traeger’s digital controller that constantly monitors temperature inside and keeps the set cooking temperature within +/- 20 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. All this is done by easily turning a dial, no fuss.
- The Elite series also features a drain grease management system that funnels all the excess grease and oils into a bucket on the side of the grill.
- They come with expansive porcelain grill grates that are non-stick therefore, easy to clean.
Benefits of Traeger Pellet Grills
1. Versatility that enables you to cook six ways:
Now, whether you want to eat some grilled back ribs or are craving some home-made pizza, Traeger wood pellet grills will do the job for you. Their 6-in-1 function offers you the opportunity to smoke, grill, roast, bake, braise and barbeque your meal. So not only can you enjoy eating, but cooking as well.
2. Offers you consistency
It would be unfortunate to not be able to replicate your perfect roast meal on your family dinner. Traeger wood pellet grills removes this uncertainty from the plate by offering you consistent temperature and allowing you to cook confidently.
3. Easy to use
With Traeger, making a BBQ meal is much simpler now. The heating system for Traeger wood pellet grills is digitally controlled, allowing you to adjust the temperature as well. This makes cooking easier and more fun. This is especially beneficial for those who are trying out the grill for the first time and are uncertain of the temperatures required for cooking specific foods.
4. You can do other things while you wait for your meal to cook
The easy-to-use thermostat with auto-start that comes with these Pellet grills is super convenient because , it allows you to simply power up the grill, set the dial to the temperatures you want and go do other things while your food cooks. You can monitor the temperature while cooking thanks to the blue or red LED display to avoid over-cooking or burning your food.
5. Durable
These grills are crafted from cold rolled steel with powder coat finish to ensure you get many years of service from your pellet grill.
6. Can cook meals for several people
The generous cooking spaces on these wood pellet grills is perfect for cooking for a large number of people.
Cons;
1. Lower cooking temperatures
They offer maximum temperatures of 450 degrees. Other brands can get as high as 700 degrees.
Most Popular Traeger wood pellet grills comparison chart- To check prices click on Images
| Grill Specifications |  Texas Elite 34 |
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| Exterior Material | Painted Steel | Painted Steel | Painted Steel | Painted Steel | Painted Steel | Painted Steel |
| Cooking Grate Material | Porcelain Coated Steel | Porcelain Coated Steel | Porcelain Coated Steel | Porcelain Coated Steel | Porcelain Coated Steel | Porcelain Coated Steel |
| Cooking Grid Dimensions | 34 X 19 | 22 X 19 | 20 X 15 Inches | 20 X 15 Inches | 20 X 15 Inches | 31 X 19 Inches |
| Main Grilling Area-Sq. Inches | 646 | 418 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 589 |
| Hopper Capacity(Lbs) | 18 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 18 |
| Burgers, Chicken & Rib Racks Count Respectively | 30, 8, 5 | 16, 4, 4 | 12, 2, 3 | 12, 2, 3 | 12, 2, 3 | 20, 4, 4 |
| Wheels with locking casters | YES | NO | NO | NO | NO | YES |
| All Terrain Wheels | NO | NO | NO | YES | NO | NO |
| Height-Inches | 49 | 49 | 36 | 38 | 36 | 46 |
| Depth-Inches | 22 | 22 | 18 | 22 | 18 | 25 |
| Width-Inches | 54 | 42 | 37 | 35 | 37 | 57 |
| Weight(Lbs) | 125 | 98 | 60 | 76 | 62 | 170 |
Lil Tex Elite 22 is one of the best selling in the Traeger Wood Pellet grill family. It is ideal for families with middle- sized cooking needs.
The Texas Elite 34 is popular among families with large cooking needs and from the comparison above, its not difficult to see why. It provides the largest cooking surface capable of accommodating 30 burgers, 8 chickens and 5 rib racks at a time which is quite a big meal. Moreover, the 18 lbs capacity hopper is large enough to accommodate enough pellets to last a long grilling session without the need to add more. The Wheel locking casters it comes with are beneficial for stability.
The Tailgator 20 as the name suggests is perfect for tailgating, camping and taking to the beach on the go. It weighs 62lbs and has EZ-fold legs for a compact size and easy storage when you want to take it with you. The Junior Elite 20 can also be used for tailgating and camping due to its smaller size and weight. It does not come with folding legs though.
For those who want a a free standing, traditional looking grill, then the Select Elite may be the ideal choice for you. It comes with built-in durable stainless steel shelves perfect for food prepping or resting your already grilled food.
Just to recap here are seasons why you should consider getting yourself a Traeger Wood Pellet Grill;
- Traeger offers several convenient grilling accessories that will allow you to customize your pellet grill for added versatility and convenience. Some of these accessories include folding front shelves for additional working space, bottom cart shelves for storage and cold smoker.
- Food cooked with a Traeger pellet grill tastes better than the one cooked on a gas or charcoal grill. You have the benefit of choosing from at least 8 flavors of pellets to make sure it tastes better.
- You can cook six ways with these grills.
- They guarantee durability.
- Ease of mind while cooking because you just set the grill to desired temperatures and just forget.
- You have temperature control over your food as it cooks and monitoring capabilities with the digital thermometers.
- You get value for your money in terms of longevity and efficiency.
There is no doubt that Traeger, with there pellet grills and revolutionary flavored wood pellets have changed the grilling game. Traeger wood pellet grills are efficient, produce delicious smoke-flavored food, but come without the choking smoke and messy ash present with charcoal grills. This makes them great alternatives for charcoal grills, you agree?
