Traeger Grills

[dale2242]

Every person that I have talked to that owns a Traeger grill just raves about them.
The only thing keeping me from buying one is the price.
My question is: Is there a knock off grill out there that is equal to the Traeger for less money?
I see a few grills that look and operate like the Traeger for less money.

[DougGuy]

If you want to replace your China made Traeger knock off in a few years, buy one. I bought a used Traeger over 10yrs ago, the steel in the body will last easily another 20-30 years. It's heavy. I have seen the copies, reminds me of the days of my youth where we would laughingly comment about Honda motorcycles made out of beer cans. Same deal.

[Huskerguy]

I was in the same boat. I couldn't justify the price of a new Traeger. I am new to smoking, have done a little on the grill over the years but I am easing into retirement and thought this was something I wanted to learn. I have no doubt I could hand a Traeger down to my kids but for my needs right now I went with a Pit Boss. Since I haven't used them both, I can't do a side by side comparison. I just know I spent $400 and it does everything I want to do.

[Arkansas Paul]

I know several people with a Pit Boss and they rave about them.

[reloader28]

Go read some grilling/bbq forums. The Camp Chef Wood Wind (I think its called) is sposed to be better and cheaper. Its the one I would get but there are several that are better than Traeger.

[ShooterAZ]

We own a Traeger, and we love it. Yeah it's a little spendy up front, but I will say that their customer service is second to none if you ever have a problem with it. Keeps the temperature right where you set it, just like an oven. I give them a thumbs up, I don't think you'll regret the purchase of one. It's been a good investment for us for sure.

[dangitgriff]

“Buy once, cry once” comes to mind.
The guy who has a YouTube channel called ‘The Wolfe Pit’ uses a couple different smoker grills, one of which is a Grilla grill. It’s spendy, too.
R/Griff

[MaryB]

I have one of the last USA made Traegers, compared to the new ones it is TWICE as heavy with a lot thicker steel. Pit Boss gets good reviews as does Green Mountain and if memory serves me both have the ability to sear a steak by removing a drip tray.

And you get what you pay for, this is a long term investment... my Traeger is at least 12 years old now. It is stored indoors when not in use so it is basically rust free.

[cheese1566]

I shopped and went with a Louisiana grill. Heavy and won’t blow over in the SD wind!
I liked the fact the burner was off to the side so it had air flow from left to right. No smoke stack (which Traeger just did away with...), and the Louisiana has an opening in the plate over the burner you can open to char grill over a wood flame.

All my slow cooks are done by pellet with a Weber blue tooth thermo to my iPhone. Set the temp and forget it. Just keep an eye on the level of the pellets. I bought the optional add on hopper for overnight cooks but have never run out. Get up at 2am, start the grill and get a beer. Prep the pork butt and put it on at 3am. Go back to bed. Ready the next day in early afternoon for a bbq party.

[jonp]

Joe Rogan sure raves about them but too pricey for me

[RED BEAR]

I must be the odd man out i have never heard of them. I just have my no name grill that i have been using for almost 20 years. And you know what i doubt the food knows.

[Huntsman52]

If your going to buy a Traeger I would look at Pitts N Spits before you buy. They have both pellet grills and stick burners. Much thicker steel for the cook chamber, Stainless lid and a better build. Large amount of cooking space as well. You can even get it 100% stainless if you want.

I have the stick burner version (Ultimate Combo Smoker Pit 24x36). Great pit and can cook up to 5 briskets at one time and still have ample room to spare. Pit is about #400 pounds in weight. Temp is very constant and due to the design hot spots are limited. Will last for many years.

[Smoke4320]

If you are only cooking for 2 or 3 people look at these

Green Mountain Grills Davy Crockett Pellet Grill – WIFI enabled
Very good pellet grill and Amazon has them for $312.00 and free Prime shipping

and July 16th they just might be on the prime day specials.. No guarantee they will be but who knows

[06ackley]

I have the pit boss and love it. My father in law has the traeger and he likes it as well. I wouldn't spend the money for a traeger as there are better grills out there for the price. My next one will be a rec tec if the pit boss ever wears out

[Baja_Traveler]

Love my Davy Crocket - it comes to Baja with me every trip. I got it when I was working a remote job for a year and living out of my trailer. Cooks everything and does a great job. I also have its big brother - the Daniel Boone at home. All the new Green Mountain Grills run on either 12 volt DC or 110 volt AC, so camping off grid is no problem with any of them. Before, only the Davy Crockett ran 12 volt.
245154
245155

[MaryB]

One nice thing about a pellet pit is you can use them as an oven. I bake bread in mine in summer! I have made pie, cobbler, apple crisp...

[cheese1566]

And pizzas!!

Papa Murphy’s Tuesday’s, any pizza for $10

[rockrat]

I just got my second Traegar for Fathers Day. Wife found it on sale at Home Depot. Gave my other one to the kid. They really enjoy it too.


I usually use Apple pellets, but have a bag of hickory, mesquite and pecan blend I am going to try

[MT Gianni]

I have two smokers, a charcoal grill and a lp grill hooked to my 500 gallon tank. I don't see a need to buy pellets. 90 % of our outdoor camp cooking is done in dutch ovens.

[ShooterAZ]

I have taken my big Traeger grill camping once, and ran it off the inverter of my Tacoma. I don't think I would do that again, because it's dang heavy. They make smaller ones though, the Tailgater and one called the Scout. These things work so well that I'm totally sold on them, so easy to use.

https://www.acehardware.com/departments/outdoor-living/grills-and-smokers/pellet-grills/8015365?x429=true&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CjwKCAjwgqbpBRAREiwAF046JabT-kU3VuFdIJDih_ZM4etjFQfa2G12H30qJCHqeQaqkOu32DlcrRo C2iUQAvD_BwE

[tinhorn97062]

Pit Boss or Green Mountain. Traeger is junk, since they stopped making them in the US. The quality really tanked.

[David2011]

Kind of an aside quandary here. We've finally booked a moving company to move us from SE New Mexico to Baytown, TX (greater Houston area). My smoker is home/professionally built to my specs and has a cooking area about 20"x36". It's built from 20" casing and has a firebox that will accommodate typical fireplace length wood. I'm guessing it weighs about 500 pounds from pushing it around and knowing that it took 3 of us to put it in the back of a pickup. It's going to cost about $250 to the move because of the weight and size. The options are to suck it up and move it or sell it and replace it with either a Traeger or some sort of electric smoker. It's not a grill; just an offset smoker. It maintains temperature easily with only manual controls and I enjoy cooking with a wood fire.

I think I could sell it pretty easily for a few hundred bucks and there's the $250 or so I wouldn't be out for moving the behemoth. Replacing it with a similar commercially built reverse flow smoker would run over $2500. I don't really want to spend that much so that limits me somewhat. I don't want to go back to a lightweight Char-Griller or similar big box smoker. What would you do?

[dangitgriff]

https://bestbackyardgear.com/best-pellet-grills

[Wayne Smith]

Kind of an aside quandary here. We've finally booked a moving company to move us from SE New Mexico to Baytown, TX (greater Houston area). My smoker is home/professionally built to my specs and has a cooking area about 20"x36". It's built from 20" casing and has a firebox that will accommodate typical fireplace length wood. I'm guessing it weighs about 500 pounds from pushing it around and knowing that it took 3 of us to put it in the back of a pickup. It's going to cost about $250 to the move because of the weight and size. The options are to suck it up and move it or sell it and replace it with either a Traeger or some sort of electric smoker. It's not a grill; just an offset smoker. It maintains temperature easily with only manual controls and I enjoy cooking with a wood fire.

I think I could sell it pretty easily for a few hundred bucks and there's the $250 or so I wouldn't be out for moving the behemoth. Replacing it with a similar commercially built reverse flow smoker would run over $2500. I don't really want to spend that much so that limits me somewhat. I don't want to go back to a lightweight Char-Griller or similar big box smoker. What would you do?

I'd move the thing for that price any day. You won't get better for a lot more if you try to replace it, it sounds like you designed it for your use so it's a toss up if it will fit anyone else's use. It fits you and you enjoy using it. To me it's a no briner.

[MaryB]

Kind of an aside quandary here. We've finally booked a moving company to move us from SE New Mexico to Baytown, TX (greater Houston area). My smoker is home/professionally built to my specs and has a cooking area about 20"x36". It's built from 20" casing and has a firebox that will accommodate typical fireplace length wood. I'm guessing it weighs about 500 pounds from pushing it around and knowing that it took 3 of us to put it in the back of a pickup. It's going to cost about $250 to the move because of the weight and size. The options are to suck it up and move it or sell it and replace it with either a Traeger or some sort of electric smoker. It's not a grill; just an offset smoker. It maintains temperature easily with only manual controls and I enjoy cooking with a wood fire.

I think I could sell it pretty easily for a few hundred bucks and there's the $250 or so I wouldn't be out for moving the behemoth. Replacing it with a similar commercially built reverse flow smoker would run over $2500. I don't really want to spend that much so that limits me somewhat. I don't want to go back to a lightweight Char-Griller or similar big box smoker. What would you do?

Pay the mover! I miss my offset but it was a larger one for catering and to big for just cooking for myself/friends.

[Smoke4320]

You know That grill, you like to cook with it and its WELL built . I would move it for sure .. Even at $350.00 you will njot get anything like it for double the price

[danmat]

Google ugly drum smokers,I just put one together from parts I had laying around my shop. You can make it plain or fancy. Just ran mine this weekend 12 hrs on about 8 lbs of charcoal 4 chunks of wood.

[MaryB]

You will love a pellet smoker, turn it on, preheat, cook. I did a baked potato and a chicken leg quarter on mine tonight. Cooked at 375.

https://i.imgur.com/jzC9XZU.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/75ZVnSM.jpg

[dale2242]

How long does it take a pellet grill to come up to normal cooking temperature?

[dangitgriff]

How long does it take a pellet grill to come up to normal cooking temperature?

I don’t own one but watch YouTube videos of guys that do, and they claim it takes 15-20 minutes...or about one beer. [emoji481]

[rockrat]

Takes mine about 10 min.

[DCP]

Anyone know anything about the Rec Tec grill the Bull-RT-700
https://www.rectecgrills.com/bull-rt-700-wood-pellet-grill/

[MaryB]

10-15 minutes for mine on a calm day, windy/rainy slows it down...

[PB234]

David, if it is a solid strong piece of equipment you enjoy cooking on I suggest moving it. A replacement will not be as well constructed for the price and there is enjoyment of using good equipment every time used. Most all products are being made with less quality as the years go by and holding onto great old stuff becomes the challenge. My cast iron pan used almost daily is over 100 years old and still is a pleasure to use. Often I used Old Hickory knives from days gone by when they were sold sharp. Old heavy strong equipment that works beautifully is to be cherished.

[David2011]

Thanks to all. You helped cement my gut feeling that I should keep the heavy smoker. SWMBO looked at the comments and agreed. Never hurts to have her on board.

[David2011]

This smoker is constructed of 3/16”-1/4” plate and the counterweight for the lid is a Browning Buck and Doe of 1” plate. You guys are right; not replaceable.

[Screwbolts]

I have been using the, Green Mountain Grill, Davey Crocket almost daily for 2 years. Love the little grill and it goes with us when we go camping.Gluten free Brownies, pizza, cake and all forms of meat have been wonderfully cooked in it. Many times when camping it is filled to capacity with our meat for supper and friends meats.

Very happy with Green mountain Grill!

Get anyone you like, you will love the way they cook.

Ken

[Iwsbull]

Pit Boss love it for ease of cooking and clean up. Much cheaper than a Treager. That being said I have only had mine a couple years so I cannot attest to the long haul durability. I will also say that it is the only grill I have ever owned that my wife would use actually loves to use it.
I was not sure about a pellet grill and needed a new one so I opted for a $399.99 Pit Boss 820. Whenever I have to replace it it will be a pellet grill regardless.
That being said I have a separate smoker for bbq.