Before I start on the Traeger BBQ grill reviews, I have to be honest and tell you that I was not a big fan of pellet smokers.
I thought they would take the joy of messing with charcoal and wood chunks out of grilling and smoking. After doing all the reading and researching, I had to change my opinion.
Eddie’s Tip! Pellet grills are awesome. Traeger is one of the brands that are on my wish list.
I looked at the most popular models in this Traeger grill buyer’s guide.
See all Traeger Pellet grills here on Amazon.
See all Traeger Pellet grills on BBQguys.com
However, if you like, you can read about what I believe are the best pellet smoker grills first.
Traeger Junior Elite
The Traeger Junior Elite is a very easy-to-use smoker/grill. Fill it with pellets, turn it on, and watch the convection blower and auger do all the work for you.
Set it to smoke or the desired temperature, and the Traeger digital controller will take over from there.
This is called a lazy man smoker. Easy to use, and although I have done many reviews, this Traeger has really impressed me.
I even think I am putting it on my wish list. Read my review and let me know if I have to add something to it from your experience as a user of the Traeger junior elite.
==>Read my Traeger Junior Elite Review <==
Traeger Texas pellet grill
There is a lot to say about the Traeger Texas pellet grill. This was not an easy grill to review.
There are 2 kinds of reviews.
The ones that love it and would buy it over and over again, and the ones that really did not like it at all.
But to be honest there are more people that like this pellet grill.
The most common pros we heard of was the ease of use of this grill. Fill it with pellets, set your temperature and the grill does the rest.
Recently this grill is made in China and many people regret that.
This grill is the kind of grill that you have to get used to. It seems it is a convection oven with a built-in smoker. Most of the reviews and comments we read on forums and websites say that the food tastes great and is perfect time after time, but there is a little learning curve.
Read the rest of the Traeger Texas pellet grill review here.
Traeger Lil Tex elite
The Traeger lil Tex Elite is what can be called a set-and-forget pellet grill.
I have heard someone call it a lazy man’s grill.
How does it work?: Fill the hopper with your preferred pellet, start it, set your temperature, and put your meat on it.
That is all you have to do.
The results are pretty darned good, due to the thermostat that keeps the temperature stay constant, and that is a big advantage over charcoal or propane gas.
With the use of 2 lbs/hr on high, 1 lb/hr on medium, and 1/2 lb/hr when smoking, you can use the 20 lb pellets for a lot of cooking with this pellet smoker.
Traeger pro series Reviews
The Traeger Pro series is a nice featured grill that fits in between the lower-priced and the higher price pellet grills on the market.
I had a good look at them:
Traeger pro series 22
You can soon read my review of the Traeger pro series 22 here
Traeger pro series 34
You can soon read the review of the Traeger Pro series 34
Traeger Timberline.
This could be considered one of the top models for Traeger. The features they have added here are not found on most of the other models.
You can soon read my full and in-depth Traeger Timberline pellet grill review on its own page and have a look at all that this series has to offer.
More Traeger Models
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Traeger BBQ Grill Reviews – My Experience
After reading a ton of Traeger BBQ reviews and giving my opinions about the Traeger pellet grills, I am still not ready with forming an opinion.
I found that there are probably a few Chinese manufacturers that are making pellet grills for several brands.
It almost looks like the Z-grills I reviewed is a perfect clone of the Traeger.
I read some great things about Traeger, and on another forum or consumer website, I read some very negative things.
Being one of the oldest companies that started with these pellet grills in the 1980s does not automatically mean that you are the best.
It seems that Traeger is trying hard to improve its product, but there are still a lot of problems. I see a lot of people having problems with their customer service.
Traeger pellets are made in their own mills, and I wrote a Traeger pellets chart and guide for you to find out more.
Old Traeger Controller Versus New Controller
It seems to me that the older models had some pretty bad problems with the controllers and the augers. In the newer models, it seems that the Traeger company has solved most of the problems.
From what I understand, the old controller had 3-speed settings, and this is how the temperature was regulated without measuring the real temperature in the grill.
The new replacement Traeger controller measures the temperature in the cooking chamber. This is far more accurate, and the outdoor temperature does not affect the grill temperature as much anymore, like with the old controllers.
For many Traeger models, you can do a Traeger controller replacement or upgrade, and you can read more in that post about how easy that basically is.
I guess this controller can be compared to the ones I have seen in the Rec Tec grills.
Changing out pellets in some Traeger hoppers
One of the things people do not like is that you have to scoop out the pellets if you like to change to a different kind. Only the Pro Series has an easy cleaning-out option with a door.
We will be adding more Traeger grill reviews here. If you would like us to review a specific one, let us know.
Find all Traeger Grills on Amazon!
Traeger keeps adding more grills to their store, and the quality is getting better and better in my opinion. We will be doing more Traeger smoker and grill reviews in the future and updating our old ones.
My Treager video
Grill Cover Problems With The Traeger Grills
I got a response on this Traeger grill review page that you can read in the comment sections below.
Ben mentioned a problem that I had not heard of. But, and even better than that, he offered a solution to that problem also.
It seems that the grill covers for the Traeger grill tend to be blown away by the wind, and according to Ben they hang little sandbags on them so they don’t blow away. Jim himself added padded magnets to his grill cover, and 2 0r 3 will do the trick.
Thanks for your help, Jim. I will see if I can find more solutions. I can imagine that Velcro might be an idea.
I have just finished an article on the Traeger thermal insulation blanket that is a perfect addition to your Traeger if you like to use it in the colder season.
FAQ About Traeger Grills
Is the Traeger grill any good?
A: Customers say that Traeger grills are easy to use and deliver great flavors and consistent cooking.
Can you really grill on a Traeger?
A: Yes, it is absolutely possible to grill on a Traeger grill. They reach temperatures up to 500°F.
Do Traeger grills rust out?
A: The powder coating on the Traeger grill grates is designed to prevent rust.
Eddie van Aken – The Grilling Dutchman
Eddie van Aken is the founder of The Grilling Dutchman, where he teaches practical, no-nonsense BBQ and outdoor cooking. With years of hands-on experience working with grills, smokers, and live fire, he focuses on techniques that actually work in real backyards.
When he’s not cooking, Eddie tests and reviews outdoor gear and equipment for PracticalBackyard.com. Learn more about Eddie van Aken.