Traeger grills were already about as smart as smokers and grills could get, but for 2019, they’re raising the bar with Wi-Fi and an all-new heating sytem.
First, a primer for the uninitiated. Traeger grills are essentially a cheat code for wood smoking and grilling. They use real wood (pellets) to impart food with a delicious smokiness, but while offering the precise temperature control of an electric smoker. You just set your desired temperature, and the grill will automatically feed wood pellets into an electric heating element at whatever speed is necessary to maintain that temperature. It’s truly a set-it-and-forget it experience, if you can afford the ~$800 cost of entry.
Traeger just released three new grills for 2019, all of which are available in two sizes. The most notable addition to the lineup is across-the-board Wi-Fi, allowing you to download recipes to automatically program into your grill, in addition to offering you full control over your temperature no matter where you are. Side note, you probably shouldn’t go on a hike while a grill is running at your house like the people in Traeger’s video, but that’s just me.
All three grills also feature Traeger’s new D2 direct drive system, which uses a variable speed fan and a reengineered auger for improved reliability and heating speed.
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The (confusingly named) entry-level Pro model starts at $800 for 572 square inches of cooking surface, or $1,000 for 780 square inches. The new mid-level Ironwood adds additional insulation and an adjustable, two tier cooking surface for $1,200–$1,400, and the top-of-the-line Timberline has three tiers of grates, a pellet sensor to remind you to refill the hopper, and a magnetic bamboo cutting board, because why wouldn’t it for $1,700–$2,000?
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