"You know what the key is?" Joe Rogan asked in reference to cooking the perfect meat. "Cooking it slowly," he answered.
We agree with Joe on this one, and you all know how much we love smokers. When it comes to smokers, we're big fans of Traeger pellet smokers. For starters, they're durable, relatively affordable, easy to operate, and they can hold a lot of meat. The square inches of cook space vary depending on the size of the grill, but even the larger models can cook as much as 34 burgers, 6 racks of ribs, or 6 whole chickens all at once. (Now that's what we call a good time!)
But, besides convenience, Traeger is also an essentially perfect smoker. While most other smokers don't actually get hot enough to sear a steak, Traeger's does. We here at Hungry Fan are big fans of the "Smoke" setting, which adds that delicious smoky flavor to your food (and also allows you to "hold" foods at approximately 180–200 degrees, which we find helps on game day or at party time when it's advantageous to time when you're going to serve all that goodness to your hungry guests or fellow fans).
Let's talk about some of your best options for your first Traeger Grill. Read on, all your summer grillers, all-year pros, and game-day-only enthusiasts!
Traeger Pro 780 Pellet Grill
If you're a badass, you want to dive in with the best of the best, or you're looking to feed a small army, this one is for you.
The Traeger Pro 780 has the unique distinction of being the best-selling pellet grill worldwide. We did a little digging into this, wondering how many other brands make pellet grills and who they are. Turns out there are many, and we recognized several brand names. So yes, feel free to be impressed by this claim to fame. We are too.
We also did a little digging into the backstory behind pellet grills because up until somewhat recently (say past 3–5 years maybe), you didn't hear about them much, particularly compared to their charcoal and gas counterparts. We found a great article by the folks at GearPatrol.com, which we highly recommend. The CliffsNotes version: Pellet grills were invented in the '80s by a guy who owned a heating company in Oregon. They used to be for super grill nerds only. Traeger was the first brand to bring them to market, and the rest is history. Nowadays, they're growing in popularity because, frankly, they're easier to use than most other grills.
As a Traeger griller in Arizona wrote in his review, "After researching pellet smokers for almost a year, I finally pulled the trigger on the 780 Pro. It has blown my expectations away, from the durable build quality, ease of use, and flawless operation."
So whether you're new to the grilling game, are trying to step it up a notch, or are looking for another grill toy to accent your pitmaster collection, our sense, from our own experience with this grill to reviews such as this one, is that this baby should definitely be in consideration.
Bonus: For the tech nerds or appreciators out here, the Traeger Pro 780 has a new, enhanced controller that uses WiFIRE® technology (seriously, that's what it's called). This allows you to control the temperature when you're not standing by the grill because you're…say…playing a game of cornhole.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Color options: Black, bronze
Size: 34 burgers, 6 ribs, 6 chickens
(Note: The number "780" refers to 780 square inches of cooking capacity.)
Traeger Pro 575 Pellet Grill
If you've been looking for the best out there, but you're not trying to feed a small army, the Pro 575 is a great option for you.
Like the Traeger Pro 780, the Pro 575 also comes with WiFIRE technology, along with temperature control, turbo temp (lightning-fast startup), and a grill guide.
As a Traeger griller in California said, "In the first two weeks I did multiple 20+ pound briskets, and they turned out perfect every time. The app makes it so easy to monitor and adjust temperature; almost too easy!"
For the most part, the only major difference between the 780 and the 575 is the grilling capacity. But also significant is the sizable price difference. The 575 costs 20% less.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Color options: Black, bronze
Size: 24 burgers, 5 ribs, 4 chickens
(Note: The number "575" refers to 575 square inches of cooking capacity.)
Traeger Pro Series 22 Pellet Grill (GEN 1)
If you're just looking to get your feet wet with smokers, this one is the perfect choice at a competitive price.
This original model (released in 2018) has a "linebacker-like sawhorse chassis" for even weight distribution, along with all-terrain wheels for ease of movement. (We're directly quoting from the Traeger product description here. We wish we could claim this hilariously vivid language as our own.)
There's no WiFIRE setting on this model, but the Digital Pro Controller guarantees precision grilling to +/-15 degrees.
Another Traeger griller said it was the "best thing my wife ever bought me" and the "best thing I ever cooked on." 'Nuff said.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Color options: Bronze
Size: 24 burgers, 5 ribs, 4 chickens
Check out this grill HERE!
Still on the fence about smokers? Check out these killer smoked Traeger recipes.