Traeger or other pellet BBQ's

[Bofire]

  How high of heat can your turn up to for grilling? can you get 375-500??degrees?
thanks
Carl

[bearpaw]

You should be able to check the specs for your answer. I haven't used one but thinking of getting one someday, people are telling me the best meat they've ever eaten was cooked in a Traeger!

[Bofire]

 :)I have been reading and found that good grill temps are attainable. There are many brands, Traeger being one of the more reasonable priced. There are pellet smokers/grills and combos. They run from about 150$ for thin tin to $couple thousand!! or more.
Now I use a smoker and a grill, might be nice to have in one unit.
Turns out there are all sorts of pellets also and many brands. There are some real BBQ snobs out here one guy has about 8 smokers and grills and thinks $2000.00 is cheap and buys pellets at $40 for 5 LBS.
Carl

[buglebuster]

I have a traeger texas and I can get 450. It can sear a steak, but I wish it could get a little hotter. I love the thing, and use it almost dailey, but if I was to do it again I'd buy a louisiana grill. I believe you can reach 600 on it, and have the option to grill directly over your fire.

[Timberstalker]

I have a traeger texas and I can get 450. It can sear a steak, but I wish it could get a little hotter. I love the thing, and use it almost dailey, but if I was to do it again I'd buy a louisiana grill. I believe you can reach 600 on it, and have the option to grill directly over your fire.

This is exactly what I get on the Traeger's I've used. 

[Bofire]

the "Olive" claims 650 grill temp!! it is like 1500.00
Carl

[haugenna]

I used to own a traeger but got rid of it for a green mountain grill. The traeger had too many issues with temp fluctuation. I can get to 500 degrees on my gmg. Pick up some grill grates if you want to sear on these grills.

[MtnMuley]

I have a couple Traegers.  They get the job done, but I would recommend another brand.  I feel the GMG, RecTec, and the Louisiana Grills are built better and all around the same price.  I can't get either of my Traegers over 450.  I used an Louisiana and had it just under 700.  All those other brands seem to be built more stout as well.

[WCTaxidermy]

Bonfire, go to the Rec-Tec web-site and check their grills out.  I have had one for 3 years and will never own any other pellet grill.  They are built like a tank, and has less than a 5 degree temp swing. 

[grundy53]

I have a traeger texas and I can get 450. It can sear a steak, but I wish it could get a little hotter. I love the thing, and use it almost dailey, but if I was to do it again I'd buy a louisiana grill. I believe you can reach 600 on it, and have the option to grill directly over your fire.

This is exactly what I get on the Traeger's I've used.

Me too

[lamrith]

Check out Green mountain as well.

I looked strongly at the Louisiana because of the higher temps and direct flame ability but read that they have to start hot and then back down to smoking temps each startup.

Whatever grill you get check the temp settings, having 5* incremental adjustment is pretty important as none of them will run exactly the temp they are actually set at so that lets you dial it in for different recipes versus some lower priced grills that have fixed temp settings...

Keep an eye out also, I will likely do another pellet group buy in mid/late July.

[mossy8352]

I have the Traeger and I have replaced the firerod and the burn pot, after three years though and under warranty. I use mine almost daily for meals and then also for making jerky, pulled pork and Canadian bacon. I did buy the Trager insulating blanket before last winter and the temperatures are now much more stable. It is the Lil Texas Elite and is has replaced my upright gas smoker, my gas grill has not been fired up for three years now. At 450 with the convection style of cooking we did a t Bone last night for dinner 7 minutes on the first side and 6 minutes on the final side, Seared fine and was medium rare the way we like it. Buy your pellets at Harbor wholesale twenty pounds for under $10.00. Chicken fish pork beef and bread baking are a breeze!

[lamrith]

I bring in lumberjack brand for $16.50/40# bag. (Was 15.90 but they just had a price increase June 1.)

[KFhunter]

I'm still using the first Treager I bought probably 5 years ago, it's got some issues and isn't really reliable.

I'll replace it with a different brand, probably rec tec


Treagers kind of started the whole thing now I feel like they're coasting on their name recognition while other brands are trying to offer a better product and target people like me ready to step up from their first "cheaper" pellet grill.   I recommend you skip the entry level pellet grill market and spend a tad more for a higher end pellet bbq

[mossy8352]

I bring in lumberjack brand for $16.50/40# bag. (Was 15.90 but they just had a price increase June 1.)

That still is a good price for food grade pellets. The only problem for me (not anyone else) is with my back the forty pound bags are too heavy.