Spending your weekends at home can be made better with the help of the most amazing grills. This Traeger Ironwood vs Traeger Pro vs Traeger Timberline grill comparison will get you to know the best ones.
As one of the leading brands in the grill industry, Traeger has been consistently releasing grills that are oftentimes better than its competitors. These three are the perfect examples of that.
Ironwood, Pro, and Timberline are special grill collections from Traeger that have been around for quite a while. They are the perfect grills for a simple cookout with the family or big parties.
Aside from being powerful, these grills are also made with the best technology available. Because of that, they are very easy to use so starters should not be afraid of investing.
Traeger has a unique but distinct design so, at first glance, you might not see the differences between these three lines of grills but trust me, there are a lot of differences within them.
So aside from their differences, we will also be talking about the similarities that all make these three grills amazing. They can be used in almost any food or recipe that you want to cook.
The tricky part when mentioning or trying to buy these grills is that you might get confused. That is why you need to know all the similarities and differences of the features between them.
Aside from being a bit pricey, these three grills do not have that much disadvantage. Plus, what you are paying for are features that you can rarely find in other grills from any brand.
So if you are curious about these three lines of grills from Traeger, then get ready to know every detail about them as we take on each feature and what makes them exceptional.
Significant Differences Between Traeger Ironwood, Pro, and Timberline
So as I have mentioned above, there are important features within these grills that you will notice. These are great so you will know which one to get according to your preferences.
There are also some elements within the grills that not only differ them from each other but also make them unique that you will not find in any grill that is produced by other companies.
Now, some might not be as important as you might think but as I have said, you need to know all the details about them in order to make a clear decision, so here are the differences.
Size
The first and most obvious thing that you will see as a difference between the three grills is the size. There are also different sizes within the model of the grill that you might want.
For example, the available sizes of the Pro series might be smaller than the Ironwood. But the Ironwood grill series also have some different sizes within their own category as grills.
The smallest grills are found on the Pro grill series. There is the smallest which is called the Pro 575 and the larger model from the same series of grills called the Pro 780.
These numbers indicate the total cooking area of the grill. So while the Pro grill series are the smallest models, they are still big enough for you to cook multiple foods at the same time.
The Ironwood grill series offers two sizes as well with the Ironwood 650 and Ironwood 885. The same two-size option comes with the Timberline offering 850 and Timberline 1300.
So as you can see, the sizes of these grills are far from each other. The Timberline, being the largest, can cook at least 9 chickens at a time on its wide and versatile cooking space.
While most grills from Traeger offer two adjustable racks in the grill’s chamber, the Timberline grill series is designed specifically for three adjustable racks to be stacked inside it.
The same pill-shaped chamber is found on the Ironwood and Pro grill series but you will see that they are small for three racks. So the unique design of the grills makes them cook more.
Pellet Hopper
Since we are talking about size, the pellet hopper should be the next topic as it is the one responsible for firing up the interior of the grills and making them cook perfectly.
The pellet hoppers of Traeger grills are designed and strategically placed on the side of the chamber in order for them to put the fuel right into the firebox without much physical effort.
Now, you might have already guessed which line of grills has the largest pellet hopper. The Timberline grill series, of course, has the largest pellet hopper among the three grill series.
This is to accommodate the intense heat needed by the large chamber to cook the food inside it. The largest pellet hopper from the Timberline grills can hold up to 24 pounds of pellets.
The second placer comes in with the Ironwood grill series that can hold up to 20 pounds of pellet and the Pro having the ability to hold up to 18 pounds of pellet to fuel their chambers.
Slow and low cooking is possible with these three grills as they can use fewer pellets than most grills. Usually, all three of these grills use 2 pounds of pellets in an hour which is quite thrifty.
So with their pellet hopper capacities, these grills can cook somewhere between 9 to 12 hours. That is pretty impressive and you can be sure that you do not have to spend much on fuel.
TurboTemp
This feature can be argued that it should not be in the significant differences between the three grill series since they all have it. However, there is a detail that needs to be pointed out.
See, the Ironwood grills originally had this feature. Now, it is available to the Timberline and Pro grill series but the Timberline grills have it better because of an additional feature.
See, TurboTemp is a feature that combines the PID controller and brushless DC Motors on the auger in order to go up to the desired temperature faster than most grill models in the market.
All three have this feature but because of the large iron rod of the Timberline grills, it does it better. The fan then helps the fire go up and raise the temperature inside the grill’s chamber.
Along with that, the Timberline grills have the 16-gauge stainless steel insulation which is the thickest among the three so when it comes to raising the temperature, it does a better job.
All three grill series take advantage of this feature as they can all go as low as 165 degrees Fahrenheit which means that they can cook and smoke meat at a slow and low temperature.
Similarities and Other Features
Now that we are done with the differences, it is also worth noticing that the grills all have their similarities. These features will also help you with cooking the best foods in your backyard.
Downdraft Exhaust System
In order to make the best-smoked meat, you will need a lot of smoke and the perfect type of pellet to combine with the type of meat that you want to smoke in the grills.
Pellets can attain that flavorful smoke that is induced in the food. However, it needs to be delivered properly into the chamber so that the smoke will not just pass by the food in it.
The Downdraft Exhaust System used to be a unique feature of the Timberline grills. However, since the Ironwood and Pro upgraded to larger models, they now have the feature as well.
The grills are designed to have their exhausts at the bottom of the chamber. The firebox is also right beside it but they are not fully connected with each other so the smoke can go up.
When the lid of the grills is closed, it is impossible for the smoke to get out of the chamber unless it has fully circled within the interior of the girl, thus, enhancing that smoky flavor.
==> Get the Traeger Pro 575
Brushless DC Motors For The Auger
This feature was also unique to the Timberline grills. However, after a few months, Traeger developed the same feature for the Ironwood and Pro series as well as the earlier models.
See, the grills from Traeger transfer the fuel from the pellet hopper to the firebox with an auger mechanism. For those who do not know what that is, it is a screw-like tunnel inside the grill.
So instead of scooping the pellets yourself, you just allow the screw to move the pellets to the firebox. Earlier Traeger grills have brushes in these augers in order to keep it clean.
However, many users figured that the brushes either wear out easily or they are the ones collecting the gunks instead. That is why Traeger removed the brushes in the auger.
The augers are also now powered by a direct current which gives them more torque and with the removal of the brushes, the passageway of the pellets now has fewer obstructions.
You can heat up or lower the temperature in the chamber faster with this new feature. With the new auger, there is also less need for maintenance as it will hardly clog up inside.
WiFire Feature
Now if you think that these grills are basic, think again. They might look like your basic and ordinary conventional grills but they offer a lot more in terms of ease of control.
See, all three of these grill series can be controlled via your smartphone. You no longer need to stand beside the extreme heat that the grills are producing when you are cooking.
You can download the app on any device that you have. Once you get the Traeger app, you can go ahead and connect the grills to your WiFi source and then control them with your device.
As long as the grill and your smartphone are connected to the same WiFi source, you will be able to control the grills. So you can watch your favorite shows while letting the grills do their jobs.
The app contains everything that you will need. You will find both the timer and temperature controls plus additional recipes that have preset temperatures and timer for easier use.
TRU Convection
Traeger is not only known for its advanced grills but also for the combination of features to attain the perfect environment for you to cook the best food that you can ever get.
The TRU Convection is one of the many examples where the grill combines the pill-shaped design of the grill and the fan inside the firebox to create a nice evenly heated chamber.
The fan has variable speeds so you can use it in any recipe. Whether you want to sear meat on the grill grates or smoke meat, the fan can be useful in keeping the heat evenly distributed.
The fan is found at the bottom of the chamber so it shoots air into the firebox while the pill-shaped chamber rolls the heat back down to heat up the lid and the lower parts of the grill.
This heat vortex caused by the perfect air circulation keeps your food evenly cooked. There is hardly a need for you to adjust the positions of the food inside the grills’ chambers.
==> Get the Traeger Ironwood Grill
SuperSmoke
Aside from having the ability to sear at high temperatures, the grills can also create the perfect environment for smoking meat. This also involves two major features within the grills.
One is the pellet feeder which slows down the distribution of the pellets to the firebox. This lowers the temperature abruptly to cook the meat slowly while keeping it juicy.
The fan also takes over in this feature as it automatically shuts down the air inside the grill. Yes, the fan can go for 0 rotations per minute or a higher 100 RPM when you need searing heat.
The stoppage of the fan creates an environment where the smoke is enhanced. This smoke seeps into the meat and makes it flavorful while also cooking it to the softest texture.
Since these grills can go as low as 165 degrees Fahrenheit, they allow you to cook any type of food that you want with the optimal temperature for a slow and low style of cooking.
Cooking In The Grills
With the similarities that are mentioned above, there is not much difference between the grills especially when it comes to the cooking experience that I have done with them.
There are the amount and number of foods that you can cook in the grills. Aside from that, they all perform great cooking and finish the food with the best results that you could ever get.
The features combine in keeping the heat evenly distributed within the chamber. This makes it easy for me to cook multiple foods when we are having backyard parties and gatherings.
These grills can also heat up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit which means that I was able to cook pizzas in them. Within 10 minutes, the pizzas were ready and cooked perfectly with crispy crusts.
The TRU Convection and SuperSmoke features are perhaps my favorite. They were able to even out the temperature inside the chamber making the food inside tasty and evenly cooked.
==> Get the Traeger Timberline Series
Setting Up The Grills
Grills with over 500 square inches of cooking space are expected to be heavy and although these grills from Traeger are made with light stainless steel materials, they do pack weight.
So when setting up these grills, make sure to seek help from some of your friends especially when it comes to moving them around. This can prevent injuries and other damages.
Traeger offers a stand that can hold the weight of the grills. These stands do have wheels but they can still be tricky when you move them in slanted pathways or steps.
Make sure to get an extension cord that is safe outdoors to connect the grills too. The setup area should also be close to the WiFi router in order for the grills to function with their WiFire Feature.
Also, remember to set the grills up away from any flammable materials. They can heat up a lot and might melt other things besides them or burn leaves or wood nearby.
Conclusion
Grills are like the perfect companion in making the best backyard vacation. You are able to cook food for your guests and Traeger surely brings more ease and convenience to cooking.
These grills can be controlled through your phone so you do not have to deal with the heat by standing beside the grills. They also have other features that truly help in cooking.
So when you try to make pizzas, steaks, smoked meat, seared vegetables, or any food that you want, make sure to check out the Traeger Timberline, Ironwood, or Pro for the best outdoor cooking!
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