Attn those who love BBQ! Questions about smokers/grills

bmo88 · March 2016

My DH is really into smoking meats, bbqing and grilling food. He has been doing it for a few years and has taken it up as a serious hobby. He bought a cheap smoker a few years back and we have had a Weber grill we bought at a yard sale for $30 for a few years. Both are on their last legs and he is now ready to upgrade. He has been looking at different options for the past 7 months and I would like to surprise him with one as an early birthday present.

I am looking at getting the Traeger Century model which is on sale for $699 right now (regular $799). DH has done quite a bit of research and for the price, Traegers seem to be worth it. While it is a lot for a grill/smoker, it is surprisingly on the lower end compared to some crazy expensive smokers I have come across.

Before I commit, I am curious if others have experience with Traegers or if they own a different brand they would recommend.

Any and all advice would be appreciated!

hoffse · March 2016

I've never heard of a Traeger. Around here it's all Big Green Egg and Kamado Joe. If Traeger is on the same level of quality as those two, $700 is a really good price.

Our friends who have these absolutely love them. Most of them don't have regular grills anymore, since the smoker can grill too (and they all say it's a lot better than a propane or charcoal grill).

H really wants a BGE. I told him maybe someday after the house is finished and he gets a nice Christmas bonus, lol. I will say that we use our grill a TON, especially in the summer because we don't like to heat up the kitchen when the A/C is running constantly, so I would not be opposed to upgrading him to a smoker in a few years. They are very expensive though. I think the BGE's he's looked at are in the $1200 range.

The only thing I would check is to make sure it all the cool accessories are available for that brand or you guys can buy after market things that fit. They do provide a pretty good opportunity for ongoing gift-giving...

dragonstarjk · March 2016

We don't have a Traeger but a friend of mine got one as a wedding gift, and they absolutely love it. She seriously uses it almost every night for dinner, and not just for meats. She has made pizza, calzones, and I don't even know what else--tons of stuff. From the limited knowledge I have, Traeger is the real deal when it comes to this sort of thing.

We have a beast of a grill but it's not a smoker. It does have a side burner and a mini oven in the bottom (which we rarely use). I think we'd go Traeger if we ever decide to upgrade.

My H is really into grilling/smoking also. He actually bought a used refrigerator years ago and converted it into a smoker. It's huge and ugly and works awesome!

bmo88 · March 2016

@hoffse: Thanks for the response. DH has looked at the Big Green Egg, but he is more interested in wood pellet grills. What's nice about Traegers and other wood pellet smokers, you can essentially set it and forget it. BGE and non-pellet grills have to be continuously monitored to make sure charcoals, wood or the flame temps are right. He has a propane smoker now and it's very temperamental with controlling it.

Good point on the gadgets and add ons. In looking, it seems like there are a few additions and they could make great future gifts.

dragonstarjk: Thanks for sharing! A converter refrigerator sounds like quite the project! But if the tastes good, I wouldn't complain. I have heard about the ability to bake on them and would be curious to try it.

Attn those who love BBQ! Questions about smokers/grills

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