The Skinny:
- The original wood-fired pellet grill brand
- WiFIRE Technology allows you to control grill from your smartphone
- Industry first brushless DC motor gives more power to the auger
- Variable speed fan creates powerful smoke vortex inside of the barrel
- Pill shaped design gives more space for large cooks
Things We Love:
Traeger, the original pellet grill brand, is a true innovator and the most popular name in the pellet grill industry. Combining rugged durability with top-of-the-line features, Traeger brings refinement and style to the pellet industry. Traeger Pro series grills are built to last and make grilling simple. The Pro 575 and Pro 780, the newest models released in 2019, are packed with new features and added conveniences. Continue reading to discover how the Traeger Pro pellet grill will change the way you think about grilling. For more information on the first generation of Traeger Pro pellet grills, check out our expert review on the Pro 22 and Pro 34.
D2 Controller
The brain of the Pro Series is Traeger’s innovative D2 Controller. The D2 is a PID controller – the most precise type of controller for maintaining a desired temperature. The D2 allows the fan to use variable speed; it will speed up or slow down as needed to reach and hold the desired temperature and smoke level. The D2 comes with one temperature probe so you can monitor the internal temperature of your food from the controller interface, or through WiFIRE.
WiFIRE
The D2 controller uses Treager’s WiFIRE technology, which allows you to remotely monitor and control temperature, set timers, and shut off your Pro Series grill from your smartphone. The Treager smartphone app also provides access to GrillGuide, which features hundreds of digital recipes available to download directly to your smartphone with WiFIRE. Once you download a recipe, GrillGuide will program the entire cooking cycle from start to finish – changing temperature, smoke, and air circulation automatically as the recipe progresses. The Traeger app connects you to thousands of other users in the Traeger community and you can shop for Traeger accessories and wood pellets from the palm of your hand.
Direct Drive
The D2 direct drive takes advantage of a brushless DC motor to achieve higher torque at lower RPM, making the auger more powerful and less likely to clog. Since brushless motors have fewer mechanical/moving parts, the auger’s motor is more resilient. it’ll work harder for longer without requiring maintenance. The brushless motor allows the auger to move the same amount of pellets with more efficiency than earlier models.
Turbotemp
The PID controller and brushless DC motor work together to achieve Turbotemp. TurboTemp assists the Pro Series in ignition and reaching desired temperatures faster than ever before. Combining the pill-shaped design of the barrel with the powerful variable speed fan creates a vortex of smoke inside the grill. The smoke rolls around the barrel to coat your food in delicious smoky flavor. This results in outstanding heat retention and even less fuel needed to maintain high temperatures. With increased efficiency, Traeger has reduced the Pro Series pellet burn rate to 2 pounds per hour on high heat, and only ½ pound per hour when smoking. The Traeger Pro Series has a range of 180 degrees – 500 degrees and produces amazingly consistent temperatures from left to right and top to bottom.
Sizes
The Pro Series comes in 2 sizes, the Pro 575 and the Pro 780, which refers to the total amount of grilling space available between the two cooking grates. The Pro 575 has 575 square inches of total cooking surface, while the Pro 780 has 780 square inches of total cooking surface. Each size is available in 2 colors: rustic bronze or classic black.
Like other Traeger models, The Pro Series’ classic sawhorse design and all-terrain wheels result in excellent durability and maneuverability. The proprietary design and thick legs make it easy to transport the grill while the large, all-terrain wheels help the grill roll quietly and smoothly. The Pro Series has a large hopper capacity, holding up to 18 pounds of Traeger hardwood pellets. It also has a magnetic hopper cleanout door, allowing you to quickly change out flavors of pellets on the fly. Hang BBQ tools or extra grill racks within arm’s reach on the included storage hooks. The Pro Series has an available folding front shelf which can be purchased separately as an accessory.
Traeger offers several useful grilling tools that will give your grill even more cooking versatility. Some of the most popular Traeger accessories are a digital thermometer, chicken throne, and grill racks.
Things To Consider:
The Pro Series offers a leaner selection of grill features than what is found in Traeger’s more advanced collections like the Ironwood or Timberline Series. If extra features like downdraft exhaust, super smoke mode, TRU convection, dual position grill grates, or double side-walled insulation are important to you, then you may want to upgrade to the Traeger Ironwood or Traeger Timberline collection of grills.