The pros, the cons, and the facts about the Traeger Grills Timberline Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker.
The Traeger Grills Timberline Wood Pellet Grill is the world class smoker you have been waiting for. Its commercial quality construction and attention to detail really make this grill stand out against the competition. It showcases the latest technology combined with the time tested features you would expect in a top of the line BBQ grilling machine.
Product Quick Facts
Product Name: Traeger Grills Timberline 850 and 1300 Wood Pellet Grill
Made By: Traeger Grills
Top 3 Features:
- Timberline’s WiFIRE® Mobile App Controller
- TRU Convection® System
- Available in Both 850 sq. in. and 1300 sq. in. Capacities
Benefits Of The Traeger Grills Timberline
The Traeger Grills Timberline 850 and 1300 Wood Pellet Grills are the product of many years’ worth of customer requests refined with professional pit masters’ cooking advice and brought to life by the engineers at Traeger Grills.
The Timberline Series gives you complete control over your grilling experience. Everything about this grill was designed to cook faster, make adjustments easier, and last longer than other smokers in the same price range, and above.
Some additional benefits to consider are…
Superior Heat Retention For A More Even Cook
Maybe your current grill doesn’t hold its heat. The double walled construction on the Timberline gives you superior temperature control and heat retention.
Plenty Of Cooking Space
Are you lacking enough cooking space to feed everyone at the same time? Choose either 850 or 1300 square inches of multi-tiered grilling area and invite the whole family over for a meal.
No matter your level of experience, the Traeger Grills Timberline Wood Pellet Grill will make you feel like a professional pit master.
Using The Traeger Grills Timberline
The engineers at Traeger kept ease-of-use at the forefront when laying out the Traeger Grills Timberline 850 and 1300. You simply fill the 24 pound capacity hopper with your choice of hardwood pellets, set the dial to the correct temperature, adjust the timer and hit the button to ignite the pellets.
In fact, they went one step further by automating all of those settings within a mobile app. The Timberline’s free to download WiFIRE® app comes loaded with a great selection of recipes; each one pre-programmed with the exact cooking temperature, and applicable mid-cook adjustments and times. It seems that the only thing the Timberline doesn’t do is marinate the meat for you!
There is no need to keeping checking on your items. You’ll know they have reached the proper internal temperature if you use the included meat probe in conjunction with the WiFIRE® mobile controller.
Traeger Grills Timberline Description And Features
The Traeger Grills Timberline Wood Pellet Grill is all about quality construction and durable components. It all starts with the double walled commercial grade stainless steel interior. It has an airtight lid gasket that keeps the heat and smoke right where you need it. The new pill shaped cooking chamber gives you added height and allows for 3 adjustable tiers of cooking surface on its stainless steel rod constructed racks.
At A Glance
- 24lb Capacity Hopper
- TRU Convection® System
- Downdraft Exhaust® System
- Custom Cook Cycles in App
- New Super Smoke and Keep Warm Modes
850 Or 1,300 Sq. Inches Of Cooking Space
As the names imply, the Timberline 850 gives you 850 sq. in. of cooking space, while the upgraded model provides an impressive 1300 sq. in. of grilling area. How much room is that, really? In the Traeger Grills Timberline 850, that is enough shelf space to cook 9 whole chickens at once. You could smoke 8 racks of ribs, or stack 6 pork butts with plenty of room for a nice, even heat distribution. Upgrade to the 1300, and you’ll be keeping the local butcher in business single handed.
Commercial Grade Materials And Construction
On the outside, you can see and feel the difference that commercial grade construction makes. This is a solid grilling machine. Its pill shaped barrel is supported by a 16 gauge, black powder coat finish steel sawhorse style chassis. Two stainless steel side shelves and one front shelf provide sufficient work space, utensil hooks, and a magnetic bamboo cutting board.
Extra Large 24 lb Pellet Hopper With Clean Out Chute
The extra large 24 lb pellet hopper features an easy clean out chute for switching pellet types quickly. No more worrying about the hopper running dry during a long, slow and low smoking session.
2 All Terrain Wheels And 2 Locking Wheel Casters
Moving the Timberline is easy with all terrain wheels and locking side wheel casters. The concealed grease tray and power cord hooks are just a few small touches that make using the Traeger Grills Timberline Series even more of a pleasure. The easy to read digital display doesn’t hurt, either.
Loaded With Unique Features
Once you have the grill fired up, you are going to appreciate the unique features offered by the Timberline. The heavy duty auger carries pellets from the hopper to the fire pot. This is covered by the heat distribution panel, which spreads the heat across the drip tray. Juices from your meat are vaporized by the drip tray and mixed with fresh smoke. Extra grease flows out of the cooking chamber into an easily cleaned and perfectly concealed grease trap.
Traegers TRU Convection® Cooking System
The TRU Convection® system promises to cook your meat 20% faster than a non-convection indirect flame cooking grill in the same class. The Downdraft Exhaust® System keeps the heat and smoke in the chamber longer, swirling around the individual cooking racks before exiting through the rear vent.
The airtight lid gasket and double walled stainless steel insulated construction keep the internal temperature within +/- 5°F based on an hour long cook, on an average summer day, after reaching the initially set temperature.
Who Was The Traeger Grills Timberline Made For?
In creating the Traeger Grills Timberline 850 and 1300 Wood Pellet Grill units, Traeger consulted its loyal user base, as well as seasoned grilling professionals. User requests were filtered, ideas were brought to life, and techniques were tested. The result of this labor of love is a commercial grade residential grill that is perfect for backyard hobbyists, competition cooks, and culinary professionals. It’s extra large chamber makes it perfect for large families, and event managers.
Why You Should Think Twice
This is a very heavy duty grill. It is constructed primarily from black powder coated 16 gauge steel. The inside has double walls of 304 stainless steel. The Traeger Grills Timberline 850 measures in at a height of 48 inches, width of 52 inches and depth of 27 inches. While that gives you a ton of cooking space, it also means that the unit weighs 213 lbs before you fill the extra large hopper. The larger Timberline 1300 is 266 lbs, with dimensions of 48x58x27 inches.
Plan on having help when you assemble it, as the box is team lift only. Standing the grill up isn’t recommended for a single person, either. However, once you have it assembled and in place, you can be sure it isn’t going anywhere unless you want it to.
Pros And Cons
The Good
- Utilizes the Latest WiFIRE® Technology
- Extra Large Cooking Chamber and Hopper
- Airtight Lid Gasket
- TRU Convection® + Downdraft Exhaust® Systems
The Bad
- Heavy (213 lbs & 266 lbs for the 850 and 1300 Respectively)
- Slow Initial Preheat
- Rapid Heat Loss Upon Opening / Slow to Re-Heat
Price And Warranties
The MSRP for the Timberline 850 is $1699.99. The Timberline 1300 retails for $1999.99. That is for just the base unit, without the optional accessories like a grill cover, bottom shelf, rib rack, etc. However, some websites offer package deals that include the cover and bottom shelf for a nominal upgrade charge.
Traeger warrants their pellet grills to be free from defects in materials and workmanship. The warranty period on these residential grills is valid for a period of three years from the date of purchase. You will want to register your grill on the Traeger website to get alerts on App updates and the latest product information. They’ll throw in a recipe book when you register.
The Bottom Line
Overall, the Traeger Grills Timberline 850 and 1300 Wood Pellet Grills are really solid grills made by industry leaders. They have all of the latest high tech features, enough cooking space to feed the entire neighborhood, and they are backed by the Traeger name. Don’t try to assemble one of these units by yourself. They are made to be solid and reliable, which also means they are made from premium components and are heavy.
If you like the convenience and freedom provided by mobile grilling apps, you’ll love the WiFIRE® Mobile Controller. If you frequently smoke a large amount of meat and your current grill doesn’t offer enough space, then the 3 tiers of grilling shelves in the Timberline are what you have been missing. Hobbyist or pro, steaks or briskets, you’re going to love this grill!
Have you used this grill? Do you have something to add? Leave your review in the comments! We always welcome your input and I would love to hear about your experiences with it.
Cheers,
Patrick
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A backyard warrior, certified carnivore, lover of good whiskey, self-proclaimed grill master and I’m Living The Grilling Life!
I have a passion for cooking with live fire and smoke, no matter the weather. I’m a real person just like you, who loves outdoor cooking and BBQ. Food, fun, and time spent with family and friends are what it’s all about! It is my mission to take my passion and knowledge for outdoor cooking and all things BBQ and share this expertise in techniques and grilling equipment with you. In other words, Living The Grilling Life!