Our favorite pellet grill just got a serious upgrade (2024)

Traeger smokers have always risen to the top of the pellet grill game because their hands-off cooking system is fantastic for beginner grillers and equally well-suited for grill enthusiasts wanting wood-fired flavor without having to work too hard for it.

We weren’t sure what to expect when Traeger announced the newly reimagined Ironwood series(available at Traeger). After all, how could it possibly improve on something that’s already pretty perfect? So we spent a few days cooking on the newest Traeger pellet grill, and we can wholeheartedly report that they somehow pulled it off.

About the Traeger Ironwood pellet grill—available in two sizes

• External Dimensions: 48 in. high x 25 in. deep x 59 in. wide (Ironwood); 48 in. high x 25 in. deep x 70 in. wide (Ironwood XL)
• Cooking Space (Total): 616 sq. inches (Ironwood); 924 sq. in. (Ironwood XL)
• Cooking Space (by shelf): 396 sq. in., 220 sq. in. (Ironwood); 594 sq. in., 330 sq. in (Ironwood XL)
• Weight: 199 lbs. (Ironwood); 243 lbs. (Ironwood XL)
• Max Temperature: 500°F
• Hopper Capacity: 22 lbs.
• Fuel Type: All-natural hardwood pellets
• Features: Full-color touchscreen display, Wi-Fi enabled grill, SuperSmoke mode (for increased smoke output), two wired meat probe thermometers, built-in grill lights, two grill grate levels (including an adjustable and removable top shelf). P.A.L Pop-And-Lock Accessory Rail and ModiFIRE accessories sold separately.

Several years ago, we tested the Traeger Ironwood 650 and positioned it at the top of our ranking for pellet grills and smokers. The newly reimagined Traeger Ironwood launched in February 2023 and improves upon the previous version in every way (except, perhaps, price).

Among the improvements are a full-color touchscreen controller and a sleeker look. In addition, a fashionable rail runs along the front of the unit, which doubles as what Traeger calls “P.A.L. Pop-And-Lock Accessory Rail.” This allows you to customize the unit to your liking, adding shelves, storage bins, tool hooks, and more.

The Ironwood still boasts a helpful side shelf, but Traeger added an exceptionally large bottom shelf that makes good use of the dead space underneath the unit. Finally, we were so pleased to see the unsightly grease bucket has been removed from its former location hanging on the side of the grill and now conveniently clicks into place underneath the unit.

The Ironwood comes in two sizes: The Ironwood and the Ironwood XL. The only difference between the two is capacity. Since the Ironwood XL is 21 inches wider than the Ironwood, the cooking space goes from 616 square inches to 924 square inches. If you’re a visual person, the Ironwood fits roughly four chickens or eight racks of ribs (stacked on a vertical rib rack). With the Ironwood XL, your capacity increases to eight chickens or 16 racks of ribs. That’s a lot of food!

How does the Traeger Ironwood Pellet Grill work?

Using the Traeger is as easy as turning it on and selecting the desired temperature. You can use the unit by selecting the temperature on the touchscreen, or you can let the Wi-Fi-enabled app drive your cooking session.

The Traeger WiFIRE app is a real asset here. It can do everything you can do on the control panel, just from your smartphone, including viewing the grill temperature, probe temperatures, and pellet level. You can also activate SuperSmoke mode, move the grill into “Keep Warm”' mode, change the set temperature, adjust the probe’s target temperature, or set a timer. The app delivers alarm alerts when your targets are achieved.

If you’re new to the grilling game, use the app to choose from over a thousand recipes for traditional items like roast chicken and pulled pork, or you can think outside the grill and use it for baking something like cinnamon rolls. The app provides the recipe and also automatically monitors internal food temperatures, sets timers, and schedules any required temperature changes.

When you’re finished cooking, turn the unit off and it goes through an automated shut-down cycle that removes any excess ashes to keep the pellet grill running efficiently for future sessions.

What we like

It’s convenient and easy to use

The number one, most appreciated benefit about owning a Traeger is the set-it-and-forget-it convenience. Simply plug it in, load it up with pellets, and select a temperature. There’s no need to fiddle with vents or dials to get the temperature just right: The onboard computer does it all for you.

Combine the grill with the Wi-Fi-enabled app, and you can control your grilling session from afar. Use it to change the grill temperature, monitor the pellet level, set timers, or adjust the target temperature of your probe thermometers. It makes grilling so much easier that you may never go back to your gas or charcoal grill!

It’s versatile in its uses

Most people think of a pellet grill as a smoker, but the Ironwood is redefining that image. Traeger boasts that you can use the Ironwood to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and barbecue, all on one grill.

We used the pellet grill to smoke brisket at low-and-slow temperatures and roast chicken wings at high temperatures. Both excelled at the task at hand, the brisket achieving smoky flavors and tender texture while the chicken wings crisped up to perfection. We haven’t used it to bake bread or pastries yet, but we’re looking forward to giving it a chance.

It heats evenly and consistently

One of the most important factors in a grill is heat distribution. Sure, you can learn where the hot spots are, but that means you have to move food around between hot and cool areas to ensure it cooks evenly. That’s not a factor on the Ironwood, which displayed temperatures within 5°F from side to side and front to back.

We were also impressed with the consistent cooking temperatures. The dual-wall construction and insulated strip lining the lid reduces temperature fluctuations as you cook, and the temperature only varied by 10°F to 15°F at any given time.

It creates an ideal smoky flavor

Our brisket turned out perfect, with the right level of sweet, smoky flavor and a gorgeous smoke ring. We cooked it at 225°F until it reached an internal temperature of 160°F (about five hours), when we wrapped it and cooked it for another seven hours until it reached 202°F.

We considered activating SuperSmoke mode—a setting that Traeger says enables the grill to deliver the maximum level of smoke, allowing you to “blast your food with 100% hardwood smoke.” However, we figured our brisket was exposed to plenty of smoke during the cook time, and we were right. We’ll keep this SuperSmoke mode in mind for items that aren’t on the grill for a full twelve hours, though.

Design has been impressively improved

Our only complaint about the Traeger Ironwood 650 was resolved in this redesign: The outdated control panel was replaced with a full-color touchscreen controller that was easy to read, even when exposed to bright sunlight for hours.

We also appreciated that the Ironwood has moved away from the classic smoke-stack look (which still exists on the Pro Series, if you specifically like that design feature). Instead, the Ironwood uses a Downdraft Exhaust system that forces old smoke to exit below where the food is cooked, streamlining the grill’s look while simultaneously improving its smoke presence.

We also love the new EZ-Clean Grease & Ash Keg. Instead of having an unsightly metal bucket hanging from the side of the grill to collect grease, the collection system clicks into place below the unit. The new design also keeps ash from accumulating in the firepot (a cause for ignition issues in older pellet grill units), sweeping them into the bucket for convenient cleaning.

It offers highly useful integrated features

There are so many ease-of-use features integrated into this grill. It starts with convenient Wi-Fi-enabled access and a fully functional touchscreen, but it doesn’t end there. The grill has built-in lights in the pellet hopper and on the grill itself. Opening the lid activates the lights, making grilling so much easier at night.

We also love that the grill comes with two temperature probes that plug into the controller, displaying the internal temperature of the food as it cooks. Setting a target on the grill or in the app activates an alarm alerting you when the food has reached its ideal temperature.

The grill is also set up for Bluetooth probe thermometers, like the Meater Plus Wireless Meat Thermometer.

There's ample room for storage

For some reason, most pellet grills we’ve tested don’t feature shelves. Perhaps the companies assume that the top of the pellet hopper provides enough space, but we’ve rarely found these small surfaces to be ample.

So, we were thrilled to see a side shelf on the Ironwood, and Traeger also added a large shelf along the bottom of the unit, making use of what was previously unused space. If you’re so inclined, you can purchase a pellet bin that sits on this bottom shelf, conveniently located right under the port for emptying excess pellets.

Customization for accessory storage and beyond

The rail that runs around the redesigned Ironwood adds a sleek look to the unit, and it creates a fully customizable level of functionality. Most grills have a few hooks on the side for hanging tools, but the P.A.L Pop-And-Lock accessories also allow you to add an additional folding shelf on the front, a storage bin for sauces and spices, a roll rack for paper towels or aluminum foil, and even a cupholder for your beverage.

While we didn’t test these features, Traeger also sells ModiFIRE accessories that allow further customization of your grilling experience. Use the perforated tray to ensure shrimp and thin vegetables will never fall between the grill grates again or the cast-iron griddle for making dishes like pancakes or skillet fajitas.

What we don’t like

It takes a long time to reach high temperatures

Our only major complaint about the Ironwood was how long it took to reach higher temperatures. We had no issues when it came to smoking temperatures of 250°F; it only took 15 minutes to reach these temperatures. By that logic, we expected to reach the max temperature of 500°F in another 15 minutes.

Perhaps it was the cool outdoor temperatures on the days we tested, but it took almost 45 minutes to reach 500°F on more than one occasion. It’s not a deal breaker by any means, but we did learn to plan ahead before using the grill for searing and roasting.

Pellet use varies

This is also nothing new, but it is worth noting. A 20-pound bag of pellets will typically only last about 6 hours at high temperatures and up to 20 hours at low temperatures. Our bag didn’t last nearly as long at high temperatures, and we ran out of pellets at 4 hours when the grill was set for 500°F.

We only used 50% of the pellets in our 12-hour smoking session, though, so we were on track to meet (or exceed) that 20-hour low-temperature standard.

It’s not ready out of the box

This is an extremely minor criticism, as this is a common process with every pellet grill we’ve tested. For planning purposes, please remember that the Ironwood is not ready out of the box, so you’ll want to plan for an afternoon of configuration—don’t plug it in for the first time right before your backyard barbecue!

It took about 45 minutes to build the unit, and most of it was easy going. The addition of the rails along the front takes a little extra time, but overall, the process is relatively easy. You will want to have a second person to help with the build, as the grill is way too heavy to lift by yourself.

After plugging the unit in and connecting it to Wi-Fi, the controller updated its firmware and launched into a 60-minute seasoning process. It was all hands-off, but you certainly wouldn’t want to start this progress while you or your guests are hungry.

Warranty

Traeger features a 10-year limited warranty on the Ironwood grill that covers defects in material or workmanship under normal use and maintenance. The company’s customer service is available 24/7 to answer questions about your grill.

Should you buy the Traeger Ironwood pellet grill?

Yes, if budget is not a concern.

The Traeger Ironwood pellet grill blew us away (not literally, thankfully). It improved upon its predecessor in every aspect, and we loved the functionality of the Wi-Fi-enabled features. The grill held its temperature better than expected, and it added a pleasant wood-fired flavor and aroma to everything we cooked. Of all the pellet grills we tested, this was our favorite.

Of course, we can’t help but notice the price tag. For the redesigned Ironwood and Ironwood XL, that price tag ranges from $1,799.99 to $1,999.99, a range that Traeger says was “strategically chosen to make the premium product more attainable for general consumers.”

If you're looking to spend even less, the Z Grills ZPG-7002F was very highly rated in our testing, and sells for a fraction of the price. However, compared to the high-end Traeger Timberline XL and Timberline series ($3,499.99 to $3,799.99), the price of the new Ironwood line is certainly more approachable, yet still significantly higher than the average grill.

That said, if we’ve learned anything in grill testing, it’s that you get what you pay for. The features and functionality are well worth the price, if budget is not a concern.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.