Giving the Traeger a workout.

[muebe]

Looking good Scott!

[jjjonz]

Looking good on the Traeger there Smoke.

[smokeasaurus]

The Traeger is being picked up today for a return/refund. Two controllers, 4 lids and 1 probe and 1 auger motor later the Traeger still underperforms. Pit only reached 400 degrees one time. One of their customer service "specialists" said to wait until summer to cook on high...............REALLY.

The Smoke blew a gasket and sent all of my e-mail correspondence to shoppers choice and that took care of that.

Gonna call Eric at The BBQ HQ  (formerly Simi Pellet Grills) and we will get something on the patio that works.

[Pappymn]

The Traeger is being picked up today for a return/refund. Two controllers, 4 lids and 1 probe and 1 auger motor later the Traeger still underperforms. Pit only reached 400 degrees one time. One of their customer service "specialists" said to wait until summer to cook on high...............REALLY.

The Smoke blew a gasket and sent all of my e-mail correspondence to shoppers choice and that took care of that.

Gonna call Eric at The BBQ HQ  (formerly Simi Pellet Grills) and we will get something on the patio that works.

Sorry to hear that. And the specialist is an idiot

[smokeasaurus]

I mentioned I have gone through 4 lids. None have sat correctly with some having larger gaps than others. Another "specialist" felt that maybe the barrel itself was out of spec.

I disagreed with the idea that all 4 lids had gaps in different places. If the lids were all in spec the lids would have gaps in the same place.

So last week I was in a True Value that had Traegers and Green Mountains on the sales floor. Well what do you know?? They have a pro-34 just like mine.

The lid fit perfectly!!!!! The manager came over to help me. I told him what was going on with my lids. He said he would tap my credit card for a 100 clams and we took the lid off and I went home to install it on mine.

It fit perfectly!!! So I took pictures and returned the lid to the True Value and got my card credited back the 100.

So another "specialist" at Traeger tried to call me out with this "Well, it looks like the lid we sent you did fit perfect, are you trying to get another lid for free?"

What a moron. My lid and the replacement lids were the gun-metal blue. The one from True-Value was the bronze finish.

I know Traeger started the pellet grill industry in a way but it is real sad that they have become the bottom feeder of the industry and they hire people that are as dump as dirt to do customer service.

It is also real sad that I had one on my patio in the first place.........I should have known better........................

[TentHunteR]

After all that trouble, I'd have blown a gasket too, Smoke!

[smokeasaurus]

After all that trouble, I'd have blown a gasket too, Smoke!

I think I also blew a fan belt in the process as well Cliff     I just could not believe some of the stuff they were telling me. As you all know, I am not a brand specific guy and do not like to bash but this was just too inept not to share.

Hopefully, Eric will get me headed into the right direction. He is a good,knowledgeable guy that stands behind everything he sells.

[stalag]

This now begs the question, are you going for a MAK?

[rwalters]

How FRUSTRATING!!! I have cooked on Traegers and I have cooked on MAKS. The old saying..."you get what you pay for"... definitely holds true in the world of pellet poopers. Go quality! Buy once/cry once.

[smoker pete]

I know Traeger started the pellet grill industry in a way but it is real sad that they have become the bottom feeder of the industry and they hire people that are as dump as dirt to do customer service.

IMHO when Traeger was the only game in town they had no need to change much. Once their patent ran out other manufacturers started building pellet grills with better controllers and other features. From what I have observed, Traeger was content to rest on their laurels for too long before many manufacturers surpassed them. I think they're now playing a catch up game.

Not saying you can't produce great results on a Traeger but I would not rate them very high on the totem pole. At their price points there are many manufacturers that produce a better product.

[smokeasaurus]

I am a firm believer in crying once but I am at the stage of my life where I do not need the biggest or the best or the most expensive cooker anymore.

We are picking up a Green Mountain Daniel Boone next week with the 100 buck off promotion........however.........if this sucker acts up.....................................................I will open up the vaults and a 2 star will be ordered.........with all the goodies...................

[rwalters]

I am a firm believer in crying once but I am at the stage of my life where I do not need the biggest or the best or the most expensive cooker anymore.

We are picking up a Green Mountain Daniel Boone next week with the 100 buck off promotion........however.........if this sucker acts up.....................................................I will open up the vaults and a 2 star will be ordered.........with all the goodies...................

LOL!

[Savannahsmoker]

Both of the USA manufacture Traegers I had will good products. 
My last Traeger a modified 2006 Lil Tex is still being used almost daily at at a local BBQ place when their big Lang is not needed.


Things went downhill when Traeger moved to China.

[teesquare]

I am a firm believer in crying once but I am at the stage of my life where I do not need the biggest or the best or the most expensive cooker anymore.

We are picking up a Green Mountain Daniel Boone next week with the 100 buck off promotion........however.........if this sucker acts up.....................................................I will open up the vaults and a 2 star will be ordered.........with all the goodies...................

Oh my dear, dear friend.....PLEASE...stop the self-imposed suffering. Nothing hurts worse than having to re-do decisions. Time consuming, and un-comfortable for everyone...
Order the MAK, and skip the "Grim Mouthing"...er Green Mountain. The Green Mountain ( and I say with with apologies to any GM owners here...) have had a pretty significant amount of issues with warped heat deflectors, lids not fitting, controllers failing/smoking - and others. Yes - they DO offer a lot of advertised features for the dollar. But, just like a certain electric upright smoker brand that uses a proprietary puck for fuel...They have to make SO many compromises on the quality of materials to afford all of those "features" at a lower retail price point - that they have a well known quality control record which can be Googled. Not the kind of record one wants....

A MAK is solid, dependable, durable AMERICAN MADE....and truly, truly the one that you will never wear out. MAK 2 star = ALL stainless steel that will not rust. Some manufacturers have downgraded their stainless - and it RUSTS....What a shame.

You have seen my MAK that has been appearance restored -  (and up-dated on the electronics ) 3 times  since new. And - it STILL looks new. MAK has always had an "up-grade path" for all of their owners. Mine is No# 48. The first 25 MAK 2-Stars were  used as prototypes to prove out he design. SO, actually - mine is No#23 that was sold. It was originally bought by Rick                   (nepas) and then I bought from Rick when he an the Mrs. bought a motorhome and live a more free lifestyle now.

There is just so much to say about a company that believes so much in this country - that they will not even buy Chinese fasteners....And - they take care of their customers in an un-compromising fashion. JUST the "up-grade path" alone is worth it, but that is just a side effect of their philosophy.

My advise is driven by the need to see you really happy with your choice. And whatever you decide - I am all for you. But - I have made clear WHY I believe in MAK. I will never need another pellet grill. Of that I am confident.

[smokeasaurus]

Great points Tee. We are just not equipped right now for that kind of outlay. Wendy and I are both finally working again and we got a hole to dig ourselves out of. I promise, if the GMG doesn't work out it will be a MAK........and The Smoke never breaks a promise.........