Excellent review. We took delivery of its little brother, the 650, just the other day. Looking forward to learning this grill and how it performs. I'm sure I won't be disappointed.
My first traeger was a pro 22. I realized after 5-6 months that I didn’t get a nice enough model. I ordered this one recently and I can’t wait for it to get delivered! I was glad to watch your positive review as it helps confirm I made the right choice. I like your idea of adding a bottom shelf.
You're welcome, and thanks for watching! We enjoy using our Traeger Ironwood, and if this is the unit you're looking at to replace the Cabela's 24, you're going to love the upgrade.
Thank you for doing gods work with this review! One small request, could you pleaseee share your recipe for the crockpot stew you were making on the smoker?? 😅
Glad to have you with us Jim! Lots of reviews in the pipeline and coming soon as well as our favorite football and tailgating recipes. Thanks for watching, and we have a couple of videos coming out this week for you.
I used a kamado for 5 years and it was great except for usable surface area and temperamental temp . Those were mostly solved by getting a Thermoworks Billows. On my 18" grate I had maybe 15" of usable space. I could smoke 2 small butts and ribs always burned on the edges. I bought the Ironwood 650 because my new house is limited on space and in the FL summer I don't want to babysit a fire. I smoked a chicken to test and it turned out great.
Thanks D. If you haven't seen it yet, we published a video where we ran 5 pellet grills under $599 head to head. It's a great place to start. ua-cam.com/video/ryhc2GvvIYY/v-deo.html - After that, I'd make sure to hit that subscribe and notification buttons, because the video we're publishing on Thanksgiving day is exactly the video you're going to want to watch if you're looking to buy a pellet grill...
Thank you so much for this informative video. Very friendly and cordial! I subscribed to you. Keep it up! Greetings from Langenhagen, Germany 👋🏻 Thorsten
I haven’t used the smaller size, but I’d make my decision with the upper shelves out of the equation. Most of the time, I’m just using the lower grate, so if the smaller size has enough room on just the lower grate for you, then you should be good. That’s usually the deciding factor for me on size. If I base my decision on that, and I ever need more space, I always have the upper racks to expand to.
It's a great cooker, and we really enjoy using it here sun or snow. If you use the link in the description, it'll sure help the channel, and won't cost you any more. All the best with your new grill!
@@TheBarbecueLab sorry but as I live in Europe I will have to order it through a local dealer. If from the US I'd do that, sure why not. Appreciate the effort tho.
Great review. I purchased a Century 885 at Costco last weekend (total impulse buy), but haven't had a chance to set it up yet. While I waited for a break from work to be able to get to it, i decided to read some of the reviews and such. I came to realize that I may have chosen the wrong unit for my liking. I have been determined, for the last two days, to decide whether or not to keep it or return it (still packaged), and purchase the Ironwood 885. Id like to tell you that this review cinched it for me. Even though the Ironwood 885 is $500CDN more, I think that I'll be more happy with it. Thanks again for the great review.
Excellent real world review. I appreciate all the info. I'm still looking at pellet smokers and haven't quite decided yet. One thing that pushes me toward this grill is a short video Traeger did about auger replacement. It appears much easier than other grills to get the auger out in case of a jam. In their video it appears you only have to remove screws from the bottom plate to access the motor, and some easily accessible screws to take it off. Allegedly there's no need to remove the hopper itself. I'm wondering if you can confirm this. Also, nobody ever talks much about pellet jams even though it does happen. I have read it's usually due to wet or damp pellets and that's an easy fix--empty the hopper after each use and store the pellets in a dry place and use the cover to store grill outside. I'm also wondering if you have experienced pellet jams and if so how often and how do you resolve them? Again, thanks for the well presented information.
A good video but I'm confused about something. You said if you use the app to shut the grill off it takes 25 minutes for it to turn off? That can't be right? Why would it stay on for 25 minutes?
Every time you turn the grill off, it sets a countdown timer that shows when the shutdown is complete. The grill doesn’t feed any new pellets, but it does keep the fan running to burn off any fuel that’s already in the cup. The goal from what I understand is to burn off the remaining fuel so the grill can start with an empty cup each time it’s powered on.
Awesome review. Hoping to order an Ironwood 650 soon! For direct grilling, I wonder if you could drill some holes in the drip tray above the fire and have a separate piece of metal that you can put over it when you're just smoking... Curious if anyone's tried anything like this on a pellet smoker?
So happy that I discovered your channel. How well does this grill cook hamburgers and hot dogs for a simple bbq get together? I want the ability to smoke but I will more often just throw on some hamburgers. I was considering the pellet gas option but I am now leaning towards just a pellet grill, thoughts?
If it were me, I'd go with a Traeger over a pellet/gas combo any day. My experience with the pellet gas combo units is that neither side is usually large enough to do what we want to. While it's nice that you can have both, I'd much rather buy a separate unit of each than have a combo unit. Manufacturers tend to skimp on both sides of a combo unit to save space, so I'm not generally a fan. The Ironwood 885 can do burgers and dogs just fine. You'd set the grill to high, lower the grate to the grilling position and cook as you would on any other grill. It would just be that the heat is radiant, and if you wanted grill marks on your burgers, an investment in a good set of Grill Grates from grillgrate.com would handle that. I really like my Traeger.
Thanks for sharing I been looking at traegers and still debating on which one to get. This ironwood looks nice. I wanna upgrade my cheap char boil that I wanted to throw away when we moved back in Nov but my gf made me keep it haha
Thank you for a very informative, easy to understand and helpful video! I know you mentioned it, but any additional suggestions regarding searing a steak? I haven't gotten that down so I've been searing in a cast iron pan on the stove and then moving it to the Traeger.
My favorite way to do steaks on the Traeger is to smoke them low and slow on the super smoke mode below 200 degrees on the Traeger until they’re within 30 degrees of where I want them. If I want 135f, I’ll pull them at 100 degrees and then sear them on cast iron. That give me lots of smoke flavor and a great sear.
Thank you for a wonderful detailed video on the Traeger 885. I'm considering buying one now after watching your video and I was wanting to know more about the super smoke mode. Out of all the pellet smokers that you have had does the Treager give you most smoke flavor?
The only pellet smoker that I've used that gives arguably any more smoke flavor than the 885 is the Memphis Pro, but it's almost 3x the price. If the Traeger is in your price range, it's a no brainer for me.
Great review. Learned a ton. Is this your favorite traeger model? Do you leave the pellets in there between cooks? Or are you afraid the wood will get damp?
Thanks Rocky, it’s our favorite Traeger model right now since it’s right in the middle of their lineup. The size is there as well as the feature set. Pellets stay in the grill all year, even in the rain and snow. They stay dry in all kinds of weather, but I do keep the cover on when it’s not in use.
@@TheBarbecueLab thanks a ton! Appreciate it. Why not go to biggest model? Any drawback to getting the very biggest ? I'm thinking turkey so I want it to fit. Thanks
@@TheBarbecueLab Thanks!!! do you put a foil of "hot water" in the grill to keep things moist when smoking??? Also, do you think pellet grill is better than an electric grill like masterbuilt that uses smoke chips? speaking of smoke chips - does pellet grill use any??? i've heard some people say traeger doesn't get enough smoke flavor? thoughts??
I have been using a tailgater and just stepped up for the 885. Can't wait to use all of the features as well as the increased cooking surface! Quick question, what rack did you use for your poppers? Is it just a baking cooling rack?
What are the length and width of the main grill grate and the secondary gate? How high is the clearance above the main grate under the second one? How many briskets can fit on either grate? Does it cook evenly when full?
I find that most pellet grills have some level of ash that floats around due to the forced air system that keeps the pellets ignited. I would say this model is normal compared to all of the others I’ve used in the same price range. A Dutch oven being in there for 5+ hours will show ash buildup if the exterior is damp.
Traeger has their new downdraft channel in the back of the grill instead of the smoke stack, and I can't tell a difference in the quality of smoke and circulation between this model and the older 22" Traeger that we have. Pellet grills aren't designed to hold in smoke like grills used to years ago. We've learned that lighter smoke gives a more pleasant flavor compared to thick heavy smoke, and pellet grills are a great example of this. If you're looking for the same smoke profile that an offset smoker would give burning actual wood splits, this unit isn't comparable since it's a different cooking method. 9 times out of 10 though, I want to cook a brisket for 14-16 hours without putting a split of wood on every 45 minutes, and that's where Traeger grills really shine.
This my be a silly question but I'm genuinely curious, how does a pot roast with the lid on and covering the roast get a smoky flavor from the grill? Do you smoke the roast first?
That’s a great question Yoshen. Since the vegetables don’t need as much time as the roast does to cook, I always start with just the roast on the smoker for about 4 hours in super smoke mode, around 200 degrees. Once the roast has gotten 4 hours of smoke, I’ll put everything else and the roast in the pot to finish it off.
Just wondering if anybody has tried to use this thing in sub zero temperatures, i live in Canada and was hoping i would be able to use it here and there in the winter on some nicer days or if i’m just dreaming. Thanks
Your favorite feature is the pellet sensor? Really man? you mean the same sensor that reads the dip caused by the auger and screams 25% at you, when in reality you have 80%...That pellet sensor?
Which position do you prefer to keep your grate at? The lowest setting or the raised setting? If you swap in between positions; what determines your decisions from lower grate or the raised grate. TYI
I usually leave the grate at the higher level because most of what I do on my Traeger is smoking. If I want to grill, I’ll lower the rack. That’s what usually determines what position I keep it in.
Traeger's don't come standard with a water tray that I'm aware of. If you want one, you'd probably just need to set it on the grate or upper rack. I like cast iron pans for that.
It really just depends on what you’re using it for. Which flavor do you like more? Charcoal or wood fired? What do you think you’ll use it for the most? Hot and fast cooking or low and slow bbq?
@@TheBarbecueLab What taste does people like the most? I dont have so much experience, since i have been grilling on gas grill all these years. And i see people complain about the temperatures with Traeger. They want higher so they can get a nice sear. Im rooting for the MasterBuilt, but the quality on Traeger seems better.
Traeger has been doing this kind of grill for longer, but Masterbuilt jumped in with a respectable offering right out of the gate. There are people in both camps who prefer wood over charcoal and charcoal over wood, and they’re both a great product. I believe the Masterbuilt has more versatility overall with higher temperature capability, but the Traeger is so easy to use. The Traeger is my go to when I’m working in the office and still want to have smoked meat for dinner. They’re just so easy to set and walk away. If I’m searing a steak, I use the Gravity series. If I want the best bark I can easily get on a brisket, I’ll use the Gravity Series. There’s a place for both of them, and I don’t think you can go wrong either way.
Just curious about the grill grate moving. I’ve got the 650 and my grates move about the same amount other grills do. Did I do something wrong or is that exclusive to the 885?
Do you mean the grill grate moving from a lower to a higher height setting or the grill grate moving around when you brush it clean? It's been a few months since I watched this review, so I want to make sure i'm commenting on the right topic.
Pellet grills burn wood pellets, and smoke and a minimal amount of ash will fly around in the grill. The ash likes to stick to cast iron pots, but it's caused by the burn cup having a fan blowing air into it to stoke the fire. Fan + burning wood = propelled ash sometimes. For me, I've never been bothered by it, and I've never tasted it. I hope that makes sense.
We didn’t go very deep in explaining that on the video, but we cook it uncovered for part of the cook and then drop the lid on after it’s picked up some smoke.
How often do you go through a bag of pellets, how much of a bag can be held, can a full hopper last 16 hours for a brisket, how often do you have to clean? I smoked 2 pork shoulders in 10 hours, filled the hopper and I had 25% remaining. Not on a Traeger
It all pretty much depends on what temperature you’re running the grill in our experience. If I’m doing an overnight brisket, I’ll run it around 200 degrees starting at 10pm. When I check in the next morning around 8am, I still have well over half the pellets left from a full hopper. The hopper holds 20lbs, so it will hold a full bag. Estimates are that you’ll use around 1lb per hour at smoking temperatures, so it’s about 20 hours of fuel give or take based on the temps you’re running.
I purchased a Traeger Pro780 and put in a brisket for 14 hours low and slow and my hopper still had over 40 percent left. Mine only hold 18lbs though. Cleaning depends on cooks and how often you are using, it's very easy to clean.
I'm afraid that you can't use charcoal under the grates on a Traeger. The metal isn't made to withstand that kind of heat, and the whole pellet auger, burn cup and fan below that powers the pellet functions would be damaged if charcoal was burned down there. Great question though!
If I’m going for the biggest smoke ring, I’ll use an offset smoker and put the brisket on cold. Haven’t been able to replicate that deep of a smoke ring on a pellet smoker to date. You can get a good smoke ring on a pellet, but it’s when I let it run overnight for about 20 hours at 200.
If you want to click to the 19 minute mark, we covered our thoughts on opportunities for improvement. I guess we could have labeled it negatives, but negatives are opportunities, right?
This is my reply to a follow up email from traeger my grill is still not working only been able to use it a few times, everytime there is a problem! Dont buy this piece of crap This call did not solve the problem. The grill is still seeing auger issues! It won't ignite and is not functioning at all. I am requesting my money back from this lemon product which i have had nothing but one problem after another since i purchased it from true value last year. I have called true value to complain and they are going to escalate this to a higher level and perhaps this will convince them not to carry your products any longer. Your expensive pellets are made from sawdust that disintegrates over time and turns to dust . This presents a huge problem. I had several bags of brand new traeger pellets I stored under my carport for the last 3 months unopened off the ground and covered with a tarp under a carport and they all turned to moist powder. The moist powder that clogged the grill. I ended up spending/wasting $90 dollars worth of sawdust from trager!!! I will make this information available on all social media platforms I can think of and make a you tube video warning people about your products unless you do the right thing and refund my money. I don't want to give this any more chances. I'm fed up calling your lousy customer support every time I want to use this problematic grill. Today I was on the phone for almost 2 hours with several different guys, the last one named Oscar. When I should have been doing other things, Your grills are maintenance headaches! Your pellets are sawdust! Sincerely, JT
We found that fluctuation was minimal on the cooks that we did on the unit. The digital display always read within +/- 10 degrees on over 15 cooks that we logged on the 885 during our tests. (minus the startup ramp to temperature of course)
I have a Treager not much Temp fluctuation as long as you keep pellets in hopper use your temp probe don't open lid a lot very moist meat nothing else matches it. Be Blessed.
Very detailed. You could literally cut the time of this video in half if you had prewritten what you wanted to say so you weren't saying a bunch of run on sentences and describing phrases for no reason. I love fun but you said fun or a lot of fun almost 20 times I want your channel to do well, if you shrink the length of the videos your channel will do much better. Overall I love the video. Can't wait for the next review
I'm so excited! i just won one of these from my Christmas work party!!
Congratulations!
@Cody G It's great sir, hasn't failed us once.
I just won one today from my Christmas party at work 😂😂
That’s awesome!
I was just gifted this grill from my employer for excellent continuous work performance and I can’t wait to use it. Thanks for this video!!
I just got my 885 on Saturday, made a few racks of baby back ribs for my first cook and they turned out really good! Love the Traeger
Awesome! Smoke on
Exactly the same ritual here, love it so far.
Is it truly set and forget?
@@authorityfigure1630 yep,tru dat
I love this full length review. Been looking into getting a traeger and this helped alot.
Just purchased this unit and your reviews was beyond exceptional. Well spoken with illustrations. I really appreciate this!
Congrats on your purchase Dave! Enjoy getting to know your new cooker.
Excellent review. We took delivery of its little brother, the 650, just the other day. Looking forward to learning this grill and how it performs. I'm sure I won't be disappointed.
My first traeger was a pro 22. I realized after 5-6 months that I didn’t get a nice enough model. I ordered this one recently and I can’t wait for it to get delivered! I was glad to watch your positive review as it helps confirm I made the right choice. I like your idea of adding a bottom shelf.
Good decision? I’m thinking of upgrading from the same to this model
So what are your thoughts?
That play house box sold a grill. They actually thought about the kids. Good job guys
It's a fun idea, right? I know our kids enjoyed it for a bit, and then we passed it on to some friends. It had a long life as a playhouse.
Thank you. my original pellet grill (cabela's 24 pro) recently died. I appreciate the depth you've gone into in the video.
You're welcome, and thanks for watching! We enjoy using our Traeger Ironwood, and if this is the unit you're looking at to replace the Cabela's 24, you're going to love the upgrade.
Thank you for doing gods work with this review! One small request, could you pleaseee share your recipe for the crockpot stew you were making on the smoker?? 😅
Thanks for the Incredible review as a person never smoked before this made the decision easy for me to pull the trigger on this grill 👍🏻
Looks great. Glad to discover your channel. Really enjoyed David’s technical explanations. Looking forward to-learning more.
Jim
Southlake Texas
Glad to have you with us Jim! Lots of reviews in the pipeline and coming soon as well as our favorite football and tailgating recipes. Thanks for watching, and we have a couple of videos coming out this week for you.
Very informative video. I've been racking my brain on the type of smoker to purchase and was leaning towards a Trager. Now I can purchase a Trager!!
Glad the video was helpful Brack. All the best!
I used a kamado for 5 years and it was great except for usable surface area and temperamental temp . Those were mostly solved by getting a Thermoworks Billows. On my 18" grate I had maybe 15" of usable space. I could smoke 2 small butts and ribs always burned on the edges. I bought the Ironwood 650 because my new house is limited on space and in the FL summer I don't want to babysit a fire. I smoked a chicken to test and it turned out great.
Thanks, David for this great review video! Highly appreciated! Best regards from Germany!
Thanks Stefan! Keep grilling
Great review, I’m looking at buying this exact model soon - Thank You!
Subscribed 👍
Thank you Jeff! It’s a great grill. I know you’re going to love it.
Excellent review. I have no idea which one to buy, or to get a cheaper model as this would be my first one, but his helped a lot. Thanks.
Thanks D. If you haven't seen it yet, we published a video where we ran 5 pellet grills under $599 head to head. It's a great place to start. ua-cam.com/video/ryhc2GvvIYY/v-deo.html - After that, I'd make sure to hit that subscribe and notification buttons, because the video we're publishing on Thanksgiving day is exactly the video you're going to want to watch if you're looking to buy a pellet grill...
Thank you so much for this informative video. Very friendly and cordial! I subscribed to you. Keep it up! Greetings from Langenhagen, Germany 👋🏻 Thorsten
wife gave the go ahead to upgrade and ironwood here I come
Congrats Carson!
@@TheBarbecueLab Would you recommend the 885 or the smaller size? 2 kids and military life so easy to store and transport would be ideal
I haven’t used the smaller size, but I’d make my decision with the upper shelves out of the equation. Most of the time, I’m just using the lower grate, so if the smaller size has enough room on just the lower grate for you, then you should be good. That’s usually the deciding factor for me on size. If I base my decision on that, and I ever need more space, I always have the upper racks to expand to.
@@TheBarbecueLab gotcha. I'll probably end up going with the 885 then. just in case I end up doing a larger cut or multiple
Thanks for that. Gonna order this fella in April and looking so much forward to it :)
It's a great cooker, and we really enjoy using it here sun or snow. If you use the link in the description, it'll sure help the channel, and won't cost you any more. All the best with your new grill!
@@TheBarbecueLab sorry but as I live in Europe I will have to order it through a local dealer. If from the US I'd do that, sure why not. Appreciate the effort tho.
Another great review!
Excellent review, I have an Ironwood 650 arriving tomorrow (Assembled) from Ace.
Great review. Just got the grill today. Looks like I made the right choice.
Congratulations Jim! Enjoy the grill.
Great review! I am now giving this pellet grill or the smaller one Serious consideration! Thanks.
love these reviews, many thanks
Great review David! 🙌
Thanks Frederick!
Really detailed and helpful video. I have 1 on order and really looking forward to cooking on it. Will be good to compare to my offset
Congrats on the new smoker Alan!
I have a Pro 22. It’s a great little smoker but I need a larger one. I think I want the 650 but the 885 looks great.
Great review. I purchased a Century 885 at Costco last weekend (total impulse buy), but haven't had a chance to set it up yet. While I waited for a break from work to be able to get to it, i decided to read some of the reviews and such. I came to realize that I may have chosen the wrong unit for my liking. I have been determined, for the last two days, to decide whether or not to keep it or return it (still packaged), and purchase the Ironwood 885. Id like to tell you that this review cinched it for me. Even though the Ironwood 885 is $500CDN more, I think that I'll be more happy with it. Thanks again for the great review.
Glad to hear that the review was helpful Jeff. Best wishes as you get started with your new smoker!
Very very good video thank you so much
Great review! Unfortunately, not being able to flame kiss burgers or steaks is a dealbreaker for me.
Same here. Probably going to go with the yoder ys640s for 500 more
Great review. Might get this. Thank You!!!
Glad it was helpful! Enjoy your new cooker.
Nicely done review!
Thank you Tom!
Got mine yesterday , I do feel like it’s cheating. But this grill is legit!
Great review! Very informative
Excellent review
Excellent real world review. I appreciate all the info. I'm still looking at pellet smokers and haven't quite decided yet. One thing that pushes me toward this grill is a short video Traeger did about auger replacement. It appears much easier than other grills to get the auger out in case of a jam. In their video it appears you only have to remove screws from the bottom plate to access the motor, and some easily accessible screws to take it off. Allegedly there's no need to remove the hopper itself. I'm wondering if you can confirm this.
Also, nobody ever talks much about pellet jams even though it does happen. I have read it's usually due to wet or damp pellets and that's an easy fix--empty the hopper after each use and store the pellets in a dry place and use the cover to store grill outside. I'm also wondering if you have experienced pellet jams and if so how often and how do you resolve them? Again, thanks for the well presented information.
Don't buy it. Nothing but problems.
Well I would certainly line the tray with aluminum foil to keep it cleaner
and nicer.
A good video but I'm confused about something. You said if you use the app to shut the grill off it takes 25 minutes for it to turn off? That can't be right? Why would it stay on for 25 minutes?
Every time you turn the grill off, it sets a countdown timer that shows when the shutdown is complete. The grill doesn’t feed any new pellets, but it does keep the fan running to burn off any fuel that’s already in the cup. The goal from what I understand is to burn off the remaining fuel so the grill can start with an empty cup each time it’s powered on.
Great video thanks a lot. Looking to get me traeger
Awesome review. Hoping to order an Ironwood 650 soon!
For direct grilling, I wonder if you could drill some holes in the drip tray above the fire and have a separate piece of metal that you can put over it when you're just smoking... Curious if anyone's tried anything like this on a pellet smoker?
So happy that I discovered your channel. How well does this grill cook hamburgers and hot dogs for a simple bbq get together? I want the ability to smoke but I will more often just throw on some hamburgers. I was considering the pellet gas option but I am now leaning towards just a pellet grill, thoughts?
If it were me, I'd go with a Traeger over a pellet/gas combo any day. My experience with the pellet gas combo units is that neither side is usually large enough to do what we want to. While it's nice that you can have both, I'd much rather buy a separate unit of each than have a combo unit. Manufacturers tend to skimp on both sides of a combo unit to save space, so I'm not generally a fan. The Ironwood 885 can do burgers and dogs just fine. You'd set the grill to high, lower the grate to the grilling position and cook as you would on any other grill. It would just be that the heat is radiant, and if you wanted grill marks on your burgers, an investment in a good set of Grill Grates from grillgrate.com would handle that. I really like my Traeger.
Home Depot messed up my grill, and they’re offering me an upgrade from the Pro 780 to this grill for $200 off the price. Worth it to switch?
Great review. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
o.0 saying Super-bowl isn't illegal or protected under copyright, not in this context.
Thanks for sharing I been looking at traegers and still debating on which one to get. This ironwood looks nice. I wanna upgrade my cheap char boil that I wanted to throw away when we moved back in Nov but my gf made me keep it haha
We’ve really enjoyed cooking on the Traeger, and I hope you can nab one someday soon!
Thank you for a very informative, easy to understand and helpful video! I know you mentioned it, but any additional suggestions regarding searing a steak? I haven't gotten that down so I've been searing in a cast iron pan on the stove and then moving it to the Traeger.
My favorite way to do steaks on the Traeger is to smoke them low and slow on the super smoke mode below 200 degrees on the Traeger until they’re within 30 degrees of where I want them. If I want 135f, I’ll pull them at 100 degrees and then sear them on cast iron. That give me lots of smoke flavor and a great sear.
Did you see more of a temperature fluctuation when super smoke was on? I was told it did that to get more smoke out of the pellets. Great Review!!
WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE AN ELECTRICAL OUTAGE DURING A COOK? WHEN POWER IS RESTRORED WHAT HAPENS WITH THE COOK THAT WAS IN PROGRESS?
Thank you for a wonderful detailed video on the Traeger 885. I'm considering buying one now after watching your video and I was wanting to know more about the super smoke mode. Out of all the pellet smokers that you have had does the Treager give you most smoke flavor?
The only pellet smoker that I've used that gives arguably any more smoke flavor than the 885 is the Memphis Pro, but it's almost 3x the price. If the Traeger is in your price range, it's a no brainer for me.
Try non Traeger brand pellets.
Great review. Learned a ton. Is this your favorite traeger model? Do you leave the pellets in there between cooks? Or are you afraid the wood will get damp?
Thanks Rocky, it’s our favorite Traeger model right now since it’s right in the middle of their lineup. The size is there as well as the feature set. Pellets stay in the grill all year, even in the rain and snow. They stay dry in all kinds of weather, but I do keep the cover on when it’s not in use.
@@TheBarbecueLab thanks a ton! Appreciate it. Why not go to biggest model? Any drawback to getting the very biggest ? I'm thinking turkey so I want it to fit. Thanks
@@TheBarbecueLab Thanks!!! do you put a foil of "hot water" in the grill to keep things moist when smoking??? Also, do you think pellet grill is better than an electric grill like masterbuilt that uses smoke chips? speaking of smoke chips - does pellet grill use any??? i've heard some people say traeger doesn't get enough smoke flavor? thoughts??
You can take the heat shield off to sear over the pot.
Haven’t tried that. Good idea
@@TheBarbecueLab Could you try and inform?
@@malibuwaterdog1 check at qosmos..he did it.
Good vid
Thanks
I have been using a tailgater and just stepped up for the 885. Can't wait to use all of the features as well as the increased cooking surface! Quick question, what rack did you use for your poppers? Is it just a baking cooling rack?
We call them meat racks around here, but they’re basically this: amzn.to/3nVBm65
@@TheBarbecueLab awesome, thanks. Great, informative video 👍
Only one temperature probe? We need at least three.
I believe it just ships with one, but I know more can be ordered.
What are the length and width of the main grill grate and the secondary gate? How high is the clearance above the main grate under the second one? How many briskets can fit on either grate? Does it cook evenly when full?
The fan seems quite loud or is that more the microphone on your camera?
Does it get dusty in there the crock pot looks like it has dust on it??
I find that most pellet grills have some level of ash that floats around due to the forced air system that keeps the pellets ignited. I would say this model is normal compared to all of the others I’ve used in the same price range. A Dutch oven being in there for 5+ hours will show ash buildup if the exterior is damp.
I'm wondering if it's OK to run regular pellets for my pellet stove in this grill
I do not like the cleaning reminders and wish I could turn them off. I keep my Traeger clean, I don't need popups on my phone.
I'm curious, how much was this when you bought it?
Good stuff
Couldn’t you just take that deflector plate out?
This one doesn't have a smokestack. Did that matter in the quality of smoke and circulation?
Traeger has their new downdraft channel in the back of the grill instead of the smoke stack, and I can't tell a difference in the quality of smoke and circulation between this model and the older 22" Traeger that we have. Pellet grills aren't designed to hold in smoke like grills used to years ago. We've learned that lighter smoke gives a more pleasant flavor compared to thick heavy smoke, and pellet grills are a great example of this. If you're looking for the same smoke profile that an offset smoker would give burning actual wood splits, this unit isn't comparable since it's a different cooking method. 9 times out of 10 though, I want to cook a brisket for 14-16 hours without putting a split of wood on every 45 minutes, and that's where Traeger grills really shine.
This my be a silly question but I'm genuinely curious, how does a pot roast with the lid on and covering the roast get a smoky flavor from the grill? Do you smoke the roast first?
That’s a great question Yoshen. Since the vegetables don’t need as much time as the roast does to cook, I always start with just the roast on the smoker for about 4 hours in super smoke mode, around 200 degrees. Once the roast has gotten 4 hours of smoke, I’ll put everything else and the roast in the pot to finish it off.
@@TheBarbecueLabplease share the recipe of the pot roast!! This was a great question as I was wondering the same thing. 😅😊
Does the downward draft really make difference
Just wondering if anybody has tried to use this thing in sub zero temperatures, i live in Canada and was hoping i would be able to use it here and there in the winter on some nicer days or if i’m just dreaming. Thanks
I WANT THIS GRILL!!😉😉😉oh wait....
i❤️❤️❤️u dad
Your favorite feature is the pellet sensor? Really man? you mean the same sensor that reads the dip caused by the auger and screams 25% at you, when in reality you have 80%...That pellet sensor?
Which position do you prefer to keep your grate at? The lowest setting or the raised setting? If you swap in between positions; what determines your decisions from lower grate or the raised grate. TYI
I usually leave the grate at the higher level because most of what I do on my Traeger is smoking. If I want to grill, I’ll lower the rack. That’s what usually determines what position I keep it in.
Have y’all ever cook on the Expert master pellet smoker?
We haven’t cooked on that one yet. If you ever do, let us know how it goes!
Is the meat probe / thermometer included with the Ironwood 885? Thank you.
Yes, The Ironwood comes with a meat probe and additional can be ordered as well.
Is there a water trey?
Traeger's don't come standard with a water tray that I'm aware of. If you want one, you'd probably just need to set it on the grate or upper rack. I like cast iron pans for that.
"...the wife..." -- always a classy way to refer to one's spouse
Even classier when she’s the one manning the camera.
So my question for you.. MasterBuilt or Traeger? Greetings from Norway 🇧🇻
It really just depends on what you’re using it for. Which flavor do you like more? Charcoal or wood fired? What do you think you’ll use it for the most? Hot and fast cooking or low and slow bbq?
@@TheBarbecueLab What taste does people like the most? I dont have so much experience, since i have been grilling on gas grill all these years. And i see people complain about the temperatures with Traeger. They want higher so they can get a nice sear. Im rooting for the MasterBuilt, but the quality on Traeger seems better.
Traeger has been doing this kind of grill for longer, but Masterbuilt jumped in with a respectable offering right out of the gate. There are people in both camps who prefer wood over charcoal and charcoal over wood, and they’re both a great product. I believe the Masterbuilt has more versatility overall with higher temperature capability, but the Traeger is so easy to use. The Traeger is my go to when I’m working in the office and still want to have smoked meat for dinner. They’re just so easy to set and walk away. If I’m searing a steak, I use the Gravity series. If I want the best bark I can easily get on a brisket, I’ll use the Gravity Series. There’s a place for both of them, and I don’t think you can go wrong either way.
Just curious about the grill grate moving. I’ve got the 650 and my grates move about the same amount other grills do. Did I do something wrong or is that exclusive to the 885?
Do you mean the grill grate moving from a lower to a higher height setting or the grill grate moving around when you brush it clean? It's been a few months since I watched this review, so I want to make sure i'm commenting on the right topic.
Why was that pot so dusty is that just from the smoke or ash?
Pellet grills burn wood pellets, and smoke and a minimal amount of ash will fly around in the grill. The ash likes to stick to cast iron pots, but it's caused by the burn cup having a fan blowing air into it to stoke the fire. Fan + burning wood = propelled ash sometimes. For me, I've never been bothered by it, and I've never tasted it. I hope that makes sense.
How do you get smoke flavor in a covered pot? Just wondering....
We didn’t go very deep in explaining that on the video, but we cook it uncovered for part of the cook and then drop the lid on after it’s picked up some smoke.
How often do you go through a bag of pellets, how much of a bag can be held, can a full hopper last 16 hours for a brisket, how often do you have to clean? I smoked 2 pork shoulders in 10 hours, filled the hopper and I had 25% remaining. Not on a Traeger
It all pretty much depends on what temperature you’re running the grill in our experience. If I’m doing an overnight brisket, I’ll run it around 200 degrees starting at 10pm. When I check in the next morning around 8am, I still have well over half the pellets left from a full hopper. The hopper holds 20lbs, so it will hold a full bag. Estimates are that you’ll use around 1lb per hour at smoking temperatures, so it’s about 20 hours of fuel give or take based on the temps you’re running.
I purchased a Traeger Pro780 and put in a brisket for 14 hours low and slow and my hopper still had over 40 percent left. Mine only hold 18lbs though. Cleaning depends on cooks and how often you are using, it's very easy to clean.
Can you use charcoal under the grill grates to use as normal grill?
I'm afraid that you can't use charcoal under the grates on a Traeger. The metal isn't made to withstand that kind of heat, and the whole pellet auger, burn cup and fan below that powers the pellet functions would be damaged if charcoal was burned down there. Great question though!
I have the 650 .how can I get my ribs more smoked?
Does the 650 have a super smoke mode? I'd start there, and if you want more, then I'd add a pellet tube.
@@TheBarbecueLab yes it does and did that.
Would still like to see more smoke ring in my ribs.
If I’m going for the biggest smoke ring, I’ll use an offset smoker and put the brisket on cold. Haven’t been able to replicate that deep of a smoke ring on a pellet smoker to date. You can get a good smoke ring on a pellet, but it’s when I let it run overnight for about 20 hours at 200.
they totally dropped the ball on the amount of probes you can hook up🤦♂️
I hate how 90% of American reviews are actually paid promotions!
Do you have to use the pellets ?
Pellets are the only fuel that this particular grill will be able to use.
Got it thanks!
A+
Thanks Ryan!
How much they pay you for this video?
Uh, paid ad, maybe? Where are the negatives?
If you want to click to the 19 minute mark, we covered our thoughts on opportunities for improvement. I guess we could have labeled it negatives, but negatives are opportunities, right?
I came here for the review, but I feel like I’m watching food porn and loving it!
Lol, thanks Carlos. Always happy to hear people enjoy a video. All the best!
This is my reply to a follow up email from traeger my grill is still not working only been able to use it a few times, everytime there is a problem! Dont buy this piece of crap
This call did not solve the problem. The grill is still seeing auger issues!
It won't ignite and is not functioning at all. I am requesting my money back from this lemon product which i have had nothing but one problem after another since i purchased it from true value last year. I have called true value to complain and they are going to escalate this to a higher level and perhaps this will convince them not to carry your products any longer.
Your expensive pellets are made from sawdust that disintegrates over time and turns to dust . This presents a huge problem.
I had several bags of brand new traeger pellets I stored under my carport for the last 3 months unopened off the ground and covered with a tarp under a carport and they all turned to moist powder. The moist powder that clogged the grill.
I ended up spending/wasting $90 dollars worth of sawdust from trager!!! I will make this information available on all social media platforms I can think of and make a you tube video warning people about your products unless you do the right thing and refund my money. I don't want to give this any more chances. I'm fed up calling your lousy customer support every time I want to use this problematic grill. Today I was on the phone for almost 2 hours with several different guys, the last one named Oscar. When I should have been doing other things, Your grills are maintenance headaches! Your pellets are sawdust!
Sincerely,
JT
What is the temperature fluctuation on the Traeger?
We found that fluctuation was minimal on the cooks that we did on the unit. The digital display always read within +/- 10 degrees on over 15 cooks that we logged on the 885 during our tests. (minus the startup ramp to temperature of course)
I have a Treager not much Temp fluctuation as long as you keep pellets in hopper use your temp probe don't open lid a lot very moist meat nothing else matches it. Be Blessed.
why don't u answer your Instagram questions
Thanks for the question, we get to our DM's as we're able, but we spend most of our time creating and editing new content.
BDLM - Barbie Doll's Live Matter
But tell us one bad thing... just one. Lol
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ONE PORT??? PASS!!!!!
Very detailed. You could literally cut the time of this video in half if you had prewritten what you wanted to say so you weren't saying a bunch of run on sentences and describing phrases for no reason.
I love fun but you said fun or a lot of fun almost 20 times
I want your channel to do well, if you shrink the length of the videos your channel will do much better.
Overall I love the video. Can't wait for the next review
Some of us actually have attention spans longer than that of the average millenial Tik Tok addict. It was fine.
At this price you can buy an American made grill that's twice the quality.
Do you know if any of them make one like this
@@roberthoovan4130 Pitts and Spitts and Smokin Brothers are the first two that come to mind
I hate the grill hates because they are porcelain !!!!!!
Over priced over rated.
Gotta be doubtful of a review that uses the exact same phrases and words as another 10 reviews of the same product? 🤔🤔