Masterbuilt vs Traeger

When it comes to grilling, it's all about enjoying the food and having a great time. But with so many grills on the market, it can be hard to tell which brand is the real deal. Here, we compared the two of the best grilling brands . So, let’s get to the nitty-gritty and help you make an informed decision. 

The  Brands History

If you're looking for a grill to prepare slow-cooked ribs, beef steaks, chicken, lamb, or pork, you can't go wrong with either. Both brands have always pushed the boundaries of innovation and created grilling experiences of the master chef kind! You thought the movie Tenet had some imagination behind it, it did, but so do these grills!

Masterbuilt: Brand, history and legacy

Masterbuilt has been innovating and simplifying the consumer cooking experience for over 44 years. Their success story began in 1973 in the backyard of Dawson McLemore and members of his family, with their first propane fish cooker.
The family enjoyed going on fishing trips together, and while they were out fishing, they built a fish cooker to cook fish for the family. One day, a family friend wanted one of these cookers, so they made one for him and traded in the lawn mower for it.
The family began making more such fish fryers and marketed them to hardware stores in neighboring states. This effort was the beginning of M&M Welding. They started with three products: A baker rack, a plant stand, and a fish fryer.
Along with the hard-won success, there were some mishaps and accidents. For instance, when John was 13 years old, he got into an accident with a big hand-held grinding machine. He sustained 110 stitches in his arm and lost plenty of blood.
Meanwhile, the demand for fish fryers grew, and by 1976, the boys were firmly on board with their father. They changed their brand name to Masterbuilt.

These days, the brand is synonymous with the quality of smokers, fryers, and grills, as well as automotive accessories.
From the Gravity series to the electric smoker to the Masterbuilt hitch-haul brand of freight carriers, they creates products that bring families and friends together.

John McLemore, founder of Masterbuilt, says the Gravity series takes innovation from previous products and matches it with what consumers desire in a charcoal grill.

Traeger grills: History and brand

In 1978, while working in the heating industry, Joe Traeger received a five-gallon bucket of wood pellets from a man at a lumber company in the small Oregon town of Klamath Falls – this is long before so many people in Oregon wanted to become part of Idaho. These pellets were what he needed to build the first-ever pellet stove in the world.
In 1986, Joe introduced the first Pellet Grill to the world. This product revolutionized the barbeque industry and started a whole new category of barbecuing. Instead of using charcoal or gas for BBQ fuel, these pellet grills offered a whole new way to BBQ.

With the help of his nine children and his wife, Joe Traeger built a small, family-run business into a world-renowned company. Not only did he invent the Traeger Grill, but he also invented the entire Pellet Grilling category. He obtained a patent for his invention and could manufacture the Traeger BBQ, the only Pellet Grilling on the market for 20 years. Joe Traeger believed that to achieve the best flavors, you need to cook with the correct fuels.
When the patent expired in 2006, Joe and Brian Traeger sold their share of the company to a Florida venture capitalist for around $12 million. In 2014, the Florida company sold Traeger grills to Trilantic Capital Partners, another private equity firm. 

Today traeger is still on top of the pellet grill mountain.

Masterbuilt Gravity Series Main Features

For years, charcoal has been the go-to choose for those looking for a high-temperature grilling experience. But it is also one of the most time-consuming methods of grilling.
Although Pellet grills have become popular due to their ease of use and effortless temperature control, they usually cannot reach the high temperatures necessary for searing.
With the Gravity series grill and smoker, you can get the same high-temperature charcoal flavor and grilling experience as you would with a propane or pellet grill.

The following features are standard on all Gravity Series grills:

• GravityFed Charcoal Hopper: The GravityFed Hopper redefines charcoal cooking by holding up to 8 hours of fuel with lump or briquette charcoal. There is no need to take out the charcoal after every use.

• Flexibility to smoke and sear: You can reach 700°F in just fifteen minutes to grill + sear. You can also perform low and slow cooking at 225°F in 10 minutes to smoke + sear with reversible cast iron grates.

• Digital Fan Control: The digitally controlled fan directs airflow from the hopper to the cooking chamber and preserves the optimum cooking temperature with the push of a button.

• WiFi Capability: Connect it to your smart device and go. The Masterbuilt app teaches you how to master the art of smoking, grilling, and more.

•  Removable warming racks: You can remove the warming and smoking frame to provide more space during cooking.

• Warranty 1 year: Masterbuilt latest warranty guarantees that all of their products are free from any defects in material or manufacture, provided they get assembled correctly, used regularly, and taken care of well for one year from the date of purchase. The paint finish is not covered because it can burn off with usage. Rust is not covered. The warranty requires proof of purchase, like a receipt.

The following features are available based on the model:

• Capacity: The Gravity Series 1050 offers a cooking area of 1050 square inches on a digital charcoal grill and smoker, while the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 provides a cooking area of 800 square inches in the same way on a digital charcoal grill and smoker.
  
  
• The Gravity Series 1050 has FoldAway racks: The FoldAway warming and smoking racks offer more cooking space and fold out of the way. In other words, there is no need to remove the FoldAways.

• The Gravity Series 800 and 1050 have a front folding shelf: The folding stainless steel front shelf gives more prep area.

• The Gravity series 800 comes with a Griddle with manifold. The Griddle has a replaceable flat top insert and a manifold for more cooking choices.

Traeger Pro Series pellet smoker main features

Traeger is a pellet smoker. With the Pro Series grill, you can get that wood-fired flavor. 
Set-it and forget-it and precise temperature control make some of the best meals. The Pro series works in many ways. You can use it for grilling, smoking, baking, roasting, braising, and BBQ.

The below features are typical of the Pro series.

• All-natural hardwood pellets: All-natural hardwood pellets are the secret ingredient of Traeger grills. They are not just the fuel. The brand has premium pellets prepared, especially so Traeger grills can give the finest smoke and taste.

• WiFIRE technology allows you to monitor and control the grill from anywhere with the Traeger App, and the sophisticated D2 Controller maintains accurate temperatures for outstanding results at all times. Even better, all you should do is select the temperature you want to cook and let your Traeger handle the rest. Traeger grills have easy, oven-like controls that render wood-fired cooking easy to understand.

• Comfortably track your cooking: The accompanying meat probe allows you to check the temperature of your food without opening the lid.

• Convenient mobility: The Traeger Pro has rugged all-terrain wheels that can move across any landscape or terrain.

• TurboTemp gets hot quickly: This feature reduces startup time and allows grill temperatures to recover fast, even after lifting the lid.

• Easily swapping pellets: The hopper cleanout has a trapdoor that empties the hopper quickly and easily for pellet flavor changing.

• With the ability to grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and BBQ all on one grill, the possibilities are endless. Traeger Barbecues can cook everything from slow smoked pork chops to baked apple pie.

These features are available based on the model:

• Capacity: It's all about the space, so we've broken it down for you. The Traeger Pro 780 features a 780 square-inch cooking capacity, versus the Pro 575 showcases a 575 square- inch cooking capacity.

• Security: Both models have lasting capacity. But Traeger Pro comes with a three-year warranty that you may appreciate. In other words, if you experience any material or technical defects while using and maintaining the Traeger grill, it will be covered for a minimum of 3 years from the original purchase date.

The differences in Masterbuilt Gravity and Traeger Pro

Clash of the Charcoal and Pellet grills 

The Masterbuilt Gravity smoker and grill comes designed with a hopper, which allows charcoal to feed into the smoker. The advantage of this is the availability of charcoal, which is usually more affordable than the pellets used in the Traeger.
The pellets in the Traeger can use the low and slow approach to cooking, which allows for infusing more flavors from wood (apple) into the meats. Based on this, the maximum temperature of the pellet grill is limited, making it less suitable for searing than a traditional charcoal grill.

Choosing between charcoal or wood pellets is a personal preference.

But if you enjoy experimenting with cooking techniques with fire and searing quickly, you will probably not love a pellet grill, so keep that in mind. Consider, though, that both of these grills can work as both a smoker and a grill. Regardless, some prefer good old-fashioned whole-chunk wood charcoal for that gorgeous sear without the nasty chemical texture of briquettes.

Regarding capacity, the Traeger hopper holds more at 18 lbs. But with Masterbuilt, you will be able to fill the hopper with 16 lbs of charcoal briquettes or 10 lbs of lump charcoal. Still, this capacity should give an ample 8 hours of cooking time.

Technical differences: 

Both brands are equipped with Bluetooth and WiFi applications, making them similar in this respect. The Traeger also has the capability to interface with Amazon Alexa. But for some, this feature may not be so valuable. Moreover, we understand that many people enjoy using their Alexa. Hence, this feature may be helpful if you are one of them.

Temperature control 

If you want a grill built for low temp and slow cooking, you will want to find one that offers good heat retention with a high-quality stainless-steel design. You can control the temperature with a dial or the digital panels. Both brands use stainless steel for their bodies and chassis. 
Meanwhile, most meats smoke slowly at around 180°F-200°F, so you need a grill or smoker that reaches those temperatures without worrying about your fire going out. If you enjoy searing, the Gravity series is the only meat grill that can reach a maximum grill temperature of 700°Fs.

Big surface or small

If you are into throwing BBQ parties with grills and smokers, your preference does dictate the perfect cooking space or surface capacity. Grills come in all shapes and sizes, and you can choose from all kinds of grates, including porcelain-coated cast iron and stainless steel.

The size of your grills cooking surface will directly affect the number of people you cook for regularly. Consider the size of your family when making your decision. Experts say a good rule of thumb is to aim for 76 square inches of cooking surface per person.

If you plan on having a small barbeque with four people or less, a grill with a cooking surface of around 350 sq. in. will do the trick. If you plan on having friends and neighbors, you might want to go with a grill like the Masterbuilt 1050 with a larger cooking surface.

Summing up the Grills

Grilling can be a bit of a minefield, and you want to know which brand to trust. But if you're looking for a top-of-the-line grilling brand, you can't go wrong with either.
They both take their craft seriously, and their products are top-notch. When it comes to traeger vs other pellet grills, traeger is a solid choice.
Whether you're new to grilling or an experienced pro, you'll find great reviews and for these brands when you ask your friends and family. If you like to prepare with low temperatures and slow- cooking tender steak, you might want to see how the Traeger will suit you.

But if you are a big fan of the classic charcoal grilling style, you will love how versatile the Masterbuilt.

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