Tried the Traeger Pro 780 WiFi Wood Pellet Grill

Over the past few weeks I’ve had the chance to try out the Traeger PRO 780 pellet grill. It suited me quite well, as it combines my interest in technology with grilling, which I don’t mind, like you you know it. For me personally, I found the Traeger PRO 780 pellet grill exciting because it’s not a typical gas or charcoal grill, but it works with pellets.

Everyone who hasn’t heard of it from a technical standpoint has now been on board. Traeger offers three series of grills. The Traeger PRO 780 pellet grill is among the beginners, but technically they all have a container for the pellets and a controller with all the technology that regulates everything.

The hardwood pellets are transported from the funnel into the so-called firepot via a screw conveyor and ignited there to generate the appropriate heat and the necessary smoke. Depending on the number of pellets, the temperature in the grill itself increases. The higher the temperature in advance, the more pellets are released from the hopper and transported by the auger in the direction of the built-in firebox.

A fan creates air circulation so that the heat can be distributed perfectly evenly. The same goes for smoke. According to the developers, this circulation allows particularly efficient and above all homogeneous grilling. Grease will not drip into the firebox as there is an angled latch under the grates, which carries the grease to a bucket attached to the outside. Anyone who buys such a device should perhaps also plan an ash vacuum cleaner in their budget, because the burnt pellets remain at the bottom of the stove:

Although Traeger bought the Meater company (they’re the ones with the smart thermometers), they haven’t built the technology directly into their grills. The Traeger D780 Pro has a built-in temperature sensor for food and one for the inside of the grill. If you do something bigger, you can of course continue to use your own thermostats. A big plus for me personally: the Traeger D780 Pro does a lot of work. In theory, you just have to define what you want to do, and the grill does the rest.

I certainly don’t need to say a lot about the build, but the attention to detail has to be positively mentioned. The box that contains everything can be transformed into a children’s house. Plus, the assembly instructions also mention that you should have a drink in between. The grill weighs 68 kilograms and has a total cooking surface of 5032 cm. Two grids with porcelain coating are installed on two levels. These have a width of 76 cm. Overall, the Traeger D780 Pro is very high quality in looks and feel and makes a noble impression. After about 30 minutes of setup, you can start burning.

As already mentioned, the grill can be connected and operated with an app. There are many dishes in the app that you can use as a template. Alternatively, you can sort everything out yourself. The app itself also gives you tips on what to do or what is currently pending. Pretty thing.

What naturally interested me: How much energy does the grill use? In fact, it must be plugged in to work. The small on-board computer has to be operated, and the screw conveyor and everything around it is also running.

Traeger D780 Pro in points:

great technique

Like many smart home devices, Traeger Wi-Fi Grills only connect to 2.4 GHz networks. As this allows for a stronger connection over longer distances than the 5 GHz band. The WiFi module on the grill won’t even be able to “see” 5GHz networks.

Extremely flexible: grilling, smoking, stewing, baking, roasting and roasting is possible.

Maximum temperature of 260°.

Longer “preheating phase” than with a gas solution, where you can theoretically throw the food directly on the flames

Valuable treatment.

Porcelain cooking grates are relatively easy to clean.

OK, same job possible.

I am missing a shelf included. Nothing on the side or below.

What I noticed: The basic version of this grill comes without a sensor for the pellets. It’s a shame, because for long jobs you have to look in the container from time to time to see if there are still enough pellets in stock. I once didn’t pay attention to what can happen during a 9 hour barbecue session. However, even after refilling, the grill would not continue to heat on its own, so I had to start the “technical grilling process” again. Only then did the feed screw deliver pellets again. I found that a little strange.

Power consumption can only be measured for a short time. During the warm-up phase, approximately 95-90 watts are consumed in the first 15 minutes, after which the consumption is barely measurable. (Higher temperatures require longer warm-up times).

The keep warm mode is a practical thing.

It’s nice that a thermometer is installed for the inside, but it would take almost more for the grill surface.

It’s really easy to get great results.

The grill surface is really fun and also allows you to do several things.

It should be borne in mind that the grill does not work quietly, the fan is quite audible.

In principle, you can of course use the grill without network access, but if you do not want this, you should make sure that you also have Wi-Fi near the grill.

At first I had my doubts about the quality of the steaks, as my other grill has a sizzling zone. But: The Traeger D780 Pro has also fulfilled everything so far.

There are different pellets – some have a wood aroma, but there is also apple and many others. The pellet chamber has a shutter so you can quickly change your “flavors”. In other words: you can grab the leftovers and then fill in a new variety. The higher the temperatures, the less smoke there is. Foods grilled between 74°C and 107°C will taste more smoky than those cooked at higher temperatures.

A bit of a pity: while the app itself allows checking in German, my grill’s firmware only supports English. But you probably won’t fail because there are only a few things you need to set (Celsius is displayed and can also be set). But you still have to be careful about it from time to time, because apparently some recipes have been automated through the app, where Fahrenheit information is given, not Celsius. Then you have to rethink.

A cost factor is of course the fuel for such a grill. The pellets come in and you use a few, for example, in a 9 hour pulled pork session. You can count on half a kilo of pellets per hour at 120° to 130° degrees Celsius. There are different pellets depending on the manufacturer, from around 22 euros for 15 kilos. Attention: Winter grills will probably have to reckon with a higher pellet consumption, the outside temperature is always a problem.

What’s left at the end? Definitely an asset for outdoor activities. Admittedly, in the end, almost anything can be done with many grills in different price ranges, but in terms of feel, long jobs were the most comfortable with the pellet grill. The Traeger D780 Pro isn’t cheap with an RRP of $1,399. However, it’s worth the price – but only if you do a lot on the grill. For people who grill “a sausage” once a month, such a purchase is definitely not a recommendation. Everyone can do more with such a grill. For example, devote time to recipes and preparation – because the grill takes care of the cooking and the technical side.

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