After years of testing smokers and grills—and cooking (and eating!) a lot of meat—I can confidently say that Traeger is the gold standard for pellet grills. And if you, like me, are a Traeger fan, you'll be excited about the brand's latest release. Traeger just dropped a new line of grills: the Woodridge series. Designed to be more affordable for the everyday pitmaster, the Woodridge has all the brand's beloved features and stellar performance at a less shocking price point. And trust us, this grill is just as good as any you'd expect from Traeger.
Quick Overview
Specs
Weight: 138 pounds
Dimensions: 50" x 27" x 46"
Cooking Space: 520 sq. in. (rack 1), 340 sq. in. (rack 2)
Pros
More affordable than other models
Plenty of cooking space
Easy to use and clean
Cooks food evenly with plenty of smoky flavor
Cons
None that we could find (yet)
What We Like About the Traeger Woodridge
To start, the Woodridge looks as sleek, modern, and for lack of a better word, "cool," as any other Traeger grill. It has a streamlined design with a matte black coating that I just love. Setting it up took a little while (and a few choice words from my husband), but it wasn't any more difficult than other grills we've put together. And the result makes it all worth it.
For the purpose of this test, we smoked a pork tenderloin and a whole chicken. Both turned out super juicy and flavorful, with all of that bold smokiness you want from a pellet grill. The meat cooked evenly throughout without really any work or tending to on our part. That's the beauty of the Woodridge (and any Traeger for that matter)—you can set it and forget it.
A big highlight of the Woodridge is the built-in WiFi connectivity (called WiFire), which allows you to connect your grill via Bluetooth to your phone. In the app, you can monitor the progress of your cooking, adjust the temperature, etc. This is incredibly convenient, especially when you live in northern Maryland and are trying to smoke pork in the middle of a polar vortex in January.
All in all, we had a great experience grilling with the Woodridge. There was ample cooking space—easily enough for a family of four—and it was easy to use and to clean up afterward. I truly can't find anything to complain about with this one (and believe me, I tried).
Verdict
If you've been looking to invest in a Traeger, the new Woodridge is a great option. And, even if you already own a pellet grill but want to upgrade your existing setup, you can invest in the more deluxe Woodridge Pro or Woodridge Elite, which are packed with even more features and add-ons. After testing the basic model, I would recommend it to anyone. It does exactly what you want a pellet grill and smoker to do (and then some), and it doesn't cost as much as some of the legacy models. Wins all around!
You can currently purchase the Woodridge series grills directly at Traeger.com or in Traeger stores across the country.
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