The z grill vs traeger conversation has been going on for a few years. Grilling is a very American aspect. Almost everyone gets to grilling when the summer comes in. The people find it exciting to have freshly grilled food. The experience of grilling with loved ones around you is also something very different. You can not always experience it. To make it even more better you need to get a good grill. Today we will be discussing about the Z Grills along with the Traeger grill.
A Comparison
Both the Z Grills and the Traeger grill are known for their pellet grills. Pellet grills are called so but they are more like an outdoor oven. If you are going to the grilling industry this first time to pick a grill then we do recommend getting a pellet or a gas grill. Charcoal grills are for the experts only given the fact that they are very difficult to use and master. If you want to have a easy cooking experience then the pellet grills are the best.
The low and slow cooking that can be done on the pellet grills infuse the food with such good smoky flavor. Smoking can be done really well in a pellet grill. You can accommodate and cook anything in the pellet grill. It is a very versatile grill and kind of does the job on it's own. You only need to make a few settlements before you can forget about it and take a nap.
Z Grills Overview
Z Grills is a very recent brand that came up in 2017. They have been planning to launch the brand for years but they did not have enough funding. When they finally got the funds they entered blazing into the market and changed the grilling industry by making a name for itself within a matter of months. Z Grills are pretty good and they come with a lot of features that attracts the people. Grilling experts also seem to be impressed by the range that they offer to the consumers.
They understood that the brand was not new at all. They people who started the brand user to work for Traeger and then they started a company of their own. This makes things even more interesting when it comes to the comparison of these two brands given the fact that they once used to work there. This also gave an extra advantage to the new brand because people flocked to them to get a Traeger quality grill at a reduced price. Traeger does charge extra because of the brand name.
However, the Z grills knew about the manufacturing process of Traeger and they used to knowledge to make similar grills and sold it to the public at a cheaper price. This obviously caused the customers to go to them. We have to say that this is a smart strategic move on their part. The headquarters of the brand is located at Ontario, California which is just east of Los Angeles. This allows the people around the area to grill outdoor all year long.
Traeger Overview
Traeger is well known as the founder of the pellet grills. They held the patent for making pellet grills for 20 years and no other company was allowed to dabble in the design of the grill. Therefore people trust Traeger a lot more than the newer brands because they got a 20 year headstart in the market and they were the original creators. Some people tend to believe that the original is always the best. While that is not necessarily true, there is a fact that Traeger makes good grills. The consistent service and quality of the brand had caused the people to return to the brand again and again.
The wood pellet cooking method was not well known in the market of 1980s. They dabbled in the idea and made it come true. They created a good grill that made it safer for the people because one does not have to cook on open fire. The idea was almost revolutionary because it had not been possible to get the smoky flavor of the wood into the food without manning a fire. They sure have some a long way and even though they have had a lot of ups and downs in their course, Traeger has continued to remain a top brand in making pellet grills.
They marketed the grill with the idea that they are easy to use and that they can be very good in cooking the food with minimal effort. The ease of use also attracted a lot of people who did not know how to grill or did not want to spend hours on a grill. There was no fuss that came with the pellet grills.
Brand Comparisons
Everyone wants to get the most out of the money that they are paying for the grill. It is a fact and therefore we are here to tell you something about both the brands so that you can understand them a bit better. The brands might be selling the similar pellet grills but there is a difference between the two of them that needs to be highlighted. You will understand once you give it a read. So without wasting any more time, take a look at it.
Temperature Control
Temperature control can be a problem when it comes to pellet grills. If you can not control the temperature properly then how are you going to get the food to cook in a proper manner? Well, the solution is to find a pellet grill that has the accuracy in temperature. The grill should also be well crafted and it should be made with materials that can retain the heat properly. Both the brands use stainless steel for the body of the grill. Traeger uses an extra layer for insulation but that does not mean that you will lose heat in the Z Grills. They are both perfect for good heat retention.
The difference between the two is in the dials. There is an increment of 15 degrees Fahrenheit for the Traeger grills while the Z grills have an increment of 25 degrees Fahrenheit. So you do get more control on the temperature with the Traeger grill so we have to give this round to them. They have better insulation and minute temperature control.
Temperature Range
A pellet grill is known to be very versatile. They can be used as a grill, smoker, roaster, or oven. A wide temperature range is always appreciated because that means that you can cook different kinds of food and check out the different cooking methods. The ideal temperature range should be 200 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit at the bare minimum. This is kind of a necessity for the pellet grills. The meat is said to smoke at 200 degrees Fahrenheit and they are said to start searing at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Traeger grills have a temperature range of 180 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It is perfect for the cooking processes on a pellet grill and it hits the right sweet spot. The Z Grills have a higher temperature range of 450 degrees Fahrenheit. This gives it an edge over the Traeger grills and we have to give this one to the Z Grills. We know that a lot of people have a problem with the low temperature of the pellet grills. This one can give you an extra edge when cooking.
Warranties
Any appliance needs to have a warranty if it is going to last long. You will know this fact as a home owner. This is even more important when it comes to outdoor items that are supposed to stay in the weather that changes everyday. They have to survive the storm and rain and cold. If your grill does not have a good warranty then you are going to lose a lot of money. The warranty makes sure that you can get a replacement if your product gets damaged within the given time.
This also shows the fact that the company believes in the product that they are making. They have put a lot of effort into it and they have used good materials so they can guarantee the customers that the product will last a long time. Never buy a grill that does not have a warranty because it can stop working after two uses and there will be nothing that you can do about it. Both the brands that we are dealing with here have the same warranty of 3 years. The fine print is also the same which leads us to believe that the Z Grills copied the warranty on the Traeger grills.
Cooking Surfaces
It depends on the user. If you want to cook for a lot of people then you need to get a large grill with a larger cooking area. If you plan to cook for a small number of people then it is better to go for a grill with small cooking area. You can get a variety of options with the two brands so you do not need to worry about it. No matte which brand you go for, there will be plenty of choices with the cooking surface. We have to say that they tie in this one.
Prices
The Traeger and the Z Grills have completely different price points. The Z grills make sure that the pellet grills are accessible to more people as they make the cheapest good pellet grills that you can find in the market. They have the value for the money that you are paying. The smaller models start at 400 dollars and the larger models are well under the 1000 dollars mark. Traeger has the range starting from 800 dollars. The smallest grill with the least features will cost you as much as a large z grill. The larger Traeger grills will cost you around 2000 dollars. So you can clearly see the different the two.
Construction
The Z grills are generally made of single-layered powder-coated steel. There are stainless steel used to make certain components. There are some models that comes with a stainless steel lid so that you can cook food and not worry about getting any dirt on the food. The porcelain-coated cooking grates are standard and easy to maintain. It is also no hassle to clean these cooking grates. The wheels are good enough to move the grill around. We have to say that the Z grills offer a good deal at the price point.
Traeger grills have a good construction but that totally depends on the model and the price point that you are going for. In the entry level series you get powder-coated steel design with porcelain-coated grates. The construction becomes better when the series becomes more expensive. The highest series comes with fully insulated body with stainless steel grates. We can thus say that Traeger gives you what you pay for. They are not going to give you the same quality for the grills.
WiFi
There is not a good enough wifi control on the Z grills. If you want to remotely control your grill then you have to go for the Traeger grills. They are well known for the app and the Wifi connectivity features. They do an impressive job at it and you can control the grill from inside your house too. This is one of the best connectivity options that we have seen in the market. You will also get a number of recipes and other articles about cooking and grilling on the Traeger app. There is no comparison when it comes to the Wifi because Z Grills does not have it.
Extra Features
The Z grills are a bargain so we can not expect even more extra features from them. They are already giving us so much at the price point. They come with a waterproof cover. They are good grills and they work perfectly fine. Frankly, we do not expect much more from them. The Traeger grill costs a lot and people do expect some extra features from these grills. Once again it depends on the model that you are buying but there are many options that you can get. They know that the customers are more likely to be happy if there are some bells and whistles on a grill.
Model Comparison
We will be taking a look at the different models that we have from the brands to give the readers a better look into the grills. We are sure that this in-depth review can come in very handy and give you guys an interesting read. So let's get started.
Traeger Gen 1 Pro Series 22 vs Z Grills 7002C2E
These are two pellet grills that are perfect or an average sized backyard. The average price point should be around 500 to 600 dollars. This is a typical family pellet grill. There are two versions of this series on sale. It has been a very popular seller among the industry and they have got a lot of people swooning after them given the design and style of the grill. The 7002C2E is not a very catch name for a model but they are good at what they do. Both of the grills gave a temperature range of 180 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. They do not give direct flame access so browning is not possible.
Features
The Z Grills features a PID control panel which is not available in the Traeger brand. However, the PID controller is not the best in the market but having one is better than not having one at all. It does a decent enough job. The Z Grill has a cooking area of 697 Square inches which is larger than the Traeger's 572 Square inches. The grills come with wheels so you will have no problem moving them around. The Z Grill is slightly bigger so it has a weight of 113 pounds while the Trager has a weight of 103 pounds. This should not be a shock given the size of the grills.
The hopper capacity of the Z grills is 24 pounds which is considerably more than the Traeger grill which offers a capacity of only 18 pounds. In this case the Z grill costs around 50 dollars more than the Traeger grill but given the fact that it has an extra edge over the latter justified the 50 dollars.
Traeger Ironwood 650 vs Z Grills Multitasker 11002B
This is more of a premium version of the pellet grills and we are stepping up as we look into the Traeger Ironwood 650 and Z Grills Multitasker 11002B. The Multitasker 11002B is the first pit master made by the company. The Traeger Ironwood 650 is the grill that comes close to this one. The Traeger grill has a very good insulation. The exhaust and vent design on the grill is unlike any other in the market. It forces the smoke and heat over and under the cooking grates before exiting at the back. The Multitasker 11002B comes with a bamboo chopping board at the top of the pellet hopper.
Features
Both the grills have a range of 500 degrees Fahrenheit. You do not get direct access to the flames and you do not get any cast iron cooking grates for that matter. The grills both have PID control panels. You can adjust the temperature of the grills in a very efficient manner. You also get Wifi connectivity so you can keep an eye on the grill even without being near it and you can adjust the temperature if you need. Traeger is well known for the app and the recipes that you can find on it.
The difference in cooking area is also something that needed to be noted. The Traeger Ironwood 650 have a cooking area of 650 Square inches as you can tell by the name of the grill, but the Z Grills Multitasker offers a cooking area of 1068 Square inches. This gives the Z grills an edge over the Traeger grill. The insulated cooking chamber is also unique to the Z Grills Multitasker. The weight of the grills also vary a lot given the difference between the sizes. Ironwood 650 weighs 149 pounds and the Multitasker 11002B weighs around 192 pounds.
You need two people to assemble the grills. They are pretty big and are not meant for taking on camping trips. The hopper capacity of the Traeger is 20 pounds while the Z Grill offers a 28 pounds hopper. This is to be expected given the size of the grills. The difference in 8 pounds can lead to a difference in 5 hours of cooking time. When it comes to price there is a 200 dollars difference between the Traeger Ironwood 650 and Z Grills Multitasker 11002B. Traeger is more expensive than the Z grill.
The Wifi connectivity of the Traeger grill is very well known in the market. We have to wait a few years before we can give a verdict on the Wifi connectivity of the Z Grills given that they have recently come up with and they are still working on it. However, all things considered we have to say that the Traeger grill is overpriced. You will get the best core value from the Z Grills. It is a larger grill and comes with much more features than the Traeger.
Conclusion
Thank you so much for giving this article here a read. We are sure that you must have had a fun time giving it a read. That's all that we had to say regarding the debate. Now you can come to your own conclusion. You have all the facts that you need. Both the brands are good in their own ways but your preference can depend a lot on your cooking style and needs. So make sure that you pick a good one. Have a good day. Take care of yourself. Make sure that you have a fun time grilling!
