Traeger Grills Pro Series 34 Pellet Grill Review
$699.95
Overall, customers have provided mixed feedback on the Traeger Grills Pro Series 34 Pellet Grill. While many praise its ease of use, flavor, and capacity, others have encountered issues with temperature control, assembly, and product quality. Some customers express satisfaction with the smoker’s performance, while others are disappointed with design flaws and customer support.
Description
Experience the ultimate in outdoor cooking versatility and flavor with the Traeger Grills Pro Series 34 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker in Bronze. Crafted with precision engineering and a commitment to exceptional taste, this grill revolutionizes the way you barbecue, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and BBQ.
Product Specifications:
- Model Name: TFB88PZB0
- Power Source: Wood Pellet
- Color: Bronze
- Outer Material: Alloy Steel
- Inner Material: Stainless Steel
- Item Weight: 152.1 Pounds
- Product Dimensions: 27″D x 53″W x 49″H
- Fuel Type: Wood Pellet
- Cooking Space: 884 Square Inches
- Max Temperature: 450°F
- Hopper Capacity: 18 lbs
- Warranty: 3-Year Warranty (U.S.A. Only)
Key Features:
- 6-in-1 Versatility: Grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and BBQ with ease, thanks to Traeger’s signature 6-in-1 versatility.
- Wood-Fired Flavor: Say goodbye to gas and charcoal and indulge in the superior taste of wood-fired flavor infused into every dish.
- Digital Pro Controller: Enjoy precision temperature control with Traeger’s Digital Pro Controller, powered by Advanced Grilling Logic, ensuring consistent results every time.
- Sturdy Construction: Built to last, with powerful steel construction and a durable powder coat finish, making it resistant to the rigors of outdoor cooking.
- Easy Maintenance: Effortlessly clean porcelain grill grates and all-terrain wheels ensure hassle-free maintenance and mobility.
- Spacious Cooking Capacity: With 884 square inches of cooking space, the Pro Series 34 accommodates large gatherings or intimate family dinners with ease.
- Legendary Customer Service: Backed by Traeger’s legendary customer service and a 3-year warranty, your investment is protected, and assistance is just a call away.
Why Choose Traeger:
- Superior Taste: Fuel your hunger for flavor with 100% all-natural hardwood pellets, infusing amazing wood-fired flavor into every dish.
- Endless Possibilities: From ribs to apple pie, the Traeger pellet grill isn’t just a smoker—it’s a versatile cooking powerhouse.
- Consistent Results: With reliable temperature control, every dish is cooked to perfection, making mastering your BBQ easy and repeatable.
- Dual Meat Probes: Monitor multiple cuts of meat simultaneously with dual meat probe ports, ensuring optimal cooking results.
Elevate your outdoor cooking experience and create unforgettable culinary masterpieces with the Traeger Grills Pro Series 34 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker. Join the Traeger family today and savor the unmatched flavor, versatility, and reliability that Traeger is renowned for. Choose quality, choose flavor—choose Traeger.
John Stepanik –
Scored this at an incredible 20% discount, so I decided to take the plunge without overthinking it. The smoker is absolutely fantastic, and I’ve even tried some light grilling on it in the chilly Buffalo wind. It does take a bit longer compared to my old Weber gas grill, especially as the temperatures reach around 430 degrees. If you understand and align your expectations with what a pellet grill offers, this model is an outstanding choice. Personally, I don’t find the extra features of the higher-end models necessary, making this particular model exactly what I was looking for. Excitedly anticipating better weather to experiment with more delicious meals.
Allen Conklin –
Received this as a Christmas gift, and to put it simply, I should have invested in one much earlier. Cooking with a Traeger pellet grill is a breeze—if you can’t manage it, you might as well have someone else tie your shoes for you. It’s a fantastic product; hamburgers, chicken, ribs, and steak all come out incredibly well.
Chef Joseph –
It’s truly astonishing how Amazon managed to send me a severely damaged and bent smoker. The unit was in such a bad condition that there was no way it could function properly – the smoke wouldn’t even stay inside. To add to the frustration, the individuals who came to retrieve it simply tossed it onto their truck because their jack lift wasn’t working. It’s beyond belief, and now I’m stuck waiting who knows how long for a refund.
Someone who buys stuff –
Absolutely love this thing! Nailed it on my first brisket—perfect flavor, moisture, smoke ring, the whole deal. Using it is a breeze. Assembly was a piece of cake, taking about an hour, and everything is clearly labeled. I’d suggest getting the thermal blanket to retain heat and maintain temperature, but overall, it’s incredibly user-friendly. Just flip the switch, open the lid, place the brisket on the grill, insert the thermometer, close the lid, wait a bit, and voilà, delicious smoked BBQ.
Steven richart –
Consider opting for a different brand that retains heat better. Despite trying various measures, I’ve struggled to keep this grill above 350 degrees, even after experimenting with:
Three different pellet brands
Removing pellets and storing them in a dry area after each use
Regularly cleaning the pellet hopper, burn pot, and grill every two cooks
Cleaning and re-positioning the RTD probe
Utilizing an oil circulating fan
Adding fire bricks to help maintain heat
Unfortunately, none of these attempts have proven successful. It seems like this grill is plagued by a flawed design, and reaching temperatures beyond 350 degrees remains a challenge. While customer service has been cooperative, the fundamental issue persists, making it a frustrating experience.
William L Benton –
Regrettably, I cannot provide a rating on the features of this smoker as I’ve been unable to use it. The auger motor consistently shuts off after a brief 25-30 seconds, hindering the delivery of wood pellets to the burning pot. Despite reaching out to Traeger, who sent a work order to Ace Hardware for repairs, the repair department hasn’t shown much concern for resolving my issue. With a price tag of $759, one would expect better quality control from Traeger, along with more effective on-site repair support. The Pro Series 34 is notably bulky and heavy, making it impractical for frequent trips to a repair shop. I had a positive experience with the Texas Elite, but as I can’t use the Pro 34, there’s currently nothing to appreciate about it.
Frank Arena –
The temperature control on this model is notably subpar, lacking the ability to make adjustments (P settings) that were present in earlier models. Needless to say, I’m extremely disappointed with this aspect.
As of the 2023 update, despite purchasing in 2019, my efforts to address the persistent 25-degree temperature swings by replacing the temperature probe have been unsuccessful.
jeremiah gardner –
This pellet smoker generates ample smoke, maintains temperature within the desired range, and is straightforward to assemble (just follow the instructions and enjoy a beer every time it suggests to do so). I encountered a back-feed issue in the auger, which I attribute to my own negligence in not cleaning the ash soon enough. Despite this hiccup, I am overall pleased with its performance. Moreover, I saved money by opting for this model over the newer ones, even though it lacks wifi capability. This is easily addressed by using various wifi thermometers and implementing modifications to achieve the same features.
Edwin Apilado –
The delivery team was considerate enough to place it where I requested, which I appreciate because the item is quite heavy. However, one thing I observed after unpacking is that the hopper cover has a dent and is slightly bent, as depicted in the attached picture.
James W. Eggert –
I previously owned a Pit Boss before acquiring this, and I made the purchase based on its favorable reputation. However, in my opinion, it falls short compared to the Pit Boss. It comes with a higher price tag, struggles to maintain temperature, and the lid consistently pops out, requiring a pry bar to close it properly. This results in significant heat loss during use. Overall, I find it to be poorly made with an unjustifiably high cost. My advice would be to avoid wasting your money on this product.
Dan Wiren –
I can’t believe I waited this long. I also own a Bradley smoker, but the Pro surpasses it in terms of capacity. The pellets are significantly more cost-effective compared to the pucks, which tend to lose their freshness once the package is opened. In my opinion, the finished product from the Pro is much superior.
Dave –
It might sound like a joke, but it’s true. My old electric smoker broke a while back, and my wife refrained from eating meat until it’s smoked on this one. This has proven to be one of my best recent purchases, and I am absolutely satisfied. My only complaint is that the temperature occasionally drifts off, sometimes by around 25 degrees, but this is usually due to external weather conditions. The expansive grill space is fantastic, allowing me to smoke multiple racks of ribs, corn on the cob, asparagus, and peppers all at once. The pellet hopper also holds up well for an extended period (depending on your temperature and the external conditions). At 225 degrees, it typically lasts around 10-14 hours before needing a refill. If you’re in the market for a top-notch smoker, consider adding this one to your shortlist.
I can’t speak to the assembly process because Amazon provided free assembly, and they did an excellent job with both assembly and delivery.
Preston –
The customer service experience is extremely disappointing!!! I’ve owned the Traeger for about 5 weeks now, and I’ve been encountering error messages since the start. Despite diligently following all troubleshooting steps on their website, I’ve been on a call with a customer service representative for over an hour and a half, and there’s still no resolution in sight. The representative has been exceptionally rude and utterly incompetent, leaving me with no hope for a satisfactory outcome.
Shawn Doyle –
Assembly was a breeze with excellent instructions. It took me less than an hour to assemble, although having two people would make it even easier. I couldn’t wait, so I seasoned the smoker according to the instructions and dove into smoking. I prepared ribs, and they turned out absolutely perfect—fall-off-the-bone goodness. Without a doubt, this is the best smoker to invest in. It’s worth every penny. Just fill the hopper, set your temperature, toss on the meat, and walk away. Traeger takes care of maintaining the heat seamlessly. I’ll definitely buy again and highly recommend Traeger as a must-have smoker.
Cindy L Jones –
I had a longstanding desire to own a smoker, and true to my nature, I spent about 6 months researching grills, exploring numerous styles and brands until my head was spinning. However, I consistently found myself coming back to Traeger. After reading and re-reading reviews, I finally decided to purchase the Traeger.
I couldn’t be happier with my choice. I smoked a turkey for Thanksgiving, and I can confidently say I’ll never prepare a turkey any other way. The smoke flavor was perfect—just the right balance, not overwhelming—and the bird turned out incredibly juicy and tender. I even made a second turkey in the oven (just in case), but the smoked bird was the clear favorite among my family.
For Christmas, I’m planning to smoke a duck and a brisket, and I’m genuinely excited about it. This grill is a winner, and you won’t regret making the investment.
Mr Light Beer –
I swapped out my old Weber gas grill for this Traeger, and I couldn’t be happier with the decision. The grill was a breeze to assemble and season. It excels at grilling or smoking any type of meat perfectly every time. I love experimenting with different types of wood pellets, and leaving propane behind has been a delightful change!
Armondeaux –
I bought the Traeger pellet grill as a Christmas gift for our son and his family. The assembly process was straightforward, although it did require two people to handle flipping the unit over. The grill was successfully assembled, and our son wasted no time using it the next day to cook some steaks and chicken, which he reported turned out great. Pellet grilling seems to be a clean and easy method of cooking, and the unit will undoubtedly be used to prepare some fantastic meals.
Mario Hazelwood –
The smoker is precisely what I had in mind. I couldn’t be more pleased with this purchase. It’s easy to assemble and use, and the temperature control was excellent. I smoked a brisket at 250 degrees, and the highest temperature I observed was 269, with the lowest at 238. If you’re in the research phase, stop right here and go ahead with the purchase of this smoker.
That guy –
This pellet smoker is truly impressive. Having experienced various types of smokers over the years, from cutting my own hickory trees for a charcoal smoker to progressing through gas, electric, and DIY builds, I can confidently say this Traeger has won me over. My transition from a Masterbuilt electric smoker to this one left me initially skeptical, but after several uses, I’ve fallen in love with its performance.
The flavor it imparts is excellent, and its user-friendly design makes the smoking process a breeze. While some might argue that anyone can use pellet smokers to achieve good results, that’s precisely the point for me—I simply want delicious food without the need for bragging rights. I’ll let the food speak for itself.
Despite initial concerns about pellet consumption, it turned out to be quite efficient. While it takes a bit of time to reach the desired temperature, once there, it uses pellets sparingly. After approximately 100 hours of smoking at 225 degrees, I’ve only gone through about 40 pounds of pellets, costing around $16 for a 40lb bag at Lowe’s (though Walmart is cheaper, their selection is limited, and they often have damaged bags).
While it’s versatile enough for burgers and steaks, I wouldn’t consider it the best option for those tasks. The pellet consumption to reach high temperatures quickly isn’t as efficient, and for such tasks, I’d prefer my charcoal grill. In my humble opinion.
Scott B. –
Purchased this as a gift for my wife, but unfortunately, we haven’t had the chance to use it in the first two weeks of owning it. The issue lies in the fact that it consistently reads the air temperature as -21 degrees. Consequently, during the initial burn-off phase, the grill turned off after just 5 minutes as the temperature gauge remained stuck at -21. We reached out to Traeger, and they sent us a new RTD temp sensor, but that didn’t resolve the problem. Currently, we’re waiting on a new controller to be shipped to us. It’s somewhat ironic that the grill came with a sticker claiming it passed a quality control check, even though it’s currently rendered completely useless.
JRH –
Alright, so I’m a BIG GREEN EGG enthusiast and love cooking on that, but low & slow cooking isn’t its forte. After going through two Masterbuilt smokers that unfortunately died on me after a couple of years, I received a recommendation for this gem. Now, I’m relatively new to pellet cooking/smoking, and initially, I was a bit skeptical. However, I decided to give it a shot, and boy, am I glad I did!
Firstly, they not only delivered it for free but also assembled it for me, doing it right and even adding the extra shelf I ordered separately. Operating it is a breeze, although, like most things, it takes a bit of getting used to, and it heats up and maintains temperature quite precisely. I recently cooked a prime rib low and slow at 225 for 5 hours, and it came out absolutely perfect! The smoke flavor was amazing (not overpowering at all), and the meat cooked evenly throughout.
All those great reviews you’ve seen? Yep, they are certainly real, just like mine. I highly recommend purchasing the extra shelf. I’m not sure why it doesn’t come with it, but trust me, it’s an absolute MUST-HAVE. Good luck, and happy smoking!
Ryder –
You won’t be let down – it’s a fantastic product! It feels like BBQ cheating with its easy and controlled temperature. It’s nearly impossible to mess up whatever you’re cooking. The temperature probes work perfectly, and there’s a plethora of options for pellets that make your food taste amazing. It only took my son and me 20 minutes to set up, thanks to straightforward directions. I’ve been thoroughly pleased with this purchase. If you’re on the fence, go ahead and jump in – it’s truly great.
Brooke –
I purchased this as a Christmas gift for my husband, and he’s absolutely thrilled with it. He set it up immediately and used it on the same day. He’s already bought numerous accessories for it. Originally, I got it as part of a bundle, but the mat included wasn’t scheduled to arrive until late January, so I canceled that part of the order after delivery.
Mike Williams –
Used it once. The auger jammed when I tried to use it again. I watched an excessively long YouTube video on how to fix it, took everything apart, cleaned the auger tube, and it worked for about 60 seconds before stopping again. I had $550 worth of meat waiting to grill, and it turned into a waste of money, ruining our Father’s Day cookout. I suppose if you’re the handy type who enjoys repairing overpriced new stuff, this may be the grill for you. Unfortunately, it’s not the right fit for me.
michael mckay –
The first smoke I attempted was with a 6-pound pork loin that I put on at 8 am, and it still hasn’t finished. I set it at 225, only to discover later that it was only reaching 200 degrees throughout those hours. It wouldn’t hit an internal temperature of 160 until 12 hours later. Frustrated, I turned it up to 350 after wrapping to achieve a 300-degree temperature on the grill. It’s a disappointment, especially considering the $700 spent. I own an old burnt-out Pro 22, and it still outperforms this Pro 34. It seems like, from my experience, a bigger area equals poorer performance. My advice would be to save your money and buy a smaller Traeger. You shouldn’t be disappointed. That’s just my two cents. I’ve been using smaller Traeger grills for eight years, and they have been consistently awesome. Save some money.
Elaine Atlanta –
Just attempted to use my smoker for the first time since delivery, and I encountered an issue with the metal turnkey that dispenses the wood pellets—it gets stuck on every rotation. Despite having paid for assembly, I assumed Amazon would assist, but they’re directing me to reach out to the manufacturer to address this problem.
Brad B –
Not worth the price. I had a Green Mountain for years. When we moved, I decided to give the Green Mountain to a neighbor and bought this for the new house. I’ve had to replace the hood catch and auger in less than a year. It doesn’t have the Wi-Fi capabilities of the Green Mountain, nor does it offer the same temperature control (Green Mountain has 5-degree increments). I’ve been nothing but disappointed.
Donna –
The assembly instructions are very specific. Follow them exactly. When you put everything together again for the break-in procedure, follow the instructions precisely, and you should have no problems. It does fluctuate in temperature somewhat, but it’s not a significant issue while cooking.
Mvskoke –
Upon the arrival of the new grill, I noticed there was no side lift arm, which happened to be the first item in the assembly process. I contacted them, and they promptly sent the missing part without any questions asked. I appreciate the way they came through. Although the use of the grill was delayed by about a week, the assembly was easy. Wood pellet grills are the way to go!
Pat –
After 8 months of use, it’s time for a review. The grill performs well, but the temperature control has become problematic. Despite regular cleaning and maintenance, it struggles to reach the desired temperature. I consistently find myself 25 degrees below the set temperature, and it won’t go beyond 400 degrees, falling short of the 450-degree mark. Overall, it’s been a reliable grill, with the only challenge being the ongoing temperature issue.
Chief –
Unless you’re getting a deal, consider purchasing it directly from TRAGER. Buying from Home Depot, Costco, Ace, etc., means relying on the dealer’s return/refund policy.
The package arrived on time, not in pristine condition but fairly good, and it was missing one of two packaging straps. All parts were included, well-wrapped, and protected. The instructions were okay, considering the standard we often get from overseas. Assembly went as expected, except for leg assembly labeled #6. The point where leg 6 slides into the body of the pellet grill was slightly deformed, making it challenging to slide into place. A small rubber mallet resolved the issue, but it’s less than desirable for a product of this cost. I presume it will work as designed and be great. If any other issues arise, I will edit this review. I am in touch with Amazon, and they will credit me some money if it works. We’ll see how it goes.
Update: The Traeger seems to work fine. Amazon credited me 20%. Thanks, AMAZON!
James A. Libertini –
Arrived damaged. Customer service is responsive, sending repair parts for everything except the main body. I should have sent it back immediately, but I gave Traeger the benefit of the doubt. Smoking anything takes an extremely long time, and the taste of smoked items is lacking. Temperature control is widely inaccurate. There is little that I like about this smoker. My inexpensive Masterbuilt smoker, despite needing more attention, outperforms the Traeger. I’m stuck with an expensive lawn ornament. Very disappointed.
Allen Roberts –
It arrived on schedule, but when unpacking, I discovered flat washers and bolts scattered throughout the box, wrapped around the grill, inside the grill—everywhere. Assembling became easy after locating all the washers and bolts. When I attempted to fire it up and season it as suggested, I noticed the auger wasn’t rotating properly. After trying various solutions with no success, I contacted Traeger tech support. Alexis, the helpful representative, assisted me in troubleshooting. We discovered that the auger and blower fan were missing the small bolt and nut that hold them together. Alexis found the right part size and is sending it to me, along with guiding me on a temporary fix before Thanksgiving. However, finding the needed parts in my small town might be a challenge. I’ll check a couple of places and hope it goes back together as easily as it came apart. Not thrilled about discovering all these issues. The loose washers and bolts were due to the bottom of the kit package not being sealed, allowing them to spill out. Hoping for smooth operation once everything is resolved.