Traeger Timberline pellet grill: Specs, price, and availability

Traeger this week announced a major revamp of its flagship products, with the intent of making the already-smart Timberline family of pellet grills even smarter and easier to use.

The new Timberline and Timberline XL have been thoroughly redesigned, giving the new models a sleeker look and more up-to-date features than the Timberline 850 and 1300, which were released in 2017. We had a chance to see — and taste the results from the new grills. Here's everything you need to know about the new Timberline models.

Traeger Timberline: Price and availability

The Timberline grill will be priced at $3,499 and the larger Timberline XL at $3,799. Both will be available later this spring at online and at brick-and-mortar retail outlets.

Traeger Timberline: Specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Row 0 - Cell 0	Timberline	Timberline XL
Price	$3,499	$3,799
Size	59 x 51 x 25 inches	71 x 51 x 25 inches
Cooking space	880 sq. inches	1320 sq. inches
Max temperature	500° F	500° F
Weight	238 pounds	289 pounds

The main difference between the Timberline and the Timberline XL is the cooking space. The smaller Timberline has 880 square inches of space divided among three racks. The bottom rack has an area of 396 square inches, while the upper two racks have an area of 242 square inches each.

The larger Timberline XL has a total cooking area of 1320 square inches; the bottom rack is 594 square inches, while the two upper racks are 363 square inches each.

Traeger Timberline: Features

Interface and controls
Traeger has switched from the traditional knob-and-button control system used on its current smokers with a full-color touch-screen display intended to simplify the process of getting started using the grill, monitor temperatures, and perform maintenance checks.

As with the earlier version, the new grill allows you to control it with your smartphone via the Traeger app, and a more powerful Wi-Fi antenna makes it easier to get and stay connected.

Thermometers
Two included Meater Wireless Meat Thermometers also work with the app, allowing for even more precise monitoring of food temperature from anywhere, and with additional wired temperature probes you can monitor all the different parts of your meal at once. Of course, it always helps to have one of the best meat thermometers on hand, too.

Combustion system
Cooking functionality has been upgraded as well. Traeger has added a smart combustion system that uses sensors and what the company calls "cooking environment data" to prevent flare-ups and keep temperature consistent throughout the entire grilling process. The entire heat delivery system has also been redesigned, with stainless steel insulation to help better regulate the grill's interior temperature. Traeger is even doubling down on its grills' trademark smoking capabilities, with a FreeFlow firepot and an improved Super Smoke Mode to maximize smoke output at a wider variety of temperatures than with earlier models.

Induction cooktop
Many of the best grills have a side burner, which lets you prepare sauces and other side dishes; until now, this was a feature missing on Traeger's grills. The Timberline, however, now has an integrated induction cooktop.

Cleaning system
It's important to know how to clean a grill; Traeger's EZ-Clean Grease & Ash Keg System looks to make the process simpler by channeling excess grease and ash into a single container for easy and safe disposal.

Customization options
There are expanded customization capabilities, too. The P.A.L. Pop-and-Lock rail system lets you connect butcher paper or power towel hangers, a tool drawer, utensil hooks, and more to the front and sides of the grill. With ModiFire accessories, you can outfit the Timberline with new cooking surfaces, such as cast-iron griddles, steamer trays, or a pizza oven (due to be released later this year). And, a more modular design lets you remove the grill’s feet, reposition the induction burner, and more, so you can make the Timberline the centerpiece of a full outdoor kitchen setup.

Traeger Timberline: Outlook

At a starting price of $3.500, Traeger's new Timberline pellet grills will burn a hole through your wallet bigger than a brisket; they're more than twice as expensive as the company's Ironwood grills. However, the Timberline has a number of features you won't find elsewhere, such as the induction cooktop. It's a smoker that's meant for the BBQ aficionado who's ready to go whole hog on their outdoor kitchen setup.

Matthew Murray is the head of testing for Future, coordinating and conducting product testing at Tom’s Guide and other Future publications. He has previously covered technology and performance arts for multiple publications, edited numerous books, and worked as a theatre critic for more than 16 years.