Tempted by Traeger Timberline 850

[patmcpsu]

Traeger cut the cost of the Timberline 850 to $1399, which is eerily similar to the latest Smokefire releases. I believe it's only a temporary price cut, possibly as a closeout on the older models, but they're still price competitive as of today.

I always planned on getting a Smokefire, but at this price point, it's hard to resist the Timberline. Here are my list of advantages for each - let me know if I am missing anything:

Timberline 850:
Fully insulated construction
More proven system, which you know will be around for a long time
Seems more flexibile on what pellets you can use

Smokefire:
Higher temperatures / Searing
It seems like it gives a unique flavor, which is especially smokey for a pellet grill
Weber build quality, with better (more durable) exterior surface finish
Compatibility with other Weber accessories (GBS / Crafted)

What I would really like is for somebody who has eaten food from both, and let me know which tasted better. It's shocking how many review sites omit telling you how the food actually tastes.

For what it's worth, I live in the Philadelphia area, where temperatures can get pretty cold in the winter but not epic.

 

[JpsBBQ]

Traeger cut the cost of the Timberline 850 to $1399, which is eerily similar to the latest Smokefire releases. I believe it's only a temporary price cut, possibly as a closeout on the older models, but they're still price competitive as of today.

I always planned on getting a Smokefire, but at this price point, it's hard to resist the Timberline. Here are my list of advantages for each - let me know if I am missing anything:

Timberline 850:
Fully insulated construction
More proven system, which you know will be around for a long time
Seems more flexibile on what pellets you can use

Smokefire:
Higher temperatures / Searing
It seems like it gives a unique flavor, which is especially smokey for a pellet grill
Weber build quality, with better (more durable) exterior surface finish
Compatibility with other Weber accessories (GBS / Crafted)

What I would really like is for somebody who has eaten food from both, and let me know which tasted better. It's shocking how many review sites omit telling you how the food actually tastes.

For what it's worth, I live in the Philadelphia area, where temperatures can get pretty cold in the winter but not epic.

I have them both. The 850 is a great pellet cooker. It will not come close to the Smokefire grilling capability. It has a great app/interface. Food is considerably less smoky than the Smokefire. That can be a positive for some and a negative for others. The 850 is discontinued and will only be available a short while longer. I believe all are at dealers now and that’s it. It is a bit more miserly with pellet consumption which plays hand in hand with the lesser smoke profile. The 850 take considerably longer to reach cooking temps as well. Efficient burns mean less smoke. You have to consciously induce an inefficient burn to get decent smoke. I don’t have an issue with the Traeger smoke output but some do. Before the Smokefire, the 850 was may favorite pellet cooker. It is definitely still head and shoulders above the vast majority of cookers.

Hope this helps

 

[patmcpsu]

Thanks, that's exactly what I needed to hear. I'll wait to see if any closeout specials happen for the 2nd Gen and/or Stealth as the Sear+ becomes available. I would obviously prefer the latest and greatest, but the Smokefire price is creeping up with every subsequent release.

 

[Goneincognito]

At the end of the day, the stealth and sear+ are a blinged up Gen2. Just get what you need and can afford. They all operate exactly the same.

There is nothing you can do in sear+ that you can't do in a Gen1 (or Gen1).

You might get a close out on the stealth but not the Gen2 as it's not being replaced.

 

[patmcpsu]

I ended up going with the Timberline after all. The deciding factor was nothing I listed previously; it was the wheels. I plan on storing my smoker in the garage, and wheeling it out when being used. My garage has a 0.5-0.75" lip where it meets the driveway, and the casters on the Smokefire just wouldn't cut it. It was hard enough with the Timberline's all terrain wheels, actually.

This is a Weber forum, and I feel bad talking about the Smokefire's shortcomings, but the wheels really are an unforced error. I'm posting this, more than anything, to let Weber know that it's costing them sales.

 

[JpsBBQ]

I ended up going with the Timberline after all. The deciding factor was nothing I listed previously; it was the wheels. I plan on storing my smoker in the garage, and wheeling it out when being used. My garage has a 0.5-0.75" lip where it meets the driveway, and the casters on the Smokefire just wouldn't cut it. It was hard enough with the Timberline's all terrain wheels, actually.

This is a Weber forum, and I feel bad talking about the Smokefire's shortcomings, but the wheels really are an unforced error. I'm posting this, more than anything, to let Weber know that it's costing them sales.

The new ones are better but I just bought some nice bigger ones on Amazon. I’ve done this for several cookers. My new ones are 4 or 5” round and also raise the grill a bit which is an added benefit for me.

Both are great units. The grilling is next level on the Smokefire but you’ll love the Timberline for most all cooks. Enjoy!

 

[GRT1959]

Traeger cut the cost of the Timberline 850 to $1399, which is eerily similar to the latest Smokefire releases. I believe it's only a temporary price cut, possibly as a closeout on the older models, but they're still price competitive as of today.

I always planned on getting a Smokefire, but at this price point, it's hard to resist the Timberline. Here are my list of advantages for each - let me know if I am missing anything:

Timberline 850:
Fully insulated construction
More proven system, which you know will be around for a long time
Seems more flexibile on what pellets you can use

Smokefire:
Higher temperatures / Searing
It seems like it gives a unique flavor, which is especially smokey for a pellet grill
Weber build quality, with better (more durable) exterior surface finish
Compatibility with other Weber accessories (GBS / Crafted)

What I would really like is for somebody who has eaten food from both, and let me know which tasted better. It's shocking how many review sites omit telling you how the food actually tastes.

For what it's worth, I live in the Philadelphia area, where temperatures can get pretty cold in the winter but not epic.

I was a die-hard Weber kettle charcoal guy for decades, but my brother bought a Traeger and the food he put out with that convinced me to reconsider pellet grills instead of the UDS rigs I had been looking at. That was three years ago, and I researched and decided and re-decided for two years before pulling the trigger on a SmokeFire EX6, and I couldn't be happier.

I can't speak to the insulated construction of the Traeger 850 - the SmokeFire has several large vents on the back side so any lack of insulation is part of the design. And you obviously can't compare one system vs. the other with Weber being a relative newcomer to the pellet world, but I've had my EX6 for 9 months and over 60 cooks without a single issue, and I'll put Weber customer service up against any grill manufacturer on the planet. As for flexibility in pellets, I've used Lumberjack, Bear Mountain, Traeger, Pit Boss, Smokehouse (Sam's Club) and just about everything BUT Weber pellets, all w/o a hiccup and what I consider a minimal amount of maintenance.

I've only used the higher temp settings on my SmokeFire for crisping and finishing... if I want to grill something I do it over charcoal in my kettle, the way God intended. And I nearly always cook on the top grate of my EX6 with a pan or foil beneath, mostly because I just never bought into Weber's idea of using "flavorizer bars" (in every Weber gas grill), but it also makes cleanup way easier. I've smoked briskets in 90 degree weather and 5 degree weather with no appreciable difference in cook time, but you do go through pellets a little faster in cold weather, which I suspect is true with any pellet rig. And regardless of the weather, my Weber puts more smoke flavor into meat than my brother's Traeger.

Lastly - and this tipped the scales for me - the Weber is one of the very few pellet smokers made in the U.S., and I was able to buy it from the local Ace Hardware, which is owned by a friend, and which also offered free assembly and delivery. Every review I read about the SmokeFire recommended taking great care in assembly, but the two college kids who put mine together had assembled over a dozen SmokeFires, so I was cool with that (I'm not a lazy guy, but putting a grill together is a PITA).

Hope this helps - having a dedicated, set-it-and-forget-it smoker is a luxury I waited too long to have. I had to get rid of one of my Weber kettles and a PBS to make room for the larger SmokeFire, but the big smoke chamber is worth the tradeoff. Good luck!

 

[GRT1959]

I ended up going with the Timberline after all. The deciding factor was nothing I listed previously; it was the wheels. I plan on storing my smoker in the garage, and wheeling it out when being used. My garage has a 0.5-0.75" lip where it meets the driveway, and the casters on the Smokefire just wouldn't cut it. It was hard enough with the Timberline's all terrain wheels, actually.

This is a Weber forum, and I feel bad talking about the Smokefire's shortcomings, but the wheels really are an unforced error. I'm posting this, more than anything, to let Weber know that it's costing them sales.

Replacement casters are the #1 upgrade for most SmokeFire owners, myself excluded... my patio is easy rolling, but I'll get to it eventually because it is a weakness and Weber addressed it with better wheels on the Stealth. But enjoy your new rig, when it comes right down to it they're all just cooking chambers, grates, a hopper, auger and a PID.

 

[patmcpsu]

I understand that casters can be upgraded, but at the end of the day, casters are still casters.

Most smokers (be it offset or pellet) have two big wheels on them (and either two casters or legs). The big old offsets probably have this because they are too heavy for casters. For pellet grills, I believe it's because they need to be moved a decent distance more frequently.

For me personally, I would want to keep any grill with electronics bone-dry. I don't trust leaving it outside with a cover; I want to put it in a garage and wheel it out when needed. This is the opposite of a gas grill, in which I don't want the propane tank in my garage whatsoever.

It feels that Weber was in the "gas grill" mentality when putting casters on the Smokefire. Gas grills usually only get moved a few feet when they're deep-cleaned, which is twice a year tops. Pellet grills can theoretically be treated similarly (outside with a cover, presumably unplugging the cord when not in use), but I think a sizable number of people would prefer to store theirs indoors and move it 10+ feet each use.

Now could you drill holes on the Smokefire's legs and install big wheels on the sides? I suppose, but that's really getting involved.

 

[JpsBBQ]

I understand that casters can be upgraded, but at the end of the day, casters are still casters.

Most smokers (be it offset or pellet) have two big wheels on them (and either two casters or legs). The big old offsets probably have this because they are too heavy for casters. For pellet grills, I believe it's because they need to be moved a decent distance more frequently.

For me personally, I would want to keep any grill with electronics bone-dry. I don't trust leaving it outside with a cover; I want to put it in a garage and wheel it out when needed. This is the opposite of a gas grill, in which I don't want the propane tank in my garage whatsoever.

It feels that Weber was in the "gas grill" mentality when putting casters on the Smokefire. Gas grills usually only get moved a few feet when they're deep-cleaned, which is twice a year tops. Pellet grills can theoretically be treated similarly (outside with a cover, presumably unplugging the cord when not in use), but I think a sizable number of people would prefer to store theirs indoors and move it 10+ feet each use.

Now could you drill holes on the Smokefire's legs and install big wheels on the sides? I suppose, but that's really getting involved.

You simply unscrew the stock casters and screw in bigger and softer casters right in the same threaded holes. Easy peasy.

 

[AsburyIAPelletsmoker]

You simply unscrew the stock casters and screw in bigger and softer casters right in the same threaded holes. Easy peasy.

Yep, this was the second mod I did, after removing the finger guard. It was simple and quick with an order to Amazon. There are posts on here about it. And, it allows me to keep it in the garage and wheel it out on the driveway so I can show it off to my neighbors while smoking or grilling something delicious.