Grilling and smoking are two of the best cooking techniques you can use in barbecue cookouts. But if you want grilled meat with an amazing smoky flavor, a grill-smoker combo is the best choice for you.
You have amazing choices in the market, from electric to gas to charcoal and pellet grills. If you haven’t used a pellet grill or haven’t heard of them, these grills are designed to provide a natural, smoky flavor to your meat; a flavor that you can’t get from electric, gas, or charcoal grills.
Traeger Grills are known to be the inventor of wood pellet grills. Each grill they manufacture is known to be reliable and gives perfect cooking every time.
If you’re looking for an impressive grill-smoker combo that uses wood pellets, one of the best choices you have is the Traeger Pro 780. A large-sized grill-smoker combo designed for every barbecue enthusiast.
Bottom Line
The Traeger Pro 780 WiFi Pellet Grill uses technology to help you make the perfect meat every barbecue weekend. As the name implies, it uses innovative technology to provide convenience and accuracy in time and temperature control. On top of that, it offers all the best features Traeger Grills can offer – quality, best flavor, and safety.
- Price 70%
- Features 100%
- Quality 95%
Key Specifications
- Total Cooking Area: 780 square inches
- BTU: 36,000 BTUs
- Maximum Temperature: 500 °F
- Hopper Capacity: 18 lbs
- Dimensions: 55 x 49 x 27 inches
- Weight: 146 lbs
What’s Included?
1. Large Grilling Space
As we can already get from its name, the Traeger Pro 780 offers a 780 square inches cooking area. This is large enough for you to prepare 34 burgers, six rib racks, or six whole chicken for your family and friends.
The grilling area is divided into two, wherein the main grilling area measures 570 square inches and the second measures 210 square inches. This allows you to get two heating zones; you can place meat directly on the heat to get a beautiful sear, and you can grill vegetables in the area that’s away from the heat.
2. 6-in-1 Versatility
Like many Traeger Grills, the Traeger Pro 780 also offers 6-in-1 versatility. This means you can do more than just smoking and grilling because you can also bake, roast, braise, and barbecue meat.
If you love cooking or love experimenting with techniques, this is an excellent grill. You no longer have to buy several grilling equipment just to do different things. Plus, your friends will surely be impressed with how you can prepare the appetizer, main course, and dessert just with this.
3. Smart WiFire Technology
Traeger Pro 780 is a type of WiFi grill designed to provide you great convenience. It uses smart technology, which allows you to control and monitor the grill through your phone.
How does it work?
You just need to download a Traeger app. This is what will connect your grill to your phone. Once you open the app, you’ll be able to see the temperature of the meat, the temperature of the grill, and the timer. There are also options where you can see some recipes and get some tips.
This technology serves as the controller of the grill. You can adjust the temperature and the timer as you please. And you can even be reminded if it’s time for you to get the meat out of the grill.
And you can do all of these even if you’re away from the grill. You no longer have to stand there and continuously watch the temperature and adjust airflow. Now, you can join in the fun and conversations while waiting for the meat to cook.
4. Porcelain Grill Grates
Traeger Pro 780 also comes with porcelain-coated grill grates. These grill grates are really good as it prevents food from sticking on it, making it very easy to clean. It is also removable, which provides better convenience.
On top of that, it allows heat to be distributed evenly throughout the grilling surface. It also retains heat very well, which will enable you to cook your meat perfectly and evenly throughout.
5. Natural Flavor
The Traeger Pro 780 is a pellet grill, which means it uses wood pellets as fuel. Because of this, you can expect a natural, smoky flavor to your meat that you can’t really get if you’re using charcoal or a gas grill.
You also get to pick what kind of wood you can use for your meat. There are lots of options in the market, and you can always find a guide from the internet on what type of wood will work well with the kinds of meat you have.
6. Pro D2 Controller
Another cool feature you’d love about this product is the Pro D2 Controller. On one side of the hopper, you’ll see a screen with a dial on the side. This is what you’re going to use to start the grill.
Simply turn the dial to your desired temperature and push the ignite button to start the grill. You can expect this controller to be very accurate. It even comes with a fan that automatically adjusts speed to reach and maintain the temperature you need.
Temperature can reach up to 500 °F, which is perfect for searing purposes.
7. D2 Direct Drive
Besides the D2 controller, the product also comes with a D2 Direct Drive which plays a huge part so you can cook more delicious food without wasting fuel. Whether you adjust the grill to a higher or lower temperature, the fan and motor automatically adjust to always stay within the temperature range. Its response to frequent changing of temperature is a lot faster than other grills, too.
8. Turbotemp Startup
The combination of the D2 controller and direct drive allows this grill results to Turbotemp. This means that the Traeger Pro 780 can reach desired temperatures in a short amount of time but with great efficiency. Burn rate is only about 2 pounds per hour, which really helps you save.
9. Meat Probe
The Traeger Pro 780 already comes with a built-in meat probe to help you monitor your food’s internal temperature without opening the lid. By measuring the internal temperature, you get to have a more accurate estimate of how much time your food needs to be completely cooked, and then you can make adjustments through your phone.
10. All-Terrain Wheels
Similar to other Traeger Grills, the Traeger Pro 780 is built with all-terrain wheels. So whether you need to move the grill through a smooth or rough surface, it wouldn’t be a big problem.
First Impressions
When choosing a good grill, it’s essential to weigh the advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons). Below, we enumerate the things we liked and didn’t like with the Traeger Pro 780 Series.
What We Liked
- Sturdy and solid construction: The Traeger Pro 780 is a well-designed grill. It comes with overall stainless steel construction that ensures durability that will surely last for years. The sawhorse-style stand provides better stability that will not cause the grill to fall over even in unbalanced terrain.
- Large cooking area: This grill provides 780 square inches of cooking area, which is undeniably large enough for you to serve a large number of guests. The cooking space is also divided into two, allowing you to create two heating zones. You can sear meat on the surface directly above the heat, and you can grill vegetables on the grate that is away from the heat.
- Versatile: The Traeger Pro 780 is a very versatile grill. It’s most probably designed for people who want to experiment with different cooking styles. You can grill, smoke, roast, braise, bake, and barbecue with this grill—no need for several cooking equipment that can fill up your cooking space. One Traeger grill is enough.
- Porcelain-Coated Grill Grates: The porcelain-coated grill grates make the product very easy to clean as food won’t be able to stick on the surface. It also helps retain heat better and distribute it evenly throughout the grates, allowing you to cook meat perfectly without any problem.
- Easy Control: With the help of the D2 controller, maintaining the temperature is no longer that hard. You can simply set-and-forget because this product ensures that it can retain heat well and can automatically adjust airflow whenever needed. There’s also an Alexa feature that allows the grill to work through voice commands. If you don’t want to give your hands some rest, this is something you’ll be grateful for.
- Long-lasting cooking: The Traeger Pro 780 has an 18-pound hopper capacity that will definitely allow you to cook for long hours. Combine this with the product’s efficiency by burning 2 pounds of pellets an hour when grilling (or ½ pounds per hour when smoking), and you can continuously grill for 9 hours without getting any refill.
- Uses Patented Wood Pellets: You need to use Traeger Grills wood pellets to get the most out of this grill. Aside from the fact that those grills are of high-quality, you can also ensure that they burn efficiently.
- Smart WiFire Technology: Lastly, we love that the product comes with a Smart WiFire Technology, which is very convenient. It allows you to control the grill even if you’re afar, so no need to stay beside the smoker and wait. You’re not going to miss any conversations and stories from your friends, and you can finally enjoy get-togethers.
What We Didn’t Like
- Uses Electricity: Traeger Pro 780 uses electricity to burn off wood pellets. So, you always need to always have a power source to use it. And if you’re in the backyard, you either need to be near an outlet, or you always need to use an extension cord.
- More Expensive: This grill can be costly and may not be for those on a budget. But it also seems fair, considering the many features included.
- Requires Technology: Traeger Pro 780 is an innovative grill that makes grilling easier. However, if you don’t want to stay away from traditional grilling, that’s still okay. After all, not everyone can easily learn how to use the Smart Technology that comes with this grill.
Warranty Details
Traeger grills offer a three-year warranty for many of their grills, including the Traeger Pro 780. Part of the warranty includes any defects in the material and construction of the grill. Traeger grills also assure that if you need any help regarding the grill, customer service is present 24/7.
Ease of Use
Traeger Pro 780 offers great convenience by using advanced technology to improve every feature. Unlike the ordinary grill, where you need to adjust air vents to control smoke and maintain temperature manually, this grill automatically does that.
The fact that you can control everything through the tip of your finger is really nice. However, not everyone is tech-savvy. Those who are older might find a hard time adjusting to how to use this
Cleaning and Maintenance
Traeger Grills also kept cleaning and maintenance in mind. By placing porcelain-coated grates, they ensured that no food would stick on the surface of the grill, making it easier to scrape. There are also interior contours in the lower chamber that helps divert drippings, which immediately go to the grease management system.
After cooking, you can simply throw what’s inside the grease management system, clean the grates, and wipe the exteriors with a washcloth, water, and mild soap.
Our Verdict
Overall, the Traeger Pro 780 Wood Pellet Grill is an excellent grill that screams durability, quality, versatility, and convenience. It’s well-thought-out, and it’s evident that the features were put together after a series of research.
If you’re looking for a grill that you can flaunt to your friends and family, this is it. Yes, it may cost more, but it’s worth it. It can last with you for years, and on top of that, the burning efficiency will save you money in the long run.
Looking for another grill with similar performance? We have just reviewed the Traeger Pro Series 22.