Before buying the Traeger Pro 34, grilling to me mostly meant:
- standing beside smoke
- hoping I didn’t overcook something
- and pretending I knew what I was doing
So when people kept describing pellet grills like they were “basically cheating,” I got curious. And honestly, after using this thing for a while, I kind of understand why Traeger owners talk about their grills like they joined a lifestyle club.
What is the Traeger Pro 34 Grill?
The Traeger Pro 34 is a large wood pellet grill and smoker designed to handle grilling, smoking, roasting, baking, and slow cooking using compressed wood pellets for fuel.
Instead of manually managing charcoal or constantly babysitting temperatures, the grill automatically feeds pellets into the fire system to help maintain steady heat.
The Pro 34 is one of Traeger’s larger backyard models, so it’s mainly aimed at people cooking for:
- families
- gatherings
- meal prep
- or people who simply enjoy cooking outdoors a lot
Why I Tried It
Honestly, convenience was the biggest reason. I liked the idea of smoked food more than the actual process of making it.
Traditional smoking always looked fun until I watched people wake up at terrifying hours to monitor temperatures like they were supervising a science experiment. And I already knew I was not that person.
The Traeger appealed to me because it promised:
- easier temperature control
- less babysitting
- and a more beginner-friendly smoking experience
Which honestly sounded way more realistic to me.
My Experience Using It
The first thing I noticed after setting it up was that this thing is BIG. Not “tiny patio grill” big. More like: “You definitely planned space for this, right?” big.
The assembly also took longer than I expected. Not impossible or horrible, but definitely one of those situations where halfway through, you start questioning why grills arrive with approximately nine hundred screws.
Once it was running, though, the experience became surprisingly easy. And I think that’s the part that changed grilling for me most.
Instead of constantly hovering over heat levels, I could actually:
- prep other food
- sit down
- clean up
- or just relax while it handled temperature control itself
That alone made outdoor cooking feel way less stressful. The smoke flavour was also better than I expected initially. Not aggressively overpowering, just that steady wood-fired taste that makes food feel more “slow cooked” and intentional somehow.
I especially noticed it with:
- chicken
- ribs
- burgers
- and vegetables surprisingly
And honestly, the biggest danger with this grill is that it tricks you into suddenly wanting to smoke everything.
At one point, I genuinely found myself standing in the grocery store thinking: “Would this taste better smoked?” Which is apparently how the obsession starts.
Now… it definitely is not perfect. Heating takes patience compared to quick gas grills. Pellets also disappear faster than I expected during longer cooks, especially at higher temperatures. And cleaning the inside is one of those tasks that becomes deeply annoying if you procrastinate too long.
I also noticed the smoke output feels lighter than some hardcore barbecue people probably prefer. For me personally, it was enough.
But if someone wants an extremely heavy traditional smoke flavour, I can see why they might want something more intense.
Texture, Feel & Build Quality
The grill feels solid overall. Heavy lid. Sturdy frame. Definitely not one of those lightweight grills that wobble every time you touch them.
The cooking space is massive, too. Honestly, it almost encourages overbuying food because suddenly you start thinking: “Well, technically I could cook all of this at once…”
The controls are also straightforward enough that I did not feel overwhelmed learning it.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Makes smoking much easier for beginners
- Great wood-fired flavor
- Huge cooking space
- Convenient temperature control
- Very versatile for different foods
Cons
- Large footprint
- Pellet costs add up over time
- Cleaning becomes annoying if ignored
- Slower heating than gas grills
- Some people may want heavier smoke flavor
Is It a Scam?
No, not at all. But I do think some people buy pellet grills expecting completely effortless outdoor cooking with zero maintenance or learning curve.
And realistically, that is not how any grill works.
You still have to:
- clean it
- manage pellets
- monitor cooks sometimes
- and learn timing properly
That said, the actual cooking experience felt much easier and less intimidating than traditional smoking methods I’ve seen people struggle with.
And honestly, I think that convenience is the entire reason Traeger became so popular in the first place.
Customer Feedback
Most customer reviews I saw leaned strongly positive overall.
People constantly praised:
- the flavor
- temperature consistency
- beginner-friendly controls
- and versatility
The biggest complaints usually involved:
- pellet usage
- occasional temperature fluctuations
- cleanup
- and customer support frustrations
Which honestly felt pretty believable after using it myself.
How to Use
Honestly, the biggest thing is resisting the urge to constantly open the lid.
I learned pretty quickly that every unnecessary “just checking” moment messes with heat consistency.
Also:
- keep pellets dry
- vacuum ash buildup regularly
- and clean grease areas before laziness turns cleanup into punishment later
Alternatives to Consider
- Pit Boss Austin XL Pellet Grill
- Camp Chef SmokePro DLX
- Weber SmokeFire series
- Z Grills Pellet Smoker models
Conclusion — Would I Recommend It?
Honestly… yes. Especially for people who like the idea of smoking and grilling but do not want the full stressful babysitting experience traditional setups sometimes demand.
The biggest surprise for me was how often I actually started using it. I genuinely thought this would become one of those occasional “special weekend” appliances.
Instead, it slowly turned outdoor cooking into something I looked forward to doing more often. And once that happened, regular grilled food started tasting a little boring afterward.
Also read my similar review on the ISolo Stove Yukon Grill Attachment