5 Reasons to Buy a Traeger BBQ Smoker for Dad

Travel Mamas sometimes receives compensation and/or hosted travel and sample products related to blog posts. This story may include affiliate links for which we receive a small commission at no extra cost to consumers. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases. Be sure to check with businesses and locations regarding travel restrictions and safety precautions before visiting.

I know, I know. A Traeger electric BBQ smoker may sound like just another toy that will get tucked away in some forgotten corner of the garage – like that exercise machine Dad swore he’d use. A Traeger grill is different, though. My wife bought me one a couple of years ago and I still use it regularly, whether I’m cooking a family dinner or entertaining. Read my review and these five reasons to get a Traeger electric smoker for Dad for Father's Day or any time of year.

Dad grilling vegetables with son

Create memories with family barbecues (Photo credit: AlexLipa, Depositphotos.com)

1. Any man will be proud to cook with a Traeger electric smoker.

The Traeger smoker operates like a slow cooker but makes meals that any dad would be proud to serve. Seriously, no man is going to boast about anything that came out of a slow cooker. There’s nothing manly about tossing a bunch of ingredients into a pot, turning it on, and letting it set all day. Where’s the sweat and workmanship in that? There isn’t any. Besides, most of what slow cookers produce are casseroles. And most of us men equate those to quiche… just saying. Instead, a Traeger produces smoked meat!

Traeger Pro Series 34-Inch (Gen 1) Wood Pellet Grill

Traeger Pro Series 34-Inch (Gen 1) Wood Pellet Grill (Photo credit: Traeger Grills)

2. A Traeger smoker produces restaurant quality BBQ at home for a fraction of the cost.

Whether you’re Texas proud and claim beef brisket as the official meat of barbecue, Alabama faithful and prefer smoked chicken with a white sauce, or Carolina smart and know true BBQ comes from a pig, a Traeger doesn’t BBQ discriminate.

A tasty beef brisket smoking on my Traeger

A tasty beef brisket smoking on my Traeger (Photo credit: Bryan Richards)

From brisket and pork to chicken and even seafood, I’ve cooked it all on my Traeger electric smoker. And, to my credit, most people don’t need to put sauce on my smoked meat. It comes off the grill moist, tender, and with just the right amount of smoke.

Barbecue a variety of foods on your Traeger electric smoker

Barbecue a variety of foods on your Traeger electric smoker (Photo credit: Traeger Grills)

3. A Traeger pellet grill is easy to use.

I will admit that some may claim a Traeger smoker is not real BBQ because it’s electric and uses pellets instead of wood. They call it cheating. To a point, they are correct. But who has the time to sit around and monitor a real smoker all day? You'd need to constantly monitor temperatures and add more wood as necessary. With a Traeger, you pretty much set it and forget it. Simply add more pellets occasionally – maybe two or three times for an eight-hour cooking cycle. The cooking system maintains a steady temperature while you tend to other things.

Also, since it is electric, a Traeger smoker is safe to use almost anywhere, from traditional backyards to townhouses where space is limited. Traeger even makes a Tailgater grill to take with you on college or NFL game days.

Beer can chicken made on a Traeger electric smoker

A beer can chicken hot off the Traeger! (Photo credit: Bryan Richards)

4. Grill dinner outside while doing other things.

I store my Traeger electric smoker in the back of the garage. When it’s time to use it, I pull it around to the driveway where it safely smokes my meat outside while I do other chores like wax the car, trim the hedges, or pick weeds. Every couple of hours, I check to see if it needs more wood pellets. Or I spray the meat with cider if I’m cooking something that tends to dry out.

For example, last weekend I smoked a beer can chicken for 1.5 hours while I cleaned out the garage. To prepare the chicken, I opened a can of beer and drank a third of it (because why be wasteful). I filled the freshly emptied portion with barbecue sauce and sat a chicken on top of the can. Then I doused the chicken with a BBQ rub and let it sit on the medium setting. I also sliced up three potatoes and an onion, wrapped them in foil with olive, salt, and pepper, and smoked a side of potatoes.

Treager smokers are for more than just meat, they also make great side dishes like these smoked potatoes!

Traeger smokers are for more than just meat — they also make great side dishes like these smoked potatoes! (Photo credit: Bryan Richards)

5. A Traeger electric smoker is great for entertaining!

Football game watch parties are all the more delicious now that I have a Traeger. In fact, I take pride in waking up early, pouring a strong cup of coffee, and firing up my smoker to slow cook a pork shoulder for eight hours before the Panthers’ kick-off. I normally pull the meat off as our guests arrive. There’s a showmanship of pulling apart the pork in front of your buddies and snacking on the bark before adding the meat to the buffet. Oh, and the five-pound brisket I smoked last Father's Day? There weren’t any leftovers.

As you can see, a Traeger electric smoker is not only a gift for Dad, but it’s also a gift for the entire family.

Backyard family barbecue

A Traeger electric smoker is a gift for the whole family (Photo credit: ArturVerkhovetskiy, Depositphotos.com)

Buy now!

Read reviews and view the array of Traeger grills and products of all different price points on BBQGuys.com, where shipping is free for any purchase over $49! Or, buy direct from Traeger.

Learn more!

Getting hungry? Take a look at my tips for hosting a backyard barbecue party and read my tips for creating a delicious tailgate burger bar.

Not sure how a smoker differs from a regular grill? Learn the difference between smoking vs. barbecuing vs. grilling.

Traeger Electric Smoker Grill Review - Great Gift for Dads!

Save this Traeger electric smoker review

Considering buying a Traeger grill? Be sure to save this review. Simply pin the image above to Pinterest. We hope you’ll follow Travel Mamas on Pinterest while you’re at it!

What meal will your family enjoy most on a Traeger electric smoker? Leave a comment below!

About Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy

Bryan M. Richards began his blog, TheWanderingGourmand.com, to document his culinary adventures with his wife around the world (and around the kitchen). During the first eight years of their marriage, they followed their taste buds across five continents, 20 countries, and 71 cities and drank plenty of beer along the way. Then Deacon was born, and they’re learning how to incorporate their son into their culinary adventures. Currently, Bryan balances his role as stay-at-home dad to his young son with his novel writing and freelance gigs covering craft beer, food, and travel. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Follow his adventures on Facebook and Instagram as @BRichWrites.

Comments
  1. This is not considered an “electric smoker.” It’s a “Wood Pellet Smoker Grill” which cooks and smokes with Wood in the form of compressed Wood Sawdust Pellets as fuel . It is electric in the sense that electricity runs the fans, temperature controls, ignition source , and auger which delivers the fuel into the combustion chamber. “Electric Smokers” cook with heat generated from an electric heating element, and smoke with with smoke from burning or smoldering wood chips/chunks added by hand.

  2. Zachary Grayum says

    Traeger is a good product, used to be much better when they all were made in Oregon though. Now that the entry models are Chinese they arent what they once were. Rectek is a much better product for a little more and a Mak is legit if you can afford them.

  3. Lisa Goodmurphy says

    What a great idea for a Father’s Day gift – and the entire family gets the tasty dinners!!

    • Colleen Lanin says

      Right?! I was thinking of getting one for my husband for Father’s Day this year but I already bought him a few things. Maybe for his birthday instead?!

  4. Mary Encinia says

    My husband and I bought one and I LOVE it! I cook almost every weekend in it! Food is always delicious and very tasty

    • Colleen Lanin, The Travel Mama says

      Mary – Yay! So glad you and your husband are loving your Traeger BBQ Smoker!

  5. BBQ on Main says

    Hey Bryan, did you end up with the portable Traeger smoker built for tailgating? Curious to hear how you’re liking the smaller model. Have you felt limited by the grill size in any way?

  6. My dad would absolutely flip over this! He loves anything BBQ!

  7. Annemarie LeBlanc says

    If we had a Traeger Smoker, I won’t be seeing my husband until right before winter comes around. LOL. Oh he will love this. I am sure my sons would love it too. They may want to use it to cook food for when their friends come over. Yay. Less work for me. They can prepare their own food!

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      Actually, there isn’t much work once its going. For example, I smoked a pork butt on Sunday for six hours. I only had to refill the pellets ever two hours or so.

  8. Our Family World says

    I would love to have this smoker. I would be giddy with happiness grilling my favorite fish or other seafood. Pork belly and/or beef brisket is my second favorite to grill or cook in that smoker. I’m checking this out.

  9. My husband would LOVE one of those. He loves to grill out. If it were up to him every meal would made outdoors.

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      Shouldn’t all meals be cooked outdoors? I’d say we grill or smoke nights a week. The others are for leftovers or eating out…

  10. Shannon Gurnee says

    My husband has a Traeger Smoker that we bought a few years ago and he loves it! He’s made an amazing smoked turkey for Thanksgiving as well!

  11. Kita Bryant says

    My husband has been looking for a new smoker. I am glad I ran into this, it looks legit!

  12. Adrianne Betz says

    I can think of a million reasons to get it for mom too, haha! If we get it for dad, I reap the benefits too lol!

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      How come all the guy things I write about on Travel Mamas the women want to….

  13. Carol Cassara says

    I like that it’s not as bulky as most grills and it would be a lovely gift for dad! I sure love that it’s convenient to use and it has all the features that you want your grill to have too.

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      It’s not a grill so it won’t replace your family. It’s more of a supplement – like the slow cooked doesn’t replace the oven. Think direct heat versus indirect heat. They both cook differently.

  14. How neat. i don’t think we’ve ever considered a smoker. I think my husband would really enjoy it as he loves to grill and entertain..

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      Given that its electric, it’s an easy way to venture into smoking.

  15. Janell Poulette says

    This smoker looks right up my husbands ally! He loves to grill and smoke things especially when we entertain our friends. I know just what to get him for Father’s Day!

  16. Oh man, I want one! But I need to buy a house first! I would love to have one of these as part of my cooking tools! Thanks!

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      I own one and live in a townhouse. Mine has wheels so I just roll it out of my garage when its time to tease the neighbors with my barbecue!

  17. My brother in law has one of these smokers. He likes to use it for family meals!

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      Thank you for your feedback. I smoked a brisket for Christmas dinner once. Nobody ate the turkey my mother had cook….

  18. Liz Mays says

    These are great reasons! I know it would open up a lot of delicious meal possibilities for us. It would be a lot of fun to use too.

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      You can get creative or be a traditionalist with it. I prefer using it for traditional barbecue like ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. My Dad uses his for EVERYTHING. I have to admit, his creative ways to change up food is quite tasty.

  19. Oh my goodness, I am betting a traeger smoker would go down really great here as a gift this Father’s Day. I will look into the option of getting one for Dad, he loves to BBQ for the family during our summer months!

  20. Sarah Bailey says

    Hands up I would love something like this for our backyard, I’m not sure my Dad would be too happy if I brought him one and said now cook for us though.

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      But it’s smoking. There’s nothing more manly than smoking barbecue.

  21. Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says

    Thank you! I just found my husband’s Father’s Day gift. He loves to grill, and the one he has now has seen better days. He’s also been talking about a smoker for about a year now. WOOT!

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      A Traeger is a wonderful way to start exploring the art of smoking. Let me know how it works out!

  22. robin rue says

    My husband would love me for life if I bought him one of these. He’d use it every single day!

    • Bryan Richards, The Hungry Travel Daddy says

      Then you should buy it from him. Plus, imagine the delicious meals he’ll cook for you. When you think about it, it’s more of a gift for you…

Speak Your Mind

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.