Why We DON’T Carry TRAEGER

Walk into almost any big-box store and you’ll see the word Traeger everywhere. It’s the most widely recognized name in pellet grilling, and for a lot of shoppers, it’s the first brand that comes to mind. So naturally, customers ask us all the time:

“Why don’t you carry Traeger?”

The answer is simple — and very intentional. At Grill Masters Pro Shop, every brand we carry is chosen to give our customers the best combination of performance, value, durability, and customer support. And when it comes to pellet grills under $1,000, we believe Green Mountain Grills (GMG) delivers a significantly better experience than any Traeger in that same price range.

This isn’t about jumping on (or off) a trend. It’s about making sure that when someone invests in a grill, they walk out with something that performs better, lasts longer, and doesn’t require a pile of extra purchases just to get started.

Why Green Mountain Grills Outperform Traeger Under $1,000

Traeger is a household name, but name recognition doesn’t equal value. When you put Traeger’s under-$1,000 models side-by-side with GMG, the differences become clear quickly.

Green Mountain Grills simply gives customers more grill for their money.

GMG uses thicker metal and sturdier construction, which means better heat retention, more consistency in all seasons, and a grill body that feels solid rather than lightweight. Many Traeger models in the same price range cut corners in these areas, and when metal thickness goes down, temperature performance usually goes down with it.

There’s also the accessory factor. With Traeger, the price on the box isn’t the price it takes to get a fully functional grill. If you want basics like a front shelf, side shelf, under-grill storage, hooks for utensils, or even extra meat probes, you’ll be purchasing those separately. With Green Mountain, all of that comes included — no nickel-and-diming.

And when you look at the features GMG offers under $1,000, it becomes even more obvious why we recommend them over Traeger. GMG models include things Traeger doesn’t, such as a built-in grill light, a USB charging port, a window in both the hood and pellet hopper, rotisserie capabilities, and an adjustable heat deflector for controlling hot zones. GMG also offers a cooking range from 150°F to 550°F — low enough for warming or slow smoking, and hot enough for serious steak searing.

For customers who love versatility, GMG even offers a pizza oven attachment capable of temperatures over 800°F for less than $200. Considering that dedicated pizza ovens from brands like Gozney, Coyote, or Alfa often run around $1,600, this attachment essentially gives you two grills in one for a fraction of the cost.

The Customer-Service Difference: Specialty Shops vs. Big-Box Stores

Another major reason we don’t carry Traeger is the customer-service model behind the product.

Traeger is mass-produced and sold everywhere — Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, Ace Hardware. The people selling them in those environments often don’t grill, don’t barbecue, and may have never even cooked on a pellet grill themselves. When something goes wrong, customers are directed to call a 1-800 hotline.

Green Mountain Grills chose a very different business model.

GMG refuses to sell in big-box stores or through online mega-retailers. They want their grills sold only by specialty shops like ours — stores where the team actually understands smoking, searing, slow cooking, pellet performance, and troubleshooting. That means when one of our customers needs support, they don’t get a call center. They get us.

We believe that when someone invests in a grill, they deserve real help from real experts, not a queue number.

But What About Higher-End Pellet Grills?

Pellet grills under $1,000 aren’t the right choice for everyone. Many of our customers want premium performance, exceptional durability, and stainless-steel construction that stands up to years of weather.

For those shoppers, we carry pellet grills that far surpass both GMG and Traeger:

• Memphis

• Coyote

• Twin Eagles

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These brands are built with 304 stainless steel, the gold standard for outdoor durability. This level of construction makes them extremely resistant to rust and corrosion, which is something neither Traeger nor most mass-market brands offer in their mid-range lineup. For customers who value longevity, consistency, and a luxury cooking experience, these brands simply deliver more.

So if someone walks in wanting the highest quality pellet grill on the market and they’re comfortable going above the $1,000 range, we always steer them toward these higher-end options. They offer performance Traeger simply doesn’t match in the same price categories.

In the End, It's About Value — Honest Value

We didn’t choose to skip Traeger because they’re popular. We chose not to carry Traeger because popularity doesn’t equal performance — and it certainly doesn’t equal value.

Green Mountain Grills provides better construction, more included features, stronger customer support, and a lower overall cost to the buyer. And for customers ready to step into the world of premium stainless-steel pellet grills, brands like Memphis, Coyote, and Twin Eagles offer craftsmanship and longevity that mass-market brands can’t match.

At Grill Masters Pro Shop, our goal is simple:Give our customers the best grill for their budget — not the most recognizable name.

If Traeger ever becomes the best value in its category, we’ll revisit it. But today, and for the customers we serve, there are just better choices.