The Ultimate Traeger Timberline XL Review: Elevating Your Backyard Smoker Experience

For over two years, the Traeger Timberline XL has been the undisputed heart of my backyard culinary adventures, serving as my primary smoker and grill. Through countless cooks, from slow-smoked briskets and tender ribs to perfectly flaky salmon, it has consistently delivered exceptional results, earning its place as an indispensable tool. Beyond its superb smoking capabilities, I find myself utilizing the attached induction side burner almost daily. It’s incredibly handy for preparing delectable side dishes, deep-frying crispy shrimp, or achieving that perfect, restaurant-quality sear on steaks. If you’re eager to explore the vast potential of this magnificent machine, you can find our full collection of Traeger recipes here.

About Traeger and the New Timberline XL Design

Traeger didn’t just invent wood pellet grills in 1987; they ignited a revolution in outdoor cooking, forever changing how we experience backyard gastronomy. Since then, their commitment to innovation has continuously pushed the boundaries of what a grill can do. The Traeger Timberline XL stands as the pinnacle of their engineering prowess, representing their top-of-the-line wood pellet grill. It comes packed with an impressive array of cutting-edge features, all while delivering best-in-class technology and unparalleled performance.

This particular model marked a complete overhaul in design from its predecessor, the Traeger Timberline 1300. The Timberline XL boasts heavy-duty construction, featuring a robust double-walled stainless steel interior that ensures superior heat retention and durability. Externally, it showcases an elegant matte finish, exuding a premium aesthetic that elevates any backyard space. From its sturdy build to its refined appearance, this grill truly represents the zenith of outdoor cooking equipment.

One of its most compelling attributes is its expansive cooking area, spanning an impressive 1320 square inches. This generous space makes it an ideal choice for hosting large parties, family gatherings, or simply managing multiple dishes simultaneously. The Timberline XL’s unique hood design, combined with Traeger’s innovative Smart Combustion™ technology, virtually eliminates heat loss. This intelligent system constantly monitors and regulates the internal temperature, offering remarkably consistent cooking performance, regardless of external weather conditions. This means you can trust your Traeger to maintain precise temperatures, ensuring perfectly cooked food every single time.

Key Features That Set the Timberline XL Apart

The Traeger Timberline XL is brimming with a wide range of innovative features designed to enhance your cooking experience. Here are some of my personal favorites, detailing why they make such a significant difference.

EZ-Clean™ Grease & Ash Keg: Simplifying Cleanup

Gone are the days of tedious foil lining and messy clean-ups after a big cookout. This amazing grill is equipped with a revolutionary new ash and grease collection system that you’ll undoubtedly appreciate. Located discreetly underneath the grill, the EZ-Clean™ Grease & Ash Keg serves as a convenient collection bin for both cooking byproducts. This ingenious design streamlines the clean-up process, making it incredibly easy and hygienic.

As you cook, the keg seamlessly collects all the grease drippings and ash. Once your culinary masterpiece is complete and the grill has cooled, you simply remove the keg from its housing and dispose of the contents. It’s an incredibly simple and convenient solution that encourages more frequent use of your grill, knowing that post-cooking chores will be minimal. This feature truly transforms what used to be a dreaded task into a walk in the park.

Traeger Induction® Cooktop: A Complete Outdoor Kitchen

Let me tell you about my absolute favorite feature on this grill: the magnetic induction cooktop! This addition transforms the Timberline XL from merely a smoker into a fully functional outdoor kitchen. It’s truly amazing how you can instantly heat up any metal pan by simply placing it on the sleek glass top. The responsiveness is incredible – it heats up remarkably quickly, providing instant and precise temperature control, which is fantastic for a wide array of cooking tasks.

But arguably the best part is its safety. The cooktop surface only heats up the specific area directly touching the pan, meaning you don’t have to worry about accidentally burning yourself on an exposed hot surface. With this incredibly versatile feature, your culinary possibilities are virtually limitless. You can effortlessly whip up gourmet sauces, sauté fresh vegetables, deep-fry crispy appetizers, or achieve a perfect, caramelized crust on a reverse-seared steak. It truly makes the Timberline XL a comprehensive cooking station.

Traeger Downdraft Exhaust® + Super Smoke® Mode: Flavor Enhancement

The secret to achieving that truly delicious, deep smoky flavor without any unpleasant bitterness lies in the quality and circulation of your smoke. You need a constant flow of fresh, high-quality smoke while simultaneously ensuring that any old, stale smoke is efficiently removed. This delicate balance is crucial for infusing your food with that authentic wood-fired taste.

That’s precisely where the innovative new Downdraft Exhaust® system comes into play, doing all the work for you by optimizing smoke circulation. Adding to this advanced system is the Super Smoke® mode, which introduces an extra kick of delicious, robust smoky flavor. This mode is most effective when you’re cooking within the ideal smoking temperature range of 165º to 225º Fahrenheit, ensuring your meats are permeated with a rich, authentic taste that will impress even the most discerning palates.

WiFIRE® Technology and MEATER® Wireless Meat Thermometers: Smart Grilling

You’ll be pleased to know that the latest version of the Traeger Timberline XL continues to deliver the revolutionary WiFIRE® technology, a feature first introduced in the original Timberline model and refined ever since. This exciting innovation allows you to effortlessly connect your grill to your smartphone via the intuitive and user-friendly Traeger App, bringing unparalleled convenience to your cooking.

With the app, you gain complete control over your grill from virtually anywhere. You can conveniently adjust the temperature, set precise cooking times, and monitor the internal temperature of your food using the two included MEATER® temperature probes. Simply insert the wireless probes into your meat, and you can track its progress in real-time on your smartphone, ensuring perfect doneness every single time without constantly lifting the lid. This smart integration allows for true set-it-and-forget-it cooking, freeing you up to enjoy your gathering or focus on other tasks.

Unwavering Performance & Effortless Maintenance

I reside in a Midwestern state where the climate presents extreme challenges, with winter temperatures plummeting to freezing negatives and summer heat soaring above 100ºF. Luckily, the Traeger Timberline XL consistently performs like a champion, no matter how harsh the weather outside. While I do need to plan for a little extra warm-up time during those frigid winter start-ups, once it’s up and running, it holds its temperature precisely where I need it, performing like a dream. This robust grill allows me to easily run temperatures between a low of 165°F for slow, tender smoking and a high of 500°F for powerful searing, offering incredible versatility.

Keeping any Traeger grill clean is absolutely key to ensuring its top performance and longevity, and this is another area where the Traeger Timberline XL truly excels with effortless maintenance. While the innovative EZ-Clean™ Grease & Ash Keg handles the bulk of the mess, proactive care ensures your grill stays in pristine condition. I keep a small putty knife handy to scrape up any accumulated drippings on the grates and interior, and a trusty shop vac is invaluable for the occasional deep clean of ash from the fire pot area. But, as previously discussed, the EZ-Clean™ Grease & Ash Keg truly makes post-cooking clean-up a walk in the park. Pair that with a bottle of Traeger’s All-Natural Cleaner for a quick wipe down of the grates and exterior after each use, and you’ll always be ready for that next delicious meal with minimal fuss.

Price: A Premium Investment

While the Traeger Timberline XL certainly sits at the top end of the backyard smoker market, with an MSRP of $3,799.99, it’s essential to consider the high-end features, robust build quality, and unparalleled versatility that make it stand out significantly from other options. This isn’t just a smoker; it’s an investment in a comprehensive outdoor cooking system that transforms your backyard into a gourmet kitchen. For serious pitmasters and entertainers, this investment can profoundly boost your smoking game, delivering consistently tasty and impressive results that justify the cost over time.

Considering the Drawbacks

While the investment of almost $4,000 in a pellet smoker, not even factoring in additional accessories, may seem significant, it really depends on your specific lifestyle and cooking habits. For those who frequently host large gatherings, enjoy entertaining, and cook for bigger groups, the Timberline XL’s capacity and advanced features offer excellent value. However, for more casual cul-de-sac cooks with smaller families who don’t entertain often, it may not be the most practical or cost-effective choice. It’s a premium product designed for premium demands.

My other minor complaint pertains to the integration of the MEATER+ Wireless thermometer pack. While the grill does come with these fantastic probes, the Traeger app, at the time of writing this post, does not fully display all the features available in the standalone MEATER+ app. Specifically, while it conveniently shows the current temperature of your protein, it unfortunately does not offer one of the MEATER+ app’s most valuable features: the estimated remaining time left to cook. This crucial detail is incredibly helpful for meal planning and execution, and its absence in the Traeger app can be a bit frustrating for advanced users. Hopefully, this functionality will be included in future software updates.

So, What’s the Verdict?

Ultimately, the Traeger Timberline XL is an undeniable must-have for dedicated backyard pitmasters and home chefs who aspire to easily smoke delicious meals while keeping clean-up quick and efficient, ready to tackle the next culinary creation. Even though it comes with a higher price point, the comprehensive suite of added features – especially the game-changing induction top – truly makes it a worthwhile cost investment for those serious about their outdoor cooking.

My backyard isn’t just a space; it’s the neighborhood’s favorite gathering spot. Sure, the pool plays a key role, but I know for a fact that the incredible food coming off my Traeger Timberline XL is a huge factor as well. I rely on it every single week, in every season, through every culinary challenge. It’s more than just a grill; it’s the cornerstone of my outdoor entertaining, consistently delivering flavor and memories.