Traeger Pro 575 Review – The Pros And Cons ( Plus A Comparison To Other Grills)

The Traeger Pro Series is the most popular pellet grill on the planet. The newest version of the Pro Series is the Pro 575. This 2nd generation model is a high-tech grill, packed with features making it one of the most advanced pellet grills on the market, while still being affordable.

What Is The Pro 575?

The Pro 575 belongs to the Pro Series, Traeger’s entry-level pellet grills. The Pro 22 and the Pro 34 are the original Pro Series models, and were so popular, Traeger continue to sell the Gen 1 models, despite the new models being available.

The Pro 575 and the Pro 780 belong to the 2nd Gen Pro Series grills. Although the 1st and 2nd Gen Pro Series are similar in size, the Gen 2 Pro Series is more expensive, has more features, and has a lot of technology integrated into the grill.

So if you want the more affordable version of the Pro 575, check out the Pro 22. I’ve done a comparison article here: Pro 22 vs Pro 575.

How Do Pellet Grills Work?

If you don’t know how a pellet grill works, here’s a quick video by Traeger.

The Traeger Hierarchy – Where Is The Pro 575?

There are several Traeger models, so where does the Pro 575 fit in terms of price, nice, and functions? As you can see in the table below, the Pro 575 is one of Traeger’s smaller, entry-level grills.

Pro 575 Specs – Special Features

The Pro 575 may not have all the features of the Ironwood or Timberline, but it still has several upgrades from the Gen 1 Pro Series. The technology is the biggest upgrade. being able to control the grill with your mobile phone is a game-changer. The hopper cleanout, and Turbo Temp are the other useful upgrades.

Price – How Much Does It Cost?

The Pro 575 sells for around about $900 ( check the price because they change constantly). The next model above the Pro 575 is the Pro 780—which sells for around about $1,000. So, there’s only $100 price difference between both Gen 2 Pro Series models. 

Pro 575 Price Compared To Other Models

Control Your Grill From Your Phone

The Wi-Fi controller is the Pro 575’s biggest selling point. To be able to remotely monitor and adjust the temperature of your grill is an amazing feature. So if you’re at the gym, or walking your dog, you can lower the temperature of your grill, change cooking modes, or switch it off.

It may sound complicated, but it’s no different than setting up any other modern device. Just download the Traeger App, pair your phone or tablet, then you can start cooking.

If you’re not a fan of the tech, you can bypass the Wi-Fi and just use the controller.

WIFIRE is the name Traeger has given to the Wi-Fi controller. To get the best out of the Pro 585, use a powerful Wi-Fi connection or router. Traeger recommends a 2.4 gigahertz router for the grill to work at its best. 

The Pros And Cons – The Pro 575

The pros and cons on this table are based on what other Traeger models have to offer. As you upgrade to different Traeger models, more features are made available.

Cooking Capacity

One of the most important considerations when buying a grill is the cooking area. Even though the Pro 575 is the smaller model of the Pro Series, it still holds a decent amount of meat. 

All Traeger models are now named by their cooking capacity. So the Pro 575 has 575 square inches of cooking area, and the Pro 780 has 780 square inches of cooking area.

• Traeger has divided the cooking area into two racks; a top and a bottom rack.
• The top rack has 210 square inches of cooking area
• The bottom rack has 480 square inches of grill space.
• This is enough to cook 24 burgers, or four whole chickens, or five whole racks of ribs. 
• You could easily fit a big packer brisket on the Pro 575.

Size And Dimensions

The Pro 575 is only 41 in wide and weighs 124 lb. It is a height of 53 in, and a depth of 27 in. So the Pro 575 is ideal if you don’t have a huge outdoor area, or you just don’t want a grill to take up all your space. The next model up is the Pro 780—which is about 8 inches wider. 

Temperature Range

The Pro 575 has a temperature range between 165° F and 500° F. This is an upgrade from the Gen 1 Traeger Pro Series—which could only reach 450° F. Pellet grills are best suited to low-and-slow cooking, which is usually between 225° F and to 300° F. 

Turbo Temp

TurboTemp brings your pellet grill up to temperature much quicker, and helps the grill recover after it has lost heat from opening the lid. TurboTemp is great for smoking meat in winter, because during the colder months, it can take a while for your grill to come up to your target temperature.

Every time you open the lid, you’re going to lose heat — especially during the colder months.

TurboTemp produces an intense amount of heat quickly, allowing your grill to come up to temp faster, so you can cook sooner. 

Cold Smoking On A Traeger

If you’re interested in cold smoking bacon, sausage, or other meats, the Pro 575 can be used for cold smoking—but with a few modifications.

Traeger grills only go as low as 165°F. If it’s freezing outside, then it might go lower. Ideally, cold smoking meat should be much lower than 165°F.

The common workaround with pellet grills is by placing trays of ice into the Traeger. Then set the smoker to the lowest temperature. This should bring the temperature down low enough to cold smoke. Otherwise, save your cold smoking for the winter months where your pellet grill will run cooler anyway. 

Cold Smoked Sausage On A Traeger

Pellet Hopper

The Pro 575 only holds 18 lb of wood pellets in the hopper. This is a common criticism, because most pellet bags come in 20 lb bags. The Ironwood has a 20 lb hopper, and the Timberline has a 24 lb hopper.

I don’t really understand why Traeger would only give the Pro 575 an 18 lb hopper. There’s not much difference in size and weight.

I think Traeger likes to have as many differences between the models as possible. I suppose they need to give users a reason to upgrade.

No Insulation

The Traeger Ironwood and the Traeger Timberline have more insulation than the Pro 575. This means they can retain heat for longer. 

Keep in mind the Pro Series is Traeger’s entry-level grill, so it has no extra insulation. The Ironwood has a double-walled insulation, and the Timberline is fully insulated. 

Insulation is especially important if you live in a colder climate, or want to cook through the winter. If your pellet grill isn’t insulated, you’re going to burn through a ton of pellets because your grill needs to work harder to maintain your target temperature. 

Insulation Blankets

Although the Pro Series has no extra insulation, Traeger makes insulation blankets for the Pro Series. These blankets keep the cold off your grill, and allow you to cook through the winter months. The Traeger insulation blanket costs about $100. Check out the latest price for the insulation blankets here.

Grill Guide

Another feature of the Traeger App is the GRILLGUIDE. This is Traeger’s recipe catalogue and contains hundreds of recipes that you can try your Traeger grill. 

The early version of GrillGuide was criticized, but Traeger has improved the recipes significantly. The GrillGuide now has input from pitmasters. There are basic recipes for ribs, brisket, and just about anything. It’s divided into categories, so you can choose beef, pork, etc.

Traeger Thermometers

Anyone who takes meat smoking seriously will use their own thermometers rather than the in-built thermometer that ships with a new grill.

These factory thermometers are usually inaccurate. Traeger ships with a meat thermometer, and an in-built ambient thermometer to measure the temperature of the cooking chamber.

When you get your Traeger, one of the first things you should do is calibrate both thermometers with an ice bath test and boiling water test.

Under SETTINGS on the control panel, there’s an option to calibrate the thermometer. Regularly check the accuracy of the thermometers because they can become more inaccurate over time.

Personally, I prefer to use my own thermometers. I either use my $50 TP20, or an Airprobe smart thermometer.

Other Pro 575 Features

• Top Rack. The top rack of the Pro 575 can keep me warm, or smoke racks of ribs, etc. The rack is detached easily, and can be stored on the hooks at the back of the pellet grill.
• Well Sealed. One thing I always look for in a grill is how well it’s sealed. There’s nothing worse than having a grill where heat escapes and cold air can get in. Often, this is the difference between a quality grill and a cheap grill. 
• Power Cord Storage. A nice feature on Pro 575 is the ability to detach, and pull out the power cord. I know with my other pellet smokers, power chords get in the way, so this is a practical feature. 
• Probe Grommet. Another minor feature on the newer Pro 575 is the grommet attached to the temperature controller. This allows you to feed a thermometer cable through the hole, into the cook chamber without breaking the seal on the grill lid.
• Hinge. Lid hinges are important on Pellet grills. I’ll always look for a solid hinge and seal. I must admit, the lid hinge on the Pro 575 isn’t the best. It doesn’t look like it will last too long. I know some grill companies put a lot of time and effort into their hinge system. Kamado Joe, for example, has exceptional air-lift hinges. I think Traeger can do better in this area. 
• Shelving. The Pro 575 comes with one side shelf, and the option to upgrade with a front shelf for about $70. Shelving is minimal on the Pro 575 and increases with the more expensive Traeger models. However, the Pro 575 shelf is okay for holding a can of beer, a thermometer, or a spritz bottle. 
• Ambient Probe. Traeger has also improved the design of the thermometer on the Pro 575.  The Gen 1 Pro Series has a meat probe that sticks up in the middle of the grill like an antenna. The new Pro 575 has a smaller probe that’s tucked away inside side a casing. 
• Meat Probe. The Pro 575 only comes with one meat probe, whereas the Pro 22 (the older model), is equipped with two thermometers. This is only a problem if you want to track multiple roasts at one time, or you don’t have a separate meat thermometer. 
• Easy Assembly. The Traeger Pro 575 is easy to assemble, and most of it comes attached. All you need to do is assemble the legs and the side shelf. The pellet hopper is already attached, and Traeger provides all the tools needed to assemble the grill. It takes about 45 minutes to assemble the Pro575. You can do it with one person, but two is easier, especially when putting on the legs. 

Pro 575 vs Pro 780

There’s only a $100 price difference between the Pro 575 and the Pro 780. So before deciding, you need to ask yourself if you will regret not spending an extra $100. The only difference between these grills is the height, weight, and cooking capacity. I don’t think anybody regrets buying a bigger grill. 

The only reason I could see why you would want a smaller grill is space. However, if you occasionally cook for groups of people, I would upgrade to the Pro 780. Spend the extra $100. It’s worth it. Otherwise you will need to cook in batches—and you don’t want that. 

Pro 575 vs Pro 780 Differences

• The Pro 780 is 8 inches wider than the 575—which is about the size of an iPad mini.
• The Pro 780 is 2 inches taller than the 575 and weighs 30 pounds more. 
• The Pro 780 has 205 square inches more cooking area than the 575, which is the equivalent of 10 more burgers, or two more whole chickens. 
• There is only $100 price difference between the Pro 575 and the Pro 780. 
• Vertical Cooking. You get 12 inches of cooking space with the Pro 575. The barrel shape design is different between the Gen 1 and Get 2 Pro Series. Both the Pro 34 and Pro 22 had a narrow barrel. The Pro 575 has an oval-shaped barrel, which is better for cooking large roasts like turkey.

Pro 575 Full Specifications Chart

Pro 575 vs Pro 22

How does the Pro 575 compare to the Gen 1 Pro 22 model? There are pros and cons with both models. Let’s take a closer look.

Side-By-Side Comparison – Pro 575 vs Pro 22