Traeger Pro 575 vs. Pro 22 – Comparison review
The recent restriction on leaving home residents shows the importance of having backyards. All types of grills can be considered as perfect entertainment during food preparation for the whole family. In addition, you will also receive food with excellent flavor, smell, and color. The most commonly used types of grills are charcoal, electrical, gas and wood pellets.
The grilling process can be easy without significant control from your side with any of these grills, but with some unique features from each type and Manufacturer. For example, modern pellet grills combine the simplicity of food preparation with smoke flavor, which is why they have become so popular recently.
Moreover, they propose automatic ignition, fewer flare-ups, and a wide temperature range. Therefore, they can be used by beginners in grilling. Traeger pellet grills have already gained significant popularity among other brands, and two top-sellers models will be compared in this article.
Traeger Pro 575 vs. Pro 22 – Comparison Table
Differences between Traeger Pro 575 and Pro 22
The compared models Traeger Pro 575 and Pro 22 represent new and old models correspondingly of professional grills. However, there are some differences between them:
- Traeger Pro 575 is higher in leg height than Pro 22 – 53 inches vs. 49 inches (without chimney pipe). This makes the new model more comfortable at work. The cooking barrel of the 575 model is also 2 inches higher, providing more space to cook turkey or chicken.
- Traeger Pro 575 has new WiFire technology that allows you to remotely control the grill with a mobile application and set the temperature with an accuracy of 5o F. The temperature is controlled on Pro 22 with a knob with a 25o F interval only.
- Traeger Pro 575 has a more powerful D2 direct drive with variable speed drive (DC control, not AC as for Pro 22). This allows it to achieve high temperature quickly and maintain it more mildly.
- The hopper switches the side; Traeger Pro 22 has it on the left, and Pro 575 has it on the right.
- Traeger 575 has improved the wood pellet delivery system design by piece into the auger.
- The hopper of the 575 model has a magnetized trapdoor for quick cleaning and changing wood pellets with another flavor.
- Traeger 575 has additional hooks on the back for extra grill rack storage.
- Traeger Pro 22 has two meat probes, while Pro 575 has only one integrated into WiFire technology.
- Traeger Pro 22 is lighter, which makes it easier to move in the backyard.
Even though these two models have quite a few differences, they have, in the end, very similar internal configurations for the best grilling experience. Please see below a more detailed comparison of Traeger Pro 575 vs. Pro 22.
Detailed face-to-face comparison of Traeger Pro 575 vs. Pro 22
Traeger LLC is an American company engineering, designing, and manufacturing best-selling wood pellet grills and smokers. It was founded in 1987 and has achieved a tremendously recognizable brand name and respect from thousands of barbeque lovers of good customer service. They have great technologies allowing to prepare delicious food without prior knowledge of barbeque at all.
The name of the new professional models came from the cooking areas – Traeger 575 has 575 in2 of cooking area. Traeger Pro grills are 6-in-1 versatility; they can grill, smoke, bake, roast, braise, and bbq with 100% hardwood flavor. Traeger also produces hardwood pellets from natural hardwood sawdust.
Product overview
Traeger Pro 575 and 22 have a similar oval black stainless chamber with a bronze lid staying on four legs. The difference is only in size, Pro 22 is slightly smaller. Rugged all-terrain wheels on two legs ensure easy moving of the grills around all backyard types.
The hopper is located on the right side of Traeger Pro 575 and on the left of Traeger Pro 22, and its capacity of 18 lbs (almost the full standard pellet bag) is more than enough for the preparation of the meal for a big family. The external hopper provides more storage of pellets, and Traeger Pro 575 has a magnetized trapdoor for more accessible cleanout. On the hopper is located a digital pro controller with an analog screen.
On the left side (for Pro 575) the chimney with a cap is located, while this chimney is located on the right for Pro 22. The lid (grill door handle) and the bucket side (opposite side to the hopper) handles (side lift handles) are located. Inside the chamber, a grease drip tray is installed with an angle to a grease exit on the left; outside the chamber, a grease bucket should be hung near the exit.
It is essential to locate the parts of the grease system correctly to prevent flare-ups. The auger is located inside the chamber, and the pellets are ignited inside automatically and the heat spreads inside evenly on all sides by the heat baffle. The barrel shape creates a vortex convection of indirect fire heat from the burning pot.
With Traeger 575 and 22, you will have an easy grilling experience of 575 in2 and 572 in2 correspondingly cooking surface of porcelain coated grill grates installed inside the chamber. If you want more surface, check Traeger 780 with 780 in2 cooking surface or Traeger 34 with 884 in2 cooking surface. But, for most users, this surface is enough to prepare 24 burgers, 5 rib racks, or 4 chickens. The cooking surface consists of 418 in2 main rack and 154 in2 extra grill rack.
Traeger 575 has a D2 direct drive to provide more power and flavor to the grill. It is equipped with a brushless motor and single-piece auger, so it lasts longer without maintenance. Also, the variable speed fan allows a mildly controlled temperature in the cooking chamber. It provides better flexibility with temperature fluctuations, not more than 5o F. Traeger Pro 575 has more sensitive WiFire digital control. In contrast, Traeger Pro 22 has Digital Pro Controller adjusting the temperature plus/minus 15 degrees F. Both Traegers have a temperature knob to set the temperature.
Moreover, Traeger 575 has a Wi-Fi connection and can be controlled via a mobile application from everywhere with WiFire technology. Hundreds of recipes in the application are available, indicating all necessary ingredients and setting temperatures. The recipes go directly into the control settings to advise you of all the required steps for cooking. In the application, you can check the temperature or timer, set the alarm, and even adjust the grill temperature from the phone. But you can’t start the grill remotely.
The general recommendation is if you want less smoke, you can adjust the temperature to cook at high temperatures, as in the temperature range 165-225oF, more smoking flavor is produced. You can also find recommendations on what kind of meat will be better with different flavors of wood pellets (apple, cherry, pecan, etc.). Unfortunately, you can’t make black grill marks on your meat with porcelain-coated grates, as the temperature is not so high.
- Easy of setup and maintenance
- Easy grilling experience
- Versatile barbeque cooking 6-in-1
- Easy temperature setup
- Meat probe availability
- Pro 575 can be controlled via the mobile application
- Big hopper to prepare large briskets with one fill– 18 lbs
- Pro 575 has a D2 direct drive for quicker heating
- Large cooking area for a large family– 575 in2
- Temperature fluctuations not more than +/- 15o F for Pro 22 and +/- 5o F for Pro 575
- The dialog interface of Pro 575 can be tricky for some users
- Pro 575 has a port only for one temperature probe
- Not possible to make grill marks
- Heavy to move on significant distance
- No storage shelves, only hooks at the back
Assembling
The manufacturer of Traeger 575 and 22 recommends installing this model with two people, but even one person can easily handle this task within one hour. The easy-to-follow manual is included in the package; you can also download it on the official website or use it from the Traeger mobile application (for Traeger Pro 575). In addition, all tools required for assembling are included in the box. Also, the nice bonus for Traeger Pro 575, the box itself has some graphics to be used after unpacking by kids.
Please note that before using the mobile application, the grill’s internal computer should update all software using your Wi-Fi connection, which could take some time (for some users, the time was about 4 hours). After all updates, Traeger Pro 575 can achieve 500oF, while the temperature on Traeger Pro 22 is limited to 450oF.
Cooking
The first step of any usage of the grill, you should season the grill and burn the grill under 450oF for 40 minutes to remove all packaging grease. Then, before starting the operation, you need to turn on the grill. Traeger Pro 575 has a red power button on the back of the hopper, and Traeger Pro 22 has a black power button near the temperature knob on the hopper. To make fantastic food with Traegers, you need the following:
- Add the pellets.
- Close the grill door.
- Set the required temperature.
- After two minutes, the pellets will be ignited automatically by the auger. The auger automatically sends the pellets to the burn pot and starts the fan.
- The preheating takes about 20 minutes, then place the food on the grates.
- And forget about the grill; it will do everything by itself.
- If required, turn the food from time to time.
The temperature setup is executed with a knob on the internal computer on Traeger 575; the ignition of fire can be performed manually by auger clicking the “ignite” on the control board or automatically. Traeger 22 does not have the “ignite” button; it will be performed only automatically after you set the temperature. You can use a temperature probe included in the package to control the internal temperature better. It takes about 20 minutes to achieve 450oF
It is not recommended to use the grill with an ambient temperature below -20oF.
Cleaning
It is always recommended to keep the grills clean. The hopper and the auger should be vacuumed from sawdust. The Grease Management System should be out of the grease. To simplify cleaning Traegers inside a grease bucket, there is an inner removable aluminum bucket (2 in the package).
On the grease drip tray, a removable aluminum tray is put (6 in the package). The periodicity of grease system cleaning depends on the characteristics of cooked food. Remember that the grease drain tube and grease drain are also included in the grease management system that also should be cleaned. The grill grates should also be cleaned after each use to prevent the residues of the previous meal spoil your new meal. All interiors should be cleaned as well after 10-20 meal preparations. Remember to clean the external surfaces to keep them shining longer.
Buyer’s Guide
In addition to all features that Traeger grills can propose, please see other advances that pellet grills have compared to charcoal, gas, or electric grills. All pellet grills (or smokers) use natural wood pellets for fuel and smoke flavor; also, it requires electricity for the automatic temperature controller and pellets ignition by the auger. Wood pellets are quite a new type of fuel, but entirely natural without additives, effective, and burn into a small amount of ashes. The smoke flavor is intense but not so intensive as in charcoal grills. Other pros and cons are summarized below.
- Easy cooking, cleaning, and maintenance
- Automatic control of temperature by adding pellets to the burn pot
- Pellets have different flavors
- Familiar smoke flavor
- 6 functions in 1 pellet grill
- Convection style of cooking
- All types and sizes of food can be prepared
- Easy fuel filling into the hopper without dirty hands
- Firepot is protected with a deflector plate for even heat distribution inside the cooking chamber
- Meat probes can be integrated into the temperature regulation system
- Storage place is required for bags with pellets
- Only outdoor cooking
- Electricity required
- Not enough temperature (500oF) for searing and no direct heat applied to meat
- Quite heavy, typically higher than 100 lbs
- May be complicated for beginners
As you can see, pellet grills have numerous pros, so they are worth trying if you consider buying Traeger Pro 575 or 22.
How to choose the best wood pellet grill?
Considering that you definitely decided to buy a pellet grill, there is a determined sequence of questions that you should ask yourself before buying a particular model. Then, check the answers on them before making a final decision.
- Do you have enough outdoor space with access to electricity? You need a place not only to place the grill but also a place for convenient cooking and food placing. There are limited editions of built-in small grills; mainly, all pellet grills are freestanding. Traeger grills are free-standing ones.
- What type of temperature controller will be more convenient for you? There are three types: non-PID controls with up to 10 pre-set temperature positions on the temperature knob; PID controllers that allow adjusting temperatures within 5 degrees and have variable speed fans and augers; PID-plus controllers include standard PID controllers in combination with mobile application control. Traeger Pro 575 has PID-plus controller, while Traeger Pro 22 has standard PID controller.
- What is your budget? On the market, you can find grills for every lifestyle and budget. Traeger models are mid-class grills with advanced features.
- At what temperature are you going to cook? It is not recommended to use most pellet grills with ambient temperature below -20oF. In the weather with a temperature around 20 degrees to prevent inefficient heat consumption and save pellets, you may use insulated grill blankets (purchased separately).
There are no other limitations in pellet grills to be considered. After reviewing our guide, we hope you can find the best pellet grill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prepare a brisket in Traeger Pro 575?
How long does the 20-pound pellet bag last in Traeger Pro 575 or 22?
How long does Traeger Pro 22 work?
Do I need to empty the hopper after each use?
Conclusion
If you decide to change your grill from charcoal or gas grill to wood pellet, both Traeger Pro 575 and Pro 22 are good for you. If you want to avoid paying more and do not need to control the grill remotely, then the classic Traeger Pro 22 is the right choice. However, if you are looking for more power and a grill with advanced modern technologies such as Wi-Fi, then a new Traeger Pro 575 is your choice. No matter which one you choose you will receive simple settings and perfect wooden flavor each time you prepare your food. But basically, Traeger Pro 575 is an upgraded version of the Traeger Pro 22.
