The last few years have seen a tremendous increase in the popularity of WIFI-enabled pellet grills.
The attraction and appeal of a WIFI grill might have prompted you to wonder, ‘can I add WIFI to my pellet smoker’.
YES! You can add WiFi to a pellet grill if the grill is wifi-enabled like the models listed below.
Unfortunately, if you do not have a WIFI-enabled pellet grill, you might not be able to add the WIFI functionality to it.
So, if you need a WIFI pellet smoker, you will have to purchase and replace it with your current pellet grill.
Benefits of WIFI-Enabled Grills:
A key advantage of WIFI functionality in grills is that it allows you to keep an eye on your food without having to actually keep an eye on your food.
In other words, even if you are physically away from your grill, the dedicated smart-phone app will keep updating you with the cooking status.
Other than that, you can set up remote sensor alarms and temperature – something that is not possible with a non-WIFI grill.
The WIFI will provide you with information regarding the ideal temperature for certain food items, and, as a result, allow you to take the guessing game out of the cooking process.
Armed with these insights, you will be able to grill and even smoke your food with a newfound confidence.
Thanks to WIFI-enabled pellet grills; you obtain constant, accurate feedback regarding the cooking process.
This provides you with much greater control over your cooking, allowing you to make adjustments and modifications at different points throughout the entire process.
Sure, you can always use a thermometer, but it will only provide very limited information regarding the temperature, and even that is not always very accurate.
In addition, we often fail to pay attention to our thermometers.
Choosing a WIFI Pellet Grill – Factors to Consider:
- WIFI Functionality:
Naturally, if you are looking for a WIFI-enabled pellet grill, the first thing you would want to ensure is that the pellet grill is WIFI-enabled.
WIFI pellet grills will come with a dedicated app that you will need to download through your phone or any other smart device.
Once you have downloaded the app, you will be able to link the smart device with the grill, and enjoy all the WIFI-related features that the pellet smoker has to offer.
- Cost:
Naturally, the added features and technology mean that a WIFI-enabled pellet grill is more expensive than its non-WIFI counterpart.
Having said that, WIFI pellet grills are available in a wide price range – prices can be as low as $250, and as high as $2,000 and beyond.
- Device Compatibility:
If you are considering buying a WIFI-enabled pellet grill, you must make sure that you use an IOS or Android phone.
This is because most, if not all, WIFI pellet smokers have apps that are compatible only with Android and IOS.
So, if you use a phone that has neither of these two operating systems, we recommend that you switch to Android or IOS before buying a WIFI grill.
- Cost and Availability of Electricity:
Even though a pellet smoker relies on combustion pellets, it does require electricity.
It is electricity that ensures that allows the auger, fans, and controller to be plugged into normal electrical sockets and work well.
For this reason, you will have to position your WIFI pellet smoker close to a socket or any other source of electricity.
If a pellet smoker does not have direct entry, you might be able to make it work through an extension cord with a high amp.
However, the key thing to remember is that, regardless of whether a pellet grill is WIFI-enabled or not, it will not be able to function without electricity.
- Heating Pellets vs. Cooking Pellets:
Even though you might know or have heard of some people using heating pellets in their pellet smoker, we strongly advise against following suit.
This is because heating pellets contain several chemicals that can be harmful to humans, as well as to the air and environment.
For this reason, you should only use food-grade cooking pellets that will not end up harming you.
These cooking pellets are made entirely with hardwood, and do not have any other toxic additives.
Tips for Using a WIFI-Enabled Pellet Grill:
- Only use the pellets provided by the manufacturer.
The manufacturer knows best about the types of wood that should be used in the grill and will not cause any problems.
Hence, it is better to be safe than sorry, and stick to the manufacturer-made pellets.
There have been far too many stories of grills not operating properly when combined with pellets made from other brands or manufacturers. - Download the smart-phone app provided by the manufacturer, and create an account.
This app will allow you to monitor the cooking time and temperature, and provide other essential information and insights. - Once you have created the account, you should choose the ‘add grill’ option – this will allow you to integrate your pellet grill with the smart-phone.
- Next, stick to the instructions provided by the app.
These instructions are fairly simple and straightforward, and will allow you to establish connection with the pellet grill. - Once you have connected the phone and the grill, put your food in.
The smart-phone app will automatically update you with regards to the cooking status, temperature, and other related information.
Which Traeger Grill Models Have WIFI?
Five of Traeger’s grill models have WIFI functionality; these models are:
- Traeger Timberline 1300
- Traeger Timberline 850
- Traeger Ironwood 885
- Traeger Ironwood 650
- Traeger Pro 575
Final Word:
To sum up, it is not possible to ‘add’ WIFI to your existing pellet smoker.
However, you can always switch to a WIFI-enabled pellet grill, and enjoy all the significant and varying benefits that it has to offer.
Before deciding on a specific pellet grill, make sure to consider factors like purpose, price, grilling area, grill size, convenience, construction quality, and customer reviews.
To learn more about WIFI-enabled grills and why you should (or shouldn’t) buy one, please feel free to check out some of the other blogs on our website.