Traeger Junior Elite 20 Pellet Grill Review – VerellenHC
The Traeger Junior Elite 20 Review
SUMMARY
Traeger grills are known for their top-notch quality and ability to last long. The Traeger Junior Elite is not an exception. It offers you a 6-in-1 functionality, hence, allowing you to smoke, grill, roast, bake, barbecue, and braise your food perfectly.
Additionally, you can customize the way your grill works. Whether you want a fast and hot cooking or slow and low barbecue, the Traeger Junior Elite has got you covered. Also, the fact that it makes use of wood instead of gas or charcoal makes it economical while giving your food a unique taste.
One crucial factor that determines whether you will buy a grill is how long it will last. The Junior Elite grill is water-resistant hence, keeping it dry as well as extending its lifespan. This grill is also made of steel material, assuring you of stress less grilling experience with low maintenance needs. The wood pellets that power this grill are made specially and ensure that you get the desired wood-fired taste.
Traeger Junior Elite has a front grill shelf that is foldable, allowing you to store the grill properly when not in use. Also, the grill consists of heavy-duty materials that protects it from the sun, snow, and rain.
What Makes This Pellet Grill Stands Out?
SPECIFICATIONS
Size: 15” × 20”; 292 sq. inch
Material: Steel
Power source: wood pellet
Plugin: 110V outlet.
Overview of the traeger brand
The brand Traeger is known as one of the first companies that introduce pellet grilling and smoking in the market. The company has become one of the most popular and trusted brands in the industry ever since it opened its doors in 1990. Every time people hear the brand Traeger, they think of durability, dependability, and quality.
In the past, their grills were offered in limited quantities and selected areas only. But as the word spread about how these grillers work, they increased their production to cope up with the consumers’ demands.
Their grills stands out above other pellet grills and smokers because of its portability. It is not just for making smoky and great tasting foods, but also for tailgating.
Key Specifications of the Traeger Grills Junior Elite 20
7 Main Features Of The Traeger Junior Elite 20
The Traeger Junior Elite is popular because of the many features it has. Some of which you will find only on this unit.
1) Digitally Controlled Pellets
Digitally controlled pellets maintain the grill’s temperature at a constant level. There is no need to worry about a change in temperature due to rain, wind, cold weather or snow. Pellet grills enable users to control the temperature of their grill, and they don’t have to worry about the sudden change in weather.
The digitally controlled thermometer releases pellets automatically when the temperature needs some adjustment. You can set the grill up at night and check the temperature in the morning. You will notice that there are no changes in the temperature. This lets you slow cook or savory smoke meat without any Traeger grill problems.
2) Design and Built Quality
This model has fairly good design and built quality. It is not as perfect as many expect it to be, but considering its price, it is worth it. The unit is made of heavy-duty steel; it is built to withstand not just the heat from the inside, but also the temperature from outside. This is not the kind of grill that will quickly get damaged if left out in the rain.
The cooking area is not that big but not small as well. It has 20 x 15 inches’ porcelain cooking grate. That is big enough to cook 12 hamburger patties at the same time. The grill ignition process is powered by an auger located at the bottom of the unit’s internal bowl. The auger makes the rod hot which sets blaze when wood pellet meets it. All you need to do is to plug it in and let it heat up.
Its portability is exceptional for a wood pellet grill since it weighs at around 60 lbs. The unit has two lockable wheels and can be rolled easily from one location to another.
With its built and design quality, this is a very solid grill. It is not just durable and tough, but very portable also. The grilling grate is large.
3) Ease of Use
This unit is easy to use. It may take several minutes to assemble, but that should be easy. It usually takes more than an hour and a half to assemble it. Just follow the instruction manual, and you won’t have any problem assembling it.
After assembling it, you can use it right away. It functions by plugging it into a 110v power supply. The electrical outlet provides the power needed to heat up the hot rod. In heating, the hot rod turns on the thermostat on the grill. The thermostat can be turned on to one of its many pre-sets like smoke, high, and different points between 180 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
4) Versatility
Whether you are grilling, smoking or baking, you can do it all with Traeger 6-in-1 unit.
It does not matter if you roast, braise, grill, smoke, BBQ or bake, you will get great tasting Traeger wood-fired taste.
Don’t just settle for a grilling unit that only either grill or smoke when you can do more with this superb grill.
5) Digital Elite Controller
Setting your grill is easy. The Digital Elite Controller keeps accurate temperatures within 20 degrees and lets you cook slow and low on the smoke putting too hot and fast up to 450 degrees.
The LED display the grill temperature accurately.
6) Fueled by Pure Hardwood Pellets
With pure hardwood pellets, you will get good tasting food as compared to gas and charcoal grills. Traeger hardwood pellets are made of virgin, pure hardwood without fillers or binding agent, so you will have great tasting flavor.
7) Easy to Clean Grates
Cleaning the grates is never an issue with this grill.
Even after smoking juicy burgers or saucy rack of ribs, you can clean the grill grates fast and easy. It will only take you less time cleaning and more time enjoying the many benefits of Traeger Junior Elite and the foods you cook on it.
Upgraded Version from the junior pellet smoker
The Traeger Junior Elite grill and smoker is the upgraded version of their Junior Pellet Smoker. They have added new features to it. The unit is designed for professional and new home chefs. The size is perfect for individuals who do not want to deal with bulky and immobile grill.
Traeger Junior Elite 20 vs. Lil’ Tex Elite 22
After providing you the best features of Traeger Junior Elite, it is best to make a comparison between other Traeger products. These two grills are almost the same. However, there is one small thing that separates the two.
The most apparent difference is their sizes. The Traeger Lil’ Tex Elite is bigger than the Junior Elite. It measures at 42 x 22 x 49 inches and weighs at 100 lbs. It is 50% bigger. Because Lil’ Tex is bigger, it also provides more cooking area. While the Junior Elite has 15 x 20-inch grate, the Lil’Tex has 22 x 19-inch cooking grate
If you need to cook for a bigger group, then it is best to spend some extra money for the one with a larger cooking area. It will cost you a lot if you will upgrade than to purchase the bigger one right away. Both pellet smokers can serve as a medium sized backyard barbecue.
The Pros and Cons
PROS
CONS
Who Should Buy The Traeger Junior Elite 20?
We recommend this unit to 2 different kinds of people. The first group of individuals includes those who do not want a smoker only and the second group is for those that expects different cooking functions.
Your kitchen will be overcrowded if you were to purchase different kinds of cooking unit for various types of food. It will also be a waste of money. With Traeger Junior Elite, you can do all the different cooking styles in one go. You can also save money and time to prepare the foods you love.
1. For Sophisticated-Equipment Seekers
It is also recommended for individuals who love sophisticated equipment. Even if it has numerous electronic controls, the Traeger is not as sophisticated as what others think. It is sophisticated because of its ability to be used in different cooking functions. If you have the time and eagerness to learn, you will master it in no time.
2. For Restaurant Owners
For restaurant and barbeque shop owners, this unit will help you with your business. Aside from the fact that it can provide several cooking functions, it has bigger grilling area which is big enough to accommodate two whole chickens, 12 burgers, and 18 hotdogs. With space like this, you can operate a barbeque business with several orders coming in at once. If you want to see other brands of bbq grills, check out this article.
3. For Home Owners
If you need this unit for home use, it is also a good idea especially if you have a huge family, or usually host parties with friends. Keep in mind the grill should not be used inside the house so if you love the unit, create an area intended only for the Traeger Junior Elite outside your kitchen where you can install it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why isn’t the grill light?
One of the reasons why your grill is not light is there are no pellets on the firepot. Another reason is that the induction fan is not running.
2. Why does the grill power on not working?
Maybe you have a terrible power outlet or the GFCI on the outlet is tripped. A blown fuse on the controller could also be the reason.
3. Why does the auger not moving?
It could be due to a jammed auger, or there is a broken shear pin that keeps the auger motor from moving.
4. What are the temperatures for medium, high and smoke?
The temperature of the medium is 250- 300-degree Fahrenheit, high at 400-450 Fahrenheit and smoke at 160-200-degree Fahrenheit.
5. How long can the user leave the grill unattended?
You can leave Traeger Junior Elite longer if it has enough pellet in the hopper. It has digitally controlled pellet that can maintain the temperature.
6. Do I always need to use pellets when cooking?
Yes, hardwood pellet is the only source of heat.
7. How long does a bag of pellet last?
The Traeger Junior Elite grill uses one to three pounds. One bag of 20 pounds can power your grill for 20 hours on smoke and around six hours per bag when cooking on high.
Final Verdict
Traeger Junior Elite 20 Wood Pellet Grill Review
Our final verdict is, if you prefer highly-sophisticated units capable of doing multiple functions, then the Traeger Junior Elite 20 is the right griller for you.
It uses the traditional firewood system to complete different cooking functions like smoking, roasting, braising, grilling, and baking.
The Traeger Junior Elite is known for being a high-quality unit with many features. Don’t expect it to be cheap. For all its functions, we feel that it is priced reasonably and is worth buying. We give this unit 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.
Verner Ellen
Hi, my name is Verner Ellen. I am a homebody whose interest is in getting the best home tools and equipments to help with the the everyday house chores. I also love fitness, cooking and grilling. Maintaining a clean and comfortable home is my lifelong passion.
