Traeger Grills has just announced the release of their all-new Flatrock flat-top grill to compete with the likes of Blackstone in the outdoor griddle game.

It's a new day. Traeger no longer only makes pellet grills. 

Flatrock griddle from Traeger

Traeger reached out to see if we would be interested in sharing a first look with our audience and we of course obliged. (While Traeger did supply the griddle, we are under no obligation to share a false review, and any opinions shared by us are genuinely our own.)

So let's take a look at this new offering from Traeger Grills.

Flatrock Flat-top grill from Traeger Grills

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Unboxing and First Look

Traeger Flatrock Griddle Specifications

Feature

Measurement

Total cooking surface area

594 sq. inches

Grill surface dimensions

18" x 33"

Cooktop materials

carbon steel

Assembled dimensions

W74" x D27" x H36"

Maximum temperature

600°F

BTUS

43,500

Fuel

liquid propane (no natural gas)

Weight

189 lbs.

What we love about the Traeger Flatrock Griddle

Traeger Grills triple u-burner design with heat shield separating

3 Cooking Zones

Traeger has designed this outdoor griddle with 3 distinct cooking zones, each u-shaped burner somewhat insulated from the next with a heat shield. So you can be cooking something on high heat next to something on low, and as long as you have a good sense of where the invisible boundary line is between those two zones, they won't interfere with each other.

So we were able to keep cooked bacon warm using a low burner on the far left, cook pancakes and eggs on medium heat in the middle, and brown hash browns on high heat on the far right with no problem whatsoever.

Because Traeger has given us so much control in heating the all new Flatrock, we haven't had any issues whatsoever with hot spots or cold spots on the griddle.

fuel gauge on the Traeger flat-top grill

Never Run Out of Fuel

Traeger has mounted a fuel gauge on the controller that is able to measure and report approximately how much fuel is left in your propane tank. I can't tell you how many times in the past I have set out to fix a meal on a gas griddle, pizza oven, or gas grill and the fire goes out just as I'm getting started because I didn't realize the tank was about empty. This is a huge asset in my opinion.

It starts with calibrating the Flatrock with a completely full propane tank. You teach it how heavy the full tank is and then as the tank lightens its load the sensor will communicate it to you through lights on the controller.

Flamelock construction keeps the wind out and the heat in the Flatrock grill

Cooking In The Wind Is No Problem!

Something that really sets this griddle apart from virtually every other outdoor griddle we've used is that there is no access to the burners without completely lifting off the griddle top. So during a cook, the wind will have no impact on the performance of the burners. We've had a very windy February while using this and have had absolutely no issues maintaining consistent heat on the Traeger Flatrock griddle.

Side note, the flip side of this feature is that you cannot actually peek inside to visually confirm that the burner has lit. However, the knobs each have a flame indicator light that will let you know whether or not there is a flame burning inside.

Flatrock grill side shelf holding supplies for making pancakes for breakfast

Side Shelves Galore

If there's one thing I've learned about cooking on a flat-top grill, it's that I always need a lot of prep space. Whether I'm cooking smash burgers or fried rice, I always have a tray of ingredients, seasonings, and sauces at the ready in addition to my griddle tools.

the Traeger Flatrock griddle has enormous side shelves with pop and lock accessory rails

Cooking on a griddle is a somewhat fast-paced endeavor and there's really no time to run back inside for a slice of cheese or a bottle of seasoning. I love that Traeger has planned for my needs and given us 2 large 17" side shelves to set me up for success.

pop-and-lock accessories can be added to the Flatrock grill for more versatility

Pop-And-Lock Customization

If those side shelves don't give you all the space you need, the Flatrock griddle has the same pop-and-lock accessory rail found in the Traeger Timberline series. You can easily add tool hooks, a paper towel holder, or a storage bin for sauces and spices with an additional purchase from Traeger. They're not cheap accessories but those are the kind of things we like to stick on our birthday and Christmas wish lists and let someone else make that purchase for us.

Traeger disposable bucket liners make grease clean up easy with the EZ clean keg

Grease Management

Disposing of collected grease is one of my least favorite maintenance tasks in the outdoor kitchen. I love that Traeger is utilizing the same foil bucket system found in their pellet grills. With the EZ-Clean Grease Keg, I don't have to scrape the sludge out; I can just pull out the bucket liner and replace it with a new one.

Traeger logo on the lid of the Traeger Flatrock flat top grill

Premium Lid

I'll just put this out there right off the bat. You don't want to buy a griddle that doesn't have a lid, even if you've got a cover. But secondly, not all griddle lids are created equally. Traeger's lid on the Flatrock is well-built with great hinges. It is easy to open and close and doesn't feel flimsy at all.

And as a side note, the lid to the Flatrock flat-top grill should never be left closed while the burners are lit.

5 year limited warranty sticker on the Flatrock grill

5-Year Warranty

The Traeger Flatrock griddle comes with a 5-year limited warranty which seems impressive compared to other brands in this category. Blackstone and Camp Chef only offer a 1-year warranty and Pit-Boss offers 2 years. You can learn more about Traeger's warranty on their website.

Traeger Flatrock grill box offers fun for the kids

Cardboard Fun For The Littles

If you've ever purchased a new Traeger grill, you know that each box is printed on the inside and ready to be repurposed into something fun for the kids. Now our kids might be a little too big to actually play in these boxes now, but that's not to say they didn't still have fun making it!

What we don't love about the Flatrock Griddle from Traeger

Flatrock flat top grill sale price on Traeger grill website

The Price

The price for the Traeger Flatrock flat-top grill is a little steep. You certainly can buy outdoor griddles at a much lower price. However, any outdoor griddles selling for half the price will also come in at half the quality with at least half the lifespan. You get what you pay for. I do wish the Traeger accessories were more affordable as well.

Power cord on the back of the Flatrock griddle

Electricity required

Honestly, this one didn't really bother me at all, but I know that it may bother some people. Though the heat of the griddle is fueled by propane, the igniter, LED indicators on the knobs, and the propane sensor are powered by electricity. (However, the igniter *can be powered by a battery instead). Therefore, the Flatrock needs to be plugged into an outlet. I'm so used to having to plug in our pellet grills that this bothered me exactly 0%.

smash burgers, mushrooms and onions cooking on the Flatrock griddle by Traeger grills

Our favorite foods to cook on a Griddle

  1. 1
    Bacon- Cooking a pound or more of bacon is almost always the first thing we cook on a new griddle.
  2. 2
    French Toast
  3. 3
    Pancakes
  4. 4
    Eggs
  5. 5
    Hash browns
  6. 6
    Grilled sandwiches like our homemade Cubano
  7. 7
    Philly cheesesteak sandwich
  8. 8
    Oklahoma Onion Burgers or any other type of smash burgers
  9. 9
    Crunch Wrap Supreme
  10. 10
    Quesadillas
  11. 11
    Fajitas
  12. 12
    Homemade tortillas
  13. 13
    Homemade naan bread
  14. 14
    Chicken fried Rice
  15. 15
    Chicken lo-Mein
  16. 16
    Hibachi chicken and vegetables
  17. 17
    Searing steaks
breakfast cooking on the Flatrock grill

Our Traeger Flatrock Griddle Review

Overall, I have to admit we are thoroughly and genuinely impressed with this outdoor griddle. For a manufacturer that has strictly produced pellet smokers to date, they have certainly come out of the gate as a force to be reckoned with and will be giving other brands like Blackstone a run for their money, for sure.

It will be interesting to see whether Traeger expands their griddle offerings to other price points over time.

outdoor cooking on the Traeger Flatrock Grill