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.
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.
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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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
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.
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%.
Our favorite foods to cook on a Griddle
- 1Bacon- Cooking a pound or more of bacon is almost always the first thing we cook on a new griddle.
- 2French Toast
- 3Pancakes
- 4Eggs
- 5Hash browns
- 6Grilled sandwiches like our homemade Cubano
- 7Philly cheesesteak sandwich
- 8Oklahoma Onion Burgers or any other type of smash burgers
- 9Crunch Wrap Supreme
- 10Quesadillas
- 11Fajitas
- 12Homemade tortillas
- 13Homemade naan bread
- 14Chicken fried Rice
- 15Chicken lo-Mein
- 16Hibachi chicken and vegetables
- 17Searing steaks
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.
John Hacker
March 2, 2023 10:36 pmThanks for your Flat Rock review, Really the best I have seen so far.
I currently have a Yoder 640S pellet grill. thinking of a griddle like the flat rock. Really wondering if it is worthwhile to purchase. I use the pellet grill 3 times a week.
Not sure if these 2 items compliment each other enough.
Comments Please. appreciate it John
David Gafford
March 3, 2023 3:15 pmWe seriously use our griddle several times a week. The more you use it, the more you realize you can use it for other things. And we have used a number of different griddles and have been thoroughly impressed with the quality of the Flatrock.
Grey McKinney
April 28, 2023 8:13 pmI have been researching griddles and looking for specific design features; the Traeger has most of the ones important to me: steel surface vs ceramic, grease trap drop hole and collector in the front and great job with the recessed cooking surface to block wind and heat escape (especially in the front where your arms are). BUUUUUt it’s too small! What gives? Is this a griddle for ants?? The price is steep but I would have pulled the trigger instantly if it had an adequate cook surface size… Deal breaker.