Bought this Traeger a couple weeks ago, I’ve used it a handful of times and have noticed some pretty drastic temperature fluctuations. For example; today I had it on 180 for three hours, for the most part it sat around 170-180 but at times I noticed it as low as 150 and as high as 350. The exact same cut of meat at the exact same temperature over the same period of time has yielded different results and I’m wondering if there’s something wrong with my machine. Pics are an hour ish apart.
by original-jerk
4 Comments
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Mine did that the other day, and I’ve come to the conclusion that it was bad pellets that sat in a warehouse too long. It’s done it twice with the same pellets.(Traeger mesquite) and has never done it with Pitt boss or the stuff at Sam’s club or bear mtn pellets. When mine ran up to 350 I could see flames coming out of the burn pot and then my hopper started smoking.
Looks like a pro22? How often are you opening and closing the lid? When I first started using a pellet grill I’d open and close it all the time cause it was a new toy and I wanted to see. Eventually through the years of cooks, I now barely ever opening it and use probes to tell me how the meat is and the ambient pit temp.
I’ve had a persistent issue with my Traeger 22 Pro: the temperature regulation is just poor. If you contact Traeger support, they’ll typically dismiss concerns by saying not to trust third-party probes—but that’s only part of the story.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
1. Temperature spikes and dips are theoretically intentional. The grill fluctuates dramatically in an attempt to maintain an average temperature near your target, which can be misleading in real time.
2. Probe placement makes a big difference. Heat reflection and airflow inside the smoker create wide temp variances depending on where your probe is. For the most accurate representation of what the controller sees/ambient smoker temp, place your ThermoWorks probe dead center on the grill.
3. Major hot spots exist. On my unit, the back-left and front-right corners run up to 80–100°F hotter than the center. For denser packing of the grill, this can burn meat and clearly effects the ambient smoker temp.
Dealing With Traeger Support:
Contacting Traeger is a headache. They always ask for vague “troubleshooting” steps when the grill isn’t in use, which is unhelpful since these issues always pop-up mid-smoke. Then they’ll call you back days later, usually when you’re not home to do diagnostics.
Known Issues with the 22 Pro:
According to Reddit and other user reports, the controller board is the weak point. It’s built with low-cost components, lacks proper shielding from heat and electrical noise, and is prone to firmware corruption, static behavior, or failure. Traeger may help you file a warranty claim and send a replacement controller PCB—but it’s a process, and you’ll be doing the replacement yourself.
Some clever alternatives I’ve seen: • Swapping in a higher-end third-party PID controller (expensive, but effective). • One brilliant Redditor on here installed a $60 Camp Chef controller with success.
I haven’t tried either yet. Frankly, I expect a $400 smoker to work. I’m fine with a ±20°F variance—but the wild temp swings ruin smokes.
What Does Help (Consistently):
Here are three quick, low-cost tricks that have actually made a noticeable difference in my last few smokes:
1. Preheat to high first. Run the 22 Pro at max temp (450°F) for 15 minutes before lowering it to your target temp. Let it stabilize for another 5 minutes before putting your meat on. Not entirely sure why, but this has consistently helped me a lot with the temp swings.
2. Use water pans in hot zones. I picked up two cheap 8” stainless mixing bowls, filled them with water, and placed them in the back-left and front-right corners. These help absorb and redistribute heat, smoothing out the hot spots.
3. Seal the lid. Clean the smoker body where the lid meets it (I used isopropyl), then apply high-temp smoker gasket tape. I used this one: Fireblack® Hi Temp BBQ Smoker Seal. It cuts down on airflow leaks, which can cool zones or feed excess oxygen to the fire pot.
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Final Thoughts:
I was pretty disappointed to learn that the 22 Pro is essentially an entry-level smoker, and it shows—especially in the cut corners around the controller. Still, with a bit of tinkering and a reliable external probe (I use the ThermoWorks Signals), I’ve been able to get decent, consistent results.
If you’re running into the same frustrations, try these quick fixes and see if they help. Good luck—and keep smoking!